[mhw100]

Well I spoke to soon in another thread about good build quality.

My Mexico 4 device from Rogers has the call-menu-return-end panel lifting off so that it is no longer seamless and flush with the glass. Now, when you glide your finger down towards the trackpad you feel the edge of the panel!

So after 3 days I guess the glue has come apart and I'm back for a return from Rogers. Just a heads up to watch for this when performing a pre-inspection. Hard to know at this point if this is the often suspect RIM quality control, bad implementation or simply a defective unit.

We'll see.

[robtanz]

I had the same issue but mine was like that out of the box. Should have inspected it before taking it home. Immediately returned it for a new one and so far no problems. Make sure that the panel is flush with the screen before you take it home.

[Aomar7]

My current torch has this problem.

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[mhw100]

I hope you're wrong about that on the 9900 but I do know that on one of my 9800s the buttons were lifting off.

[gunston]

nothing to do with the designer,
the RIM company direction into lower cost materials, and thus the quality dropped as well.

[badger906]

Maybe its just the mexican built ones. My one from hungary has no signs of peeling

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[mhw100]

O,k so I replaced it but I notice that the replacement has a panel that is pretty much flush but is still raised up a just little bit. I wouldn't say it is noticeable at all but I do see that based on the way the panel is constructed, it isn't really "glued" or fastened along the bottom of the screen. In other words I think it has to float a bit because otherwise the call, end, mute, menu keys wouldn't depress properly.

For example, on the panel directly over the trackpad I can depress the panel with my finger and when I do so it recoils back up. This seems to indicate that it must be a one piece assembly attached to the keyboard like the 9700. Therefore, it isn't held down to the frame underneath.

Can you guys check yours just above the trackpad and tell me if there is some slight travel to the panel when you depress it (not the trackpad but the panel itself) i.e. indicating it isn't supposed to be glued or held down to anything below it. Thanks.

[robtanz]

Mine has this slight "travel" and I would think this is normal.

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[Blade Runner IV]

The 9900 was going to be my next phone but this has seriously put me off.

[mhw100]

The 9900 was going to be my next phone but this has seriously put me off.

Let's wait and hear from some other users to see if it normal. It may very well be that the first one I had and that robtanz had was a case of the panel buckling rather than it actually separating due to lack of glue or some other method of fastening it.

[robtanz]

The 9900 was going to be my next phone but this has seriously put me off.

Dude, if this minor issue is what puts you off, you will never find anything that will satisfy you. For me this was a minor defect on one phone. If this was a widespread problem there would be more than just 4 or 5 of us that have posted problems.
Seriously, this is an awesome phone.

[mhw100]

Dude, if this minor issue is what puts you off, you will never find anything that will satisfy you. For me this was a minor defect on one phone. If this was a widespread problem there would be more than just 4 or 5 of us that have posted problems.
Seriously, this is an awesome phone.

I would agree robtanz. I think it is important to know whether or not though that some minor lifting is normal by design i.e. I understand that both of us have some normal play to the panel but we are both on Rogers and my guess is yours is also Mexico 4. It would be good to hear from other users regarding the other manufacturing sites.

[Mr Bigs]

The 9900 was going to be my next phone but this has seriously put me off.

You have too keep in mind some people can tear up anything.

[Dlanod]

Guys - I think this is normal - I have a UK Model built in Hungary and mine is a bit proud of the screen - particularly around the touch pad. I agree with MHW100 - this is probably part of the main keyboard and not actually supposed to be glued down. I suspect that it's just a bit proud as the buttons below are still new and stiff. As they get used I imagine the panel will sit more flush. Too flush may make the buttons below too easy to press. You'll see from Kevin's review the picture in the Other Internals - Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi , Other Sensors bit distinctly shows the panel raised in the middle.

[mhw100]

Guys - I think this is normal - I have a UK Model built in Hungary and mine is a bit proud of the screen - particularly around the touch pad. I agree with MHW100 - this is probably part of the main keyboard and not actually supposed to be glued down. I suspect that it's just a bit proud as the buttons below are still new and stiff. As they get used I imagine the panel will sit more flush. Too flush may make the buttons below too easy to press. You'll see from Kevin's review the picture in the Other Internals - Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi , Other Sensors bit distinctly shows the panel raised in the middle.

\

You've got good eyes. Yeah that is a good pic of how the panel is raised up slightly higher than the display. I just hope that over time it doesn't raise up higher like my first unit did. At first it was flush and then it bowed upwards...likely from use. You would think that from extended use it would do the opposite and relax downwards.

[anonymouslives]

I would like to add myself to be part of the group who mentioned having this exact issue on a 9800. I personally saw several 9800's over the past year and this problem popped up (literally and figuratively) on likely about 15-20% of models in a profound way.

I was never in a position to be able to really see the long lasting affects of this, if this defect became worse or better in time with use.

I am not pleased to hear that they have the same design on the 9900/9930. I completely disagree that it is a matter of being part of the keyboard and therefore, intentional on the part of RIM. It was not attached to the keyboard on the 9800 in any way and on the 9900/9930, it just happens to be directly above the keyboard, as there was no other logical or logistical location to attach it.

As someone else mentioned, I too would have liked to have seen RIM use dedicated buttons for each command, rather than a strip with a adhesive attaching itself to the body and poorly I might add.

I do hope my fellow US verizon buyers receive decent models, as we cannot return to a store to visually inspect a new model until at least the 25th.

[mssca]

I had a issue where the light is leaking from all across the sides. Most leak is from the bottom. I returned to Telus and got a new one. Also Made in Mexico 4. RIM should either control their Mexican manufacturing well or close down the plants there all together.

[mhw100]

I don't know if it is a Mexican thing since the 9800 problems occured in all the plants from what I know. The 9900 design is similar to the 970/9780 in that it the strip is attached to the keyboard. I never had any problem like it lifting up on any of those devices - just the 9800. At this point not many users are complaining so for the moment it might be best to hold judgement until the market becomes more saturated with users. In this thread only myself and one other actually had it lifting up. FWIW it seems to be working for others that I've had conversations with.

[Dlanod]

Right - my nerve has broken. I'm going to return mine and hang off getting another one for now. The lip is annoying when you are moving from screen to touch pad - I am starting to think that this is a major design boob on the part of RIM. I don't see how you can secure this panel - especially around the touch pad. There is just nothing for it to stick too. Oh well. RIM need to pay attention to detail - they have a chance to pull a rabbit out of the hat now. Hope they don't blow it.

[mhw100]

The design might be ok i.e. the new one I have is laying flat and there is no appreciable lip on it. Wait and see if there are more complaints.

[nfsw]

I experienced same problem with my 8520. There was thread for it " serious design flaw " in 8520 section where it was discussed a lot.

Looks like RIM needs to find good glue vendor. ;-)

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[anonymouslives]

I received my 9930 today from verizon. Although the section
We're refering to here isn't lifted up, its not a smooth transition
From the screen to the call panel. There's a very noticeable edge



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[Sharke]

This is just bad design and I'm constantly amazed by the kind of crap that gets past quality control. It's as if they haven't really thought about what kind of things could possibly start to go wrong with normal use, just like their decision to use a trackball on the 9000 which became unusable due to accumulation of dirt, sweat and grease (I had to change mine 3 times). This is seriously affecting my decision to get the 9900 - I don't care if anyone thinks this is being "picky" or whatever, I just don't want to be in a situation whereby a few months or a year down the line I've got buttons which are peeling off. The build quality of a phone is only as good as its weakest part and this is not good.

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[papped]

It's not the design. There are plenty of 9800's that still do not have the panel lifting at all.

It's a general quality control issue.

[anon(823957)]

If its hindering your actual use of the device, then take it back. I don't see it as a big deal so if it gets worse or falls off, that will be when I take it back.
The buttons work, the touch screen works, I don't think its a big issue.