I finally got my black replacement shell from CellularNationalNetwork for my Verizon BlackBerry 8830.

Oh man, is it ever nice! It came with all the tools needed for the swap and installed in about twenty minutes. It was worth picking up just for the backlighting on the keyboard alone! That blue-on-silver goofiness was just impossible to see under certain (read: most) conditions.



I now have the perfect latest-last-cellphone-I-will-ever-own. Hee!

I wrote Verizon's Customer Service department and suggested that the black case should at least be an option for the 8830. I mean, seriously, the black case is so much nicer!

Just my US$0.02.

I agree 100%. I replaced just the keyboard, because I am cheap, but I think it looks relatively nice.

Black does look better ... Fortunately mine is tucked away in a Sena case, so the only silver I see is the keyboard (I should replace it) ...

Can you please send a pic, I have been thinking about this but was not sure.

Interested to see the black keyboard and silver body.

Thanks

That looks great. What pieces do you need to do this? I guessed the $43 full housing, and the $4 keyboard? Anything else?

Looks sweet but I would be to afraid to crack open my new 8830 a $300.00 mistake/paper weight if done wrong.

Not my pic, but this is where I got the inclination.

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...lack-keys.html

No "cracking" is necessary. Even if you had no fingers you could still do it. It's dirt simple! You run zero risk of damaging anything inside your Berry--as long as you're a little careful. You may end up having to do it anyway, because unless you keep your Berry in some kind of case, you're going to have to replace the side rails at some point--they're notoriously scratchable.

Seriously, six screws and the shell comes off. Simple! Plus, the housing kit also comes with a complete set of tools: two Torx wrenches and a prybar for the side rails. It really is a complete kit.

My only suggestion for doing the swap: wear latex gloves to avoid getting fingerprints on the inside of the LCD cover and on the LCD itself, and have a can of compressed air standing by.

I had a buddy of mine worry about voiding the warranty and his Verizon-based insurance plan:

1) If you ever need your 8830 replaced, they will not do it in the stores--they mail you a new one and you mail back the old one. You'll have plenty of time to switch the shell back before you send it back to them.

2) If your 8830 is lost or stolen, how will the insurance company know if it's in a different shell!?

You guessed correctly. I bought:

1609 BlackBerry 8800/8830 OEM black full Housing
1826 BlackBerry 8800/8830 OEM black keyboard

The housing kit comes with a couple of extra things: a mid-plate, and an extra set of side rails. You needn't change the midplate--keep it for later, just in case. And an extra set of side rails always comes in handy, since they scratch so easily.

The housing kit also comes with a complete set of tools: two Torx wrenches and a prybar for the side rails. It really is a complete kit.

piusg,
can you post a pic of how yours turned out, the 2 product you bought should make it all black...i am definately doing this if i keep the 8830 and dont get a pearl....did you get the "black chrome" side rails?

to my gf's VZW 8830, once I order them.

Im about to order one of these. Has anyone tried this with a full body skin from bestskinsever.com? I was thinking about putting the skin on the empty case before swapping it out with the silver case.

Thanks for the info! I'm going to do this too.

Hi, I ordered mine too from CNN, hope it arrives soon. do you know how much time does it take? well i ordered it on 10/07/07 and they told me i could track it on USPS after a week or so? Can you please tell me when did you recieve yours after buying it and where you able to track the package on USPS?
Thanks, Can't Wait to Swap to Black Case!!!
NRP

The parts ship from China, so it takes a week or so.

Just placed my order. Thanks for posting this information. I was a little worried about clicking on the confirm order link when the site told me it was in Hong Kong dollars. But did it anyway. I hate the siver housing on the 8830.

I did, and I love the end result. The siderails are a little hard to position but are great once they're in place. I may have to order the black shell in a couple months as I like the look a lot more than the silver.

I have a skin on already. I want to know if I should try to put one on the case before changing it or should i wait until after.

satisfied with the quality of the parts received from cnn.cn?

Just look at the pic at the top of the thread, or click here. It looks just like that.

The side rails are the same on both the silver and black cases; they're sort of a smoky chrome. Very chic.

You're welcome. You'll love it.

Mine didn't take any longer than two weeks. I wasn't home when they tried to deliver it and so they left a note on the door; they insisted that I pick it up at the post office. I reckon because it was an overseas shipment. It easily would've fit in my mailbox.

They're the same parts that are manufactured for RIM. So I'd have to say yes. Fit-and-finish is beautiful, and it just looks so much classier in that beautiful sleek black case.

In truth, I just use BlackBerry's silicone skin, and it works well for me. Besides keeping my side rails scratch-free, it keeps the thing from sliding naround all over the place when I hold it or put it down on something.

these are genuine RIM parts? They arent like RIM seconds or anything?

i want to get this but what happens if you return your phone for exchange warranty? Do you have to put it back in its original condition?

Yes, once youve opened up the device, youve voided the warranty.

Hey now, that's a bit alarmist.

First of all, Verizon only does warranty exchanges for the BlackBerry 8830 by mail. You cannot simply walk into a store with your broken 8830 and swap it out there (ask me how I know).

Second, you keep your old silver case, and if in the event you need warranty service for your 8830, you put the unit back in its silver case. When Verizon sends you your new phone, you ship back the old one in its silver case and Verizon is none the wiser.

Then you put your cool-looking black case on the new phone they've sent you.

Seriously, dude, a case swap takes maybe 20 minutes and is as easy as falling out of bed.

Kermalou, don't listen to justajason. As long as you're a little careful when you do the swaps, there's no way in Christendom that Verizon would be able to tell that you swapped cases.

Oh, by the way, I showed my black-cased 8830 to one of the guys at the Verizon store across the street from my house. He thought it was the coolest thing ever and asked me for the link where to order the case from.

They sure looked like genuine RIM parts to me. And they went on perfectly.

Comeon!?!?! You know as well as I do, that if youre in your year after purchase, and something happens to the device, and you try to return it, they will scream "Voided Warranty". And as for exchanging the housing, I DID ALREADY>>>. And as soon as I got it swapped, the pixels on the screen started going screwey... So YEAH< I had to switch it back...

And as for mail, I went back to the store I got it at, 3 months later, and they swapped it out with no difficulty...

Alright Penelope, you win.

Yeah, I suppose they'd scream "voided warranty" if you were stupid enough to bring the thing back to a Verizon store or send it back with the black case still on it. I have a hard time imagining anybody smart enough to work a BlackBerry being that ridiculously stupid. Anyone dumb enough to do that deserves to have their warranty voided.

Employees at two full-fledged Verizon company stores in South Florida--one in the Mall at Wellington Green, and one on Okeechobee Boulevard--told me that support for the 8830 was the exclusive purview of Verizon Wireless Technical support and no service for the 8830 was performed in any Verizon store anywhere, company or not.

Frankly, justajason, judging by your tone, typing, and lack of posts, I think you're full of it--and a troll. And your shift keys are sticking.

Now stop frightening the nice people and pissing on my parade.

I ordered a black keypad from them a while back, and it was ANYTHING but a genuine RIM piece. Completely different molds for the components, feel was sub-par, and already lost a button off of it.

Perhaps the case components are better, but I won't waste any more money on their keypads.

Wow.

That's different from my experience. My keypad looks and feels great--a pleasure to type on. Maybe they grew them in-house and have recently improved them?

I just ordered mine - but now for the full housing, they have the version that says "World Edition" on it, so I got that one instead. Looking forward to my "new" 8830.

Hi, I had a problem with my order, I ordered on 10/07 but I still did not receive it, hence I had to chat with live help last night. They told me that i might be delayed or lost and that they would set uo an inquiry process. Meanwhile I asked them to mail me a new package and I will pay for faster shipping(FEDEX) The agent told me that they will do that once approved but I never recieved any information, I have already transfered funds into their account, Now i am concern what if they Had never mailed me one????
I have put more money than my plan and now i am nowhere with this order!!!
I dont know what to do???? as these people dont reply promptly as they show on their wbe-site
Some one with similar problems/ any veiws..
Please input,
Thanks

You might notice they're in China. Might be off my a time zone or two

Just a heads up for all of you looking at the CNN black case and keyboard. I got the package from CNN today and it was MOSTLY what I expected. I ordered the full black case and a black keyboard, as well as a couple tools.

The case and siderails are OEM looking and feel like they're at least as good a quality as the originals I took off my Verizon 8830. Everything went on well. The CNN video doesn't mention that the side rails are both attached with adhesive at the top, so keep this in mind when disassembling.

The only problem is this...



Notice anything strange? Yeah...

I just put in an email to them and asked for a correct keyboard and a new set of side rails (because of the afore mentioned adhesive).

Other than that, I'm a happy camper. I'll keep this thread informed about how they deal with this customer support issue.

Hey!! I got my Package today !! Surprsing enough after being lost with USPS as it took more than three weeks, But I am HAPPY about the New Swap, Black looks much better, keyboard is ok but not as Nem0nic,I think you recived a french keyboard by error. Thankfully i recievd all Components as i ordered , It looks great.
I agree with nem0nic as siderails have glue its difficult to seperate them, it took me about 20 mins to do the swap. There is no way to VIOD WARRANTY as there are no seals (use some common sense while exchanging for technical issues and re-swap) Thanks Piusg! Great product from CNN, I agree.

I was just contacted via email by Steve Chan from CNN and they're sending out a new keyboard. That was fast. I must say that even with the fubar keyboard I can't complain about their product or their service.

Just ordered mine. Hope it's as easy as everyone says it is.

Just an update. Got the new (correct) keyboard middle of last week and all is well. Steve over there at CNN is fast and I wouldn't think twice about doing business with them again. Good stuff.