BlackBerry Myths Dispelled (For TREO/PocketPC/Hiptop users)

[Mark Rejhon]

Note: This is an article that I originally wrote in a Brighthand discussion board, they have an article "New Handheld Killer App" with a debate between PocketPC/Treo/BlackBerry users going on. I have posted the following for PocketPC/Palm users:

BlackBerry Myths

The Modern 2005-era BlackBerry.
(Vastly superior to 2003-era and 2004-era BlackBerries)
There are many myths about BlackBerries not having good image quality and not good for anything except email. That USED to be true.

MYTH: RIM is only good for email
That used to be true, but not anymore. Yes, email is a killer application. RIM used to be very far behind in everything else except a "great wireless email device". But that's no longer true.

MYTH: Blackberry has poor quality screens
That used to be true, but not anymore. If you see one of the newer models (Model 7290, 7250, 7520, or 7100 are the BRIGHT-screen models), you will be impressed at the screen quality which is much more on par with PocketPC's and Palm's today.
Note: Bright-screen 7520 model should not be confused with dim-screen 7510
Note: Bright-screen 7290 model should not be confused with dim-screen 7280

MYTH: BlackBerry has poor PIM
That used to be true, but not anymore. There are several third party PIM's such as PocketDay and eWorks. You now have multiple addresses and categories. Plus, it's faster to update information on a BlackBerry than on a PocketPC/Palm, with tips like BlackBerry Calendar Tricks and Tips, Tricks & Keyboard Shortcuts.

MYTH: BlackBerry can't do Internet apps
Wrong again. That used to be true that you required BES and MDS, but not anymore. Especially with BlackBerryOS4. See Configuring Internet on BlackBerry ... You can even use certain models of BlackBerry as a modem for laptop.

MYTH: BlackBerry does IM poorly
Wrong again. Ignore the crappy 7100 chat client, you can get a great third party program called Verichat, the exact same thing now available for TREO's. Verichat is actually better on a certain model BlackBerry than a TREO too as well, as you can run it for 75 hours nonstop on a single battery charge on a BlackBerry model 7290 (although the other BlackBerry models have shorter battery life). Verichat on BlackBerry is now more superior and more reliable than Sidekick/Hiptop, especially if you have Version 1.91 or later.

MYTH: Not Much BlackBerry Software
That used to be true, but not anymore. There has been a amazing explosion of BlackBerry software in 2004. There are now over 1,000 programs. At the start of 2004, there were only 2 chat programs. Now there's over 20 chat programs today, including several open source BlackBerry projects on SourceForge too! And remember, you can install Nokia/Motorola/Sony/Samsung/Siemens java phone software on a BlackBerry nowadays. That adds thousands of extra software programs on top of the existing BlackBerry software! Java J2ME MIDP 2.0 is now supported in BlackBerryOS4, getting access to the latest cellphone videogames, etc.

For other posts dispelling other BlackBerry myths, see Why BlackBerry and BlackBerry versus Sidekick as well.


Look at what you can *easily* do on a modern BlackBerry:

Verichat (Instant Messaging)
__
__Trillian-style software from http://www.verichat.com and
__More info in BlackBerry Instant Messaging FAQ

PocketDay (3rd Party AgendaToday clone)
__.
__.
__(CrossRiver Systems)

3rd Party BlackBerry Video Gaming Screenshots
__ .

__ .
__(Magmic.com , Microforum.com , and several others)

BlackBerry Is Now Themable!
__
__Theme Installation FAQ

Photo Viewing Finally Good Quality
__
__(GTPhoto, or the BlackBerryOS4 builtin photoviewer)

Bluetooth GPS is soon Possible!
Later in 2005, even BlackBerries are starting to support Bluetooth GPS
(under development right now - RedSky Mobile, ETA Spring-Summer 2005)


Please, before you start to bash me:

Remember I LOVE MY iPAQ too - I own an iPaq too!
My iPaq is still a superior GPS navigation machine, and a great photo/video viewer that has an SD slot. I have a folding keyboard for the iPaq as well!

You do not have to switch to BlackBerry - each device has its own advantages. BlackBerry may not be for you; you need to research whether BlackBerry is the right device for you. Each to their own.

I am merely DISPELLING a few BlackBerry MYTHS that other people have reported at this time.

Mark Rejhon

(Posted as a reply to other PocketPC/TREO users on the Brighthand forum)

[JFNY]

I'm waiting for the HW6500 to combine my Ipaq and Blackberry into 1 device.

[SuzzyP]

Mark, thanks for all the info on the BB. Wow have they come along way..... I think this sold me on a BB7100g.




thanks

[jackbauer-ctu24]

You're generalizing.
Treo users that actually TAKE TIME to bash on Blackbery's are critizing the device, NOT the software, company, or "push email" implentation.
Have you ever heard of Chatter? A program for Palm powered devices that was practically nonexistant until they got their act together and threw together a Blackberry-like implentation.
PIGGYBACKING OFF BLACKBERRIES WORD RECOGNITION. DUH.
Any Treo user worth his/her salt would trade their scrotum AND the balls within, for the BLACKBERRY SOFTWARE ported to the Palm platform.
In fact, the US Navy NCIS and others CANNOT WAIT until this is released...
Neither can I...

[cmc0]

I use both and I have to say, on the whole while both have their negatives and positives, the Treo is more multimedia-consumer oriented while the Blackberry is more business/enterprise friendly.

[Mark Rejhon]

Note: This is an article that I originally wrote in a Brighthand discussion board, they have an article "New Handheld Killer App" with a debate between PocketPC/Treo/BlackBerry users going on. I have posted the following for PocketPC/Palm users:
(March 14th, 2005 with fixed hyperlinks)

BlackBerry Myths

The Modern 2005-era BlackBerry.
(Vastly superior to 2003-era and 2004-era BlackBerries)
There are many myths about BlackBerries not having good image quality and not good for anything except email. That USED to be true.

MYTH: RIM is only good for email
That used to be true, but not anymore. Yes, email is a killer application. RIM used to be very far behind in everything else except a "great wireless email device". But that's no longer true.

MYTH: Blackberry has poor quality screens
That used to be true, but not anymore. If you see one of the newer models (Model 7290, 7250, 7520, or 7100 are the BRIGHT-screen models), you will be impressed at the screen quality which is much more on par with PocketPC's and Palm's today.
Note: Bright-screen 7520 model should not be confused with dim-screen 7510
Note: Bright-screen 7290 model should not be confused with dim-screen 7280

MYTH: BlackBerry has poor PIM
That used to be true, but not anymore. There are several third party PIM's such as PocketDay and eWorks. You now have multiple addresses and categories. Plus, it's faster to update information on a BlackBerry than on a PocketPC/Palm, with tips like BlackBerry Calendar Tricks.

MYTH: BlackBerry can't do Internet apps
Wrong again. That used to be true that you required BES and MDS, but not anymore. Especially with BlackBerryOS4. See Configuring Internet on BlackBerry ... You can even use certain models of BlackBerry as a modem for laptop.

MYTH: BlackBerry does IM poorly
Wrong again. Ignore the crappy 7100 chat client, you can get a great third party program called Verichat, the exact same thing now available for TREO's. Verichat is actually better on a certain model BlackBerry than a TREO too as well, as you can run it for 75 hours nonstop on a single battery charge on a BlackBerry model 7290 (although the other BlackBerry models have shorter battery life). Verichat on BlackBerry is now more superior and more reliable than Sidekick/Hiptop, especially if you have Version 1.91 or later.

MYTH: Not Much BlackBerry Software
That used to be true, but not anymore. There has been a amazing explosion of BlackBerry software in 2004. There are now over 1,000 programs. At the start of 2004, there were only 2 chat programs. Now there's over 20 chat programs today, including several open source BlackBerry projects on SourceForge too! And remember, you can install Nokia/Motorola/Sony/Samsung/Siemens java phone software on a BlackBerry nowadays. That adds thousands of extra software programs on top of the existing BlackBerry software! Java J2ME MIDP 2.0 is now supported in BlackBerryOS4, getting access to the latest cellphone videogames, etc.

For other posts dispelling other BlackBerry myths, see Why BlackBerry and BlackBerry versus Sidekick as well.


Look at what you can *easily* do on a modern BlackBerry:

Verichat (Instant Messaging)
__
__Trillian-style software from http://www.verichat.com and
__More info in BlackBerry Instant Messaging FAQ

PocketDay (3rd Party AgendaToday clone)
__.
__.
__(CrossRiver Systems)

3rd Party BlackBerry Video Gaming Screenshots
__ .

__ .
__(Magmic.com , Microforum.com , and several others)

BlackBerry Is Now Themable!
__
__Theme Installation FAQ

Photo Viewing Finally Good Quality
__
__(GTPhoto, or the BlackBerryOS4 builtin photoviewer)

Bluetooth GPS is soon Possible!
Later in 2005, even BlackBerries are starting to support Bluetooth GPS
(under development right now - RedSky Mobile, ETA Spring-Summer 2005)


Please, before you start to bash me:

Remember I LOVE MY iPAQ too - I own an iPaq too!
My iPaq is still a superior GPS navigation machine, and a great photo/video viewer that has an SD slot. I have a folding keyboard for the iPaq as well!

You do not have to switch to BlackBerry - each device has its own advantages. BlackBerry may not be for you; you need to research whether BlackBerry is the right device for you. Each to their own.

I am merely DISPELLING a few BlackBerry MYTHS that other people have reported at this time.

Mark Rejhon

(Posted as a reply to other PocketPC/TREO users on the Brighthand forum)

[Knifeguy]

I have an iPAQ 4700 and a blackberry 7510 with Nextel. I do love the PDA as well as the blackberry. You really don't need both, but after trying the 4700 with its VGA screen, I just had to get it. Its so much easier on the eyes than any blackberry or my iPAQ 3835 with its quarter vga screen.

Ideally I was gonna just get a bluetooth phone from Nextel, maybe the new i930 when its actually released, but with the potential $500.00 price tag, as well as the rumors that there will be a substantial data charge, none of this 10 or 15 dollar unlimited business, Im up at the same monthly dollar figure as I have with the blackbery. I have to see when things actually pan out. I also thought maybe I should get the 7520 BB with its bluetooth, and use it for a modem for my two notebooks or my PDA, but now I see you really can't do that. I can tell you I sit at home, anywhere in my house with the wireless router, and get on the net quick, with the PDA to check my mail and whatnot. That screen kicks ***. Then with the landscape option of the new PDA's you get nice options that the blackberry just can't stand up to.

But for looking up things quick, and answering the phone, and making calls, all one handed, you just can't beat the Blackberry. Very frustrating, many options for people today

[jackbauer-ctu24]

Well, that.
If they are depending on Sprint, or Cingular to properly market such a product they should just shoot themselves in the head now.
After, repeatedly, aiming at their groin and hitting their foot.
I hate America's technological state. Why can't we be like Europe with wide GSM, people that know what a SMS is, Korea with their 100MBps/DSL lines, and China and Japan with their subway-ticket buying Samsungs.
This sucks...

[jasonlam604]

There are tons of financial apps out there too for you biz type blackberry users.

See www.quotestream.com

[M'Lisa]

Can you connect the BlackBerry to a PocketPC? In addition to phone and email, I need portable wordprocessing capability. I tried to use the BB Bluetooth capability to talk to my Palm Tungsten, but no dice!

[Knifeguy]

Originally posted by M'Lisa
Can you connect the BlackBerry to a PocketPC? In addition to phone and email, I need portable wordprocessing capability. I tried to use the BB Bluetooth capability to talk to my Palm Tungsten, but no dice!

No M'Lisa. At least not with my Nextel 7520. The bluetooth on it only supports a bluetooth earpiece with a microphone I think. I have an iPAQ 4700 PDA with Windows Mobile 2003. This unit supports every new Bluetooth application available to date. It sees the blackberry, but can't port the internet over, it says service unavailable. The phone is not transmitting that feature.

I also tried it with my friends Blackberry equivelant for Verizon. Same result. It is possible with a Phone that supports the advanced Bluetooth features. Not sure of which exact models and their respected carriers.

[Mark Rejhon]

Originally posted by M'Lisa
Can you connect the BlackBerry to a PocketPC? In addition to phone and email, I need portable wordprocessing capability. I tried to use the BB Bluetooth capability to talk to my Palm Tungsten, but no dice!

No, but you can sync a BlackBerry to a PocketPC by using Outlook as the middleman.

As for word processing, try Dynoplex eWord, Dynoplex eCell, or MiniExcel.

http://www.dynoplex.com/eWord.shtml

[Dailywireless]

thanks for the post. really like my Blackberry so far

[Donnation]

Wow, thanks for all the info. I've been thinking of picking one up and this answered a lot of questions for me.

[xelencin]

Verichat on BlackBerry is now more superior and more reliable than Sidekick/Hiptop, especially if you have Version 1.91 or later.

This is completely wrong. I am the proud owner of a 8100/Pearl which I am replacing my Sidekick 3 with and I can tell you no device outperforms the Sidekick in Instant Messaging, and I have owned many. Owning all 3 Sidekick devices and I could stay connected to AIM/Yahoo/MSN for days, if not weeks, without a single disconnection as long as the phone didn't lose power, and these services were always fast. Phone calls, lack of network, none of it affected them, and they all synced up in the end.

I tried using Verichat but it's a rather poor solution in my books, I am tunneling all services through Google Talk for now until an offical AIM/MSN client comes out.