[BusDriver]

OK - after YEARS of being a devout Palm/Treo User (kyocera 6030, kyocera 7035, Treo 600, 650 and 700p) I have finally ditched it for a 8830.

So far it's OK. BUT there are a few things that are driving me nuts, and I am wondering if there are fixes for them.

#1 - I had a program on my Palm called TAKEPHONE. Basically it was a much better way to search for contact. In my business I don't always know the name of the person, maybe I know the company he works for - or I wrote something in the notes that trigger who he is - Takephone would not only search thru whichever fields you wanted, but it would then let you choose which # to use, and if you wanted to email, SMS, call or even schedule an appt. It really made my life easier. Is there ANYTHING similar to this.

#2 - AIM! Is there no free AIM program for this phone?

#3 - The VIBRATE is comical. I can be holding it and not even realize it is vibrating. Is there a way to make it vibrate stronger. Also - can you make it Vibrate AND ring or Vibrate THEN ring?

#4 - I am having a hard time finding lists of essential 3rd party apps that are FREEWARE. A lot of links are dead for some reason. (are there some well known places for free apps that I can't find for some reason - the list here is kinda small)

#5 - on the TREO - any MP3 could be a ring. Is there a free converter for ringtones on the blackberry. I found one - but it didn't seem to work correctly.


That being said - it seems like a great device.. even though I WISH there was a camera, and it'd be nice if the GPS worked.. but maybe there's a newer version on the horizon.

ANY help would be greatly appreciated... we were all newbies once!

[berrywhite]

1.) You can do this with the address book already on the BB.

2.) If you use AIM alot I would suggest Jivetalk. costs about $20.00 but well worth it. If you dont use AIM that often would suggest RambleIM which is free but a lot of people are spoild by Jive and don't like ramble.

3.) Nothing you can do about it. Also, you can only make it vib then ring. Not vib and ring. S tupid I know but thats the way it is.

[BusDriver]

RE #1 ok - but i can't seem to figure out how to do that.. IF I type in a word that is in the NOTES nothing comes up -

I realize I should RTFM - but any help would be appreciated.

[berrywhite]

Only searches for First name, last name, or company name.

[BusDriver]

so - even via a 3rd party app - there is no way to search notes when searching contacts?

[Ms.Min]

As far as making any MP3 a ringtone, I am able to do that with my 8830. I have songs saved on my computer and I connect my bb to the computer open media manager and move the MP3's to my storage card and then associate it with whatever application.

[BusDriver]

I appreciate that - Figured that one out - It was just done slightly differently - then the treo.

But I am honestly amazed that you can't search a full contact - seems so weird to me.

[Joe_B#CB]

I, too, am amazed at the brain-dead functions of the BB in a lot of cases. I "upgraded" from a 6 yr old samsung palm OS that, in several instances is a lot more friendly. I can search for an address because I don't know the name -- anywhere, contacts, memos, calendar. I guess I'm spoiled with google and palm OS - just type something in and get some answers. BB, well, go shoot yourself. Have to laugh at this being an "upgrade".. The physical phone looks nice -- I just assumed that after 6 yrs of technology, I'd be getting a PDA that does better stuff.

I found several programs to hold private data, a concept alien to BB. Ascendo Data Vault (after someone's suggestion) is what I've found to be maybe workable -- it has some problems, however, it **can search** its data. I have 700 private records, 1300 public. I also have a few more days to take the phone back. As it stands, I now carry my old phone so that I can look stuff up and my new phone so I can make calls. I got a BB for this? Didn't even come with a backpack.. ;-)

There is a 30 day trial with Data Vault, $30 after that. See if that doesn't help. After finding that it actually searches (don't know why it took a while for that, but I can't keep putting all this time into a silly phone), I figure I can put my pubic data there, also, for the search feature. Sad that it has to be, but it could be workable for you.

I've combed all over for answers to some of these basic missing components, save yourself some time -- don't do the same - tain't there.

Good luck with voice dial and 1300 contacts, too. Although the samsung was very limited, I would give it the name and tell it which contact during setup. Can't do that, either, and I tried it today -- said "Carol" and only 1 of 3 contacts came up that was close, no clue how it decided the others sounded like that (and it didn't find the 4 Carol's). I don't believe it has an ability to learn, so it will always be useless for some names, I guess.

So, I'm thinking, I need a PDA and just use this as a cute phone with no brains. I'm not into audio/video or watching HDTV from a phone or whatever, just want a PDA with a phone. So long as you have 20 contacts and love to scroll and don't mind not even being able to search help, and can handle frustration well, you can get around.. If you have simple needs, call, email, games, ringtones, it should work very well. Still on the fence - not a good choice at t-mobile, only the wing and I looked at their manual (more complete than BB, of course) but had to laugh at that, too. Their only reference to protection was for passwords in PDF's and DRM music. **Your** data, well, that isn't important. Love that Wild Bill Gates -- always arrogant! HA!

[I'm sure I've ticked off BB lovers. But I've burned over 50hrs simply trying to reasonably go from palm OS to this thing and am asking for solutions -- They don't seem to be there, so I think some people, rather than think about it just go off in a huff. But then, I should be grateful that I didn't get an iPhone, I'm guessing that is a real religion..?? ;-) ]

[JRSCCivic98]

Blackberry is like a Mac.... what do you expect. I ran out of fingers and toes listing all the "non-techy" shortcomings it has. I'm sure things will change. I know I've probably filled up RIM's mailbox with suggestions at [email protected] which I encourage others to do as well. Problem is, these guys at RIM aren't exactly being "innovative" in their thinking. These jokers have prided themselves on the BB doing email really well. Well, the BB came out long before MS had such things as ActiveSync (MS's Push technology) so I think they are at the point now where they are hard pressed to come up with something new. Honestly, I think they are just trying to play catchup, but for some reason everyone still loves their phones. I think it's the astetics of them most likely.... hack, I'm still waiting on HTML email support. What the blank is taking so long?

Here's to looking at an open platform with an open carrier.... whenever that will happen.

[Joe_B#CB]

I really appreciate running into someone who understands - and explains some of this. NPR wait-wait-don't-tell-me did a little thing this last week about apple/ms people. One thing I remember is that it takes a pc person 2 buttons on a mouse to do with a mac person can do with one.. Have to laugh, I think that was the first thing that turned me off of the mac years ago, what? 1 button?

Well, I'm frustrated. The physical phone is nice, the software is pretty bad and I've had people tell me, when I've asked about having secure data on it, that it is at the top and extremely secure (I guess unless someone actually borrows it or grabs it out of your hand when you are talking on it? Then everything is plain text). Crazy people, I assume. But, I thought I was buying a premier PDA -- why else would it be so well regarded in biz circles? I still know high powered people who use it, but apparently for email, phone calls and playing on the internet - not real PDA use.

So, if you or someone who knows the value of a real PDA has found ways around the demensia built into this machine, please save me. I dropped my no-contract situation with Sprint to get this with t-mobile -- decided to see what else they had and was reluctantly going for the toy-like centro -- but t-mobile doesn't have palm OS anything..?? The best I could see is the Wing with windows on it. Read the manual, see that it would probably be a little better in that many more people probably have fixes for the lack of value in these "PDA's". And, I'm still in shock that users can feel that this phone, 10 times faster, 5 times more memory even w/o a chip(??) can't do a simple search, can't keep separate safe encrypted data, can't even do the simple "I'm a disk drive" interface to windows so that **I** could make up for what they refuse to do.. I just keep thinking that I'm missing something basic. And, you confirmed that I did not. People have apparently given up on usable PDA's and fallen in love with getting email and playing on the net instead.

As I said, anyone out there with help or solutions, I'm listening hard. I'd like to keep the little phone but I think I will be kicking myself for the next 5 yrs for having to carry around my old phone as a PDA and the new one just as a little toy that makes calls. Help?? ;-)

-- Joe B.