Dieter's back to BlackBerry, this time from a Pre Perspective - SPE Round Robin

[iLovemy_bb]

Originally Posted by JR_Rider

2. The biggest surprise for me this year is how much I like the Storm2 (and how well I can type on it!). I still think that the touch features on it feel a little tacked-on, though. Given that it doesn't look like RIM is going to be doing a massive restart of the OS, what touch features would you like to see?

Honestly if RIM doesn't do a mass overhaul of their OS, I'm leaving. RIM is really dropping the ball right now and while many users will remain due to corporate restrictions, many other Blackberry users will search for happiness elsewhere. Unless I see a massive shift in the Blackberry OS, which I highly doubt, my next phone will not be a Blackberry.

I dislike it when people say they are willing to jump ship over the OS. The BlackBerry OS is what gives it the advantage over evryone else. You mentioned QL - wouldn't need it or have if our OS was different. Shortcut keys are a plus(don't see it in another platform) - OS 5.0 gives us a lot of what we need from our BBs; Faster operation, great battery/memory, threaded/IM style sms and just a better feel of things. BlackBerry isn't simply a business solution anymore, it's a consumer solution. You just proved that there isn't much WebOS has to offer when switching between us and them. We have an advantage over all other platforms and your issue is the OS. Everyone says it's outdated and that's all - it's just old - but, it still works like all the other OS's out there, now we have a larger selection of 'available' apps(not having to jump around for them) - if the BB browser sucks for you, get bolt, or opera mini. There isn't a single OS that's perfect but we have the best one and the little things that make us say that ours isn't good doesn't compare to the flaws that the others possess. Most of them have security flaws, can't customize easily, only a few different types of devices, shotty email, no BBM, no personalization beyond a few widgets and wallpapers, lack of broad carrier distribution, unecessary competition when they can't even hold a flame to other smart-phone OS.

I'll make a few more points.
The iPhone has great games/apps/browser/touch screen - these are the best things it has to offer - which one of those actually constitute great smarphone features? -none.

Android - nice devices - clean functioning OS - games/widgets and very customizable - Google did great with this but, they have some security flaws and the only two devices that are similar are the MyTouch & G1 - the others have too much to switch back and forth AND it's no guarantee you can get features from one Android OS version to the next.

WebOS - great looks - spotty battery - only for Sprint and other CDMA carriers. How do you epect to be so good but you limit your self to CDMA

Nokia/Maemo- no comment right now.

BlackBerry- Old - bad browser - no widgets/3D graphics - no keyboard/touch devices - *add more flaws here*

Just show me where the Blackberry OS makes anyone want to switch because of a browser or a few missing features. I don't rest my case...but I finished my initial set of points. Open for discussion.

[KLeBron23]

I completely agree with you, no one has a perfect OS but Blackberry is so good at doing the things I need it to do.

[JR_Rider]

Originally Posted by iLovemy_bb

I dislike it when people say they are willing to jump ship over the OS. The BlackBerry OS is what gives it the advantage over evryone else. You mentioned QL - wouldn't need it or have if our OS was different. Shortcut keys are a plus(don't see it in another platform) - OS 5.0 gives us a lot of what we need from our BBs; Faster operation, great battery/memory, threaded/IM style sms and just a better feel of things. BlackBerry isn't simply a business solution anymore, it's a consumer solution. You just proved that there isn't much WebOS has to offer when switching between us and them. We have an advantage over all other platforms and your issue is the OS. Everyone says it's outdated and that's all - it's just old - but, it still works like all the other OS's out there, now we have a larger selection of 'available' apps(not having to jump around for them) - if the BB browser sucks for you, get bolt, or opera mini. There isn't a single OS that's perfect but we have the best one and the little things that make us say that ours isn't good doesn't compare to the flaws that the others possess. Most of them have security flaws, can't customize easily, only a few different types of devices, shotty email, no BBM, no personalization beyond a few widgets and wallpapers, lack of broad carrier distribution, unecessary competition when they can't even hold a flame to other smart-phone OS.

I'll make a few more points.
The iPhone has great games/apps/browser/touch screen - these are the best things it has to offer - which one of those actually constitute great smarphone features? -none.

Hello!! Ease of use=low barrier to entry. The iPhone OS is the simplest and easiest to use OS on the planet. Children can figure out how to use an iPhone with virtually no instruction from their parents. While there are many features within the iPhone OS that ultimately negatively affect productivity, you can not deny that the iPhone OS is a dumbed down as it gets. I'm sure there are many Blackberry users who have their device a year plus and can't tell you half the features it has as some of them are not very intuitive or easily stumbled upon.

Android - nice devices - clean functioning OS - games/widgets and very customizable - Google did great with this but, they have some security flaws and the only two devices that are similar are the MyTouch & G1 - the others have too much to switch back and forth AND it's no guarantee you can get features from one Android OS version to the next.

WebOS - great looks - spotty battery - only for Sprint and other CDMA carriers. How do you epect to be so good but you limit your self to CDMA

WebOS is hands down the most intuitive OS on the planet. The gestures are natural and make sense. While the OS is quite as easy to pick up on as the iPhone OS, it's certainly right behind it. The notifications are terrific on the Pre as well as the multi tasking. The Pre features the best multitasking on any mobile device although some may not fancy the scrolling notifications as much as I do. I can see how they could be annoying if you were a heavy business user that received 200+ emails a day.

And you mentioned that the Pre is only on Sprint and other CDMA carriers.......clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. There is a GSM version of the Pre.........and has been for 4 or 5 months...keep up.


Nokia/Maemo- no comment right now.

BlackBerry- Old - bad browser - no widgets/3D graphics - no keyboard/touch devices - *add more flaws here*

Just show me where the Blackberry OS makes anyone want to switch because of a browser or a few missing features. I don't rest my case...but I finished my initial set of points. Open for discussion.

Where to begin........for you not to understand why people say they will switch platforms for an OS is completely obtuse of you. Why do you think that the iPhone is such a wild success? Because of the OS and the Apple ecosystem. Clearly it's not the hardware because there are many devices on the market that surpass the iPhone in terms of hardware features and there always have been. When the 2G iPhone first launched it didn't even have a 3G radio at a time when many other devices including all CDMA Blackberrys were employing 3G technology. In my opinion, an OS is what makes a device special and that is what truly draws users into devices.

I mentioned certain applications such as quicklaunch because they enhance the user experience. On Blackberrys where screens are very menu based being able to scroll through your most used apps is like second nature. On a touch screen device on the otherhand, such and app would be rather pointless, as you mentioned.

[rennfahrer]

I think bb just needs to fix what they know is not working so well, and they've been really good at that.
I came from a curve, to a javelin, to an onyx, then jumped shipped recently to a storm2.
I have to agree, the storm 2 is soooooo much easier to type on it is amazing.
However, sometimes I do still miss my javelin keyboard. I can type the fastest on that device. Compared to any other device's keyboard, the bb keyboard still prevails, and I personally think the javelin keyboard fits me the best.
I tried playing around with keyboards from other devices and still none can beat the bb keyboards, even the touchscreen bb feels better to type on than other devices' physical keyboard. The iphone? No feel to it. The palms? Too tiny ann rubbery. The droid's? I've heard enough stories to stay away from. The Nokias'? The worst. So rubbery you can't even tell what is pressed and what's not.
Another bb strength is it's communication capabilities, like what everybody is saying. Email, sms, and most importantly:BBM!!!!
Just the BBM alone is worth two of the other phones.
Email is the best. No compromise.

Multi tasking I think has never been an issue with bb OS. Maybe more graphical like the other platforms would be better. But until the hardware can keep up with the demand of the high processor speed, I'll skip the fancy UI and stick with the regular ? button.

Now with the bad. It takes FOREVER to boot up.
Though I heard the storm 3 will be so much faster/better.
I just hope that by the time storm 3 comes out, it will be much faster still, coz everybody would've been faster too.

Battery life. I know on the other bb's it's so much better, especially on the onyx. However, I miss the good old days where you don't need to charge your phone everyday, but every 3-4 days instead.
Complete network support.
Now I might be asking too much here, but it would be great to have.
Why not just put all network options in all the phones? If 3G has 3 frequencies, why not have all three in the phone? If tmobile has UMA, why not have all bbs capable to support UMA? Verizon or att might not use them, but if users like me who has a verizon bb on tmobile, tough luck.
Finally, the browser. How long does it take for RIM to play catch up? By the time RIM releases webkit for bb, everybody else would've gone to a different system. Is it really so hard to backward engineer webkit browser?

More of an extra, but app selection would be great too.
And I'm not talking about useless app like what the iphone has. I'm talking about fairness across the board too.
Shazam is free for everybody but bb users.
There's a free TV app for iphone but none for bb.

Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for reading

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[onlineaddy]

sweepstakes entry...

[iLovemy_bb]

Originally Posted by JR_Rider

Where to begin........for you not to understand why people say they will switch platforms for an OS is completely obtuse of you. Why do you think that the iPhone is such a wild success? Because of the OS and the Apple ecosystem. Clearly it's not the hardware because there are many devices on the market that surpass the iPhone in terms of hardware features and there always have been. When the 2G iPhone first launched it didn't even have a 3G radio at a time when many other devices including all CDMA Blackberrys were employing 3G technology. In my opinion, an OS is what makes a device special and that is what truly draws users into devices.

I mentioned certain applications such as quicklaunch because they enhance the user experience. On Blackberrys where screens are very menu based being able to scroll through your most used apps is like second nature. On a touch screen device on the otherhand, such and app would be rather pointless, as you mentioned.

It's not obtuse to me really, I just wanted to address that some of the reasons people jump ship seem like no reason at all. Just because you can't find out certain things about that a device can do because of it's OS doesn't reflect anything but the ignorance of the person using the phone, unless of course they are younger or don't care much about using the phone to its full capability. I agree with you on the iPhone OS, but you made my point about it, saying that it's as dumb as it gets. That's not a plus for me, that just puts the iPhone down in the 'smart' phone world in my opinion and for someone like you who knows so much, you're reason for switching OS should be backed by more than what it seems.

My question to you, why would you switch to another OS?

I haven't been keeping up with the WebOS device releases so, I apologize for that point.

The OS is the pinnacle and all devices - where one OS fails, another prevails, but, when does the failure of one cause users to leave for another? I see that as a personal choice, which is decided by what people around you use, the coverage in your area for certain service and how deeply rooted you are into the meaning/usage of a smart-phone for what it really is.

Now, everyone is going to pick the device of their choosing regardless of what other people feel, my main point is that the BlackBerry OS is the most complete right now. And as more features are added to it, we'll see a higher level of completion before the other guys do.

[Fobok]

Originally Posted by iLovemy_bb

Just show me where the Blackberry OS makes anyone want to switch because of a browser or a few missing features. I don't rest my case...but I finished my initial set of points. Open for discussion.

If I had total choice between any smartphones on the market, I'd probably not go Blackberry, specifically because of the web browser issue. (And the lack of capacitive touch screens, but the web browsing more specifically.) Web browsing is the key use I'd get on a smartphone, and one of the main reasons I need one.

I'm not a business user, and I only know one or two other people with Blackberries, and none of them would I need to chat with regularly, so I have no need for Blackberry Messenger. I'm just a small time home user that wants to have internet access when I go out. Right now, I'll happily accept any smartphone, but if I had a choice I'd choose an Android phone, as they seem to do what I need much better than Blackberry does.

[that_maynard]

After using a Pre for a few weeks and since then traded it in for the Tour, I love my Tour! The pre yes has a great OS, but if you are only using it to surf the web or a messaging device, you still can't go wrong with the Tour. You can change the background and tweak little things on the Pre, but the theme change and the shortcuts that I have learned using the Tour are great! I like having an actual button to hang up on or ignore rather than a touch screen, but that is just my opinion.

[OCD SS]

Originally Posted by Dieter Bohn

2. The biggest surprise for me this year is how much I like the Storm2 (and how well I can type on it!). I still think that the touch features on it feel a little tacked-on, though. Given that it doesn't look like RIM is going to be doing a massive restart of the OS, what touch features would you like to see?

They need to fix the ******* web browser.

Originally Posted by Dieter Bohn

3. Anything about webOS that makes you jealous?

The web browser.

Originally Posted by Dieter Bohn

5. Do any of the recent outages have you thinking about a different platform that doesn't have that single point of failure?

My BB is supplied by my employer, so that limits my choices, but don't all platforms exhibit failures? It seems like switching just exchanges the problems.

Originally Posted by Dieter Bohn

6. Do you have any desire to get a BlackBerry with both a physical keyboard and a touchscreen?

Oh yes. A Bold kb with a Storm2 screen is my dream device (or a screen as large as the HD2).

[iLovemy_bb]

Originally Posted by Fobok

If I had total choice between any smartphones on the market, I'd probably not go Blackberry, specifically because of the web browser issue. (And the lack of capacitive touch screens, but the web browsing more specifically.) Web browsing is the key use I'd get on a smartphone, and one of the main reasons I need one.

I'm not a business user, and I only know one or two other people with Blackberries, and none of them would I need to chat with regularly, so I have no need for Blackberry Messenger. I'm just a small time home user that wants to have internet access when I go out. Right now, I'll happily accept any smartphone, but if I had a choice I'd choose an Android phone, as they seem to do what I need much better than Blackberry does.

That makes sense and I wouldn't argue your reasoning. I'm not bent on the browsing experience and when I need a good browser i just use Opera Mini.

[onlineaddy]

i wanna win!

[onlineaddy]

Not giving up...

[iLovemy_bb]

Originally Posted by onlineaddy

Not giving up...

Man, you're persistent. It seems as if you and I are one in the same. I have entered at least 4 contests to win a 9700 and I hope this is my chance.

[R1cE]

Man I would definitly Love a 9700....

But the only thing on a blackberry i would change is the browser. I actually dont really like all the fancy graphical interface like in Android, and I find iphones kind of stupid how you can only open one app at a time. I personally find the Blackberry OS to be the most straight forward and intuitive (I havnt used WebOS so I cant speak about them) and I do love my 26 speed dials.

[thesauce]

Hey Dieter,

1. I think the main thing that WebOS users gain is the use of Blackberry Messenger. Time and time again I find it is my main form of communication because I know so many people who use Berries, the ones who don't I can keep in touch with Windows Live and Google Talk or, worst case scenario, SMS . I think the biggest thing they'd miss is the OpenGL abilities when they finally start showing some use (unless they picked up one of the Curve 2's) and of course web browsing (the biggest fault of Blackberries).
2. Personally, I could care less about the touch screens. Tactile Keyboard all the way!
3. Web browsing, sleek OS
4. Its getting worse, but at least we have a good choice?
5. Outages suck, but BBM is too useful to get rid of. It was hard enough to get everyone to switch to a BB to get rid of SMS, no way they are gonna all go to something else.
6. see answer #2.

Web OS is cool, and I hope it continues to evolve in the future, but I like my BB just fine.