[Knocka]

I have now been using the 7100g for almost a week. First, I really like it. For my needs, it is far superior to the Treo 650, which was bug infested and reset constantly. But, the BB has a few issues. Maybe someone has some solutions or workarounds or maybe others out there just share my pain. here they are:

(1) When an Item is moved from the Inbox to a folder that is not accessible by the BB (such as when I file in a Personal Folder) or Shift-Deleted, the BB cannot reconcile that item and it remains in the BB’s Inbox. The only way to get rid of it is to manually delete it from the BB’s Inbox. This is maddening. I see no reason that the BB cannot simply synchronize the Inbox. If it has a message n its Inbox, and does not find it on the Exchange Inbox, it deletes it. Why doesn’t some smart person write some software that does this (I have no idea how to do this).

(2) The Messages view default to Messages, not the Inbox. I relate to the Inbox. I am not interested in seeing a long list of Sent Items. Right now, for example, my Inbox has only 4 items in it, but they are all more than a day old (things I have to deal with). So, currently the first 25 items in the Messages screen are Sent Items. The first Inbox Item does not appear until the THIRD screen. Who cares about Sent Items. I know you can change to Inbox View, but I want it to default to the Inbox View. Again, this seems to be an easy feature to introduce.

(3) Related to number two, if I then delete items that are in Sent Items from the BB so that they do not appear in the Messages Screen (which is annoying anyway), when it reconciles, these items will be deleted from the Exchange Server’s Sent Items Folder and moved to Deleted Items. Obviously, I do not want that. Thus, when you combine the two behaviors of numbers 2 and 3, there is no easy way to avoid seeing all the Sent Items all the time by default. (I know I could “File” them on the BB, and Hide Filed Items, but that is another cumbersome step).

(3.1) If I uncheck the Sent Items Folder on the BB under Folder Redirection, here is what happens:

(3.1.1) Messages sent from BB appear in BB’s Sent Items folder and in the Exchange Server Sent Items Folder.

(a) If I then delete the message from the Sent Items folder on the BB, it also deletes from Sent Items on Exchange Server.

(b) If I then delete the message from the Sent Items folder on the Exchange Server, it also deletes from Sent Items on the BB.

(3.1.2) Messages sent from computer, DO NOT appear in Sent Items in BB.

This setup solves some of the problem. Since I send most mail from the computer, it keeps the Message view screen from getting too cluttered with Sent Items. But, the downside it that items sent from the computer will not be available for viewing on the BB at all.

(4) I have not yet figured out the shortcuts and use the wheel a lot. The wheel is actually very good, and it even works well for web browsing, which surprised me. But I have not yet gotten the menus customized, which should make it even more useful.

(5) When I select a name to call from the Call Log (which is very handy), it does not just call. Instead, it brings up a menu with that phone number highlighted. It takes another wheel click to place the call. In other words, if I select Jeff (w) from the call log, it brings up a menu with Call Work highlighted. I can then scroll to Call Home, etc., or click to call work. This is fine. But, you should be able to press and hold the wheel to initiate the call to the number that is in the Call Log, without being taken to the menu screen. A single click should take you to the screen, a click and hold shoul just call the number.

(6) When I select a name from the address book to call it takes even more click. The first one brings up a menu with Call [person’s name] highlighted. I then have to click again, which brings up a “which phone number screen.” I then have to scroll to and click the correct phone number. There should be a way to set one of the person’s numbers as the default (your cell, for example, so I can leave you more annoying messages), which is called on a click and hold, and only bring up these options on a single click. Too much to ask for?

(7) On the Default Text Theme, Items can be moved around, but I cannot get Verichat, for example, out of the Applications folder and onto the main screen. I also would like a Phone Option at the very top, not messages. But there is no Phone option at all. You must hit the green send key to get to Phone. Other themes, such as the Default one with Icons, have a Phone icon. You should be able to customize these screens more.

Notwithstanding these issues, I find it far superior to the Treo and am much happier with it. It is smaller, lighter, has no antenna sticking up, wirelessly synchs all PIM applications, is easy to navigate, works very well as a phone, etc.

Thoughts?

Chris