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Why Blackberry?

AWB70
Aspiring Pro
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Why Blackberry?

Anyone got one? It's that time of year when I'm due an upgrade with o2, I do use my phone a lot for business related things and a lot of people are telling me to get a Blackberry. Things is I have researched the benefits and just can't seem to find anything on a Blackberry that doesn't happen on my Samsung Soul.
I can sync my contacts, schedule and receive email. Am I missing something here? In fact looking at the newer smart phones they are probably more feature rich than the blackberries. Just wondering why people I do a bit of business with are saying they couldn't live without one.
The only downside I have with my current phone is I often get sent out construction drawings which are pointless viewing on it, I usually just wait till I get back to hotel and use the laptop and there's no Satnav.
So why Blackberry?
27 REPLIES 27
James
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Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Why Blackberry?

I've got two Sad
I upgraded from my iPhone to a BB Bold about 9 months ago and to be honest, regretted doing so.
Don't get me wrong, I think they're great for email and as a normal phone they're "ok" but I'd take my iPhone over my BB anyday.
Be3G
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Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: Why Blackberry?

I get the feeling that Colin is having a similar reaction too – he's not said it explicitly (to me anyway), but he doesn't exactly sing the Blackberry's praises on Twitter.
I must say I'm not really sure how or why Blackberries are so popular. I know they have their highly respected place in enterprise, don't get me wrong, but I'm seeing a lot of consumers (often teenage) with them these days… why is that? Is it some kind of rebelliousness by going for perhaps until recently the least popular consumer smartphone platform, or is everyone being wooed by the keyboard? If so, I'm not sure how useful that is really – I can type much faster on my iPhone than any phone I've had with a real QWERTY keyboard (and my hands/fingers aren't particularly small either).
hulls
Grafter
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Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: Why Blackberry?

I get a Nokia E72 from work (with a qwerty keyboard) and to all intents and purposes seems to do the same job as a Blackberry.  I've never had a Blackberry myself (although my son has one), but the Nokia works ok.  I can type quite quickly on it (even with my short fat stubby fingers!).  I don't know what extra the BB would do for me.  I own an Ipod Touch, and of course the larger screen is good for video and better than the Nokia for web surfing, but I can't help feeling the the Iphone is basically the trendy one to have and is conqequently seriously over priced.
John
AWB70
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Re: Why Blackberry?

Quote
but I can't help feeling the the Iphone is basically the trendy one to have and is conqequently seriously over priced

I can't get a deal at all on even the older Iphone, even with a £35 PM contract the phone is still over £200. I like the idea of the BB and it seems like O2 are giving them away at the mo probably because of the fact they are not so popular. I just yet have to find anyone who has a good word for BB and they seem to be selling them based on features you would have on even a mid range new mobile.
I'm starting to feel a bit like I could get into a betamax situation if I got one and would probably be better off waiting until some of the new smart phones come down a bit.  Undecided
Quote
but I'm seeing a lot of consumers (often teenage) with them these days

A lot of mobile companies are getting shot of them with deals maybe teenagers have access too.
petlew
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Re: Why Blackberry?

Quote from: Jameseh
Don't get me wrong, I think they're great for email and as a normal phone

Never used a Blackberry. But erm! my Sony Ericsson Elm deals with email quite well and, of course is a pretty good phone. Although "typing" using the text keys might be described by some as a pain, so what does Blackberry do that a standard phone won't? except by reputation much more expensively I understand.
Which is what AWB was asking in the first place I suppose...
Experience; is something you gain, just after you needed it most.

When faced with two choices, simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the question for you. But because in that brief moment while the coin is in the air. You suddenly know what you are hoping for.
AWB70
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Re: Why Blackberry?

Back to the drawing board on my next choice of phone I guess. TBH my Soul is adequate for my needs at the moment and has a 5MP camera which is a lot better than most phones I've been looking at.
Santiago
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Registered: ‎10-08-2007

Re: Why Blackberry?

I have a Blackberry (my first) on 02 and it is the best phone I have ever had. I use it for phone calls, text, (push) email, twitter, photos.wifi and  instant messaging
It syncs with my company google apps domain and I put an 8gb card in it and use it as an MP3 player too. The rest  I do on my computer.
They are well put together and quite sophisticated in operation. Mine has the qwerty keyboard which I prefer over touch screens.
In our company plan, apart from an £8.00 premium for the Blackberry over the other Nokia phones, they are charged the same price as the various other handsets.
My wife and daughter always had Samsung phones with touch screens. I think they are cheap and nasty,  they were constantly failing and going for repair. My daughter has now switched to Blackberry on Orange and loves it.
My only grumble is that there is no app for Skype on Blackberry yet.
Mine is the Curve 8900 and I highly recommend it but you pays your money and takes your choice
AWB70
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Re: Why Blackberry?

The only thing being offered for free with o2 upgrade is the Curve 3G. The 2mp camera is a bit of a let down and the other options mean I have to pay £70 for the phone or get a more expensive tariff I won't use.
How do you folk go about getting a deal on upgrading? It seems taking o2's free upgrade is probably the worst deal.
Lurker
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Registered: ‎23-10-2008

Re: Why Blackberry?

I've trialled multiple BBs over the years, and they all end up languishing in my desk drawer within a few weeks.
I've always been really impressed with Sony Ericsson stuff for media and battery life (build quality seems good too - we give their basic model, the C510 to our factory/warehouse staff) I really enjoyed my W995.
I've used multiple Windows mobile devices (HTC Touch Diamond, HTC TyTN II, HTC Touch 3G), with general disappointment.
I like the Nokia E72, I recently issued one to one of our management team, she seems really happy with it and its a good looking phone given its size (it seems smaller than it is!)
I currently use an iPhone 3GS, (I quite like it, its not a master at anything, but a reasonable middle-ground easy housemate type device. - It meant I could troubleshoot some mailserver issues whilst laid in bed this morning, something that I haven't been able to do in any practical sense on previous phones, although I'm sure others are out there.)
I'm interested in trying an Android device next, but I'd only risk it on my work contract (I manage a monthly spend of c£3000 on mobiles, so Orange tend to let me play with stuff every now and then)
If I were buying one for me personally, and committing to spending my own money on it for the next 18mths, I think I'd be looking for something from Sony Ericsson - I have an iPod touch that can do pretty much everything my iPhone can, and which has a greater capacity for storing junk.
In other news, I want a new camera...
AWB70
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Re: Why Blackberry?

A lot of my friends recommend Android phones, all comments on BB seem to be a bit on the negative side. I think I may just wait a while on the upgrade like you say it's a phone for 18month and that's a long time with a phone you don't like.
Weird though I has high hopes for the BB, I was looking through the site at the features that they sell BB's on and find that most of them are on my own phone and the biggest selling point Email is neither here nor there. If you can send and recieve it and read the text then it's done it's job so I can't really work out how emailing on a BB could be significantly better. 
Santiago
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Re: Why Blackberry?

Quote from: AverageWhiteBloke
all comments on BB seem to be a bit on the negative side. 
My comments weren't negative
Quote from: James_G
I've trialled multiple BBs over the years, and they all end up languishing in my desk drawer within a few weeks.
Are these available for sale or donation to the needy?  Tongue
Lurker
Grafter
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Registered: ‎23-10-2008

Re: Why Blackberry?

I periodically have a clear-out - but there is an almost-new 8120 in Graphite sat in there - I used it for a couple of weeks max, and always kept it in its carry-case so its in immaculate condition.
It is locked to Orange though. Smiley
AWB70
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Re: Why Blackberry?

Quote
My comments weren't negative

I should re-phrase that, no comments give a convincing reason to choose BB over any other kind of phone. When I posted this it was because a lot of business people I deal with said they couldn't live without one. Up to press I can't see any reason why they would be any better than any other platform.
Don't get me wrong I'm not heading in any direction yet the jury is still out. I don't mind the BB's they look good and you mention the robustness but when I look at the features compared to just a standard phone they appear limited. Should an argument come up where I could say well maybe the cameras not so clever or the fact it's not 3G but ultimately from a business use point of view it stands out compared to others then I would get a BB.
This after all is the main thing BB seems to be selling their product based on but I can't see why  Undecided
Lurker
Grafter
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Registered: ‎23-10-2008

Re: Why Blackberry?

Lots of people with BBs will have limited experience of mobile email devices; typically you might expect people to have a BB that their company provided, and then a mobile phone of their own.
Companies which issue BBs will often have that as the only option for remote email access (If you have a working, secure system, and have invested in the kit etc, why would you change it?)
My wife has a BB provided to her by work, and for work mails it is invaluable.
She also has an iPhone, which she vastly prefers using and does so for her personal emails.
She can't use her iPhone for work, as the American owners do not want people to use anything other than BlackBerry - they know it works and offers them everything they think they need - why should they worry about adding something new?

Think of it another way - an MPV might be invaluable if that were the only option you had as a company car. It works, it does what it needs to do. For some people it would be perfect! But not for everyone - we all have different preferences.
BlackBerrys are brilliant, if that is exactly what you want or is absolutely the only option - otherwise, the best thing is the thing you want. Smiley