[DonovanOsaya]

I'm trying to get a RIM 857 going to do something. Anything.

I thought it'd be nifty to have it to where it can do SMS and or paging on the same number as my main Blackberry.

I'm seeing that it doesn't support GPRS, though, and instead supports Mobitex or whatnot.

So. Paperweight?


I suppose I could give it to my grandpa as a PIM. I'd have to know how to wipe out the 10,000 contacts in it with one flail swoop, though.

[NJBlackBerry]

The 857 does not support SMS.
The 857 is an an ancient device that only support PIN to PIN messaging and e-mail using the DataTAC network (Mobitext was for the 950/957 models).
It's a paperweight. Actually, it's big for a paperweight. The 850 and 950 are good paperweights. The 857/957 are good as door stops.

[DonovanOsaya]

With the PIN-to-PIN would I be able to send messages back and forth from both devices, or would they need unique MDN/MINs for that to work?

Not that it matters since I can't seem to get into the programming for it, anyway.

If I did give it to my grandpa to use as purely a contact book and note device, is there any easy way to wipe it and start from scratch? I cringe at the thought of having to delete all these names in the contact book. They seriously go on forever.

[mgerbasio]

Not exactly on target for the thread, but I think there is a need for a Mobitex type of device, actually, that type of support in existing devices. Living so close to NYC as we do (I'm by the sports complex), you just know there is going to be another event like 9/11. Those old ancient devices certainly turned out to be very useful when the cell phone network became almost instantly usless.

I would have hoped the FCC/DHS recognized the need for non-voice (sms/two-way pager) type communication during a national emergency and would use the old pager frequencies as part of homeland security. Adding nationwide coverage and that ability to all cell phones as now we're adding E-911.

I always thought that would be a good selling point for RIM to add that type of support but the coverage is disappearing. I'm sure a lot of companies would go for it especially in the major metro areas. During the next emergency I think people are really going to be shocked at how useless cell phones are since the providers are making provisions to give priority to first responders.

Regards-Michael G.