which blackberry model

[Channing]

I have been told I need a blackberry for work. Which model do people like: curve or 8820

[duke74]

I have been told I need a blackberry for work. Which model do people like: curve or 8820

I have the 8800 for work. Good keyboard size, good screen size for me. I'm with AT&T. The 8820 might be a later model (got mine a few years ago) or might be offered by another carrier. The Curve seemed to me to more of a "personal" device, but I could be wrong.

[sue71]

I was told the same thing (actually more along the lines of any kind of PDA phone but I decided on BB), and I'm waiting for the Bold to come out this summer so I can check that one out. It's supposed to be amazing. It will either be the Bold or Curve for me.

[ArkieDukie]

I had a BlackBerry for work (former job :D) and bought a Blackjack II as my new personal phone. I like the Blackjack better due to the Windows interface. I may have a bit of a bias because I didn't have a color screen on the Blackberry.

[billybreen]

Is the 3G iPhone with Exchange support a viable option?

[bluebear]

Is the 3G iPhone with Exchange support a viable option?

Speaking of which, any current iphone users considering an upgrade next week...I probably won't if it's only 3G but with GPS, video conferencing, etc, I'd have to think about it..hopefully there will be some nice rewards in the new firmware for 1st generation users..

[billybreen]

Speaking of which, any current iphone users considering an upgrade next week...I probably won't if it's only 3G but with GPS, video conferencing, etc, I'd have to think about it..hopefully there will be some nice rewards in the new firmware for 1st generation users..

I was a first day purchaser, so I have no qualms about anteing up for the new model whenever it hits the street. My wife plans to keep hers for a bit longer.

[Stray Gator]

We recently had our old Blackberry devices replaced with new Curve 8330 models, which I recommend highly.

[Rich]

I have the 8800 and a colleague of mine at work has the Curve. The Curve is smaller and lighter and I think the keys are spaced better for typing. I also think the media component is better on the Curve. It has a camera too. The 8800 does not. That being said, the 8800 has GPS which I don't think the Curve has. You may want to check out www.crackberry.com which has Boards similar to DBR and this is all they talk about! I don't think you can go wrong with either. I, personally, would stay away from the devices that don't have the full keypad such as the Pearl. It uses a "smartkey" function to figure out what you're typing since each key contains two letters. That would annoy me.

[duke74]

I have the 8800 and a colleague of mine at work has the Curve. The Curve is smaller and lighter and I think the keys are spaced better for typing. I also think the media component is better on the Curve. It has a camera too. The 8800 does not. That being said, the 8800 has GPS which I don't think the Curve has. You may want to check out www.crackberry.com which has Boards similar to DBR and this is all they talk about! I don't think you can go wrong with either. I, personally, would stay away from the devices that don't have the full keypad such as the Pearl. It uses a "smartkey" function to figure out what you're typing since each key contains two letters. That would annoy me.

Absolute concur with you re the "smart keys".

I just checked out the AT&T offerings from my firm's plan. The Curve (8310) now has GPS, and has a camera. The nextgen for the 8800 is now the 8820.

[Cavlaw]

The keyboard is the most important thing, as a junior associate. Whatever model you get, make sure you have a full keyboard since you'll be typing out long messages with some frequency. I'm on my second, and think it's the 8700g. Our summer associates are getting ones from the 8800 series.

[Channing]

Is the 3G iPhone with Exchange support a viable option?

unfortunately not. blackberry is linked with our system (or something like that) and devices that arent black berry can present a lag in delivering emails (or so I was told).

[Cavlaw]

My understanding is law firms aren't comfortable with the existing workarounds to get iPhones hooked in to corporate email servers. Basically everything that goes through our email servers is confidential. Until Apple fulfills Jobs's promise to integrate, you won't see many laywers with an iPhone (unless their blackberyy is in the holster next to it).

[duke74]

My understanding is law firms aren't comfortable with the existing workarounds to get iPhones hooked in to corporate email servers. Basically everything that goes through our email servers is confidential. Until Apple fulfills Jobs's promise to integrate, you won't see many laywers with an iPhone (unless their blackberyy is in the holster next to it).

Cav,

Same for us "Big 4" Accting types. We're told that we will ultimately support the iPhone, but we do not at this time because of security issues. I do know colleagues with both - the iPhone only for phone/music functionality, and personal emails - and the BB for firm emails.

[DevilAlumna]

unfortunately not. blackberry is linked with our system (or something like that) and devices that arent black berry can present a lag in delivering emails (or so I was told).

That's a bunch of IT baloney, or it means your e-mail servers are way out of date. I've been getting my e-mail pushed to me as they come in, through non-RIM (Blackberry) servers since 2004. Prior to that, I had them sync'ing to my device every 10 minutes, so hardly a major delay.

As for iPhone being less secure, well, once the new ones come out, that will not be the case. Though where I work, they still don't match up with corporate policies on security b/c they can't be remotely wiped, nor PIN-secured to a level desired.

[billybreen]

That's a bunch of IT baloney, or it means your e-mail servers are way out of date. I've been getting my e-mail pushed to me as they come in, through non-RIM (Blackberry) servers since 2004. Prior to that, I had them sync'ing to my device every 10 minutes, so hardly a major delay.

Agreed. The iPhone enterprise software update will support push mail from Exchange, so there will be no difference in latency between it and a Blackberry.

[SlimSlowSlider]

The keyboard is the most important thing, as a junior associate. Whatever model you get, make sure you have a full keyboard since you'll be typing out long messages with some frequency. I'm on my second, and think it's the 8700g. Our summer associates are getting ones from the 8800 series.


Summer associates get Blackberry's? Oy vey. What a joke. Summer associates don't do real work. I guess, however, they need to email each other about the evening's dinner party, or Cubs game, or other function!

I have a Pearl. The smart key function does not bother me. I preferred having a smaller phone. I did not want to have a larger phone holstered to my hip. The Pearl i can comfortably slip into my pocket.

[Clipsfan]

I have had a Curve since about September and I'm pretty happy with it although I'm thinking about a 3G iPhone as soon as my work OKs them for our servers. I refuse to use 2 phones. The full keyboard is fairly solid for typing.

[freshmanjs]

Curve is better than the 8800 series. Lighter, smaller, camera, still has a good keyboard. curve is the best blackberry so far. the bold looks like it will be good too.

someone said earlier that the curve is more of a personal device. the curve only has additional features vs. 8800 ...nothing is missing.

[Channing]

Curve is better than the 8800 series. Lighter, smaller, camera, still has a good keyboard. curve is the best blackberry so far. the bold looks like it will be good too.

someone said earlier that the curve is more of a personal device. the curve only has additional features vs. 8800 ...nothing is missing.

Actually, on att the 8820 has wifi capability while the curve does not. I am trying to figure out if that is really a necessary feature. Any tech savy opinions?

[Rich]

Curve is better than the 8800 series. Lighter, smaller, camera, still has a good keyboard. curve is the best blackberry so far. the bold looks like it will be good too.

someone said earlier that the curve is more of a personal device. the curve only has additional features vs. 8800 ...nothing is missing.

The Curve has GPS?

[bhd28]

Okay, I am bringing this thread back to life. Need some advice from people. Basically, how good is the audio on the newer blackberry models? Basically, I will be needing a blackberry for the first time, and I am wondering whether it is worth having a separate cell for talking. I am not planning on having land line from home.

Are there particular models that get really good audio? I am going to check cnet.com, but I thought I would ask here as well. Thanks!

[-jk]

Okay, I am bringing this thread back to life. Need some advice from people. Basically, how good is the audio on the newer blackberry models? Basically, I will be needing a blackberry for the first time, and I am wondering whether it is worth having a separate cell for talking. I am not planning on having land line from home.

Are there particular models that get really good audio? I am going to check cnet.com, but I thought I would ask here as well. Thanks!

Do you mean just as a phone (not MP3 playback)? It'll depend mostly on your coverage. With good coverage, they're fine. With iffy coverage, not as good as a good dedicated phone (Mot or Nokia); those will handle weaker signals better. It's all about the coverage. Who's your carrier of choice?

If you use a headset, that'll also change the audio a lot.

-jk

[bhd28]

Do you mean just as a phone (not MP3 playback)? It'll depend mostly on your coverage. With good coverage, they're fine. With iffy coverage, not as good as a good dedicated phone (Mot or Nokia); those will handle weaker signals better. It's all about the coverage. Who's your carrier of choice?

If you use a headset, that'll also change the audio a lot.

-jk
Thanks. I believe I could use any carrier, but the preferred is T-Mobile (primarily in NY, but will have some travel). And yes, audio just as a phone.

[riverside6]

FWIW, I love my 8820, and am anxiously awaiting the blackberry slingbox client!

[-jk]

Thanks. I believe I could use any carrier, but the preferred is T-Mobile (primarily in NY, but will have some travel). And yes, audio just as a phone.

My (limited) experience with T-Mo is that urban coverage is pretty good, but they fall off pretty quickly as you move out. Do you have a phone with them now? Do you get good coverage where you use it?

I'm on Verizon with an 8830, and have good coverage pretty much everywhere I need it (mostly east coast) except two places. Regrettably, my house is one of them right now. They claim to be putting a new site up close by this fall. We've had half a dozen high-rise apartment buildings go up in the last couple years; I think they're over subscribed. If I go three miles in any direction, my problems go away.

-jk

[bhd28]

My (limited) experience with T-Mo is that urban coverage is pretty good, but they fall off pretty quickly as you move out. Do you have a phone with them now? Do you get good coverage where you use it?

I'm on Verizon with an 8830, and have good coverage pretty much everywhere I need it (mostly east coast) except two places. Regrettably, my house is one of them right now. They claim to be putting a new site up close by this fall. We've had half a dozen high-rise apartment buildings go up in the last couple years; I think they're over subscribed. If I go three miles in any direction, my problems go away.

-jk
Hmm... I will be in NY and NJ primarily, and the coverage maps there look pretty good. No, I don't have T-Mo now, though. It is just what the company's preference... though you can choose to use others if you want. That makes me think it is pretty good there in NY. FWIW I have Sprint now, which doesn't look that good in NJ (at least where I will be living).

[-jk]

Hmm... I will be in NY and NJ primarily, and the coverage maps there look pretty good. No, I don't have T-Mo now, though. It is just what the company's preference... though you can choose to use others if you want. That makes me think it is pretty good there in NY. FWIW I have Sprint now, which doesn't look that good in NJ (at least where I will be living).

Everyone's maps look good; all it takes is a hill or building in an awkward place to mess up coverage on a particular spot. Does your company get a trial period? If so, get one and take it for a test drive!

-jk

[bhd28]

Everyone's maps look good; all it takes is a hill or building in an awkward place to mess up coverage on a particular spot. Does your company get a trial period? If so, get one and take it for a test drive!

-jk

Oooh.... I will check. Thanks!