sup everyone.... this is my first post so go easy and let me know your opinions....

Previous phones: early winmo (hacked), 8100, back to mogul (flashed) then previous to this one the touch pro (flashed).

Now... I was already on Sprint with the Touch Pro and loved the fun of flashing/customizing the interface. The phone connects to everything and I love the Outlook-like interface for messaging/email. Whats so bad ? You already know... Windows freezing... memory management all of the time is a chore and on top of that, the batter wouldn't last my commute to work if I had to be on it.

With the opportunity to come back to a Blackberry, I had to decide whether to stay with Sprint (how i love rev A, it's nice where I go) or to go back to TMobile, enjoy UMA (everyone, i mean everyone one of my friends and family members around here has wireless, work has wireless, resturaunts have wireless if you eat there). So you see my dilemna.

Why I chose Sprint:

I tether my laptop a lot. Rev A was a decider. Who needs wireless when you get dsl like speeds almost everywhere you go? BTW, im in the Los angeles metro area. Also, I need a phone that works everywhere, all the time. Sprint goes in elevetors, Tmo dont. Period. I need a phone to work. I was tired of having to charge every 2 hours after heavy use... hell, I havent turned on wi-fi in so long (on my phone). My netbook boots in < minute and weighs almost as much as my phone, so I just tether.

Customer service has gotten better @ Sprint, there's no denying that. And Sprint doesn't lock out services. (not that TMO does, thats stupid Verizon) Tether setup was a breeze... and call clarity is pristine.

My opinion:

While the phone 8900 vs 9630 may be subjective, reception also subjective, it really comes down to UMA vs Rev A. UMA would be great but I dont want to depend on connecting to some random wi-fi for the best experience when out on the town and have to connect to wireless networks i know all the time. That's like having a long cord on my phone. Rev A is going network-wide... so if it's not in your area, it will be. Plus, doesn't the CDMA run on our new 4g ? (I dont know, had to throw that out there)... that sounds like real promise.

And why not go to Verizon 9630 ?

Sprint tethers in 5 mins with no extra fees.... no worries about stupid bloatware; but most of all, $$$.

** $$$ for getting out of my contract was not an issue. I was getting a great deal on a new 8900 w/contract. (damn near free so just the $200 cancellation concern mostly.)

Wirelessly posted (My blond BlackBerry)

Sounds like you picked what works best for you

I've never had my device stay connected in an elevator, you must be lucky for that.

What do you use (app, hack, etc.) to tether? Just curious. Thanks.

Can you download movies onto your BB 8330??

Sure.. tethering was a snap...

create a new dial up connection under Network Connections using the connection wizard and use #777 as the phone number to dial. Make sure you have bb desktop running and it is connected via usb. (probably works w/BT as well) And thats it. Enjoy!

Tried this with my tour and couldn't get it to work. I always got an error message on my computer when attempting to dial #777 for a dial-up connection.

Also tried to do it through the blackberry desktop manager where there is the IP modem option.

Couldn't get it to work. I ensured the phone's radio was on. It was connected via usb, desktop manager was open.

Can't figure it out.

Sprint recently disabled tethering without a tethering add-on, and they've restricted the plans to which you can add the tethering feature.

Yea, that's been a horrible development... Although, I haven't heard too much about UMA really being pushed by any TMO people... maybe I still made the right choice ???

I suppose a software fix is always usable....Tether something or other...

Yeah, that may be my next move if it can't work any other way.

Anyone on sprint use that Tether app? Its only $20 on sale right now... seems worth it if it works.

I thought that you could only add the Tethering plan if you were not on the Simply Everything plan?

I use Tether on Sprint and it works great!

That is why I went with Sprint=$avings!

Saw some other posts earlier that Sprint is going to disallow direct tethering.

Tether app (formerly Tetherberry) will still work on Sprint, but not direct tethering according to the poster.

I'm sure if you search you can find the thread. Don't recall exactly where it was.

Sprint's Everything Data plan is the best out there by a longshot. Both Verizon and AT&T charge extra for smartphones, VZ at $30/month each!