1. belfastdispatcher's Avatar
    Nothing in my question asked what CB'ers should do. Just asking if they're OK with letting those 11M go. ??

    Reading thru this thread, I'm perceiving, right or wrong (which is why I'm asking), a striking lack of alternative suggestions for preventing that loss. Since those 11M obviously like SOMEthing about their legacy devices, the OP's suggestion seems like a logical starting point for discussion. Not necessarily a legitimate solution but, It seems to me that a striking number of posts simply belittle OP's proposal, along with bbos itself, without offering a better alternative. Am I correct? Or am I incorrect? That is the question... Lol.
    The same belittling was happening 2+ years ago when there were a lot more then 11m BBOS users. They, it should I say we, trickled away to other platforms.

    For a big BB fan it was soooo frustrating to see.
    03-12-16 07:04 AM
  2. bobshine's Avatar
    SOooo... Just to be clear, am I correct to infer that a sizable consensus, if not at least a vocal minority, of CrackBerry community are OK with BB sitting on their hands while watching 11M (over half of) existing BlackBerry users abandon BB this year?
    Seriously, what can BlackBerry do ? Where were you the last 5 years ? They have been trying to retain those users with the Storm, with the Z10, with the Classic, with the Priv, and they are still bleeding customers. They even reissued the 9900 a a certain point. That didn't work.

    They have to sell 10M devices per year to be profitable and you think that they can sell that to just 11M customers?

    Posted via CB10
    JeepBB likes this.
    03-12-16 07:47 AM
  3. belfastdispatcher's Avatar
    Seriously, what can BlackBerry do ? Where were you the last 5 years ? They have been trying to retain those users with the Storm, with the Z10, with the Classic, with the Priv, and they are still bleeding customers. They even reissued the 9900 a a certain point. That didn't work.

    They have to sell 10M devices per year to be profitable and you think that they can sell that to just 11M customers?

    Posted via CB10
    Except perhaps the Classic (although key important points were missed with it) none of the listed devices has anything in common with what a BlackBerry was.

    Too big, A LOT of missing features, no removable battery etc it's almost as if they looked at the other platforms, picked what was worse from all of them and dropped all the features that made people stick with BB ever since iPhone and android came in the market.

    Feels to me like they tried to kill it, not save it.

    And it blows my mind that they try to sell the Priv at IPhone 6 prices. If that's not deluded then I don't know what is.
    Mr4aces and oldtimeBBaddict like this.
    03-12-16 08:04 AM
  4. Bbnivende's Avatar
    Nothing in my question asked what CB'ers should do. Just asking if they're OK with letting those 11M go. ??

    Reading thru this thread, I'm perceiving, right or wrong (which is why I'm asking), a striking lack of alternative suggestions for preventing that loss. Since those 11M obviously like SOMEthing about their legacy devices, the OP's suggestion seems like a logical starting point for discussion. Not necessarily a legitimate solution but, It seems to me that a striking number of posts simply belittle OP's proposal, along with bbos itself, without offering a better alternative. Am I correct? Or am I incorrect? That is the question... Lol.
    I would suggest that the 11 million BBOS devices are still being used because they are not broken and they still fill a need. Maybe cheap data or because the user mainly texts or emails. In some countries the BlackBerry brand has some value. People still use old iPhones too.

    I kind agree with Belfastdispatcher in one respect. I think there is room in the marketplace for the iconic BB design however I do not agree that there would be many who could be enticed to purchase a new phone running BBOS.
    03-12-16 09:32 AM
  5. JeepBB's Avatar
    Nothing in my question asked what CB'ers should do. Just asking if they're OK with letting those 11M go. ??
    Again, my being OK or not with BB's failure to provide an upgrade route for BBOS is an ultimately futile thought-experiment. The time for BB to have done "something" was over 3-years ago when they should have made BB10 an attractive upgrade option to the BBOS-guys... now, today, there is nothing to be done (short of that time machine from another thread) to give those BBOS-guys a BB-future.

    Reading thru this thread, I'm perceiving, right or wrong (which is why I'm asking), a striking lack of alternative suggestions for preventing that loss. Since those 11M obviously like SOMEthing about their legacy devices, the OP's suggestion seems like a logical starting point for discussion. Not necessarily a legitimate solution but, It seems to me that a striking number of posts simply belittle OP's proposal, along with bbos itself, without offering a better alternative. Am I correct? Or am I incorrect? That is the question... Lol.
    Is that a slide-rule in your avatar?

    I actually know how to use a slide-rule, my Grandfather taught me. There's a great deal of personal satisfaction that comes from using a slide-rule, and in some ways it's an analogue of BBOS phones. My slide-rule (I still have it), still works perfectly, and I could be using it daily. I don't, because the calculator that I use is faster, and gives answers with more precision. I don't rail against the world in general that it's considered obsolete technology - like the typewriter and the horse&buggy - I just accept that the world has moved on. Nobody stops me from buying a new slide-rule on Amazon, just as nobody will stop those 11M people buying a BB9900.

    What I do not expect is that BB will spend money and time now, pandering to the BBOS die-hards who are now two whole product cycles behind where BB is now. Similarly, I don't expect IBM to release another electric typewriter for the few who want to experience the joy of tippex!

    It's far too late for BB to try retain those 11M BBOS people by releasing a "new" BBOS device, it's no longer 2010. BB might as well burn money in the streets as spend it on developing a new range of legacy BBOS phones.
    TgeekB likes this.
    03-12-16 10:04 AM
  6. belfastdispatcher's Avatar
    I would suggest that the 11 million BBOS devices are still being used because they are not broken and they still fill a need. Maybe cheap data or because the user mainly texts or emails. In some countries the BlackBerry brand has some value. People still use old iPhones too.

    I kind agree with Belfastdispatcher in one respect. I think there is room in the marketplace for the iconic BB design however I do not agree that there would be many who could be enticed to purchase a new phone running BBOS.
    No, BBOS and BB10 are dead, there's no way they can bring all the know how back even if they wanted, I'm sure those employees have moved on.

    And from what I understand the move to Android kills the android part in BB10.

    The Vienna might just do the trick though, as long as they put some Legacy flavour in it. I'd upgrade to one right now and I know my wife would too and finally put the 9790 to rest.
    TgeekB, Mr4aces, idssteve and 1 others like this.
    03-12-16 10:10 AM
  7. anon(9721108)'s Avatar
    Seriously, what can BlackBerry do ? They even reissued the 9900 a a certain point. That didn't work.
    those sold out as soon as they hit the shelves....

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    Mr4aces likes this.
    03-12-16 10:42 AM
  8. Mr4aces's Avatar
    those sold out as soon as they hit the shelves....

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    Yes they did at full retail. I think the reason they did not make more is clue cause the Classic was coming out and wanted people to move to BlackBerry 10.

    I would be the first to purchase!

    In my opinion, the majority of the current BBOS users are not an active participant of this forum or website. People think that they know what BlackBerry users want or are missing. Only the truly passionate BlackBerry "family" posts on this site.

    i am one that would purchase an updated 99XX with Classic internals and using BIS...even if I had to pay a nominal charge.

    Just me.
    If BlackBerry won't do this it's a shame somebody don't make a new mother board with BlackBerry licensing. Now that would sell as there are plenty of 9900 spare parts.
    Frehley likes this.
    03-12-16 10:57 AM
  9. anon(9721108)'s Avatar
    Yes they did at full retail. I think the reason they did not make more is clue cause the Classic was coming out and wanted people to move to BlackBerry 10.
    .
    Correct and if I recall BB10 was delayed and delayed and delayed until they thought it was "just right"(the reason the Bold was re-issued) but IMO it was too much HYPE for BB10, and it didnt help that tech reporters all said the same thing...."there is a learning curve for using BB10 so be patient when you pick one up."

    People want simple, because most people are simple minded.

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    Mr4aces likes this.
    03-12-16 11:07 AM
  10. idssteve's Avatar
    Again, my being OK or not with BB's failure to provide an upgrade route for BBOS is an ultimately futile thought-experiment. The time for BB to have done "something" was over 3-years ago when they should have made BB10 an attractive upgrade option to the BBOS-guys... now, today, there is nothing to be done (short of that time machine from another thread) to give those BBOS-guys a BB-future.



    Is that a slide-rule in your avatar?

    I actually know how to use a slide-rule, my Grandfather taught me. There's a great deal of personal satisfaction that comes from using a slide-rule, and in some ways it's an analogue of BBOS phones. My slide-rule (I still have it), still works perfectly, and I could be using it daily. I don't, because the calculator that I use is faster, and gives answers with more precision. I don't rail against the world in general that it's considered obsolete technology - like the typewriter and the horse&buggy - I just accept that the world has moved on. Nobody stops me from buying a new slide-rule on Amazon, just as nobody will stop those 11M people buying a BB9900.

    What I do not expect is that BB will spend money and time now, pandering to the BBOS die-hards who are now two whole product cycles behind where BB is now. Similarly, I don't expect IBM to release another electric typewriter for the few who want to experience the joy of tippex!

    It's far too late for BB to try retain those 11M BBOS people by releasing a "new" BBOS device, it's no longer 2010. BB might as well burn money in the streets as spend it on developing a new range of legacy BBOS phones.
    Yep, that's a slide rule. Battery life is phenomenal! Good thing, since its battery is really not easily user replaced. Lol. Saved up summer of 75 to purchase HP21 but dual carried my pocket slide rule until purchasing a spare battery for the HP21 months later. LED display meant short batt life. Finally saved up for an HP41 in 79. Still use an HP41CX today. Nothing to do with "nostalgia". Simply the most efficient choice for me. Once hooked on RPN, algebraic seems such a long way around. Lol.

    Likewise, despite its age, 9900 is still the most efficient choice for some things. Starting with its nearly perfect form factor. It's also a spreadsheet editing monster, for example. Throw in a usable calendar that leaves no doubt as to which month you're working with, "on the fly" conversion between email & SMS/mms, etc, etc.

    The concept of waxing nostalgic about a cell phone is very alien to me. Efficiency is efficiency no matter the date of manufacture.

    This entire thread is a "futile thought experiment" tho, it might seem at least. It would be irresponsible to release OS7.1 without security updates, for example. Unrealistic to re-assemble the talent and vendor resources to make that happen. Sadly, they're likely too long gone.

    Now, if BB could build a Calendar app to include time travel... Lol.
    Last edited by idssteve; 03-12-16 at 12:00 PM.
    JeepBB and Mr4aces like this.
    03-12-16 11:50 AM
  11. bobshine's Avatar
    Except perhaps the Classic (although key important points were missed with it) none of the listed devices has anything in common with what a BlackBerry was.

    Too big, A LOT of missing features, no removable battery etc it's almost as if they looked at the other platforms, picked what was worse from all of them and dropped all the features that made people stick with BB ever since iPhone and android came in the market.

    Feels to me like they tried to kill it, not save it.

    And it blows my mind that they try to sell the Priv at IPhone 6 prices. If that's not deluded then I don't know what is.
    They tried and they failed. They have to move on, they don't have a time machine

    You do know that the main reason that people left BBOS isn't because of being able to pull a battery right? The main reason is the lack of apps.

    And even if BlackBerry poured billions into luring developers to BBOS, they will fail cause BBOS isn't just capable of handling modern apps.

    Businesses left BBOS cause no one was able to program apps for it.

    Consumers left BBOS cause they can't have access to their favorite apps, even compared to the cheapest androids.

    So I highly doubt that being able to pull your battery is a compelling feature that would retain customers!

    Posted via CB10
    rthonpm likes this.
    03-12-16 12:51 PM
  12. bobshine's Avatar
    those sold out as soon as they hit the shelves....

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    They sold out cause they only had a few of them! No parts were available anymore.

    Don't be naive! You truly think that if they re-issue the 9900, they can sell 10M of them per year???

    Posted via CB10
    03-12-16 12:53 PM
  13. crazy mazy's Avatar
    It's bad enough that BlackBerry had to be the **** of all jokes, and now people like you want them to bring back legacy devices, so they can be laughed out of town.
    03-12-16 01:00 PM
  14. belfastdispatcher's Avatar
    It's bad enough that BlackBerry had to be the **** of all jokes, and now people like you want them to bring back legacy devices, so they can be laughed out of town.
    So if you had a business with 11M customers left you'd just do nothing to keep them on your books?
    03-12-16 01:07 PM
  15. Gus's Avatar
    They sold out cause they only had a few of them! No parts were available anymore.

    Don't be naive! You truly think that if they re-issue the 9900, they can sell 10M of them per year???

    Posted via CB10
    I agree with you. I don't even think they can sell any Bold 9900. That was my favourite phone many years ago. It's horrible compared to today's smartphones. Do we really want battery pulls back? Or a non functioning browser?

    Posted via CB10
    Last edited by Gus; 03-12-16 at 01:40 PM.
    03-12-16 01:28 PM
  16. to boldly go's Avatar
    JEPBB quote "What I do not expect is that BB will spend money and time now, pandering to the BBOS die-hards who are now two whole product cycles behind where BB is now. "

    For me, and I'm sure many others, i am not a Die Hard. i use BB10 and BB7. they are all great. but a SMALL phone, with a keyboard, that can stream music or audio on 3-G instead of LTE, with an FM radio Nd a memory card, that doesn't drink up my data for no reason, is what meets my mandatory minimum requirements for carrying around a phone with my sim card in it.

    i tried to switch to Classic but the 9900, and now again back to my Curve 9360 with FM radio, just streams audio better without cutting out than LTE, which ATnT locks your phone to it its LTE enabled. i try but fail at buying BB10 phones that cannot be locked to LTE.

    die-hards may have good reasons to be die hards. for most of what i want in a phone, BB7 is still doing it better. other than being a phone and audio streamer, BB10 is better. i dont care if its not All In One Phone.
    03-12-16 01:50 PM
  17. abdul's Avatar
    After having the Passport Silver for two weeks , I have no interest what so ever to go back and use my Bold 9930. BlackBerry is moving forward an so am I.
    03-12-16 02:11 PM
  18. TgeekB's Avatar
    Yep, that's a slide rule. Battery life is phenomenal! Good thing, since its battery is really not easily user replaced. Lol. Saved up summer of 75 to purchase HP21 but dual carried my pocket slide rule until purchasing a spare battery for the HP21 months later. LED display meant short batt life. Finally saved up for an HP41 in 79. Still use an HP41CX today. Nothing to do with "nostalgia". Simply the most efficient choice for me. Once hooked on RPN, algebraic seems such a long way around. Lol.

    Likewise, despite its age, 9900 is still the most efficient choice for some things. Starting with its nearly perfect form factor. It's also a spreadsheet editing monster, for example. Throw in a usable calendar that leaves no doubt as to which month you're working with, "on the fly" conversion between email & SMS/mms, etc, etc.

    The concept of waxing nostalgic about a cell phone is very alien to me. Efficiency is efficiency no matter the date of manufacture.

    This entire thread is a "futile thought experiment" tho, it might seem at least. It would be irresponsible to release OS7.1 without security updates, for example. Unrealistic to re-assemble the talent and vendor resources to make that happen. Sadly, they're likely too long gone.

    Now, if BB could build a Calendar app to include time travel... Lol.
    Nerd. LOL. JK.
    idssteve likes this.
    03-12-16 02:11 PM
  19. anon(9721108)'s Avatar
    No parts were available anymore.
    thats sure funny, especially since my earpiece speaker blew 2 weeks ago and I took it to an electronics place and parts are NO problem for it. Someone needs to check ebay and amazon, all they stock is parts

    There are entire buisnesses that make a living fixing Legacy devices, so it is also good for the economy also, ie. jobs, private enterprise....alas, nvm.


    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Ralph Morgotch; 03-12-16 at 02:59 PM.
    03-12-16 02:24 PM
  20. JeepBB's Avatar
    die-hards may have good reasons to be die hards. for most of what i want in a phone, BB7 is still doing it better. other than being a phone and audio streamer, BB10 is better. i dont care if its not All In One Phone.
    Nobody is stopping anyone from using BBOS or BB10 phones. Nobody is stopping anyone from buying a "new" BBOS or BB10 phone.

    The exam question was whether BB should release a genuinely new range of BBOS phones, and whether those phones would restore BB's fortunes.

    My (polite) answer is that such a move would be commercially inept of BB and would not lead to increased sales.

    I could give other answers, but they would involve laughter that anyone could believe that reintroducing legacy phones is a serious business strategy, and probably a bit of sadly disappointed head-shaking.

    In other news, Ford re-introduces the Model-T citing how immensely successful it was the first time around. "Motorists want simplicity", said a Ford spokesman, "we expect this to sell big!"

    Going backwards, in any activity but especially in a technology-based field, is unlikely to be a winning strategy.
    TgeekB likes this.
    03-12-16 03:15 PM
  21. anon(9721108)'s Avatar
    In other news, Ford re-introduces the Model-T citing how immensely successful it was the first time around. "Motorists want simplicity", said a Ford spokesman, "we expect this to sell big!"

    Going backwards, in any activity but especially in a technology-based field, is unlikely to be a winning strategy.
    Retro designs with upgraded software are quite successful at times. People seem to love to use automobile comparisons, so here are a couple for you......the "New" Beetle and Dodge Challenger are selling VERY well and the last time I checked no one is "laughing" at anyone driving a "NEW" Challenger or retro styled Mustang.

    The point is that one cannot say "old" doesnt sell, because it can and DOES. The TRICK is to have the "guts" inside it with enough power to keep up with all the other stuff out there.

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    jas1978 likes this.
    03-12-16 03:43 PM
  22. Originalloverman's Avatar
    While we're at it, I hope Nokia releases a flip phone.

    Posted via CB10
    Hey dont Samsung have a flip galaxy line

    The power of the force and the  passport.
    03-12-16 03:49 PM
  23. Originalloverman's Avatar
    Retro designs with upgraded software are quite successful at times. People seem to love to use automobile comparisons, so here are a couple for you......the "New" Beetle and Dodge Challenger are selling VERY well and the last time I checked no one is "laughing" at anyone driving a "NEW" Challenger or retro styled Mustang.

    The point is that one cannot say "old" doesnt sell, because it can and DOES. The TRICK is to have the "guts" inside it with enough power to keep up with all the other stuff out there.

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    Touche

    The power of the force and the  passport.
    03-12-16 03:52 PM
  24. anon(9721108)'s Avatar
    Hey dont Samsung have a flip galaxy line

    The power of the force and the  passport.
    LG just released the new "Wine" Flip Phone to resemble the 1990's. It runs Android Lollipop and has 4G, no joke. So now we have established "Retro" has a demand.

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    03-12-16 04:11 PM
  25. JeepBB's Avatar
    Retro designs with upgraded software are quite successful at times. People seem to love to use automobile comparisons, so here are a couple for you......the "New" Beetle and Dodge Challenger are selling VERY well and the last time I checked no one is "laughing" at anyone driving a "NEW" Challenger or retro styled Mustang.

    The point is that one cannot say "old" doesnt sell, because it can and DOES. The TRICK is to have the "guts" inside it with enough power to keep up with all the other stuff out there.
    Ah, the dangers of automobile analogies...

    There is a significant difference between retro-styling (new guts under superficially similar appearance) and releasing legacy product again. The new VW Beetle has as much commonality with the old Herbie as chalk does to cheese.

    Was OP proposing to also update BBOS (at what cost, and how long would that take?) and put that gleaming triumph of 21st Century technology in a retro-styled BB9900 case? I didn't read it that way.

    OP was suggesting that BB release a new line of legacy phones, and that success might follow. I doubt that success would be the outcome, your mileage might differ.

    If the scenario is now that BB should update and develop BBOS and release not "legacy", but "retro-styled" phones, then that prefixes "expensive" to "failure".

    Off-topic, but to continue the suspect Beetle analogy, I wonder if a re-released Herbie would even be allowed to be sold given the safety and emissions standards of today?
    TgeekB likes this.
    03-12-16 04:12 PM
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