[Drayk]

OK...I'll admit I HATE threads like this but I have to lay it out there.
I've been a die-hard BB user on AT&T for years. 8300, 8310, 9000, 9700 and now, 9800.
BB just does it for me. LED notification (this is huge), MS Outlook sync (it gives me one place/program for everything), email/txt tank, ease of use at 60 MPH, etc......but droid specs are better (not that I think that makes for a "faster" device) and my "droid friends" tell me it would work "better" for me, for what I use it for.
When I get spicific and how I use my BB and I NEED to get txt/emails immediately, sync cal./contacts/tasks, I always get: I don't use Outlook it's stupid, I don't care about LED notification, I email from my comp......
I need the opinion from someone who runs a business on a droid.
I need to be able to: get an email I'm waiting for, save the apt. that's in it, highlight the address and open a map, txt the architect that sent me the email (who just left his office) Txt the engineer who approved the plans and meet them on a job site....
Anyway, this is the sort of thing I need to do in any given day, and my BB is seamless.
How, or could, a droid improve my efficiency?

[maxiang]

This may not help you as my usage case isn't the same. I use my Berry for personal/school communication and organization. I use email for work rarely at the moment as I'm just a truck driver...for now
I made up my mind to leave RIM after my disappointment with the 9800 hardware specs. I ran around loving the Droid 2, my second android device over the last couple of years, for three months. I remember thinking what a fool I had been sticking with BlackBerry's (recently) lackluster hardware and spinning clocks ...until the one week when I had a veritable storm of communication and coordination needs that I could not get done quickly with the D2. It's been said on here many times that Berry's are tops for work, and in my usage case it holds true. Speed in handling email or messages of any kind, calls, calendar, tasks, searching for info on my Berry (love OS 6 search), and the integration between apps are way better with my 9700 than android. Games, media (with the exception of music), the joys of ROM flashing (Liberty v.1.5 is fantastic!), hacking, google integration, and web browsing are much better on android of course. Quality of apps are kinda a wash for me as finding *good* apps is time consuming in the android market and I was usually trying to find something to replace things that were built in to the BBOS.
Bottom line for me:
android appeals to my love of tinkering.
BlackBerry appeals to my love of getting things done quickly and efficiently.
Guess which one won for me...

[Drayk]

This may not help you as my usage case isn't the same. I use my Berry for personal/school communication and organization. I use email for work rarely at the moment as I'm just a truck driver...for now
I made up my mind to leave RIM after my disappointment with the 9800 hardware specs. I ran around loving the Droid 2, my second android device over the last couple of years, for three months. I remember thinking what a fool I had been sticking with BlackBerry's (recently) lackluster hardware and spinning clocks ...until the one week when I had a veritable storm of communication and coordination needs that I could not get done quickly with the D2. It's been said on here many times that Berry's are tops for work, and in my usage case it holds true. Speed in handling email or messages of any kind, calls, calendar, tasks, searching for info on my Berry (love OS 6 search), and the integration between apps are way better with my 9700 than android. Games, media (with the exception of music), the joys of ROM flashing (Liberty v.1.5 is fantastic!), hacking, google integration, and web browsing are much better on android of course. Quality of apps are kinda a wash for me as finding *good* apps is time consuming in the android market and I was usually trying to find something to replace things that were built in to the BBOS.
Bottom line for me:
android appeals to my love of tinkering.
BlackBerry appeals to my love of getting things done quickly and efficiently.
Guess which one won for me...

Hey Bro..long time no chat......This is what I needed, thanks
Sorry to hear you didn't like the torch. I got mine the day it released and have loved it. I don't really care about spec's, the torch just works for me.
I like the idea of web flash and free voice turn by turn w/google maps, but that alone isn't enough to make me jump ship.
I messed around w/the Inspire and wasn't real impressed. It didn't really seem to perform and quicker.
In my limited time w/a droid, my conclusion is simular to yours.
BB is a work horse. My BB needs out weigh my droid wants.
I guess my post stems from "always looking for something better".

[maxiang]

Hey Bro..long time no chat......This is what I needed, thanks
Sorry to hear you didn't like the torch. I got mine the day it released and have loved it. I don't really care about spec's, the torch just works for me.
I like the idea of web flash and free voice turn by turn w/google maps, but that alone isn't enough to make me jump ship.
I messed around w/the Inspire and wasn't real impressed. It didn't really seem to perform and quicker.
In my limited time w/a droid, my conclusion is simular to yours.
BB is a work horse. My BB needs out weigh my droid wants.
I guess my post stems from "always looking for something better".

True that!
I tried to like the Torch...twice , but I was looking for the jump in specs like the original Bold made when it came out
I used Dolphin browser with flash turned off as it slows down the browsing and eats through the battery. Aside from watching videos (slow over WiFi, watch the grass grow over 3G) its pretty useless to me on mobile. Maybe Steve was right...
Google nav is the bees knees, but I am one of the few left who knows how to read a map
I've been looking, but I think I'm just gonna stick to using my old, trusty Craftsmen crescent wrench instead of the new fangled, automagically powered, instant nut remover that breaks when I look at it

[Drayk]

True that!
I tried to like the Torch...twice , but I was looking for the jump in specs like the original Bold made when it came out
I used Dolphin browser with flash turned off as it slows down the browsing and eats through the battery. Aside from watching videos (slow over WiFi, watch the grass grow over 3G) its pretty useless to me on mobile. Maybe Steve was right...
Google nav is the bees knees, but I am one of the few left who knows how to read a map
I've been looking, but I think I'm just gonna stick to using my old, trusty Craftsmen crescent wrench instead of the new fangled, automagically powered, instant nut remover that breaks when I look at it

...ha ha....I love it.
My wife asks me constantly "why are you always looking for something better"?
My response: because I can.
I'm totally happy with my wife, daughters, tennis racquet-BLX Blade Team, racquet stringing machine-Babolat Star 5, electronic drums-Yamaha Xpress IV (customized), and a couple other things I can't think of at the moment.
I suppose I'm overly neurotic when it comes to my "device".
I'm out......

[Rickroller]

I need to be able to: get an email I'm waiting for, save the apt. that's in it, highlight the address and open a map, txt the architect that sent me the email (who just left his office) Txt the engineer who approved the plans and meet them on a job site....
Anyway, this is the sort of thing I need to do in any given day, and my BB is seamless.
How, or could, a droid improve my efficiency?

Obviously the sending/recieving of emails, texts etc shouldn't be an issue. Depending on the email you use..selecting text within emails could pose a bit of an issue. Using the native email on Androids (POP/IMAP) there is no option to select text (without the use of a physical keyboard on the phone) from within an email (simply ******** imo). However..if you use Gmail OR a secondary email application such as Touchdown or K9..text selection is possible. I've only used K9 briefly..and have no experience with Touchdown so I can't comment personally. However..my good friend uses Touchdown to sync his company's Exchange with his phone for contacts, emails etc..and he hasn't had any issues I'm aware of.

Quite a few models now support LED for notifications..however they still aren't what they were with Berrybuzz (as in customization of colors etc). Seeing's how my phone rarely leaves my side..I don't really miss that at all.

Basically..right out of the box..an Android won't work for you the way a BB does. You WILL have to spend some time setting up things..installing a few apps etc to get to the same kind of functionality a BB has. I'm pretty sure everything can be done (as long as Touchdown email app works the way I think it does) so you have the same functionality..along with the improved features..but it all goes into how much time your willing to spend setting it up.

[SuckaRepellent]

BB battery life >>>>

That's the one thing I like about the BB compared to my Android. Its the only thing I really miss.

[hootyhoo]

BB battery life >>>>

That's the one thing I like about the BB compared to my Android. Its the only thing I really miss.

I guess it depends on the bb model that you were using.

I was using a storm and I didn't use it nearly as much as I do the dx, and battery life pretty much sucked on the storm.

When considering battery life, I think that you have to take into account the capabilities of the phone and the way that you use it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[maxiang]

I actually found the D2 battery life to be an acceptable 8-10hrs before charging. That improved by 20% or so with Liberty ROM

[maxiang]

Obviously the sending/recieving of emails, texts etc shouldn't be an issue. Depending on the email you use..selecting text within emails could pose a bit of an issue. Using the native email on Androids (POP/IMAP) there is no option to select text (without the use of a physical keyboard on the phone) from within an email (simply ******** imo). However..if you use Gmail OR a secondary email application such as Touchdown or K9..text selection is possible. I've only used K9 briefly..and have no experience with Touchdown so I can't comment personally. However..my good friend uses Touchdown to sync his company's Exchange with his phone for contacts, emails etc..and he hasn't had any issues I'm aware of.

Quite a few models now support LED for notifications..however they still aren't what they were with Berrybuzz (as in customization of colors etc). Seeing's how my phone rarely leaves my side..I don't really miss that at all.

Basically..right out of the box..an Android won't work for you the way a BB does. You WILL have to spend some time setting up things..installing a few apps etc to get to the same kind of functionality a BB has. I'm pretty sure everything can be done (as long as Touchdown email app works the way I think it does) so you have the same functionality..along with the improved features..but it all goes into how much time your willing to spend setting it up.

Copy/cut/paste is something that I hope gets improved and unified in implementation. In 2.2, it kinda sucks
The window shade notifications are great (and something I hope RIM continues stealing) but I find the profiles in BBOS (+BerryBuzz) superior in options for sounds, LED, and vibe patterns for hands off, or in holster, "I know what that is" notifications.
+1 for spending a bit of time finding apps, setting'em up, and getting used to them. I did that myself and found I could replicate some of the good parts of the BBOS, plus quite a few things that BB can't do.
In the end though, BlackBerry does what *I* want it to do better than android

[lssanjose]

Copy/paste is much better in Gingerbread. But I think I'm beating a dead horse when I say this.

[Blkbear]

...ha ha....I love it.
My wife asks me constantly "why are you always looking for something better"?
My response: because I can.

Hehehe, tell her, just be glad it's gadgets and not women, my dear 1.0 beta. (and then duck)

[Drayk]

Hehehe, tell her, just be glad it's gadgets and not women. (and then duck)

Ha ha....you trying to get me killed?
Forget duck.....run!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Chris2183]

Have you thought about picking up a Droid or iPhone for use on your leisure time?

Use the Torch during the week for work and pop the sim card into the Droid or iPhone Friday afternoon and enjoy it on the weekends and vacations. Its one of the nice things about being on GSM, you can just swap out your sim card.

[Drayk]

Have you thought about picking up a Droid or iPhone for use on your leisure time?

Use the Torch during the week for work and pop the sim card into the Droid or iPhone Friday afternoon and enjoy it on the weekends and vacations. Its one of the nice things about being on GSM, you can just swap out your sim card.

I used an iPhone 3gs for about 2 weeks. Got it off craigslist. LOVED it for the first.....2 days. Then I started discovering all the little things it wouldn't do. I was on a 9700 then, and gave it to my wife. She wouldn't give it back. 2 weeks of me begging and she finally caved. I learned my lesson. No iPhone for this berryjunkie!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[maxiang]

Have you thought about picking up a Droid or iPhone for use on your leisure time?

Use the Torch during the week for work and pop the sim card into the Droid or iPhone Friday afternoon and enjoy it on the weekends and vacations. Its one of the nice things about being on GSM, you can just swap out your sim card.

iTouch 64GB handles my mobile browncoat media needs nicely

[Chris2183]

iTouch 64GB handles my mobile browncoat media needs nicely

I have a 32GB iTouch And yes they do handle media needs very well