[Melinda Musil]

Since I have a Bold I've become the blackberry expert in my family. My dad has electronic toy envy and wants to also buy a blackberry bold. However he absolutely WILL NOT buy a data plan.

I have told him that, without the data plan and for as little as he would use the smartphone (just the address book and calendar), he would be fine with a curve or an off brand phone. However, he is being very stubborn.

So tell me- what features does the bold have that make it better than the curve, but do not require data?

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[jd914]

Aren't you the Blackberry expert?

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[papped]

If he doesn't care about wifi, get the 8520 unlocked.

The Curve has lower screen res, way lower cpu speed and ram. The 8520 at least has the trackpad + higher cpu and ram.

[Melinda Musil]

Thanks. FYI I'm not trying to be a "snotty" expert or whatever. I freely admit that there are a lot of things I don't know about blackberries. But my dad is going from a phone that's so old it doesn't even have a camera, and he definitely considers me to at least know more than he does about blackberries.

He is absolutely convinced that he does not want data, and I'm not buying it for him so that's fine with me. But I know that the vast majority of how I use my Bold involves data, and I think it's almost a waste of money to pay an extra $200 for a Bold when you aren't going to use it for data.

[laollis]

Since I have a Bold I've become the blackberry expert in my family. My dad has electronic toy envy and wants to also buy a blackberry bold. However he absolutely WILL NOT buy a data plan.

I have told him that, without the data plan and for as little as he would use the smartphone (just the address book and calendar), he would be fine with a curve or an off brand phone. However, he is being very stubborn.

So tell me- what features does the bold have that make it better than the curve, but do not require data?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

OK, tell your dad to buy a hot looking car, but don't put gas into it, just park it. Well, it's the same thing as buying a Bold without a BB data plan. Just plain stupid!

[Melinda Musil]

OK, tell your dad to buy a hot looking car, but don't put gas into it, just park it. Well, it's the same thing as buying a Bold without a BB data plan. Just plain stupid!

Totally agreed!

[digitalb0y]

OK, tell your dad to buy a hot looking car, but don't put gas into it, just park it. Well, it's the same thing as buying a Bold without a BB data plan. Just plain stupid!

Not true at all. First of all, WiFi works great even with the radio switched completely off. Second, it's a really great PDA. I agree that a data plan is worth it, and I use mine all the time, but do we really gotta pull out the car-with-no-wheels analogy every time someone says they want a good phone/planner/media player/WiFi device but DON'T want to give AT&T their first born?

[mark-d]

The simple truth is there is little advantage to buying any BB without getting any accompanying data plan. The two just go hand in hand if you want to actually be able to use the phone for the purpose most people would buy it for.

Yes it's still a great PDA and yes you can still browse with Wi-Fi but it's the complete package, including the data plan, that makes the Bold the top phone in the BB stable at this point in time.

[Tlynnsmith]

There are too many threads about Blackberrys and data plans. If you search the forum, you'll find them...and you'll find that there are die-hard Blackberry-with-no-data plan folks out there, who swear it's all good, and don't care about what we think of their decisions to rock Blackberrys without data plans. Some get a little testy about it, so I say leave them alone. There's no way in the world I'd have a Blackberry with no data plan, but hey...

Search Google, and follow the links to Crackberry. I Googled "Bold vs 8900" and found the links below.

Bold vs 8900

Bold Features and Specs

That should get you started.

[Andy348]

A lot of university students don't get data plans because their whole campus is wifi enabled. As long as your dad has wifi at home and at work there shouldn't be a problem.

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[hubad4u]

A lot of university students don't get data plans because their whole campus is wifi enabled. As long as your dad has wifi at home and at work there shouldn't be a problem.

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I agree with you buddy.

[Tennispro4ever]

I picked the Bold over the Curve because I can actually use the keyboard without pressing four or five keys at once, which can become frustrating quickly.

I would think he'd be fine without a data plan as long as he doesn't accidentally access the Internet through the radio. That is how AT&T makes most of their money.

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I agree. I also bought the bold over the curve due to the small keyboard. As for wifi. If your in a free wifi hot spot or even using your home internet you won't be charged. If you want to make sure just turn your radio off and keep your wifi on so you won't accidentally use atnt internet.

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[crackzilla]

Its feasible to have a BB w/o a data plan and it be a useful tool, but let ur dad try a data plan as a trial. If he doesnt like it he can always remove it in 90 days.

[SmoothRT]

Most of the Bold's advantage is the 3G. If you not using data, the 8900 would probably be a better bet. It is smaller, which most people like, but he may want to test the keyboards since they are slightly different. The Bold does have a faster processor, but this might not matter if he is only doing the basics like using the calendar. The 8900 sports a better camera than the Bold as well.

[bragot]

Most of the Bold's advantage is the 3G. If you not using data, the 8900 would probably be a better bet. It is smaller, which most people like, but he may want to test the keyboards since they are slightly different. The Bold does have a faster processor, but this might not matter if he is only doing the basics like using the calendar. The 8900 sports a better camera than the Bold as well.

I agree. The main reason most like the bold is because of 3G. IMO, the 8900 looks better and is more compact which meant a lot to me. If he doesn't intend to use Wifi, why not get an older phone like a palm centro?

[Ray0886]

A lot of university students don't get data plans because their whole campus is wifi enabled. As long as your dad has wifi at home and at work there shouldn't be a problem.

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Too true. I have wifi almost everywhere I go. But I do have a 500mb plan for the rare instances I don't get wifi, and for facebook and BBM

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[Pema108]

If he doesn't want a data plan, then don't get a data plan. If he finds he needs one at some point then he may decide he will spring for it. We have a way of changing our minds about such things. I swore I would never pay for a data plan and I couldn't do without it now.

The comments about wifi are true - esp. if he isn't a heavy data user - lots 'o wifi around these days. I just played with a coworker's new Curve this week and the keyboard felt, to me, unsatisfactory compared to the Bold keyboard. I'll bet your dad will prefer little bit bigger, more substantial formfactor of the Bold over the Curve. That's my $0.02.