[geolab]

Initial Pearl user, I was talked into blackbery for one reason, necessity.
I work in finance and thus bloomberg pro, user.
When unlogged from the bloomberg PC, I log in on the blackberry and I have the same screen setup on my PC that opens on my blackberry, a screen at a time.
The pearl was getting old and heard abou the bold in June on this site.
Kept visiting everyday and shared the wait with loads of you.
Then I bought an iphone while waiting, and some pro-earbuds for the waiting.

I got my bold on 26th of September and been using both since. (today oct 15)

Both lines are 3g+ I have on Orange france since 2003. Yes my 2003 contracts were 3g.

Eversince I was on 3g since 2003 the calls sometimes cut, so nothing new here, and I laugh when I see people starting posts thinking its their bold...no its the line...

As for the Bold:

I am really deceived, maybe because of the wait.
First compared to the pearl, I feel I am talking into a calculator (large desk ones)
I cannot find enough improvements over the pearl even with the edge/3g+ difference.
second, the bloomberg application is not fit for the bold, and the font is microscopic, waiting for the update
then
battery life sucks, everybody knows any 3g device sucks batteries, BUT my bold needs 3 to 4 hours of charging for a complete charge. iphone 45 mins.
PUSH MAIL?
If you really need it, the iphone has it as well. I have a gmail and a yahoo on the iphone in push. I do not receive my mails faster on the bold.
I have uploaded one of my best tunes on both iphone and bold, bought some hot in-ear headphones, and the sound difference between both is ludicrous.
In the early morning I click on the New York times icon I have both on bold and iphone, somebody help me, how to do on the bold when you've surfed with the iphone? it is ridiculous on the bold.
Just try facebook on both, and don't drop the blackberry on the floor...

What I have on bold and not on iphone? few stuff not enough
I have mobile HDTV nice but not what I use often.
I have copy paste, cool and useful when in need of speed and time limited.

But between both even at 44 years of age, the iphone is more and more appealing, maybe because I am convicing myself that even if whatever, it is still a cool ipod, itunes or what have you.

As a tech fan, I am more of a RIM oriented, but I thought I should share my honest opinion with guys I shared the waiting with.

The cherry on the cake, I read in a magazine for social awareness that the bold is being retarded in the U states because of its rate of radiation, unacceptable in todays US limits
Just google it....

[JEGO82]

Hmm I love my bold and this is the best Blackberry i've ever had I dont have any negative to say

[gatechfireblade]

Wirelessly posted

I kind of agree. I have the 8110 and the bold. I rather use my 8110 because the size to functionality is a much better ratio, but the bold is the ultimate blackberry. I turn of 3g because I don't need it and the battery life is just as good as my curve. Also I write a lot of emails with it. For me, I carry a touch and a blackberry. I don't need media everywhere I go, and for the times I want it I have the touch. For productivity, you can't beat the bold.

[ErnieH]

Good points geolab. It's a wonderful thing that we have all these great mobile tools to choose from. I too moved from a Pearl to a Bold. Personally I dislike the iPhone simply for the virtual keyboard and the Bold keypad blows it away. To each their own.

[gfunk11]

Love the BOLD, moved from Curve actually, well... am still using the curve. :D The curve is a magnificent device. Love it very much too. However, with the BOLD, the +'ves are endless. Some negatives here & there, but not those that I'd fret about. Great productivity tool and beats most other devices out there.

[stuartho]

This is the first time I use a RIM product and it's a BOLD. It's perfect for me.

[argonboy]

I've used all the Blackberry devices since the original Pearl, 8800, Curve 8320, Pearl 8120, and Bold and I find it amazing that someone who NEEDS to use their phone could choose the iPhone over it. I carry the Curve and the iPhone all the time (because of sexy iPhone apps), but because it's an iPod touch with a modem for occasional calls, usually when I have to refer to an email on the BB.

Poor call reliability, poor messaging, you have to hack it to disable auto-correct (it auto-corrects from US state initials like NH). No copy/paste means that if someone puts a space in a phone number they message you, you're on your own. Oh, and try using a BMW factory bluetooth kit with the iPhone 3G (people told me not to call them from the car anymore)

I live in Bucharest, ROMANIA, where I have perfect reception everywhere from the basement to parking garages to the metro stations and any street, except on the iphone 3G. I go in the elevator with the phone on and I won't have reception for 5-10 minutes (2.1 firmware 3G mode). The older iPhone wouldn't do that, that's what I call progress.

Blackberry or Nokia don't even lose reception in that same elevator.

I will admit the Bold is pretty big, switching from the Curve, even more from the Pearl.

[jenngail]

I have to say this is the MOST patient I have ever been with a phone's release. I have been waiting on the Bold since JUNE. At which point I "sort of" drove over my unlocked Curve that I have used since prior to its actual release here in the states. I have been trying to wait and purchase this legitimately from an ATT store. I went in and out of the same store for months asking about the Bold (at times even the same rep) and the response was always a blank stare and oh we have the latest and greatest blackberry. NOT. What they have is a total lack of incompetence on their part. I have been seeing threads that ATT will offer all BOLD users free TV streaming. IF and WHEN I finally break down and purchase this somewhere else, will I still have that capability? A launch party without a product, is nothing more than a birthday party for someone not even invited.

[BBFanboy]

What I love about 3G is being able to email and talk at the same time.
I spent two hours in a conference call from my car without any of the materials form the office, and the Bold 3G made it possible.

I called in to conference. They emailed me the document, I saved it on my card, edited the document right then and there. Conference over. Done.

So yes, I do leave my 3G on - it has been pretty reliable on the Rogers network ever since firmware 1.47

[SamBerry]

I have owned and loved the 957, 7280, 8700 and 8800 and the Bold is by far the best in all respects.

One complaint is battery life (my 8800 spoiled me into getting 3-4 days) but running .162 gives me two full days. So it's acceptable; a spare battery is must.

[JosieGrossie]

I've had the Pearl, Curve, iPhone and now Bold and there is no way I'd go back to any of them. The Bold is the perfect phone for me, have had no major issues, and see MANY improvements over past gadgets I've owned. The screen quality is unbelievable, with the new update, everything is SO fast and the battery life is twice as long. I use mine all day every day, and have never come home from work with a dead battery and it never takes long to charge back up (and that was BEFORE the update)

The iPhone is gorgeous, but as a phone it's garbage. I couldn't keep it over two weeks because the thing was driving me nuts. I missed the simplicity of the Blackberry. I missed having an indicator of a new message/voicemail/email/whatever. Having to constantly unlock the phone to check for anything new was an annoyance. And texting more than one person at a time? Even more annoying. The call quality was crap, calls were always being dropped, voicemails wouldn't show up until hours later. And the keyboard on the iPhone? Impossible. No cut/copy/paste ... fixing a typo you have to magnify the word. Ridiculous. Maybe I am just never going to be ready for a touchscreen keyboard ... I couldn't handle it. Typing on the Bold is a dream. I could go on ... I have an iPod touch for the media stuff and that's all I need. I could never, ever, ever go back to the iPhone after owning a Blackberry. Not a chance. It was a mistake for me to ever replace it.

The Bold, IMO, is a wonderful device. I haven't had it for long, but I've had no issues.