[anon3396357]

Fair review. The only thing that will make me buy a 9900 is the keyboard, which is definitely sexy, and much better than a 9780. However, like what some has said, I'm not so sure if giving up features from the competition is worth the keyboard, since touch screen phones are just as sexy to me anyway.

[TLD1]

I stopped taking Jonathan serious, and the funny part is while constantly bashing RIM I'm almost positive his personal Device is a Berry. Hence him saying he's had the bold for about a week. Really ?

via Nexus S 4G

Jonathan's personal device is an Apple iPhone 4.

[kenshaw]

he says it lacks behind the ipone4 and android with web browsing really from the videos we have seen it doesn't lack at all what he said there is really misleading

Coming from a Galaxy S2 to the 9900, it does lack big time. It is a major improvement but it is still lacking.

[ragingklu]

Looks like the phone is exactly what we expected it to be.

That's more than enough to get me through to QNX-land (as long as that happens in 2012). It's only a stopgap, but it's a marked improvement over the previous gen.

It just sucks that AT&T is going to take their time releasing it. I'll probably just get a Canadian one since I'm aiming to buy it at the no-commitment prince anyway.

[ADGrant]

Some of Android's and iOS' advantages are "starting to slide" too.

The one thing Android still have is the power of numbers (boatload of manufacturers releasing boatloads of models) and the only thing iOS still have is mindshare.

Mindshare and performance, iCloud, facetime, 400,000 apps, iMessage etc.

[mjs416]

The level of hate sprayed at BGR on this site is staggering. I am a Blackberry owner and I agree with 98% of what he says on his site, I don't see how any logical human being could NOT agree with the stuff he's saying. He presents RIM in the light that it has created for itself, it's not his fault or any other tech site's fault. He expressed both positives and summed it up with one large glaring negative that will haunt RIM until they successfully launch QNX phones. Simple as that.

I consider myself logical if even to a fault but I find the majority of his reviews and blogs to be baseless, opinionated tripe. Logic has nothing to do with it.

[houshinto#IM]

It's probably the most "balanced" review I've seen from BGR ever. But considering it's from BGR it's still lacking. I didn't think it befitting of a serious review when he goes in an emo rant over Apps and that whole "it's a joke" business.

Anyways when you look at the hoards that eviscerates the author for even trying to commend RIM, you can see who they cater to.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I only compared them as the BGR review did as it said that there were no reasons for anyone to choose the Bold 9900 over it. There are lots of reasons. If there weren't then we would have iPhones and not Bold 9900's. We didn't choose it because we had to for work, nor because we're not tech savy, nor because we have some bizarre slightly masochistic kitch attraction to Blackberry, and this is what too much of the tech media fails to realize. The Blackberry can compete, does, and for users like me and rioters in the UK to name just two groups, it exceeds any other phone in the world.

Hey bud you're preaching to the choir. I've always maintained that RIM doesn't have to be number 1 in order to be successful. I think for the most part the newer BlackBerry's(OS7) can compete with the others and will. I don't however think they are better than other devices. There are a couple things the BB does better, yet there are many things the other/s do better.
I feel that if you sat the 9900 beside the iPhone 4 and ran a feature by feature comparison, the iPhone 4 would win based solely on features/hardware/software.
As you said and I agree with, not everyone needs the features some of the other devices have. The BlackBerry just "does" it for some people. But there is a reason RIM is phasing out OS7 and moving to QNX. Therefore IMHO, BGR was completely fair in his assertion. Here is the last paragraph you mentioned and I've broke it up by colors to break it down in parts:

"With an improved and enhanced operating system that is speedier than any previous version, this could be the total package you�re looking for in a smartphone. Unfortunately, it�s still a BlackBerry, and outside of the core areas where a BlackBerry still offers a competitive advantage like email, for instance,I don�t see a reason to pick this smartphone over an iPhone 4 or one of the latest Android handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S II or Google�s Nexus S. There will always be a market for the current incarnation of BlackBerry smartphones, but that market is shrinking daily and RIM�s QNX-based mobile devices can�t come soon enough."

He said it was completely improved & enhanced & this jives with most peoples opinion that have the device. It's by far the best BlackBerry ever released to market.

OS7/OS 6.1 is the same code that BlackBerry's have used for years aside from a few new API's & the Webkit browser.

Again, a positive and RIM's perceived main strength

This is the opinion of the reviewer along with evidence of the current smartphone market share worldwide. BlackBerry's aren't selling as much as other devices and aren't selling as much as previous versions of years past.

This is absolutely true, there will always be a market for BlackBerry's. But as market share shows, this is shrinking, so BG is absolutely correct. RIM knows this hence the move to QNX which will put RIM in the position in which it needs to be.


I'm not here to dog RIM or praise other platforms. Only here to bring a balanced opinion of the current situation as we know it. I love the 9900. I'm a one device kind of guy and this is THE ONE does it all device for me. However I'm not disillusioned to the point where I think RIM devices are truly on par with all other platforms & that they don't have many things to work on. I want, need RIM to succeed but in order to do so things have to change. Luckily for myself & others who feel like I do, they're in the process of doing exactly that... )

[kenshaw]

Hey bud you're preaching to the choir. I've always maintained that RIM doesn't have to be number 1 in order to be successful. I think for the most part the newer BlackBerry's(OS7) can compete with the others and will. I don't however think they are better than other devices. There are a couple things the BB does better, yet there are many things the other/s do better.
I feel that if you sat the 9900 beside the iPhone 4 and ran a feature by feature comparison, the iPhone 4 would win based solely on features/hardware/software.
As you said and I agree with, not everyone needs the features some of the other devices have. The BlackBerry just "does" it for some people. But there is a reason RIM is phasing out OS7 and moving to QNX. Therefore IMHO, BGR was completely fair in his assertion. Here is the last paragraph you mentioned and I've broke it up by colors to break it down in parts:

"With an improved and enhanced operating system that is speedier than any previous version, this could be the total package you�re looking for in a smartphone. Unfortunately, it�s still a BlackBerry, and outside of the core areas where a BlackBerry still offers a competitive advantage like email, for instance,I don�t see a reason to pick this smartphone over an iPhone 4 or one of the latest Android handsets like the Samsung Galaxy S II or Google�s Nexus S. There will always be a market for the current incarnation of BlackBerry smartphones, but that market is shrinking daily and RIM�s QNX-based mobile devices can�t come soon enough."

He said it was completely improved & enhanced & this jives with most peoples opinion that have the device. It's by far the best BlackBerry ever released to market.

OS7/OS 6.1 is the same code that BlackBerry's have used for years aside from a few new API's & the Webkit browser.

Again, a positive and RIM's perceived main strength

This is the opinion of the reviewer along with evidence of the current smartphone market share worldwide. BlackBerry's aren't selling as much as other devices and aren't selling as much as previous versions of years past.

This is absolutely true, there will always be a market for BlackBerry's. But as market share shows, this is shrinking, so BG is absolutely correct. RIM knows this hence the move to QNX which will put RIM in the position in which it needs to be.


I'm not here to dog RIM or praise other platforms. Only here to bring a balanced opinion of the current situation as we know it. I love the 9900. I'm a one device kind of guy and this is THE ONE does it all device for me. However I'm not disillusioned to the point where I think RIM devices are truly on par with all other platforms & that they don't have many things to work on. I want, need RIM to succeed but in order to do so things have to change. Luckily for myself & others who feel like I do, they're in the process of doing exactly that... )

We can lock this thread now. That was the best post I have seen in a while. You hit the nail on the head.

[imrank128]

Three things that were inaccurate about the review that bothered me:

1. He said that the screen isn't "up there" with qHD android phones. That's blatantly false. There is no qHD android screen with the ppi of the bold 9900. The only phones that beat the bold's ppi are the iphone 4 and the nokia e6.

2. He said the call quality on the bold 9900 was worse that the iphone 4 and other phones. I find that EXTREMELY hard to believe. People on these forums have switched from iphone 4 to BB solely because of poor call quality. So I'm not sure that is a valid gripe on his part.

3. As someone already mentioned on the thread, he claimed that the browser on the bold 9900 was much worse than the competition. And as we've seen, it is at worst, 1-2 seconds behind the competition and rendering is fine. At best, it beats the competition. So I'm not sure why he made that claim.

[howarmat]

Three things that were inaccurate about the review that bothered me:

1. He said that the screen isn't "up there" with qHD android phones. That's blatantly false. There is no qHD android screen with the ppi of the bold 9900. The only phones that beat the bold's ppi are the iphone 4 and the nokia e6.

2. He said the call quality on the bold 9900 was worse that the iphone 4 and other phones. I find that EXTREMELY hard to believe. People on these forums have switched from iphone 4 to BB solely because of poor call quality. So I'm not sure that is a valid gripe on his part.

3. As someone already mentioned on the thread, he claimed that the browser on the bold 9900 was much worse than the competition. And as we've seen, it is at worst, 1-2 seconds behind the competition and rendering is fine. At best, it beats the competition. So I'm not sure why he made that claim.

Did he say he was comparing the technical specs of PPI for his opinion? Maybe it was the quality of the glass/plastic that the display uses that didnt quite measure up. But to be "blatantly false" would probably not be accurate to say.

Maybe his phone had a hardware defect or maybe it just wasnt as good as his iphone. Again that can vary from person to person too.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Three things that were inaccurate about the review that bothered me:

1. He said that the screen isn't "up there" with qHD android phones. That's blatantly false. There is no qHD android screen with the ppi of the bold 9900. The only phones that beat the bold's ppi are the iphone 4 and the nokia e6.

2. He said the call quality on the bold 9900 was worse that the iphone 4 and other phones. I find that EXTREMELY hard to believe. People on these forums have switched from iphone 4 to BB solely because of poor call quality. So I'm not sure that is a valid gripe on his part.

3. As someone already mentioned on the thread, he claimed that the browser on the bold 9900 was much worse than the competition. And as we've seen, it is at worst, 1-2 seconds behind the competition and rendering is fine. At best, it beats the competition. So I'm not sure why he made that claim.

#1) Yes the screen is very crisp & clear, but I think he meant in terma of overall quality it was behind the Super AMOLED

#2) You're just plain wrong. That is absolutely NOT what he said. Here's what he said:

Voice calling on the Bold 9900 was a pretty solid experience. BlackBerry smartphones have been known for their superior RF performance and their ability to serve up solid connections, and the BlackBerry 9900 is no different. The device easily rivaled Apple’s latest smartphone and Google’s latest Nexus device in that department.

3) This is subjective, this could be speed or screen size, multiple things.

[imrank128]

I was referring to this part: "As far as the ear speaker goes, however, calls sounded a bit shallow and lacked a low-end that is typically found on most top-tier smartphones."

I guess I assumed "top-tier smartphones" included iphone and android phones. I'm not sure what else could be interpreted by that. Also, since when is the iphone the standard in the first place?

If anything, the iphone should be compared against the blackberry for call quality, not the other way around. That discussion just seemed a little strange and misleading to me.

[Dapper37]

So I guess this guy just wants a billon apps, he needs to understand phones are a communication device first and everything else second. bgr fail!

[Nickerz]

I think he flagged lots of things that make it stand out over the iPhone 4 and SG2 ... The 9900 has better build quality by a million miles than the SG2. Better email by a million miles, better messaging all round that both iPhone 4 and SG 2. Given that emailling and messaging is a very significant aspect of why people use cell phones I think there's a lot to make it stand out over the SG2 or iPhone 4.

I thought it was a very fair review. I realize there are more benefits of the 9900 you could have mentioned but based on what you listed above (other than the build quality of course) ...a much older BB device could be said to "stand out over the iPhone 4 and SG2" (heck even the iPhone 5).

Again, the review imo was more than fair as it highlighted the pros and cons and I'd say there were more pros mentioned.

Just a side note...
What all reviews should start doing is have 2 of the same device and take pics/videos with the very device they are reviewing!

[lorax1284]

I also believe that his agruments are valid, BlackBerry is seriously lacking in the media/app department.

Which reminds me... the speaker on the bold 9000 was the best on any device ever... how is the sound quality on the 9900?

[lauyerman]

"Is this the phone that’s going to make iPhone and Android users switch to a BlackBerry?"

Well, that's why I am on this site

I started with a 7250, then used a 8830 at work, then tried the Storm as personal phone, but left it for iPhone 3GS. I have a iPhone 4 now and was happy with it until I stumbled on the 9900/9930 info. 99% sure I'm making the switch.

I wish it would run on Sprint 4G or AT&T's new 4G roll out, but I guess super fast internet on a phone is sort of a wrong priority for me as I bring my 3G iPad everywhere I bring my phone. The reduced screen size pushes me to use the iPad as a browser, dropbox, etc. so I really just need a great email client, physical keyboard and all the other refinements (I just remembered the LED message indicator, oh wow, was that something I forgot I missed much) and the super refined sound profiles that could be used...geez I guess I gave up bunch of functionally so I could bring a internet browser with me

Anyway, BGR got that part wrong; at least one iPhone user is making the switch because of the new Bold

[berrygood909]

This was a great review and he did it as a former blackberry user and probably only for current blackberry users and prospective owners. I did not even think anything of the last paragraph. That commented more on Blackberry/RIm then the actual device. If I wanted the Android or Iphone I wouldn't be reading the 9900 review right? (rhetorical question, please don't answer)

[Rickroller]

. Also, since when is the iphone the standard in the first place?

You don't visit tech sites and forums very much do you...

So I guess this guy just wants a billon apps, he needs to understand phones are a communication device first and everything else second. bgr fail!

Orly? This thinking is exactly why RIM is in the predicament it is.

[bulls2213]

It was a way more favorable review than I was expecting from him.

[Deathcommand]

Well...

That forced it.
I'm ordering the otterbox for it tomorrow.
Kthxbai.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Economist101]

So I guess this guy just wants a billon apps, he needs to understand phones are a communication device first and everything else second. bgr fail!

For you. Phones are a communication device first and everything else second. . .for you. Some people, myself included, use devices more for data than voice. It's 2011, not 2001; data (which includes e-mail, remember) becomes more important each day.

[Economist101]

Also, since when is the iphone the standard in the first place?

When considering smartphone "standards," there's always room for the best-selling device, which currently is the 14-month old iPhone 4.

[imrank128]

You don't visit tech sites and forums very much do you...



Orly? This thinking is exactly why RIM is in the predicament it is.

I was referring to the department of call quality. I've never heard anyone say "I wish X phone made as good calls as my iphone does." That's all I was saying.

Of course in other areas (internet browsing, speed, media, apps) it makes perfect sense to compare it to the iphone but for call quality? really?

[WillieLee]

im not complaining about them, they are free to post all they want. It just made me chuckle is all.

Your argument is faulty when you make statements about OS 7 that you suggest are facts. Have you used any OS 7 devices? How do you know that the code is 4-5 years old? Given that they have processes that have never been seen before on a BlackBerry that statement doesn't seem to match up with reality. By declaring "faults" with OS 7 you've just carried out the same line of thinking you were criticizing.