[Serpentine009]

Ever notice that older generation phones are practically indestructible? I have 2 friends using the 8703 (i may be wrong on model number), the exterior is hard plastic and came with a full hard plastic belt clip. The phone is practically indestructible....takes a daily beating. They both have been using them for at least 2 years with no problems.

The same thing goes for the old Nextel i90. Or maybe it was the i60. It was navy blue. My old one was in the toilet, in soup, in mud, had some crazy stuff rattling inside and it work just like the day I bought it.

Newer devices never seem to hold up....i have a pearl since last November and it may not make it thru the end of summer.

[david9962000]

My 7230 & 7290 were better built than my 8310 & 8110 for sure.

[cinnamincandie]

Wirelessly posted

My 8700g takes a beating ans still works just fine I am using it right now. I am getting a pearl 8120 but I'm keeping my 8700

[Jessessays]

The older phones were built better but were virtually feature-less. Now there is an excess of bells and whistles which makes the device fragile.

[danedel]

Its not so much old, its nextel...they design them that way.

[PabloTX]

Originally Posted by Mikeypants

I think RIM phones have a better build quality that most other brands on the market.

Don't get me wrong, my 83xxs have been my two favorite phones/smartphones out of all that I've used, but the build quality is very near the bottom of any I have owned. Both my 8300 and 8310 got dust inside the protective lens within 6 months. And to make matters worse, RIM wouldn't stand behind their product and replace/fix it under warranty. But I still keep coming back because of the OS, form factor and usability is second to none for my purposes.

[NickfromIL]

2 screws and you can get that dust out with some canned air

[strike2tamu]

I know the 8700 is one tough cookie.

[UncleMike]

Even the so-called non-rugged Nextel phones are far more rugged than any other carrier's general lineup. The phones Nextel calls rugged really are deserving of the designation.

That said, companies like Otterbox and others are doing a good job of bringing durability to relatively delicate devices.

I think that device manufacturers, as well as carriers, don't realize how much value the end user places on durability. I paid $50 for an Otterbox case for my Curve, but would have gladly paid $75 more for my Curve if it had Nextel-like durability out of the box. If there's enough of a market for case manufacturers to make money, device manufacturers could easily make money on devices geared toward the same market.

[mrpg]

I think the guts and skin are more delicate on new devices because they're squeezing more into less space. We all want a personal computer + TV + jukebox + +++ on a wrist watch. As the intricate bits n piece get smaller n smaller they're more susceptible to damage.

Could be wrong but look at what the curve can do and its smaller in everyway at the same time its superior in everyway and we're not talking small advancements either... at the same time they have to neutralize some of that cost and use cheaper plastics and not as much metals.

Plus evil wasteful economics 101, modem gadgets are built to be replaced in a year anyway, so they don't consider durability that big of an issue as you're supposed to buy the new model next year.

[Iare Tosevite]

The blackberry 8830 is pretty darn tough. I dropped it few times, and once on concrete floor. No damage at all other than 2 tiny mars on screen.

My brother dropped it straight down into water-filled sink and only problems he have now is very minor problems.

[PabloTX]

Originally Posted by NickfromIL

2 screws and you can get that dust out with some canned air

Then repeat weekly. Which is unacceptable IMO. If it was a rare event and I only had to do it once every 6 months or so for a small speck or two that would be one thing. But dozens of various sizes of dust is indicative of poor design and/or tolerances.

[Serpentine009]

Wirelessly posted

Mrpg, you are right. The market is demanding more out of handhelds. I only use my home computer to store photos music and check emails that I cannot view on my phone. Othher than that my handheld is my computer. I fear the days of the indestructable phone are over.