I'm intending on purchasing an 8900 the moment it becomes $199 instead of $499 for me, and I'd like to swap out the original bezel for a black one. I can't seem to find any videos for it that aren't COMPLETE disassembles. How much do you have to do to get the bezel off? I'm comfortable with unscrewing things and popping off panels, but the whole disconnecting connectors on the boards and whatnot scares me.
i tried to do it yesterday. i gave up after 30 minutes. too freaky. i have done dozens of bolds no problem.
i am waiting for cnn to release something a bit more complete.
It's not hard at all as long as you can handle a screwdriver and some tabs.
Was hoping for a video, but that doesn't sound bad. Just the video on the site with the bezels for sale showed disconnecting terminals and the antenna and all kinds of stuff I'd rather not mess with.
You don't have to go that far. The video is out of order so don't follow what they do. The hardest part is removing the buttons from the top of the bezel and then attach them to the new one. I was concerned that I would ruin them but they seem pretty durable. They are held on with a contact cement type glue.
That was one of the reasons that I upgraded to the 8900. I always keep the phone in my pocket and I love the lock button on the top. It's so much easier than locking the keyboard any other way I never used the sleep function because I use the phone clock instead of a watch.
The buttons on the top, lock and mute, are attached to the bezel with contact cement. You need to peel them off of the chrome bezel and stick them onto the new black one. There aren't any wires, they are just contact connections.
I used an Xacto knife to peel the switches off and then stuck them onto the new one by hand. I was concerned about cutting the parts with the knife but it went pretty easy.
It's definitely harder than the Bold but not that much harder.
I had no problems with the top buttons.
As for those disassemble videos, you don't need to remove the antenna wires and such.
Once you take off the back cover (not the battery cover), there's 2 snap parts on each side that you pull back to get the circuit board out.
Took me about 10-15 mins for the swap. The mute and lock buttons is the prolly the hardest part of the installation. Requires a steady and careful hand. GL
From: Cellular Nationwide Network
Subject: RE: Enquiry from Cellular Nationwide Network
Date: April 14, 2009 3:09:00 AM GMT-04:00
To: Savage Detroit
Hello Savage
We're still trying to get the top flex cable in stock. When that happens,
we'll see what we can do.
Steve Chan
-----Original Message-----
From: Savage Detroit
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:11 PM
To: Cellular Nationwide Network
Subject: Enquiry from Cellular Nationwide Network
Blackberry 8900
Black Full Housing
I and a bunch of us at blackberryforum.com are hoping you will come out with
a housing that is more complete. Meaning one where you don't have to
transfer the top buttons, foam gasket and ear-speaker mesh.
Swapping Out Chrome Bezel? Difficult?
