[seanjobig]

So over the past few years I have had two iPhones and two Android devices. My most recent phone being an android (nexus one) crapped out so I decided to give blackberry a try and picked up a Bold 9000 on amazon for $88. I really have fallen in love with aspects of the Blackberry but it seems to fall short in other core areas. Am I missing something? Is my phone software too old? I am running 5.0.0.1067.

I will be trying to decide between the Bold 9900, Samsung Galaxy S2 or an iPhone 4/5. My main needs are: Fast easy typing, Gmail integration and Google Talk

So first what I love the BB for:
1) Obviously the keyboard. It's nice to touch real buttons again.
2) With the keyboard comes really, really fast dialing. Just start to type a contact name.
3) Its feels great in the hand and looks professional grade.
4) Its a real phone: good calls, good speakerphone
5) All the core apps are nice: Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Flixster. The BB app world doesnt have 10,000 fart apps but the apps i care about are almost all there.

What it seems to be missing:
1) No free option for turn by turn directions. When traveling or going someplace new, I dont want to borrow someone else's phone to get there while they make fun of my BB
2) Gmail integration seems terrible. Is everyone using IMAP? Its not a real sync of your inbox.
3) Requires a ton of restarts when configuring things.
4) Google Talk app signs out by itself and sometimes won't sign back in stating it can't connect.
5) Any way to Wi-Fi tether? I got bluetooth tethering but that doesnt help me tether my tablet.

My main problems would be in Google product integration. Does this mean that BB isn't best for my needs? Do newer phones work better with Google Apps and Talk? Please give me some feedback from you BB gurus! Thanks

[ichat]

To tell you the truth every devices have its strength in the google integration and yes, your device software is old. OS 6 and upcoming OS 7 is absolutely great and if you want to test it out download a developer simulator from blackberry.com and try out the 9930 simulator and you can get apps on it. For turn-by-turn directions use google maps. The Blackberry is great for its features and to me iphone is a playtoy with apps which mostly are useless. Try the simulators and your answers will be clear.

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[olblueyez]

Find the thread titled "New Os 5.0.0.1079/1082 6.0.0.600 findings and fixes" and install this hybrid OS created by one of our members called DelftEo. I guarantee your 9000 wil perform better than it ever has. Also I am running a program called NetworkAcc, version 2.6 is out just now and it really makes a difference in addition to the hybrid OS.

Do those two things and then evaluate your 9000 again before shopping. You will realize the software is the most important part of the hardware/software equation and keeping that in mind RIM wins out since configuring a Blackberry is easy compared to the others.

You may even decide you don't need to upgrade just yet since a 9000 with the proper setup runs fantastic.

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[southlander]

Another tip for fast dialing is mapping speed dial keys by holding in any letter key.

As for turn by turn BlackBerry traffic is pretty good. Nothing is a match for the Android turn by turn though in my opinion. But BB Traffic is fine for my needs. No overhead map view. But I prefer the larger simple text directions anyhow.

[SugarMouth]

Like yourself I use Google apps. I am running the latest in software and my BB does not integrate well with the Google apps which I use everyday. This maybe what makes me switch back to Android. I am giving BB a real chance however.

[West Coast Flavor]

Id get the s2. Gtalk is about to add video chat. Gmail will push flawlessly. Win win right there.

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[DannyAves]

What it seems to be missing:
1) No free option for turn by turn directions. When traveling or going someplace new, I dont want to borrow someone else's phone to get there while they make fun of my BB
Thanks

LifeInPocket is free and has voice turn by turn directions. It also has gps, social media, traffic, news, markets etc...it will even mark the location of your car for you. There are very few things you can't do with LifeInPocket.

[seanjobig]

thansk for all the feedback. I will try the simulators and custom os build. Android would be a natural choice but I find the typing frustrating so google integration is great but I need to be able to reply

Question. How do I get google maps? I don't see it on app world

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[lunatyck]

thansk for all the feedback. I will try the simulators and custom os build. Android would be a natural choice but I find the typing frustrating so google integration is great but I need to be able to reply

Question. How do I get google maps? I don't see it on app world

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Get Google Maps for mobile

Visit this URL in your phone's browser:
m.google.com/maps

[seanjobig]

Like yourself I use Google apps. I am running the latest in software and my BB does not integrate well with the Google apps which I use everyday. This maybe what makes me switch back to Android. I am giving BB a real chance however.

Hoping you can tell me a little more about your experience with Gmail and what BB OS version you are running in case it's different than mine.

It seems if you delete something on the Gmail website, it takes a very, very long time to be removed from the BB.

Also label and search functionality seem almost non existent.

If the device is off and you receive an email, it does not show up on the device, ever?

Sorry for so many question but I want to make sure I am evaluating it correctly. I found a site called exchangemymail.com which connects to google apps and pushes mail down quickly but its $10 per month which I didnt think I should have to fork out.

Thanks again to all!
Contact and calendar syncing is working well enough for me.

[seanjobig]

Contact and calendar syncing is working well enough for me.

How about those issues I brought up with Gmail? Is it any better for those of your running OS 6+ ?

[belfastdispatcher]

Gtalk will automatically sign back in if you tick the box, if you don't it will disconect.
The 9000 is 4 years old now and I don't think it can take full advantage of the latest BIS, you need an OS6 device for that.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[belfastdispatcher]

Hoping you can tell me a little more about your experience with Gmail and what BB OS version you are running in case it's different than mine.

It seems if you delete something on the Gmail website, it takes a very, very long time to be removed from the BB.

Also label and search functionality seem almost non existent.

If the device is off and you receive an email, it does not show up on the device, ever?

Sorry for so many question but I want to make sure I am evaluating it correctly. I found a site called exchangemymail.com which connects to google apps and pushes mail down quickly but its $10 per month which I didnt think I should have to fork out.

Thanks again to all!
Contact and calendar syncing is working well enough for me.

To access folders go to the gmail inbox, press menu and select Filter, that will show you your folders or lables as gmail calls them.
To search you can go to either the messages folder or gmail inbox, press menu and select Search By, then Anvanced. That's where you can search Gmail on device or remote on Gmail server. Hope this helps.

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[Xopher]

Since I run a 5.0 device as well (Tour), I can feel your pain. The good news is that with new devices running 7.0 coming out soon, it should be a lot better.

Gmail on BlackBerry still goes through BIS, so that can affect how things sync (and when). Gmail on Android is push, and integrates well together. Newer Android devices will also have video chat within Google Talk. If Google apps are your main platform, it might be better to look at the new Android devices coming out and set up a home screen with quick-dial icons (for one-touch dialing).

That being said, the new BB7 devices look sweet, and may fill in some of the features you are looking for. It is better to look at how you are going to use your device and pick one that works best for you.

[Xterra2]

Hi

For your needs the google integration don't get a bb, just get the galaxy S 2 that way you get the features you want, 9900 isn't going to provvide that

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[ADGrant]

It seems if you delete something on the Gmail website, it takes a very, very long time to be removed from the BB.

Also label and search functionality seem almost non existent.

True, if you delete an email using anything other than the native BB app (web site, desktop email client, iPad, LogicMail on BB) it will take for ever to be deleted on the BB.

Also, Google contacts sync does not work correctly.

[seanjobig]

I thought I'd update the thread here. I actually ordered the Samsung Galaxy S2 and used for about a week. I am returning it to Amazon today. The Galaxy S2 is slim, very fast, gorgeous screen and of course, great google gmail, calendar, contacts integration. The battery sucks. With average use while at work, the battery won't last from morning until night when i go to bed. I dont want a phone that I have to charge throughout the day and if I am travelling, I'd be screwed. I could get a replaceable battery but I dont think I should have to do that either. I prefer a little bulk and good battery life to a slim, dead device.

I am back on my used Bold 9000 and hoping there will be better gmail integration on OS7. If only the Gmail syncing was better, I really want the quality hardware of the BB

BB people... am I hoping for something that is never going to happen?

[seanjobig]

Oh, one other thing... is there any chance they will add a WiFi hotspot tethering feature? I know it cant be done now but what do you all think the odds are?