CrackBerry Asks: How long have you been a BlackBerry user?

2008 ! Started working @ best buy canada, and ordered my bold 9000 off a random dude selling phones on the internet (risky, I know) I was 16 LOL !!! Bought the phone out right, & unlocked for 660$ that was 2 whole pay checks ! Needless to say he probably ripped me off, but I didn't care !! I saw it and had to have it. LONG LIVE THE BOLD SERIES!!! <3

Just over 3 yrs.Upgraded to the Verizon Curve 8330 when it first came out.

paid $500 for a 7250 (?) work blackberry in Oct '05. was still using my RAZR for personal use and the BB just for email. eventually, i became an addict. converted dozens of friends/aquaintences to the crack.

so 5.5 yrs and counting - with a Bold 9000 for work and a Torch 9800 for play. never looked back!

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Was forced to use one in 2006 and thought it was OK for corporate emails and better than WinMo, but was years behind my P910 which was capable of retrieving full emails from multiple different IMAP accounts.
I kept buying new Blackberry models for one of my businesses as it allowed me to connect to accounts of large corporations, but I always felt RIM was behind in terms of hardware specs and software features. It didn't really matter as I prioritized ease of communication over fancy tricks, but I always had a Nokia tablet with me and a 2nd phone ;).
I still carry a 9780, mainly because I value my privacy and because it does cover the basics (email, tasks, battery, social networking) and doesn't require iTunes ;), but I'm keeping an eye on other platforms, especially WebOS because even though RIM is bringing new hardware to the party, I'm still waiting for a better set of software features. It's still too corporate like (only supports hardware VPN more or less) and not enough small businesses friendly unless you've sold your soul to Microsoft.

Look at what happened with the PlayBook. Great security features for corporations that use BES and give their employees BlackBerrys. Nada for consumers. Your files are not important, they don't deserve to be protected/encrypted. Same for your communications when using hotspots.

What the other platforms are really missing is the security features set, but they're slowly getting there. Will RIM be ahead of the curve one day in terms of innovative, consumer friendly features?

The only reason I bought my first bb (a 9630) and am considering a new one is because bb is now the only smartphone I can find without a camera. I work in a secure facility where cameras are not allowed, but hate not having a smartphone by my side all day. Honestly I think bb is way behind the times in terms of capability compared to iOS or Andriod, but I'm hoping the upcoming 9930 will have a no camera version. If bb forgets about us no camera needers with its release, then I'll jump right off the bb wagon.

Five years ago I gotten my first Blackberry. The Storm, other than doing multiple battery pulls I knew I found the platform for myself. Now with this more advanced Torch, I'm convinced. Blackberry all the way.

so far, since sept 2001, I have had the 950, 957, 6710, 7100, 7210, 8700, 8300 & 8310 Curves, BOLD 9000 and currently the 9800 Torch, which I absolutely love!

I purchased my very 1st BlackBerry summer of 2007....it was a Curve 8300..I just wanted something more than just a basic mobile phone and I'd been eying this older BB from 2006...I think it was the commercial with the silver brain that melted then reformed as the Curve that did it for me....I knew then I had to have it...I've almost switched twice but I'm glad I didn't....

my frist berry was a curve 8300

I picked up a Pearl 8120 as my first blackberry for it's UMA functionality.
I lived in a spot with almost no reception, so i wanted the UMA to be able to make and receive calls.

Turns out about 5 months after i got my Pearl, they dropped a new tower around the corner, so I hopped onto a Curve, and have traded up a few times since then.

Love my BB!

Rogers came into our workplace and gave us an amazing deal on 6 BB Pearls. (They were good looking phones at that time)

3 years later, Telus knocked on our door and said, 'Transfer your account to us, and we will give you NEW Curves 8330 instead' .... so we did.

People told me that the BOLD was awesome, so I got a 9700 BOLD for $300.

....... still have the BOLD ....... to be continued ........

My first BB was the Curve 8330, back in October 2010 :)
Have to say, I HATE people and their BBs back then.. and look at me now.. LOL

I've started 2 years ago with a 8520 Curve. I came from an iPhone and saw many of my friends talking each other with their Blackberries and receiving e-mails with push notifications (which can't be done at that time with the Apple device). After a few time with the Curve, feed up with the GPRS (Edge wasn't able at my city at that time!) because internet was too slow. Finally got my 9800 Torch which I'm really happy with it. It is the perfect device for me, fantastic keyboard+awesome touchable display (and 3G!).

I allways consider my self as a geek (specially with smartphones) and now I can't see no other device than BB! I'm waitig for the 9900... Can't wait for it!!!

Started in '06 with a 7100i and after a 8100, 8300, 8520, 9700, 9000, & now my torch I'm still here. Looks like I'll be riding with rim til the wheels fall off at this point!

Got my first in Sept 1998. Can't remember the model but all phones since have been Blackberry. On my tenth model, Bold 9700 and the eleventh will be a 9900!

Started with a BB 9000 (best phone ever!). Upgraded to a 9700, but didnt like it that much as the 9000, upgraded to the Torch, and can't wait for the 9900 to drop!

I started using a Blackberry as one of my friends showed me. I do not know why I was sold immediatly but for some reason I was. Gues it was because of the push email and good keyboard.

A little over a month ago a sales lady said that they have an open-line & brand new BB 9700 made in Hungary and has OS6 straight out of the box. If I sit down and have some tea while gets it she will sell to me for US$280. Sold!

BB user for 5 years, was 8830, now 9700. 10 bro's and sis's, spread all over the world. BB keeps us all in touch with BBM, no charge. Cruise liner powered out, dead in the water for 4 hours middle of caribean and I could still chat(boat satellite) with family and let my wife know we didn't drown. No charge. Daughter chats with me all week from New York, still no charge. Her chum tries the same on Iphone, pays $1525. love my BB !!!

Been a active user since June 2007 (BB Curve 8300) and still counting (BB Curve 3G 9330) WOW its been four years

active from may 2009 with 9000
then on may 2010 and still untill today 9700
future shows probably 9900 and playbook w/ sim card :D

My first BlackBerry was a Nokia Communicator. How can a Nokia be a BlackBerry? At that time my Communicator was connected to my employers BES with BlackBerry Connect Software. This was my first experience with a BlackBerry product.

After a few months I was convinced, I said goodbye to my fifth (!) Nokia Communcator and swithed to BlackBerry, never to leave again.

My first real BlackBerry was a 8707. Now with a Torch 9800 and a Playbook, awaiting the Bold 9900...

Been here for 2 yrs in the BlackBerry and CB world lol
Sadly moneys tight a lot of medical bills I’m on the verge of being broke
So in august if I get a phone its going to be a dumb phone :( but I hope to be back soon ill keep following all the blackberry goodness

I actually bought one for my wife as her first smart phone after her motorola flip phone. It was a Pearl ( I beleive it was an 8130) from verizon. She needed more in the way of organization. I loved her phone and as soon as I was up for renewal I got my first Blackberry, also a pearl. I loved it, it had everything I was looking for at the time. Email, web, organization, all on an OS that made sense to me. I felt as though it was very natural in the way the phone was designed.

My wife has since moved on from BB. I bought her a DInc. The Android platfrom, and that particular phone work very well for her.Although the camera sucks on it, I can take better pics on my BB, and there is an almost 5mp difference. I have tried to use her phone, and just let me say. I will be sticking with BB for the long haul.

After my Pearl I got a Tour 9630 which I am still in love with even though I have moved on from that. I currently have a Bold 9650 (really still a Tour 2). I love it. Unfortunatly with BB users comes BB fever, and I can"t wait to pick up the 9930. Although by the time I can upgrade the QNX phones will be out.

I am really interested to see if the QNX devices will have the same feel as the current BB OS's, as well as the same funtionality.

BB Rocks!

I've owned blackberries since 2004, and this Torch 9800 is probably going to be the last. Its a decent device..I like it....but I need a device to do more, and it's pretty much a given that RIM has little interest in figuring out what consumers want. I really want to jump ship to android, but their lack of flagship devices WITH keyboards is concerning. I know its still fashionable to make fun of people who like physical keyboard, calling them behind the times and stuff, but I prefer a REAL keyboard.

I started out with Palms and got my first BlackBerry when Nextel first offered one with Direct Connect. Loved the unit but needed faster access to Direct Connect so I gave it up. About 4 years ago and beyond the need for Nextel, I got a BlackBerry 8830 WE to replace my hated Moto Q and fell in love with the wide form factor, silver case, the trackball and the best keyboard I have yet to have my hands on. Since then, I've had a Tour 9630 and currently am on my third Bold 9650 (the first two 9650's kept losing the paint on the "E" and the "D" key and Verizon would replace it). My BlackBerry keeps my life on track, in touch and always helps me feel connected to the world. I plan to upgrade to the 9930 as soon as it comes up and the "wide body" keyboard I have missed. I love my Bold but there are days I pull my 8830 out of the desk drawer and consider reactivating it for a while until I think about all the stuff it can't do today.

Been using blackberry since my 7100g. Not sure how long ago I got that, bust must be about 10 years.

Been a CrackBerry addict since back in 8th grade when I got my first BlackBerry Pearl lol. Now a Sophomore in College with the new Bold 9780 waiting on that 9930 to hit the store so I can cop O_O

I feel so old. I carried the giant brick email/pager for years. I dont remember my first phone, but I carried a nextel_iden Berry for years. I'm currently carrying a 9650 and a PlayBook.

My 7290 was my first BB. Company issued. Despised it at first and like many after a few months of use could not live without it. Always connected meant people had control over me and what I did. But also it meant that I did my job better and for the most part made things easier. Used that thing until my 8700. Then went iPhone. Back to 9700.(Lost that) now have a 9300. Waiting for the 9900. I love android and find it an OS that is comparable to BB, if the battery lasted longer than 45 min then I would go with it. BB combines it all. Will never be without one.

I think this reflects the readership on this site pretty much rather than how long you've owned a blackberry in regards to the general population.

Been 7 years for me, but this is the last year. I will be going to Windows Phone this Fall.

Put simply, RIM is not capable of making a phone that works. I am on my 5th Tour, and it is easily the worst device I have ever owned. No quality control.

Storm 9530 for about a year and a half, then Bold 9780 within a week of its launch. Next up: 9900!

I put down +10 years, but I don't recall exactly. I was one of the first at my old company to have one and that was a million years ago it seems. black and white screen with the track wheel.

It was released September 12, 2006 and on that day I became an official Crackberry, guess which Blackberry came into my life and I never looked back

Back in the day, we rocked the 850's!! Our group had about 10 PIN's to communicate with. I wasn't too heavy into email and got tired of carrying a 2 way alphanumeric pager AND a phone, so I went away from berry for a minute. Got back into full keyboards with a Tungsten then treo, but was upset for lack of push email. So i ventured back into berry's again. I got into the 8000 series and was not enjoying the roller on the side. Flip flopped back to some other devices, but nothing was as solid as a berry. Picked up the pearl, then the curve, then bold 9000, couldn't WAIT to drop that ball trackpad, so went to the 9700, now the 9800 AND PLAYBOOK!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!!

I was with Palm from Palm Pilot (no phone or data) all the through Palm Centro. Then went to Samsung Moment (Android). Stayed with Anroid for about 6 months and to avoid the bashing the phone againt, the wall out of frustration, I got my first BB off ebay September 2010. During a catastrophic event, I'm sitting in a meeting where docs are being emailed to people on the fly, everyone's accessing their docs, accessing their emails, checking their incoming calls and I'm sitting there with my Moment trying to swipe the stupid lock button, missing calls, and messing with that stupid email interface. I went home that night and ordered a blackberry from email and haven't looked back. Curve 8530 sprint

I started with a 8320 then went to 8820 then to a Bold 9000 and now a Torch 9800. Can't wait to get my hands on a Bold 9900!!!!!

I've had a BlackBerry since 1999. It was on PageNet. Cell phone carriers didn't carry them at that time. It didn't have a phone. Just one email account and paging. It had a nice feature where I could type a message and send it to a land line. When the person answered the phone the message was dictated to them.

I've been addicted to BlackBerry since 2004. I picked up the 7290. I remember the guy who sold it to me said I would never go back to a regular cell phone ever again. I just rolled my eyes when he said that, but he was exactly correct. Since then I've had the 8700r, the Curve 8310, the 8900, a couple of Bold 9000's and now my Tortch 9800. I don't need a fancy shiny phone. I just need a phone that gets things done and BlackBerrys are perfect for that.

6280 (mono screen no camera, phone, wifi, Bluetooth....)> 8700G> (Color screen, no wifi firm disabled phone, no camera no mp3 player) 9520 (No wifi, no open GL, deminimus memory)> 9550 (still deminimus memory, underpowered cpu/RAM, 2 years later and OS is still buggy, slow internet) > 9850/9860 (no flash, FFC, full screen caller ID, built in turn by turn navigation app)> QNX Superphone (has it all!)

i got a 7520 for christmas freshmen year of high school and ive been hooked ever since.

Since 2009 -Current, I had a supervisor who kept telling me about BlackBerrys so one day I said what the hell... I fell in love with everything I could do not to mention UMA and BBM! Travelling and using the UMA totally bought me not to mention being able to chat to family and friends all over the world thru BBM for FREE (not totally free but you get the drift, it's still ALOT better than sms)!

My first berry was the 8700g for T-Mobile. I fell in love with the keyboard. I have tried other platforms from time to time but ALWAYS come back to Blackberry. Currently using a 9650 Bold and waiting patiently for the 9930!

October 2008 with a BB Pearl 8120. Currently, I own a Bold 9700. Runs great.

Crackberry addict ever since. I'd like to see RIM rise above all the BS, and focus on their vision and marketing. Let the whole world see the power that a BlackBerry device can bring to their finger tips.

I was a LONG TIME dedicated windows mobile guy. Audiovox SMT5600, Moto MPX220, Cingular StarTrek, AT&T Tilt...as those devices got progressively worse, I finally gave up on Microsoft's phone platform. Did not like typing on a touch screen on the original iPhone and still don't. So I started w/ the Curve 8900 and moved to the Bold 9700. Eagerly awaiting the Bold 9900 or the 9930. First carrier to pick it up (vzw or att) gets my business. I have never been happier w/ a device as I've been w/ my 9700. Coupled w/ my PlayBook, there is little I see on the iOS or Droid platform that impresses me enough to give up what I still like about the RIM platform. Can't wait for the next round, hurry up RIM.

I have been a BlackBerrian (yup, I said it...BlackBerrian) for about 4 years. It started for me when I had a Razor when I was with T-Mobile. Texting on that thing sucked, but at the time the BlackBerries were out of my price range. Well, When my Razor broke (the circumstances behind that are still under investigation...ha!), I managed to get my hands on an 8320 off of Ebay. Once I got it in the mail and used it for the first time, I was hooked for sure! Since then, I've had the 8900, 9700, and now I have the 9800 and a PlayBook. Yea, I have strayed off to other devices (Andriod and Windows) in the past. The reasoning behind that was because of all the new innovations that were coming out and the fact that the BlackBerries were not keeping up! Needless to say my stay with the other devices was not long at all. Those devices may have the glitz and flash, but they lacked substance in my opinion. To me, BlackBerries seem to be more of a "grown up" phone. That was why I came back. It was time to get back to the adult table. Now, I'm waiting on the new wave of BlackBerries to see who I will grab next. It's good to be home!

I got the first 3G BlackBerry - 9000 was my first and have been hooked ever since.

I've been a BlackBerry user for almost 2 years! Bought my first BB (Tour 9630] on August 20, 2009, I remembered that b/c I still have the reciept. That trackball really gave me a hard time nd caused me to get 3 replacements! I got my 2nd BB (Bold 9650] in late September 2010 FREE of charge b/c my Tour died in front the consultant guy nd he couldn't get it 2 turn back on. BBM, e-mail, nd The Kardashians are the main reasons I bought one. I'm BEY0ND ready for a new one!

My first BB was the 8100 Pearl back in '08. Switched to the 8300 (at&t) and 8330 (sprint) in '09. Now looking forward to the 9330

Got the 850 back in 2001 (yes, I'm that old). I was addicted to it for a few years, then went through my non-smartphone Nokia stage. Came back to Blackberry with the 8700 in 2006 (T-mobile), 8900 in 2009. Picked up my 9700 in summer 2010. Looking forward to 9900.

@dunaway

Was a Blackberry User for about 4yrs, started out with the Curve 8330, 8900 then to the Bold 9700, then went on to the Torch 9800. Left Blackberry and went to iPhone 4, I thought going on iPhone 4 would be a lot better, yeah sure video, games and graphics is all good on iPhone 4, but Notifications and Volume on iPhone 4 Suck Balls! Always have my iPhone 4 in my holster, half the time i'lI take it out and I'll have all these missed calls, the volume on the ringer is way too low even when I have it on high, and well the vibration isn't even strong enough to feel. I never get notified when I have a new message on Facebook or Twitter, I have to constantly check it myself. With Blackberry, I never had that problem, which is why I'm thinking about going back to Blackberry. That Bold 9900 is looking kinda sweet.

8330 was my first smart phone ever, was a die hard samsung feature phone user prior. switched to BlackBerry after I picked up Samsung's first (I think) full touchscreen feature phone. That was the worst week of my life, swapped it in for a 8330 and have been in love ever since. long live the physical keyboard!

9000 bold about 3 years ago!

Since 2006 with the 9130 and still have it. Dont use it but I keep all my bbs.

First smart phone was a Treo 650. I loved that device and used it for many years. When it was time to upgrade and get a newer phone with some updated software I turned to the Bold 9000. Made the decision because the current Palm phones did not fit what I wanted in the phone. Got my wife a BB 8310 at the same time and we loved them so much I'm now on a 9700 and she used the 9800. These have been great devices and fit our needs. We are the only BB useres in our circle of friends burt that is okay because we have a device that doesn't die.

My first BlackBerry was a 7105t that I got back in 2006, when I was looking at the next step from my barely-usable Nokia running some variant of Symbian S60. At the time, I was actually quite frustrated and annoyed that all they had for E-Mail (to me, as a normal user) was BIS. Frankly, BIS did a piss-poor job of meeting my needs (and kinda still does). So I kicked off the LogicMail project, and its kept me on BlackBerry ever since. Currently rocking a Bold 9700 (which is now quite constrained under OS 6.0), and itching to upgrade to a new 9900.

I joined Team BlackBerry last summer. I always wanted one because it was one of the first and only smartphones around and it just appealed to me; it just seemed cool to have one. I got the BlackBerry Curve 8530 and fell in love. I was hesitant at first because I had to buy the phone straight out with Virgin Mobile, a prepaid phone company. After discovering all the apps, including social media, I was hooked. Having access to certain apps along with the ability to keep up with local business, specials, and events is awesome. Not to mention the ability to send emails on the go is great! (I used to send out my resume to employers when I was looking for work.) I know other smartphones have the same capability as BlackBerrys but it seems that BlackBerrys are more associated with the smartphone category. I'm always the one of my friends to look up things with my phone; it seems like they forget that they can do it too or just can't ;-)
I currently have the BlackBerry Curve 9300 with T-Mobile, so I've stepped up the game lol. I've got a blinged out case for it and absolutely love being Team BlackBerry. I don't see myself switching anytime soon, not even for an awesome Nokia -- the ones that cost around $600 -- which was a close second if I didn't get a BlackBerry. CrackBerry is an awesome nickname for the phone because they're addicting! I don't hear anyone else nicknaming other smartphones after addictive drugs! Now that says a lot :-)

Bought a used Curve 8310 from a friend last year, upgraded to a Curve 8900 early this year when it simply isn't up to par anymore with all the apps updates and all my use & abuse, thinking about upgrading again to a 9700/9780...

Can't remember my first BB. I will tell you this, as I see the other phones out there, I love my Bold on Verizon even more. They can pry my blackberry out of my cold dead fingers.

I had a windows mobile phone, (HTC Excalibur) that was giving me hell, and a coworker had a BB pearl. One day he showed me what all he had on there and how you could get apps and customize your system. I was sold. I bought a Curve 8900 later that year. Currently I'm using an 8520 because my 8900 kept white screening., and I wasn't going to waste my upgrade knowing I was so close to the new BOLD. I really can't wait for the 9900 to drop

I tried many so-called smartphones and had given up! (kyocera, palm, motorola q) then I decided to try the 8830 because of some promotion, thinking ill try it for 29 days and return it....now I'm 6 BlackBerrys in plus a playbook...waiting on 7 and 8!

The Nextel Blackberry 7750 in 2004 I think it was. I really liked the messaging capability of the phone - and it had a browser - well kind of...

2 years to the day. pre-ordered the Tour in the summer of '09, and that's why i'm pre-ordering the next iPhone ASAP.

Don't remember exactly when I got my first one, was sometime around 1999-2000. It was actually the brick shaped pager (950 maybe?) Got it for work, and for a couple of years carried it around along with a seperate cell phone. At the time (before SMS was really common) it was fantastic for keeping in touch with various partners and team members, since we were all busy and it was a pain to have to constantly make phone calls and disrupt our work.

I have been a BlackBerry user since February of this year (I bought an 8530 from VMUSA) and I am very happy with it.

There was really no specific reason that I wanted to get one. I've wanted one for a little while now, and I just decided to find one on pre-paid to try it out. I don't regret my decision one bit.

Purchased the Pearl 8100 from TMO in October of 2006. Loved the SD Card, keyboard and internet factors. Moved to 8900 and now 9780. Have no intention of changing!!!

Started out with a 7290, from my gov't job, about 6 years ago or so, LONG before I discovered CrackBerry.com. At that point I thought BBs were just for email. ;) I had a separate cell phone.

Two years three months and countin' baby

My first BB unchained me from my office allowing me to receive important e-mails and replying promptly. Also the tethering helped downloading some files to my laptop on remote areas with no WiFi options.

To me Blackberrys don't have to be the shineiest tool in the sheed, just the one that helps me get the job done without spending an arm and a leg for the service.

People ask me all the time why I love BBs so much, I just tell them that they make going out everyday to make a buck a lot easier. I have so many stories of how my BB has saved the day with simple things, that I think I'm going to start a thread on the forums so we all can share our BB love stories!

My first BB was the Curve 8310 got it March 2008.

active user since winter of 2007 straight out of high school....my first BB was a pearl 8100.

A relative overseas got it for me so we could keep in contact via BBM :) Don't know how I got by without it either, I love all the features and apps that help make life easier, I love my 8900

BBM :D Plus I just loved the bold 9000 :D Wish they redid it with a touchpad :p

used my girlfriends Curve 8520. Before that i wanted an android (htc desire) but i loved bbm and the keys ;)

Active BlackBerry user from March 2009 through February 2011