[exelant]

Yup I'd be interested in brands and model devices. I'm just beginning to get into area of devices. I seen a few but they all had oddities to them sort of like they were built to target a certain type of user. Not quite task specific but definately weren't designed for a broad range of consumers.

Absolutely correct. We've spent a ton programming these units for our needs and to work with our SCADA software - our engineering firm has a full time electrical engineer doing our programming (there's an interesting personality type! lol). Ours do come with XP and are designed to jump on a wifi so I'm sure you can set them up to do almost anything, and their processing power is amazing. I'll put some info together for you tomorrow when I go back to work.

mike

[PhineasPoe]

you are both correct... I have and use a laptop and was hoping a smart phone could eliminate some of its use..what I've found in practical terms is that I can replace less of the laptop usage than what I theorized prior to buying either phone.

I can't say that I'd like the bb over a faster windows unit...they are very close, each with its own advantages - and those advantages aren't substantial enough at this point for me to say what the clear winner is (for my needs)

...I've always preferred open systems vs closed...so I'm wondering if a faster windows unit will do the trick...neither system is perfect and I guess my main conclusion is that they are a lot closer in functionality than what I read prior to buying (either!) phone.

Try the Palm Treo 800W. I don't have enough posts to give you a link but go to Treonauts.com and look for the 800W review. Treonauts is baiscally Crackberry.com for Palm users and there is a decent community there that should be able to answer any questions you might have about what the phone will and will not do.

[PhineasPoe]

I know this is a little late as you have already returned your phone, but I found a program that I think addresses most of your issues and there are probably others who want the same from their BBs:

•View document attachments and files (i.e., PDF, PPT, DOC, XLS and CSV files) in their original quality. Use the zoom option to view every detail, and store files on your Blackberry's flash memory or memory card.

•Store and retrieve files from an unlimited online storage facility. Easily share them with others by sending them as email attachments, faxing from anywhere or printing to a Bluetooth or local printer. You`ll also be able to access and manage Desktop files with Google Desktop.

MasterDoc™ - Picture Perfect Document Viewer for BlackBerry

[msherpa]

You need a laptop with a wireless card...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[tmember]

I got really frustrated in the first few days. I should have just kept my mouth shut for about 2 weeks. But I wanted to be happy too! Just like all the other excited people here. So when I got frustrated I vented. Soon you'll like your BB. Just give it time, then come back here and help other frustrated newbies. I'm still pretty far from knowing all things....but I'm getting better and better at using this device, and appreciating it for what I use it for, which is not as 'business' oriented as it probably is for a lot of other people around here.

So just keep asking your questions and you'll get closer and closer to the answers you need. There are some good answers above and most are taking your concerns seriously. Good luck!

[almst2gd]

Good answers all!!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[exelant]

Man, how did this old thread come back to life !

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[tonysak]

I just switched over from years of being a treo user (treo 650p,700p). I'm digging the blackberry. It is different though.

The BIS is limited, it doesn't sync contact memos or anything like that. Unlike a Palm OS with any type of wireless sync. I changed my email server to an exchange and its really for a corporate 1 mail box environment. I'm a online retailer so i need a lot of boxes and what not.

Something else you might not know, you can not edit office docs on a BB (you mentioned contacts).

The pros i noticed are the BB is light weight, my treo was a brick, spell check is a plus for me, and the PUSH is pretty quick i get mine before my desktop does with IMAP, the OS is also very fast, must faster than palm or win mobile. BB seems more stable too.

All phones have pros and cons, some people really get into them. I really wanted something small and light.

I would say you need to prioritize your needs and go get a phone from there. Or get a normal hand held phone and go out and buy one of those sleek little 11" sony laptops. If your doing a lot of contracts on the road thats probably your best bet.

[GuillermoR]

You sir are the fail. No need to bash the BB. Like other people said: get a laptop. No smart phone is made for archiving emails and such. They're made for email on the go.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[loooney2ns]

I got really frustrated in the first few days. I should have just kept my mouth shut for about 2 weeks. But I wanted to be happy too! Just like all the other excited people here. So when I got frustrated I vented. Soon you'll like your BB. Just give it time, then come back here and help other frustrated newbies. I'm still pretty far from knowing all things....but I'm getting better and better at using this device, and appreciating it for what I use it for, which is not as 'business' oriented as it probably is for a lot of other people around here.

So just keep asking your questions and you'll get closer and closer to the answers you need. There are some good answers above and most are taking your concerns seriously. Good luck!

Nice dog! I love Pugs! Mine is named Lucy.

[exelant]

The OP has been gone for weeks. Posts to him here are meaningless.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[loooney2ns]

I recommend using an online email service, such as Gmail, Yahoo! mail, Hotmail, etc. All your emails will always be accessible as long as you have internet access. I would use it regardless of which device you have-WM, Palm or BB. I switched from a Sony Clie and a Razr to my BB and I couldn't be happier. Not all devices do everything but if you search around, you may find that they can do most things you want. I hope the OP is happy with his WM device. I couldn't deal with the constant slowdowns and crashes. If I didn't have a BB, I would have a Treo. They may have problems, but at least the os is stable and very usable, with tons of 3rd party software.

[exelant]

I give up

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MadCatUSA]

...and there you've summed up my experience...thank you.

I did ask questions, I did searches and I did read forums... and I'm a computer science major to boot...I figured with the huge number of people that said a BB was the greatest thing since sliced bread, I reasoned it must be.

What I'm finding out, however, is that its great at some things and not good at all at others..I think a couple of years ago, BB was head and shoulders above everything out there...but I don't think that's the case any longer in particular for users who aren't part of the corporate IT structure and all the requirements that brings to communications.

So, I'm not somebody who just bought the first thing I was handed and I have a ton of experience in computers too...many of you have used BB's for years, so you've come to accept the limitations and, in fact, treat them as features...but I'm brand new to a pda phone (but not a pda) so perhaps I come at this from a different perspective and I'm not willing to make sacrifices that some of you may...now, 2 years ago, we might be having a very different discussion as the reliable alternatives were more scarce...

Scuba -
I recently switched from a WiMo Treo to my BB Pearl, and yes, some things were hard to get used to, but I can state for a FACT that trying to pull email with my WiMo phone ate the battery faster than anything I've ever done before. When I wasn't trying to pull emails, I could get a day and a half to two days out of a charge, when trying to pull emails, that dropped to half a day, tops. My BB picks up my emails for me and I get the same battery life that I did w/ my Treo w/out pulling emails - day and a half to two days. Something to keep in mind when considering whether to switch or not.

[ScandaLeX]

I give up

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

X~ This is how you know people dont read the entire thread. Now, its been a while since I was last in this one, but I could have sworn the OP said he was going to give it a try for a little while longer.

I'm not up to the challenge of reading this thread again; but if he did say that, then why are people posting like this thread was just started an 1hr ago instead of 30 days ago?

[jenaywins]

X~ This is how you know people dont read the entire thread. Now, its been a while since I was last in this one, but I could have sworn the OP said he was going to give it a try for a little while longer.

I'm not up to the challenge of reading this thread again; but if he did say that, then why are people posting like this thread was just started an 1hr ago instead of 30 days ago?

Exactly my sentiments. And, if I am not mistaken, did I not read somewhere in this post that the OP already took his BB back and got a different device?? Read the entire thread people - this ish is dead.

[exelant]

I agree. Look at my last two posts on page six. I say the OP has been gone for weeks and wasn't coming back, and the very next post gives the guy advice, . Like I said, I give up. harde-harde-har-har, I'm going loony with those who don't read posts

[StoneRyno]

I always at least search the thread for replies from the OP to see if they came to a resolution since starting the thread or see if the problem is solved etc to see if I would be wasting time to reply if the OP has already reach the finale of the reason for posting.

[kyriefurro]

[B][I][FONT=Palatino Linotype][SIZE=3][COLOR=magenta]I'm not up to the challenge of reading this thread again; but if he did say that, then why are people posting like this thread was just started an 1hr ago instead of 30 days ago?

Human nature....it keeps getting bumped and no one bothers to look at the time stamps. They just assume that if the thread's at the top of the list it must be current