Does anyone know about these devices? Do they work in office towers in downtown Toronto? Cost? Reliability?
Blackberry?
- Thread starter Keebler Elf
- Start date
A Blackberry uses the exact same frequencies and technology as cell phones. To that extent, coverage is exactly the same as cell phones both in Canada and externally as well. The true power of the Blackberry is the way in which it caches messages internally. When a Blackberry receives a message, it is stored internally. So if you wind up in an underground garage or in an elevator where there's no cell signal, you can still read emails. If you try to send, the outbound message is cached until you get cell signal again at which point the message is actually sent from the unit.
Some models of Blackberries can be used as cell phones - you just hold them to your head as you would a normal phone or you can use a headset.
For US coverage you can go with either Bell or Rogers - you'll get basically the same experience as a normal cell phone at almost the same cost. If you travel to Europe get a Rogers unit.
A Blackberry does cost more initially than a cell phone (for the hardware) though that is changing. Monthly charges are also a little bit higher as well since you need both a voice plan and a data plan. Fortunately the data is packet-based so you truely get charged for bandwidth used. i.e. A message that's 10K in size is charged the same whether it takes 5 secs to download or 20 secs - you get charged for 10K of usage either way.
For individuals you'll have to setup a redirect. i.e. You'll get an email with Rogers or Bell for the Blackberry. You can then redirect your regular email account to the Blackberry. When people send you email, it gets forwarded to the Blackberry. When you send people email, your Rogers / Bell account is forwarded via your existing account. This setup might take a bit of fiddling to get it right but it can be made to work.
For enterprise deployments (more than 10 units) you're better off spending the $8500 (Canadian) for the Blackberry Enterprise Server which integrates with your existing mail server behind your firewall. Talk to your Bell / Rogers representative for the details.
My overall experience with the Blackberry is good. Battery life is very good and portability of the unit is excellent. There are quirks with Blackberries as there are with any technology but nothing that's a showstopper. The main complaint I hear about the units is the keyboard - it's hard to impossible to use with one hand. This means that as a phone you pretty much need 2 hands to dial a number. The new 7100 series Blackberry alleviates this but the unit is not available in Canada yet and likely won't be for another 12 months.
Some models of Blackberries can be used as cell phones - you just hold them to your head as you would a normal phone or you can use a headset.
For US coverage you can go with either Bell or Rogers - you'll get basically the same experience as a normal cell phone at almost the same cost. If you travel to Europe get a Rogers unit.
A Blackberry does cost more initially than a cell phone (for the hardware) though that is changing. Monthly charges are also a little bit higher as well since you need both a voice plan and a data plan. Fortunately the data is packet-based so you truely get charged for bandwidth used. i.e. A message that's 10K in size is charged the same whether it takes 5 secs to download or 20 secs - you get charged for 10K of usage either way.
For individuals you'll have to setup a redirect. i.e. You'll get an email with Rogers or Bell for the Blackberry. You can then redirect your regular email account to the Blackberry. When people send you email, it gets forwarded to the Blackberry. When you send people email, your Rogers / Bell account is forwarded via your existing account. This setup might take a bit of fiddling to get it right but it can be made to work.
For enterprise deployments (more than 10 units) you're better off spending the $8500 (Canadian) for the Blackberry Enterprise Server which integrates with your existing mail server behind your firewall. Talk to your Bell / Rogers representative for the details.
My overall experience with the Blackberry is good. Battery life is very good and portability of the unit is excellent. There are quirks with Blackberries as there are with any technology but nothing that's a showstopper. The main complaint I hear about the units is the keyboard - it's hard to impossible to use with one hand. This means that as a phone you pretty much need 2 hands to dial a number. The new 7100 series Blackberry alleviates this but the unit is not available in Canada yet and likely won't be for another 12 months.
Blackberry (RIM) is great for wireless email, but there are more "dead" zones than the average cell phone (because the average cell phone uses various providers).
Blackberry Enterprise Solution (BES Server) is definitely not for personal email. If your company has 100+ Blackberrys for mobile employees, then they should implement this solution.
Palm has wireless, but they may actually "piggyback" another technology: RIM (for push email).
Blackberry Enterprise Solution (BES Server) is definitely not for personal email. If your company has 100+ Blackberrys for mobile employees, then they should implement this solution.
Palm has wireless, but they may actually "piggyback" another technology: RIM (for push email).
I got a weird problem at the moment. While I have no problems with phone or email, the browser is giving me a weird error message. I've checked the settings - all seem ok. I keep meaning to call the help desk at Bell, but have been too busy.
I love my Blackberry. I've used it in all over Canada and in the US. I've used it in areas that I never had any coverage before on my previous cell phone and it worked great. The keyboard is small but if you use both hands, it's actually pretty good. Browsing is another story. I never use it for browsing. Only e mail and as a cell phone. I find all wireless technology lousy for browsing. There's just not enough bandwidth to handle browsing. If you want access to e mail and a good cell phone 24/7. Get the Blackberry. If you want to browse. Use your PC.
BS
BS
blackberry
I use mine for e-mail and phone. although sometimes you don't really want to be carrying this thing around as a phone, it's a little bigger than your average phone.
I also get e-mails wherever and whenever. There is about a 10 - 15 min difference in time when the e-mail gets to your waist as opposed to your inbox on your computer. The difference is unnoticeable really.
If you're communicating from blackberry to blackberry, the difference really isn't much as you can send messages direct if you know the other person's pin.
I'd say get it, if you're never near a computer during the day.
I use mine for e-mail and phone. although sometimes you don't really want to be carrying this thing around as a phone, it's a little bigger than your average phone.
I also get e-mails wherever and whenever. There is about a 10 - 15 min difference in time when the e-mail gets to your waist as opposed to your inbox on your computer. The difference is unnoticeable really.
If you're communicating from blackberry to blackberry, the difference really isn't much as you can send messages direct if you know the other person's pin.
I'd say get it, if you're never near a computer during the day.
I had a blackberry & now blueberry for a few years and can't imagine myself without. Gee, I can probably type faster on it then a traditional keyboard. Once you get one, you'll be hooked. But caution is the key-Blackberry are very good if co-workers and friends have them. Go with the colour Blueberry!
Blackberry a.k.a. 'Crack' berry... it's so damn addictive.
Xarir pretty much hit the nail on the head. Very popular and reliable devices.
Xarir pretty much hit the nail on the head. Very popular and reliable devices.
I use to use the RIM but i went through 5 units in 7 monthes and ended up using the Treo ........ i haste Rogers but i get all my messages and email everywhere unlike the RIm where i sometimes got messages 3 to 4 hours after they were sent. I tried the RIM with both Rogers and Telus neither had consistency with the service.
Also i have been using all the functionality in the Treo and in the Rim in my Erikson P 900. The best thing about the P900 is that i can SSH and or Telnet with it into my home and our work computer so i don't have to pop open my laptop all the time.
Also i have been using all the functionality in the Treo and in the Rim in my Erikson P 900. The best thing about the P900 is that i can SSH and or Telnet with it into my home and our work computer so i don't have to pop open my laptop all the time.
The Treo 600 from Bell seems to be getting some favorable reviews.
BTW folks: Don't rely on your cellular devices 100% otherwise you'll be disappointed. Cell phone technology has it's limitations.
BTW folks: Don't rely on your cellular devices 100% otherwise you'll be disappointed. Cell phone technology has it's limitations.
Beware the crackberry, the crack cocaine of communication devices.Keebler Elf said:
I have several friends with them and they have all turned into zombies who have lost all self control. They leave them on vibrate all the time. Then suddenly in mid-conversation, over a drink or dinner, they zone out, reach into their pockets, grab their crackberries and furiously start typing, ignoring all of their friends. They develop a blank look and are immune to all social or sensory input becoming totally unaware of all around them and how rude they are.
At other times you find that they are no longer listening to you (or even aware of your existence) because they have suddenly decided to surf the net and find out what bloody movie is playing or some other vitally important bit of information.
Be very careful! Don't join the cult.
Blackberry on any of the providers is good, Rogers and Telus really have some outstanding models and coverage.
Just as a follow-up, older Blackberries do not use the same towers as cellular, and have smaller coverage footprints.
The latest cool gozmo is the MikeBerry, a crackberry on the Telus Mike network, giving you BlackBerry functionality, Cellular phone capability and Mike/Nextel/Iden "Push-to-talk". Very cool, but a slightly smaller coverage area (nothing in the far north), and I don't know about US data roaming yet. Still... kewl.
Just as a follow-up, older Blackberries do not use the same towers as cellular, and have smaller coverage footprints.
The latest cool gozmo is the MikeBerry, a crackberry on the Telus Mike network, giving you BlackBerry functionality, Cellular phone capability and Mike/Nextel/Iden "Push-to-talk". Very cool, but a slightly smaller coverage area (nothing in the far north), and I don't know about US data roaming yet. Still... kewl.
The reason I want one is my place of work has all sorts of filters on the network that prevent accessing my email accounts. I figure I can get around that with a Blackberry. I get a lot of emails during the day and it's a major hassle to be unable to deal with them until after work (I have plenty of time at work, just not the ability to access my email).
The only other problem is that I'm usually in 20-storey office buildings in Toronto. Reception on cell phones can be wonky at times. Does the Blackberry store emails? e.g. If I went outside and got reception, would I then be able to go back inside and read my emails?
I already have a cell phone, so using a BB to do this isn't important. I also don't need the latest-greatest version of the BB; I just need something functional to check my emails. If I like it, I can then upgrade later on.
The only other problem is that I'm usually in 20-storey office buildings in Toronto. Reception on cell phones can be wonky at times. Does the Blackberry store emails? e.g. If I went outside and got reception, would I then be able to go back inside and read my emails?
I already have a cell phone, so using a BB to do this isn't important. I also don't need the latest-greatest version of the BB; I just need something functional to check my emails. If I like it, I can then upgrade later on.
I took mine with me to England and was able to keep in touch via phone and e-mail with folks back here in Canada. It's an invaluable techo tool!
... Ciao
Astra
... Ciao
Astra
