[MO3iusone]

Hello there this is my first time posting here, I post at howardforums.com but their servers have been acting up, I was thinking about getting the 8706e once it was released for sprint, I currently have a Treo650 which I really like but I want something different, I notice that the 8706 does not come with a buil in camera and I'm wondering if I would be downgrading by getting a Blackberry. Any thoughts or suggestions wouldbe greatly apprecaited, Thanks.

[secrecyguy]

Considering you are at Blackberry forum, I think majority of the people going to say get a Blackberry.

I noticed Howard Forums is down also. Another good place to ask is at Cell Phone Forums - Your Cell Phone Source .

For me personally, I will say get Blackberry 8lackberry 8100 from T-mobile but I know that's not the question you were asking.

[NJBlackBerry]

I presume you are looking at the 8703e, coming out eventually for Sprint. If your primary need is a camera and MP3 audio capabilities do not get an 8703. You will be disappointed. If you want secure wireless e-mail, with a decent EVDO based web browser and phone, then the 8703e may be for you.

Personally I don't think it's a step down from a Treo.. Especially in terms of stability of the OS.

[mymitsu3kgt]

You won't find too many people here that will tell you to go with a Treo.

[MO3iusone]

Well. I want a blackberry thats gonna function like a treo if not better. I browse the web alot, i text alot. I even have my nintendo emulator on my phone. how well is the blackberry os? i hear its stable but are there a bunch of programs for it as there is for the Treo?

[Naked Wife]

Wirelessly posted (NakedBerry: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D052; Blazer/4.5) 16;320x320)

If cost is an issue, remember that the data plan is more expensive for the Blackberry than for the Treo.

[mymitsu3kgt]

I don't believe you'll get a Nintendo emulator to work on the Blackberry but the OS is alot stronger than Treo's.

[rambo47]

As far as aftermarket programs, there are not nearly as many available for the Blackberry as for the Treo, but the BB aftermarket software sector is growing fast. The Blackberry is still seen as primarily a business user's device, having only now released their first model aimed at the non-business consumer. Palm and Windows Mobile have a heck of a head start in aftermarket programs, but the Blackberry OS side is on fire.

I ditched my Treo 650 for a Blackberry and for me it was a superb decision. I originally switched from Blackberries to Treos for the SD card expandable memory. Old BB's had only 16 MB of internal storage, and that was shared by the OS. It wasn't enough for me, so I went Treo. When they announced the spec for the Pearl I saw I could get back to the Blackberry platform, my first choice, and get my storage too. A month before the Pearl's release I picked up a 7105t Blackberry, just to get used to SureType and re-acquaint myself with the ways of the 'berry. I got used to having a camera on my phone when I used the Treo, even if it's not a high quallity camera, so the Pearl having a 1.3 MP camera is a nice bonus for me. The final thing that made me jump back to the Blackberry is the stability. Treos have OS stability issues, especially when you install third-party apps. And one of the coolest things about the Treo is the ability to customize it with these very apps that seem to cause the instability. Frankly, if my phone is going to shit the bed and reset itself at any given moment I can't count on it. It becomes a toy, not a business tool, and if I want a phone toy I'll get a SideKick.

[saa001]

Originally Posted by MO3iusone

Well. I want a blackberry thats gonna function like a treo if not better. I browse the web alot, i text alot. I even have my nintendo emulator on my phone. how well is the blackberry os? i hear its stable but are there a bunch of programs for it as there is for the Treo?

You will loose some things and gain some things in going to a blackberry.

You will loose the touch screen and camera.

You will gain a much more stable operating system, a much nicer screen, web surfing that is much better (I was not able to access my banks web page on my treo 650 but I can on my blackberry), and of course better email handling(although I have heard that the blackberry email is availble for the treo 650 now).

I switched from my Treo 650 to the 8700 and don't regret it one bit. I have tried several pocketpc phones since then and have switched back to the blackberry. I think the blackberry 8700 is the best phone I have used in a long time and I will be staying with this one for at least a year (I used to switch phones every three months because I got bored and wanted something new and exciting).

You can buy and use a blackberry for a short time and return it if you don't like it.

[bubbaman]

I got a treo 650 about 3 weeks ago with alltel on a monday. I got my second treo on wednesday, and I got my blackberry 7130e on that thursday. I am extremely happy with the BB over the treo. The stability and rf are 10 times better then the treo and I really don't miss the crappy camera or touchscreen. I also like not having an exterior antenna, it seems I broke more phones from then antenna catching on something and breaking the antenna off, cracking the case, or causing it to fall because it caught in the first place. Depending on your carrier try a BB and see what you think you should have a trial period for it.

[MO3iusone]

Well I currently hvae Sprint and theres not too many BB available. I only know of 7130e and 8706e which is suppose to be coming out soon for Sprint. I just need something that will allow me to use AIM, browse the web..and thats really about it..

[pulrang]

I am a consultant and I for one love the Treo's. See, for me they are job security. I support all of the smart phone/pda's and after I setup a client on a BB, I never hear from them again - because they work! I'll tell you what I tell my clients - if you want a device that has a very rich feature set and large selection of aftermarket software, get a Treo but you will pay for it in headaches and money spent on me fixing them because they are unreliable and will frustrate you to no end. You want something knows it's roll, does it better than anything else and is as reliable as the sunrise? Go with the BB - it's that simple.

[Dubdub]

I went through 3 Treo 600s and a 650. Got tired of putting up with broken phones and shoddy workmanship. Went to the BB 8700c and have never looked back.

[Aroc]

A BB will be a downgrade in all respects from a Treo 650 EXCEPT for the following

-stable wireless push email
-stable O/S.

This is not counting the security features enabled on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). Some of that can be mitigated by running Treos with a Goodlink server.

[headtailgrep]

Originally Posted by MO3iusone

Hello there this is my first time posting here, I post at howardforums.com but their servers have been acting up, I was thinking about getting the 8706e once it was released for sprint, I currently have a Treo650 which I really like but I want something different, I notice that the 8706 does not come with a buil in camera and I'm wondering if I would be downgrading by getting a Blackberry. Any thoughts or suggestions wouldbe greatly apprecaited, Thanks.

Get a blackberry.

[MO3iusone]

Originally Posted by Aroc

A BB will be a downgrade in all respects from a Treo 650 EXCEPT for the following

-stable wireless push email
-stable O/S.

This is not counting the security features enabled on the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). Some of that can be mitigated by running Treos with a Goodlink server.

I'm glad that your guys are being honest. I think I'm gonna order a BB from sprint and if I like it better then my Treo, I'll keep it. Thanks everyone.

[Stewie]

I will answer in one word.

YES

Had a treo 650. Even hacked the heck out of it and was an active member of TreoCentral but went to the BB and will never look back.

[dshoebox]

I too, have a TREO 650 and am wondering if I should hold out for the new 8100? Will there ever be a voice-dial patch for the 8703e?

[dshoebox]

Oh. I should mention that I am not in an area where T-Mobile works, which is the only 8100 provider to date. I have Verizon, which is CDMA only. The only thing close is Cingular, but I'm not sure when they will have the 8100 available. I really like the idea of voice-dialing, as i am on the road driving a lot and it is a convenient way to make calls from my bluetooth headset.

[marabuchi]

I agree with Aroc. I just switched from a Treo 650 to the 8100. I was frustrated with using VersaMail to get my e-mail. It would sometimes AutoSync by polling the POP server, and other times I would have to manually check. With the BlackBerry, I just set it up once and it just works.

The UI is very intuative, and I don't miss the touchscreen at all. SureType took me about a day and a half to get used to, but I feel like I can type just as fast now as I could with the Treo.

I use the browser all the time, and I have found that the BB does a better job than the Treo at displaying most sites (even though the screen is smaller). It even has a built in RSS news reader. It's not the greatest, but it works. Browsing the web feels faster for me on the 8100 (EDGE) than it did on my 650 (Verizon 1xRTT). I like the built in browser better than the Blazer on the Treo because clicking back does not cause the page to reload. I know there are other browsers for Palm, but I didn't really like Opera and am too cheap to pay for another.

Plus, this forum is really great for finding information! There are a lot of people who will help you out (especially if you search first ).

I just returned my Pearl because I ordered one from Amazon. I actually hate carrying around the Treo now! It's too bulky. It's uncomfortable to talk on. Push e-mail is so much better. The only downside for me so far has been the lack of Mac support. I can't wait for my new Pearl to arrive!