[DaMaDo]

I have the Cingular Treo 650 with EDGE and I'm awaiting my backordered 8700C. I'm wondering if anyone has gone from the 650 to the 8700 and can post their thoughts on the transition.

I just went to http://reviews.cnet.com/7004-7254_7-0.html with my treo 650 and ran the speed test with 4 bar reception in alexandria VA and got an average of 72 kbps with the 500k file it downloads. Can anyone test this on the 8700?

[richard371]

I have the 650 on tmobile. It's rock solid(latest FW) and sounds great as a phone(with volumecare). I will be carrying both when I get the 8700 for awhile and then decideing which I like beter. I will post when I get it.

[fredric177]

Guys, I've been a Treo fan for years now, and I must say, I am falling in love with the new Blackberry 8700c. It feels more reliable, user-friendly, simpler, robust than the T650. Wow! I'm thrilled! It's much smaller than the previous one, too, which helps... the browser works incredible, in my opinion. THe T650 was too unreliable. I am SOOO tired of it...it's heavy, too, the BB8700c is so light! Absolutely LOVE it!

[DaMaDo]

That's good to hear! Can't wait to get mine. Does the speed test linked above work on the 8700? Any speed reports?

[sfo]

I'm with Fredric177. I've used both every blackberry and every treo since they came out. I gave up on Treo after the 7290. Now, with the 8700, it's a slam dunk.

The 650 is bulky and erratic. Mail, internet are SO much slower thn the 8700.
Only reason I'd go 650 is if I wanted software apps. Treo far better for that.
However, each one you add seems to increase the possibility of crashing.

[Mark Rejhon]

Originally Posted by DaMaDo

I just went to http://reviews.cnet.com/7004-7254_7-0.html with my treo 650 and ran the speed test with 4 bar reception in alexandria VA and got an average of 72 kbps with the 500k file it downloads. Can anyone test this on the 8700?

We don't care about 50 vs 100 Kbps around here...

I downloaded a 330 kilobyte file in less than 20 seconds -- over 16 kilobytes per second average -- that's almost 200 kilobits per second. Record is 242 kilobits per second for Canadian EDGE (treatz on HowardForums) and 150+ kilobits per second is easy in Canadian EDGE. But that's Rogers Canada speeds. I have noticed Cingular/AT&T speeds are usually only half of Rogers Canada speeds. Expect to get at least 80-100 Kbits/sec or so.

Also, speed tests DO NOT WORK properly on BlackBerry -- it will report something like 400 or so kilobits per second because of the compression done by the BIS/BES (it's like a web accelerator). So don't bother testing speed test websites, but test by downloading an OTA file such as http://www.verichat.com/ota/VeriChat.jad (BlackBerry version of AIM/ICQ/MSN software)

There are other aspects of a BlackBerry that are more important -- like stability, durability, reliability -- like ability to easily survive a 4-foot drop to concreate (TREO can't do that, but BlackBerry can) -- and less crashes and reboots needed.

(Although early 7100's and certain models of BlackBerry did have stability problems, but the 8700 as a data device appears to be relatively stable straight from inception.)

[dtmfjunkie]

Originally Posted by sfo

I'm with Fredric177. I've used both every blackberry and every treo since they came out. I gave up on Treo after the 7290. Now, with the 8700, it's a slam dunk.

The 650 is bulky and erratic. Mail, internet are SO much slower thn the 8700.
Only reason I'd go 650 is if I wanted software apps. Treo far better for that.
However, each one you add seems to increase the possibility of crashing.

I had a Treo650 and that's excatly how I feel as well.

[toddm1234]

I have used a treo 650 for about 4 months,, after many lockups,white screens, and email pulling that doesnt always work.. this 8700c is by far the best option i have used.. My work uses BES so that is probably the best part.
Happy thanksgiving...

[richard371]

Can't wait to try the 8700c. My unlocked gsm 650 is rock solid and has only crashed about once in 3 months because of some bad 3rd party app. This is after I tried a couple of them and with the latest firmware. I use it everyday as a phone, sms, Tomtom, Verichat and it's flawless. I find the phone on it is louder and clearer then any Blackberry I have ever had (volumecare installed). I do like the size and weight of the 8700 and if the phone and IM applications are = to or better then the Treo then I will just keep the Treo around for Tomtom and switch to the 8700 as my major phone. Sounds like you have to cherry pic to get a good solid Treo so I want to save it. I am the Blackberry admin for my firm so it will me nice to finaly carry 1 device. I hope that guys post about how the phone is bad is just a deffective unit. I can't stand being outside on the phone (Blackberry) and have people say they can't hear me because of background noise etc. Also like a phone that has decent volume outside. I don't like or use headsets. I will compare the phone on the 2 in several enviroments when I get the 8700 and post back my results. Again I have the latest FW and volumecare on my treo that others may not have. This makes a big difference.

[justelise]

I got my 8700c today and it's blowing my Treo 650 away. The keyboard on the Blackberry is much more comfortable, the screen is a lot brighter, and it doesn't reboot four or five times a day when I am in the middle of trying to do something or when I've just received an SMS message which is always a bonus. E-mail is also a lot cleaner. Setting up my account and adding my e-mail accounts to BIS took a lot less time than it took me to configure VersaMail the first time. The browser is quick and has done pretty well with most of the sites I have visited (it always helps if they are standards compliant sites also). I have also found some good free software that has helped me tweak the 8700c more to my liking.

Now if I can just figure out an efficient way to make some mp3 ringtones and deliver them to the 8700c, I will be happy. I will miss Ringo because I could have an entire song play as my ringtone if I wanted to.

Anyone know of an easy way to use your mp3s as ringtones on the 8700c? I'd appreciate the help.

[DaMaDo]

Definitely good news. It's funny....I liked my treo 650 a lot more than my PPC phones b/c of reboots. I had to reboot the PPCs constantly...the treo 650 more like once every couple of day. I can't imagine how the treo (700w) is going to be when it incorporates PPC's brother: windows mobile. Hopefully the reboots don't stack hehe.

My 8700C gets here monday, and I am even more excited now from reading these posts =)

[barjohn]

Originally Posted by justelise

Now if I can just figure out an efficient way to make some mp3 ringtones and deliver them to the 8700c, I will be happy. I will miss Ringo because I could have an entire song play as my ringtone if I wanted to.

Anyone know of an easy way to use your mp3s as ringtones on the 8700c? I'd appreciate the help.

Use the search button here, BG provides a link to software you can use:
http://www.blackberryforums.com/showthread.php?t=19785

Enjoy.

[rg1]

Can anyone comment on the web browsing speed difference between the 8700 and the Treo 650? I'm a 650 owner and considering making the move.

[richard371]

8700 browser much faster. 650 browser handles a few more sites and some popups etc.

[rcg]

My Treo 650 is somewhere on Highway 280... near Saramonte I think.

[jwhite4304]

As a Treo 650 owner, I am seriously considering Blackberry for the reasons mentioned earlier - white screens, lockups, etc.

Jimbo

[sfo]

Internet speed is far far faster on 8700 than 650.
And it's configured vertically, so it's easy to read. Contrast is excellent.

[pollster]

I have both bb 8700 and treo 650
1. the bb 8700 isn't as quirky / treo is constantly shutting down and re setting / plus phone seems soft as it almost bends as you put very little pressure on it.
2. Web speed on BB 8700 Edge is much faster / however the Cingular browser sucks.Browser on Treo 650 is much better. Myself and others are trying to find out why the BB 8700 won't let you use the BB browser. That would make it even better.
3.BB 8700 has much more volume to hear a caller / I had to down load a volume increase program as I could barley hear callers on Treo 650 / still hard to hear in crowded room. Even the speaker phone is weak and hard to hear unless in quite environment.
4. BB 8700 is not quite as good as a phone and accessing contacts as Treo 650
5. Of course the BB 8700 is the best period on email delivery.

[deniska]

This is funny. I am actually considering switching from a 7100t to a T650. I'll need to do some more research. By the way, does anyone know if an 8700t is coming (T-Mobile version of 8700)?

[cwosigns]

Originally Posted by deniska

By the way, does anyone know if an 8700t is coming (T-Mobile version of 8700)?

Try using the 'search' function on here. The T-Mo 8700 has been discussed ad nauseum on here in at least two other threads.