Is the Blackberry starting to become outdated?

[Xperimance]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...85006F20120601

It was coming eventually. Good thing I decided not to go for a blackberry.

[pArkEr]

"starting"?

Dude, my android can play PS1 games...

[ioiiooio]

So what does this mean for current Blackberry owners? if they stop producing Blackberries does that mean the Blackberry internet service will stop with it? So essentially the Blackberries will be in the same league as any other cheap phone? Thing is I've been looking at ditching my Android for one of the new generation Blackberries... of course it's not an easy decision; I do love my Galaxy S2 so very much and I have a million day to day uses for it... but admittedly I spend way too much on Data; which makes the Blackberry network very appealing.

[McDangerous]

I recently "upgraded" to the BB 9360, and to be honest, you'd be stupid trading your SII for one. Sure, the BBM service is really useful, and the automatic syncing and integration of your Google Calendar and Contacts is a great feature, as is the always-connected email syncing, but other than that, it really isn't such a great phone. I've had mine for little over a month, and it regularly slows down or the software breaks, and I'm not talking about downloaded apps, I'm talking about integrated stuff like the Browser. Also, I've had times where I couldn't switch between my alert profiles, basic stuff like that which should be bulletproof by the time the phone and/or OS hits the shelves.

If your data usage is your main concern, check out your SP, as many of them have started offering bundles similar to BIS. I know Nashua Mobile for instance are offering unlimited browsing and app use for a month for a fixed price. I'm not too sure on the details, but you should really check it out before switching to BB.

[Cleric]

Um, this isn't really news people. RIM have been falling far behind in other markets. Africa is currently the last place that they're successful. Unless they ditch their ****ty OS or release something revolutionary pretty soon, market speculation is that they'll fall out of the phone game alltogether.

[Aesir]

lolz

[Wesley]

RIM has been playing the losing game for months now. Like Symbian, it was once in a class of its own, but market desires have changed thanks to Android and iOS. That said, Symbian Belle is far removed from S60 and is quite comparable to Android. Even OSes like Tizen could change things around, but WP7 is the only touch-focused new OS that might become the next superpower.

For now, I'll stick to my Nokias (excluding the dead-end N9) and I'll be moving from my E52 to a Pureview 808. That's unless I find a dual-core Droid with 1GB RAM, 16GB storage space, a 8MP camera with a proper xenon flash, FM transmitter and a navigation app that doesn't need to be online to work. I also want regular updates and I'd at least like it to last two major OS upgrades. Oh and I'd also like to buy my apps using airtime, not a credit card (which I don't have).

[Zoop]

"starting"?

Dude, my android can play PS1 games...

Except for many people being able to play games isn't the top priority when choosing a cellphone, and for many, like me, it doesn't even factor into the decision at all.

Regardless, I've been using a BB for a few months now, and it's a piece of ****. Worst phone I've ever used.

[pArkEr]

No **** hey. I'm just trying to point out the large gap between what Blackberries and modern smartphones are capable of. Hell, my cell ain't even that new, a Motorola Defy.

Honestly, the only reason anyone should get a BB nowadays is for that R60 package. And all it takes is for the major service providers to offer a similar package and boom, no more BB in South Africa.

[Zoop]

Yeah, I just find it odd that people are phased by gaming on mobile phones. I've got a friend who would blatantly refuse to buy a phone if it weren't capable of playing games.

For me a cellphone is just a necessity. It has to be capable of 3 things for me, calling, texting and browsing the internet. If people didn't think I was so poor for using it, I'd still be on my old Nokia 5000. Wonderful little phone that. :P



But slightly back on topic, if it weren't for the R60 thing with BB, probably nobody would have bought their phones. They're absolutely awful.

[Stalker 103]

Hallelujah. I despise Blackberry with a passion. I prefer Nokia or Samsung any day. Whats app does the same thing that BBM does, perhaps not as effective but it still does the same thing. What factors into me buying a phone is if it can Phone, SMS, Access the internet and if it has Bluetooth as I use my phone as a Modem for the internet.

[FoX]

Got my blackberry for free so i'm not complaining

[Zoop]

In other news, Blackberry is apparently the most popular smartphone among the youth.

Not really telling us anything we didn't already know, though.

[D34thByCh01c3]

My sister, 12, owns a Blackberry, I hate it, in my high school 90% of the people own a Blackberry and for ONE reason, BBM.

I use whatsapp on my Atrix and it can do more than BBM can, and for a lot less than R59 per month!

EDIT: I bet if BIS could be tethered to a PC, then everyone would have one, just to use as a modem for the uncapped internet.

[Zoop]

A Blackberry can be tethered to the PC, it has been done before, it has been abused by some people and service providers have stepped in to prevent it being abused.

Last I checked, Vodacom throttles you if you use more than 100mb a month.

[D34thByCh01c3]

A Blackberry can be tethered to the PC, it has been done before, it has been abused by some people and service providers have stepped in to prevent it being abused.

Last I checked, Vodacom throttles you if you use more than 100mb a month.

I tried all methods I could find and I couldn't get it working, it always used up airtime

[Wesley]

I tried all methods I could find and I couldn't get it working, it always used up airtime

You'd need special software to spoof your IP address and fool the BIS network into thinking your PC is the one with the BB PIN. Then you create a dial-up account with the phone plugged in and use the mobile connection to enjoy uncapped internet for only R60. There are quire a few threads detailing how to do it on the myBroadband forums, but I wouldn't suggest doing it.

Also:



I have probably the third-best Nokia ever made, so BB fans can eat my hat. I'm not moving to qwerty anytime soon.

[D34thByCh01c3]

You'd need special software to spoof your IP address and fool the BIS network into thinking your PC is the one with the BB PIN. Then you create a dial-up account with the phone plugged in and use the mobile connection to enjoy uncapped internet for only R60. There are quire a few threads detailing how to do it on the myBroadband forums, but I wouldn't suggest doing it.

I just tried when my cap was finished one month and wanted to access the internet, another problem is its only an EDGE blackberry which is useless.

[Wesley]

I just tried when my cap was finished one month and wanted to access the internet, another problem is its only an EDGE blackberry which is useless.

Still, I wouldn't recommend it. RIM has enough issues as it is, and having people abuse the service is exactly what they don't need right now.