[gregorylkelly]

chiming in on the two sides of the coin:

I have only had two BBs and only in the last 6 months. BOTH of them have been headaches for me. The Bold had a constantly-failing trackball failures and bad battery life. I am on my second 9300 and again having trackpad failure. Thats on top of the fact that the 85xx/93xx Curve is simply SLOW...no two ways about it.

But in the defense of the other side, I have some friends (and some of you guys) who have had ZERO BB problems. But far more that have had problems. In essence i would say that BBs are very hit or miss (like any other electronic if you ask me) but they are also very fragile in my experience.

Finally, it is said alot that a phone is a VERY personal choice. There are some who will find the pluses of their chosen device outweigh the shortcomings. And some will not....It changes between every person

Well, you are using old and bottom of the line hardware! The Bold with a trackBALL is a few years old, and the curves are low end devices. Its not fair to compare those to top of the line Android devices.

[gregorylkelly]

I don't quite understand. First off, the 9900 runs OS 7, so I don't know what you mean there. We basically know everything that OS 7 does from faster web browser down to a little more customization. So basically if you think OS 6 is bad, you won't like OS 7 any better. But yes, the next BB's will most likely be QNX.

Actually, OS7 fixes many of the issues people had with OS6. Also, the hardware will definitely solve the lag issues that people have with current BBs.

[BoldtotheMax]

Everyone has an opinion, lol!

Mine is....you couldn't pay me to take back Android! Had a few, hated everyone minus my N1, however for what I do in a day, BB fits me like a glove.

Never once had an issue with my 9700 or any of my BB's for that matter.

[Snick Snack]

I don't quite understand. First off, the 9900 runs OS 7, so I don't know what you mean there. We basically know everything that OS 7 does from faster web browser down to a little more customization. So basically if you think OS 6 is bad, you won't like OS 7 any better. But yes, the next BB's will most likely be QNX.

Poster Xterra2 is saying they're bad, not me. His quote:

6.) Software - OS well it depends on the person so not comment here,but the BB OS SUCKS 5,6,7 SUCKS but the OS 8 would change that am sure

The 9900 isn't going to be released until this Fall. So it's not even out for him/her to judge it. It was a rather general statement to make. By all accounts the 9900 will be an excellent phone. I do believe that.

My first part of the question was directed to all the Android supporters, i.e. Xterra2 who believes the Android platform is superior to the BB OS. I wonder how he/she is feeling about it now that there is a major security risk/flaw with it.

Personally I don't care if my phone can make me a Triple Shot latte and deliver it to me in the morning when I wake up if it's not secure. For most business people they will no doubt have confidential information in their phone. While it may not necessarily mean anything to anybody else, it would be a pain to recover, i.e. clients direct personal cell phone numbers, email address and even home addresses.

For that reason and for the fact I can remotely wipe my phone as well as have 128 bit encryption passoword on my phone it gives me huge amount of peace of mind. I will always be faithful to BBs.

I don't need the fancy bells and whistles. I don't want ostentation and image, I want solidness and security. I don't care if you can get 1000 apps on your phone when the reality is you will most like only have time to use maximum 5 a day, otherwise you really need to get a life.

[gunderscorewil]

Well, you are using old and bottom of the line hardware! The Bold with a trackBALL is a few years old, and the curves are low end devices. Its not fair to compare those to top of the line Android devices.

Not really. RIM passes the Curve off as their mid-level offering. Back when it first came out it was the same price as an Aria or an X10. Both of those are better phones in my opinion. The Pearl would technically be the low end BB. In essence, yes the CUrve has VERY lowend specs, but it is RIMs Mid-Level device and should be compare with other midlevel devices.

[qbnkelt]

WHICH Curve? The devices being compare must also be contemporaries. An 8310 was midrange before the Aria existed; the 9300 would be a current mid-level Curve.

I will also second the poster who made the comment about not needing all the bells and whistles at the expense of security. I have an Atrix, back in its box and put away for good, after this THIRD security related problem with an Android device.

I've worked hard for my credit score and my privacy. Don't want either compromised.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[gunderscorewil]

WHICH Curve? The devices being compare must also be contemporaries. An 8310 was midrange before the Aria existed; the 9300 would be a current mid-level Curve.

I will also second the poster who made the comment about not needing all the bells and whistles at the expense of security. I have an Atrix, back in its box and put away for good, after this THIRD security related problem with an Android device.

I've worked hard for my credit score and my privacy. Don't want either compromised.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I have a 9300. The 8520 would have been the mid level for when the Aria came out. And as im concerned the 9300 is little more than an 8520 with 3G and GPS.

And as far as my 9000 goes i could only compare it with my iPhone 2G (which is a year OLDER).

[belfastdispatcher]

I have a 9300. The 8520 would have been the mid level for when the Aria came out. And as im concerned the 9300 is little more than an 8520 with 3G and GPS.

And as far as my 9000 goes i could only compare it with my iPhone 2G (which is a year OLDER).

8520 was the budget blackberry, �200 on pre pay, no contract. If that's not budget handset what is.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mbrouill]

I guess I'll know soon enough as I will be getting a Droid for my company phone.

[gunderscorewil]

8520 was the budget blackberry, �200 on pre pay, no contract. If that's not budget handset what is.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Thats all well and good but on contract (which is what is relevant to the majority of buyers [in america anyway]) it was ~$129 (89 pounds today) back when I was shopping last summer. That is not budget in my opinion. To me, budget is 79 or less. For 129 at that time i could have gotten an Aria, an 8900 (2x the phone of a 8520), or for a few bucks more an Xperia X10 or a NEW iPhone 3GS (49-99 for a Refurb). SHoot the Pixi was only $99 at that time.

And in any case, the Pearl was cheaper at time and even it has/had better specs than the 8520/9300. So no, the curve was not the budget model pricewise (even though now they are charging a little more for a pearl with contract).

[slang777]

Droid is a way better option,

I downgraded from the samsung galaxy S to BB bold 9000..

[kbz1960]

Droid is a way better option,

I downgraded from the samsung galaxy S to BB bold 9000..

Why downgrade?

[blue81to]

My first smartphone was an iPhone 3g which was a gift from my mom about a year ago. It's still the only smartphone I've owned.

Before I was given an iPhone I wanted a Motorola Droid with the slide out keyboard. I didn't think I would like the touch screen keyboard but it's not as bad as I thought it would be. The reason I wanted a droid back then was because it seemed techy. More so than an iPhone. I wanted to customize it and do all of those cool things that people said you could do with an Android phone.

Now I want a Blackberry. Mostly for Blackberry Messanger. I'm still going to keep my iPhone & use it like an iTouch. I really don't need most of the multi-media capabilities of an iPhone on a phone that I'll use as a phone. Blackberries have location services and maps so I can use it for navigation. I like the physical keyboard. I like the way notifications are handled in BB OS. All of these factors combined is why I want a Blackberry.

I'm concerned about the privacy & security issues that's been in the news about iOS & Android devices. I know Blackberries have privacy & security issues as well. But iPhones & Androids seem to have more. All phones sold in USA are required by law to be designed in a way that it can be hacked. So no phone is 100% secure.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Gucci33]

The battery life on droid is horrid not to mention their email capabilities. The new phones rim has coming out shortly will bring most of the droid and iphone people back!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[grover5]

Thats all well and good but on contract (which is what is relevant to the majority of buyers [in america anyway]) it was ~$129 (89 pounds today) back when I was shopping last summer. That is not budget in my opinion. To me, budget is 79 or less. For 129 at that time i could have gotten an Aria, an 8900 (2x the phone of a 8520), or for a few bucks more an Xperia X10 or a NEW iPhone 3GS (49-99 for a Refurb). SHoot the Pixi was only $99 at that time.

And in any case, the Pearl was cheaper at time and even it has/had better specs than the 8520/9300. So no, the curve was not the budget model pricewise (even though now they are charging a little more for a pearl with contract).

You might be an easy mark for a salesman but the price for the 8520 and 8530 on contract a year ago was 29.99 for most American cell phone companies.

[gunderscorewil]

You might be an easy mark for a salesman but the price for the 8520 and 8530 on contract a year ago was 29.99 for most American cell phone companies.

no salesman.....i did most of it online.......

[mbrouill]

Time to upgrade. Has any Blackberry users tried an Android phone? I'd like to know their thoughts if it's just as good as blackberry or do you suggest staying with blackberry?

I'm going thru this right now. I'm a Curve user in my private life, but the company just issued me a Droid 2 Global for business, so stay tuned as I dive into the world on Android...

[ADGrant]

The battery life on droid is horrid not to mention their email capabilities. The new phones rim has coming out shortly will bring most of the droid and iphone people back!

I am sure you are right about the battery life. However the email capabilities of an Android phone are excellent if you are a gmail user and buy into the google way of doing email.

[orgullodemexico]

I put this together earlier this year and I hope it helps in someone's decision making. Perhaps someone who spent more than 48 hours or another brand of phone has other suggestions. Bottom line, I am sticking it out with Blackberry and hope the rumors about the Storm 3 are true.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Droid X vs Blackberry Storm 2

I have been a Blackberry user for 7 years, the last 12 have been with the Storm 2. Currently my biggest complaint about the Storm 2 is the reboot time.

I asked a lot of questions of Droid Users as well as Verizon store reps and I was still unsure if a Droid phone was for me. I didn�t want to get a phone and waste my time if I turned out I didn�t like the phone. So I made the plunge and purchased a Motorola Droid X. 48 hours later it went back to the store.

My comments about are strictly concerning the Droid X. I realize other phones may have other user options. Blackberry seems to be consistent across the family with their options/customization.

Here is what I liked and disliked:

Reboot time � very fast. Sync with Google account for contacts, calendar � immediate

The shortest option I could find in the Droid X for email reconciliation is 15 minutes. Also deleting email for a yahoo account on the handheld did not delete the email off the server. I have several yahoo accounts and when I set up the account on the phone, the icons were called Yahoo1 Yahoo2 Yahoo3 etc. I had no idea what Yahoo icon was for which email address. I could not rename the icons.

I was able to create folders for the home screen to put similar applications in that folder and to avoid the homescreen from looking less cluttered. In other words shortcuts for ESPN, Fox Sports, MLB, NFL etc etc went into a folder I created called SPORTS.

Blackberry allows you to customize the different profiles such as Loud, Normal, Phone calls only, silent, etc. Customization was not that detailed on the Droid X, so that was a disappointment.

The Facebook app and Twitdroyd did not seem work as smoothly as UberSocial for Blackberry and Facebook for Blackberry.

My Storm 2 allows me to set up a unique ringtone for email from my favorite contacts � the Droid X did not allow this.

My status indicator turns to red whenever I receive a new email, irregardless of what profile I have activated. I could not repeat this on the Droid X. Also I have heard that the Samsung phones lack a status indicator.

I could not find a Droid equivalent for backing up Memo Pad from MS Outlook.

I use BB desktop manager and Blackberry Master control program for backing up all my content. I asked current users and Verizon reps what is out there to back up my phone in the event I had to replace the phone I could import everything to restore the phone as I last had it. I am still waiting for an answer.

I realize I spent a short time with the Droid but it was enough to convince me that this is not the phone for me. So I will wait and home for a Storm 3 in the not to distant future.

I hope this helps your decision making.

[ADGrant]

The shortest option I could find in the Droid X for email reconciliation is 15 minutes. Also deleting email for a yahoo account on the handheld did not delete the email off the server. I have several yahoo accounts and when I set up the account on the phone, the icons were called Yahoo1 Yahoo2 Yahoo3 etc. I had no idea what Yahoo icon was for which email address. I could not rename the icons.

The problem is you are using Yahoo as your email provider. Gmail is so much better. Gives push email with an Android phone, iPhone, WebOS phone or Blackberry. Many Android devices support EAS so there are non Google options that give you push email.

[bouncyballs228]

droids are where its at right now

[TgeekB]

droids are where its at right now

Perhaps for some, not for everyone.

[rktate]

I have been an avid Blackberry user for the last five years going back to my first smart phone the Blackberry 8800. I upgraded to the Blackberry Bold 9000 about a year and a half ago, and have absolutely no complaints as long as you have a 5.0 operating system.

My girlfriend owns the 9800, and my father purchased the Torch about three months ago and loves it. So thanks to AT&T's upgrading I am eligible for some of the new phones and have been really impressed by some of the reviews I've read about the Samsung Inspire 4g!! My mother has an iPhone (3G) and I'm not all that impressed.

I have not gotten to the point where I'm super comfortable using touchscreen devices especially as my main purpose for having the phone is business related. There is nothing wrong with my Bold, with the exception of the fact that there really isn't a lot that I can do regarding memory, processor speed, etc.

I have always loved Samsung products from my Blu-Ray player to my HDTV, laptop and even microwave, and it appears that the Inspire is way ahead of any Blackberry but I'm nervous about changing from a system that I'm very familiar with -- I am by no means an expert but I can pick up almost any Blackberry phone and operate it. I'm nervous about the learning curve of trying out the android operating system. As I mentioned there is no rush because I can upgrade at any time, but I just don't see any other Blackberry out there that I would be as happy with and I'm kind of curious about making the switch.

Any thoughts? The main features that I access on my Blackberry are e-mail, text messaging, applications such as Poynt, Facebook, Flixster, Pandora, Gmail, Weather app, and the calendar. I'm certain that all of these applications would be very easy, but I love the feel of the tactile buttons when texting or e-mailing from my phone which I don't seem to get from a touchscreen on either the Torch or iPhone. the 9800 has great specs, but screen resolution, and button size lack compared to the Samsung Inspire.

Thanks!

[jebulls]

I have been an avid Blackberry user for the last five years going back to my first smart phone the Blackberry 8800. I upgraded to the Blackberry Bold 9000 about a year and a half ago, and have absolutely no complaints as long as you have a 5.0 operating system.

My girlfriend owns the 9800, and my father purchased the Torch about three months ago and loves it. So thanks to AT&T's upgrading I am eligible for some of the new phones and have been really impressed by some of the reviews I've read about the Samsung Inspire 4g!! My mother has an iPhone (3G) and I'm not all that impressed.

I have not gotten to the point where I'm super comfortable using touchscreen devices especially as my main purpose for having the phone is business related. There is nothing wrong with my Bold, with the exception of the fact that there really isn't a lot that I can do regarding memory, processor speed, etc.

I have always loved Samsung products from my Blu-Ray player to my HDTV, laptop and even microwave, and it appears that the Inspire is way ahead of any Blackberry but I'm nervous about changing from a system that I'm very familiar with -- I am by no means an expert but I can pick up almost any Blackberry phone and operate it. I'm nervous about the learning curve of trying out the android operating system. As I mentioned there is no rush because I can upgrade at any time, but I just don't see any other Blackberry out there that I would be as happy with and I'm kind of curious about making the switch.

Any thoughts? The main features that I access on my Blackberry are e-mail, text messaging, applications such as Poynt, Facebook, Flixster, Pandora, Gmail, Weather app, and the calendar. I'm certain that all of these applications would be very easy, but I love the feel of the tactile buttons when texting or e-mailing from my phone which I don't seem to get from a touchscreen on either the Torch or iPhone. the 9800 has great specs, but screen resolution, and button size lack compared to the Samsung Inspire.

Thanks!

If you are not sure if you want to go away from BB just wait until the 9930 or whatever bb you would be interested in and then compare! For me I am about 75% sure I want to go with the 9930. I would not make a decision though until I actually played with one. From what I hear from Bloggers that I gotten there hands on the 9930 and one verizon rep, compared to the current lineup we will be blown away! But from what I have learned you don't know for sure until it's in your own hands!

[jthep]

Android phones are a mixed bag, much like BB phones since both have soooo many different models. In the case of Android, so many makes too.

I guess I would rather focus on the best of each type, but thats tough to do since it seems like there is new Android phone out every month pushing the envelope on tech specs in a handheld. One consistent flaw I have noticed in everyone I know that uses an Android is its weak battery life. I even know people that carry an additional spare battery!!! WTF?

Well, the best BB's currently out are well behind the curve on tech, but I would say the more recent Bold models and the Torch are the best BB's so far, IMHO. Every BB I have ever used has had a really good battery and with the exception of the Storm models, a pretty good keyboard too. Some of the Bold and Curve models have simply the best QWERTY Keyboards ever to grace smartphones, IMHO.

I guess its a matter of whats more important to you. The newer Android phones def get the "Wow, look at what my phone is capable of" edge by constantly pushing the envelope of what smartphones are and what they can do as media devices too. Also a variety of apps only outdone by the iPhone.

BB has been behind on those very important aspects in the consumer market for quite awhile now, but consistently have the great keyboards, great messaging, great notification system, reliably strong battery life, and don't "brick" as often.

It depends on what matters more to you. Better apps, tech, media, all go to Android phones. Practicality, reliability, generally qwerty keyboards (although some Android phones have comparable keyboards, very few though), battery life, messaging all go to BB...