A Bold Experiment: Using a BlackBerry Bold 9930 - in 2014 - for 30 Days
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- A Bold Experiment: Day 10 - Where's Day 9? (Apps, Part 2)
I'm cutting back on writing Bold Experiment posts from one per day to one every other day. There are still plenty of days left in my 30 day experiment, and plenty of posts yet to come!
Let's look at a few more apps:
Social Feeds
I was looking for a good RSS feed reader and kept reading about this Social Feeds app. It's an aggregator for your Twitter and Facebook feeds and it also has an RSS feed section that lets you choose from a list of predefined feeds or add your own manually. This is exactly the kind of functionality I was looking for, but I couldn't find any app by that name in the app store.
After a little digging, I found out that you actually need to install it using BlackBerry Desktop. There's an option that lets you view the apps on your device, and it also shows apps that are available to install. Just scroll down the list until you find Social Feeds, click the little plus symbol next to it, and apply your changes!
I'm still adding RSS feeds to it, but it's working great. The social media section is great, too, and will save me some time toggling back and forth between the Facebook and Twitter apps. I really like this app!
Wikitude
Wikitude - BlackBerry World
This is one of those apps that magically appeared on my device after being reprogrammed by Verizon when I was setting it up. Actually, it was just a shortcut to download the app, but I figured I'd check it out.
I'm still learning the ins-and-outs, but it has some neat augmented reality features that let you point your camera in any direction and see names of places like popular landmarks, restaurants, etc. I can see how this would be a helpful little app, especially when travelling. It also integrates with BBM to let you share updates and see how your friends are interacting with the app. Cool!
CrackBerry Forums
CB Forums - BlackBerry World
The legacy BlackBerry experience would not be complete without the CB Forums app! Considering it hasn't been updated in 2 years (and it shows), it works fairly well.
I have been getting occasional errors telling me the app can't connect to the server. When this happens, it prompts me to choose a connection type, but then the app usually freezes altogether. It's rather annoying, but I'll cope.
It's an essential app for me, and it's nice to be able to easily keep up on the forums when I'm on the go. I can even see PMs, which is a feature currently not available on the CB10 app for BB10!mushroom_daddy likes this.04-17-14 08:07 PMLike 1 -
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That said, it may or may not be for you.mushroom_daddy likes this.04-18-14 12:27 AMLike 1 - Wow... this is great... I switched to 9900 about 4 months ago from a Z10.
Well, not totally switched, but 9900 is the primary phone..
I use the z10 for watching video, social apps - for the bigger screen...
I couldnt agree more that the build quality of 9900 and the business look keeps the demand still quite high
Posted via CB1004-18-14 03:12 AMLike 0 - Great thread! I loved my 9900! It truly is a fantastic phone. Here's my BlackBerry experience breakdown: 9000 (08/2008-08/2011), 9900 (08/2011-02/2013, Z10 (02/2013-02/2014) & Q10 (02/2014-present). Nothing beats the keyboard and the advantages it brings to the table. With that said, a Z30 is on the way for me but I'm hanging onto the Q10 forever. I look forward to the rest of your posts Newfangled! Subscribed!
Posted via Q10Last edited by AZN; 04-18-14 at 04:59 AM.
Bonnie Bonzai likes this.04-18-14 04:40 AMLike 1 - We are currently iPhone folks. I use Outlook Categories extensively--for email, tasks, contacts, etc. My son lost his iPhone. Do I give him my older Blackberry 9930 or do I use it and give him my iPhone.. He has my iPhone and I activated the BB 9930. I have my contact categories once again. Apple did an amazing job with an entertainment device. Blackberry did a great job in the 9900/9930 as a communications device. If Blackberry could understand their niche and build on that without burning their loyal client base. Upgrading to OS10 and hardware is great but Blackberry seemed to drop the features that make it a great communications device.04-18-14 11:11 PMLike 0
- I use the OneMediaHub plugin with my Bold9900 to sync multiple calendars with the Memotoo cloud servers. I use the same plugin to keep my contacts & notes (Memopad) synchronised, and as Soul_Est has stated, you can use the same plugin to transfer files and media.
This works well for me (of a fashion, most of the time) and allows me to sync my Bold9900 with the multiple Mac computers that I use at work & home. I guess it would work with Google services but I haven't tried. What it will not do in my experience is maintain separate multiple calendars. I have 10 separate 'calendars' in iCal (or 'categories' in Memotoo), they sync to/from the Bold but appear only as a single calendar on the handset. New appointments/events created on the Bold9900 will go into a default calendar, and then if I need to move them into another calendar I do that on my Mac desktop. ... clunky!
I think that Newfangled is looking to keep multiple Google calendars separate on the 9900; I haven't been able to do that.Soul_Est likes this.04-19-14 08:04 AMLike 1 - I use the OneMediaHub plugin with my Bold9900 to sync multiple calendars with the Memotoo cloud servers. I use the same plugin to keep my contacts & notes (Memopad) synchronised, and as Soul_Est has stated, you can use the same plugin to transfer files and media.
This works well for me (of a fashion, most of the time) and allows me to sync my Bold9900 with the multiple Mac computers that I use at work & home. I guess it would work with Google services but I haven't tried. What it will not do in my experience is maintain separate multiple calendars. I have 10 separate 'calendars' in iCal (or 'categories' in Memotoo), they sync to/from the Bold but appear only as a single calendar on the handset. New appointments/events created on the Bold9900 will go into a default calendar, and then if I need to move them into another calendar I do that on my Mac desktop. ... clunky!
I think that Newfangled is looking to keep multiple Google calendars separate on the 9900; I haven't been able to do that.04-19-14 04:42 PMLike 0 - Thanks for your posts Newfangled. I'm a BB10 user but decided to go old school with a 9900/9930 for a few days, and frankly I miss the os7 features, and the phone, well let's just say it feels 100% like it belongs in my hands.anon(6038817) likes this.04-19-14 09:31 PMLike 1
- A Bold Experiment: Day 12 - Camera
I don't know how else to say this, so I'm just going to come out with it: the camera on the BlackBerry Bold 9930 is pretty bad. Even 3 years ago, it was pretty bad compared to the competition.
Given the available technology at the time, BlackBerry had a choice between having a better camera with a thicker device, or having a poor camera with a thin device. They went for the thin device, and I think this was the right choice. It doesn't feel blulky, it feels great when holding it or when it's in a pocket.
Fortunately, for those who need the ultimate communication and productivity device, the 9900/9930 is no slouch there. But if you absolutely need a device to take quality photos - if you do a lot of snapping and sharing photos on social media - the 9930 will be a disappointment in this area.
It sports a 5 megapixel camera with fixed focus. This makes for blurry closeup pictures. And even landscape pictures come out pixelated and grainy. It's not so bad that you can't tell what you're looking at, but compared to most smartphones peope use nowadays, it's notably inferior.
Here are some real-life examples:
I managed to score this copy of Frozen on Amazon for $15 bucks the other day. I shared this photo on Facebook when it arrived. Notice how blurry it looks compared to the carpet in the background. With no autofocus, I can't do much better than that.
Here's my cat Oreo. This picture was taken with flash. As you can see, it's washed out and you can't see much detail in the white parts of her fur.
I snapped another photo of Oreo with flash disabled, and it turned out much better. But look at the graininess and pixelation of the laminate flooring. Yikes.
I snapped this photo today as we went on a scenic drive of the beautiful mountain valley where we live. From a distance it actually looks quite nice. But if you try to focus on the houses or trees you can really see that graniness/pixelation.
I tried to capture some of the detail of a beautiful historic building in my city. I like the contrast between the side catching the sun and the side in shadow. But again, you can see that graniness/pixelation, especially looking at the window panes.
I could share more examples, but I think you get the picture (no pun intended).
I cannot recommend this phone for its camera. Can it take pictures? Yes. Are they good? No, they really aren't. For my purposes, I can make do. But this is one glaring shortcoming of the Bold 9900/9930.Last edited by Newfangled; 04-20-14 at 08:07 AM.
flyingsolid and mushroom_daddy like this.04-19-14 10:52 PMLike 2 - I sometimes wonder what an autofocus camera on the 9930 would do to pictures like these. Generally though, I leave the flash off on my smartphone cameras regardless of the environment because the pictures don't seem to come out right otherwise.
Request for a picture of your cat from your Z30 for comparison?04-19-14 11:48 PMLike 0 - This is the best thread I've read in quite a long time. Thank You. I am learning so much.
Posted via CB10anon(6038817) likes this.04-19-14 11:57 PMLike 1 -
- The camera almost made me throw the 9930 in a drawer rather than "upgrade" to it. In the end I'm glad I'm using it instead of an OS6 phone, but RIM really hurt themselves badly not putting the effort in to package the autofocus. Even if the phone had to have a camera bulge in it, it would still have stopped a lot of people from switching to iPhones.anon(6038817) and Q10Bold like this.04-20-14 07:56 AMLike 2
- Here are some pictures taken with my Z30.
The Z30 doesn't have the best camera I've ever used on a smartphone, either. But as you can see, the quality is much improved over the 9900/9930.Last edited by Newfangled; 04-20-14 at 01:42 PM.
flyingsolid likes this.04-20-14 08:18 AMLike 1 - Volume:
I've always compared the notifications volume, vibrate intensity and call clarity of any phone I've purchased [yes, even the Z30] to the 9900/30 and thought that those 3 things don't measure up to the Bold, nor is any phone I've owned anywhere near as customizable. The Z30 comes close on calls, but not quite as clear imo.
Have you measured these things in your experiment yet?04-20-14 10:48 AMLike 0 - BlackBerry really dropped the ball with the cameras on their devices. As much as I didn't like the one on the 9900, when I upgraded to the Z10 I was even more disappointed. The camera in the 9900 is better for my use!
- Z10 focus is too slow to capture the kids in motion, so I had to force them to sit still rather than be themselves. However, BOTH cameras blur in motion, but the 9900 blurs less.
- Z10 face detection mode with time shift does not work with the flash and the 8mp sensors are so small they are WAY dimmer inside than the 4mp in my wife's HTC One Mini. In practice the 9900 with the flash produces so-so pictures that keep the memory of the moment. The Z10, not so.
- it is impossible to hold the 9900 in a way where the lens is obstructed. Instead it's a super comfortable camera to use that places the device securely in your hand and your thumb firmly on the trigger. The Z10 is entirely the opposite, unless you take every shot in portrait. In landscape it's a pinky-out, hold weird experience even when using the button rather than the screen as a trigger. That said, the Z10 lacks the close touch screen "button" that the HTC One has, which was something that I accidentally hit all the time when I had a One for a bit. So that is a bonus for BlackBerry.
- the Z10 can take nicer pictures of still objects in bright natural light than the 9900. That said, both cameras should be considered as utilitarian additions to the device rather than a real camera. They are good enough to get the idea across.
As far as practical usage, such as showing my wife something before I buy it, I prefer the simplicity, speed (shutter, app, and ergonomics), and feeling of the 9900 camera over the Z10 camera.anon(6038817) likes this.04-20-14 11:06 AMLike 1 - Volume:
I've always compared the notifications volume, vibrate intensity and call clarity of any phone I've purchased [yes, even the Z30] to the 9900/30 and thought that those 3 things don't measure up to the Bold, nor is any phone I've owned anywhere near as customizable. The Z30 comes close on calls, but not quite as clear imo.
Have you measured these things in your experiment yet?
Yes, I posted about this in A Bold Experiment: Day 6 - Calling It Like I Hear It
I find that I prefer call volume and notification volume on my Bold 9930 over my Z30.
I also mentioned in that post that some calls on the 9930 sounded muffled, but someone suggested I use the "Boost Treble" setting on the Bold 9930. I did so, and no more muffled calls!
And the customization of notifications, ringtones, etc. with custom sound profiles is unmatched in any phone I've ever used.04-20-14 01:48 PMLike 0 - Camera on 9900 and lack of FM tuner is a symbol of everything wrong with Blackberry. This intentional lack of features, this device crippling as a form of differentiation finally alienated even good chunk of Blackberry fans. But ok, lets hold to its good features like insanely good reception and loud and clear ear speaker.
Posted via CB1004-20-14 03:40 PMLike 0 - Lack of AutoFocus is a crime for BusinessPhones!!
Posted via Q10BoldLast edited by Q10Bold; 04-20-14 at 04:20 PM.
anon(6038817) likes this.04-20-14 04:01 PMLike 1 - BlackBerry really dropped the ball with the cameras on their devices. As much as I didn't like the one on the 9900, when I upgraded to the Z10 I was even more disappointed. The camera in the 9900 is better for my use!
- Z10 focus is too slow to capture the kids in motion, so I had to force them to sit still rather than be themselves. However, BOTH cameras blur in motion, but the 9900 blurs less.
- Z10 face detection mode with time shift does not work with the flash and the 8mp sensors are so small they are WAY dimmer inside than the 4mp in my wife's HTC One Mini. In practice the 9900 with the flash produces so-so pictures that keep the memory of the moment. The Z10, not so.
- it is impossible to hold the 9900 in a way where the lens is obstructed. Instead it's a super comfortable camera to use that places the device securely in your hand and your thumb firmly on the trigger. The Z10 is entirely the opposite, unless you take every shot in portrait. In landscape it's a pinky-out, hold weird experience even when using the button rather than the screen as a trigger. That said, the Z10 lacks the close touch screen "button" that the HTC One has, which was something that I accidentally hit all the time when I had a One for a bit. So that is a bonus for BlackBerry.
- the Z10 can take nicer pictures of still objects in bright natural light than the 9900. That said, both cameras should be considered as utilitarian additions to the device rather than a real camera. They are good enough to get the idea across.
As far as practical usage, such as showing my wife something before I buy it, I prefer the simplicity, speed (shutter, app, and ergonomics), and feeling of the 9900 camera over the Z10 camera.
For fast moving kids, use "Action" mode and/or "Burst mode" (hold down on the volume button and take a stream of rapid-fire pics).
Another method is to set the video camera to 1080p mode and record video. You can then find the perfect frame and screen cap it. Each frame in the video has the same high resolution of a standing camera shot.
Not as good as the the HTC One Mini, but still way better than the Bold. And not a little better, but substantially better than the Bold.
But these days, being " way better than the Bold 9900" doesn't mean anything.
I won't get another BlackBerry unless it has a high end camera. Not just an "adequate" one.
The Z10/Q10/Z30 camera and features destroy the Bold 9900. But that's not enough these days. The Bold had one of the worst cams in its class even when it came out years ago.
Posted via CB1004-21-14 12:34 AMLike 0
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A Bold Experiment: Using a BlackBerry Bold 9930 - in 2014 - for 30 Days
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