[ermd2000]

Just wondering...

If Essex comes out with wifi, will the total data plan still be required? Do you think the cost will be the same?

Some claim that if there is wifi, people don't need to buy the total data plan. Therefore, the companies such as Verizon could lose $. However, it seems to me that there would still be need to have data access outside of wifi access, so most would still buy a data plan.

Is this line of thinking right in your minds? Any thought that they would decrease the price for the data plan due to the wifi?

I ask because it makes me consider the Tour unless I am going to get some type of a plan break with Essex. I can alway upgrade to 5.0 with Tour when it comes out anyway...and the trackball issue is supposedly over if you get a new device now.

Any insight or opinion is appreciated.

[iMatter]

Honestly, I think it's way to early to tell. The Essex isn't coming out anytime soon.

Yes, it'd be nice not to be forced into a data plan just because you have WiFi, but I've never seen any carrier do that. If anyone knows this to be false, please correct me.

[eve6er69]

Yeah you will have to get the standard data plan for blackberry.
You are forced into a data plan with the treo 800w and it was the same price for data and that device had wifi.

I am going by what I have heard through the rumor mill and I'm hearing possible Essex in late this year or eay nxt year. Q4 is when all the sweet *** phones come out. Lol

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[skyboxer]

I believe Verizon has required data plans on all their BBs for quite some time now. Some carriers didn't for a while but RIM is starting to monitor this and force the carriers to require a plan. The BB plan is how RIM makes money over the long term. I don't see RIM or VZW giving anyone a pass on the essex just because it has Wifi. Data plans are required now for the Bold on ATT and the 8900 on TMO also.

[Nendroidz]

dude the essex will not be coming out until a couple of months... or half a year or maybe a full year hahaha, i have not even seen pictures nothing, just the name, so it is way to early to know that xD

[ermd2000]

I believe Verizon has required data plans on all their BBs for quite some time now. Some carriers didn't for a while but RIM is starting to monitor this and force the carriers to require a plan. The BB plan is how RIM makes money over the long term. I don't see RIM or VZW giving anyone a pass on the essex just because it has Wifi. Data plans are required now for the Bold on ATT and the 8900 on TMO also.

So if that is true, then what is the advantage to waiting for the Essex?

1. Wifi would allow faster connections if in a hotspot.
2. Trackpad instead of ball
3. Better battery door?
4. 5.0

Of those four things, it seems that if you have to get the data plan anyway, but you mostly wouldn't be using the wifi, you don't need to wait. The trackball and battery door issues seem to be real, but random...you don't know what you are going to get. You might get good ones, you might get bad ones. And you could always upgrade your Tour to 5.0.

Am I missing the logic here? Tell me why I should wait if I am going from S1 to Tour. I don't know that I want to do the S2, so take that out of the discussion.

Thanks.

[skyboxer]

You seem to have a pretty good bead on things. Wifi is useful, especially since VZW has the slowest 3G speeds overall. There are some places where even VZW's coverage is lacking or so I hear, and wifi would be useful there too, just not for voice since they don't support UMA.
Don't forget about the mystery feature or whatever the essex is supposed to have. Can't quantify it because we don't know what it is yet.
My trackball works great. My battery cover is fine. I love my Tour.
If you don't see a need for wifi I don't see a reason why you should wait either. I also wouldn't be surprised to see a retro fit trackpad come out for the original Tour and 8900.

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[ermd2000]

And if the mystery item is an accelerometer, is that such a big deal for a device like the Tour/Essex anyway? Not sure I see it as being a crucial component, but the rumor is that is the item.

[beanner468]

I have a Samsung SCH-i760, it is a smart phone that I have had for 2 years. I am on the sight to try to decide if I want the storm 2, the tour, or the essex. I also looked into having my current phone turned over to my nephew, and guess what? You have to have the data plan even with the Wi-fi. So, that answers that with verizon, period. No matter what. On the device that I currently have, it is totally blocked, and it has been hacked twice. Verizon was wonderful about taking the charges off, since I had blocked it. However, they also said it was not possible to hack the lines.....LOL

[NYC Dude]

Of course you will. Having wi-fi on a phone is just to us if the connection where your @ is bad. But the company is still gonna make you keep a data plan for at least 6 months I believe. Well my receipt said that from wirefly on my new bb tour

[mthoodrue]

You seem to have a pretty good bead on things. Wifi is useful, especially since VZW has the slowest 3G speeds overall. There are some places where even VZW's coverage is lacking or so I hear, and wifi would be useful there too, just not for voice since they don't support UMA.
Don't forget about the mystery feature or whatever the essex is supposed to have. Can't quantify it because we don't know what it is yet.
My trackball works great. My battery cover is fine. I love my Tour.
If you don't see a need for wifi I don't see a reason why you should wait either. I also wouldn't be surprised to see a retro fit trackpad come out for the original Tour and 8900.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Yea, VzW's coverage is GREAT in metropolitan areas. And thats it... Get out of that zone and POOF. Nuked coverage. They cut down how many towers are out there about two years ago. How do I know? Used to tech the towers for them... remember driving around the entire state and working on them and helping convert to other carriers. Dumbasses lost customers with that one.