I recently changed the software on my BB 8700C and I have started losing balls fairly regularly. Most recently on level 17 with 6 lives left. I have not reset the game and have been waiting about two days. Last week I was on level 16 with 12 lives left and on brick that needed on hit to go and my ball went off the reservation. I left the game on overnight and the ball came back in later the next day.

My assumptions on the question of how to get more lives... "Life"'s, as all other capsules, occur randomly. It does not make a difference whether you get one, two or none on the first screen. However, if I don't have a few on hte first few levels, I usually abort. I have encountered as many as 16 before losing any and as few as 6 well into the game.