[fearmychickens]

Android 2.2 is awesome. But I do wanna see what BB OS6 brings to the table. I'll definitely load it on my mom's BB when it's out.

[paintdrinkingpete]

So...OS 6 isn't even out yet, and you're basing your assessment of it on a few themes that people have built to look like some of the early demos we've seen?

Whatever OS 6 turns out to be, whether it be awesome or a lemon, it's not really fair to be making such judgments at this time. One thing is for sure, it's gonna be a bit more than a skin thrown on top of OS 5, which is really all the current OS 6 themes really are.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side, and it's not as if Android doesn't have it's own shortcomings. If it works better for you, then awesome. I've used both Blackberry and Android devices quite a bit, and to be honest my person choice is still Blackberry. Why? Because for what I use my phone for it meets my needs better.

[mgdotnet]

Someone opens there mouth and the rest of the board bashes em...

awesome.

Let me clear a few things up.

OS6 is nothing to write home about. There are screens (other homescreens), but it goes to other apps/folders. I am not sure about your guys, but I only use, max, 10 icons on my berry at all times... so in all honestly, a media slide would be completely pointless to me when all I really need is a picture icon..maybe videos.

Widgets on a pc, your right, I have deleted mine from my laptop and computer, but lets think about this. If I am home, I can access the internet rather quickly and have a full size keyboard right in front of me if I wanted to reply to facebook/twitter. Facebook/Twitter has a lot more you can do when you are sitting at the computer vs using the apps on the phone. So yes, your right, although you may only see a few updates, you still get them on the fly without having to sign into an apps. Oh, and it does more than 4 slots, you are able to scroll through them.

OS6 looks outdated to me. When you look at all the devices out there, iPhone, Android, Palm, they all have better icons, better style, better everything. The Blackberry technology, I admit, is better. The BB phones have a lot of customizing power which I love... all I am saying is I really wish RIM would step it up. I liked the icons for 4.2/4.3 better than the lined icons.

I do not want this thread to be, "Kill the Blackberry Hater", more or less I would love to hear input from people who feel the same way, and hear input from people who dont and express to me why.

Seriously b15ginz, it's a LOOK-A-LIKE. You said it yourself. It sounds like you think these theme devs recreated OS6 hahaha.

Another person missing the point. Yes, it is a LOOK-A-LIKE. and No, I do not think someone recreated OS6. My point is, since you didn't read, if someone can create a look-a-like and the sliding bottom, and just about the same features, then RIM should not be releasing this as OS6.

Think about NFL Madden, every year they come out with a new game and expect people to pay 60 dollars for it. What do they change? A lot. The graphics get better every year, they add features, remove features extra. They DO NOT adjust bugs and then release a new game which, in my opinion, is what RIM has done with OS6. I do believe once OS6 gets released, composer/themebuilder will be an amazing tool and you will be able to customize anything you want.

After spending time at Blackberry.com on their forums, there so called widget apps are nothing more than creating a website. There Lazy!

Uum...a brand new webkit-based browser? An OS that also takes advantage of said webkit technology? Conveniences like pinch zooming? Pop-up menus? Universal search bar? Seriously, have you seen any of the videos or read any of the info before getting all worked up? Seriously, "F YOU"?

You didn't read all of my replies. I mentioned the new webkit which I actually did say I look forward to.

[CanuckBB]

RIM won't make wholesale changes to the interface for 1 good reason. Support.

I know a lot of you support users. Think about large corps and government. A user calls with an issue. I know I can talk a user through OS 4 and 5. I'm confident that I'll be able to talk them through OS6 even if I have not seen it. Because it will have the same basic structure.

[mgdotnet]

Very valid point CanuckBB. I never looked at it in the point of view. When you think about it along those lines, iPhone hasnt changed and it took Palm many year - MANY YEARS - to make webOS.

I think the problem lies wehre RIM didn't think they will attract a group of non-business people. Companies and Organizations order RIM service all the time. RIM is the only cell phone maker who offers servers, company email, etc. If RIM change their look, they may loose these companies.

Valid point.

I just want to see more!

[grover5]

It's lose not loose. This drives me crazy, sorry, everyone seems to do it now. Anyway, I think your rant is premature as OS 6 isn't out yet and it sounds more and more like you want widgets and different icons. I would change to an android device or iphone if I felt that way personally. I actually don't even know if iphone has widgets so it might just be android.

[mgdotnet]

It's lose not loose. This drives me crazy, sorry, everyone seems to do it now. Anyway, I think your rant is premature as OS 6 isn't out yet and it sounds more and more like you want widgets and different icons. I would change to an android device or iphone if I felt that way personally. I actually don't even know if iphone has widgets so it might just be android.

Thanks for being my personal English teacher.

It's not all about the widget, and I understand that is pretty much all I am talking about here. The screen, the sensitivity, the apps, the customizable, the widgets (yerrp), the style, the look, the feel, swype keyboard (amazing!).... it has everything (not does everything) but BBM.

When you look throughout the versions of Android they have added a lot... RIM, not so much. 4.2, 4.3, 4.5 was the same. 4.6, 4.7 had different icons. 4.7 for the storm was an overhaul. Perhaps 4.5, 4.7 should have been 5.0. The 5.0 as we know it should have been 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. There was a huge different between 4.2/4.2 between 4.6 and 4.7. There doesn't seem to be that much of a difference between 5.0 and 6.0 besides a search bar, icons, and a new net.

On the other side of the table, Blackberry has things that Android doesn't like the ClamShell (joke), BBM, profile customizing like in OS5. I also like the navigation better on the Blackberry as the text messageing on the Android is really annoying to me.

I never said I want out of the Blackberry. I would like if RIM thought of new things for their existing devices. Widgets would be great, a touchscreen/keyboard device. Stop making the same device over and over again.

MyTouch didnt have a slide out, so they came out with a MyTouch Slide.

Pearl 8100 and Pearl 9100 are pretty much the same look... what about if they made the Pearl an entire screen with a vertical slideup keyboard? Now THAT is an upgrade.

RIM doesn't show us anything different. Every new device is the same as the last.

The 9650 should have been a touch screen.
Why should I upgrade to a 9700 when I have a 8900? Its the same thing minus the trackpad.

[Heavy Fluid]

I used Android for about 3 weeks. I came back to BlackBerry, and don't plan on leaving.

BlackBerry is very plain, and very visually boring. It works though, and if it keeps working.....I will keep buying.

[Harry_Yambag]

Think about NFL Madden, every year they come out with a new game and expect people to pay 60 dollars for it. What do they change? The roster.

There. Fixed.

But seriously, lets wait for the 9800 and os6 to come out before we pass judgment on them.

[mgdotnet]

hahah, They change that during the seasons.

And your right, maybe I am jumping the gun, but from what I can see, they will not add new/more features to it.

[alby4ever]

I feel that OS 6 has a lot of new tweaks that people are not giving RIM credit for.
I still have OS 4.5, and I can pretty much do much the same thing that someone can do running OS 5. I've downloaded an OS 5 theme, so that took care of the look for me. The only thing I don't have is threaded SMS.

If people wanted a totally different OS than the one that's on their phone, then I feel they should get a new phone running a different platform. I feel confident in knowing that if I upgraded to a new BlackBerry, I can be up and running in no time.

Most people don't have time to dig deep into all what a phone has to offer. When I go into the stores to play with the phones, there are numerous people in the store and hardly anyone is messing with the Droids. I can sit there for 30 minutes at a time or longer, and no one comes along asking if they could try it out. Everyone is over by the BlackBerry phones, or other dumbphones.

BlackBerry has added new features like the trackpad and Wifi. Just the other day I heard a salesman telling someone who wanted a BlackBerry what kind of features it has. He mentioned Wifi. The person asked..."What's Wifi?"
Now...everyone in this forum can tell you what that is, yet most people you see walking around with these type of phones are clueless, yet they love their phone.
That goes to show you that there's a very small percentage of us who want more from RIM. Everyone else could careless. As long as they can navigate with ease, make phone calls, text, Email, take a few pictures, and use a few apps....they're fine.
It's funny how I see more BlackBerry phones than any other phone when I'm out in public.

BB adds trackpad (yes such a game changer) and wifi (the thing that every smartphone has had), while Android adds portable wifi hotspots. Welcome to the future.

You're so wrong it hurts. When all the chatter in the news, tech industry, among coworkers and friends is around Android phones or the iPhone 4 and not BB's, yeah that's something to worry about.

The marketshare or I-see-more-people-with-BB argument is so shortsighted it's not even funny. It takes years for marketshare to change hands. RIM lost 2% since last quarter. If you don't know how big that is, you're a moron. It takes people time to get out of their contracts and now we're seeing (as evidenced by the CB forums) people who thought BB's were all that and realized they were duped by RIM.

Trackpad and wifi as new features... YEEEAHHH. Keep reaching. I'd love to hear the BB's superior security brought up again. Anyone?

[Moonbase0ne]

I've been using a BB for many years and I think it's just a matter of getting bored with the same old. Same old phones, OS, etc...

I personally will wait until the 9800 comes out(the clamshell looks hideous, IMO), and the final release of OS. If I am not impressed with what I see, I will move on.

So far I am liking the look of the 9800. OS 6, seems kinda, i don't know... nothing to really get excited about. If it works though, that's a plus. But, how long will, "It just works" hold people over?

I know your probably tired of waiting to see what RIM does next. A lot of us are, but I think if you like the BB service so far, it would be a good thing to wait until OS 6 finally releases before making a major jump to another platform.

I will say this, if the 9800 still has the lack of memory issues, a slow/outdated processor, memory leaks, etc... I don't care how good it "looks", i will not be spending my $$$ on it.

And one more thing to consider, once we do get OS6, how long will we have to wait for any (real)updates, seeing as they take forever to come out now.

[grover5]

b15ginz, you're welcome. I know I would want to know if I was always using the incorrect word. It looks like you are going to be unhappy for awhile with your phone quandary. Best of luck though.

[alby4ever]

Widgets, let me ask you this, how many of you use widgets on your pc? I took them all off on my windows laptop as they slowed it down and they were a battery drain.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Widgets aren't that great on PC's because windows take up the space. Same with Mac OSX's dashboard.

However, widgets are extensively used on Android phones. Yeah it works pretty well on phones. And they don't drain the battery.

[belfastdispatcher]

BB adds trackpad (yes such a game changer) and wifi (the thing that every smartphone has had), while Android adds portable wifi hotspots. Welcome to the future.

You're so wrong it hurts. When all the chatter in the news, tech industry, among coworkers and friends is around Android phones or the iPhone 4 and not BB's, yeah that's something to worry about.

The marketshare or I-see-more-people-with-BB argument is so shortsighted it's not even funny. It takes years for marketshare to change hands. RIM lost 2% since last quarter. If you don't know how big that is, you're a moron. It takes people time to get out of their contracts and now we're seeing (as evidenced by the CB forums) people who thought BB's were all that and realized they were duped by RIM.

Trackpad and wifi as new features... YEEEAHHH. Keep reaching. I'd love to hear the BB's superior security brought up again. Anyone?

You judge a phone by market share? Is that even worldwide or just USA. Last time I checked "android" doesn't make phones. That's like saying windows sells the most computers when it's just an operating system. Android is not a smartphones manufacturer.
What's important is sustainability not fast growth. Android and iphone can go as fast as they came. RIM will be supplying us with smartphones long time from now.
I wonder how the profit margins per unit compare. That's what's important in my book.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ephesios]

I think its about more than the just the features. One of the most frustrating things is the progress that Android and iPhone has made in such a short amount of time. Compare the progress of iOS3 to iOS4 or even just Android 2.1 to 2.2 to Blackberry OS5 to OS6 and you will see the difference is evident. I feel like Rim has run out of ideas and they're just riding the wave.

Also on the developers side look how many apps there are for Android compared to Blackberry. Rim should wake up a realize that they have peaked and if they don't make some changes they will begin a long tumble downhill same as Palm.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[_StephenBB81]

I think its about more than the just the features. One of the most frustrating things is the progress that Android and iPhone has made in such a short amount of time. Compare the progress of iOS3 to iOS4 or even just Android 2.1 to 2.2 to Blackberry OS5 to OS6 and you will see the difference is evident. I feel like Rim has run out of ideas and they're just riding the wave.

Also on the developers side look how many apps there are for Android compared to Blackberry. Rim should wake up a realize that they have peaked and if they don't make some changes they will begin a long tumble downhill same as Palm.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

There is a Major Difference between RIM, and iPhone/Driod and that is latency support, Apple did away with Latency when it was near dead, and launched OSX which was revolutionary, I hate to say it, but OSX was a great move for Apple, they had a small user base, who followed pretty blindly, so they could afford to shake things up. they came into the Mobile market with a successful media player built on what has worked for them on the computing front, and ran with it, Andriod again, they saw what consumers where buying, they expanded on features people wanted in the webspace, and they built from the ground up.

Unfortunately for RIM they can't afford to make a "Vista" and change things up dramatically, the smart phone market it far to competitive to **** off your old faithful especially when that old faithful makes up a major portion of smart phone users, One thing RIM has that other Smart Phone manufacturers don't is active use statistics, they know how many phones are active, not just units sold.
OS6 WILL be a revolutionary OS to people who upgrade on corporate plans and are still running OS 4.2 (The US wing of my company are all on 8830's with 4.2) when they get to upgrade next year, what ever OS Blackberry has will be very different, but the same enough that there is no learning curve, I will tell you, even as a gadget junky my iPod touch had a learning curve to get used to trying to use it for business applications, I can pick up anyones BB, with any theme and in a few minutes be full tilt on it, that is something I do not want to see gone in the next OS, sure make it a little prettier, but I want to know how to use it before I buy it. RIM is very very good at keeping things familiar but moving them forward.


I was far more pleased with the Look of Navigation on OS6 with the clamshell vs the Slider, though I really hope to pick up a slider carrier willing, I can see myself using trackpad navigation as in the Clamshell far more then touch navigation, the OS has the familiar tones, I would like to very much see how it hands file management, and really hope for Wifi file transfer with a network drive, I don't think I'll get that, but I can pray.

[Joel S.]

my rant is why create a new OS when your not doing anything that special with it?

Have you seen the underlying code? Do you know what's different underneath the hood from 5.0 to 6.0? I'm gonna go with, NO, because the only people who really know are in Waterloo.

The only things we can compare between 5.0 and 6.0 are what we see, and I'm sorry, but you're a fool if you think they're going to drastically change the look and feel of the UI. Look at Windows, it DOMINATES the market, so they haven't had to make drastic changes to the UI because people are so familiar with it. From Windows 95 to Windows 7, the basic look and feel of the OS hasn't changed a lick. Sure, there are lots of visual changes (pop out previews, transparency, 3d effects, etc), but you still have a start button, task bar, windows, etc. They just look different. However, when you get down to the nitty gritty of the kernel, it's changed drastically from Windows 95 (which was 16bit/32bit) to Windows 7 (which is totally 32 or 64 bit). Windows is still windows, and if you're comfortable on Windows 95, you can still get up to speed quickly on Windows 7.

RIM isn't in the same boat as MS or Palm was when it came time for them to release a new mobile OS. MS and Palm have very little marketshare, and needed to make a splash, so 7 Mobile and WebOS are drastic changes from their previous offerings. RIM has a very established user base, many of whom are adverse to drastic change, so they needed to bring the OS to the "mainstream" while not alienating their core user base. This means more back end tweaks, and a refresh of the UI, not a complete overhaul.

OS6 is still quite early, so who's to say what the final result is gonna be, but I like some of the changes I've seen.

I would like to see larger jumps in hardware, not the software. But my S2 is snappy and responsive, so I can't complain.

[SilentSeth]

Very valid point CanuckBB. I never looked at it in the point of view. When you think about it along those lines, iPhone hasnt changed and it took Palm many year - MANY YEARS - to make webOS.

I think the problem lies wehre RIM didn't think they will attract a group of non-business people. Companies and Organizations order RIM service all the time. RIM is the only cell phone maker who offers servers, company email, etc. If RIM change their look, they may loose these companies.

Valid point.

I just want to see more!

Good point on this one.. Agree.. It all depends back on RIM whether they want to attract the non-business people or not. If they decide to stick with the business majority, then they might not put all the fancy2 stuffs on their OS.. But then again if they decide to go for the commercial/majority ppl out there, then they might consider it & go with the iphone OS/Android OS/WebOS ways/styles.

[ephesios]

Have you seen the underlying code? Do you know what's different underneath the hood from 5.0 to 6.0? I'm gonna go with, NO, because the only people who really know are in Waterloo.

The only things we can compare between 5.0 and 6.0 are what we see, and I'm sorry, but you're a fool if you think they're going to drastically change the look and feel of the UI. Look at Windows, it DOMINATES the market, so they haven't had to make drastic changes to the UI because people are so familiar with it. From Windows 95 to Windows 7, the basic look and feel of the OS hasn't changed a lick. Sure, there are lots of visual changes (pop out previews, transparency, 3d effects, etc), but you still have a start button, task bar, windows, etc. They just look different. However, when you get down to the nitty gritty of the kernel, it's changed drastically from Windows 95 (which was 16bit/32bit) to Windows 7 (which is totally 32 or 64 bit). Windows is still windows, and if you're comfortable on Windows 95, you can still get up to speed quickly on Windows 7.

RIM isn't in the same boat as MS or Palm was when it came time for them to release a new mobile OS. MS and Palm have very little marketshare, and needed to make a splash, so 7 Mobile and WebOS are drastic changes from their previous offerings. RIM has a very established user base, many of whom are adverse to drastic change, so they needed to bring the OS to the "mainstream" while not alienating their core user base. This means more back end tweaks, and a refresh of the UI, not a complete overhaul.

OS6 is still quite early, so who's to say what the final result is gonna be, but I like some of the changes I've seen.

I would like to see larger jumps in hardware, not the software. But my S2 is snappy and responsive, so I can't complain.

I think we're all in agreement that the BB UI will remain relatively consistent until they are forced to change (due to lack of sales, interest, etc.). But I think the point that is being made is that there aren't many new features from one OS to another. For instance there really wasn't really a huge leap between BB OS 4.5 to OS 5. It just seems that they're simply adding a version number to their OS to show progress and remain relevant.

I do agree though that much of what has been said is premature and this debate should really be had once OS 6 is released and we know exactly what we're getting. Until then I'll try to give Rim the benefit of the doubt.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Masahiro]

I don't know what some people are expecting from the new OS. It already addresses perhaps the biggest weakness of the platform that is the browser. What else would you be looking for?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mgdotnet]

Biggest weakness sure is the internet and I sure as well can not wait for the new net. Here the thing - put the new browser on my 5.0 and I will be happy. why? Because OS 6.0 just doesn't do anything for me.

[amazinglygraceless]

I am simply astounded by the number of people that point to the browser as the
weakest part of the OS. Personally I could not care less about the browser. I have
several computers for that.

How about the preeminent email device patching some of it's most glaring holes:
Can't sort email by Sender, Date, Subject
Can't add to Calendar or Tasks in a simple straightforward fashion
Can't create folders (BIS)
Can't create templates
Truncation (yes, I know, but to some of us this is important)

I swear if it were not for eMobile Email I'd never use this thing for email EVER.

[mgdotnet]

Hmmmm..... yeah email actually is a big one too. Although I do not to much emailing on my phone, I do find it verrrrry hard if I have to find an email. If I do not remember the date or roughly the time when I got the email - its hard to hunt it down.

Although the browser is a biggy to me, a new messages/emaik layout would be great too.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[amazinglygraceless]

@b15ginz

This, the email client, is a big deal to me. Not counting the mail I get as a Mod,
I send and receive in excess of 250 per day. If it were not for the excellent 3rd
party app I'd have to move on.

I have no interest in Android and I readily acknowledge that BlackBerry does a
lot of things very well, but email and messaging being what they are known for
I am at a loss as to why they do not incorporate the features that the 3rd party
developers have made possible.