Would a BB Bold still be completely functional/compatible to use today??

After having had a variety of Blackberry phones over the years (plus an Android for a while in there, which I *HATED*) I was very eagerly awaiting the release of the Classic. So around March, I was finally able to buy this phone...and in June, a freak phone-dropping accident left me with a badly shattered screen. :( Since then, I have had the screen carefully taped, and have been babying the phone in an effort to maximize the amount of time before I have to finally buy a new device.

Lately, though, the phone's been acting up more and more (weird stuff-- always makes me feel like I need to find the poor thing an exorcist) and I know that I'm obviously living on borrowed time here before it goes completely kaput. I could just go ahead and re-buy the Classic...but I got to wondering: would an older model BB (specifically thinking Bold 9780 or 9900) be completely usable today? Is it compatible with everything? Would there be any major drawbacks/headaches? I love Blackberry (and really loved the old Bold- more than Classic, for sure). If I could get get away with a less eaxpensive option (buying an older model) that would be very good. Am just trying to make a decision that won't end up causing even more headaches down the line...

Thanks so much for any insight!!

Originally Posted by CrackBerry Question

After having had a variety of Blackberry phones over the years (plus an Android for a while in there, which I *HATED*) I was very eagerly awaiting the release of the Classic. So around March, I was finally able to buy this phone...and in June, a freak phone-dropping accident left me with a badly shattered screen. :( Since then, I have had the screen carefully taped, and have been babying the phone in an effort to maximize the amount of time before I have to finally buy a new device.

Lately, though, the phone's been acting up more and more (weird stuff-- always makes me feel like I need to find the poor thing an exorcist) and I know that I'm obviously living on borrowed time here before it goes completely kaput. I could just go ahead and re-buy the Classic...but I got to wondering: would an older model BB (specifically thinking Bold 9780 or 9900) be completely usable today? Is it compatible with everything? Would there be any major drawbacks/headaches? I love Blackberry (and really loved the old Bold- more than Classic, for sure). If I could get get away with a less eaxpensive option (buying an older model) that would be very good. Am just trying to make a decision that won't end up causing even more headaches down the line...

Thanks so much for any insight!!

The OS on older phones is based on Java technologies. Check out the app store for BlackBerry OS to see if you're missing any apps (not BlackBerry world like for you Classic). Also remember, web browsing will be slow and won't support a lot of the latest technologies used on websites. The screen is much smaller, the OS is unstable if you use it too heavily (remember battery pulls?). If you're just gonna text and use it for e-mail, bbm, whatsapp, etc, you should be ok. But don't expect to snapchat or instagram. Don't know the last time Facebook was updated on it, but fingers crossed.

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With BBOS you'll lose LTE, any kind of consumption applications, as well as ActiveSync for email providers that support it.

At this point, a legacy device is just a glorified feature phone.

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Why don't you replace the screen on your Classic? You can source it from ebay and im sure there are videos on the net on how to do it.

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Yes, like the guy above me said, you can usually find theb screens for 20-30 bucks. And it isn't overly hard to install it.




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Also depending on where you live... a BBOS phone require a special BIS Plan. Some markets those are cheaper, other markets those can be the same price, or they can be much higher.

Sadly most BlackBerry users today are still using those type devices... so yeah they can be functional. But then so is my old Hewlett Packer PC running Windows 95.

Also, you'll loose active sync, if your company email server uses it

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It depends on what are you expecting, I have just refitted an old 8250 for private calls, I am using it with just e-mails and it works! For other uses my Z30 is ok

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It's downhill from the Classic, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by hec666

Why don't you replace the screen on your Classic? You can source it from ebay and im sure there are videos on the net on how to do it.

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That's what I'd looked into when the damage originally occurred... Back then, though, I remember that replacement screens seemed nearly impossible to find! I think that, after much internet scouring, I was able to find...one? And it was $100+. If they've become much more available (and cheaper) now, though, I'd definitely look into that...

The only problem, of course, is that this phone acts increasingly strange...as in, a couple nights back, I was sure that we had reached the point of phone hospice. During a phone call that evening, it was randomly pausing my call to call other numbers (though that's one of its rather common tricks already), then, a bit later, I noticed that it had spontaneously deleted every last one of my contacts. Later on, all emails. (It deleted all texts a couple weeks back-- very frustrating.) It began not letting me scroll and click on items, and the screen started randomly going blank. I plugged it in, and it would not recognize the charger...yet it was holding steady for a long time (not dying) with a power level that read 1%. I'd tried any and all troubleshooting (to no avail whatsoever), and had finally gone to bed, resigned to the fact that this phone was a dead one. The next morning, I looked at the phone (which I'd left plugged in, though it had not been charging all the time I tried to get it to), and...the phone was nearly fully charged, the screen was functional, and (what the crap?) even all contacts had been restored. So...wow, crisis averted? BUT, this absolutely served as a reminder that this phone is living on borrowed time. Keep assuming it's going to die for good one of these days.

So, I mean...doesn't this sound like something damaged beyond what a new screen will be able to fix?

Originally Posted by H4zN

The OS on older phones is based on Java technologies. Check out the app store for BlackBerry OS to see if you're missing any apps (not BlackBerry world like for you Classic). Also remember, web browsing will be slow and won't support a lot of the latest technologies used on websites. The screen is much smaller, the OS is unstable if you use it too heavily (remember battery pulls?). If you're just gonna text and use it for e-mail, bbm, whatsapp, etc, you should be ok. But don't expect to snapchat or instagram. Don't know the last time Facebook was updated on it, but fingers crossed.

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Very helpful response-- thank you.

The web browsing is one of the big things I was wondering about. I don't do tons of video streaming or anything (or hardly ever), but I was concerned about it being incompatible with web sites. Talking about this suddenly reminded me, too, about how awful it always was to try and read text on websites with the older phones...lots of zooming in and scrolling back and forth. :-/ (I have to admit that I actually *miss* the battery pull, though! Whenever this Classic is acting up and nothing seems to remedy it, I always wish I could snap the back off and dig out that battery. Maybe it was just the nice illusion of "control" back then. Alas...)

I really use the phone principally for calls, texting, a single ongoing BBM conversation, moderate-ish web browsing, and lots of emails (hence, why I am obsessive about the BUTTONS!!) I am not big on apps (oh wait, I downloaded an alarm clock app once. Aren't I cool and modern?)...don't do Instagram or Snapchat or anything...

Hmm. Leaning more toward thinking the Bold idea is a bust...just keep wishing there were some way to get my hands on one, for even a few minutes, to quickly check it out and see.

Originally Posted by EvaScarlet

Very helpful response-- thank you.

The web browsing is one of the big things I was wondering about. I don't do tons of video streaming or anything (or hardly ever), but I was concerned about it being incompatible with web sites. Talking about this suddenly reminded me, too, about how awful it always was to try and read text on websites with the older phones...lots of zooming in and scrolling back and forth. :-/ (I have to admit that I actually *miss* the battery pull, though! Whenever this Classic is acting up and nothing seems to remedy it, I always wish I could snap the back off and dig out that battery. Maybe it was just the nice illusion of "control" back then. Alas...)

I really use the phone principally for calls, texting, a single ongoing BBM conversation, moderate-ish web browsing, and lots of emails (hence, why I am obsessive about the BUTTONS!!) I am not big on apps (oh wait, I downloaded an alarm clock app once. Aren't I cool and modern?)...don't do Instagram or Snapchat or anything...

Hmm. Leaning more toward thinking the Bold idea is a bust...just keep wishing there were some way to get my hands on one, for even a few minutes, to quickly check it out and see.

I've been in the same boat. I'm no app user myself, but I do a lot of web browsing which was my biggest gripe with the 9900. I love BB10 'n all, but no matter what gestures they introduce, I will never navigate through the OS so swiftly as on my 9900. Not to mention the smiley keyboard which had me flying. In today's world, such a small screen also doesn't cut it anymore, just like the battery. I will get my hands on a 9900 if I ever go to some country where I don't want to use my Passport/ Classic/ Priv (what am I saying, people won't even try to rob it because of its name).

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