Since I decided to stop using a BlackBerry,
questions have been asked to me regarding how I could decide to give up using
it. They seemed to disbelieve what I have decided. “Can you live without using bbm?”.
“Are you sure?”
Those questions are certainly not baseless. The
middle class to the top society have been using BlackBerry devices as their
main communication tools.
It seems as if that not using BlackBerry device meant leaving a
precious communication tool to get connected with the people around you. To me,
it is not the case. I haven’t used it for two months, and nothing has hampered
my daily activities. I have my own reasons for abandoning this device as I will
explain as follows:
1.
The network has often caused connection problems in my country
I used BlackBerry for over 2 years
as my main communication tool, and during those periods I was disappointed in
its connection failures. Who was to be blamed here, the local operators or
BlackBerry network? I have no idea.
The BlackBerry Messenger often slowed down. My messages via BlackBerry
Messenger were delayed. It took ages to get connected with internet, and my
sent emails were not delivered. My purpose of using BlackBerry was that I
relied on its speed and ease of communication. The communication via BlackBerry
was probably the fastest when it was introduced. Now with more users, the capacity is probably
not added in order that communication can run smoothly.
2.
BlackBerry Messenger Addiction
The number of BlackBerry users has
rocketed, and this makes BlackBerry Messenger become a main communication tool
as if it replaced voice communication devices. They claimed that using bbm was
a lot cheaper than making phone calls. Many also think that telephone numbers
are private matters but pin bbm are not, which is why letting others know your
pin is not a problem.
BlackBerry Messenger is not a
perfect way of communication. As I mentioned earlier BlackBerry Messenger often
caused communication failures. Bbm sending often experienced delays (pending
messages) causing users to be angry, especially when they were
sending messages that needed quick responses.
3.
Everybody hates broadcast messages
Have you ever got broadcast
messages like this, “Test sending contact? Please ignore it.” Or this one, “Add
my friend, Joni, 21, cute, won’t you?” And there are still other ridiculous
broadcast messages that often annoyed me. It seems to me that many users still
do not know what broadcast messages are for and in what situations they are used.
4.
Limited Specifications
The common problem of BlackBerry
is its limited specification. To store your installed applications you have to
use internal memory, not the external memory. The more you have applications,
the more the machine has to burden. No wonder if your device gets warm or even freezes. The only solution is you have
your BlackBerry default system altered, which might be very risky.
5.
Lack of Innovation
Despite the increase of BlackBerry users, it seems to me that BlackBerry seldom makes significant innovations on its newly released devices. Unlike its competitors, RIM probably thinks that without adding the capacity of the camera from 2 mp to 10 mp, or the internal memory being enlarged to 4 GB, BlackBerry users will remain loyal.
Most blackBerry consumers in Indonesia swap their old BlackBerry with newly released ones just because of lifestyle factor alone--not because of improved processor or better camera capability. Even only a few know BlackBerry operating system.
Despite the increase of BlackBerry users, it seems to me that BlackBerry seldom makes significant innovations on its newly released devices. Unlike its competitors, RIM probably thinks that without adding the capacity of the camera from 2 mp to 10 mp, or the internal memory being enlarged to 4 GB, BlackBerry users will remain loyal.
Most blackBerry consumers in Indonesia swap their old BlackBerry with newly released ones just because of lifestyle factor alone--not because of improved processor or better camera capability. Even only a few know BlackBerry operating system.
6. Other smart phones can do most of
BlackBerry functions.
As we all realize that most
functions in BlackBerry devices can easily be operated in other smart phones.
Even some smart phone types can do better. What probably makes users reluctant
to leave BlackBerry is its ease of
communications via BlackBerry Messenger although other smart phone models have
released WhatsApp, Skype, KakaoTalk, and Yahoo Messenger but bbm feature is
still superior I admit.
Now the choice is
yours whether to keep on using BlackBerry devices or decided to find other smart
phones. For me, personally, I have made up my mind about leaving it. I am not
sure if I may go back to using it again sometime in the future.