[pantlesspenguin]

I've been a Sidekick user for 3 years & after the Great Data Outage of '09 I'm seriously considering jumping ship for a BB 9700. I played around w/ a 8900 today @ the T-Mo store, & I'm hoping that was just a model unit because i was seriously underwhelmed. I'm sure it's just because I'm not used to the OS & it would take time to get used to all the new ways of accessing things. The features & specs of the 9700 look amazing, but I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into before I make the jump. Can anyone compare the two devices for me?

[Jancy10]

Everything about a BB is better than a SK, there's really no comparison @ all IMO! The only thing SK has over BBs is the IM applications, but the 3rd party IM apps on BBs do a pretty good job

[jlsparks]

One thing it does better: doesn't store personal data in a server farm susceptible to total data loss. We don't have that problem with BlackBerry(s).

[Kilogramz718]

One thing it does better: doesn't store personal data in a server farm susceptible to total data loss. We don't have that problem with BlackBerry(s).

lol it sure dosent but the jump from a sk to a blackberry is the smartest choice you can make in the cell phone game plus the phones comes with a full fledged community to help you with all your needs *cough* crackberry

[pantlesspenguin]

Everything about a BB is better than a SK, there's really no comparison @ all IMO! The only thing SK has over BBs is the IM applications, but the 3rd party IM apps on BBs do a pretty good job

When you say "everything" can you be a little more specific?

Please don't just knock Sidekicks, I know they have a bad image. I'm looking for honest answers here.

[pantlesspenguin]

lol it sure dosent but the jump from a sk to a blackberry is the smartest choice you can make in the cell phone game plus the phones comes with a full fledged community to help you with all your needs *cough* crackberry

Heh, I've been a member of the Sidekick community, poweredbydanger.com, for years.

[xraytid]

sidekicks are the most worthless phones ever!!! I only used aim and email on mine and both lagged. I stopped using my aim on sidekick once I got a beejive license and got rid of my tmail all together. Sidekick is the most expensive waste of crap piled into a pit of mechanical NOTHINGNESS on gods green earth

Blackberry > Android > iphones > Regular Smart Phones > Flip Phones >SIDEKICKS

Mobile food chain

[shante1012]

When you say "everything" can you be a little more specific?

Please don't just knock Sidekicks, I know they have a bad image. I'm looking for honest answers here.

the browser, the third party apps, ability to edit documents camera just face it a bb does everything a sk does but better and more i dont need to go on

[Kilogramz718]

we may sound a little conceited about the blackberry's but hey its like comparing Beyonce to Ricky Lake

Blackberry excels at everything the only thing i havent seen that the sidekick has is aim groups but blackberry topped that with bbm groups which lets you share pics,apps, and other things all in one without a computer. Trust me making this switch is one of the best decisions you will make in life

[pantlesspenguin]

OK, look. I like my Sidekick. I like the ease of use, the multitasking ability, the jump shortcuts, the great organizer, the tabbed email, easy photosharing, etc etc etc. It's a great phone, IMHO, but I just feel it's time for a change. Simply bashing the Sidekick won't sway me to get a BB. I'm asking for honest opinions from people who have used both devices. If I can't get that then maybe this forum isn't for me. I felt I could get a better feel for BlackBerries from users who have experience w/ the devices rather than tinkering w/ a display 8900 for half an hour. But if I can't get that here I'll look somewhere else. I just thought a forum for BlackBerry enthusiasts would be a dang good place to start.

Edited to add that I wrote this before the last 2 posters chimed in. These are the types of responses I'm looking for, but I'm also really wanting more of HOW they compare, rather than just saying one's better.

[Bri9801]

sidekick=nice realiable Honda accord

blackberry= BMW 7 series......



nuff said

[Kilogramz718]

OK, look. I like my Sidekick. I like the ease of use, the multitasking ability, the jump shortcuts, the great organizer, the tabbed email, easy photosharing, etc etc etc. It's a great phone, IMHO, but I just feel it's time for a change. Simply bashing the Sidekick won't sway me to get a BB. I'm asking for honest opinions from people who have used both devices. If I can't get that then maybe this forum isn't for me. I felt I could get a better feel for BlackBerries from users who have experience w/ the devices rather than tinkering w/ a display 8900 for half an hour. But if I can't get that here I'll look somewhere else. I just thought a forum for BlackBerry enthusiasts would be a dang good place to start.

Edited to add that I wrote this before the last 2 posters chimed in. These are the types of responses I'm looking for, but I'm also really wanting more of HOW they compare, rather than just saying one's better.

Well i have used multiple sidekicks the sidekick 2,3,lx, and 08 when i was with tmobile it was a great phone for staying on aim and text then i sold my 08 and got the blackberry curve for t mobile imo it was the best switch i ever made since the blackberry does mostly everything i can do from my computer on the go if you are interested in chatting,sending emails, and checking documents then this phone is for you the options are limitless only thing the phone dosent have imo is a touchscreen(unless you have Verizon) and the most applications(apple iphone) if you are a person who wants to stick with the limits danger puts on a phone then this phone isn't for you

[Jancy10]

When you say "everything" can you be a little more specific?

Please don't just knock Sidekicks, I know they have a bad image. I'm looking for honest answers here.

Multitasking, OS, overall usage, device quality, apps, processors, ability to customize it, screen(not size but quality), just to name a few things, you just really have to use a BB to find out for yourself...

[pantlesspenguin]

Multitasking, OS, overall usage, device quality, apps, processors, ability to customize it, screen(not size but quality), just to name a few things, you just really have to use a BB to find out for yourself...

Multitasking is extremely important to me. I like how I can start loading a web page, jump to my email & send off a message, & jump back to the fully loaded web page. Or start an email, jump to write a text, & jump back to where I left off on the email. The BB does this, too? And the availability of multiple QUALITY apps excites me. Sidekicks have apps, but they're pretty watered down.

[Kilogramz718]

Multitasking is extremely important to me. I like how I can start loading a web page, jump to my email & send off a message, & jump back to the fully loaded web page. Or start an email, jump to write a text, & jump back to where I left off on the email. The BB does this, too? And the availability of multiple QUALITY apps excites me. Sidekicks have apps, but they're pretty watered down.

yes the blackberry does this.....if you have friends with a blackberry do a side by side comparison and you will be able to tell the difference for your self which would be your best bet

[morales0416]

Multitasking is extremely important to me. I like how I can start loading a web page, jump to my email & send off a message, & jump back to the fully loaded web page. Or start an email, jump to write a text, & jump back to where I left off on the email. The BB does this, too? And the availability of multiple QUALITY apps excites me. Sidekicks have apps, but they're pretty watered down.

After using a Sidekick in my teem years and now have a blackberry I will try to name for you some of the pros and cons,


Pros....

BB is a great multitasker, it can do exactly what you describe, start loading a webpage then jump to your emails, send a text your friend, continue your convo on Blackberry Messenger. Besides that have a good app store with plenty of free apps, as well as quality paid ones. As far as IMing goes BB have come a long way, beejive is one that rivals the native IM on the sidekick.

The ability to "hack" your blackberry with different OS's, having wifi being able to use multiple applications at once is GREAT.


CONS....

Keyboard to me on later models of SIDEKICKS was the best, although didnt like that it would sometimes peel up. THE screen on the LX is amazing however if your getting a blackberry like the 9700 im sure you will love that much better.

not to much cons IMHO.


Good luck in your choice

[Jancy10]

Yes, BB can multitask very good! IMO the best at it, app switcher makes it very easy to switch between open programs and applications...

BBs are constantly getting OS updates to get better and improve performance, another thing it has over a SK... BB also has the best Email function available...

[elezdi]

I've been a Sidekick user for 3 years & after the Great Data Outage of '09 I'm seriously considering jumping ship for a BB 9700. I played around w/ a 8900 today @ the T-Mo store, & I'm hoping that was just a model unit because i was seriously underwhelmed. I'm sure it's just because I'm not used to the OS & it would take time to get used to all the new ways of accessing things. The features & specs of the 9700 look amazing, but I'd like to know what I'm getting myself into before I make the jump. Can anyone compare the two devices for me?

Dude my last phone was the lx 07 ... I was eligible for a full upgrade so I went ahead and bought the jav .. I'm happier than ever . There is no comparison at all .. If you like the shortcuts on the sk , u will definitely fall head over heels inlove with bb .. This is my first bb , it was confusing at first , but it only took me about 3 days to learn how to use it . And I'm still learning new things everyday .. Sk's are very immature compare to bbs ... Make the right decision and become a crackhead hahaha

[LTA2009]

Hi PantlessPenguin,

I understand your frustration with the responses you've received thus far. I too, was a SK user since the very first bulky one came out. I used the SK one, 2, 3 and LX. The LX I had for only 2 months before the Great Outage.
I was more than willing to keep it actually, because just like you, I loved my SK for all the same reasons and more that you mentioned.

So, why did I switch? Because after I finally got my contacts back, I also got another job...a more business type of job and I didn't want to be the girl in the meeting flipping out her SK when everyone else had BBs. Maybe that's a vain reason, but it's my reason nonetheless.

Now, to answer your question....the BB 8900 Curve is what I can speak of, not any other BBs. Comaparatively, it is a MUCH better phone....although there are some things I miss about the SK.

The BB pros are as follows:
Dynamic - it offers a plethora of applications that allow you to conduct any and all business from a phone. Even if you're just a texter, the BB is a great investment for the future. It's a phone you can "grow" into.

The apps are so many to name here but a few that I've already enjoyed using are the BBM which stands for BB Messenger. This is a direct instant messaging app between other BBs. It's fast, it's easy to use, and you can have a crap load of friends on it. Similar to AIM and all the others. The BB, unlike the SK, offers AIM, ICQ, Google Talk, Windows Live & Yahoo Instant Messenger....all in a very convenient place. Now, personally, I don't know anyone who would need to use all those IMs....but it's nice that its offered.

Basically, the BB is a "mini" computer that allows you to be flexible in all activities that you would normally perform on a regular computer. I especially appreciate the Word, PDF, and Excel built in apps. The ability to not only read these types of documents CLEARLY and FULLY but also to CREATE them right from the phone is AWESOME!!!!

Another thing that the BB does that I don't believe the SK was capable of is that the email system allows you to recieve and respond to your emails in REAL TIME.....meaning that if you delete and email on the phone, it gives you an option to delete it from the phone only OR from the phone AND your actual email....this means you don't have to log into your, say, gmail account from another computer and see all the spam AGAIN. Hope that makes sense.

The SK LX was able to stream media and came with an mp3 player, but that is NOTHING compared to the media capabilites of the BB. This thing plays video like a TV. It's clear and the volume is nice and loud. Also, the buffering rate is very quick. Best of all, the battery power on the BB lasts amazingly long considering all that is running at the same time. The SK battery life was underwhelming.

The CON of the BB in my opinion is one thing only....THE KEYS ARE TOO DAMN SMALL!!! Lol....seriously, it's been an adjustment coming from the SK to the BB in regards to texting. It's just not the same. I find myself hitting the backspace button ALOT because the keys are so close together. That was not well thought out at all.

This is the bottom line in my own estimation....and I really hope all of this is helping you to make an educated decision....
The SK is a great phone especially if all you do is text. It's a great phone for the younger crowd. It's a cool looking phone (BBs lack in aesthetics). The SK is the type of phone that you have for awhile but then you eventually grow out of.

The BB however, is a long term phone. The options and features are endless and practical. You may not use them now, but you will in the future. The BB is RELIABLE, not just the phone, but also the data service behind it. You can rely on a BB. You can hope with the SK....and I'm not just saying that because of the recent issues with Microsoft and Danger....the SK as a whole does not seem to have long term potential.

As for cost, hopefully you will qualify for the full discount like I did and get the BB Curve for $149. No matter what tho, the data plan for all BBs is $20 more than it is for SKs. So, go ahead and brace yourself for that.

Sorry this was soooooo long, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible. Let me know what you decided to do.

[elezdi]

OK, look. I like my Sidekick. I like the ease of use, the multitasking ability, the jump shortcuts, the great organizer, the tabbed email, easy photosharing, etc etc etc. It's a great phone, IMHO, but I just feel it's time for a change. Simply bashing the Sidekick won't sway me to get a BB. I'm asking for honest opinions from people who have used both devices. If I can't get that then maybe this forum isn't for me. I felt I could get a better feel for BlackBerries from users who have experience w/ the devices rather than tinkering w/ a display 8900 for half an hour. But if I can't get that here I'll look somewhere else. I just thought a forum for BlackBerry enthusiasts would be a dang good place to start.

Edited to add that I wrote this before the last 2 posters chimed in. These are the types of responses I'm looking for, but I'm also really wanting more of HOW they compare, rather than just saying one's better.

Don't listen to these ppl bashing on the sk .. It is a cool hip device, come on now Lil Wayne has one loll. .

[pantlesspenguin]

LTA2009 - Thank you. That was exactly the type of response I was looking for. So I hear you saying that it's a pretty easy transition from a SK to a BB? This is good to hear, because I was so lost w/ that display device, lol. After using a SK for 3 years & knowing each & every little thing it does, I know it'll be kind of frustrating @ first getting used to a totally different device. I'm not looking forward to that @ all, & I'm tempted to just stick w/ my SK for as long as T-Mobile supports them (like you said - I don't think SK's will stick around for the long term, either, another reason I'm contemplating making a switch).

I guess I should explain that I'm 30, so I'm looking for a phone that can do a bit more than text . I've just been in love w/ the ease of use of the Sidekick & it had small lil features that I was afraid I'd take for granted & I'd get something & miss those features. Plus, the SK is just FUN while being practical. It's been such a good device for so long, switching is a pretty big deal to me. This is why I was asking for an in-depth comparison, which you've provided.

I'm glad you mentioned the media capabilities - I use my media player all the time @ the gym. I use streaming radio all the time, but I'm definitely interested in using something like Pandora.

And, I've pretty much come to terms w/ leaving the best keyboard in the business. There can't be another keyboard that can top the Sidekick's.

About the data price, I'm a T-Mobile customer & they've actually introduced some new plans. The one I'm looking @ is only $10 more than I'm paying, & that would include data other than my $19.99 grandfathered SK plan.

Thanks again for your in-depth comparison.

[R1cE]

In regards to a previous comment, I truly belive BB's look much better than sidekicks. They have a classy look, while sidekicks look a little "young." Just my honest opinion.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rcnathan]

Honestly, I have used 6-8 different smartphones and nothing, NOTHING comes close to the keyboard on the blackberrys. I also do appreciate the fact that the keyboard is "right there" and I do not have to flip anything up to access the keyboard. Plus, I believe the call quality is very good too. Very loud, and clear. I think once you start using the blackberry you will notice it does do a lot of the same things your SK does, but it does them - errr - more efficiently. I always tell people that blackberrys do everything you need a phone to do, and does them the best of any phones out there. If you are looking for a "toy" than stick with the SK, if you are looking for a good phone that will last you a long time, and do everything you need it to, the 9700 is a good choice for you! Everyone that I have suggested get a blackberry have never gone back.

I truly believe you will love it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[o0stryxs0o]

Lol, SK and BB is like a east and west coast feud. Here's the deal, also went through every SK known to man and loved mine! I mean loved my SKs I bashed BB for a long time cause I always looked at them as conforming to the business world. I loved the quick keys on the sk, the huge screen, how easy the OS was to use and everything it was great! Then I started getting a little busier in my lifestyle and I started using email a lot more because I had started some new business ventures. I was getting emails real late from people, and people kept telling me they weren't getting my mail and all this and it got frustrating. Then back in 08 around thanksgiving time we had a big outage for about 4 days and I lost all my data on the kick....I had it! That was it! I couldn't believe that I had to go that long with out my data and before it wasn't hard for me to go along with, but at that point there were things that I needed to take care of and be aware of on the go. I had decided that I would give the BB curve 8320 a try. I got one off craigslist and I I quickly fell in love with it! I've since upgraded to the 8900. I'm not going to lie the phone has a bit of a learning curve with it. So did my sidekick when I first got it though. I used this site and friends and was able to pick things up pretty quick though. The thing that scared me the most in switching was the keyboard, because I have huge fingers! Its been fine though heck I'm typing this on it now! You have quick keys on the sidekick and on here you just hold down the BB button and can switch from program to program just like the quick keys on sidekick! You can make your own ringtones here, you can store all the texts and emails you heart desires without wondering if your inbox is full! The new OS (which I'm already using and is another plus) will have threaded text! Honestly my sidekick use to seriously be my "sidekick", now my blackberry is my "sidekick" its like my personal assistant just like my sidekick use to be but I feel like my blackberry graduated from college if that makes any sense! Its a great phone and a great investment you won't be sorry!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Chrisy]

I'm going from my iP5c to the Sidekick next month. Any advice?

Thanks!