[ubizmo]

I guess this is a reasonable place to post this.

I need to decide whether to keep my BB Curve or go back to my Sidekick LX, in the next few days. So the purpose of this post is, "thinking out loud."

I've been a Sidekick user since March, 2003, so almost 5 years. Despite the marketing demographics, I don't consider it a "toy" at all. And from then to now it has come a long way. I am very familiar with it, and comfortable with it, but I have chafed at its limitations on occasions.

So here's how I rate the two devices, the Curve and the LX, on various parameters.

1. The LX has the better keyboard.
2. The Curve is more compact and easier to carry.

Obviously, the LX has a better keyboard in part *because* it's bigger. It has dedicated number and (some) punctuation keys. But I've had one clipped to my belt for almost five years and, frankly, I like the way the Curve, in its holster, slips into a pocket.

3. The LX has the better user interface.
4. The Curve can do more.

There is simply no question that the Sidekick platform has one of the best, if not the best, UIs around. Everything is simple, consistent, and logical. There are lots of examples, but a simple one is: to engage caps lock, you just hit the shift key twice, rather than the Curve's alt-shift sequence. Is this just a matter of taste? No. It is easier to hit one key twice than to use a 2-key sequence. To lock ALT keys, you just tap ALT twice. Simple. Home screen hotkeys are configurable. Menus allow hotkey operations, saving keystrokes. In the browser, to enter a URL, you just start typing (as long as you're not in a text entry field); no need to use a menu and "go to" combination.

These things may be "mere" aesthetic details, but they add up. Do they outweigh the fact that the Curve has more software available, and simply can do more? I've already used Google maps for real on two occasions. It's a tough call, but I think in the end function wins out over ease of use--and it's always possible that the BB OS will improve.

5. Sidekick peeves. Service, which is proxied through Danger's servers, is hot and cold. Downloads are limited to the Catalog, the contents of which must be approved by the carrier (in the US, T-mobile). The trademark swivel, which the kids like so much, gets to be a nuisance after a while.

6. Curve peeves. Things I've already mentioned around here: The fact that I can't edit quoted text in emails is just wrong. The inability to select multiple photos for attachment to an email (without going through the whole "attach file" sequence) is inexplicably inefficient.

7. The LX has twice as much memory for the OS to use, but I haven't encountered a memory problem on the Curve yet.

8. The Curve's camera is better. I think the LX's camera is quite a bit better than the SK3's was, but the Curve is a definite cut above, and I'm not just referring to megapixels.

9. The Curve lets me delete mails from the server, or not, as I choose. This simple feature is *very* powerful, and saves a ton of time.

10. All contacts, calendar, notes, etc, on the LX are continuously synced on the servers. The Curve on BIS can't do this.

I think the Curve is winning...

[JazzeeJEF]

I think this forum is biased....hence the name. Fat chance on getting votes on the LX!!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[John Clark]

I agree with JazzeeJEF.

[ubizmo]

Oh, I'm not expecting anybody to talk me out of the Curve. For one thing, it's not likely that many here have experience with both devices. Sometimes I don't know what I think until I see what I say/

[JazzeeJEF]

Well I had the Kick3 for a short time....Passed that on to the teenage sister and stepped up to the Grown & Sexy phone

For one I didnt like the browser on it and I hated to have to flip the screen up. Other than that the phone was pretty cool but I'm loving the BBerry Muuuuch better!

[ubizmo]

The browser on the LX is okay but not as flexible as the Curve's, which has 3 different views. On the other hand, the LX screen is 400x240, so more fits on it. The LX browser, like everything on the Sidekick, has a more efficient interface. If there's any single thing that I don't like about the Curve, it's the UI, which feels kludgy in comparison. But I like what it can do. I don't think we'll see Google maps or a spelling checker on a Sidekick anytime soon.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Tofuspeedstar]

If I could unlock an LX to AT&T I'd get one in a heartbeat.

[Mr. Wonderful]

I'd stick with the curve. I've played with LX's and they are ridiculous. The UI may be better but when you think about it the SK's are designed with teen's in mind ages 13-18+ while BlackBerry's are designed for more of the grown up crowd. I'm 17 but I personally would have my hand cut off before I traded my BlackBerry for a SK LX, and that's my 2 cents.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ubizmo]

I'd stick with the curve. I've played with LX's and they are ridiculous. The UI may be better but when you think about it the SK's are designed with teen's in mind ages 13-18+ while BlackBerry's are designed for more of the grown up crowd. I'm 17 but I personally would have my hand cut off before I traded my BlackBerry for a SK LX, and that's my 2 cents.

This idea that "SKs are for kids" is only partly true. They were *designed* by Danger to be a highly versatile platform that could be used by all kinds of people. I'm 54 and I had a SK since the B&W model in 2003. What happened, however, is that T-Mobile decided to *market* the SK to kids. Danger has no control over that. As an adult, I could care less about who the SK is "for"; my only concern is what it can do.

I'm a heavy email user, and unfortunately the email service on the SK was getting less and less reliable, over the past year. POP mail would sometimes take hours to be delivered, then they'd be fast for a few days, then late again. Even the push email would go through periods of delay. I have no proof, but I believe that the problem is Danger's backend server structure couldn't keep up with the increasing demand. This is supported by the financial report they made in December when they went public, i.e., they've yet to make a profit, despite a million SKs being in use.

As far as email service is concerned, I'm very happy with the Curve. I can set up more mail accounts than I could with the SK, and they work smoothly and quickly. And being able to sync mail deletion with servers is a huge advantage.

So the decision is made. The trial period is over, and I have a Curve. In fact, I've already sold and shipped my LX.

But the Curve's UI is needlessly kludgy, and there's no getting around that. This is one thing that Danger got right. They clearly put a lot of thought into the ergonomics of handheld devices. I can hope that RIM will improve their UI, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll just have to get used to it. But the UI is not a frill. When you spend a lot of time using a device--and a glance around this forum shows that we all do--every little efficiency or inefficiency matters. In the end, the UI does a lot to determine the quality of the user's experience.

[vlalra]

Well not knowing anything about the other phone, I am not sure I should even say anything, but that has never stopped me before.
You just posting here on this site, tells me that you know that you should stay with the curve.
What you have stated shows that you should stay with the curve. You just need to admit that your self and you will be much happier and content.