[NicBuc]

This is my first submission here, and sorry to be so negative, but I am sick of living with a bunch of Blackberry bugs and deficiencies with what could have been a great business tool. As a software developer, I am especially aware that most of these items would have required just a little bit more attention to detail on BB's part, but they seem too busy with the kiddy market to care. Here is my list of annoyances in no particular order:
- You can't erase browser history from universal search (it ignores clear-history). This is a huge potential privacy issue.
- The picture sizing does not have fine enough increments, and the cropping makes jumps that are too large to get a decent crop
- You used to be able to type N)ext or P)revious when viewing zoomed pictures. Now you have to escape back to normal size before moving on
- Picture rotation sometimes miscrops, sometimes crashes
- I hate the huge "PICTURE 12 of 23" splotch when you bring up a picture
- Likewise, I hate the huge ugly volume level splotch that appears when you adjust volume during a video
- Voice commands are still a joke
- The browser still stinks
- The way the "trackball" lags, and then jumps, is hugely annoying
- I hate getting a text message every time I get a voicemail
- I hate the moronic noise it makes when a call is dropped
- Why can't you assign hotkeys to start apps?
- Why can't you listen to music on a normal bluetooth?
- Why can't it automatically mute phone calls to voicemail, banking, etc?
- Why does it take forever to cold boot?

There is more, but this is all I have right now. I hate to do this, but I will probably be sharing my annoyances with anyone who cares to listen.
"Nick Benedict"

[trucky]

This is kind of like walking into a car dealer that sells Chevrolets and saying out loud "I hate Chevys" and proceeding to spout off a laundry list of grievances you have with the particular car(s) you may have ever ridden in.

I'm guessing they would hold the door open for you.

[kb24 uses the bb storm]

then why did u buy a blackberry lol? jus out of curiosity

[TheScionicMan]

How often are you adjusting the volume and for how long? LOL...

[NicBuc]

Thank you for your responses. I bought a BB because it was the best tool for the job, and I expected continuing improvements, which there have been, no denying that. But why are you guys being defensive? Do you own BB stock? Is this the wrong place to point out things that aren't working right? If none of these bugs bother you guys fine, but I'll bet a lot of other people feel like I do. And I believe most of these points would be simple software fixes to my existing device, so your comparison to the Chevy dealer is not really pertinent - not to mention that I am in a user forum right now, not a dealer showroom. But anyway, I am glad for you that the glitches don't annoy you the way they annoy me.

[thecondor33]

Anything you like? Might want to get a different kind of phone.

[kb24 uses the bb storm]

yea no doubt there are things rim can improve, but for me i had an android and i think my bold is alot better than it overall its jus a personal preference, if u dont like the bold tho u should get it swapped if its possible. having a phone you dont like is not fun at all

[mikeplus1]

Kind of like walking into a Chevy dealership and complaining about the Ford you bought if you ask me since you have a Curve and are complaining about "trackball" lags in the Bold forum.

[John Yester]

Ya... Moved thread.....

[schwe]

Hi Nick,

the points you mention may really be an annoyance for users, who do pay attention to those specific issues - and it certainly is an impressive list anyway.

Now I am not a BB-expert, unfortunately, so I cannot support you on solving (at least some of) the annoyances you mention. But exactly such support should be given in a forum like that, instead of stupid, senseless comments.
For some of the issues you mention I am sure that there is a solution (e.g. different theme-packs, firmware-versions etc.), and the real experts here should be able to advice you how to adjust the device to a status comforting you better.

With other issues which may irritate you, there might be no satisfying solution. This would happen with any device/platform, at least with ambitious users. So the challenge is finding the device/platform, which suits ones demands best, and these demands are not the same with everybody, of course.

You are mentioning a long list of disadvantages from your personal perspective, but I am sure, you bought the BB not blindfolded, but with purpose - so, besides the mentioned annoyances, there must be also specific BB features, which caught your appreciation?
At least that's what it is with me: summarizing all the pros and cons (from the subjective personal perspective, of course) leaves me with a clear preference for the Blackberry. Finding your personal preferred platform/device hence is also a question of your personal priorities.

There is one comment which I would like to post - and please do not take it as sneering, but as a constructive suggestion for consideration:
Your current device appears to be a BB Curve 8330. This model has been released in April 2008, hence is already more than 3 years old, let alone, that the Curve is an entry-model only, for everyday-users and not considered for demanding experts. Comparing it with current models from other platforms is not quite reasonable.
Remaining with the car-comparison: If buying a 1990 Mercedes C-Class, you may have a fine car, but you cannot expect high-end features, which a 2011 S-Class would provide.
Maybe many of the irritaions, which you are confronted with on this old 8330, dissolve with a current, lets say, Bold 9780 with trackpad, high-res-screen and OS 6.x?
So, my humble advice: If there is still some attraction, which the BB-platform offers to you, then why not take a close look to the current (or better upcoming new) models, before switching to Android, MS or Apple.

Kind regards from a commited Blackberry user in good old Europe.

[sg8330]

Nic, you do realize that the 8330 you bought is using hardware that's nearing five years old, don't you?

[trucky]

Nic, you do realize that the 8330 you bought is using hardware that's nearing five years old, don't you?

This was my point in my original post. You posted in a forum for devices that are years newer, with better features and functionality. The 8330 was a great phone, in its time. It's still very useful for many and was my primary phone until just late last year. It, like every phone, has things we don't like or wish were better. The fact is we can't change what is already there. Best to think about upgrading to something that suits you best, Blackberry or otherwise.

[pcgizmo#IM]

I'm guessing they would hold the door open for you.

If CB only had such a door!

[NicBuc]

Thank you all for your comments. First of all, I don't know why many of you think I have a Curve - I have a Bold 9650. Not brand new, but still not a Model T. So please don't pull the discussion down irrelevant sidetracks about old hardware.
Secondly, looking at the many posts on Crackberry, I see many many posts by people who have a problem or complaint, and I don't see where they were obliged to write a 300 word essay on "What's Right with my Wonderful Phone." Let's agree right now, ok, that we all appreciate our BBs more than not, or we wouldn't have them. But I'm not on BB's PR payroll, and I'm just wondering if there are any others out there who would like to see these annoyances fixed.
Third, none of you really addressed any of the specific issues I brought up. Isn't anyone else bothered by any of the "features" I mentioned?

[NicBuc]

PS Sorry, I see that I never updated my phone model in my profile. Anyway, the Curve is long gone, and I now have a Bold 9650.

[mikeplus1]

Yes Nic, your profile says Curve 8330 and you complained about "trackball" lags, so the thread has now been moved to the Curve 8330 forums because you never said you have a Bold 9650. You might want to start over and let us know what OS you are using as well this time, maybe even focus on your main complaints first and work on the others later, it is a long list.

[pcgizmo#IM]

PS Sorry, I see that I never updated my phone model in my profile. Anyway, the Curve is long gone, and I now have a Bold 9650.

I figured that was the case since you had complaints about BB6 features (universal search for one). You can try installing 6.0.0.431 or 436. I'm assuming you have 6.0.0.524 installed as you complained of lagging. 431/436 has it's own set of bugs, namely the wifi browser issue; so pick your poison. You could always go back to OS5, 732 was very stable.

[NicBuc]

Hi, I think my thread was changed to a Curve. Please move it back to Bold 9650. I forgot to change my profile when I got a new phone back-when, ok? Geez.
Also, to TheScionicMan, don't you get it? Say you get to an interesting part of a video, so you turn up the volume, and a big meter blotch covers the screen for a few seconds. Its not the end of the world, ok, but it's stupid. And it's compounded by the very cumbersome video navigation provided, so it's hard to go back and see what you missed. The worst thing is it used to be better. That is especially annoying - when useful features disappear when you upgrade the OS. The Calendar, for example, hasn't gotten any better - just uglier. Again, my apologies for hurting the feelings of those of you who think of the device more like a religion than a PDA tool. To repeat, I know it has many good features, and my hope is that BB comes up with a cleanup Rev sometime soon. I don't relish the idea of having to get used to a whole different PDA environment, and dealing with a fresh new list of bugs. I'd be as happy as anybody if BB got back on top, based on quality, reliability, and user-friendliness.

[NicBuc]

To all, thanks for the notes. To mikeplus1, my OS is 6.0.0.524. To pcgizmo, the lagging has always been annoying, but I can live with it. I guess, to start over, I'm hoping BB comes up with a solid cleanup release, especially to bring back some features that fell down the cracks. Like, is it so much to ask them to change the horrible sound the phone makes when a call is dropped? It's bad enough that cell phone carriers drop calls so often (which I realize is not BB's fault).
Ok, well, do you all realize that Universal Search keeps hold of your visited web pages, even if you clear the browser history? For me it's an annoyance, not a problem, but I could see some real problems happening for certain other people.

[NicBuc]

Oh - ok, to say something nice, I really, really appreciate Universal Search, and have gotten into using it a lot. So I'd much rather have it than not, even though it fails to clear browser history, and even though it sometimes vanishes unexpectedly, requiring a cold boot.

[TheScionicMan]

Also, to TheScionicMan, don't you get it? Say you get to an interesting part of a video, so you turn up the volume, and a big meter blotch covers the screen for a few seconds. Its not the end of the world, ok, but it's stupid.

You can use the on-screen volume slider to avoid the blotch.

I don't relish the idea of having to get used to a whole different PDA environment, and dealing with a fresh new list of bugs.

That's the thing. No platform is without its list of flaws and shortcomings. The problems with the PB are mostly minor for me and I believe things will only get better. You're about to give up on Blackberry, but what's the issue and problem-free environment you're planning to move to?

[pcgizmo#IM]

Ok, well, do you all realize that Universal Search keeps hold of your visited web pages, even if you clear the browser history? For me it's an annoyance, not a problem, but I could see some real problems happening for certain other people.

I didn't notice this until you mentioned it in the OP. To cure: 1)clear browser history and cache - 2)reboot device. It removes old history entries from Universal Search.

[NicBuc]

Hi all. To TheScionicMan: On-screen volume slider? Don't know what you mean. My 9650 does not have a touch screen. Maybe part of the problem here is that BB is concentrating on the touch screen market? You have a point about trying to find an issue-free device. My attitude right now is wait and see. Will BB try and solidify its platform, or just go for glitz?
To PcGizmo: Thanks for the tips. OS5 had its issues too. I am lucky (unlike some others), because my phone does not seem to crash any more than it did with OS5. So for me, having U-search outweighs the OS6 flaws. Still, it is bothersome when things that were working ok - like the picture viewer, the maps, and the calendar - have either lost some features, or look clunkier, or both. That just isn't the way software upgrades are supposed to work. I sure would like to hear that someone else out there feels the same way.