[Wiredin]

I loved my Torch 9800. I got it on release day in Canada, and couldn't go without it. For a year it was solid, never had an issue, it ran beautiful. Then, a week before the one year mark the touch screen died.

Luckily I was within warranty and got a refub device. This device started overheating and shutting itself off soon after setting it up like my old Torch. Sent it back within the month.

The second replacement handset showed up, but the battery compartment was damaged and the battery didn't sit in there properly. I used it until I got my third device. But once again was plagued with overheating issues.

So I got my third device. It was okay for a while. But then I started to get white screens of death. Within a week or two. So a fourth device was sent out.

I've had device 4 for about a month now. But it keeps locking up and slowing down. I've done two wipes and resets, tried a few different OS builds, even tried not installing any additional apps, just running it vanilla with what came from the phone. Still white screened, overheated, or timed out and froze on a regular basis.

Called Rogers, beg and pleaded for a new phone. They said sure, no problem, heres a nice deal for you to help you out. You gotta pay your early upgrade penalty of $300 some dollars, + the phone, but we will give you 6 months of service on your family plan free. Okay sure Mr. Rogers guy, I'll go down to the store and pickup my new phone.

So I walk into my store going, 9900, 9900, 9810?, 9830? naw...9900. Walking past the phones while they are dealing with someone else... oh hello, whats this? Galaxy S II LTE live demo to play with.... its kind of like cheating on your wife, but okay.

Well I went home with the mistress. Oddly enough, it pissed off my real flesh and blood wife. (shes a 9700 user) and she despises me for not being on her BBM anymore. She can't see if I read the message or not anymore. Oh well. But she actually is upset I'm a traitor.

So I stayed up all night with my new Android goodness. Loving the customization features, loving the widgets. Loving Winamp and the media player abilities. Loving the screen, oh god the screen! Surprisingly amazing battery life (longer than my torch, even with new phone syndrome).

The cameras great, the hardware feels good, its responsive... its actually quite impressive.

And the one thing, the biggest thing that I'm surprised I didn't miss... the keyboard. I can actually type on this thing!

BUT wait theres more.

Who ever designed the email client was hungover after a week long bender that started in Vegas and ended in Rio. Its bloody awful. Coming from a blackberry, which is better than email than Thunderbird or Outlook, to this? Seriously? What crap!

I cannot sort by read/unread. I cannot mark all as read. If I want to select multiple emails I have to click on these little check marks. Then when I goto Archive them, the notification stays, but I the email disappears into never-ever land and I can't find it!

All my inboxes are a jumbled mess...if I can even find them.

Then theres the lack of customization.. but wait...didn't you just say this thing has great customization? Yes I did good sirs/mams...but what I mean is that I cannot setup individual notifications for the texts or the emails. They all come in with the same sound. I would like to setup profiles too... like one for work or one for home. But no. Thats not allowed.

Google Talk? Yea, only your main profile. Can't figure out how to switch that yet.

and this is only after 20 hours....

So is the grass greener on the other side? No, its just a different shade. All I know is...I think I might be going back to the store and get me a lovely 9900 this afternoon.

[CrackedBarry]

So basically, what you're saying is that the the grass IS greener on the other side, if you don't mind jumping to Android Market to find a new email app, plus an app for different notification profiles?

[Wiredin]

So basically, what you're saying is that the the grass IS greener on the other side, if you don't mind jumping to Android Market to find a new email app, plus an app for different notification profiles?

BUT! I have yet to find an email app that handles email even half as good as the BB.

[CrackedBarry]

Well, here are two apps that'll let you set up different notifications for different people, etc.

WhoIsIt - Android app on AppBrain

Profile for Android | AppBrain.com

They're 1.99 each.

As for email, I've heard a lot of people swear by k9 mail, but there are so many on the market, I'm pretty sure you can find something that you can at least live with... The galaxy S2 should get upgraded to 4.0 in a couple of weeks as well, and I think there's an improved email in that version, as I recall, you might want to wait at least till then

[Morty2264]

This was an awesome post. I don't know if you made a mistake or not... Maybe stick with the Android until you either truly believe you like it or until you really decide to switch back to a BlackBerry; and then head back to the store. Do you have any friends who use Galaxy phones who might be able to help you out with apps and notification stuff?

[andrewmcwhirter]

Go back and pick up a 9900 and send your wife a BBM on Valentines day

[FlyHigh365]

You messed up when you bought a crappy android phone.

[Spencerdl]

Some lessons are harder than others as long as we learn our lesson

[Wiredin]

Well, I got 15 days to make a final decision or I loose out. So I could try and root and put a leaked ICS on the thing if its not out before hand and see how that goes. I was going to exchange for the Galaxy Note as the pressure sensitive pen by Wacom and the theory that you might be able to use it as an art tablet with Adobe products is very enticing. So I may still do that. In which case I might be able to overlook the email clients.

One of my friends has a Galaxy Nexus, and he has been helping me out a lot, but he doesn't have the same demands of an Email system as I do.

I'll try the whoisit apps and the K9 email clients and see if that can get me going on it. I truly miss my 9800 and BB OS. I was trying to hang out for BB10, but its just too far away and I needed something that works now.

Oh well, I still got my Playbook.

[CrackedBarry]

Nah, don't root it... Or go ahead if you really want to, but the ICS update is only 2-3 weeks away, so not worth the trouble IMHO.

Did you try the Samsung Market yet btw? There are a lot of cool apps there, many of which you'd have to pay for normally, but are free for the SGS2

[Wiredin]

Go back and pick up a 9900 and send your wife a BBM on Valentines day

That would make her day. Seriously.... which is kinda sad

[CrackedBarry]

Heh, I could see the advantages of my wife not being able to know whether I read her message or not. Maybe you could cheer her up, by letting her know that on the SGSII she can always see where you are through Google Lattitude? Oh wait, never mind....

Or divert her disappointment by telling her about Crackberrys.com? Maybe she can vent by starting a thread titled "How to lure hubby back to BB?!?"

[up488]

Thanks for the post. I always enjoy a good laugh with my read, especially the wife part and the "oh well" that she couldn't see if you recieved her messages or not! I call BBM a trap because when my wife sees that i've recieved her message and don't respond right away, she's on the phone wondering why i'm ignoring her. I usually tell her I am ignoring you and i'll be home soon! She claims that's grounds for divorce and I say go ahead, that just means one less person on your BBM!

Anyway, no I don't think you messed up. Jumping the fence can only be a good thing. It'll make you appreciate your BB even more or introduce you to something new that you'll enjoy!! Either way, good luck and again, thanks for the laugh!

[cntrydncr223]

comeeeeeeeeeee backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

[13echo4]

Well, here are two apps that'll let you set up different notifications for different people, etc.

WhoIsIt - Android app on AppBrain

Profile for Android | AppBrain.com

They're 1.99 each.

As for email, I've heard a lot of people swear by k9 mail, but there are so many on the market, I'm pretty sure you can find something that you can at least live with... The galaxy S2 should get upgraded to 4.0 in a couple of weeks as well, and I think there's an improved email in that version, as I recall, you might want to wait at least till then

My daughter got the profile for android for her phone and she says it doesn't work like profiles on BBs. She wanted it to make a profile for school and bed time.
It could be just user error. She said all notifactions aren't profiled. Once in class she got in trouble for a email chime and got woke up from a txt.
If anybody knows if this app actually works like BBs please let me know. This is a cool app for her to have. She ends up leaving her phone on silent and messes most of my calls/txts.

[Toddzilla#WN]

I've had a G-Nex for almost a week now and am really liking it. Of course there are tradeoffs. My battery life isn't great, but I can make it work. I have Lightflow installed and that's replaced BeBuzz for LED notifications. The main thing I can't figure out is how to filter incoming emails so that I only get a notification if the email is from certain people (like Level 1 Messages).

OP-

Try Kik Messenger as an alternative to BBM. The wife will have to go to Kik's site to download on her BB (I think), but it works great so far on my new G-Nex.

13echo4-

Have you tried Quickprofiles (free) or Easyprofile (14-day trial).

[albee 1]

Advance Os Led is great. You can add inividual contacts. You will receive notifications from them regardless as long as their email address is in their info. Just make sure and turn led notifications off in Profiles so AosL can do its job. Its in App world, very small and free. Works awesome in my 9930, and supports many other Os's.

[Wiredin]

Man o Man, it just doesn't get easier.

I Went an exchanged for the note. But its too bloody big. So I'm going to go exchange again... I'm really torn between 9900 and the GalaxySIILTE (what a stupid name).

I love LTE speeds, and I need a phone now as my 9800 is dead...so I can't wait for BB10. Which is what the original plan was. But mostly I love being organized, and Blackberry just did that right out of the box, no searching for apps. I also hear horror story's of the unstableness that is OS7...

Just not sure...

[cntrydncr223]

There's also love stories about OS 7 adn OS 7.1.
The truth is ALL phones/platforms will have deficiencies.

The deciding factor is, what do you need/want most?
All those reasons you love BB will only get better in the 9900, me thinks.

[BoldPreza]

Why not just try the new Torch Touch? Screen should be similar in size to the Galaxy, all the features of the 9900(though no NFC(BFD) :P) and they are usually cheaper too!

[CrackedBarry]

Man o Man, it just doesn't get easier.

I Went an exchanged for the note. But its too bloody big. So I'm going to go exchange again... I'm really torn between 9900 and the GalaxySIILTE (what a stupid name).

I love LTE speeds, and I need a phone now as my 9800 is dead...so I can't wait for BB10. Which is what the original plan was. But mostly I love being organized, and Blackberry just did that right out of the box, no searching for apps. I also hear horror story's of the unstableness that is OS7...

Just not sure...

I'd go for the Galaxy S2 lte...
Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE vs Samsung Galaxy Nexus: Technology for the Gods

Why? How about AN HD SCREEN for crying out loud as well as an awesome camera. The LTE speeds are lighting fast, and Samsungs TouchWiz interface is (aaalmost) as smooth as an iPhone.
Battery life is great (got the regular S2 myself) and will easily last a day and a half with little usage. Intensive usage, will get you about a whole days worth of juice.
It also comes with a really cool wifi synchronization suite/phone manager and the ICS update should be there in early March!

[anthogag]

You said you loved your 9800, why not try a 9810. I have the 9800 and would love the 9810.

The 9810 has 3g+ speeds if your carrier supports it. Get the white 9810?

If you want a better media experience pair your BB with the playbook

Pair the 9900 with the pb

[cntrydncr223]

Why not just try the new Torch Touch?

Say THAT 10 times fast!!

[up488]

Say THAT 10 times fast!!

Ok, you got me! Geez, i'm gullible!