[GrandMstrBud]

I have been a Windows Mobile user for about 3-4 years and recently got a BlackBerry Curve. I am really beginning to wonder what the big deal is about the BlackBerry phones compared to the Windows Mobile phones. The Windows Mobile data plans are almost half the price as the BlackBerry plans. Plus the other thing I have found it the E-Mail use is much better on the Windows Mobile phones. On the BlackBerry you can only see 30 days worth of e-mail and on the Windows Mobile phones you can see all E-Mails. Also on my BlackBerry my BIS E-Mails accounts do not delete messages on the server when deleting them on the phone where the WM does on both POP3 and IMAP accounts and on WM I can see all subfolders on IMAP accounts where on the BB you can not. The biggest thing I hear about the BlackBerry is the push E-Mail but if I receive an E-Mail from my exchange account they come in within seconds on each other so WM does have full push E-Mail. Other than having the ability to monitor or control the phone in a business I don’t see what the big deal is. If someone can let me know other features I am missing please let me know. I’m not complaining about the BB but I’m just trying to understand what the big deal is.

[The Tank]

Wirelessly posted

What you say is true but BB has a security edge that Windows can't match. The OS is also more stable than Windows as long as you don't experiment with an OS that may not yet be proven by your carrier.

If you are a business user than it works without the glitz that Windows provides. My company has had both and we came back to BB.

[GrandMstrBud]

Hello there, yes I'm finding that security is the main difference between the 2 devices but for the standard user I can't see much of a difference. I myself find the E-Mail support to be much better on WM devices but that's just my opinion. I'm happy to have one of each right now and I can't wait to get a mogul because this touch just does not cut it for e-mailing and texting.

[NJBlackBerry]

Many people find that the BlackBerry is much more stable than WM devices. Between stability, BES integration and security, very few BlackBerry users go back to WM devices. Can't recall the last one I used.

[GrandMstrBud]

I have not had any stability issues with my HTC S620, HTC Touch, or back when I had the HTC 6600. I'm happy with one of each with the WM being my personal phone and the BB my work phone. BTW, nice avatar and go J-E-T-S.

[NJBlackBerry]

Then you have found a good combination that works for you.

[BadWolf]

I have a BB Curve and a HTC TYTN II. I *try* to like the WM6.1 device, honestly i do. I currently have my SIM in it, with a custom ROM (Hyperdragon). I'm a geek I should love it! It does everything! But the BB is just more usable. My BB does not have 3G or Wifi, and not the wealth of available software. It just doesn't do as much, but what it does do, RIM have made very easy to use and actually thought about the user experience. WM6.1 is a great PDA, with a poor phone attached. Having to use a stylus really annoys me.

When I get a Bold/Storm, I'm sure that the WM device wont get a look in.

Just my thoughts.

[TeritaM]

to see your emails for more than 30 days just go to msgs>options>general options>keep messages and make your change.
also to delete on the phone/server go to msgs>options>email reconciliation>delete on and make your change.
I used a windows device (or 7 different ones) for over a year before finally giving up on WM. I could generally count on a 5 to 15 minute wait for email, and when I upgraded my software it wouldn't allow me to send email from the address I was using at the time unless I was at home and connected to my home network. so much for "mobile". it crashed if you looked at it wrong. it constantly needed hard resets which would cause me to lose every email/text msg I had. then general functions on the phone itself would go awry. to this day I see a touch screen and my skin crawls. if you have a good one that works then more power to you.
edit: that choke avatar is classic.

[daseff]

Yeah, what TeritaM said. I was about to say that you can keep e-mail forever if you want... Explore your phone and all the options before you judge it.

[GrandMstrBud]

After I activated my BB on the BES I do not see all e-mails and I do have my phone set to keep messages "forever". On my WM device as soon as I set it up I get all e-mails from exchange. Yes I do have my e-mail reconciliation set to delete on both but it never does on hotmail or my POP3 E-Mail. I think my IMAP account does delete on both but not the others. I've never had a problem with my WM device crashing but I do not like the touch screen for messaging but my HTC S620 was great for that. Of course I have not had any problems with my BB either but it lacks a few things and I do have a few issues with BIS E-Mail. But overall it is a very nice phone but it just lacks some e-mail features I'm used to.

TeritaM: I'm glad you enjoy the avatar,

[jazza]

Have to agree with you on this one. Ive been using the Dopod D810 (HTC P3600) and am also using the BB Pearl. I really am not sure what the fuss is about. My Dopod has had GPS enabled since i got it and have since installed applications like Tomtom navigator for directions.

The down side for me specifically is the lack of a keyboard but i could have just as easily got the HTC Touch Pro and it would have been sorted.

My personal experience, i do find WM unstable at times but its usually at least a week before i need to reboot the phone.

The part i love most is the ability to connect via Wifi and use skype for VOIP calls. You cant do that on a Pearl but am not sure about the Curve or the Bold.

Overall i do find both BB and Iphone trying to catch up with the WM phones cause they havent exactly introduced anything new in terms of functionality.

Just my $0.02.

[StuartV]

Originally Posted by The Tank

Wirelessly posted

What you say is true but BB has a security edge that Windows can't match. The OS is also more stable than Windows as long as you don't experiment with an OS that may not yet be proven by your carrier.

If you are a business user than it works without the glitz that Windows provides. My company has had both and we came back to BB.

On security: I've heard that numerous times, but I've never see what that actually means. Can somebody please explain how a BB is more secure than a WM6.1 phone? I mean, does one support SSL for browsers and the other doesn't? Does one use encryption to transmit email back and forth and the other doesn't? Does on use encryption on OTA sync of Contacts and Calendar items and the other doesn't? Beyond those things, what does having "security" on the device really mean?

On stability: I can't really see how anybody could make that claim if you're comparing anything to a BB Storm...

Thanks for any enlightenment.

[feragola]

Originally Posted by GrandMstrBud

I have been a Windows Mobile user for about 3-4 years and recently got a BlackBerry Curve. I am really beginning to wonder what the big deal is about the BlackBerry phones compared to the Windows Mobile phones. The Windows Mobile data plans are almost half the price as the BlackBerry plans. Plus the other thing I have found it the E-Mail use is much better on the Windows Mobile phones. On the BlackBerry you can only see 30 days worth of e-mail and on the Windows Mobile phones you can see all E-Mails. Also on my BlackBerry my BIS E-Mails accounts do not delete messages on the server when deleting them on the phone where the WM does on both POP3 and IMAP accounts and on WM I can see all subfolders on IMAP accounts where on the BB you can not. The biggest thing I hear about the BlackBerry is the push E-Mail but if I receive an E-Mail from my exchange account they come in within seconds on each other so WM does have full push E-Mail. Other than having the ability to monitor or control the phone in a business I don’t see what the big deal is. If someone can let me know other features I am missing please let me know. I’m not complaining about the BB but I’m just trying to understand what the big deal is.

I don't know what BB you are attempting to use, but all of the things you claim your BB doesn't do, it actually does do, you just have to set it for those options.

[pretzelb]

Originally Posted by StuartV

On security: I've heard that numerous times, but I've never see what that actually means. Can somebody please explain how a BB is more secure than a WM6.1 phone? I mean, does one support SSL for browsers and the other doesn't? Does one use encryption to transmit email back and forth and the other doesn't? Does on use encryption on OTA sync of Contacts and Calendar items and the other doesn't? Beyond those things, what does having "security" on the device really mean?

On stability: I can't really see how anybody could make that claim if you're comparing anything to a BB Storm...

Thanks for any enlightenment.

I agree. I hear that about security too but AFAIK a Windows Mobile phone can be just as secure as a BB. From what I've heard you can do the same things to secure a Win Mobile phone that can be done with a BB.

[Christie83]

I would also like to know about the security. Somebody, please answer. :P

[daphne]

One difference is that Windows Mobile devices can be infected with viruses and worms, BlackBerrys currently cannot.

[GrandMstrBud]

Originally Posted by feragola

I don't know what BB you are attempting to use, but all of the things you claim your BB doesn't do, it actually does do, you just have to set it for those options.

All of my settings are correct. WM simply manages e-mail a lot better and support two way sync. On the blackberry if I delete or read anything on my hotmail or yahoo it does not delete them off of the server and on WM it does. Also on WM I can see all subfolders on both hotmail, yahoo, and through exchange and all work great as far as a two way sync goes.

[pretzelb]

Originally Posted by daphne

One difference is that Windows Mobile devices can be infected with viruses and worms, BlackBerrys currently cannot.

I don't see how that can be true. A virus is basically just an evil program someone wrote. The only way a BB could never be infected is if nothing could be installed on it. It's not as if a Win Mobile phone just magically is infected by visiting Google.com or sitting near a hacker. The delivery of a virus or worm is the same for all platforms - something is installed that should not be either by someone taking the device or the user installing something they should not.

A virus/worm is just a program or piece of code. Only way to totally prevent one is to never allow any code to be installed.

[mr4r4n]

i have two pocket pc phones and i am trying to sell them and get a black berry, the one thing my pocket pc has done fairly well is email which i live by, i have alot of emails that i keep in folders stored on my device for reference because i end up going back to them for some form of message data / or attachments i wanted to know how are emails handled because i have messages from feb to now and about 157mb in attachments and i want to know if it will be able to be carried over on a blackberry & a mem card?

[daphne]

Originally Posted by pretzelb

I don't see how that can be true. A virus is basically just an evil program someone wrote. The only way a BB could never be infected is if nothing could be installed on it. It's not as if a Win Mobile phone just magically is infected by visiting Google.com or sitting near a hacker. The delivery of a virus or worm is the same for all platforms - something is installed that should not be either by someone taking the device or the user installing something they should not.

A virus/worm is just a program or piece of code. Only way to totally prevent one is to never allow any code to be installed.

Ok, let me rephrase that. There are no current known viruses for BlackBerrys. There are a couple of spy applications, but not viruses/trojans. The spy applications can be installed if someone has access to the device.

There have been and are viruses targeting Win Mobile devices, but not many thus far. Symbian is has been the most attacked mobile platform and has been infected through vulnerabilities in the OS. This article is from 2006, but is still relevant.

Viruslist.com - Mobile Malware Evolution: An Overview, Part 1

This one for Windows Mobile has backdoor capabilities.
Computer Security Research - McAfee Avert Labs Blog

From two months ago:
New mobile virus goes 'old school' - Security - iTnews Australia

Viruses and malware for mobile devices is a small but emerging field. A recent report from F-Secure estimated that there are some 400 mobile viruses currently in circulation, and that many pose significant risks for data and identity theft.

The BlackBerry OS APIs ane security features are locked down very tight mking it very hard to hack or infect, and none of the known mobile viruses to date can infect a BlackBerry.