[ibcop]

You've got nothing to explain. You're a class act.
The haters don't matter.
My decision to go to VZW had nothing to do with the AT&T schedule. Always have appreciated all the info you've been able to give.

You going to stay a dual carrier?

[olblueyez]

RIM was late to put a product out? No $hit, what a big surprise. Could'a knocked me over with a feather. Been nice to know along time ago.

Qbnkelt will probably stay dual carrier, gotta have 2 phones when you have opposed thumbs on your feet.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[YourMobileGuru]

I don't think anybody referred to the 9650 as a premium device. In a post above, I referred to the original ATT Bold (9000) being a premium RIM device.

I wasnt refering to you specifically, but to the sentiment that Bolds have always been the best and that isn't true at all.

[YourMobileGuru]

Well I learned something new today. I was under the impression that phones/tech in general usually came out on a Tuesday.

November 6th it is!

No, Verizon releases their phones on Thursdays (has for several years) and yes from what i have seen AT&T does it on Sundays.

[YourMobileGuru]

Made out like a bandit...15% off the plan and 12% off the data because I work for the feds. WHY didn't I go to Verizon before?!?!?!?

Good question ;-)

And congrats for taking your fate into your own hands

[ADGrant]

So I know this won't satisfy many of the haters but I will post it anyway. Below are the actual dates that have led us to this point.

LE (Lab Entry) - 8/1/11
FE (Field Entry) - 8/8/11 (Normally at least 2 weeks between LE and FE)
XX (initial test report) - 9/6/11 (this is always a four week window and due to NDA won't state what this abbreviation is.)
FFW (Final Firmware) - 10/3/11 (this is normally a 2 week window from test report but was 4.)
TA (Technical Acceptance) - 10/17/11 (normally 2 weeks after FFW if all is good.)

The other abbreviations are already known here, the one I did not list is not known here and I already walk a grey line with my NDA with the info I provide folks and won't elaborate on this one.

Now it worth explaining that:
1) RIM didn't deliver this device for Lab entry until 8/1.
2) RIM also took four weeks to deliver FFW.

Now like I said at the beginning I know this won't satisfy many of the haters out there but I don't really care. These are the facts and that is the way it is...

PG

I believe you. Not that it matters, I was never going to switch from AT&T anyway. RIM was unable to get the 9900 on AT&T within a reasonable time frame so I switched to an iPhone 4s.

[mnhockeycoach99]

No, Verizon releases their phones on Thursdays (has for several years) and yes from what i have seen AT&T does it on Sundays.

I spoke to an AT&T sales rep today at a local store and she said the 9900 was coming but she didn't know when. She said they normally get notified about 10-14 days before release and usually release their phones on the 2nd Sunday of the month. I'm not sure if that is a corporate wide policy or is flexible.... but on face value, that sorta dispels the Nov 6th and the 20th release dates and puts it at the 13th. I guess we'll see who is right. :-)

[olblueyez]

Does it dispel the 9810 releasing on the 21st? Sundays I can buy, but the second Sunday? Hey, I can find water with a stick.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[howards]

No matter which date in Nov, it looks to be very imminent. We should be hearing about the release date very shortly now. Finally!!

[djnick]

So ATT didn't even send the device for lab entry until August 1st but it was already on sale to the public on Rogers that same week? Weird cycles man every carrier is different but I find it bizarre its on store shelves while you guys were testing.

[olblueyez]

So ATT didn't even send the device for lab entry until August 1st but it was already on sale to the public on Rogers that same week? Weird cycles man every carrier is different but I find it bizarre its on store shelves while you guys were testing.

I don't think there is a way to theorize what caused the delay without someone getting their panties in a bunch so I have decided to just go with the story of the day/week.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mnhockeycoach99]

Does it dispel the 9810 releasing on the 21st? Sundays I can buy, but the second Sunday? Hey, I can find water with a stick.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

i was just repeating what an AT&T employee told me. It wasn't the typical..."I know the phone is going to be released on XX/XX/20XX". Hopefully the release of the Bold 9900 is an exception to the usual 2nd Sunday rule that she shared with me.

[OTCHRussell]

Maybe by the time AT&T has it all the glitches will be worked out? I'm waiting. My 9000 is still working.

[ADGrant]

Can we expect to find ridiculous ATT specific applications on our new ATT 9900's, that we're unable to delete; per usual? One thing I admire about the iphone is the lack of crapolla they allow ATT to pump into the phones. Makes my phone feel so violated.

Yes you can. RIM is not Apple.

[YourMobileGuru]

They can be removed, just not easily and the stub apps that are pushed to the phone can be hidden and never seen again.

[palomartian]

11/20 is a Sunday

[Phillies11]

just wanted to put in my two cents, when the torch 9810 came out it was the 3rd sunday of august (the 21st) so who knows, but I hope this rumor of November 6 is true. That is just two weeks from this sunday, It is weird that att has not said anything official but I remember I didnt know the torch 9810 wasnt coming out till get this Monday, August 15. I saw a thing on Facebook that day because I was on vacation that week. So they didnt say anything official until 6 days b4 its intended release so who knows what is going on in att land

[3migo]

Can we expect to find ridiculous ATT specific applications on our new ATT 9900's, that we're unable to delete; per usual? One thing I admire about the iphone is the lack of crapolla they allow ATT to pump into the phones. Makes my phone feel so violated.

Of course. We'll probably see family map and all that other garbage. RIM isn't the staple of AT&T's business, Apple is. That's why the iPhone is clean.

[YourMobileGuru]

Of course. We'll probably see family map and all that other garbage. RIM isn't the staple of AT&T's business, Apple is. That's why the iPhone is clean.

iPhone is clean because Apple insists on it -- as in it is a requirement to carry the phone -- not because AT&T somehow thinks that it is better and should not be messed with.

[3migo]

iPhone is clean because Apple insists on it -- as in it is a requirement to carry the phone -- not because AT&T somehow thinks that it is better and should not be messed with.

I believe AT&T truly believes it to be better. Every AT&T sales person directs people away from other platforms and toward the iPhone, just how Verizon pushes everyone towards Android.

[YourMobileGuru]

I believe AT&T truly believes it to be better. Every AT&T sales person directs people away from other platforms and toward the iPhone, just how Verizon pushes everyone towards Android.

They make more money off of iPhones (data plan) than other platforms (source on that is Rene Richie, not sure where he got it from), and yes VZW reps do tend to use more Android devices (remember they only got the iPhone in January) and most of the reps I have talked to who got it after they released it are switching back to Android on their next upgrade. Android gives people choices (and I am not just talking about the whole philosophical argument which which none of us will solve here) but choices in price (which iPhone did not have on VZW until the 4 S) and form factor (which iPhone will never have). Not everyone can afford $200 or more on their phones and Android recognizes this. Not everyone wants a plain black slab -- something that the eduring power or BB is a testament to -- and Android has many other form factors to choose from. With Apple it's the old model or the new model, black or white?

[YourMobileGuru]

I was in a Verizon store tis evening, in order to play with the 9930 and compare. The salesperson advised me towards an iphone. And get this; the tether that hold the phones to the display; they had the zip tie across the middle to the 9930 screen, making the most notable feature, the touch control virtually unusable.

Again this is an Apple thing every detail of how the device is displayed is mandated Apple. If a demo phone goes missing it is just blacklisted and replaced by Apple.

Clearly they were afraid someone would walk off with the BOLD ;-)

[olblueyez]

i was just repeating what an AT&T employee told me. It wasn't the typical..."I know the phone is going to be released on XX/XX/20XX". Hopefully the release of the Bold 9900 is an exception to the usual 2nd Sunday rule that she shared with me.

I know, I am the eternal smart-a$$, imagine if you were my Wife, and you had to hear it all the time! She is lucky, she gets to hear my Redd Foxx and Carroll O'Connor impersonations.

[3migo]

They make more money off of iPhones (data plan) than other platforms (source on that is Rene Richie, not sure where he got it from), and yes VZW reps do tend to use more Android devices (remember they only got the iPhone in January) and most of the reps I have talked to who got it after they released it are switching back to Android on their next upgrade. Android gives people choices (and I am not just talking about the whole philosophical argument which which none of us will solve here) but choices in price (which iPhone did not have on VZW until the 4 S) and form factor (which iPhone will never have). Not everyone can afford $200 or more on their phones and Android recognizes this. Not everyone wants a plain black slab -- something that the eduring power or BB is a testament to -- and Android has many other form factors to choose from. With Apple it's the old model or the new model, black or white?

This is a good point, and I think this is where Microsoft will be able to gain a nice edge with WP7. They will have devices that use a prettier UI, and simple OS, with many different form factors, and prices.

Even RIM offers more options than Apple does. I don't understand why so many people are drawn to the iPhone, it always seems behind the competition.

[YourMobileGuru]

This is a good point, and I think this is where Microsoft will be able to gain a nice edge with WP7. They will have devices that use a prettier UI, and simple OS, with many different form factors, and prices.

Even RIM offers more options than Apple does. I don't understand why so many people are drawn to the iPhone, it always seems behind the competition.

Hype caused by Apple marketing, tech bloggers and the media in general, magnified by happy customer's word of mouth. For better or for worse Apple devices have the highest or among the highest customer satisfaction.

Where I work I have only seen ONE customer actually return an iPhone and he didn't get a Android device he went back to his old flip phone. OTOH, I've seen numerous customers get Android phones (two Inspire's and an Infuse) who later came back and exchanged them for iPhones. I Did however have a customer "upgrade" his iPhone 4 to an Infuse today