[OldToot]

Hi

I'm thinking of getting a Torch (I know, Torch 2 might be here soon, but my current phone is dying!) but have a few questions first. Apologies if they seem silly - I just want to be sure before I sign a 2 year contract!

1) The mobile reception at my house is changeable - it can go from full to nothing and back again in 2 minutes. No idea why! Usually it's pretty awful though, and you certainly can't rely on it for making calls if you move around.

I do use my phone a fair bit in the house though for browsing the internet and using twitter over wi-fi on my current phone (Nokia e71) Will Torch allow me to connect via Wi-Fi without a carrier?

At the moment my e71 automatically uses two wi-fi networks (home and work) when it can find them, and otherwise switches automatically to 3g. I presume the Torch can be set to do the same?

2) I use a Mac. At the moment I am able to sync my phone and my computer using bluetooth, without having to buy any additional software. It looks like this will be fine with a BB too - but confirmation would be nice

3) I have some software that lets me send SMS messages via my computer - basically you type it in the app and it sends it via the phone. It means I can send SMS whilst it looks like I am working

Is there any way of doing this using a BB and OS X 10.5 that anyone knows of?

Thanks in advance.

(If it matters, I'll be using the o2 network in the UK)

[Technerd.McLeod]

1) The mobile reception at my house is changeable - it can go from full to nothing and back again in 2 minutes. No idea why! Usually it's pretty awful though, and you certainly can't rely on it for making calls if you move around.

I do use my phone a fair bit in the house though for browsing the internet and using twitter over wi-fi on my current phone (Nokia e71) Will Torch allow me to connect via Wi-Fi without a carrier?

At the moment my e71 automatically uses two wi-fi networks (home and work) when it can find them, and otherwise switches automatically to 3g. I presume the Torch can be set to do the same?

Yes, I'm almost positive you will be able to connect to Wifi without a carrier. The torch with automatically do the same. I've never had to change settings on mine to make it automatically connect when in range.

2) I use a Mac. At the moment I am able to sync my phone and my computer using bluetooth, without having to buy any additional software. It looks like this will be fine with a BB too - but confirmation would be nice

You won't have to purchase any software. You will get an installation disc with your Torch to install Desktop Manager onto your computer, or you can always download it from the official BlackBerry site.

3) I have some software that lets me send SMS messages via my computer - basically you type it in the app and it sends it via the phone. It means I can send SMS whilst it looks like I am working

Is there any way of doing this using a BB and OS X 10.5 that anyone knows of?

I am not too sure about this one. What is the software? I have OSX 10.6.7, but I'm sure it would still work on 10.5 if I can get it to work on my Mac.

[wheresmy600]

Why don't you buy a blackberry off of ebay or something without using your upgrade? It will be a shame to have to buy an older phone when the new ones are right around the corner. Also maybe check to see if your carrier lets you purchase a refurbished phone without extending your contract.

Of course it really doesn't matter if you can get a new phone at upgrade price in UK whenever you want!

[OldToot]

Yes, I'm almost positive you will be able to connect to Wifi without a carrier.

Thanks - this issue of connectivity via WiFi without a carrier is a bit of a mystery to me! It seems odd to me that there is even a question of whether or not you can connect via wifi without a carrier. It never even occurred to me until I started reading up.

I am not too sure about this one. What is the software? I have OSX 10.6.7, but I'm sure it would still work on 10.5 if I can get it to work on my Mac.

[issue - sending SMS via phone from laptop]

Currently I use Bluephone Elite on my mac. I type the message in BPE and it sends it via the phone. Replies appear on screen either a thread or as a single message, and it can sync all messages into ical for reference. It handles calls in the same way, and you can talk using the mic/speaker of the computer, or the phone. It's a brilliant piece of software that has kept me using Symbian phones so far. Sadly the developer has moved on to other projects, and the final version doesn't support SMS with BBs.

I have since found Blurt, which does all of this on a PC, so I know it's technically possible ...

[OldToot]

Why don't you buy a blackberry off of ebay or something without using your upgrade? It will be a shame to have to buy an older phone when the new ones are right around the corner. Also maybe check to see if your carrier lets you purchase a refurbished phone without extending your contract.

Of course it really doesn't matter if you can get a new phone at upgrade price in UK whenever you want!

The Torch is 'free'

The contract I am currently on is �35/month. I can switch to a contract with the same minutes/texts/data that is �27 or so, with a free Torch.

I guess when the Torch 2 comes out it will cost more, and the Torch seems to do everything I need it to - it'd just be nice to be able to text from my laptop whilst convincing people I am working (plus no mobile keyboard is as nice as a full sized one!)

[wheresmy600]

Well, 'free' is a good and a very wise fiscal decision.

Personally, knowing myself, free would mean nothing to me in the future when I have to drool over the new BB's and wait for a year before I could get one!

[OldToot]

Well, 'free' is a good and a very wise fiscal decision.

Personally, knowing myself, free would mean nothing to me in the future when I have to drool over the new BB's and wait for a year before I could get one!

I know exactly what you mean, but being self employed and having a baby in a recession has cured me of my gadget lust to a large extent!

Really as long as I can use twitter, read my emails and browse the web a bit then it's good enough for me - I'm never so desperate to see a youtube clip I can't wait until I get to my laptop - and compared to my e71 I'm sure the torch will seem lightning quick.

[radimus]

The old Torch will do all of that without much issue, and youtube videos play quite well. If you really can't wait a few weeks for the Torch 2 it would work.

FWIW, and assuming from what I've read above that you're in the UK, the iPhone 3GS can be had for free on a contract from O2 and Vodaphone. Maybe other carriers as well. Just throwing that out there as another option in case you had not considered it.

[OldToot]

Cheers for that - my wife has a 3GS (I think - it's an iPhone anyway) but I like a proper keyboard. The odd time I've used her phone I've not got on with it at all - touchscreens don't like my fingers :/

My Nokia e71 has put in a good shift it has to be said. And I'm really going to miss the SMS via bluetooth thing.

[bobauckland]

Quick point: UMA or using the wireless connection to make and receive calls only works with the Orange network in the UK, not O2, so its worthwhile keeping that in mind.

What sort of plan are you looking at getting in terms of minutes and texts?

[BergerKing]

With a BlackBerry, the main thing that will help you is a simple phrase, 'there's magic in the menu'.

I was almost computer illiterate when I started using a BlackBerry. With some perseverance and looking at the menu options, I was able to progress rapidly. The things I had trouble with were fleshed out by people I call friends, and family, on these forums.

I didn't read the manual to start, I just started using one and looked at my options. Then I came to CrackBerry and learned a lot more helping others as I learned.

So don't feel intimidated. Step in and give it a whirl. CrackBerry has your back.

Welcome to the forums!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[OldToot]

Quick point: UMA or using the wireless connection to make and receive calls only works with the Orange network in the UK, not O2, so its worthwhile keeping that in mind.

What sort of plan are you looking at getting in terms of minutes and texts?

Wow - thanks for that. I had never heard of UMA before.

I'm not a heavy user really. I text a fair bit, but may do less once I can't do it via bluetooth, and I browse a fair bit, but that's normally at home on wi-fi.

o2 have offered me a free Torch with 300mins / unlimited SMS / 500Mb for �29 (business tariff - my current phone is one of their business plans and the 'consumer' part of o2 can't get anywhere near that price)

From a bit of googling, it looks like I can get 500 mins / unlimited SMS / 500Mb of Orange for �18.75 inc vat via some system of cashback vouchers.

I have my PAC but was going to stay with o2 to avoid any messing about with temporary numbers and so on - but this UMA thing may well sway me.

Are you an Orange user? Any idea what their coverage is like? I used to be on t-mobile but their signal was patchy once I moved away from London. o2, for all their faults, have good coverage in most places.

[OldToot]

Phone should arrive from Orange tomorrow.

Looking forward to a phone that has a battery that lasts more than half a day and doesn't reboot every now and again! (but to be fair to my e71, it's had a tough 2 years or so)

[OldToot]

Well, the phone came, and I love it.

Unfortunately it has a trackpad issue - when there is low light it moves of it's own accord, which is annoying - so it's going back today. I should have a replacement on Friday.

Is it possible to restore a back-up of my first phone on to the new one, when it arrives, or do the backups only work on the device they came from?

[OldToot]

I found the answers to my own questions - posting here in case they are useful to anyone else:

Restoring a backup file on to a new Blackberry KB03953-How to back up and restore data to a new BlackBerry smartphone


Restoring AppsKB16291-How to use the Device Switch Wizard to switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone

The latter option needs you to have both devices at the same time though, so I'll be adding the apps again manually.