I'm not completely convinced that RIM improved the build quality of the 8300/8320 over other previous models (8100/8800).

For example, the frictionized rubbery part on the right side of the phone, right in between the minus (-) side button and the right convenience key, there is about an inch of area there that I can press down on very lightly and feels very loose. An invitation for dust to collect under the screen.

Anyone else experience this? Should this be a major concern for me?

P.S. Are the 8320s made both in Canada and Mexico? Mine is from Mexico.

agreed. thats the only problem with RIM. build quality is piss poor!
unacceptable for a phone in this day and age.
unfortunately nothing else on the market comes close to my 8310.
the whole right side of the lens / rubber part is a dust magnet. ive had the ride side of my 8310 taped from the lens to the rubber, and its still collecting dust, maybe its getting in from the top right and bottom right of the lens cant really be sure anymore.
ive had to put a little bit of paper in the battery compartment underneath the plastic housing behind the rubber to prevent it from creaking.

even on my pearl, build quality is piss poor! even that has a little bit of dust under the screen. battery cover is loose as a goose, thank god that fixed that problem on the 83xx's. it even needs a bit of paper under the battery to ensure i dont get sim card errors.

only 1 can pray the 9xxx handset brings RIM into the 21st century in terms of build quality. honestly it couldnt come fast enough the dust is driving me insane.

the build quality is pretty good. no complaints here.

The build quality is good enough. Granted it's no 7290/7520, but then again it has a lot more features (better CPU, more RAM, better screen, etc). So a small tradeoff in build quality is OK. With the frequency in which new models are released, the time I keep each BB has been reduced. I no longer need >24 month use out of a handheld. So this is an acceptable tradeoff for the time being.

Right in the area you mention (right side between "-" button and right side convenience key) is rock solid on my 8320. I would have to hit it with a hammer to move it (though please don't ask me to verify. )

Mine is made in Mexico as well...

Same here.

My 8320 feels nice and solid. The keys are very firm and have a clear and defined "click" to them. The only thing I could say that is flimsy on mine is the battery cover. I can press it down just a little bit.

I have no complaints at all about my 8300 made in Mexico. The build quality seems top notch. Haven't noticed any dust anywhere. The screen gets smeary from my face being up to it on a phone call, but that can't be considered it's fault - only a problem of being such a pleasurable phone to talk on, so it gets used a lot.

--Kidd

is it normal for there be some slight play in the keyboard?
like if you push a key side to side, the whole keyboard moves a little

I think every BB atleast since the 72xx series has had some play in the keyboard.

ok, thanks. this is my first bb, so i figured id ask.

My 8320 is built and feels solid, no complaints here

my is made in canada

Mine is almost perfect

8320 solid! made in MEXICO!

must be the made in hungary bb's then!

both my 8310 and 8300s are shizers

I found that the Seidio cases are good for hiding any play in the sides. I bought one of the hard rubber cases and it works great. The biggest problem is if you need to do a battery pull, you have to pry apart the case.

Why should I come here to complaint about my 8320? Nothing..

Actually, I have no complaints at all 8320 made in Mexico or in Canada, My the 8320 is function and solid I do suffice within.

Thank to RIM.

my 8320 is made in mexico...doesn't seem in any way flimsy or poorly made. its not as solid (read: heavy) as my 8800 but I don't feel like if I drop it (I am the clumsiest person in new york) it will die.

edit

My first 8320 (Mexico) was making a crick on the right by the camera button, and the keypad seemed to be moving an excessive amount. I returned to tmobile for a replacement. The new device (also from Mex.) seems much more solidly built and the keypad moves a LOT less. I wasn't taking any chances that the dust problem would surface after the 30 day return period ran out. I'm very happy with the build quality of the newer device.

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8320/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Your first one was made in Mexico. Where is the second one that you're satisfied with made?

I have the same issue, but I wouldn't say "very" loose -- there's just a tiny bit of give when I press down in that section. I'm not too worried about it.

It seems like some of the guys here have better luck with their 8320. Let me tell you my story. I purchased my first 8320 on Friday right before the release date the phone was in perfect shape no dust no lose sides whatsoever, but after 4 days of using it I noticed 2 specs of dust right in the middle of the screen and quit a few on the right side of the screen so I went to return it got a brand new box came home opened it up and there was 3-4 specs of dust under the screen right out of the box and the sides were very lose and make this annoying sound when I touched or held the phone.

So yesterday I took it back to the store and the guy brought out 5 boxes of 8320 for me to pick I went through all and found one that was PERFECT it was the only one w/o a spec of dust under the screen the sides were nice and tight no play at all, the screen lined up perfect, but guess what as I was driving home I had my girlfriend try to set it up for me and she said "Hey the trackball doesn't wanna move to the right..." I thought she was crazy so I took the phone off her hand and tried to scroll through the icons and bam I felt like someone just hit me in the face...the damn trackball was jacked up I didn't have a word to say, I just busted a u-turn and head back to the store.

The guy that works there was really nice to me so I didn't really want to bother him anymore. I had him look at the trackball and indeed it was messed up. At this point I no longer give a ratass about dust I just told him to go to the back and pick one that's nice and tight because having lose sides making noise seems to be a bigger issue now. So here I am after a long journey finally got a solid curve with some dust under the screen and a misaligned battery door lol.

If I could go back I would've kept my first one...lesson learned grass isn't always greener on the other side, but when you pay for a phone that cost $450 retail you sure as hell would expect build quality to be better than this. It's just unfortunate for me that I fell in love the curve so bad I had to go through all this when there are a lot of other choices out there in this price range with better build quality. Sorry about the rant just had to get it out my system lol.

My 8300 Curve is so tight, no rickety racket or even play in the keyboard. No dust. Perhaps, I'm the luckiest person alive?

I wonder if it couldn't be something to do with the climate where you dust magnet people live that causes dust to attract to your BlackBerries.

--Kidd

what may seem like some play in the keyboard to me, might be nothing to you.but im satisfied with mine, i checked out a bunch of others, and they were all the same.

Also mexico. Must be crappy quality control on that assembly line.

right side of my 8300 sqeaks similar to the 8800 squeak. other than that, it is flawless.

Was on my 3rd curve. Just started getting lots of dust after a couple of months, and the right side is squeaky. I love my curve, but the build quality is not quite there. Just bought the 8820 (for wifi and gps), and so far the build quality is so much better than the curve.

Bought a curve less than a week ago. I created a thread on my thoughts. Only two days later I had to return the curve because the reception was not as good as my 8700. I noticed immediately after I got it, I kept losing reception in my house (something that NEVER happens) and in areas that had a "weak" signal (like the Ralphs down the street from my house) I didn't have reception at all. The device had to go. Other than that, I was quite pleased with the "build" quality of the device, it was very solid, no squaking unlike my 8700g which, nothing was lined up and it squaked all day long.

My second curve however, works great. Reception is great, everything else works. Except this device is NOT solid. The bottom left corner squaks and you can see has a gap in it. Blah!

And I really don't want to walk in again and exchange it, cause I hate backing up and restoring (takes forever!) I already but the Best Skins Ever, which I had to peel off my first one (very carefully so they don't scretch!) and I'm not looking forward to it again, plus I don't want to look like a shmuck walking in there again exchange a device. I just hate that.

What to do, what to do. Wondering if opening up the device and "tightening" it will solve the problem?

What is the root of the squaky loose housing problem?? Is it the production of the housing itself or assembly of the device?

BTW, both devices were made in mexico, and I don't have the dust under the screen problem, nor does it look like I will have that problem in the future.

Another quality issue I can complain about is the OEM accessories! I always buy the OEM cases and not complaining that they fall apart, but everything is always not aligned and off. Like the flip top cover is never straight, its always at an angle, and the side bands, one is higher than the other.

Ballhawk,

I'm on my 5th curve...I know I know I'm a shmuck read my post above lol. After been through so many I finally found one with no dust and no squeaks, but the damn trackball was really lose, noisy, and VERY mushy. Instead of taking it back to the store I went to a different store bought a new one with a firm solid trackball and swapped them out. Now guess what...it SQUEAKS!!! I suggest you not to take it apart it'll probably make it worse. I'm done trying to find the perfect curve I'm happy with the performance browsing through wifi is blazing fast, call quality is great. The squeaky left side is probably something I have to live with.

The best advice I can give is when you experience these things, send feedback to RIM. I know there is and I think there is a feedback address specifically that I cannot find at the moment.

The 8800 had the squeaky sides issue (which drove me nuts). I sent RIM a very polite and respectful email detailing the issue and my disdain for it. They were really nice about saying they would work to solve the problem. They must have been telling the truth as my gf has a new 8830 and I have a new 8820 and the rails seem very firm. She has had hers for a while and no squeaking at all.

With product innovation comes mistakes in design and implementation. It happens but good companies can correct and overcome it. Overall I have always been very, very happy with RIM products. Most here know that you can toss a 72xx or 87xx across a parking lot and then go pick it up and make calls. The 88xx, 83xx and 81xx (Pearl if I have the #s wrong) are a big move towards losing that stodgy business-man phone look IMO and design flaws here and there are to be expected.

Now when they just start making junk we can all raise you know what but I just don't see it happening.

I think it you look closely you'll find that ALL of the cell phone manufacturers are producing products that are more "plastic-ikky" and less solid than just a few years ago. If you want to give kudos to anyone, it would have to be to Motorola who still produce cell phones with metal chassis and cases. Although even Motorola isn't what they once were.

Economics plays a big part in all of this. Ask yourself how long you keep cell phones? The average person keeps a cell phone these days for somewhere between 9-18 months. Why build something that costs a lot to build when the projected life of the product is in almost every case less than 2 years. Sometimes significantly less.

I just got my brand new Curve and I'm very pleased with it. No complaints whatsoever. But with the pace of change in technology, I can't see me using this same phone much more than a year.

Sure RIM, Nokia, Motorola, et al could build longer lasting products but basically why should they? People keep their cell phones for months, not years.

Would you pay $100 more for a cell phone built to last for an exceptional length of time? If you answer that honestly, you'll probably see why there is less quality in builds than there was just a couple of years ago.

Remember the old Motorola V60? Almost indestructible. Those days are gone.

I'm delighted with my Curve but I also know I'll probably be on to something else in a year.

i dont know mine seems fine, but.......... there is something.... i have the tmo 8320 and where it saids tmobile on the bottom that middle piece right below the keyboard for some reason when i would touch it, it would make a squeaky noise, so then i started picking at it a lil, and it actually started coming off then right away put it back in place WHATS UP WITH THAT ???

A hard case would probably keep that from squeaking.

Dave

Yeah, mines is rock solid also and also made in mexico.

Don't feel bad, I had to replace my 8700 4 times before I finally got one that didn't have any problems. Even the people at TM felt bad for me. Thank God for the 1 year replacement warranty. I'm hoping I've exhausted my bad cell phone karma for now :0)

My case seems a little loose on the bottom left side where the front and back come together. I can squeeze the to halves together and it actually creaks. It is tight on the right side. I wonder about the build quality. It helped my decision to add on the insurance to my plan.

Just a quick note - I have 8320 from Mexico and 8310 from Canada. Both seem pretty good overall on build quality. No dust, creaks, loose keyboards, etc. The Canada one has a slight misalignment between trackball and rubber housing wh/could potentially allow some dust to enter. Reception and call quality seem to be equally mediocre on both compared to other phones I've used.

Somebody brought this post up again, so I thought I would update everyone. My Curve (the one mentioned above) has developed a very slight creak in the right side "bumper" Nothing to start crying about IMO. It still feels quite strong and I am happy. I'm sure it's quite difficult trying to engineer something so small and maintain so much structural integrity given the number of holes for buttons, plugs and outlets, etc.

--Kidd