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I had a Curve 8330 until last fall. I loved it for phone calls, email, texting, BBM, and, of course, the keyboard. But eventually, it was running slowly and I was seeing way too many hourglasses. Eventually the trackball started to go. At that same time, my contract with Sprint was up and I was eligible for an upgrade.
I was about to exercise my discount on a Bold 9650, but, as luck would have it, I successfully bid on a used one (in excellent condition) on ebay for $180.00. A new one on contract would have cost $199.99. At that time, there was already buzz about new BBs coming out and I decided not to eat up my discount with new phones coming. When I received the phone, I immediately updated to OS6.
Going from an 8330 to my 9650 was a quantum leap in terms of performance, display, and keyboard (among other things). Since then, I've seen others jump to iPhone or Android but I was still in honeymoon phase with my 9650.
A couple of months ago, Sprint rolled out the 6.0.0.600 update. It made my 9650 like a completely new phone again. There's still some lag, but I'm not jumping around all the time from app to app to make it a big deal.
In April, I got a Playbook and have been LOVING the combination of the tablet and phone. I have to admit that from time to time, I'm tempted by the iPhone and Androids. But it all comes down to core functionality, battery life, and a professional grade keyboard.
Today, I called a couple of Sprint stores. The first two did not have either the 9930 or the 9850 in yet. The third one had both. I drove over to the store trying to decide which of these two I'd go home with.
When I got the the store, there was a small problem. Neither the Bold or the Torch on display worked. Long story short... The alarms that they use to make sure people don't sneak out of the store with their phones are magnetic. They're attached to the back. Magnets set the phones into standby. After a quick laugh with the Sprint rep, I started playing with the two.
I absolutely love the display on the 9850 but can't, at this point, commit myself to a device with a touch-only keyboard. I played with it for a while and really wanted to be proficient on it, but realistically can't see it happening.
Then I moved to the 9930. The keyboard is amazing. Compared to my 9650, it makes those keys feel like chicklets (the same way I could not go back to my Curve 8330 after getting the 9650). The screen is bright and slightly bigger than my Bold. The browser is much better. The phone is faster. There is more functionality than on my Bold.
The problem I'm having is that it's a lot better than my Bold, but not leaps and bounds better. The problem I'm having is that I'm on Sprint. Some of the performance hit I take on my 9650 is network lag and not device performance (as evident when I'm using wifi). I live on a two-bar max street.
My next problem is that I crashed the browser simply going to espn.com and had to reboot the phone. I was surprised to see that reboot time was similar to my 9650.
The last problem I had was with the touch screen. If I didn't have a Playbook, it might have been OK, but imho, the Playbook swipes and gestures are about as intuitive as you can get. I stepped back for a moment and changed my mindset from Tablet OS to OS6 thinking just touch where I'd normally click. I found that touching the top bar to go to options was a little shakey. I found that touching the message bar was a little too narrow and I was missing it about half the time. In essence, the screen is bigger than the 9650, but still small for a touch screen. I did find, however, that it was really nice to be able to touch in the browser and have pinch-to-zoom.
I was sad because I was prepared to go home with one today, but decided to think it over. On my way out, I passed the Motorola Photon, stopped, looked, and played. What an amazing phone! The screen is beautiful. It's got world phone capabilities. It's dual core. Lots of apps in the Android Market. But it's not a BB. I turned and left.
Like I said earlier, every once in a while I get tempted, but I need phone, messaging (multiple accounts), and texting all tied into the core and not 3rd party apps. But I also need my battery to last because you can't play Angry Birds with a dead battery.
On my ride home, I thought about turning around to go back to buy the 9930. But then I decided to sleep on it. When the Bold 9650 came out on Sprint last June, it was already a year old phone. Today, I'm walking around with technology that's technically two years old. Everyone complains that Blackberry's are yesterday's technology. But does this really matter? After all, a two year old phone is making it impossible for me to even consider the hottest, latest, greatest Android phone. And it gave me cause to pause buying what, in retrospect, really is the best Blackberry phone to date. What to do? What to do?Wretch 12 and James Wang like this.08-21-11 10:55 PMLike 2 -
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Who cares what people think? I don't. Everyone tells me that my phone (9650) is slow and sucks.
I tell them I have a keyboard. One that works.
I have been tempted. Many times.
And I like to think about the situation like this.
If you buy a 9930. It will be the best traditional Blackberry.
Forever. If they are going to QNX.
If you get any android, you have 3 weeks to smile about it. Then something new comes out.
I'm not what you would call ignorant. I do my research before getting a phone. I still want a BlackBerry over an Android. Even a free Photon wouldn't phase me. (Other than buying it to sell for a BB)
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.comkenorian likes this.08-21-11 11:29 PMLike 1 -
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I made it 4 weeks of smiling at my Droid 3 before putting it up on ebay. Battery life, emergence of malware due to the unregulated Market Place, unbelievable amounts of bloatware that cannot be uninstalled, battery life, battery life. Thing must have weighed half a pound due to the gorilla glass. I came running and screaming back to RIM.08-21-11 11:45 PMLike 0 -
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You have to consider the reasons you enjoy a BlackBerry over any other platform. If you want to be able to have access to a dozen or more fart apps, get an iPhone or Android. If you want the best messaging phone available, get a BlackBerry.08-21-11 11:46 PMLike 0 -
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Very well said. I am planning on leaving my Droid X for the 9930. I just want to wait until I can put my hands on one in an actual Verizon store before I pull the bullet.lewisc1979 likes this.08-22-11 12:17 AMLike 1 -
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Get the 9930. Look at my last several hundred messages. I won't sugarcoat things for you. It's brilliant.
08-22-11 02:55 AMLike 0 -
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The 9650 isn't even that old, and it's a great phone. OS 6 is also a great OS, and as long as you're not stuck on OS 5 (
) then you're pretty much fine until QNX comes out.
If your current phone is still in working order, I'd hold out for one of the QNX models, which based on recent rumors, that won't be too far away from now.Then I moved to the 9930. The keyboard is amazing. Compared to my 9650, it makes those keys feel like chicklets (the same way I could not go back to my Curve 8330 after getting the 9650). The screen is bright and slightly bigger than my Bold. The browser is much better. The phone is faster. There is more functionality than on my Bold.
The problem I'm having is that it's a lot better than my Bold, but not leaps and bounds better. The problem I'm having is that I'm on Sprint. Some of the performance hit I take on my 9650 is network lag and not device performance (as evident when I'm using wifi). I live on a two-bar max street.
My next problem is that I crashed the browser simply going to espn.com and had to reboot the phone. I was surprised to see that reboot time was similar to my 9650.
The 9650 (as I said above) is still an amazing phone and I'd personally not make the leap to the new Bold if I already had the phone, but seeing as I'm on an older Curve, that's pretty much an ideal upgrade.08-22-11 03:24 AMLike 0 -
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You do realize u will probably go back Monday and get the 9930....remember with Sprint you have 30 days to try. I say try it out and hold on to your 9650 in the meantime. I got my 9930 Sunday and I love it. I sold my bold 9650 in the beginning of the week...9930 is much faster with no lag. And the new QNX phone I'll look into it but I already know something about it I don't like....it's a full touchscreen. And like you said you prefer a real keyboard. I'm the same way. FYI....I paid full price for my 9930...my next upgrade is till march 2012. I really wanted this 9930. Full price with tax was $533. I traded in the 8530 I was using for 1 week...the store gave me $30 for it. Last Monday I sold my 9650 for $150. So I had some cash to offset 9930 full price. So go ahead...get the 9930 try it out...keep it or take it back. Good luck and do let us know what u decided to do.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-11 04:03 AMLike 0 -
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Can we please put to bed the whole iPhone/fart apps argument? Even when you subtract all of the dumb and frivolous iPhone apps, there are still tons of absolutely amazing and useful apps that just aren't available on BB, or are far better than the BB version. Let's face it, the apps are a major plus point for iPhone as compared to RIM.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-11 08:38 AMLike 4 -
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Yes. BB doesn't have the greatest app store, but they do have the best keyboard. Lol. I came from android (the droid x). I currently don't regret it. The 9930 is a beautiful device, and the android was a HUGE device. It was always very difficult to pocket and heavy. Also I couldn't last a day on the stock battery, I always have to have a full charge on my 1900 Mah battery. It was just a hastle. Sure android is a lil faster, but I don't have waiting an extra 5 seconds for a webpage to load. Haha. Plus I don't currently wanna go to 4g becuase it won't be offered in my area for another 2 years. Lol. I see no point in haveing a 4g phone if I don't have 4g. You will be very happy with the 9930 if you decide to make the switch. Best of luck!
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-11 08:51 AMLike 0 -
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I was only talking about the Photon in terms of lure factor. But the reason I haven't gone that route (or HTC Evo last fall) was for exactly the reasons many of you stated above. It's easy to be enticed in a store with a phone like that that's constantly plugged in.
My issue is not deciding to go Android vs BB. It's whether to take the plunge to 9930 from my 9650. One additional factor is being grandfathered in to Sprint's unlimited data prior to 2/2011. As of February, they're imposing the $10.00/month data usage fee that used to be just for their WiMax phones. This fee takes effect as soon as you switch phones (even if it's an no-contract phone picked up elsewhere). So to switch now to the 9930 will mean an extra $120.00/year starting now. I know that eventually, I'll have to bite the bullet, but I want to make sure that it will be worth it with this phone.
Eventually, I'll have to oncur the cost, but I want to make sure that I'm feeling that the switch is worth it. If I was still currently on my Curve 8330, there would be no question in my mind. It's just that I've been really happy (for the most part) with my 9650. The nerve of RIM to release a phone with an actual shelf life! ;-)
And, as a side note, one of the biggest reasons for me not getting an Android phone now is that I don't think it's a wise idea to switch to a phone with a WiMax radio since Sprint is talking about going LTE in the future.08-22-11 10:55 AMLike 0 -
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The switch from a 9650 to 9930 is like night and day. The speed/touch screen/liquid crystal display/keyboard make a huge difference when comparing both phones...I believe QNX will be special but honestly I'm very satisfied with the 9930 and expect to have it for a long time...I remember 1 year ago when I got my 9650 I had a crazy thought...I would love to have a touchscreen and real keyboard on my blackberry...well my wishes came thru with this 9930...remember bold touch 9900/9930 has become RIM's flagship device...3 of my local sprint stores sold out on the 9930 yesterday alone...the store I went to had 30...9930's when it opened around 11am...around 5pm...sold out...the torch 9850 sales are ok...but everyone wants the 9930...RIM has hit a home-run with this device
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-11 11:08 AMLike 0 -
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people always tell you about hte 30 day trial with sprint. so why not take the photon for a spin? you just might find that it's a better buy for the same exact price...08-22-11 11:34 AMLike 0 -
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I know, I know. However, if you ask a lot of iPhone/Android users why they like their phones, they usually mention one of those frivolous applications. They rarely mention the truly practical applications.Can we please put to bed the whole iPhone/fart apps argument? Even when you subtract all of the dumb and frivolous iPhone apps, there are still tons of absolutely amazing and useful apps that just aren't available on BB, or are far better than the BB version. Let's face it, the apps are a major plus point for iPhone as compared to RIM.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-11 02:46 PMLike 0
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