[Kaenon]

A guy at Staples told me BlackBerry will be under by September, so why am I looking for PlayBook accessories? Lol.

[BigBadWulf]

Lots of nice alternatives for BlackBerry users, who need to stay on top of the weather. No doubt about it. I should know, I lived in FL most of my life.

Now, can we please get back on topic?

[ZMc1834]

Most of the sales people that I have dealt with a various stores are uninformed, younger individuals that are just spewing information that they have been passed along from the carrier or personal preferences of themselves and their friends. I, more often than not, know more about their line-up of phones than they do.

Everyone has their own personal preference, like kraski, ^^^, has stated. I prefer a QWERTY keyboard and the touch screen on my new Bold 9930 is just a bonus. My wife loves her Torch 9850 and hates trying to type on my Bold. My cousin loves his iPhone, while I dislike the way iPhone's handle certain things. Everyone has their own opinions and preferences which is why we have choices in almost everything, music, movies, cars, food, drinks, etc. If we were all the same and only one company ran everything, this world would be very boring, and most if not all of the innovations that we use today came from competition within the industries.

[[email protected]]

Honestly - do you not understand why non-BB phones are bashed on a forum dedicated to BB enthusiasts? Are you unclear why BB users on this forum think BB >>> all smartphones?

Yes. I'm unclear.

[iN8ter]

Of course the carriers are hostile - they don't make nearly as much money from a BB as they do from the other platforms because BBs don't use so much data - customers can get away with a cheaper data plan. The sales reps are simply repeating what the management told them, or perhaps the lower revenue is reflected in their commission.

Another brilliant marketing move by Apple - make its products attractive to the carriers, and have the carriers hype the products. Just imagine all those 8MP photos syncing between phones, iPads and desktops. And the extra data plans sold with the iPads or Droid tablets.

Blackberry makes products that benefit its end users, but the end users are not its customers - the carriers are. Only the people outside the US realize the value of BBs.

There are not many people who can get away with a 200M data plan, even on a Blackberry here. There isn't WiFi everywhere, and lots of people simply move around too much to depend on the presence of WiFI. There issue isn't that they lose value on data, the issue is that there isn't much value in the data plan on a BB as compared to an iPhone, Android, or WP7 device.

No one is streaming Netflix to their Blackberry, but there are lots of people doing it on those other devices. One example. Add to the fact the App Store is in a terrible state right now. There are people who will bring a smartphone in for exchange or return simply because they can't get the Apps they want.

Additionally, BBM is basically dead in most parts of the US because there are so few people using Blackberries. I want to BBM real friends, not overseas FB or forum PIN spammers. You get more value out of an Android or iOS device if you're into that (iMessage + FaceTime, or Google Talk with Video Chat).

With the updated hardware in these new BBs the battery life isn't much better if at all than anything else on the market at the high end, so that's not really an advantage (unless you're willing to settle for a 9780 or something, which probably isn't a bad idea given OS7 app/dev support at this point TBQH).

iTunes, Zune, and Google Music/Video Stores are miracles compared to what RIM has going on. iOS and WP7 devices have superior integration with other equipment (Apple TVs, Windows/Mac PCs, XBox 360s, etc.) than a Blackberry.

There are many reasons. The main reason is simply RIM doesn't produce what people here are *generally* looking for. Their devices have become ridiculously boring by comparison. These aren't "just phones" anymore and incorrectly claiming a BB is better at messaging than another platform isn't enough to make a sale.

I went into Verizon to look at the all-touch Torch and got the same response:

1. Don't think you want a BB.
2. Bad value for the data plan (this is actually true, TBQH).
3. OS7 is basically DOA with them moving to QNX.
4. Let's go look at the Rezound.
5. We have a few iPhone 4Ses in the back if you wanna buy that.

Basically the way it goes, everywhere except T-Mobile, where the reps are more likely to ignore you if you're near a BB smartphone. They just don't care.

[iN8ter]

Lol, so when your power goes out you start streaming live on your battery powered device?

I would've thought push tornado warnings would make more sense.

iPhones and Windows Phones, as well as Android devices already get that from several 1st party weather apps, even the free versions (TWC, AccuWeather, WeatherBug, etc.).

[iN8ter]

Ridiculous post. So America is reason that R.I.M fell behind?

I'm in New York city and have been with Sprint since two days after 9-11. I switched to Sprint because they were the only provider that didn't lose service when the Towers fell.

My plan is unlimited across the board. I can talk, txt, surf, download all day for $99 bucks a month.

The Sprint store in my hood doesn't promote the BB either. They have the Bold on display, but I promise you, if I sat there all I day, I could probably count the folks who ask about it on one hand.

Companies like AT&T and Verizon eliminated their "unlimited" for consumers because they could no longer afford to to subsidize the large amounts of data that people were consuming. I encourage people to switch to Sprint all the time. Some do.

What AAPL did was look at the numbers and built phones/accordingly. Consumers are downloading like crazy and things like apps to occupy their downtime. Not the other way around.

Maybe we here in the U.S. aren't as smart as the rest of you, but some of us are more informed.

Cheers!

The US has one of the largest smartphone markets in the world and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

That means there are proportionately more people here who are able to buy a smartphone than in other countries. The amount of people here with cellular phones is larger than the population of some countries.

So yes, failing in the US hurts, especially when you're trying to sell "premium, high end" devices.

For me, RIM being a carrier pawn hurt them more for me than the fact that I live here or what a REP said. I'm tired of them giving GSM users underspec'd devices while the CDMA versions come with twice the RAM and storage. They just stopped doing that with the OS7 devices, but that was too little too late for me.

Look what happened to Nokia when they forgot about the US market. The laws of Economics aren't biased, and they don't care what country you're from. This is just a fact.

[belfastdispatcher]

iPhones and Windows Phones, as well as Android devices already get that from several 1st party weather apps, even the free versions (TWC, AccuWeather, WeatherBug, etc.).

So does blackberry dude, from a long time ago, possibly before the iphone. Winmo and symbian also did.

[undone]

There are not many people who can get away with a 200M data plan, even on a Blackberry here. There isn't WiFi everywhere, and lots of people simply move around too much to depend on the presence of WiFI. There issue isn't that they lose value on data, the issue is that there isn't much value in the data plan on a BB as compared to an iPhone, Android, or WP7 device.

No one is streaming Netflix to their Blackberry, but there are lots of people doing it on those other devices. One example. Add to the fact the App Store is in a terrible state right now. There are people who will bring a smartphone in for exchange or return simply because they can't get the Apps they want.

Additionally, BBM is basically dead in most parts of the US because there are so few people using Blackberries. I want to BBM real friends, not overseas FB or forum PIN spammers. You get more value out of an Android or iOS device if you're into that (iMessage + FaceTime, or Google Talk with Video Chat).

With the updated hardware in these new BBs the battery life isn't much better if at all than anything else on the market at the high end, so that's not really an advantage (unless you're willing to settle for a 9780 or something, which probably isn't a bad idea given OS7 app/dev support at this point TBQH).

iTunes, Zune, and Google Music/Video Stores are miracles compared to what RIM has going on. iOS and WP7 devices have superior integration with other equipment (Apple TVs, Windows/Mac PCs, XBox 360s, etc.) than a Blackberry.

There are many reasons. The main reason is simply RIM doesn't produce what people here are *generally* looking for. Their devices have become ridiculously boring by comparison. These aren't "just phones" anymore and incorrectly claiming a BB is better at messaging than another platform isn't enough to make a sale.

I went into Verizon to look at the all-touch Torch and got the same response:

1. Don't think you want a BB.
2. Bad value for the data plan (this is actually true, TBQH).
3. OS7 is basically DOA with them moving to QNX.
4. Let's go look at the Rezound.
5. We have a few iPhone 4Ses in the back if you wanna buy that.

Basically the way it goes, everywhere except T-Mobile, where the reps are more likely to ignore you if you're near a BB smartphone. They just don't care.

Though the numbers tell the tale, I really dont believe it all. People get convinced of crap every day (and I am not talking about people that know what they want), its what the carrier stores want to push is what people end up with. Verizon is going to PUSH iPhones because they NEED to make it up on the backend with charges for overages for data. If you dont believe me, you can look it up today based on there info they release for their 4th Qtr. The fact will remain that BB end up costing the carrier. BB's will use less bandwidth (why doesnt matter) and the likelihood of overage charges is less.

IF no carrier sub'ed the cost of the phone, I would bet serious money they'd push BB devices. Less bandwidth used = more users you can squeeze on the 'line'.

[kraski]

There are many reasons. The main reason is simply RIM doesn't produce what people here are *generally* looking for. Their devices have become ridiculously boring by comparison. These aren't "just phones" anymore and incorrectly claiming a BB is better at messaging than another platform isn't enough to make a sale.

Maybe I'm missing something here. If people say their phone is boring, isn't that more like saying, "My life is boring, so I need to be fulfilled by a small piece of electronic hardware."?

BBs are better at messaging. If you do enough of it for all aspects of life, you find that out. I do SMS and email with the local police and government; same (all over the world) within the ministry I'm in; email with counseling clients; BBM, Whatsapp & Kik all over the world for tech and ministry; Facebook, Twitter, Tapatalk, G+ for online communication; email for my job; my social life is usually in person and managed by phone calls. A BB may not best other phones at any one particular form of messaging, but overall it's ahead of the rest. And, if BB and BBMing is dead, I'd love to know why the ministry group I admin is full and every time there's an opening, it gets taken within 24 hours.

I guess I'm too busy enjoying life and people to need to be entertained by my phone. Maybe more ought to try it.

[13echo4]

Yes. I'm unclear.

What's to be unclear about? You really expect for non blackberry users to come around and tell us we can't do something on OUR phones? You think statements like Rim is selling out or going under or os7 sucks along with all the other bashing comments is going to go untouched? I'm unclear as to how you can be unclear.

[cplush]

Maybe I'm missing something here. If people say their phone is boring, isn't that more like saying, "My life is boring, so I need to be fulfilled by a small piece of electronic hardware."?

BBs are better at messaging. If you do enough of it for all aspects of life, you find that out. I do SMS and email with the local police and government; same (all over the world) within the ministry I'm in; email with counseling clients; BBM, Whatsapp & Kik all over the world for tech and ministry; Facebook, Twitter, Tapatalk, G+ for online communication; email for my job; my social life is usually in person and managed by phone calls. A BB may not best other phones at any one particular form of messaging, but overall it's ahead of the rest. And, if BB and BBMing is dead, I'd love to know why the ministry group I admin is full and every time there's an opening, it gets taken within 24 hours.

I guess I'm too busy enjoying life and people to need to be entertained by my phone. Maybe more ought to try it.

if 90% of what you do with a phone is message, then a BB is definitely for you. That is a rapidly narrowing segment of the population though. i just got a 4s, and while i can't bam out emails as fast, the ability to do so so so so much more than just message is well worth it. Its not just gaming, its having my music on my phone so i don't need to carry a separate device, its an amazing camera that more than doubles as a point and shoot, its apps that let me do all my bill paying and banking, and its so ungodly fast as well. never lags, and i can reboot in half the time it takes a blackberry. overall much better user experience.

[karaya1]

Your last BB was a 9650, hardly comparable to a I4S, though i would still take a 9650 for the batt life and keyboard. (I travel a lot).
Get a 9900 and compare user experiences.

[Resist28]

I haven't read any of the posts on this topic, but I'm not surprised they are hostile to blackberry. The salespeople I have come into contact with just care about bells and whistles and what games they can play on their phone.

[Tre Lawrence]

For the messaging I need to do, BBs can't keep up. I type faster and communicate quicker on a non-BB device.

If that changes, I'll be back on a BB. I just refuse to be deathly loyal to any one platform. That is silly.

Mobile post via Tapatalk

[belfastdispatcher]

For the messaging I need to do, BBs can't keep up. I type faster and communicate quicker on a non-BB device.

If that changes, I'll be back on a BB. I just refuse to be deathly loyal to any one platform. That is silly.

Mobile post via Tapatalk

Really, so you can communicate faster on anything then Blackberry? So every other platform out there is better at communicating then Blackberry?

You certainly spend a lot of time here for somebody believing that.

[kraski]

if 90% of what you do with a phone is message, then a BB is definitely for you. That is a rapidly narrowing segment of the population though. i just got a 4s, and while i can't bam out emails as fast, the ability to do so so so so much more than just message is well worth it. Its not just gaming, its having my music on my phone so i don't need to carry a separate device, its an amazing camera that more than doubles as a point and shoot, its apps that let me do all my bill paying and banking, and its so ungodly fast as well. never lags, and i can reboot in half the time it takes a blackberry. overall much better user experience.

I can play music from the cloud, online radio or from my sd card library. There's even an app (with accompanying PC software) to set up my home computer as a streaming server to my BB. Is any of that less than what you can do?

I've actually gotten some shots on my 9810 that, even without any post processing, have gotten compliments from the professional photography community on Google+.

I can do much of my bill paying and banking from my 9810. I choose not to for security reasons if my phone ever gets lost.

I don't get lags, but I won't try to tell you my reboot time matches yours.

So, other than reboot time, what would make me want to switch to your phone?

[suot.doi]

Some BB users really do believe that they have cornered the "serious cellphone use" market.

Funny.

Mobile post via Tapatalk

coming from someone who has a crap berry , i find this quite funny

[suot.doi]

Tornado warnings can often be misleading. Storms change direction. A storm heading right towards my house made a left turn and started heading away from my house last April. Had I not had my TV on at the time, I wouldn't have known this. Last year, a single storm spawned four tornadoes over my city. One near me, two in front of me and the same tornado that made the turn and skipped my house. I also have a charger for my truck so if the power stays off for days at a time like it did back in April, I still have access to my phone. At the most, I use my phone for half an hour to an hour at a time, just until the danger has passed. After the storm settled down, I turned off LiveStream and looked at the radar on NOAA. I want real time LIVE updates from a weatherman, not some text warning from the NOAA office in Little Rock. I want to know where the storm is at all times and what it's doing. If that means I have to use my battery powered iPhone to find out, then so be it. Anyone in tornado alley will appreciate this. I've also had a tornado spawn from a thunderstorm that had no warnings. NOAA didn't issue a tornado warning but a trained spotter saw one and called it in. The news people warned everyone about what the spotter saw. NOAA not issuing a warning = no notification. That particular storm with no warning but a confirmed tornado from more than one spotter blew over and destroyed half of my fence and my neighbor lost the roof to her house.



No, not checkmate. Glad that depending on notifications works for you. I prefer to have real time updates from my news station rather than some push notification from Accuweather or in my case, THV weather and the Weather Channel. Notifications can be delayed or late at any given time. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Having lived through a dozen or more tornadoes in my 30+ years of being alive, a dead cell phone battery after the storms pass and the skies clear is a heck of a lot better than my sister finding my dead body in a tree four counties over because I had no way to watch the weather because my power was out. I had a 100% charge when my TV went out. Even after an hour or more usage of the app, I had about 90% charge left. It wasn't dead. Not anywhere close to being dead.

I also don't have access to a TV everywhere I go. Last night, I was at the barn with my horses when it started getting bad. Turned on LiveStream to see what was going on. I finished up there and drove home. You do what works for you and I'll continue to do what works for me. Checkmate.

check , and mate actually . for having a 4s , i see your phones going to die before the game is finished

[cplush]

Your last BB was a 9650, hardly comparable to a I4S, though i would still take a 9650 for the batt life and keyboard. (I travel a lot).
Get a 9900 and compare user experiences.

i had one, but the lack of apps on os7 was a killer. also, i don't want to tie myself to BB for 2 more years after my last 2. for those of us on contracts it doesn't make sense to continue a bad experience in the hopes it "might" get better in the future (and given the new CEO thinks its all wonderful in RIM land it looks like that was a good idea). i knew the iPhone was dominant and it wasn't going anywhere. apps always come out first for the iPhone, and it just works.

[mysticmeg]

Can we all unite and respect one anothers choice in smartphone? Why do we have to fight? Don't you guys see this is our biggest problem where we have to be the ones bigging up a damn phone manufacturer(s)!!! They're only phones. All phones have good and bad points but that doesn't require you bashing one another with your verbal chit chat just to make a point about a phone and its operating system/apps..

Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900 using Tapatalk

[cplush]

I can play music from the cloud, online radio or from my sd card library. There's even an app (with accompanying PC software) to set up my home computer as a streaming server to my BB. Is any of that less than what you can do?

I've actually gotten some shots on my 9810 that, even without any post processing, have gotten compliments from the professional photography community on Google+.

I can do much of my bill paying and banking from my 9810. I choose not to for security reasons if my phone ever gets lost.

I don't get lags, but I won't try to tell you my reboot time matches yours.

So, other than reboot time, what would make me want to switch to your phone?

at the end of the day its personal preference (and probably generational as well) i suppose. my dad is addicted to his 9930, my sister and i both have iPhones, my brother is getting one soon, all my friends have them, but all the 40+ yr old people i know with smartphones have blackberries.

[13echo4]

For the messaging I need to do, BBs can't keep up. I type faster and communicate quicker on a non-BB device.

If that changes, I'll be back on a BB. I just refuse to be deathly loyal to any one platform. That is silly.

Mobile st via Tapatalk

I don't believe it. Since reading your post I've tried it out. My blackberry has kept up with me the whole time.
To offset a difference in our type speeds I've just randomly hit keys. Blackberry right with me. I'm sending this gibberish to my daughter. My blackberry hasn't stumbled the 1st time.
So to speed up I copied a whole txt and keep pasting and sending and sure thing the blackberry is way ahead of me. So I started switching and send txt and emails. Not the 1st bog down. Now if I have that much going on I'm hiring me assistant. Lol

[kraski]

at the end of the day its personal preference (and probably generational as well) i suppose. my dad is addicted to his 9930, my sister and i both have iPhones, my brother is getting one soon, all my friends have them, but all the 40+ yr old people i know with smartphones have blackberries.

I guess I fit in, then, being 40+++. In the ministry I'm in, 35+ers are more apt to be iPhone or Android, under 30 mostly BBs.

[13echo4]

Remember that it reflects poorly on a salesperson when they recommend a phone and the customer ends up returning it for something else. If a salesperson's experience is that the majority of blackberries sold are returned for something else, he will be preemptive and try to avoid this. i had this same problem with my dad who got a 9930. i have a 4s but the salesperson was just ripping RIM for all the returned/defective blackberries he was having to deal with.

I see this aspect. A salesperson should keep 2 points of view. Knowing what he is selling and his customer's wants/needs.
If a customer walks in and ask for a blackberry there is a reason. A sales rep can ask if they ever used one. If the answer is yes and the sales rep doesn't know anything about blackberrys he can say he doesn't know much about em. Maybe even ask a question or 2. Might even learn something. The thing is if they are already blackberry users then they pretty much know what they are getting into. The sell was made everybody is happy.
If they haven't ever used a blackberry the sale rep can state he don't much but will try to help all they can. If the customer ask for an opinion give it. Questions of how the device will be used helps things out too.
Some people don't like it when a salesperson pushes heavy on one brand nagging about another. Spreads to much vineger.