Comments on: Less Email, what is the BlackBerry really good at? http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at The Official, Unofficial BlackBerry Weblog Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:10:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Is Cingular’s BlackBerry Personal Plan a sign of more consumer friendly BlackBerries to come? | RIMarkable | The official, unofficial BlackBerry Weblog http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-3229 Is Cingular’s BlackBerry Personal Plan a sign of more consumer friendly BlackBerries to come? | RIMarkable | The official, unofficial BlackBerry Weblog Thu, 08 Jun 2006 17:57:02 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-3229 [...] h more compelling when they are hooked up to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. I am already on the record for saying that as a mobile phone, the BlackBerry is average at best. Although I agree wi [...] [...] h more compelling when they are hooked up to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. I am already on the record for saying that as a mobile phone, the BlackBerry is average at best. Although I agree wi [...]

]]> By: Darrel Dent http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2870 Darrel Dent Mon, 22 May 2006 19:23:31 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2870 Like I said, I guess it comes down to how you use the phone. But I have to say that the audio quality on my 7100i is comparable to any of the Nokia or Motorola phones I've had (I can't remember the other manufacturers). I totally agree with you on voice dialing, but then I've never been able to get it to work on any of my previous phones that theoretically had it anyway. My last phone was a Motorola i90c and I gave up on voice dialing within a month of getting it. I did try Voice Control and I couldn't get that to work either, but it was nothing new for me. I show 13 speed dial slots, but I get your point. I've only used five of those and probably won't use any more. After that I can't remember which number is on which speed dial anyway. I tend to call and email or message directly from my address book. As for photo caller id, you mean there really are people who use that? : ). Sorry, but I've always just considered it a waste of memory. And as for being outside, I am right now and I've never had a problem. In fact, I have much more of a problem with my pda in the sun than I have had with this phone, at least so far! Like I said, I guess it comes down to how you use the phone. But I have to say that the audio quality on my 7100i is comparable to any of the Nokia or Motorola phones I’ve had (I can’t remember the other manufacturers). I totally agree with you on voice dialing, but then I’ve never been able to get it to work on any of my previous phones that theoretically had it anyway. My last phone was a Motorola i90c and I gave up on voice dialing within a month of getting it. I did try Voice Control and I couldn’t get that to work either, but it was nothing new for me. I show 13 speed dial slots, but I get your point. I’ve only used five of those and probably won’t use any more. After that I can’t remember which number is on which speed dial anyway. I tend to call and email or message directly from my address book. As for photo caller id, you mean there really are people who use that? : ). Sorry, but I’ve always just considered it a waste of memory. And as for being outside, I am right now and I’ve never had a problem. In fact, I have much more of a problem with my pda in the sun than I have had with this phone, at least so far!

]]> By: Robb Dunewood http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2864 Robb Dunewood Mon, 22 May 2006 14:51:50 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2864 Darrel, I see where you are coming from on some points but I have to disagree with you on the 7100i's phone capabilities. Don't get me wrong, I think that the BlackBerry is OK as a phone, but if you've had 6 mobile phones that weren't as good as the 7100i from a phone standpoint, all I can say is that you have been incredibly unlucky when it comes to picking out good mobile phones. Let me just name a few of the 7100is shortcomings as a mobile phone: <ul><li>Poor audio quality</li> <li>No free voice dial (you could buy <a href="http://www.rimarkable.com/archives/381">Voice Control</a> since this is a Nextel BlackBerry, however, this should be built-in)</li> <li>Only 10 speed dial numbers</li> <li>No photo caller ID</li> <li>Cannot see the screen outdoors</li></ul> Darrel,

I see where you are coming from on some points but I have to disagree with you on the 7100i’s phone capabilities. Don’t get me wrong, I think that the BlackBerry is OK as a phone, but if you’ve had 6 mobile phones that weren’t as good as the 7100i from a phone standpoint, all I can say is that you have been incredibly unlucky when it comes to picking out good mobile phones.

Let me just name a few of the 7100is shortcomings as a mobile phone:

  • Poor audio quality
  • No free voice dial (you could buy Voice Control since this is a Nextel BlackBerry, however, this should be built-in)
  • Only 10 speed dial numbers
  • No photo caller ID
  • Cannot see the screen outdoors
]]> By: Darrel Dent http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2570 Darrel Dent Sun, 21 May 2006 00:17:37 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2570 In some ways I agree with your assessment, but not completely. I've had my first BlackBerry, a Nextel 7100i for about three months. I got it as a "cell phone on steroids" because I wanted Bluetooth and GPS capabilities (especially Telenav). I also own a Sony Clié UX-50, which is my third Palm OS PDA. I must say that as far as the 7100i is concerned, I totally disagree with your opinion of BB's as phones. I can't speak for the other models, but my 7100i is as good or better than any of the six other cell phones I've owned, all of which were top-of-the-line when I bought them. In terms of functionality as a phone, never mind the PIM functions, and ease of use, it blows my gf's Razr away! When it comes to the PIM functions, you're right. They are nowhere near as comprehensive or as available as those for Palm OS devices. But for me, the convenience of only having to carry one device (after carrying both a cell phone and a PDA for years) most of the time more than makes up for the difference in power. And being able to sync the BB with my Clié using Intellisync ensures that anything I enter on the BB will also be on the PDA when I do need its greater capabilities. But I absolutely agree with you that the BB's clear strength is email. Although when I got the 7100i, I considered push email a nice side benefit, now I don't know how I got along without it. My days of logging into three different email accounts three or four times a day are over. But as you very wisely considered when advising your friend, it comes down to how you will use the device. Asking what a BlackBerry is good at without email is like asking what a car is good at without tires. It can have a luxurious interior, a killer stereo and a huge trunk, but without tires it kind of misses the point. So even though that wasn't the main reason I got my BB, it has become one of my primary uses of it (besides as a phone, which is still my #1 use for it). So for anyone who is looking at smartphones and is a heavy email and phone user, I would absolutely recommend that they consider the 71XX series or even the 8700 series. If they don't like the Windows mobile versions, which I don't, then its a no-brainer. If you will frequently need to view and/or edit Microsoft Office documents, you better stick to a Windows device. But, IMHO, what you gain in capability with the Windows devices, you lose in ease of use. In some ways I agree with your assessment, but not completely. I’ve had my first BlackBerry, a Nextel 7100i for about three months. I got it as a “cell phone on steroids” because I wanted Bluetooth and GPS capabilities (especially Telenav). I also own a Sony Clié UX-50, which is my third Palm OS PDA. I must say that as far as the 7100i is concerned, I totally disagree with your opinion of BB’s as phones. I can’t speak for the other models, but my 7100i is as good or better than any of the six other cell phones I’ve owned, all of which were top-of-the-line when I bought them. In terms of functionality as a phone, never mind the PIM functions, and ease of use, it blows my gf’s Razr away! When it comes to the PIM functions, you’re right. They are nowhere near as comprehensive or as available as those for Palm OS devices. But for me, the convenience of only having to carry one device (after carrying both a cell phone and a PDA for years) most of the time more than makes up for the difference in power. And being able to sync the BB with my Clié using Intellisync ensures that anything I enter on the BB will also be on the PDA when I do need its greater capabilities. But I absolutely agree with you that the BB’s clear strength is email. Although when I got the 7100i, I considered push email a nice side benefit, now I don’t know how I got along without it. My days of logging into three different email accounts three or four times a day are over. But as you very wisely considered when advising your friend, it comes down to how you will use the device. Asking what a BlackBerry is good at without email is like asking what a car is good at without tires. It can have a luxurious interior, a killer stereo and a huge trunk, but without tires it kind of misses the point. So even though that wasn’t the main reason I got my BB, it has become one of my primary uses of it (besides as a phone, which is still my #1 use for it). So for anyone who is looking at smartphones and is a heavy email and phone user, I would absolutely recommend that they consider the 71XX series or even the 8700 series. If they don’t like the Windows mobile versions, which I don’t, then its a no-brainer. If you will frequently need to view and/or edit Microsoft Office documents, you better stick to a Windows device. But, IMHO, what you gain in capability with the Windows devices, you lose in ease of use.

]]> By: Rick Mahn http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2429 Rick Mahn Fri, 19 May 2006 23:17:30 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2429 Robb, with this post I really respect your viewpoints about BlackBerry. Its not easy to truely evaluate a person's favorite device and openly discuss some of its shortcomings, but you are spot on. I've talked a bit more on this topic back on <a href="http://www.rickmahn.com/2006/05/19/blackberry-ok-but-getting-better/" title="BlackBerry - ‘OK’, but getting better…" rel="nofollow">my blog</a> if anyone is interested in checking it out. My opinion is that BB will be correcting a number of these items over time, or with a healthy 3rd party software market, an ISV may step up and create some really great replacements for the PIM functionality - that is what's happened on the Windows Mobile and Palm devices. -Rick Robb, with this post I really respect your viewpoints about BlackBerry. Its not easy to truely evaluate a person’s favorite device and openly discuss some of its shortcomings, but you are spot on.

I’ve talked a bit more on this topic back on my blog if anyone is interested in checking it out.

My opinion is that BB will be correcting a number of these items over time, or with a healthy 3rd party software market, an ISV may step up and create some really great replacements for the PIM functionality - that is what’s happened on the Windows Mobile and Palm devices.

-Rick

]]> By: RickMahn.com » Blog Archive » BlackBerry - ‘OK’, but getting better… http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2428 RickMahn.com » Blog Archive » BlackBerry - ‘OK’, but getting better… Fri, 19 May 2006 23:10:59 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2428 [...] I was slightly amazed by this post over at RIMarkable.  For a fan of any particular style of device to be so blunt and honest abou [...] [...]
I was slightly amazed by this post over at RIMarkable.  For a fan of any particular style of device to be so blunt and honest abou [...]

]]> By: Robb Dunewood http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2113 Robb Dunewood Thu, 18 May 2006 11:26:59 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2113 Even though the I agree that the BlackBerry 8700 is much beefier than it's predicessors, it is still limited from a horsepower standpoint compared to it's competitors. What good is a fast Intel processor if the firmware never enables the acceleration that makes it better that what was previously available. Even though the I agree that the BlackBerry 8700 is much beefier than it’s predicessors, it is still limited from a horsepower standpoint compared to it’s competitors. What good is a fast Intel processor if the firmware never enables the acceleration that makes it better that what was previously available.

]]> By: rich http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2010 rich Thu, 18 May 2006 00:17:28 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2010 This may be so with most blackberrys but a lot has changed with the 8700 and if you don't agree then you aren't using all it has to offer. That would be like buying a new computer just for word processing. This may be so with most blackberrys but a lot has changed with the 8700 and if you don’t agree then you aren’t using all it has to offer. That would be like buying a new computer just for word processing.

]]> By: Mike L. http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-2007 Mike L. Wed, 17 May 2006 19:09:16 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-2007 I am an Exchange administrator for a small consulting firm and because we have so many contractors that already have their own BlackBerry or smartphone we support BES, GoodLink, Intellisynch, and are about to start supporting the direct push feature in SP2 so that people can hopefully use their own devices to get mail while on site. Internal employees can buy discounted devices through or corporate plan and since the Treo 700w came out we have people signing up to Goodlink accounts about 3 times as fast as those asking for BES accounts. I bet that one of the mane reasons that so many people swear by their BlackBerry is because they haven't had a choice. I am an Exchange administrator for a small consulting firm and because we have so many contractors that already have their own BlackBerry or smartphone we support BES, GoodLink, Intellisynch, and are about to start supporting the direct push feature in SP2 so that people can hopefully use their own devices to get mail while on site.

Internal employees can buy discounted devices through or corporate plan and since the Treo 700w came out we have people signing up to Goodlink accounts about 3 times as fast as those asking for BES accounts.

I bet that one of the mane reasons that so many people swear by their BlackBerry is because they haven’t had a choice.

]]> By: Alex http://www.rimarkable.com/less-email-what-is-the-blackberry-really-good-at#comment-1993 Alex Wed, 17 May 2006 17:48:51 +0000 http://www.rimarkable.com/?p=699#comment-1993 Sounds about right. I've played with my wife's 7290 and the PIM apps are no where as good as the Palm's built-in ones, let alone 3rd party apps! Unfortunately for RIM I use my phone for more than <em>just</em> emails so Nokia E61 here I come... Sounds about right. I’ve played with my wife’s 7290 and the PIM apps are no where as good as the Palm’s built-in ones, let alone 3rd party apps! Unfortunately for RIM I use my phone for more than just emails so Nokia E61 here I come…

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