Latest BlackBerry's with OS7 - Build Quality Concerns

[techie guy]

Good Day Everyone,

First, I would like to say that I am a strong supporter of RIM and their products. For my phone and messaging needs, the BlackBerry is the optimal solution.

Unfortunately, there seems to be too many build quality issues with the latest BlackBerry's with OS7. I say this from online research and personal experience.

I am currently off-contract with Rogers and was using the BlackBerry Bold 9000...definitely a great device! I didn't want to renew my contract at this time because I am waiting for the BB10 devices to be released. So I decided to purchase a brand new BlackBerry Curve 9360 at full price from Rogers. Well the BB was creaking a lot around the bottom half of the keyboard and the trackpad was sticking. The BB was labelled DOA and another one sent to me. The second BB Curve 9360 also had a sticky trackpad and the cursor was jumping all over the place. The keyboard was creaking as well. They sent me another BB Curve 9360 which I have not used yet.

I decided to purchase a new BlackBerry Bold 9790 with the hopes that the materials and built quality would be much better. I took the BB out of the box and the trackpad is tilted down on the left side. When the trackpad is pushed to the left (west) or down (south) it sticks there. I didn't even bother turning on the device until today and noticed there is a speck of something underneath the right hand side of the screen.

All of the BlackBerries mentioned above were manufactured in Mexico 6.

How has your experience been with the new BlackBerry's with OS7?

Thanks.

[cellphonejunky]

I am a rogers wireless customer and I did a hardware upgrade through retentions and was sent the Bold 9900! I have not had any of the issues that you mentioned! My phone has no issues what so ever! So I find that odd! In the past I did purchase the bb bold 9000 and the screen has a slight tilt! Obviously it was a manufacturing defect! Btw I am also waiting for a qnx bb10 device with LTE and LTE playbook!

[janerblue]

I have the 9930 and think it is a great phone. I have not had any issues whatsoever (and hope I do not).

[DennyCrane]

Wirelessly posted (WhiteBerry Bold 9780: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9780; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.706 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

I too am a loyal BlackBerry fanboy, but that doesn't change my opinion that build quality has gotten worse and worse over the years. Mexico is my favorite vacation destination, but the quality of the BlackBerry devices they produce is subpar. I'd gladly pay a bit more for a better trackpad, and a tighter bezel to name a couple. I'm not saying the hardware is terrible quality, but it's definitely nothing to write home about.

[RightThere]

The Torch 9810 has renewed my faith in BBs. It is a fantastic phone.

(However the rest of the lineup reminds me of why RIM is currently in 4th place on the phone market).

[techie guy]

RIM needs to substantially enhance their quality control checks. Overall, it is costing RIM more money to make devices that are then deemed DOA, have them returned, inspected, repaired and used as a refurb.

I am sending back the BlackBerry Bold 9790 in a day or so. In the interim, I have switched back to my BlackBerry Bold 9000. It is quite big and has major memory leaks right now but it is a solid device and has lasted me since it came out.

I just checked where my BlackBerry Bold 9000 was manufactured - Canada 1.

[DennyCrane]

Wirelessly posted (WhiteBerry Bold 9780: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9780; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.706 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

^I think quality control is probably a big part, but I would venture a guess to say that cheaping out on parts and overall manufacturing probably plays a big part in this too. I would also assume that for every BlackBerry user that returns their defective device multiple times for servicing, there are probably 99 other people with the same issue(s) that let it go because they can't be bothered with the warranty claim. RIM probably thinks they've got it all figured out with this business model, but this type of thing will usually bite you in the arse eventually.

[ShatanKing]

I too noticed a build quality drop when the started making the 9000 Bolds. I remember part of the 9000 bolds were made in Canada, and part were made in Mexico, as well as other places. I remember that the 9000 Bolds that were made in Canada were generally of better build quality and sometimes even nicer parts (shinier bezel). Slowly I think they transitioned to making most of it in Mexico and I think thats why there were a lot of problems with the 9700 and the trackpad.

As for the 9900, I have only seen Mexico made ones. But they all feel great and it appears to be solidly built. Trackpad issues appear to be gone. I guess the 9700 was a trial for the trackpad and with time they perfected it. It's not always fun though as a consumer when they are using you as the test mule!

[BBuser90]

I have the 9900 and the track pad has been squeeky ever since out of the box. I remember when I was using the 8800 when it first came out- had such nice almost gel like keys, later on in the year I got another one to replace my original and it had super cheap plastic keys that were too easy to press.

[janerblue]

I just noticed a little noise from my trackpad the other day. It is really hard to hear, but there is something going on there. So far that is it, but now I am looking!

[techie guy]

Received my second BlackBerry Bold 9790 this week. The trackpad is tilted again. So far it appears to be functioning properly though.

Also, this time it feels like the "a" and "p" keys are loose.

At least this time there isn't any speck underneath the screen.

This BlackBerry was manufactured in Mexico 6.

Otherwise I am really liking this BlackBerry.

[POLO_011]

The Torch 9810 has renewed my faith in BBs. It is a fantastic phone.

(However the rest of the lineup reminds me of why RIM is currently in 4th place on the phone market).

Picked up a Torch9810 for my mom a few weeks ago and i couldnt agree more, VERY well built, feels like a tank, its what the OG 9800 should've been.

[RightThere]

Picked up a Torch9810 for my mom a few weeks ago and i couldnt agree more, VERY well built, feels like a tank, its what the OG 9800 should've been.

I love everything about the 9810. I know I could not live on a touchscreen alone, and this phone makes me love being a BB Fanboy again.

[Positive Climb]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry Bold 9900: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9900; en) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.0.0.261 Mobile Safari/534.11+)

Telus gave me a brand new Curve 9360 as a loaner phone. The phone had a loose trackpad right out of the box, and the keys were brutal. Definitely not the greatest device.

[[droc]]

I have been pleased with both of my 9900s currently. and my 9800 before that, even my 9780 before that, and my 9700 before that, and my 9000 before that, and my 8310 before that, and even my 8800 before that.

I guess I've just been pleased in general.