[guerllamo7]

So, I'm very excited about the N-Series BB10. Heck, even the L series is awesome. But, I have a question for other BB lovers like myself.

What is so wrong with the Bold 9930/9900?

In the final analysis, if they upgrade the OS7 line with a nice camera it will be just about perfect for me.
Currently there are quite a few deals on BB OS7 devices that I think are very nice. For me the Bold 9900 was the one that got me in the end. It was close though. The Torch 9810 is pretty awesome and has the AF camera but nothing comes close the Bold keyboard.

How many people think it is still worth buying the current OS7 line-up?

I'm still telling my friends to go for the current BlackBerry devices if they are not interested in heavy media consumption and want the most secure device out there that provides reliable communication.

How about you guys?

[BB10FTW]

If the current line up is so amazing than why are millions of people going elsewhere? I own a 9900 and I love it and it works for me but, it is a phone for a niche market. OS7 is lacking ALOT compared to other platforms. BB10 is far more advanced and opens the current BlackBerry niche.

I like my 9900 and many others like their Blackberry devices but they do not hold a candle to the up and coming Blackberry 10 devices.

[glidewells]

Agreed. The 99xx series phones are excellent phones and they wouldn't be a bad purchase at this time.

[West Coast Flavor]

I wouldn't buy an os7 device . The app selection is average at best . I don't see it getting any better either. Android phones blow them out of the water. Every phone is a reliable communication tool, in the right hands. I would even argue android, and ios offer better communication tools. Can you communicate face to face via blackberry? Nope. There's nothing you can get from an os7 device that you can't get from the competition. Will bb10 change this? Hopefully.

[anon(2757538)]

I'd be all over the 9900 if it wasn't for BB10. Personally, I am a person who loves the latest and greatest in technology, so I'd rather wait for a future OS than use a current "dead" OS.

I could have every app on the planet on my BlackBerry and would only have Twitter, Protect, and BBM downloaded. Apps are replacement for a mediocre mobile browser, hence why desktops don't have a lot of apps for websites.

[_StephenBB81]

I think BB7 devices are Great, I will not be letting go of my BB7 device when BB10 comes out, I'll add another line and move the majority of things over to BB10, but BB7 the Bolds especially are SOOO much better than anything Android or iPhone have to offer when dealing with text editing,

I'm not saying this blindly I've been giving iPhone a heavy work load for the last 3 weeks, not throwing it down in frustration but looking up how to do things that should be easy. like reviewing an email for a users extension number is a crazy amount of taps, much faster and easier on the BlackBerry

I am not yet sure of BB10, Will RIM retail the little things that make the BlackBerry better? with the loss of the trackpad some functionality may be lost, so I am for sure glad I have multiple BB7 devices as back up devices.

Those who easily dismiss BlackBerry and think other platforms can do it just as well, haven't had a BlackBerry as a primary device in quiet sometime I suspect, the short cuts available on Physical KB BlackBerry's add so much.
The only thing they lack is video conferencing, and in the scope of communication video conferencing makes up less than 1% of my communication usage, dare I say I need to put a decimal in front of that 1.

[bounce007]

Nothing is "wrong" with the 9900/9930 but with a more advanced operating system looming, it would be unwise to purchase a 9900/9930 under contract.

[atuarre]

i have yet to actually see someone using the face to face video conferencing, except for people who are sexting.

If it comes to Blackberry, cool, but it does not really matter to me, one way or another. Secondly, the apps on Android, when they work, are limited. Android has more phones than Blackberry. They say RIM should just make two phones, there are hundreds of Android phones and i am sure it is a nightmare for developers.

[jebulls]

I think BB7 devices are Great, I will not be letting go of my BB7 device when BB10 comes out, I'll add another line and move the majority of things over to BB10, but BB7 the Bolds especially are SOOO much better than anything Android or iPhone have to offer when dealing with text editing,

I'm not saying this blindly I've been giving iPhone a heavy work load for the last 3 weeks, not throwing it down in frustration but looking up how to do things that should be easy. like reviewing an email for a users extension number is a crazy amount of taps, much faster and easier on the BlackBerry

I am not yet sure of BB10, Will RIM retail the little things that make the BlackBerry better? with the loss of the trackpad some functionality may be lost, so I am for sure glad I have multiple BB7 devices as back up devices.

Those who easily dismiss BlackBerry and think other platforms can do it just as well, haven't had a BlackBerry as a primary device in quiet sometime I suspect, the short cuts available on Physical KB BlackBerry's add so much.
The only thing they lack is video conferencing, and in the scope of communication video conferencing makes up less than 1% of my communication usage, dare I say I need to put a decimal in front of that 1.

face to face on a tiny screen would suck on a bold type phone anyways imo.......I have had a 4s since launch after having a 8330 for two years and 9650 for 1.5 years. 4s is a way better phone for me but if there is one thing I miss about bb is the speed dial shortcuts that the kb offers. If bb does the N series right and can get closer to an even playing field with app development I think there is hope!

[eve6er69]

face to face on a tiny screen would suck on a bold type phone anyways imo.......I have had a 4s since launch after having a 8330 for two years and 9650 for 1.5 years. 4s is a way better phone for me but if there is one thing I miss about bb is the speed dial shortcuts that the kb offers. If bb does the N series right and can get closer to an even playing field with app development I think there is hope!

Don't want to get into a flame war at all but I just want to say the 9900 is years ahead of the 9650 as far as speed. I've speed tested both 9900 and iphone side by side in website uploading and they've been dead even.

Iphone has a better ecosystem

9900 has a physical keyboard.

After the 7.1 updates battery life is about even on the 2.

Just a matter of picking your poison for your own individual needs.

I text,tweet,pandora,gps and google things. For that my 9900 runs as fast as any other platform.

Sent from my Bold using Tapatalk

[grover5]

I could buy any phone on the market, as is the case with most of the posters on this forum. That being said, I've owned the 9900 for close to a year and would choose it over any phone available today. I think it is a brilliant device and I am in no hurry to replace it. OS 7 is fantastic in my opinion.

[Masahiro]

It will take a lot to pry me from my 9900. I have everything set up the way I want. Chances are, I'll be using both for a while until I either become fully adapted to the N, or just give up entirely and take up drinking.

Ironically, the one big feature I'm praying they include with BB10 is apt-x, which will allow for CD-quality audio streaming through Bluetooth. If they have that, I will probably switch completely over in a heartbeat.

[siddo_d]

Everyone I know with a 9900 has hardware issues! All BB7 devices just don't seem to be built properly, I'm on a two year contract ending later this year and everyone else has BB7 and im proudly rocking my torch and obviously their phones are more fluid and fast but most of them have had their's returned, repaired or has issues with it day in and out. Hopefully BB10 is built properly

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using CrackBerry forums application

[Rello]

Everyone I know with a 9900 has hardware issues! All BB7 devices just don't seem to be built properly, I'm on a two year contract ending later this year and everyone else has BB7 and im proudly rocking my torch and obviously their phones are more fluid and fast but most of them have had their's returned, repaired or has issues with it day in and out. Hopefully BB10 is built properly

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using CrackBerry forums application

I can't speak for others but I have a 6 month old 9900 that isn't working because I can't charge it. Usb port just stopped working ...still, I love this device and I believe that even at half the processing power it runs just as smooth as "some" dual core android devices. It's just missing a slick interface and apps to draw mass appeal. Still, it does everything I need currently and what it doesn't, my Playbook takes care of.

I truly believe that a huge portion of negativity people have towards BlackBerry devices comes from older devices. While I'm waiting on my 9900 to be replaced, I'm using a 8900 and it's a night and day difference. I almost don't even know how I put up with this device. Between the terrible processing power and the completely unusable browser, I can't wait to go back to the 9900.

[belfastdispatcher]

I'll find it very hard to give up my 9900, I might even start a new line and carry both.

Believe it or not the feature I will find hardest to give up is the EDOF camera in the 9900, the speed it takes photos with has allowed me to capture some amazing picture of my young family, other cameras would've missed half of the opportunities. I'm sure my kids will be glad of it when they're grown up and have their own families.

[belfastdispatcher]

I can't speak for others but I have a 6 month old 9900 that isn't working because I can't charge it. Usb port just stopped working ...still, I love this device and I believe that even at half the processing power it runs just as smooth as "some" dual core android devices. It's just missing a slick interface and apps to draw mass appeal. Still, it does everything I need currently and what it doesn't, my Playbook takes care of.

I truly believe that a huge portion of negativity people have towards BlackBerry devices comes from older devices. While I'm waiting on my 9900 to be replaced, I'm using a 8900 and it's a night and day difference. I almost don't even know how I put up with this device. Between the terrible processing power and the completely unusable browser, I can't wait to go back to the 9900.

Dude, get a charging dock, the 9900 has charging point at the bottom, you don't need the USB port to charge it!!!!

[Alex_Hong]

The current OS 7 devices are great. I've tried various platforms like iOS 5, WP 7.5, and ICS, but still i prefer my BBOS 7. It works for me.

Even after BB10 is released, i would at least still keep on of my BBOS 7 device. Currently there is still so little we know about the N series, but one thing we know is that it will have QNX at its base. Which is definitely a plus point already. Of course, lets hope that RIM will bring over all that we love about BBOS 7 over to BB10.

[flash24]

I've had my 9930 since the release. It would be tough to let it go when the BB10 N-Series comes out.

[jebulls]

Don't want to get into a flame war at all but I just want to say the 9900 is years ahead of the 9650 as far as speed. I've speed tested both 9900 and iphone side by side in website uploading and they've been dead even.

Iphone has a better ecosystem

9900 has a physical keyboard.

After the 7.1 updates battery life is about even on the 2.

Just a matter of picking your poison for your own individual needs.

I text,tweet,pandora,gps and google things. For that my 9900 runs as fast as any other platform.

Sent from my Bold using Tapatalk

Yep. I tried the 9930 right when it came out and battery life wasn't good enough so I thought it was time for a change. I agree though. 9930 can fly compared to 9650! As a happy iPhone user I really hope with bb10 brings all the productive apps that I have come to love with ios. With losing the track pad and gaining screen I will have one eye on the n series.

[guerllamo7]

I think BB7 devices are Great, I will not be letting go of my BB7 device when BB10 comes out, I'll add another line and move the majority of things over to BB10, but BB7 the Bolds especially are SOOO much better than anything Android or iPhone have to offer when dealing with text editing,

I'm not saying this blindly I've been giving iPhone a heavy work load for the last 3 weeks, not throwing it down in frustration but looking up how to do things that should be easy. like reviewing an email for a users extension number is a crazy amount of taps, much faster and easier on the BlackBerry

I am not yet sure of BB10, Will RIM retail the little things that make the BlackBerry better? with the loss of the trackpad some functionality may be lost, so I am for sure glad I have multiple BB7 devices as back up devices.

Those who easily dismiss BlackBerry and think other platforms can do it just as well, haven't had a BlackBerry as a primary device in quiet sometime I suspect, the short cuts available on Physical KB BlackBerry's add so much.
The only thing they lack is video conferencing, and in the scope of communication video conferencing makes up less than 1% of my communication usage, dare I say I need to put a decimal in front of that 1.

I completely agree with your post. BTW, I like your posts because they seem balanced and more objective than others. Even more than some of my own but I've gone 100% BB fanboy (I love my Bold 9900 so much that I'm actually doing a TRI event next month and wearing my BlackBerry Legion T-shirt during the event and since I'll be wearing my BB Colors I'm actually training harder for it - typically I'm in the middle of the pack but this time I'm going for top 30%)

Still, I would add that the BB10 devices are going to be great and it will be nice to see some former BB users return to BB for them. The UI of iOS and Android DO have much to offer and the first BB10 will be a welcome change for many that left but still miss some of the BB goodness.

However, I'm going to continue to offer the current OS7 BlackBerry devices to friends. I can tell you from the feedback that they seem to like it. I've gotten a few people into the new OS7's and they like all love them (with the exception of the full screen - sorry but I would have to agree that BB still has not cracked to code on the full screen UI. BB10 will take care of this).

I've gotten:
5 people to switch or add the Torch 9810
1 Full screen Torch
1 Curve 9360 - BTW, some people - including myself, completely underestimated this awesome little guy. It was only after I helped a friend get one that I got to play with it and was very impressed.

I respect the views of those that have left BB for other devices but I would say that most people that tell me they are not happy with their BB are packing an older model and not one of the new OS7 BB.

[jthep]

The Bold 9900/9930 is a worthy purchase especially since we don't have much tangible on the N BB10 QWERTY devices. Also I have a funny feeling I will miss the trackpad on the smaller screen. So maybe RIM will get it right with the second generation BB10 N series, but they already got it right with traditional BB's with BB7 and the Bold 99xx.

OK, so the 99xx has no autofocus, no adobe flash, no front facing camera, and limited games. But... it has the absolute best keyboard I have ever used in a phone and that trumps trivial features I can nitpick that I will never use to begin with. Also the browser, major apps, and ease of use all are every bit as good as anything I else I am seeing from the competition right now.

I know some clown will say "But it doesn't have a dual core or quad core processor" And my anser is how is that even noticeable on a smartphone as we know them now? And they have no answer to point o, just theories on what could be...

[dfb8085]

nothing wrong with the current os 7 devices if you are only comparing to other BB devices but if you throw the competition in the mix there is plenty wrong

[eve6er69]

Yep. I tried the 9930 right when it came out and battery life wasn't good enough so I thought it was time for a change. I agree though. 9930 can fly compared to 9650! As a happy iPhone user I really hope with bb10 brings all the productive apps that I have come to love with ios. With losing the track pad and gaining screen I will have one eye on the n series.

i agree. when the 9930 dropped it was compared to androids as far as battery life. 7.1 has completely changed that. on light/medium use i can get about 1 1/2 days out of it.

thats good that you are happy with your iphone, thats all we try to find in a phone. all flame wars aside what someone likes isnt what another likes.

liking a phone is completely subjective to what you want/need and like.