[kroth1342]

Hi:

I'm a college grad getting ready to enter the real world and thinking of upgrading from a mobile phone to BB. Just like most people my age, I use my phone to call, text, browse the internet, and send the occasional email. Is it really worth it to switch to a BB (thinking about the Pearl) - or only if you need/want to send/receive lots of email?

Any feedback, opinions, and personal experiences are well appreciated.

Thanks.

[JSanders]

kroth, the BB is good whether you have lots or little email, but the main selling point for me was having access to the electronic world WITHOUT have to lug a laptop around, and the BB is much more accessible than a laptop on the run (no setup, bootup, signon, etc.). It's not the tops for "browsing" the internet, for great for specific sites I routinely access (news, weather, travel, banking, etc.).

[John Clark]

Can't go wrong with the Pearl.

[blakeatl]

Very much so worth it!!

[ezrunner]

Absolutely 100% worth it. Once you integrate it with your life and learn to use it you will ask yourself "how did I ever do without it?"

[kelvin]

Amen - life with the BB is great.

[aiharkness]

Originally Posted by JSanders

kroth, the BB is good whether you have lots or little email, but the main selling point for me was having access to the electronic world WITHOUT have to lug a laptop around, and the BB is much more accessible than a laptop on the run (no setup, bootup, signon, etc.). It's not the tops for "browsing" the internet, for great for specific sites I routinely access (news, weather, travel, banking, etc.).

I concur with the above. And to the OP, there are two perspectives. (1) Are there shortcomings of your present practice? Is the phone limiting you? If it is working for you and you are not limited, then the BB may be more than you need. But (2), the BB may offer you capabilities you didn't consider or didn't realize you needed. If you tend to make the most of the tools you have, then the BB will be good for you. In the end, only you know the answer.

[ShaneToronto]

Originally Posted by JSanders

kroth, the BB is good whether you have lots or little email, but the main selling point for me was having access to the electronic world WITHOUT have to lug a laptop around, and the BB is much more accessible than a laptop on the run (no setup, bootup, signon, etc.). It's not the tops for "browsing" the internet, for great for specific sites I routinely access (news, weather, travel, banking, etc.).

Even though it's not great for routine browsing, the browser on my 8700 is more than adequate for occasionally looking up information and doing occassional tasks. I often use it if I need to quickly google something, etc and it works fine. Older models might not be as useful.

[flash24]

Yes it's worth it.. I'm a college student and having a BB (8700g) is great. It's a great tool for any professions, because all you need is in the palm of your hand. Phone, Email, Text Messaging, Instant Messaging, Internet, Calendar, Task, Memo Pad, you name it.

Hope this helps! :D

[archer6]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

I find the BlackBerry an amazing device. After using Treo's, a Moto-Q & Blackjack all of which were marginal at best, I finally got my first BB. This is the first device that has met & exceeded my expectations. I have high standards & am very pleased. It syncs up perfectly with Outlook which is very important for my use, & it does so very fast. Like another poster said, this is as close to a laptop as one can get in the palm of your hand.

My web browsing experience has been fantastic due to it's bright, clear screen. Also it's very easy to capture info off the web. The default browser is very good. I find myself using the web browser much more than I imagined before getting my BB. Also there are currently more than 250 web sites designed for mobile use. Most major sites have mobile sites as well. I believe that you would find the BB a great device for you.

[Dubdub]

I would say its worth it as well. Don't forget though that you will need a BB data plan on top of the voice plan to have email and Internet access.

[kroth1342]

:uppin this powerful thread:

Thanks to everyone who contributed. A follow-up: since the feelings toward BBs seem to be overwhelmingly positive, does anyone have one big complaint that stands out about BBs or their use? If I should just do a search for this, just tell me.

[albiesf]

Hmmm, good question. The Pearl uses the Suretype keyboard and you either like or you don't. Personally, I like the QWERTY of the 8703 but the shortcoming is the 8703 doesn't have a camera or multimedia capabilities like the Pearl. The other thing to consider is the smaller screen of the Pearl which you may not like. If you do any Web browsing, you'll want to try this out a bit just to see if you like it.

The 8800 is a good option that combines the best of both worlds...QWERTY keyboard, bright (and bigger screen), and multimedia capabilities.

In terms of daily use, the thing that bugs me is the whole attachment deal. For example, if you receive an attachment from someone in email, and you want to send it to someone else, you have to forward the entire email. You can't edit or take out any content from the email that was sent to you. Not a deal breaker by any means, but it can be annoying. Other than that, no complaints...the BB is reliable, doesn't hang or need a hard reboot like WM devices and just plain works.

[Dubdub]

Originally Posted by kroth1342

:uppin this powerful thread:

Thanks to everyone who contributed. A follow-up: since the feelings toward BBs seem to be overwhelmingly positive, does anyone have one big complaint that stands out about BBs or their use? If I should just do a search for this, just tell me.

Well this is a BB Forum so I would expect it to be positive! Did you try posting on a Treo or Windows Mobile Forum? LOL

I prefer the QWERTY style keyboard since I do a lot of email and scheduling with the calendar. I don't surf that much except when I am sitting in an airport or someplace similar with nothing else to do.

[williamt]

i just got the pearl on saturday, so far its been a pleasure to deal with, easy to set up emails, easy to read/reply to sms, mms, emails, love the IM application, and the fact that you download a lot of apps for it. Oh and did i mention comparing to any smartphone on the market it's the smallest?

A friend of mine has an o2, a big jobby with a flip out keyboard, i showed him my BB and his jaw dropped, he instantly canceled his contract and got a Blackberry, he is now loving it. And you can beat the blackberry on the thing it does best, email.

[rivviepop]

@ kroth1342: honestly, I think you'll love SureType once you get over the initial learning curve. Ignore the whole QWERTY argument for right now, just compare the SureType input method to the classic T9 (Nokia, Samsung, etc.) input and iTap (Motorola). Even if all you do is SMS a lot or mess around in your phonebook, this input mechanism will become your best friend -- you keep the small size of a pocketable phone, but you gain serious speed and accuracy in typing. My Pearl gets fondled daily at the office... "man I wish Verizon had this..." is a common comment.

Pretend you don't know about "BlackBerry" -- if you're looking for a serious messaging device that is like a traditional phone and handles the occasional email and browsing, you'll probably like it. My battery life is incredible too, it lasts days and days. There are tons of other positives as others will point out.

My biggest negative is that document management (DOC, XLS, PDF files on the expandable SD card) is horrible -- I see it as a very large gap in the entire BlackBerry line of products. People will say "just email yourself the doc", but that is just not an acceptable solution for the non-BES on the fly warriors. I need to read PDFs off my SD card, darnit.

My second biggest negative is that with BIS you don't have a true email experience (Folders, mainly) -- but the GMail applet you can download is great, so there is another way of doing it if you use GMail. This gap is being closed though by LogicMail, the main coder is working hard on bringing it to bear for normal POP/IMAP access. So, I have good hopes this will not be a negative for much longer.

All opinions above are in US Dollar.

[Stinsonddog]

As for QWERTY or not, it's not the input method, it's the home screen shortcuts that is also a big factor. Try them both before you buy. See my two tips docs to understand the differences.

[aiharkness]

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Originally Posted by kroth1342

:uppin this powerful thread:

Thanks to everyone who contributed. A follow-up: since the feelings toward BBs seem to be overwhelmingly positive, does anyone have one big complaint that stands out about BBs or their use? If I should just do a search for this, just tell me.

No complaints. I guess depending on where you are in the world and your carrier, data costs can be incredible, or so I hear. I'm using TMO and the price is incredible but in a good way.

[OrganicBerry]

I'll tell you.....I fought my company about getting a BB for a long time. I'm in marketing and I never go anywhere without my laptop, so I figured...what's the point?

About 10 days ago, I gave in.......

I can't believe I fought this for 2 years. No matter how you use it (all features, some, email, etc...), you'll appreciate the convenience.

[archer6]

Originally Posted by kroth1342

does anyone have one big complaint that stands out about BBs or their use?

Great question!

"does anyone have one _BIG_ complaint"

If one evaluates the BB for what it is designed for, the answer is no. In my particular case the answer is ABSOLUTELY NO COMPLAINTS.

Now if we take into consideration that some people want everything beyond reason & believe their needs are so special that RIM should have done this or that, then suddenly THEY have a big complaint.

However I speak from experience having owned and used nearly every smartphone to date, nothing comes close to the terrific performance of a BlackBerry.

I will make just a few points.

1) Every product of any kind is a compromise. It cannot be everything to everyone.

2) It's up to the buyer to take responsibility of choosing what best fits their needs.

3) In the realm of smartphones some are focused on business, while others on entertainment.

4) The best device for staying connected to clients, friends, and family is the BB hands down. It provides the best phone / email / txt messaging experience period.

5) If reliabilty, speed, and ease of use are important to you then it's BB.

6) If world class support & a stellar track record are important to you the it's BB.

Everything else are just minor issues.

Cheers.