5.0, is it worth the upgrade?
 

So, I have been reading all the posts about what 5.0 offers. My question is this. I have the 8900 from T-Mobile and am happily running 4.6. I have been having issues every now and then where I get the App Error 507 and need to wipe when installing new apps.

Normally, I am all for leading edge and would have jumped on the upgrade. Since my BlackBerry is such a key part in my job, I ask, what are the benefits for installing 5.0 now vs waiting until T-Mobile releases it.

Just some food for thought. Thanks everyone.

Tom

My advice (and I am probably in the minority) is that it works for you and the way you want it to work, then it isn't broken and doesn't require fixing.

If you are getting the occasional 507 error, I would first try to find out what is corrupting the OS. Once you fix that, you might find you don't even need to upgrade to 5.0.

Thanks for the input. Yea, I'm torn, I used to the the upgrade by removing the vendor.xml files in the past on older devices, but, it's such a pain in the rear to update the OS time and Time again.

Dub, I was so glad to read your reply. I too have been torn about upgrading to OS 5 on my Javelin. I've only had it about 7 months, and am not sure my BB skills are up to the challenge of upgrading. Read the instructions and the whole removing the vendor.xml files thing sounds scary. Like coastieboy00 I'm all for having the latest and best, but I can't really think of anything that I want it to do that it doesn't. I haven't even had the 507 errors he had ( knock on wood).

The biggest reason for me would be solid proof of a much faster browser, and being sure all my apps will still work.




Ken

I loaded 5 a couple of days ago. I noticed a slight increase
In browsing speed. All my apps work...really everything is good. I am not what some would call IT geeky, just
followed the install here.

Thanks makthenif,


I don't think I would upgrade prior to CBW's 5.0 roll out with only a slight browser increase. 4.6/.250 works pretty good for me right now in all other areas. I really want flash.



Ken

I'm with you rugmankc. Think I'll just wait until GCI gets around to rolling it out up here. It's an Alaska only carrier so lord knows when that will be :)

Well, I decided to give it a shot, feels much faster. Only issue I'm not happy about is in order to get Visual Voice Mail, T-Mobile is making me give up my grandfathered BlackBerry Plan. I'll have to think about that one.

well, I am moving back to 4.6. Mobile Banking, My Faves and several other apps that relay on the Certificates do not work with the Vodafone version of 5.0. Lets hope T-Mobile comes out with their version soon.

Yeah I've been tempted to upgrade from 4.6 too, but the only thing I see that's different is the transition effect changing screens using newer themes, and that's not a deal breaker for me. I would like a faster browser but I don't think 5.0 has that. I think RIM has to provide a different software browser for that, and it's the same with 5.0. I'll sit tight for now I guess.

Much faster and some nice new features. Some experience significantly improved battery life.

IF you are on AT&T, not worth the upgrade IMO, as the browser problems and others make it not worth the threaded SMS, and some faster media card reads...
Waiting for the AT&T official upgrade with Visual Voice mail, and the browser fix.

You didn't say what plan you have, but in general TMO tech support are a bunch of incompetent fools. I had them tell me VVM wasn't even available for my 8900. However, the VVM app suddenly started delivering VVM shortly after the upgrade to 5.0 and it has worked great. I have seen people post here that they had to go into the TMO website and trick the system into thing they had a Bold and/or had to have a customer service rep do some magic. I did none of those things and I have the old $19.95 Blackberry data+email plan.

BTW the only compelling reason I could see for upgrading is a much better web browser -- and that isn't part of the upgrade. VVM is kind of cool but no world beater.

Finally decided to try OS 5 and update 4.6 with one of the official 5.0 releases. Can't say I'm too impressed with how many little annoyances and bugs I encountered. Surprised it was released officially for the 8900. The media player is beyond buggy with many, many things (this alone is probably going to make me go back to 4.6 because I use the player a lot), the alarm works differently (in a bad way for me) from what I can tell, and it didn't install BBM 5.0 on the update even though it was checked (it didn't install BBM at all actually).

Haven't really found anything that makes it worth updating to and keeping that offsets the things I don't like about it. Might do a clean install and see how it goes, and if no changes to the bugs I encountered, will just go back to 4.6 since that is working pretty good for me.

How does VVM under 5.0 compare to the YouMail VVM app?

I don't think it's official, otherwise it would've been available on the BlackBerry website, and what's available on the website is currently still 4.6

I too read the sticky thread on the 5.0 and decided to hold off upgrading my OS because the comments are not reassuring... some said to experience bugs, some said it works fine, and others said it works fine except certain applications :?

And besides, my 4.6 is working fine right now with all applications. The slow browser is expected, it's a phone after all, not a computer, and it's not meant to replace computers.

Yeah, I'll hold off too. The cool theme effects can wait. Browsing with my 8900 isn't anything like my Droid let me tell you, but 5.0 isn't gonna fix that. I want RIM to incorporate that new browser tech (I forget the name).

i got the same question. Thanks for this!

Wirelessly posted

Its been officially released on some carriers, see the top of the 8900 forum page.

Completely wiped the device and reinstalled the 5.0 OS from scratch. Removed all the issues I encountered in my earlier post doing the updgrade from 4.6. Now I remember why I always wipe the device and install fresh. Media player still has a couple oddities, but nothing major like before.