[CrackBerry News]

As part of a new engagement program built for those interested in BlackBerry 5G smartphones, OnwardMobility has opened up registration to receive product, feature, and availability updates.

Full story from the Crackberry Blog...

[fairmarketvalue]

LoL. I signed up with Google Fiber for updates and early installation in my area. Nearly 3 years later, I'm still waiting for my first "update". I suspect OM's appropriately named waitlist is just that - more "wait", less action.

[Gorczany]

At what point does one give up on the new blackberry and upgrade to a different phone? Do we have any news yet?



My Lowe's Life

[Chuck Finley69]

At what point does one give up on the new blackberry and upgrade to a different phone? Do we have any news yet?

Welcome to CrackBerry!!!!! Post early and post often…….

BlackBerry exited long ago. Whatever BlackBerry you’re waiting for will be in licensed name only with a sticker….

If the OM device makes it to fruition, you can always buy it. Until then, upgrade to something else. It’s a smartphone, not a wedding contract…

[the_boon]

At what point does one give up on the new blackberry and upgrade to a different phone? Do we have any news yet?

If you buy a used slab in the meantime, it will already have lost some of it's resale value. Once the OMBerry is out, you can get that and immediately resell the slab. You'll likely have lost less money on it than the original owner of that slab.

If you get a KEY2, you may not lose much money at all when you resell it. If the OMBerry is priced like people expect it to be, the KEY2 may not even drop in price at all on the resale market.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

At what point does one give up on the new blackberry and upgrade to a different phone? Do we have any news yet?

12 Months ago would have been good....

Live your life like OM doesn't exist... if they do something, you can then make some plans.

[Chuck Finley69]

If you buy a used slab in the meantime, it will already have lost some of it's resale value. Once the OMBerry is out, you can get that and immediately resell the slab. You'll likely have lost less money on it than the original owner of that slab.

If you get a KEY2, you may not lose much money at all when you resell it. If the OMBerry is priced like people expect it to be, the KEY2 may not even drop in price at all on the resale market.

Yes but you could also buy a very inexpensive VKB device running Android 11 and getting regular security patches. The PKB is a single aspect of BlackBerry fandom and for many, security or at least privacy was the hook.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Yes but you could also buy a very inexpensive VKB device running Android 11 and getting regular security patches. The PKB is a single aspect of BlackBerry fandom and for many, security or at least privacy was the hook.

Many that loved to call Apple users "sheep".... simply bought because it was a BlackBerry. But yes there were many others that appreciated the security/privacy aspects. One reason Unihertz did so poorly with their two phones. Even if Unihertz stepped up things and offered something along the $500 price range that offered better components.... many would never get past their being under PRC control.

If OM could just release a midgrade PKB phone for $500.... but have it made outside of China, and have that BlackBerry name on there. And at least get it supported by Carriers in the US. Might could sell a few hundred thousand units right now, even without the trust in future updates or patches. But I'd see it as a risk, and once demand was meet... YoY sales would not support them.

[the_boon]

If OM could just release a midgrade PKB phone for $500.... but have it made outside of China, and have that BlackBerry name on there. And at least get it supported by Carriers in the US. Might could sell a few hundred thousand units right now, even without the trust in future updates or patches. But I'd see it as a risk, and once demand was meet... YoY sales would not support them.

They could do a slider/slab one year and then fixed PKB the next, etc

[Tjtb]

Welcome to CrackBerry!!!!! Post early and post often…….

BlackBerry exited long ago. Whatever BlackBerry you’re waiting for will be in licensed name only with a sticker….

If the OM device makes it to fruition, you can always buy it. Until then, upgrade to something else. It’s a smartphone, not a wedding contract…

And you know this person and what their financial situation is? Perhaps he can only get one phone for a few years. If you truly want a BlackBerry and moving on would take your resources for a while, perhaps wait till October, then decide.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

And you know this person and what their financial situation is? Perhaps he can only get one phone for a few years. If you truly want a BlackBerry and moving on would take your resources for a while, perhaps wait till October, then decide.

Why wait till October... this phone won't hit the market till next year sometime. They are still in the design phase if they are asking for input. Once they settle on a design... it will take about six months to do preproduction units, then 3rd party testing, then governmental certifications and then you move to do tooling for production and sourcing of components (not easy in today chip shortage market).

And if he has a financial situation... OM isn't going to offer him something he'll be interested in anyway. This is going to be $$$$.

That said you go buy a phone today, should be able to sell it whenever OM gets something out, and get something back...

[Chuck Finley69]

And you know this person and what their financial situation is? Perhaps he can only get one phone for a few years. If you truly want a BlackBerry and moving on would take your resources for a while, perhaps wait till October, then decide.

Unfortunately, that’s life and if you can’t afford niche devices and their costs, stick with a known entity and situation…

Buying anything without a large well known corporation, either carrier sold and supported, or Apple, Google, Microsoft or largest OEMs is too risky if you don’t have money to lose.

[SunnyB]

Unfortunately, that’s life and if you can’t afford niche devices and their costs, stick with a known entity and situation…

Buying anything without a large well known corporation, either carrier sold and supported, or Apple, Google, Microsoft or largest OEMs is too risky if you don’t have money to lose.

Too generalized. And compeltely ignores OSS.

[Chuck Finley69]

Too generalized. And compeltely ignores OSS.

How so?

[SunnyB]

How so?

There are many 4G LTE phones outside your definition that will work just fine for years to come. And no "but they won't get updated to Android 13 or whatever" is not too risky.

[Chuck Finley69]

There are many 4G LTE phones outside your definition that will work just fine for years to come. And no "but they won't get updated to Android 13 or whatever" is not too risky.

Unfortunately, the 4G/LTE phones without 5G/NR are outdated already. That's before factoring in niche devices too.

[SunnyB]

Unfortunately, the 4G/LTE phones without 5G/NR are outdated already. That's before factoring in niche devices too.

No. 5G/NR has no discernable advantage for the vast majority of people. And, even so, you can have a 5G/NR phone that's NOT carrier supported and from a largest OEM and it's not "too risky".

[Chuck Finley69]

No. 5G/NR has no discernable advantage for the vast majority of people. And, even so, you can have a 5G/NR phone that's NOT carrier supported and from a largest OEM and it's not "too risky".

With 3G shutdown, I'm needing 5G fallback bands converted from 3G to maintain phone calls sometimes. It has rendered my XR and 3a outdated from a reliability standpoint.

As far as carrier support, that ensures I have full optimization 5G carrier bands on carrier device. While 5G is being rolled out and further tweaked, carriers are providing the best optimization for carrier devices and especially their largest selling OEM partners.

[SunnyB]

With 3G shutdown, I'm needing 5G fallback bands converted from 3G to maintain phone calls sometimes. It has rendered my XR and 3a outdated from a reliability standpoint.

That has little to do with the original contention that it's too risky to have any phone that's not carrier supported or from a largest OEM . Most 4G LTE phones will work reliably for years to come.

[Chuck Finley69]

That has little to do with the original contention that it's too risky to have any phone that's not carrier supported or from a largest OEM . Most 4G LTE phones will work reliably for years to come.

The point was regarding niche devices from unknown entities like an Onward Mobility or factory unlocked devices from BlackBerry for instance that lacked full carrier support for all features.

[conite]

That has little to do with the original contention that it's too risky to have any phone that's not carrier supported or from a largest OEM . Most 4G LTE phones will work reliably for years to come.

Tell that to KEY² users on AT&T.

I would never stray from a carrier phone, or a BYOD that my carrier approves.

[cgk]

How can you be working on something for two years and then design input from rubes..em.. customers?

I notice this line in the sign-up information ". From time to time, we would like to contact you about our products and services, as well as other content that may be of interest to you. "

I guess other content is when they give up the ghost and sell the mailing list.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

No. 5G/NR has no discernable advantage for the vast majority of people. And, even so, you can have a 5G/NR phone that's NOT carrier supported and from a largest OEM and it's not "too risky".

I agree with that... if you live outside the USA.

If you live in the USA... you need a carrier supported phone, and going forward with the ending of 3G, 5G will offer better coverage than LTE does. Too many are hung up on the idea that 5G is just of fast downloads (most cases it won't be any faster, but if you are ever in a area where your LTE drops down to 3G... your going to need 5G.

[babugaru1]

For those who used BB priv, how did you feel that form factor? I didn't use that device, but not sure why that was failed considering that was a perfect form factor to get full screen Android experience while not missing the PKB. I'm really surprised!

[the_boon]

For those who used BB priv, how did you feel that form factor? I didn't use that device, but not sure why that was failed considering that was a perfect form factor to get full screen Android experience while not missing the PKB. I'm really surprised!

The Price was high for the time ($799) and the performance was very lacking for that price. Constant overheating due to Qualcomm's terrible SD808 processor, especially when it launched with Android Lollipop.

The keyboard itself was fine and the typing experience was surprisingly good for a slider.