hey guys, first, a little background, me and my spouse are young and have a 2 month old daughter and money kinda is tight right now. my job requires me to constantly check my email and my wife's job gave her a free pearl. now, i see the data plan cost 30 a month and unlimited media net cost 20 month, so is there any difference between the 2 services fro my checking my email or can i just do it with the medianet, also, can i surf the web with medianet? i understand its only a $10 difference a month, but over the course of a year, thats over $130 with the taxes and all. for some it mite not be a lot of money but that $130 i save by using the medianet could go to my daughters care, thanks again.

You need the BlackBerry Data Plan if you want to have any email features on the BlackBerry. You might be able to browse the web with the MediaNet plan using a third-party web browser... but you won't have any e-mail functions.

Spend the extra $10 a month and get the BB Data Plan.
Since your job requires you to have email accessibility, your daughter will appreciate the fact that you still have a job more so than the extra $130 in your pocket at the end of the year.

With the MediaNet Unlimited I don't believe you will get push e-mail capabilities with that. You can browse the net with it, I believe, so you could check your e-mail manually by going to the web site for your mail. But again, you won't get the mail pushed directly to your device.

please forgive me, i just wanna get everything right, you know? so if i have opera mini with the medianet, what the does the bb data plan offer in terms of email that the medianet does not?

No BlackBerry Data Plan = No Email.
Simple as that.

oh ok, so i can check email, itll just be manually instead of push email?

Crypto, I understand your need to save money. If your job requires you to have 24/7 access to email, you should ask them to either supplement or pay that cost.

im so sorry, i guess i didnt put it, but at my office, i meant i need to check my email constantly only on the weekends

And if that is office email, you should not be ashamed about asking.

No.
Without a Blackberry Data Plan, you can't add any email accounts to your BlackBerry at all. You don't get ANY email linked to your device unless you have a Blackberry data plan.

what i meant was, i would have to go manually to gmail and sign in and read my email as oppose to receving it through the phone?

You may be able to do that, but I can't confirm it. Gmail uses data.

If you're able to access GMail through Opera Mini on the BlackBerry, then that would be your only option.
I don't have Opera Mini, or a phone without a BlackBerry Data Plan, so I can't test this for you.

Honestly, maybe the BlackBerry isn't the best choice of devices for you.
Why not just get a different brand phone which will work fine with the cheaper MediaNet plan?

Getting a BlackBerry without a BlackBerry Data plan is like driving a car with four flat tires.

cuz whether i have this free blackberry or i buy a new phone, i would still have to pay $20 regardless for unlimited medianet and since we have a pearl not being used, mite as well use it, get what im sayin?

We get it. So experiment with it and let us know what you find out. Since you have the Medianet plan now, all you have to do is try Opera and Gmail and your question is answered.

Something just doesn't add up for me.
Your wife's job gave her a free Pearl... and you're going to use that for yourself?

Your job requires you to have constant email access... but they're not providing you with the tools to do that?

[quote=JSanders;618438]We get it. So experiment with it and let us know what you find out. Since you have the Medianet plan now, all you have to do is try Opera and Gmail and your question is answered.[/QUOT

ok, thanks for the help guys, sorry about all the questions, im a new father/husband so im tryin to save every penny. thanks again

Crypto, since you have avoided my question, and now Penguin is asking a similar one... what gives?

We gave you about all the help we could on your questions of how to get it all without paying for it.

she came home one day and said her job just gave it to her, i dont know, she works in a law office so maybe im gonna ask her again, and unfortuantely no, my job does not pay for it since they said i only need to check my emails on the weekends.

If your job requires you to Check, then they should provide a device or at least supplement the cost. Do they provide assistance with paying your internet bill to check your email? Honestly the features you would gain for the extra $10 would be beneficial.

I am with everyone else though about if your wife got it.......

I fully understand the new Husband/Dad thing as I am right there with you along with a new house payment and 2 car.