[Troy Johnson4]

The back cover seems a bit flimsy for carbon fibre. As much as I paid for my p9983, I'd like to know whether the back is real carbon fibre or just fancy plastic. I don't want it to crack easily.

[zer0ten]

I think BB was calling it "glass weave".

[Troy Johnson4]

The back cover seems a bit flimsy for carbon fibre. As much as I paid for my p8893, I'd like to know whether the back is real carbon fibre or just fancy plastic. I don't want it to crack easily.

I meant p9983. I'm concerned about it cracking or breaking when removing the back. Not that I'll be doing it a lot, I just really like the idea of strong genuine carbon fibre since paying over $600 for a 5 year old phone.

[Troy Johnson4]

I did mean p9983. I like the idea of strong carbon fibre for the price I paid. Kinda worried about cracking it when removing it. Not that I'll need to remove it often. If it's real carbon fibre, I guess I have nothing to worry about.

[Troy Johnson4]

If it's not genuine carbon fibre, it really should be!

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Maybe it should be, maybe it is, maybe it isn't.... if you can still find one of the leather cases, it shouldn't matter.

[m3ach]

I meant p9983. I'm concerned about it cracking or breaking when removing the back. Not that I'll be doing it a lot, I just really like the idea of strong genuine carbon fibre since paying over $600 for a 5 year old phone.

Unfortunately you’re not paying for premium materials, you’re paying for the name on the phone.

There’s nothing really that special over and above the Q10 apart from the look of the device and certainly nothing other than the name on the phone to justify the huge premium.

The biggest advantage in use of the P’9983 over it’s much cheaper sibling is the 64GB of storage, oh and the clock face of course!

Having said all that I have the P’9982 which is even less worth the premium but some things you just have to have!

[Phillip st]

go on eBay, and replace that finger print magnet glass weave carbon back cover. a dude in Toronto is selling all colours for $30 Canadian bucks!

looks great, smell great, feels great! extremely thin though, and I guess zero protection.

[playfoot]

go on eBay, and replace that finger print magnet glass weave carbon back cover. a dude in Toronto is selling all colours for $30 Canadian bucks!

looks great, smell great, feels great! extremely thin though, and I guess zero protection.

I purchased some backs from the Canadian...I'm a Canadian. They are great, can not comment if they are genuine or not, but seem as durable as the one I purchased in the Porsche Shop in HK...... I tend to go for the red, orange and blue.

[playfoot]

And the keyboard is better than the Q10. I replaced a number of Q10 keyboards, but have yet to replace any on my 9983's, and I have used them a heck of a lot longer than the Q's......

Also, I thought I read somewhere the camera lens was protected by sapphire crystal....Not that it makes up for the price.

[Phillip st]

And the keyboard is better than the Q10. I replaced a number of Q10 keyboards, but have yet to replace any on my 9983's, and I have used them a heck of a lot longer than the Q's......

Also, I thought I read somewhere the camera lens was protected by sapphire crystal....Not that it makes up for the price.

Yeah I remember something about the sapphire crystal glass lense, maybe the screen too.

I think it was the promo video .....it's still on youtube

[Phillip st]

I purchased some backs from the Canadian...I'm a Canadian. They are great, can not comment if they are genuine or not, but seem as durable as the one I purchased in the Porsche Shop in HK...... I tend to go for the red, orange and blue.

It's 100 percent genuine!
Happy to hear they're durable as they'll be very hard to replace in a few months.

Wish there was a premium bumper or case available for this.

[playfoot]

It's 100 percent genuine!
Happy to hear they're durable as they'll be very hard to replace in a few months.

Wish there was a premium bumper or case available for this.

Yes, was wondering if I should purchase another red cover as my current one is looking rather beat up. I never put my phones in a case so they are showing all the scratches and "love bumps". Builds character. The Bolds, the Q's and the PD's are tough dependable phones. Once I dropped the 9983 down a short flight of stairs....Thought is was game over. But nope, other than the slightly dented steel frame, likely from the third bounce, all was good.

[Karan Riar]

I meant p9983. I'm concerned about it cracking or breaking when removing the back. Not that I'll be doing it a lot, I just really like the idea of strong genuine carbon fibre since paying over $600 for a 5 year old phone.

Opens up with some effort but you can’t force too much to pull it out. T Mobile guy handed it to me to do that myself since he was afraid he might break it after hearing Porsche and BlackBerry together in a sentence from me. But it’s good quality won’t break, even dropped it once on concrete, battery didn’t come out, cover was intact and there wasn’t even a scratch anywhere. Solid device with premium quality materials all over.

[idssteve]

Dunno about 9983. Surprised if it would be carbon. 9900 batt cover glass weave is glass. Carbon can disrupt RF. Glass is less RF disruptive, imo. Also, glass weave thermal conductivity proves superior to poly carb or CF. RIM pulled all tricks achieving thin on 9900. Glass weave can be stronger and thinner than poly carb.

Seen Bolds dropped a LOT. Glass Weave batt cover typically ejects along with battery. Never saw a glass weave back break off tabs. Plenty of polycarb covers fail routinely. Dunno if intentional but ejecting the battery during impact assists to dissipate inertial energy generated during deceleration of impact. Batteries prove dense components and therefore inertially intense. The stainless frame flexes and springs compressing trapped air inside. Cover ejection releases pressure, helping to protect display from effects of pressure. The whole system minimizes Gs on internal components. imo.