BlackBerry Bold 9930 (Sprint)

• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 7 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 10 stars

  Best phone to get the job done

  by pyankelunas on December 1, 2011

  Pros: Fantastic form factor. Best Keyboard ever. Brilliant Screen and love the "liquid graphics"; runs extremely quick and smooth.

  Cons: Relatively small screen for browsing. (But with my playbook, who cares!). Battery life not as good as my old Curve, but quite adequate for a full day of heavy use. Battery Pull is sometimes required, so download "RestartMe" from App World.

  Summary: Perfect for those who use their phone for BOTH work and play. Not to be confused with some of the other phones that are build more for play and not ...

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  Summary: Perfect for those who use their phone for BOTH work and play. Not to be confused with some of the other phones that are build more for play and not the business minded. If you have a tablet for fun, this phone is an absolultely perfect compliment. If you have no desire to have "face time" or video on your phone, but need the absolute best option for all messaging functions, then this phone is for you.
  
  Multitasks very well and syncs very well with Blackberry Playbook for no extra charges for 3G service using Blackberry Bridge for times when Wifi is not available. Sprint version comes with great out of the box options for GPS, Vlingo (less annoying than Iphone's Siri but not as dynamic; but great for every day voice to text/email/browsing experience).

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• 9 stars

  Best BlackBerry ever made, 4.5 only because of price.

  by JamesMir11 on November 22, 2011

  Pros: - Touch Screen
  - Awesome camera
  - Fast Processor/Memory
  - BB 7 is not much better than 6, but still better!

  Cons: - Price
  - BB App World still sucks

  Summary: I have to say that this phone is absolutely one of the best phones that I've owned, apart from the iPhone. (Yes, I admit that the iPhone is very ...

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  Summary: I have to say that this phone is absolutely one of the best phones that I've owned, apart from the iPhone. (Yes, I admit that the iPhone is very solid.) Anyway, I love this phone. The camera is very dependable, takes great video and pictures, the phone has a very decent processor as well as 8GB of internal memory built into it, BB still is the best when it comes to pushing emails, text messages, and BBM is still way better than texting. All in all, you definitely can not go wrong with this phone, it perfectly mixes the professionalism that BB brings to the table, but also caters to the social networking in all of us, with very nice Twitter and FB integration into the operating system. Only problem is the price. Apart from that, get it. The apps that BlackBerry has still suck, but that's no secret. So, if you can look past the apps, then you've got yourself a very very good phone. You will not regret purchasing it.

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• 7 stars

  9930 solid but not as improved from 9700 as expected

  by Michael Turnauer on October 2, 2011

  Pros: Larger display
  Larger keys
  Touch screen
  Ample on-board memory
  Looking forward to utilizing NFC technology
  Not sure why lack of autofocus on a phone camera is important; 5MP resolution/4x zoom is nice
  Included earbuds very comfortable, usable while driving

  Cons: Battery life much lower than 9700 (but still far better than Android)
  Loud key action
  Only one convenience key
  Touch screen
  Still no dedicated key for period despite enlarged keyboard area

  Summary: This device was purchased as a replacement for a 9700 and as necessity of switching carriers to Sprint as T-Mobile exits the business either via "merger" with AT&T (...

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  Summary: This device was purchased as a replacement for a 9700 and as necessity of switching carriers to Sprint as T-Mobile exits the business either via "merger" with AT&T (I'd rather teabag broken glass) or conquest of private equity firm (that worked so well for Chrysler). Given a choice I would have stuck with the 9700 as it met most of my needs very well and was unbeatable on battery life. Even after nearly two years the 9700 could be run ragged (online radio, podcasting, email, Facebook, and--oh, right--phone calls) and have some left in the tank at night when put on the charger. Fortunately the 9930 charges very quickly using the wall charger (vs. USB cable on computer) and now keep the old charger from the 9700 at work but disappointing that this is even necessary.
  
  In fairness some of the enhanced capability of the 9930 is the cause of some of the additional battery load. This is a much more browser friendly device vs. the 9700 which was very difficult to read when running OS 5.0 and was memory challenged running OS 6.0 which made the new tabbed browsing feature prohibitive. On top of that the touch screen which I didn't give a damn about having is actually a very nice alternative to relying on the highly functional optical trackpad for everything. So I must admit I am using the browser much more on the new device which is probably contributing to the faster battery drain. To what extent that drain is due to the display vs. communication with the network I am not tech savvy enough to say but I have noticed higher battery drain running iheartradio on the morning commute than what I experienced with the 9700. It doesn't help matters that in its obsession with depth Blackberry shrunk the battery commensurately to 1250 mAh from 1500 mAh of the previous generation devices, a pretty significant reduction considering the larger display and much more powerful processor.
  
  On just straight audio play the 9930 does not seem to do any worse on battery drain vs. the 9700. The included headphones are far more comfortable and usable behind the wheel than the previous bb earbuds which had stiff wires and oversized buds that easily fell out. The old headphones did sound a little better and had a little more power (the new ones seem to "leak" sound to the outside so the power is there but some of it is going the wrong way). Overall the new ones are better but I keep the old ones on hand for environments that are too noisy for news/talk playback with the new headphones.
  
  The form factor of the 9900 series also represents a step backwards from the 9600/9700 series. Usually design of new product is evolved from that which it is replacing. Blackberry went retro instead, invoking the look of the original Bold 9000. The result is aesthetically no better or worse than the 9700 in my opinion but loses some of the functional elegance of the 9600/9700, the upper face of which curved around to the top of the device and included two very cleverly integrated buttons for the mute/pause and device lock/screen off functions. If the phone starts to vibrate in a meeting or somewhere an audible phone ring would be undesirable the ring tone could be easily preempted by the mute button on the top corner of the device without unholstering the device. If the mute button has the same function on the 9900 it is not so easily deployed as the mute is now nestled between the volume buttons on the RH edge and mostly concealed by the holster. Why bb still hasn't designed the holster around the buttons on the side panel is a mystery.
  
  Sprint has kitted the phone nearly perfectly for previous Bold users. Unless you're a bluetooth headset user it comes with precisely the equipment a user would need or want and none of the equipment that would be redundant or need upgrading. There have been complaints about the lack of included microSD card but a 2Gb card is almost worse than nothing as it is good for little more than storing some photos or videos. Anyone wanting to keep at least part of a music library onboard is going to need at least 8Gb and probably more if you want capacity left over for photos and/or if you're a podcast junkie like yours truly.
  
  Probably the biggest flaw is the interaction of the touch screen with the holster. I have yet to figure out how to unholster the device without the touchscreen performing at least one unintended function. Fortunately it has not mystery dialed yet but it would be nice to be able to unholster the phone and not find the display in an unexpected or unwelcome state.
  
  The larger keyboard is a welcome change and worth the device planform growth that came with the larger keys and display. Key movement has a solid, tactile feel but they emit an annoying "pop" reminiscent of old desktop keyboards.
  
  Faults aside this is still the device for those who want a keyboard without the bulk of a slider and can live with the smaller display. Given the alternatives I'm not ready to give up on Bb.

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• 5 stars

  it's ok, RIM should have done a much better job

  by deg2244 on September 23, 2011

  Pros: thin, easy to carry, great conference call ability...great speakers. purchased this device, easier for my playbook.

  Cons: too sensitive to the touch....while placing or removing from BB case, the device will open programs or apps. Camera is poor for the price of the device , no auto focus. currently on Sprint and the service is a "B" at best.

  Summary: I purchased this new device as an up grade to my 9650 , great phone, thinking that an up grade meant a better phone. I was mistaken. My new BB 9930 ...

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  Summary: I purchased this new device as an up grade to my 9650 , great phone, thinking that an up grade meant a better phone. I was mistaken. My new BB 9930 is a step backwards in useage. Too sensitive to the touch (yes I have tried to tweak it). Poor camera as compared to my 9650, no auto focus. Sprint is my service and lately calls are dropped and the phone goes to roaming mode. The reason for the purchase of the 9930 was I also bought a 64 gb BB Playbook. When on the phone, I get an echo during conversations. Overall the phone gets a "B-" rating, only because I'm a BB junkie

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• 8 stars

  Best Phone EVER Created! PERIOD

  by camelshake on August 28, 2011

  Pros: Lightning Quick, KEYBOARD is like warm butter! Crisp Screen, Improved OS, Ease of use.

  Cons: Even though this is such an amazing phone, there are a few cons: NO VISUAL VOICEMAIL! Huge Dissapointment. Come on RIM! No Auto focus on the camera, No Front Facing Camera for video conferencing.

  Summary: Flat out the best phone I've ever used. I have one week of business use on it and have loved every second. It truly is seemless operation. If you ...

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  Summary: Flat out the best phone I've ever used. I have one week of business use on it and have loved every second. It truly is seemless operation. If you love having a physical keyboard you will LOVE this phone. The keyboard is truly amazing. However, if you aren't a heavy texter/emailer this might not be the phone for you. While the screen size is improved, it's nothing compared to most Android devices or even the iphone. If you don't care about the apps and want a rock solid phone this is it! Every aspect is so so smooth and easy to use. Pre loaded docs to go is also a great feature. With Heavy talking/text/email/web browsing I can go about 12 hrs on the battery. I've been very satisfied.

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• 10 stars

  The Bold is Chronic.

  by Mr_Greenblott on August 25, 2011

  Pros: The touchscreen is literally flawless. It's bright, beautiful, incredibly sensitive. The keyboard has been widened a tad (WHICH makes your fingers feel as if they upgraded form dial-up to broadband and it just feels SOLID.

  Cons: The resolution could still be enhanced, an even faster processor would be nice.. Though, this phone is lightning compared to previous models. 4G support would be nice. As well as a more hefty app store.

  Summary: If you are a blackberry fanatic, this is the phone for you. If you are one looking to make the switch from a touchscreen back to something with a keyboard, ...

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  Summary: If you are a blackberry fanatic, this is the phone for you. If you are one looking to make the switch from a touchscreen back to something with a keyboard, THIS IS THE PHONE FOR YOU. If you are looking for something reliable, incredibly easy to navigate with lightning fast responsiveness, THIS IS THE PHONE FOR YOU. Though if you are searching for a phone with a massive screen and major support for Games, look elsewhere.
  This phone is the most solid blackberry to date. once you put this brushed-stainless-steel wrapped refined piece of hardware in your fingertips you will know RIM really thought about this one. It mat not have 4G but really you wont mind missing it. The browser was given quite a substantial upgrade. The screen is stunning compared to previous RIM Devices.
  My test for the screen was that I took a picture with my previous Blackberry Style, then slid that memory card in to my 9930.. The resolution difference of the screen is ridiculous to the point that I was aggravated I purchased such a device only a few months ago. The touchscreen of the bold feels more responsive than an Apple product with the convenience of the QWERTY keyboard.
  
  Bottom Line: If you are looking for a phone that is powerful, reliable, easy to navigate and FLAT OUT SEXY. You found it.

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• 9 stars

  The best BlackBerry RIM has ever made

  by leftypepper716 on August 24, 2011

  Pros: Sleek classic Bold premium design, feels like the best of the best premium smartphone devices available, the BEST Qwerty keyboard on any smartphone device, touchscreen is effortless and a joy to navigate, webkit OS7 browser is a HUGE upgrade from any Blac

  Cons: Because it is a new OS and just released, the apps are few and far between the norm (BlackBerry App World isn't known for a huge selection of apps anyway) the audio speaker is located on the back bottom center of the device not up to par IMO of what a pre

  Summary: Coming from a Sprint Curve 8330 to the Bold 9930 is like Dorothy going to sleep in Kansas in B&W and waking up in OZ and in full ...

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  Summary: Coming from a Sprint Curve 8330 to the Bold 9930 is like Dorothy going to sleep in Kansas in B&W and waking up in OZ and in full bright color. Someone remarked the Bold 9930 is "Like the iphone 4 touchscreen meeting the best BlackBerry Qwerty keyboard" While the $249.99 new/upgrade pricing will lower the overall rating with most reviewers, if the Sprint BlackBerry Bold 9930 had a price of $149.99-174.99...It would be ranked has one of the best smartphones of 2011. IMO is IS one of the best smartphones of 2011. If you're a BlackBerry fan, THIS is the device for YOU.

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