[bofeity]

I am now on my 4th defective 8900 since my first one on the 11th last week.

Here is the list of problems:

1) First phone was great except pixel issue on camera viewer (not dead pixel, but rendering error, which would also leave the 2 specks on images as well).

2) Very bad pixel ripple effect when pressing the END KEY (not screen!)

3) Camera lens was scratched (apparently, the coating on the lens was coming off)

4) The end key was placed incorrectly on the keyboard. It was angled down into the keypad at the top and thus was at an angle not level with the other keys... very strange. The store rep said, "wow what happened here?" It still worked but made it look damaged and very much 'broke' (keeping in mind resale value later down the road).

The last 3 were from production date: 060209. The first 1 was 160109.

I am going to wait until the stores get a new batch and then try again hopefully with a better outcome.

Conclusions:
-All of the phones (mine and display models) have a slight (usually not noticeable unless you try hard) ripple effect when pressing the end key.
-Perhaps the 060209 batch (line 22) were bad?
-All of the phones also appear have a slightly wobbly keyboard (some less than others).
-We all know about the vibrate (which could possibly be fixed with an OS update)
-Of course, the battery door.

[ifonline]

Um... really? 4 phones in 4 days? I gotta tell ya, sounds to me like the devices aren't the problem here.

[bofeity]

Um, did you even read the defects? How could it be my fault? Each and every return I called Tmobile CS and had it placed on my file as well as having the in store rep confirm it is a defect.

Thanks for the useless comment though.

[vinmontRD]

Strange -- haven't heard of bad batches of BB's like this, but it's certainly possible. We had a family member pick up one of the new Nokia 5610 Express Music phones from T-Mobile when they first came out. Had bad problems from day one (phone resetting itself, phone losing the unlock password, impossible to copy contacts from SIM to phone memory, etc). A quick online search found many people reporting the same problem, and a call to T-Mobile customer care and Nokia confirmed that these were known issues, and the T-Mobile wound up pulling the phones off the shelves for a couple of months until they and Nokia came up with a fix, at which point they replaced our device and returned the model to the stores (and website).

However -- even though this was a widespread problem -- it was NOT universal, but seemed tied to certain large batches of the device, perhaps unique to combinations of certain hardware and firmware, although that's speculation. Although it's uncommon, it's certainly conceivable that a batch of BB's could suffer from the same assembly defect.

I'm curious though, how you were able to even get 4 devices in such a short time. Are you in the U.S? My understanding was that the typical T-Mobile retail store was allotted 5 of the devices in the first shipment, and sold out almost immediately. Did you keep getting these from the same retail store?

[bofeity]

Originally Posted by vinmontRD

Strange -- haven't heard of bad batches of BB's like this, but it's certainly possible. We had a family member pick up one of the new Nokia 5610 Express Music phones from T-Mobile when they first came out. Had bad problems from day one (phone resetting itself, phone losing the unlock password, impossible to copy contacts from SIM to phone memory, etc). A quick online search found many people reporting the same problem, and a call to T-Mobile customer care and Nokia confirmed that these were known issues, and the T-Mobile wound up pulling the phones off the shelves for a couple of months until they and Nokia came up with a fix, at which point they replaced our device and returned the model to the stores (and website).

However -- even though this was a widespread problem -- it was NOT universal, but seemed tied to certain large batches of the device, perhaps unique to combinations of certain hardware and firmware, although that's speculation. Although it's uncommon, it's certainly conceivable that a batch of BB's could suffer from the same assembly defect.

I'm curious though, how you were able to even get 4 devices in such a short time. Are you in the U.S? My understanding was that the typical T-Mobile retail store was allotted 5 of the devices in the first shipment, and sold out almost immediately. Did you keep getting these from the same retail store?

Common or not, I am not happy with these issues. I want a working phone. The 8900 is the best BB I have had and I have had several. It's an amazing phone. I like it a lot!

As for getting this many, I am in the US yes. I have gone to retail locations (corporate). The first one I got right when it came out on day one waiting outside of the store. They sold out in 20 minutes. I couldn't get another one until Friday (13th). It turns out that many stores were indeed sold out, but several stores did get a new batch 2 days after their first batch sold out on the 11th. But only a few did. I called many to see which one's had it and which ones didn't. Today I was lucky as 2 stores had a total of 3 available. I checked out 2 today and decided to just wait until a newer shipment arrived.

That's the advantage of going retail as opposed to having it shipped via package.

[vinmontRD]

I certainly understand wanting a working phone! I wouldn't be happy until I got a working device, and I agree -- this is a great phone. I have a virtual mobile phone museum here from the last 16 years of using cell phones. The 8300 had been my prior favorite, and this blows it away -- spectacular device. Hope you get a working one soon so you can enjoy it too.

Definitely like going retail when feasible. In my case, I had hesitated at first - and by the time I saw one in the local stores (New Jersey) they were sold out, with no idea when the next shipment was going to come in. Salesman took my contact info -- and amazed me when he called back the next day to say that one remaining device was located in another NJ store in a box that had somehow been placed out of site (maybe somebody had tried to set it aside?). Brand new, sealed - perfect. I lucked out.

Hoping it works out for you soon.

[Spankypoo]

I know a guy who had to go through 5 8320s before he found one that didn't have something majorly wrong with it. He finally settled for one that had one stiff key.

I get the feeling they aren't as well made as they used to be.

[bofeity]

Yeah I had to replace my 8320 3 times before I got a solid one that worked like a charm. I hated to let it go. But the 8900 is better in every way possible in terms of features, design, etc., minus these issues!

[TheBigNewt]

One of the mods of another BB forum went through 6 Bolds until he got one that worked to his satisfaction. He's pretty picky and uses lots of apps. I always find it hard to beleive anyone can get that many defective units in a row but I can't doubt that expert's findings.

[Bear Killer]

I was wondering when people would start talking about the ripple effect when hitting the end button. At least it doesn't have a leak in the seal over the screen guard making a weird dust pattern like the old curve.

[ifonline]

Originally Posted by bofeity

Um, did you even read the defects? How could it be my fault? Each and every return I called Tmobile CS and had it placed on my file as well as having the in store rep confirm it is a defect.

Thanks for the useless comment though.

No problem. It is very, very obvious that you are entirely too picky, difficult to please, and unrealistic. Good luck in your quest for the perfectly built BlackBerry 8900.

[tsx281]

Hopefully I don't have to go through this! receiving mines today. I would be picky too if Im paying this much for a phone......

[bofeity]

Originally Posted by ifonline

No problem. It is very, very obvious that you are entirely too picky, difficult to please, and unrealistic. Good luck in your quest for the perfectly built BlackBerry 8900.

You should be picky with a product you pay good money for. Apparently you are the only one that would settle for a less than ideal product when it is possible to get one. This is an electronic device, they should work close to flawlessly. It is not unrealistic to ask for a phone to be near perfect as opposed to say, your girlfriend.

[JSanders]

bofeity, please edit the personal insult above and refrain in the future.

[bofeity]

Originally Posted by JSanders

bofeity, please edit the personal insult above and refrain in the future.

Maybe you should also look at the other posters comments. What he said could and usually would be considered an 'insult' as well.

[l0ki]

I´d call that extremely bad luck. Never heard about hardware issues of this scope before - RIM devices are usually of above-average quality.

You're right going retail. GL

[bofeity]

Originally Posted by l0ki

I´d call that extremely bad luck. Never heard about hardware issues of this scope before - RIM devices are usually of above-average quality.

You're right going retail. GL

I know, my 2 previous phones were pretty good. My pearl was great on the first try. My 8320 took 3 tries for major issues like half of the keypad not lighting up, etc.

[TheBigNewt]

What the heck is "the ripple effect" anyway? Is that gonna take the place of "memory leak" (LOL ?

[gadgetfanatic]

It's like this......everytime a new BB comes out at least one [person] finds something wrong, whether real or imagined, with 4 or 5 units before finding that one perfect one that RIM accidentally produced. Then about a week later they find something wrong with that one!!

[JSanders]

gadgeticfanatic, please edit your comments to delete the insults.