the ups and downs of the 8130

[kalinka]

After a just over a week I can honestly say that switching to a Black Berry has made my life much easier. I never had any sort of smart phone and it has really freed me to be away from the office and has made everthing so much more doable.

I have found the 8130 to be a great device. Its smooth and elegant and rather fun to use. I have however found that although I am pretty quick with sure type, it is no fun if you have to type alot and it is really no fun when it guesses the wrong word and I have to go back and fix it. It is no problem when what i am doing is for my personal life but when work is really busy and I am trying to move through and quickly send and answer text with the phone constantly ringing it gets tiring. I have spent quite a long time with the custom dictionary but I use so many medical terms and drug names that I can not get them all in there. I also tend to abbreviate a lot.

I think I would prefer a device that would just type what I ask it to type. When I get really busy it just starts to fry me going back over and fixing everything. OR worse I end up sending through gibberish because I am multi tasking and not paying attention.

For that reason alone I am thinking of switching to the Curve when it hits Verizon. It will probably get there right after my 30 day trial.

I will miss the size factor as well as the asthetics of the Pearl. It is a beautiful little thing imho.

Kalinka

[akosnitzky]

Wirelessly posted (Verizon 8830)

It seems that you know what you want.
My wife has the Pearl and loves it. I am much happier with a QWERTY keyboard. I wish you good luck.

[Tdcompton]

I HATE suretype for that exact reason, switch to multitap as your entry mode and don't let anyone convince you that you MUST love suretype... I refuse to use it despite being told that I am wrong in my opinion.

[NickfromIL]

Just an FYI. If you download the OS onto your PC, and use app loader, you can add Medical Terms to your device. Might make your life a little easier.

[google123]

Wirelessly posted

I saw a picture of the curve alltel is gonna get at boygenius and its looks sick! I think I will be getting it instead when it comes out. I too want a full qwerty!

[kalinka]

Actually I adore my little pearl and like I said I am going to miss it. I dont hate sure type in general. I hate how clunky it can get when typing in websites or anything complicated. I dont like to have to go in and change to multi tap and then back to sure type. Its about simplicity and time management. Last night I was trying to add notes on a person as I recieved a crisis call in the middle of an art opening. I was in a corner furiously typing notes to pass to someone and I could NOT get her last name in there. It was frustrating and I kept having to ask this hystercal crying person to hang on a minute... "ok .. wait, can you say that again? Wait, Im sorry, spell that again please" That is where it is not working for me.. but I wish it did because it is on all other counts the perfect phone IMHO.

[juwaack68]

I switch between 2 devices all day long (one is for work, one is personal). My personal device is the 8130 and I can type a heck of a lot faster on that one using SureType than I can on a full keyboard.

I agree that it can get a little irritating when typing in a URL or something that is not a common word, but it does add those 'words' to the custom dictionary so next time you type the word, the device will 'get it'.

[femel]

There is a difference between SureType and predictive input.

What you want is to turn off predictive input. Go to options Language and click at the bottom Input Options and at the bottom there uncheck predictive input. When I am reading about people hating SureType, mostly they are talking about predictive input, but everyone just recommends switching to MultiTap. Before you do try this option.

[juwaack68]

There is a difference between SureType and predictive text.

What you want is to turn off predictive text. Go to options Language and click at the bottom Advanced and at the bottom there uncheck predictive input. When I am reading about people hating SureType, mostly they are talking about predictive input, but everyone just recommends switching to MultiTap. Before you do try this option.

I totally agree with this - I hated the predictive text and immediately turned it off.

[kalinka]

Hmmm maybe that is something that I should try before I toss the pearl out with the shells!! Predictive text .. if it is off what kind of difference would that make? I think I will give it a spin Thanks!

[juwaack68]

Turn it off and then when you're typing do NOT look at the screen until you get to the end of the word. For example, if you want to type 'hound' press these keys just once (and don't back up as you're typing):

GH OP UI BN DF

You should get the correct word. If you want one of the suggested words you can scroll over to it, or just press space to keep typing.

[ezrunner]

I HATE suretype for that exact reason, switch to multitap as your entry mode and don't let anyone convince you that you MUST love suretype... I refuse to use it despite being told that I am wrong in my opinion.



Are you insane? You absolutely must love and use suretype!! it is required by BB users everywhere:razz:

hahahahhahaaa

[kalinka]

Turn it off and then when you're typing do NOT look at the screen until you get to the end of the word. For example, if you want to type 'hound' press these keys just once (and don't back up as you're typing):

GH OP UI BN DF

You should get the correct word. If you want one of the suggested words you can scroll over to it, or just press space to keep typing.


Yes I have accomplished not looking at the screen .. its all great until i hit send and realize that the words were not what I wanted them to be. You have no idea how many times I have the word duck in my text ! :oops:

I am amazed that you are faster on suretype than a full keyboard. Impressive!!!

[ricpac]

You will get used to it Kalinka. 100 WAP posts should ease it up for ya EZ-ly.

[robinlarabee]

Just an FYI. If you download the OS onto your PC, and use app loader, you can add Medical Terms to your device. Might make your life a little easier.

Please, god, tell me how to get medical terms into my blackberry!

[NickfromIL]

first, download os version 4.3.0.97 here: BlackBerry® Software Updates (http://vzw.smithmicro.com/blackberry/) if you havn't already done so.

Next, run the app loader is desktop manager, there should be a section listed as "Supplimental SureTpye Wordlist" with Medical Terms as an option you can select.