Not too impressed with the Tour and BB OS overall
- I have had the VZW Tour for about 2.5 weeks. This is my first BB, and before this I had a Motorolla Q Pocket PC that I was very unhappy with.
So far, I have been very unimpressed with the Tour and the BB OS as a whole. I swear I am not a troll, and I am not trying to stir anything up here. I understand that this is a BB message board, that is why I am curious to hear what others think, I am sure I am just not getting the OS yet.
I still have 1.5 weeks to return it and am just curious what I might be missing. I think part of the problem is that I am comparing the Tour to the iPhone, and I know it is not a fair comparison because they are different phones. I did not want the iPhone because I wanted a keyboard, but at the end of the day I am thinking about switching because it seems like they both do the same basic thing (surf the web and download email), though the iPhone just does so much more. I guess I am just curious to hear what other BB/Tour users like about it, and maybe it will turn me on to some of the features/benefits of the Tour that I may be overlooking.
My Review of the Tour
- The best feature for me is the keyboard.
- The web browser is god awful. I feel like I am using my Pocket PC from 2004. I tried Opera Mini and it is slightly better, though I still am not interested in going through the effort to surf the web.
- The battery life is great
- I am not happy that I can not download MS Exchange email without something being installed on my work server, even though an Apple friggn' iPhone can do it.
- I am very unhappy with the apps that I have downloaded so far. I tried one that told me which restaurants and coffee shops were in my area and I searched one on my corner and it took me ridiculously out of the way to get there.
I sincerely appreciate any comments/feedback and again, swear that I am not trying to troll here.08-22-09 10:46 PMLike 0 - Coming off an iPhone to the Tour myself I find the BB OS to be very lackluster as far as usability and graphics go. That said, I do think that you can do pretty much anything on the Tour that you can on the iPhone. The whole OS just feels very bare bones and at times hard to navigate. I was forced to give up AT&T and move to Verizon so I went with the Tour because I knew the Storm had untold amounts of criticisms lobbed at it so I can say if I had a choice I would go back to AT&T and my iPhone in a heartbeat. That being said, my life isnt worse off nor is my cell phone experience because of the Tour I just find the iPhone to offer a better user experience overall.
And for the app problem, try Poynt. I havent had a need for it in a real world situation yet, but the tests I ran on it coupled with Google Maps instead of BB Maps always seemed to churn out good results from searches as well as routes to places I used already. Of course Im from Phoenix were our street layout is a near perfect grid so its kind of hard to muck up navigation.08-22-09 10:54 PMLike 0 - Blackberries are not for people that want iPhones. iPhones are for people that want iPhones. They are so different that it doesn't even make sense to switch from one to the other or pick one instead of the other.
Each device is better than the other in different ways. If you are looking for an iPhone-like experience, look no further than the iPhone. That is the best advice I can give you. Hope it helps.08-22-09 11:02 PMLike 0 - The ONLY thing the BB offers over the iPhone is push email. Other than that the iPhone just kicks it around. You're right there really is nothing special about a BB or it's OS. It's a GREAT business tool and thats it. For fun/games/apps and flash it fails. If it's between the the iPhone and the Tour or any other BB. Choose the iPhone it's an overall better device.
I would like to say though that the ONLY reason to choose the Tour is if you are a VERY heavy business user. The Tour is a workhorse and will get the job done flawlessly....08-22-09 11:15 PMLike 0 - One of my biggest problems with Blackberries/Palm OS and WinMo from what Ive seen is the price of the apps. Im not sure what it is but BB Devs ask $3-5 or sometimes $10 for these small tweaks and applications that could almost certainly be had on iPhone either through the App Store or Cydia/Jailbreak for free. The most I ever paid for one app on iPhone was $6-8 for a program called "iBlacklist" and this was a tool that allowed for very customizable rules for blocking calls. You could have multiple whitelists and blacklists as well as special rules for how to block each number (send to voicemail, busy signal, etc). Here I was asked to pay $6 (on sale) for a purely text alarm clock.08-22-09 11:24 PMLike 0
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So far, I have been very unimpressed with the Tour and the BB OS as a whole. I swear I am not a troll, and I am not trying to stir anything up here. I understand that this is a BB message board, that is why I am curious to hear what others think, I am sure I am just not getting the OS yet.
However, once you learn the navigation and shortcuts that a BlackBerry gives you, you can fly through the easiest of tasks such as sending an email or creating a new task. Two or three keypresses and you're on your way.
My Review of the Tour
- The best feature for me is the keyboard.
- The web browser is god awful. I feel like I am using my Pocket PC from 2004. I tried Opera Mini and it is slightly better, though I still am not interested in going through the effort to surf the web.
- The battery life is great
- I am not happy that I can not download MS Exchange email without something being installed on my work server, even though an Apple friggn' iPhone can do it.
- I am very unhappy with the apps that I have downloaded so far. I tried one that told me which restaurants and coffee shops were in my area and I searched one on my corner and it took me ridiculously out of the way to get there.
@web browsing. The VZW is a bunch of BS, every time I see the guy ask "How sick is the web browsing?" I reply "Pretty ****ty." Web browsing has never been a strong point for a BlackBerry device to my knowledge. A WinMo phone does better. IMO the iPhone and Safari are the best as far as web browsing goes on a mobile phone.
@battery life. Good to know you aren't having problems.
@MS Exchange. BlackBerry devices are made for businesses primarily, thus it would be catered to a BES.
@apps. Nothing beats the App Store.
Sounds like you need to ditch the Tour and get and iPhone. All of the things you've mentioned have led me to believe that the Tour does not cater to your needs and you have not been able to appreciate or grasp the concepts of what the Tour is made to do. An iPhone would solve your gripes and give you a better mobile phone experience.
Good luck!08-22-09 11:25 PMLike 0 - If you are unhappy with the Tour, I suggest taking it back. With BlackBerry, what you see is what you get. For web browsing, I agree the BlackBerry browser isn't too great. I find BOLT to be a decent alternative for viewing full web pages (with WAP, the BlackBerry browser is great!)..
If you need speedy e-mail, the BlackBerry is going to win, no question about that. However, your predicament with Exchange is something I can never understand - why the **** does BlackBerry not allow this outside of BES? If you were using just Gmail or Yahoo mail then the BlackBerry wins. In your case, iPhone seems to be the way to go.
The iPhone is definitely going to provide a more "fun" experience. From games to thousands of applications to choose from - its a hard platform to beat.
There's no need to apologize - the device doesn't seem to be a good fit for you. Personally, I like the OS. Its no-nonsense and like I said before it's WYSIWYG. I need quick email, I love the physical keyboard and the BlackBerry calendar kicks **** compared to the iPhone.
You gave it a good two week test drive. There's no reason to be stuck with a device for two years if it's not going to A) make you happy or B) fit your needs.
Good luck!!
ALB08-22-09 11:40 PMLike 0 - OP, if your work has OWA access to email, you can set that up via the Verizon BIS portal. My work has a BES, but I didn't want to pay the license fee to add my phone to the system or to have my phone restricted by our IT policy so I just setup my email with BIS. Its not instant push, but its close enough.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-09 11:43 PMLike 0 - Second Bolt Browser & the OWA. If your company allows it, set up the OWA account in BIS. Read the Help files, and disable Dial From Home Screen. This frees up tons of easy keyboard shortcuts for instant access to all basic Blackberry functions. I know of no other platform that gives you so much control over the OS. Really dive into it and get to know it. If it's not for you, you'll at least have given it a fair shake. Tons of help on this site for ya, too.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com08-22-09 11:51 PMLike 0 - Blackberries are not for people that want iPhones. iPhones are for people that want iPhones. They are so different that it doesn't even make sense to switch from one to the other or pick one instead of the other.
Each device is better than the other in different ways. If you are looking for an iPhone-like experience, look no further than the iPhone. That is the best advice I can give you. Hope it helps.08-23-09 12:09 AMLike 0 - BGR posted a link to an article about a dev who was frustrated beyond belief with the developer process on the bb os...I WISH I could find the friggen article again, it was a GREAT read to really see things from the dev side...if anyone has it or is familiar with it, please link me!! BGR posted it on his Twitter page like a month ago...and no, I don't use Twitter I just read other peoples updates on my iPod Touch from time to time out of boredom!
Anyway, I attribute this to the reason paid apps are so pricey on the bb platform.
One of my biggest problems with Blackberries/Palm OS and WinMo from what Ive seen is the price of the apps. Im not sure what it is but BB Devs ask $3-5 or sometimes $10 for these small tweaks and applications that could almost certainly be had on iPhone either through the App Store or Cydia/Jailbreak for free. The most I ever paid for one app on iPhone was $6-8 for a program called "iBlacklist" and this was a tool that allowed for very customizable rules for blocking calls. You could have multiple whitelists and blacklists as well as special rules for how to block each number (send to voicemail, busy signal, etc). Here I was asked to pay $6 (on sale) for a purely text alarm clock.08-23-09 12:11 AMLike 0 -
Real work? Really? I know many people who do 'Real Work' with an iPhone, just as I do on my BB...
I'm so sick of people saying this kind of BS... sorry for flaming!08-23-09 12:22 AMLike 0 -
- Seriously... the Iphone is NOT a Toy... as you like to call it. It's just a different OS that is meant to do different things. I'm a Crackberry *****... but your bull**** about the Iphone is ridiculous... back it up!
Last edited by drewdaak; 08-23-09 at 12:29 AM.
08-23-09 12:26 AMLike 0 -
breathe a little Drew08-23-09 12:28 AMLike 0 - I wish I could ... haha....
But I know many people who use the iPhone to get their work done.... Until there are actual studies that prove otherwise... I think the BB and iPhone are equal in getting work accomplished.
The BB's only advantage is Push Email...
which ultimately doesn't mean anything if you don't check your email often enough!08-23-09 12:44 AMLike 0 -
The comment was directed toward use of an iPod touch as a secondary device.
Not a BB as a money-making device.
Please keep your rude comments to yourself before assuming what is incorrect, and refrain from using asterisks in your post unless you're willing to say it uncensored. E-peens don't count for much, sorry.
Thanks in advance.08-23-09 03:48 AMLike 0 - just my opinion buddy. Last I checked, we were allowed to have those. You need to mellow out. If you need help, the iPhone probably has an app for that.08-23-09 08:45 AMLike 0
- The debate between phones is very personal. The iphone is a great consumer phone and shows where interface technology can go.
However:
1. Verizon has better coverage in my area and other areas of the country travelled to.
2. After one week of using it(iphone) I still disliked the touch only interface.
3. I'm not happy with Apples' control of the applications through itunes.
After the Tour was announced I knew that phone was for me and I jumped on it. The (BES option) for push email and calendar sync is very important and needed during working hours. Web browsing, not so much, but it's okay enough to get by.
Navigation is also important, so VZ Nav is installed. For music, Nobex plus mp3s on the external card is used. I bought a spare battery for less than $20. I don't like carrying around multiple electronic devices. So my battery, Tour and earphones are all that is needed. Downloaded google voice, google maps, some news apps and I'm good to go.
And finally, I like the physical keyboard better than the touch interface. To each their own.Last edited by i7guy; 08-23-09 at 09:11 AM.
08-23-09 09:07 AMLike 0 -
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Not too impressed with the Tour and BB OS overall
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