[buffman2k3]

Jared- Kable is right
I recently switched from a PALM to the BB 7100
To date there are more 3rd party apps for the treo's than BB
HOWEVER - As of today: Microsoft has announced an alliance with PALM that PALM will use the MS Mobbile O/S v5.0 in the 700 series. Bye bye PALM
Next: PALM announced a deal with BB this week. They are about to become alliance partners.
Welcome to the new world - - BB O/S's will be the smartphone standard for the next few years as they continue to increase their market share.
As for apps and such. I have spent the past day on-line and found almost everything I need both for business and pleasure.
One other thing...7100 is the lightest smartphone on the market and a true pleasure to carry in a pocket - knowing that my wallet feels heavier.

[jnyost]

I can't wait. Hopefully I'll be able to get the 7100 before they force me to get the 7250.

[Stu_Bee]

I have both a Palm TC and a Blackberry 7520. Unlike most in this forum, I really like my Palm, and I really dislike my BB. Of course my Palm isn't a phone model, so they really are two different beasts.
I use my Palm mostly for Wifi Connection, RSS feeds, TomTomGPS, Playing Videos (yep..divx), all PIM functionality, ok..a couple games now and then (NES, Genesis Emulator)
I use the BB solely for Email and phone. The 7520 is a brick, the interface is nasty, not very configurable (ie phone features), the screen isn't bright or clear. That darn scrollwheel....(hangup or accept..damn!), the lowlevel built-in apps (email, contacts).

I guess I like the technology, ie OTA IP, but not the implementation. I will say that when you drop it...it still works.

If the Blackberry connect software is EVER released for the Treo's...I'm going to seriously consider dumping the brick.

Why do I even have it then if I dislike it so much....I'm the BB Admin for a company..so no choice.

[ELA]

I am a brand new Verizon/7250 user (going on 5 days now). I was a loyal Palm user for years and I used the i705 when it had wireless e-mail (didn't last long). I never went to any of the newer Palm models for e-mail however, primarily as I was always convinced that the BB was much better for that.

Anyway, I do not use my BB as a phone. I also still have my Palm -- only because I am having trouble getting my Palm address book over to my BB. Anyway, when I finally get that problem solved I will be done with Palm.

The one feature that I might miss is the memo pad.

Eric

[WNO]

ELA, have you tried the Palm migration tool in the latest version of the desktop manager? I don't miss the Palm memo pad much, though I do somewhat miss the apps that stored my hand-scribbled memos. The thing I miss the most about the Palm OS is the DateBk5 app; the BB calendar is fine (when augmented with PocketDay), but is still a far cry from DateBk5 functionality

[ELA]

I was just recently told about the Palm-to-BB capability. I have not tried it. I am afraid . . . very afraid, LOL. I am technologically handicapped and tend to be very careful.

The reason I have held off is because my Palm address book had all my contacts names and tel. #'s, snail mail addresses, and NO e-mail addresses. My Outlook address book had ONLY e-mail addresses. I have already taken my Outlook contacts and gotten them into my Lotus Notes and then into my BB. My Palm address book still remains.

My fear is that if I move my Palm contacts in now, and they don't truly merge together, I will end up with a thousand plus duplicates -- two entries for each person; one having phone #'s and snail mail addresses, the other having an e-mail address. I don't understand the field mapping(s) and if that has anything to do with it.

I probably should look to merge Palm and Outlook into one (some sort of document), then move that one over to Lotus and BB. I have no idea how to do that, or if it's even possible . . . but I'd pay somebody to do it . . . successfully of course, LOL.

Thanks.


Eric

[bigmdime]

I just did the switch...and i can say with absolute certainty that I will swith to a windows device when they make one that matches the form factor of the treo 650... or i'll get the 650 with windows when it's available in GSM.

See this thread:
http://www.blackberryforums.com/showthread.php?t=21344

The lack of third party software for the BB has really shocked me. My treo had become so unstable that I had to reset it myself 2 to 3 times a day, and it reset itself many times a day as well. It would often reset when a phone would come in while i wa also on email or IM, whatever.

But those third party apps were amaizng and made the treo a true laptop replacement in a crunch. I used docs to go - their excel and word - on many occasions to make and edit spreadsheets and word docs while away from the laptop. their spreadsheet was awesome, easy to use, etc. To be honest, i don't know if would be possible to make such a great piece of software for the BB w/o a D-pad and/or touchscreen. i also used the camera for biz - i manufacture things and a quick photo of a problem emailed to a factory half way across the world was great. I used Vindigo all the time to find local restaurants and movie times... agendus - which brought all the PIM features together in a sngle app - was amazingle useful... tasks, calendar and contacts all integrated.

in fact - part of the problem si that there were so many apps that just throwing a few on the device would cause a lot of instability... i know a lot of people sufered from this.... and in fact is probably why palm is also bringing out the device with windows software...

[bigboy]

I also just made a switch, but it might be temporary. I think the PIM features of the Treo 650 are better IMHO -- the calendar is a lot easier to get around and the category feature for contacts is much easier to access than the groups functionality of the BB.

RIM is on the right track putting dedicated phone buttons on the front of the 8700c, but they also should put ones for e-mail and calendar as well (yes yes, I know -- I can reprogram the side and front middle buttons).

And, as I mentioned in another thread, I think (IMHO again) that Goodlink + T650 is a superior platform for Exchange/Outlook users -- Goodlink's ability to more accurately mirror what is in outlook was very useful, and the "reconcile e-mail" option for BB isn't as good.

The one thing that I really miss is the ability to search for a contact using their initials -- all i needed to bring up penelope cruz's contact info is to type "pc" (haha -- yeah, like she's in my contact db ).

Of course, on the positive side -- the battery life is much better and I do like the trackwheel.

I may switch back when Palm releases the BB Connect though....

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by bigboy

And, as I mentioned in another thread, I think (IMHO again) that Goodlink + T650 is a superior platform for Exchange/Outlook users -- Goodlink's ability to more accurately mirror what is in outlook was very useful, and the "reconcile e-mail" option for BB isn't as good.

How are they different? I've really had no experience with Goodlink. Personally, I've never had any issues with the way Blackberries integrate with Exchange but I have no need for full mirroring of my Exchange account on my handheld.

[bigboy]

Originally Posted by takeshi

How are they different? I've really had no experience with Goodlink. Personally, I've never had any issues with the way Blackberries integrate with Exchange but I have no need for full mirroring of my Exchange account on my handheld.

From my brief experience using my 8700c, Goodlink is much faster at reflecting changes made on the desktop/handheld to the handheld/desktop. Also, I have a habit of emptying my deleted items folder on Outlook -- if I manage to empty the folder before reconciliation, it never deletes the e-mail from the handheld. Goodlink doesn't have this issue -- but may be a reason why it is such a battery suck.

From an outside perspective, it may be a reflection of RIM's view on its blackberries -- an appendage, with the desktop mail client the main source of truth -- versus Goodlink, which views the handheld client to be on equal footing with Outlook.

[nicky_r]

I'm a 7105t personal user and I love it. I was Palm addicted for the last five years but I finally made the leap with T-Mobile. I'm still adjusting to the difference in programs blackberry vs palm pda but it is well worth the adjustment stages.

[ashman]

I also made the switch from a Treo 600 to a 7290, I really don't miss the Treo at all. The Treo would crash which was a pain, so I unloaded all the third party apps and used the bare minimum; great whats the point of all these third party apps if they crash your phone? The quad band coverage was nice, but my 7290 has that. No bluetooth was a pain, having had all BT cell phones before I was now unable to use my BT headset, but I knew that when I got the Treo 600, now I'm back using my headset with my 7290 and I love it!

They are for two really different worlds I think, the BB is purely for business, it doesn't have the glamour of the Treo, but its rock solid stable and does the job!

AM

[nc-chris]

I have a T650 for work and a 7100i for personal use. After having the T650 since the week it came out and the 7100i since the day it came out, I consider my opinion informed. ;)

Nutshell: the 7100i blows away the T650

The RF reception and voice quality of the BB is far better than my other Nextel it replaced (the i850) and of my GSM Treo. Despite there being depicted on this forum as more of a business item, I have plenty of personal apps and they work great. BB Weather, Spot, SSH, VeriChat, HelloWorld (google-based mapping app), BB Messenger... This is a very functional personal device.

To me, the BB is far superior as far as stability. My T650 rebooted itself everyday at least once. Sometimes it would do it and not turn the radio back on, so I would lose text messages. The OS was sluggish compared to the berry, and I find that I can navigate the device faster via the thumbwheel and shortcuts (to compose a message, just hit the convenience button, then comma). I also like how you can hop between apps with shift-Esc and come back to them in the exact state they were in when you left them. Not all Treo apps do that.

I've actually now forwarded my T650 to my berry and don't carry it anymore.

Downsides? I wish the BB did IMAP4 natively. I'm using a hosted exchange account for my personal mail and love it, but I'd like to be able to grab my work mail if I wanted to (IMAP only). Not a big deal though. I can always take my Treo.

Obviously, everyone's experience is different based on what apps they want to use, what carrier they have, etc. For me, though, the berry has been more fun, and very addictive. Whenever my boyfriend asks me "hey, do you know when..." I just say, "Ask Berry."

Just found out also that work is probably replacing our Treos with 8700g's...

Chris

[Berry One]

Downsides? I wish the BB did IMAP4 natively. I'm using a hosted exchange account for my personal mail and love it, but I'd like to be able to grab my work mail if I wanted to (IMAP only). Not a big deal though.

What do you mean, natively? It should support IMAP through WebClient.

[ELA]

I could be wrong, however, I would think that the best route might be different for different people. I only need mobile e-mail -- that's it. I'm keeping my cell phone so mobile e-mail is it. I have people in my office who want an all-in-one, need to open attachments, use Microsoft programs, etc.

I am thinking that as much as I liked my Palm Pilot, I am graduating and making progress. I hope that's a good thing. I am sure I'll mess something up, LOL.

Eric

[Skidmark]

I use a BB 7250 for phone, work PIM and email and a Palm E2 as a minature laptop.
The BB sync with MS outlook is seamless and is used for my work PIM. Email functions are great.
The BB is bulletproof. It is physically very robust. I pull the battery once a month to do a software reset. This is my choice. It just seems like good preventative maintenance. It has never crashed on its own since I got it ( May 2005). Lets see windows or palm do that!!!
The BB interface is great. It takes some effort to get used to, but once you catch on, its every bit as effective as the windows or palm interfaces.
The BB phone works very well.
The BB has limited 3rd party software, so I picked up a palm E2 (on sale) to cover my portable computing needs. With a keyboard its lighter, cheaper and pretty darn effective as a laptop.

I have not found the all in one device solution yet. I do not think we will see this anytime soon.
Both are great devices.

Mark