[KB1964]

Let me say that I am not a current Blackberry owner. I am researching the Blackberry Bold 9900/9930 model and the Blackberry Torch 9810. No I am not asking which I should get. That is a personal preference thing. I have to figure that out. What I am asking is, with all the word going around that Blackberry is heading towards destruction should I even bother? How smart is it to buy a phone from a company that some say is doomed to faliure? I just don't know what to do. I always check the tech news and probably 90% of news about RIM is doomsday stuff. I want a Blackberry but I don't know if I should attach myself to a ship that is sinking.

Thanks for your thoughts

[Bballbenb]

Blackberry is still the #3 OS..for now. The only other OS i seeing taking their spot is Windows Phone but there still far off numbers wise. This next year will be the deciding year for blackberry and it will all depend on the new announcements they make about the playbook, BB OS 10 and any other exciting features. Lets see what CES has to offer and then I think that will give everyone a clearer picture but by no means is the ship sinking, its just staying the course right now.

[West Coast Flavor]

If you want a blackberry, get one.

People say Blackberry is done, but nobody knows for sure. The 9900 will be the same regardless.

[_StephenBB81]

news articles are more about getting people to view them, than they are about giving accurate information.

RIM as a company isn't going anywhere in the near future, you can be pretty confident that if you purchase a BlackBerry today you'll have easily 2 years of support for the device.

RIM is far from going bankrupt having positive balance sheets every quarter, growing user base year over year, and zero debt.

The devices are considerably better than their last generation, and the sale of the PlayBooks is putting devices in peoples hands which hopefully help turn the tide of American perception of the Company.

IF a BlackBerry today Meets your needs, then buy one without worry the company is going under.

[Bballbenb]

Well put @DeRusett!!

As I have posted before, I am not sure if Rim losing some of its Comscore numbers is due mainly to people leaving or just the smartphone market growing.

[qbnkelt]

Bit of both.
The market is expanding, but people ARE leaving *in North America.* RIM is strong elsewhere, including Europe. It's not just the emerging markets where RIM is still strong, they have an enormous presence in the UK and the continent.

[Altarocks]

I just did it with the 9810 when I qualified for an upgrade on Jan. 1. It does everything I want it to do. The only thing I wish BB devices had is more app availability. But apps are mainly fluff to me. They can be very useful, but I don't consider them primary factors to consider.

Worst case, if down the road I decide another device is better I can buy another device. For now, the 9810 is the best device for me.

[jelp2]

As for me, my 9850 is great does everything I need it to and does it well. As far as the not enough apps arguments, I have all I need on my phone. The selection in App World is fine for me. Again this is just my experience and everyone will differ.
RIM is not going anywhere. If you see a BB you like, get it and show it off!

[qbnkelt]

I'm always tickled by the app discussion.
I have an Atrix and so I have, at my disposal, the Android market. Yet aside from themes, which are not available in any great numbers for OS7 devices, and the DC Metro app which includes the DC circulator that's in the Android market, I have the exact same types of apps on my BBerries as on my Atrix.
Exceptions - banking apps. I do not use any banking apps on my Atrix and I have them on the BBerries. I trust the platform more.
The other app I dont' have on my BB is the Circulator app I mentioned.
I have one game on my Atrix....one. Angry Birds. Which I've played a couple of times and I just don't get the fascination.
Aside from that, the apps mirror each other.

[KB1964]

Thanks guys for all your responses! I do feel better now about getting a Blackberry. Still deciding on which one. The Bold 9930 is calling my name but the price tag is making me look at the Torch 9810 lol. As soon as I get one I will proudly show it off and let you guys know which one I chose.

[azrin640]

RIM is not a sinking ship or will be. What you have to understand is, it is in transition period i.e. from bb os (os5/6/7) to bb10. It makes a lot of money last year for bb os phone.

rim is taking top to down approach in its bb10 (os for playbook to phone) rather then the other way around (phone to tablet, like apple/android), hence the delay. it is a big job designing new os on top of qnx kernel.

Better go with 9810. Big screen, 14.4 Mb/s, slider keypad, os 7, cheaper. Work wonderfully with playbook when bridged.

[TGR1]

The following argument holds for every smartphone out there so insert favourite company:

RIM may or may not be a sinking ship in the next 2 years (I assume you are in the US and will buy on contract). Thus it may be a concern if you anticipate heavy use of specialized apps or BB-specific services such as BBM. If you primarily intend to use for phone services or mobile web, then don't even worry about it and get a BB as you won't even register any change even if RIM were to disappear. Updates would be the only possible effect but you can workaround them.

[BoldtotheMax]

I think it will ne an interesting next 8-12 months for RIM. I hope they show the naysayers wrong, nit time tells all.

With all the doomsday type stuff, I am thinking of coming back. I don't care what the market says....

Like DeRussett said....

Sent from I am on Fire!

[CanadianThomas]

In 1998 Michael Dell said If he was Steve Jobs, who had just come back to Apple, he would shut the company down and give the money to the shareholders. Now, Apple is worth way more than Dell. Things change all the time but RIM isn't in dire straights at all, Just a bit late with the new OS. So is Microsoft but nobody says their game is over.

Remember back to the initial iPhone release. No cut/copy/paste. No APPS! 1st iPod touch had no email client, then when it got one you had to purchase it.

RIM is strong and has great engineers on the job but it's a big job. Taking an OS like QNX and making it a mobile powerhouse takes time. iOS is in fact the same as OS X, minus a few api's and plus a few as well as a new UI layer, and it took Apple from about 2002, as roomer suggests, till 2006 to have it ready for 1st release.

It's all just fine in my book. I just switch from iOS and I'm an Apple Tech and computer user!

Wait 2 years from now. Apps everywhere on all platforms. If BBos7 wasn't about to be upstaged by BB10 you would see more apps now. And when BB10/Playbook OS 2 is out there will be lots of new ones.

Jump in, get your feet wet. The water is nice and warm, plus the jacuzzi and hot tub are almost ready!

[jamesbondOO7]

Well, easy decision: there is nothing better than a BB phone. At least that is my conviction.

[lengend]

Last time I checked, RIM isn't a sinking ship. They just decided to downgrade there ship lol

[bbmme]

I will keep it simple eh YES! There is no way rim is going away eh

[NJPhilliesPhan]

I would wait for the BB10 phones before getting into any contract. No use getting an OS7 phone which will be orphaned.

[_StephenBB81]

I would wait for the BB10 phones before getting into any contract. No use getting an OS7 phone which will be orphaned.

Not even the BlackBerry Tour which they killed the Brand was Orphaned, they continued to release updates for more than 2 years after that phone was released.
Same with the Bold 9000, also continued to get releases long after it was replaced.

BB7 Devices will still get support, They just wont be getting BB10

[Rickroller]

BB7 Devices will still get support, They just wont be getting BB10

They might get official support..but what about dev support? Are dev's going to be continually supporting their apps when the market has moved on? Are dev's going to be creating new apps for the soon-to-be defunct OS? My guess is unlikely..which is what most people are referring to when the speak of "orphaned".

[belfastdispatcher]

They might get official support..but what about dev support? Are dev's going to be continually supporting their apps when the market has moved on? Are dev's going to be creating new apps for the soon-to-be defunct OS? My guess is unlikely..which is what most people are referring to when the speak of "orphaned".

Why not? There's 75 million bbos users out there right now and growing.

[Rickroller]

So? Are all those users on OS7? No..and we already know how long it takes dev's to even update from some of the older OS's. And those 75 million users haven't exactly enticed the whole dev world to sit up and take notice yet, has it.

[anthogag]

It's not a sinking ship, it's in dry-dock getting a new warp drive

[belfastdispatcher]

So? Are all those users on OS7? No..and we already know how long it takes dev's to even update from some of the older OS's. And those 75 million users haven't exactly enticed the whole dev world to sit up and take notice yet, has it.

I got all the apps I need for my OS7 9900, and plenty more I don't need.

[Rickroller]

I got all the apps I need for my OS7 9900, and plenty more I don't need.

Lol..well if that's the case then RIM is wasting time and energy developing the new platform then aren't they. Obviously the App store is "plenty" and people are leaving in droves for other reasons.