Blackberry or Smartphone?

[Ashley_Price]

Hi All

Okay, I'm looking to go from Pay as you Go to a pay monthly as I'm starting to spend a lot each month. So I was also thinking about upgrading my phone.

Don't get me wrong I am happy with my Sony Ericsson K800i but as I am out of the office more it would be useful to be able to check my emails etc., while out and about. Many of the emails my wife can deal with, but there are still quite a few that she cannot - so she has to ring me for advice, so it would be good to just get them straight on my phone.

So I am looking for a phone where I can access my emails at my address - i.e. not a web based email service like Hotmail.

I would also like a camera on the phone - this doesn't have to any more than 2-3mp, as I don't use the current camera phone for taking anything more than "snaps".

But I don't know whether to go for a Blackberry or a smart phone (and if so which one)? I don't need all the functionality of an iPhone, but a good calendar/organiser would be useful.

One thing I definitely do want is a "proper keyboard" - I'm tried of typing stuff in using the three letters on a button. I got so fed up with this that I stopped using the K800i's organiser, great though it is.

 

[snipe12]

Blackberry is the one to go for, for business.

The best Blackberry's don't have cameras though.

I have the 8800 and it is great, proper keyboard, emails popup like text messages, I have 5 email accounts set-up on it and I can surf the web as well.

I pay £40.00 a month which was a deal I haggled for with vodafone. I get unlimited web, email, 700 minutes and 500 txts.

It takes a while to get used to it though.

There is a new blackberry out now with some providers so just have a look around.

 

[snipe12]

If you do go ahead, make sure you get the blackberry unlimited plan. Just say that you want unlimited blackberry email and web. Most phone companies charge between £5.00 - £15.00 extra for it and don't include it in price plans barring business ones. It's one of those annoying things where the price you see is not the price you pay and if you don't get it, your bill will have massive data charges on it.

 

[bobterry]

I have an SPV M3100, does all that you said you need. Built in 2m camera, pop's your email, has word, excel plus link with your pc for the calender etc. And has a Full QWERTY keyboard.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Thanks for the info so far. I must admit to being drawn towards a Blackberry 8310 Smartphone but I am willing to be convinced otherwise.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I have the 8800 and it is great...I pay £40.00 a month which was a deal I haggled for with vodafone. I get unlimited web, email, 700 minutes and 500 txts.

It seems you might be paying over the top. Checking the Vodafone site for the 8800 you can get a very similar deal - although with 700 minutes and 250 texts - for £35.00

The new Blackberry 9000 is expected out in September.

 

[snipe12]

It seems you might be paying over the top. Checking the Vodafone site for the 8800 you can get a very similar deal - although with 700 minutes and 250 texts - for £35.00

The new Blackberry 9000 is expected out in September.

It's not the same deal. You have to add the full blackberry service on top. They have just cut it down to £5.00 which would make my deal the same price but with double txt messages.

 

[AndyBlack]

I have just recently got my Blackberry Curve 8300 and I love it. Qwerty keyboard which allows me to type emails and txts at super human speed, and the emails etc come through instantly. I can also go onto the internet and log into admin accounts on my online stores, and post in my forums etc. Full internet capabilites.

The phone was free with BT as I have BT's broadband, phone and fusion phone. The Blackberry costs me £18 per month, and that is with unlimited emails and internet use. I then pay £3.50 per month extra for unlimted text messages.

Hope that helps.

Andy

 

[biomed86]

The new Nokia E71 looks quite good as an alternative to a blackberry:

http://www.three.co.uk/personal/mobiles_/discover.omp?CID=1215593875655

But I always hear that the blackberry's are the best all round business phones!

 

[snipe12]

I have just recently got my Blackberry Curve 8300 and I love it. Qwerty keyboard which allows me to type emails and txts at super human speed, and the emails etc come through instantly. I can also go onto the internet and log into admin accounts on my online stores, and post in my forums etc. Full internet capabilites.

The phone was free with BT as I have BT's broadband, phone and fusion phone. The Blackberry costs me £18 per month, and that is with unlimited emails and internet use. I then pay £3.50 per month extra for unlimted text messages.

Hope that helps.

Andy

The BT one is a good deal if you already have their broadband. They do a newer blackberry with free minutes for about £25.00.

 

[escapistthx]

The new Nokia E71 looks quite good as an alternative to a blackberry

I've been using the Nokia e61i for the past year and can highly recommend it. If you go with that and Vodafone's Email service (which is included in their webphone package for £6.50/month unlimited usage) then it works a treat. It can receive up to 4 email addresses at once.
It's a pull email service, meaning you have to schedule it to go and receive your email but it can be set to a 30 minute interval for a specific time frame (e.g. 8am to 6pm).

Also it has a camera and calendar etc etc. The e71 has me thinking of upgrading as it's slimmer phone and still has the full qwerty keyboard.

 

[exdido]

I've been using the Nokia e61i for the past year and can highly recommend it. If you go with that and Vodafone's Email service (which is included in their webphone package for £6.50/month unlimited usage) then it works a treat. It can receive up to 4 email addresses at once.
It's a pull email service, meaning you have to schedule it to go and receive your email but it can be set to a 30 minute interval for a specific time frame (e.g. 8am to 6pm).

Also it has a camera and calendar etc etc. The e71 has me thinking of upgrading as it's slimmer phone and still has the full qwerty keyboard.

I would wait a bit longer and get Blackberry bold (Wi -Fi, HSDPA etc). For me E71 is no good, as their qwerty keyboard is a bit of a miss. If you look at keyboard you will realize Z goes straight under A. If you type a lot of emails on a go, it is a bit annoying.

 

[accountancyextra]

I use a windows mobile phone supplied free from o2. I find it easy to use and am more than happy with it.

 

[ozbon]

For keyboard etc., take a look at HTC's TyTn II - also branded as the vodafone v1615 , or the O2 XDA Atmos. Slide out full QWERTY keyboard, which I prefer to that on the blackberry, and Windows Mobile 6, which is a definite improvement over WM 5.

It also packs a portable version of MS Office, so you can use Word, Excel etc. on the phone, and also has GPS and WiFi connections, so you can use it on a wireless network if you want to.

Out of all of them, the TyTn II (in whatever guise) would be my choice.

 

[Deleted member 3454]

I use the Nokia N95 - it receives email, has a camera and syncs with the PC. A friend had the Blackberry Pearl and when she renewed her contract she also went for the N95 as she was impressed with mine.

 

[leemason]

Blackberry used to have an edge before mobile Internet access started to get easier and cheaper. I would try to go for a phone with Wifi. Mobile Internet will get a lot cheaper over the next few years and if you go for something like the Nokia mentioned above or some of the HTC phones they will give you more of what you need.

I have read a few reviews of Blackberry phones and they are good for e-mail but never come out very well for phone functionality.

 

[jonny_p]

Dont touch the BT Blackberry! AHHHH!

 

[Ashley_Price]

It's not the same deal. You have to add the full blackberry service on top. They have just cut it down to £5.00 which would make my deal the same price but with double txt messages.

Don't take the following the wrong way - I'm not being sarky, it's a genuine question.

Am I missing something? Because the Vodafone site says

• Includes unlimited Mobile Internet and Email
• Unlimited Landline Calls

And then on the next page (choosing optional extras) it says:

Mobile Internet and BlackBerry Email - Free

So what am I missing? I've seen nothing that says you need to pay for "full Blackberry service".

 

[business123]

Anyone considering buying a Blackberry should wait four weeks or so and get the new Blackberry Bold.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Anyone considering buying a Blackberry should wait four weeks or so and get the new Blackberry Bold.

Why?

What does it do that I need that the current Blackberry's don't? Remember in my original post I said I'm looking for a "proper" keyboard, being able to check email and a good calendar/organiser. The current range of Blackberrys already do that.

 

[business123]

Faster HSPDA access, quicker processor, iTunes compatible, wi-fi - I've been using Blackberry's for a number of years, the Bold will be my fourth!

 

[Ashley_Price]

Another question to add: how many of my email addresses can I access with a Blackberry?

At the moment I have three addresses that I would like to be able to see the emails for while on the move, and soon this will go up to four or five.

 

[exdido]

Another question to add: how many of my email addresses can I access with a Blackberry?

At the moment I have three addresses that I would like to be able to see the emails for while on the move, and soon this will go up to four or five.

as many as you need

 

[Ashley_Price]

Then, to quote Mr Burns, and arching my fingers, "Excellent"!

 

[snipe12]

Don't take the following the wrong way - I'm not being sarky, it's a genuine question.

Am I missing something? Because the Vodafone site says

• Includes unlimited Mobile Internet and Email
• Unlimited Landline Calls

And then on the next page (choosing optional extras) it says:

Mobile Internet and BlackBerry Email - Free

So what am I missing? I've seen nothing that says you need to pay for "full Blackberry service".

Mine is on a personal plan and I don't think I mentioned that. It's the personal plans where they try to scam you. The business ones have it included just like you say. I got a match-up of the business £34.03+ vat plan but got an extra 250 text messages and on a personal plan. I just wasn't thinking about the fact this is a business forum when I mentioned it and the likelyhood that you would go with a business plan.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Well - I have to be honest here - I always forget that VAT has to be added (we're not registered for VAT) so yes, it does make it £40.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Because I know everyone is interested, I've ordered a Blackberry 8310 Smartphone Red.

 

[Ashley_Price]

The only thing is, what I ordered and what I received weren't the same thing, and when I finally got the phone I wanted I was sent a "titanium" not a red one!

 

[sm1]

How annoying!

 

[PureIT]

Are you talking about Enterprise level use of Blackberry here or just downloading from POP accounts?

For SME's I would recommend Smartphones, when it comes down to security ie company security policies you can't beat blackberry, granular level control


Just my opinion...........

 

[Ashley_Price]

I have a Blackberry Smartphone Curve 8310 on Blackberry Internet Service and it checks my emails from my pop accounts (I have it checking six at the moment).

It has already proved its worth. It's great to be able to quickly reply to important emails no matter where I am rather than having to keep finding a computer or switch my PC on at home just to check.

I've already had several comments from clients (and potential ones) about how impressed they are that I get back to them the same evening - even though they don't expect it.

 

[leemason]

I use Desknow as an e-mail system and have just noticed that they have released a Blackberry plugin for it so I might well have another look at Blackberries as I use a T-Mobile MDA at the moment and use IMAP to synchronise e-mail and SyncML to do appointments, contacts, and tasks.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Already I know I wouldn't be without it - I don't even know where the off button is (I've never looked).

 

[Green-Sheep]

Hi All

I have a limited supply of Blackberry bold available on Orange business contracts starting from £37.50 a month.

Regards

Jamie

 

[Mister B]

How are you getting on with the Blackberry as I to am potentially in the market for one. Unless anybody can suggest a similar phone, (with keyboard,) which features MS Office applications

Mister B

 

[ozbon]

Unless anybody can suggest a similar phone, (with keyboard,) which features MS Office applications

Look at the HTC TyTn II (also branded as O2s Atmos XDA or Vodafone v1615 or something ) or the brand new HTC Touch Pro which also looks stunning.

I had one of the original TyTns on Windows Mobile 5, which was a pain in the bits, and the other half now has a TyTn II which is much improved, runs on WM6 (far better) and has full MS Office documents - you can even create/edit/run Powerpoint docs, if you really wanted to.

 

[Ashley_Price]

How are you getting on with the Blackberry as I to am potentially in the market for one. Unless anybody can suggest a similar phone, (with keyboard,) which features MS Office applications

Mister B

As I said above I wouldn't be without it. It doesn't have MS Office applications (I don't know if these can be downloaded) but there are several compatible options - including eOffice - although it does depend on which Blackberry you have.

 

[snipe12]

As I said above I wouldn't be without it. It doesn't have MS Office applications (I don't know if these can be downloaded) but there are several compatible options - including eOffice - although it does depend on which Blackberry you have.

If you have the latest 4.5 operating system on the blackberry, you get a free word viewer but without the ability to edit them. I think it is about £60 or $60 for the full office system.

 

[Ashley_Price]

Yes I can look at documents if I want - but they can take quite a while to download.

 

[Ian Gannon AKA Mr Mobile]

Might I suggest looking at HTC.

Touch Pro
Touch Diamond
TyTN2
P6500 Sedna.

Speak to me to find out the current offers on these phones. They are like expensive cars, they will impress.

Blackberry is more secure than any other device as you can remotely wipe the data. This means, should your blackberry be stolen, or you work for the government and you leave it on a train, you can wipe it clear of all data. This service is available on Enterprise Models.