[kiristqw]

...I started questioning myself if it was the right device for me.

I'm a newbie and googled all sort of things on the subject on the subject.

However, I still have a few questions I hope somebody could shed some light on.

1) As a private user, I would need to go with BIS. I understand that device and carrier BB account are linked univocally, and changing SIM while travelling for a couple of weeks is not an option. However, let's say I'm in an area not covered by my network operator, but wirelessly connected with my home broadband router. Would blackberry.server refuse the connection because it doesn't come from a "whitelisted" IP on the mobile.network? I guess not, so how can BIS server distinguish between my cell network IP and my wifi IP?

2) Yahoo! Vs GMail. Which one should I go with? GMail offers a lot more than Yahoo!, but I'm currently a yahoo.de free email user and I understand non yahoo.com accounts can get full BB support. Now, what does that exactly mean? Does Yahoo! offer full reconciliation for email (sent items, read/unread, deleted messages, etc), calendar and contacts all built-in BB OS?

3) Why BB? I mean, there's all sorts of smartphones with push email on the market. Why would I want a BB over an iPhone or Android, which I can use with any 2G, 3G and WiFi SIM deal out there? Okay, that's a bit of a cheeky question on a BB dedicated forum, but I just wanted to have your experienced view on this.

Thanks!

[kiristqw]

Anyone?
____

[Busta-B]

#1 - i doubt if this will happen, when I had a Bold 9000 I would use the Wi-Fi signal from my home rather than the data in my BIS package... never had any hiccups or hangups there

#2 - I use Gmail for my personal account on my BB... it's almost fully integrated, you can delete emails on your device and they will be deleted in your inbox, or you can just download the mobile app from Google Mobile

#3 - the main reason why I go with BB is for the Push technology... I don't have to log into a email account to know what new emails I have, also the integration of their apps with the OS... I use FB and Twitter alot and it's so easy to send something to FB or Twitter, also I'm partial to a dedicated keyboard on my device and with all the other options available BB has been the best fit for my lifestyle, work and home....

Hope this helps!!!

[FuzzyB]

If you want a communication device look no further than a BB. However if you just use gmail and don't need the push email droid or iPhone would be fine also. Here again, this all depends on your specific needs. I for one manage multiple email accts and would have anything but a berry at this point.

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[elvin1983]

exactly[/B] mean? Does Yahoo! offer full reconciliation for email (sent items, read/unread, deleted messages, etc), calendar and contacts all built-in BB OS?

3) Why BB? I mean, there's all sorts of smartphones with push email on the market. Why would I want a BB over an iPhone or Android, which I can use with any 2G, 3G and WiFi SIM deal out there? Okay, that's a bit of a cheeky question on a BB dedicated forum, but I just wanted to have your experienced view on this.

Thanks!

1. I don't think that the BB servers authenticate based on the IP coming from the carrier. To be honest, I have no idea exactly how this works, but with millions of WiFi capable BB's out there, and no one experiencing any access problems, there has to be a specific way that the BB communicates with the NOC (BB Servers) that keeps the connection live regardless of data transmission path.

2. I use Gmail as well and I find that it works fantastic on BB. There is 2-way sync, plus with the Gmail plugin coming pre-loaded into every OS 5.0, it aids in the usability. That's my suggestion, but my buddy uses Yahoo and he has had no complaints with it.

3. I suggest BlackBerry for a number of reasons. As was stated in an earlier post, the way that the applications (both native and 3rd party) work within the OS is really fantastic. It's like when you download an app it becomes part of the whole big picture of the way the OS operates, like it was that way all along. Also, the efficiency of the platform is a big positive as well. Since BlackBerry transmits all of their data thru the BB servers (device>BB Servers>destination) they have made it so the data being transmitted is running in the most efficient way possible. BlackBerries compress data, which uses far less bandwith than an iPhone/Android device, thus using far less battery power. And, as far as messaging goes, you're going to be hard pressed to find a better messaging platform than the BB.

[kg4zxk]

I'm new to Blackberry but don't they use the device PIN number to authenticate?

[kg4zxk]

Hmmm. iPhone has terrible battery life, is fragile, drop one and you'll see, doesn't multitask, is under the tight control of Steve Jobs as to what you can and can't do with your equipment. I'm glad I dropped it.

[Pi Guy 3.14]

I sooooo don't get the title of this thread.... What was the unthinkable thing that happened to you? You doing research?

[elvin1983]

I'm new to Blackberry but don't they use the device PIN number to authenticate?

That's the way that I always thought it was done...

[paintdrinkingpete]

I could be wrong, but I don't think BIS services work strictly over WIFI...?

As far as I know, you still need a network connection to access BIS services, WIFI is only for other data. If I'm correct here (and I may not be?), then question #1 is moot. Now, I'm not sure about International travel, but I do travel within the US quite a bit, and I never have issues getting email messages when I'm roaming on another carrier's network.

[paintdrinkingpete]

Oh, and count me as another one that uses GMail and loves it. The google sync app also syncs your GMail contacts and google calendar as well, so that's real plus for me. I don't believe Yahoo! offers anything like that.

[westla7]

Hmmm. iPhone has terrible battery life, is fragile, drop one and you'll see, doesn't multitask, is under the tight control of Steve Jobs as to what you can and can't do with your equipment. I'm glad I dropped it.

It's not true for me. I do agree on battery, though; as for the fragile - mine, my friend's and my wife's been dropped thousand times. My friend's is less fortunate, it has a crack on the back, but works perfectly. It DOES multitask even now (3GS) if you put iPhone OS4 beta on it. Has much more to offer. It's just sooo pathetic to keep talking about "control" of "what you can and cant'd o with your equipment". First of all, it's not true at all about equipment. For the second - it is partially true about app store, but I can't understand how customer cares (if you are not doing development for the Apple's iPhone SDK) -- even with all those restrictions iPhone has more apps than Android and Blackberry and Palm put together.
There are some downsides and upsides in every device. But it certainly not JUST the way you described it.

[kiristqw]

I sooooo don't get the title of this thread.... What was the unthinkable thing that happened to you? You doing research?

Well I started doing research thinking BB was exactly what I was looking for but then I started questioning myself if it was the right device for me.

[kiristqw]

Thank you all for your responses.

[kiristqw]

Hmmm. iPhone has terrible battery life, is fragile, drop one and you'll see, doesn't multitask, is under the tight control of Steve Jobs as to what you can and can't do with your equipment. I'm glad I dropped it.

I don't quite agree with that, especially given BB IS a proprietary OS with very little options left to anybody who wants to use 3G/WiFi outside BIS. However, I'm starting to see the benefits of that:

Since BlackBerry transmits all of their data thru the BB servers (device>BB Servers>destination) they have made it so the data being transmitted is running in the most efficient way possible.

[kiristqw]

Last question: do both Yahoo! and GMail offer full reconciliation for email (sent items, read/unread, deleted messages, etc), calendar and contacts all built-in BB OS? I read several forums with users complaining about duplicated items on their inbox or emails sent from server and not updated on BB and vice versa.

[kiristqw]

... I do travel within the US quite a bit, and I never have issues getting email messages when I'm roaming on another carrier's network.

But I think that's US national roaming, which I think is covered in your standard package with your carrier

As far as I know, you still need a network connection to access BIS services, WIFI is only for other data.

So no emails over WiFi? Really? That's a show-stopper

Oh, and count me as another one that uses GMail and loves it. The google sync app also syncs your GMail contacts and google calendar as well, so that's real plus for me. I don't believe Yahoo! offers anything like that.

When you sent an email via https, does that appear automatically on your BB's sent items?

[reeneebob]

The idea that BB is the only platform that supports push email and has integration on Facebook or Twitter is completely untrue. I get push email as fast if not faster on my Pre, and I get Facebook and Twitter notifications more reliably - the Facebook BB app has always been problematic. I can't even begin to count the times I got the "unable to communicate with the server" error. I get the notifications on WiFi or network as well.

[paintdrinkingpete]

But I think that's US national roaming, which I think is covered in your standard package with your carrier

We have folks at work that do travel internationally, and while we do have to call to enable international roaming on their accounts before-hand, email services do work.

So no emails over WiFi? Really? That's a show-stopper

To be honest, I'm 100% sure, but I don't think so...at least not via BIS. I use GMail, so I keep the GMail app installed, and although I use it VERY rarely, it is convenient when there is a BIS outage or when I need to search through older, archived messages...so at least there is that.

When you sent an email via https, does that appear automatically on your BB's sent items?

Yes.

(they didn't used to, but since the latest BIS updates, they do now...which is nice)

[T�nis]

Not really sure what I'm talking about, but I'll try to formulate a pertinent question. It would seem that the BB would need a carrier account to activate a PIN, but if it's a gsm device, wouldn't the BIS stuff work anyway (via the PIN) with a different sim card, so long as the primary carrier account remains in good standing? My post here is more of a self-ping. I hope someone will providr the answer.

[jbs-horn]

So no emails over WiFi? Really? That's a show-stopper


When you sent an email via https, does that appear automatically on your BB's sent items?

At the moment in Services Status in Options/Manage Connections my 9700 says that Blackberry Internet Service is being carried on WiFi. That would mean that e-mail as well as the Blackberry browser I'm using is using WiFi rather than the carrier data network. Even turning off the mobile network I was able to send (and my recipient received) a test message. The reply to the test message came through just fine.

So regardless of carrier roaming issues, if you have Wifi you have BIS.

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[kiristqw]

When you send an email via https, does that appear automatically on your BB's sent items?

Yes.
(they didn't used to, but since the latest BIS updates, they do now...which is nice)

Both on Yahoo! and GMail?

[skwij]

If you're travelling internationally, you can also unlock your BB and use a local carrier's SIM.
There will be some hoops to jump through to get everything working, but you can travel without roaming charges.

[kiristqw]

If you're travelling internationally, you can also unlock your BB and use a local carrier's SIM.
There will be some hoops to jump through to get everything working, but you can travel without roaming charges.

Thanks skwij, could you be a bit more specific how this is achievable? I was under the impression carrier=>BB PIN was something "unbreakable" if not when permanently changing provider...

[Masahiro]

The idea that BB is the only platform that supports push email and has integration on Facebook or Twitter is completely untrue. I get push email as fast if not faster on my Pre, and I get Facebook and Twitter notifications more reliably - the Facebook BB app has always been problematic. I can't even begin to count the times I got the "unable to communicate with the server" error. I get the notifications on WiFi or network as well.

Instant email does not equal push email.

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