[cgull]

I had BB's for almost a decade and after a year of owning a Storm 2, fed up, I left for Android. Well I just picked up the Torch 9850 (vz) yesterday and can honestly say that this is the best experience I have had on any RIM device and, for me, any device overall. I came from the Droid2 Global and although it was nice, it just does not compare.

I looked at the Galaxy Nexus and considered the iPhone 4S. The Nexus is an impressive piece of technology but it felt kinda gimmicky with all the apps and widgets. It is also huge and has poor battery life. I have also grown weary of Google knowing what I ate for breakfast.

The iPhone is well, the iPhone. Can't argue with the quality of the device. The bottom line here is that I prefer the BlackBerry experience over the Apple experience. Example, my wife's employer just offered phone upgrades and she chose an iPhone to replace her Curve. She regrets it. I actually steered her to the iPhone thinking well, its the iPhone... how can you go wrong? So while she now has Angry Birds and half a million other apps, typing up messages has become a laborious task.

*WARNING* - Stop reading here if you don't want to hear my fatalistic conspiracy theory...

Here is a conclusion I am starting to believe more and more... there is something fundamentally not right with the mobile phone culture in this country. Between brainwashing marketing and all of the useless things phones can do that don't add any tangible value we have reached a state beyond ridiculous. It's a reflection of society/culture in the US and the fact that RIM is doing well outside the US supports this.

The fact is, on my cell phone, I don't need to be watching a 3D movie, ordering a latte over NFC, asking Siri what the weather is, updating my Facebook status, checking into my favorite bistro on Gowalla, Tweeting about doing all this at the same time and posting a video of it to YouTube. Meanwhile its all being logged to 150 different databases keeping track of my minute by minute existence so marketers can tell me what to do next with my cell phone. Is this where we are heading?

I don't want RIM to produce a handset with the sole purpose of doing all this crap. I am extremely impressed with OS7 and the new BB phones that run it. RIM's current technology has been grossly overlooked, underrated and bashed by market manipulators, arrogant bloggers and just flat out brain washed people. Although, RIM has made some serious mistakes and missteps, I hope they go on the offensive ASAP.

[Lead_Express]

I don't see anything wrong with having a swiss army phone. More capabilities=more possibilities and I like that. That said, I've been looking into the 9860 but I'm weary about going all-touch since I love QWERTY. With the BB10 phones delayed I think it's time to upgrade to OS7. How is the texting on the 9850? I'm considering either that or the 9900.

[stewym]

Very interesting post, thanks for your insights.

Although, RIM has made some serious mistakes and missteps, I hope they go on the offensive ASAP.

What do you think this would look like? What should RIM do to "go on the offensive?"

[vbittersweet]

there is something fundamentally not right with the mobile phone culture in this country. Between brainwashing marketing and all of the useless things phones can do that don't add any tangible value we have reached a state beyond ridiculous. It's a reflection of society/culture in the US and the fact that RIM is doing well outside the US supports this.

I completely agree and am refreshed to see someone else who returned to Blackberry from Android. I strayed only briefly before discovering that most of the "average consumer" aspects of the Android OS slowed me down tremendously. Even making a simple phone call became an endeavor that required too many clicks.

I returned to the Blackberry 9780 and, even without BB OS 7, I am a happy camper. Combined with the solid hardware, amazing QNX OS and incredible graphics of my Playbook, the RIM experience is where I want to be. I hope RIM will aggressively pursue developers who can properly showcase their new hardware and OS capabilities. I will remain faithful until the Alamo rises victorious or rides into the sunset. I sincerely hope it's the former.

[gymwarner]

I like your theory. I don't get the main argument of "well we have over 100,000 apps" why is that a difference maker to a phone? Does it make calls, does it send messages, will the battery last a day are the key things here.

Everything else is a moo point, you know...a cows opinion...IT DOESN'T MATTER.

[TheScionicMan]

It is very much like the Swiss Army knife. The idea of having all of these tools is very enticing, until you realize you're carrying a big bulky device that you reqlly only use a little bit of. It's like carrying around my entire toolbox when I only need an adjustable wrench and a screwdriver.

We had several people switch to iPhone. I've never heard any of them say they prefer typing on the iPhone. It's more of an "I've been able to make it work." Many of them sheepishly (no pun intended) tell me that "I need to look at getting some apps..." or "Those apps were loaded by my kid..."

[cgull]

How is the texting on the 9850? I'm considering either that or the 9900.

So far so good. Suretype picks up most corrections and it is a good experience. Landscape is really nice due to the phone ergonomics. Of coarse its not a physical QUERTY but its a worthwhile sacrifice for the full touch screen experience.

[damode85]

Well, as a consumer people revert to "how much stuff can I get for a set amount of price". People here 100,000 apps, calendar synced to laptop, this this this, that that that. Most will want that product and pass on another product that may not have as mich features but the ones they do are solid.

Its about quantity, not quality around here!

[TRlPPlN]

there is something fundamentally not right with the mobile phone culture in this country. Between brainwashing marketing and all of the useless things phones can do that don't add any tangible value we have reached a state beyond ridiculous. It's a reflection of society/culture in the US and the fact that RIM is doing well outside the US supports this.

+1. i've heard many complain about their iphones and android phones but at the end of the complaints, it ends with..."but it's such a cool phone". **smacks forehead**

[BoldtotheMax]

All those things you had on Andriod are mostly on your berry, so not sure I understand your opinion there, which is just that an opinion. Whatever makes you happy, but don't like facebook, don't get on it. Don't want Siri, don't use it......so on and so worth. Maybe you just could get by with a dumbphone...


What I am thinking of honestly doing, due to me really not using a lot of the features on my Andriod is sticking with it, instead of upgrading it come February, when my contract is up. I usually rush out and get the new hotness, but my phone does everything I need it to, still have plenty of memory and just works. No lag, no crashes, battery lasts a whole day. It is fast and smooth enough for me. I am tired of getting brainwashed......time to come back to reality and realize I have more than enough tech gadgets.

My conspiracy theory? Technology will be the death of us all.

Sent from I am on Fire!

[sleepngbear]

It is very much like the Swiss Army knife. The idea of having all of these tools is very enticing, until you realize you're carrying a big bulky device that you reqlly only use a little bit of. It's like carrying around my entire toolbox when I only need an adjustable wrench and a screwdriver.

We had several people switch to iPhone. I've never heard any of them say they prefer typing on the iPhone. It's more of an "I've been able to make it work." Many of them sheepishly (no pun intended) tell me that "I need to look at getting some apps..." or "Those apps were loaded by my kid..."

I love this analogy, because I carry a Swiss Army Knife with me everywhere, coincidentally wherever I carry my phone. It isn't one of those do-everything models -- it has 10 functions, of which I regularly use three. Much like my BB phone, there are other models with many more features that are really cool to have integrated into such a small package; but how many of them would I ever use. And like my ever-present knife, I don't even use my 9900 to its full potential; but the things I need it for most it does exceedingly well.

[n9qzd]

I've been on Blackberry for a few years now. A curve, then a tour, then the Bold 9650, and now the 9930. I looked at, and seriously considered the Motorola Photon. In the end, all things that mattered can be done on the Blackberry. For me it was the path of least resistance. I was afraid I would really miss the keyboard of the Blackberry. Also, with android, my POP email would have been a "Pull" instead of push from the Blackberry servers. That was the deal breaker for me. I love the 9930. Battery life could be better, but I'm dealing with that by plugging in when ever its convenient.

-Pete

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[cgull]

What do you think this would look like? What should RIM do to "go on the offensive?"

There is a whole thread on this, but maybe someone from RIM is reading... Here are a few ideas IMHO ...

- Everyone is focused on waiting for QNX when OS7 is here now and it rocks. I have not seen any ads for OS7 devices anywhere.
- Launch a "new" ad campaign that focuses on what OS7 devices can do today but also highlights the global and core business aspects of BB. Run during the Superbowl and attack the social media channels.
- Avoid marketing like this - .
- Extend the TradeUp program to include Android and iPhones... "Offense".
- Reduce the number of phones to 2 or 3 core models with a touch and a QUERTY and focus on making them perfect.
- Obvious one, but execute flawlessly on BBOS10 with LTE, Dual Core and NFC

[tack]

Here is a conclusion I am starting to believe more and more... there is something fundamentally not right with the mobile phone culture in this country. Between brainwashing marketing and all of the useless things phones can do that don't add any tangible value we have reached a state beyond ridiculous. It's a reflection of society/culture in the US and the fact that RIM is doing well outside the US supports this.

I have to agree with you that there is something wrong with mobile phone culture in the US, but I don't agree it has anything to do with the "useless" things other phones can do. I want my phone to do many things, and frankly most BB's can do those things as well. Unlike many others here, I won't say the other phones are not as good at some things or hurt my productivity. My productivity is not hurt at all.

I totally get why many people like the iPhone and Android phones. What I don't get is why and how the BB has become shunned, ridiculed, and considered downright old. That is the cultural part that blows me away. Don't get me wrong, the Storm series was crap and burnt me on RIM for a bit. But BB's today are great, albeit behind in some areas. I also won't claim that RIM has the best quality phones or software. I had more problems with my BB hardware and software than on the other platforms. I just don't think BB's are that bad, and in fact are still better in some areas.

It is so amazing how negative people are about BB's. I am not sure that I totally understand why, but I do think part of it is having such a flop as the first full touch screen phone. Touch screens are the rage, and RIM really screwed it up. They also took too long to get a decent browser. Lastly, they needed to attract more developers and support. While a lot of you don't understand why 100,000 apps matters, the rest of the world craves the apps. You are the minority.

Let's hope this negative vibe turns and RIM really does some good stuff.

[anon(19759)]

OP is missing the point. Not everything you do on a smartphone has to add value. Some stuff can be for just plain fun. Wasting a few minutes in the doctors office. Riding the train. Waiting for a conference call to start. Catch up on the news, play a few screens of a game, etc. Lots of people put value in entertainment over productivity, and who are we to say that's wrong? I went through 3 Android devices in just over 14 months and ultimately, BB is what suits the majority of my needs. But if my needs ever change to where I have more time for entertainment and productivity isn't at the top of my list, I'll take another hard look at Android unless RIM can make a device that can do both.

Sent from my Big Red BlackBerry 9930

[Amy wineBerry]

All those things you had on Andriod are mostly on your berry, so not sure I understand your opinion there, which is just that an opinion. Whatever makes you happy, but don't like facebook, don't get on it. Don't want Siri, don't use it......so on and so worth. Maybe you just could get by with a dumbphone...


What I am thinking of honestly doing, due to me really not using a lot of the features on my Andriod is sticking with it, instead of upgrading it come February, when my contract is up. I usually rush out and get the new hotness, but my phone does everything I need it to, still have plenty of memory and just works. No lag, no crashes, battery lasts a whole day. It is fast and smooth enough for me. I am tired of getting brainwashed......time to come back to reality and realize I have more than enough tech gadgets.

My conspiracy theory? Technology will be the death of us all.

Sent from I am on Fire!

I admire you. I definitely need to realize that I have more than enough tech gadgets. And to learn to live with what I have knowing that there is not anything wrong with any of the gadgets that I have now. Heck, I mean, I don't even need the tablets I have. And two phones is grossly unnecessary. Time for me to realize that what I have does everything that I need and everything I could want.

[poseidon5]

the fact that RIM is doing well outside the US supports this.

this is only happening in thailand and indonesia. in developed asia, it is android/ios. in developing asia, it is ios.

[13echo4]

I don't see anything wrong with having a swiss army phone. More capabilities=more possibilities and I like that. That said, I've been looking into the 9860 but I'm weary about going all-touch since I love QWERTY. With the BB10 phones delayed I think it's time to upgrade to OS7. How is the texting on the 9850? I'm considering either that or the 9900.

I was worried about losing my keyboard also. The 9860's virtual keyboard is just awsome.
You know how blackberrys are, easy to customize to yourself. I'm learning some tricks. The 9860 returned to the 1 hand option. Good luck in finding one right now though.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[nccjones]

cgull...I agree with you 100%. Androids and iPhones are nice and if that's what people want then good for them. I had the BB 9700 and left in June for the HTC Sensation. Things I loved about the Sensation? The screen resolution was amazing, and I loved Google GPS on it...it's also amazing. Other than that...didn't like it. My battery would last maybe 6 hours on a good day. I didn't even want to make calls on it because it would drain the battery. It's a phone for crying out loud!...lol. I took it to TMobile and asked why it was draining...the rep went through my home screen(s) and said I had too many apps and they were draining it. I'm like what? It's an Android! It's made for apps! (And I had maybe 15 apps which were mainly news, weather and few simple games). Also, my phone icon on the lock screen disappeared and I went to the msg boards (which has nothing like BB support) and found out it was a common problem with the Sensation and that we would have to wait for a new update. Now I could still make calls from the little circle with no phone icon it, but it was still bothersome.

By October I was frustrated and really regretted buying the phone but was willing to wait it out till the next upgrade. Btw...the phone was big in my hand and felt bulky, it was difficult to put in a pocket real quick or my purse. Well, TMo finally announced it would be getting the BB 9810. Yeah for me! I had always admired the 9800 from afar but never wanted to leave TMo for AT&T just for a phone. So on November 9th I took the plunge and bought the 9810 for full price. There was no way I was waiting for an upgrade. I do not regret my choice one bit! I sold my HTC on ebay for $360 and never looked back.

I love the 9810. It fits my needs (almost) perfectly. The size is perfect in my hand. The screen has great resolution and I like the 3.2 over the 4.0. If I had any complaints about the 9810...is that I would like better navigation (BBT3 is okay...but it needs to be integrated with maps...Google does reign in this area). And that more apps be compatible with OS7. I don't mine paying 1.99/2.99 for an app. It doesn't break the bank.

As far as entertainment goes...I use my laptop for looking at youtube videos and such. I don't watch HD movies on my phone...no enjoyment there if you ask me. So even the Netflix issue with OS7 doesn't phase me. Nope...Blackberry suits all my needs

[Tom Slick]

I have owned and used BB's, Iphones and Droids. Sorry guys, as much as I thought I loved my BB, the BB does not hold a candle to the Droids or Iphones. I'm not a kid who uses my phone as a toy. Rather, I use/rely on my phone as a productive tool. For me, this means solid internet capability, an area where the BB's fall way short.

[TRlPPlN]

For me, this means solid internet capability, an area where the BB's fall way short.

although i agree with you on the internet capability with the previous OS6-below, with OS7 and the new hardware, this limitation for me is actually close to zip. i can surf the web on my BB as fast or faster against my wife's iphone.

[Blackberry_Boy]

I had BB's for almost a decade and after a year of owning a Storm 2, fed up, I left for Android. Well I just picked up the Torch 9850 (vz) yesterday and can honestly say that this is the best experience I have had on any RIM device and, for me, any device overall. I came from the Droid2 Global and although it was nice, it just does not compare.

I looked at the Galaxy Nexus and considered the iPhone 4S. The Nexus is an impressive piece of technology but it felt kinda gimmicky with all the apps and widgets. It is also huge and has poor battery life. I have also grown weary of Google knowing what I ate for breakfast.

The iPhone is well, the iPhone. Can't argue with the quality of the device. The bottom line here is that I prefer the BlackBerry experience over the Apple experience. Example, my wife's employer just offered phone upgrades and she chose an iPhone to replace her Curve. She regrets it. I actually steered her to the iPhone thinking well, its the iPhone... how can you go wrong? So while she now has Angry Birds and half a million other apps, typing up messages has become a laborious task.

*WARNING* - Stop reading here if you don't want to hear my fatalistic conspiracy theory...

Here is a conclusion I am starting to believe more and more... there is something fundamentally not right with the mobile phone culture in this country. Between brainwashing marketing and all of the useless things phones can do that don't add any tangible value we have reached a state beyond ridiculous. It's a reflection of society/culture in the US and the fact that RIM is doing well outside the US supports this.

The fact is, on my cell phone, I don't need to be watching a 3D movie, ordering a latte over NFC, asking Siri what the weather is, updating my Facebook status, checking into my favorite bistro on Gowalla, Tweeting about doing all this at the same time and posting a video of it to YouTube. Meanwhile its all being logged to 150 different databases keeping track of my minute by minute existence so marketers can tell me what to do next with my cell phone. Is this where we are heading?

I don't want RIM to produce a handset with the sole purpose of doing all this crap. I am extremely impressed with OS7 and the new BB phones that run it. RIM's current technology has been grossly overlooked, underrated and bashed by market manipulators, arrogant bloggers and just flat out brain washed people. Although, RIM has made some serious mistakes and missteps, I hope they go on the offensive ASAP.

This is just brilliant! Thanks for so eloquently saying what I have been saying, but not as well, for a very long time.

[West Coast Flavor]

I stopped reading at "brainwashing. "

The same people trashing Android for having a plethora of applications are the same ones begging for an app player. I'm tired of this idea that a blackberry is the only phone that can send a text message!

[BBBrooklynFAN]

There is something really wrong with the telephone culture in this country. People have been brainwashed.

I don't need to send or receive email on my cell phone. I have computers for that.

I don't need to be available to receive a phone call at any time. I have a landline phone at home. Leave the message on the answering machine if you want me.

I don't need to talk to anyone over an electric line anyway. The United States Post Office is the best in the world.

There are a lot of places in the world where they don't have more than one rotary phone in a village. Why can't Americans learn to be more like that?

[BBBrooklynFAN]

Google and Apple are not making cell phones. They are making handheld computers that happen to have a broadband cellular antenna in them. And people like them.

Nokia has grasped this fact. Looks like rim's fandom hasn't. Or should I say what's left of rim's fandom.