[spidermonkey242]

So here is my dilemma, and I thought my best bet would be to post here and get some fellow addicts expert opinions...

I'm about to move down to New Orleans, and take a Sales Rep job at an AT&T store down there. I have an 8330 on my current CDMA carrier and I love it. I have played with both the Bold and the 8900, and the physical differences make me sort of lean towards the 8900. I just want a bit of insider info from actual users, abusers, and addicts.

Any and ALL advice/info is much appreciated, THANKS!

[mitchknowsbest]

I think you know the answer already, that's why you posted this in the 8900 forum lol. Its a very awesome device minus 3G. If you need that to load pages a secommd fatser then get that bold, if not enjoy the sleekness of the 8900 with its wifi, gps, video, everything. Goodluck with your move

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[aristile]

It all depends on if you need 3G or not. Basically that is the first question you need to ask yourself and the second question you need to ask yourself is if the size of the device matters to you. They are both great devices and I think you will be happy with either one. They each have their strengths and weaknesses so you just need to try them both out and see which one fits your situation best.

[spidermonkey242]

Ive noticed you both mentioned one of the things that was weighing on my mind, 3G or no 3G... I'll be right in the heart of NOLA, and will probably have Wifi in most areas, including The University of New Orleans, where I'll be attending, and I'm not yet 100% sure if they have wifi access on campus. Is 3G REALLY necessary, or am I going to be satisfied without it? I can deal with a webpage loading in 3 seconds rather than one....

[Username00089]

If you've already leaned towards the 8900, then you've made your decision.

[Artemis68]

It basically boils down to the 3G. I'd see if you can go into a store and ask the clerk if you can play w/ a functional Bold to compare speeds. Also make sure you are comfortable typing on either.
Both work very well and I'm sure you're going to love whatever you decide to go with.

Oh I forgot to mention, 8900 has enhanced EDGE so it will be faster than the other EDGE devices you may have known.

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[ClintRo]

I agree with everyone else..... My 2 cents would be to try both keyboards and see which you like better

Good luck!!

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[aristile]

Ive noticed you both mentioned one of the things that was weighing on my mind, 3G or no 3G... I'll be right in the heart of NOLA, and will probably have Wifi in most areas, including The University of New Orleans, where I'll be attending, and I'm not yet 100% sure if they have wifi access on campus. Is 3G REALLY necessary, or am I going to be satisfied without it? I can deal with a webpage loading in 3 seconds rather than one....

New Orleans has a "City Wide" WiFi Network setup so you should be able to connect with that around campus. I think the best reception is int he downtown and uptown areas. It sounds like 3G is not a need for you, so I would just pick the device you like best at this point. Enjoy your new BB, whichever you choose!

[spidermonkey242]

I really wish I could just hold out and get the Onyx, but thats not really an option

[8900mph Curveball]

3g and swollen pocket Vs Small & 3.5mpix cam

[ClintRo]

Well Wifi beats the crap out of 3G...... Lol

Swollen pockets can be good for picking up the ladies


Lol

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[spidermonkey242]

New Orleans has a "City Wide" WiFi Network setup so you should be able to connect with that around campus. I think the best reception is int he downtown and uptown areas. It sounds like 3G is not a need for you, so I would just pick the device you like best at this point. Enjoy your new BB, whichever you choose!

"City Wide" WiFi huh? I had no idea this existed.... That might really help my decision!

[fatboy97]

I'd take the 8900 - hands down.

Unless I needed a 3G phone and did not need the number of personal apps that I currently have... I love trying out new apps and unless I was really keeping a close eye on my device's memory every minute I'd run out with the Bold.

[aristile]

"City Wide" WiFi huh? I had no idea this existed.... That might really help my decision!

Yea, that's what they call it - something like that. It was put in place after Katrina and its not too bad. Besides that, there is free WiFi in many locations downtown in the hotels, CCs Coffe Shops, etc and I don't know for sure but I would think there's WiFi on campus as well. CDMA is not so great in the NOLA area, Sprint is alright but Verizon not so much so I think its a good idea to change to a GSM carrier.

New Orleans is a fun town, I'm sure you will enjoy your time there.

[godzilla07]

You're going to get a biased answer here, as you would if you placed your question in the Bold forum.

It's really whether you need 3G. Ask these questions to yourself.

1. Do you tether with your device?
2. Have you ever been in situations where you needed or would have liked to use SMS/e-mail/browsing/anything that uses data while in the middle of the call?
3. Would you like better call quality than your current device offers?

If you've answered no to 2 of the 3 questions, then the 8900 will be fine for you. Other things to keep in mind is that the Bold has a better keyboard. By how much depends on how much you like each keyboard. Try it out in-store. But you have a larger device if you use the Bold. Try out the Bold and 8900 and feel them in your hand to see if you would have a problem with the Bold's size. The 8900 has twice the RAM or memory of the Bold and a better camera. Plus the 8900 is the smallest full QWERTY BlackBerry. As for Wi-Fi making up the lack of 3G on the 8900, keep in mind that BlackBerrys are particularly fickle about Wi-Fi from my experiences. 90% of the time, I can't connect to public or open Wi-Fi while my iPod touch connects just fine. I prefer the Bold but that's because I tether and you really notice the speed difference between 3G and EDGE when tethering.

[spidermonkey242]

You're going to get a biased answer here, as you would if you placed your question in the Bold forum.

It's really whether you need 3G. Ask these questions to yourself.

1. Do you tether with your device?
2. Have you ever been in situations where you needed or would have liked to use SMS/e-mail/browsing/anything that uses data while in the middle of the call?
3. Would you like better call quality than your current device offers?

If you've answered no to 2 of the 3 questions, then the 8900 will be fine for you. Other things to keep in mind is that the Bold has a better keyboard. By how much depends on how much you like each keyboard. Try it out in-store. But you have a larger device if you use the Bold. Try out the Bold and 8900 and feel them in your hand to see if you would have a problem with the Bold's size. The 8900 has twice the RAM or memory of the Bold and a better camera. Plus the 8900 is the smallest full QWERTY BlackBerry. As for Wi-Fi making up the lack of 3G on the 8900, keep in mind that BlackBerrys are particularly fickle about Wi-Fi from my experiences. 90% of the time, I can't connect to public or open Wi-Fi while my iPod touch connects just fine. I prefer the Bold but that's because I tether and you really notice the speed difference between 3G and EDGE when tethering.

OK, so I did answer no to 2 of the 3 actually, no tethereing, and I'm happy with call quality... However, this WiFi subject is really just still kinda making me go back and forth, with this "City Wide" stuff that has been mentioned, i wonder if it will be an even bigger pain to connect, or if it will lean more towards eliminating that problem. I dont feel like I need the 3G, but I do need to be connected one way or another.

[aristile]

I'm going to disagree with you, godzilla, that the Bold keyboard is better than the 8900 keyboard because that is very subjective. One of the main reasons I didn't stick with the Bold was because I did not like the keyboard. It really just depends on the user.

[aristile]

OK, so I did answer no to 2 of the 3 actually, no tethereing, and I'm happy with call quality... However, this WiFi subject is really just still kinda making me go back and forth, with this "City Wide" stuff that has been mentioned, i wonder if it will be an even bigger pain to connect, or if it will lean more towards eliminating that problem. I dont feel like I need the 3G, but I do need to be connected one way or another.

What I would recommend is that you wait and get a phone close to or right after you move, this way you can be well within the return period in case you want to switch devices. Given what you have mentioned, I think the 8900 will suit your needs. When you do get to NOLA, you can check the free Internet options and the EDGE network int he areas you will be and then determine if that will work for you. My guess is that it will be great. If for any reason it does not work out, be sure you make a decision before the return period and you can then switch to the Bold.

[spidermonkey242]

What I would recommend is that you wait and get a phone close to or right after you move, this way you can be well within the return period in case you want to switch devices. Given what you have mentioned, I think the 8900 will suit your needs. When you do get to NOLA, you can check the free Internet options and the EDGE network int he areas you will be and then determine if that will work for you. My guess is that it will be great. If for any reason it does not work out, be sure you make a decision before the return period and you can then switch to the Bold.

Good point, however, I definitely wont be getting either one before I move, as I plan on it being my employee phone. Hopefully they dont make me get an iPhone... UGH.

[Garz]

I owned both devices. Loved the size of the 8900, the 3.2MP camera, black track ball, 256 MB device.

But I absolutely loved the Bold keypad, bigger screen, and 3G.

Even there was more things that I overall like about the 8900, I still prefered the Bold for those 3 reasons mentioned above. They out weighed all the rest combine. But both devices are great and no matter which way you go, you will not lose.

[aristile]

I owned both devices. Loved the size of the 8900, the 3.2MP camera, black track ball, 256 MB device.

But I absolutely loved the Bold keypad, bigger screen, and 3G.

Even there was more things that I overall like about the 8900, I still prefered the Bold for those 3 reasons mentioned above. They out weighed all the rest combine. But both devices are great and no matter which way you go, you will not lose.

There you go. Garz and I are good examples of users that tried both devices, can respect and appreciate each and at the end of the day we each chose a different device for different reasons. I think that is the best example of why you personally should try out both devices and decide which is best for you personally. The keyboard on one device may annoy you while the other keyboard is great for you. Same goes for the physical size, etc.

[spidermonkey242]

This is the reason I posted this thread! I wanted to get actual user comparisons, and getting opinions from people who have personally tried both devices is a BIG help. I'm going to run across the hall to AT&T (I'm at work, haha) and play with both devices. I'll be back with some opinions, and probably more questions!!

EDIT: BTW Garz, what do you think of your 3GS? If I am forced to use that as my employee line will it suffice?

[tedzone]

I own both and love them both... but that having been said-- how the heck can u ask this question in THE 8900 FORUM!?!?!?!?!? Obviously it's gonna be lop-sided, no??

[aristile]

I own both and love them both... but that having been said-- how the heck can u ask this question in THE 8900 FORUM!?!?!?!?!? Obviously it's gonna be lop-sided, no??

Actually, I think he got some very un-biased input personally.

[spidermonkey242]

I own both and love them both... but that having been said-- how the heck can u ask this question in THE 8900 FORUM!?!?!?!?!? Obviously it's gonna be lop-sided, no??

Well, I figured I should post it in one of the two forums... For the most part, I think people here can usually provide good, unbiased advice as well...

So, I ran over to the AT&T store, and I checked out both devices. I really think that I like the keyboard of the 8900 better, probably because I have an 8330 currently, and it doesn't feel like too much of a change. I also really like the size of it when compared to the bulk of the Bold. I went over and tried out the iPhone as well, just for fun... That thing's nice, as I own a Mac and would be nicely compatible, but it's definitely not my cup of tea. *sigh*