BlackBerry Forums Support Community

mapin · 05-02-2006, 02:07 AM

I had my bb 8700 for 11 days, now I'm saying goodbye to it. In it's place I'll be getting the T-Mobile MDA smartphone tomorrow.

As a mac user, I found the BB support non-existent. Sure I can sync my contacts and ical with Pocketmac, but what about installing firmware and 3rd party software?

Overall I found very little 3rd party software to choose from, the browser does not have flash support, you can't have a basic pdf viewer on your bb without some crazy 3rd party subscription service, you can't edit office documents without eOffice which requires Windows, there's no voice dialing, they cripple the bluetooth to just a few "secure" features, there are no modem drivers to tether the bb to my os x laptop, and the list goes on and on.

The bb is good for one thing only and that's email. Well i can get email on a treo or pocketpc as well, plus a million other features for the same price as my 8700.

So for me this was a poor choice. I encourage newbies (especially mac users) to consider their purchase very carefully. The BB is definately not a smartphone or PDA replacement, it's just an email device with limited phone and PDA features.

lieb39 · 05-02-2006, 03:18 AM

Well, that what it comes down to. The BB is a designed for a very specific market group, either you're in it or not. I may be getting rid of my BB soon as well. Not because of the lack of integration with Mac (I haven't had any issues with it) but the fees. I don't think i can afford it. If I don't use the email function than I may as well just use a mobile phone IMO.

Cheers,

lieb39

jkevinwolfe · 05-02-2006, 03:53 AM

Mapin,

Sorry to hear of your woes. I recently bought a BB 7105t. It was a tough decision. tMobile was the obvious choice for cost. I wanted a Treo650. I am very familiar with Palm, but tMobile discontinued it. So I wound up going with the BB.

Maybe my criteria is different. While I have found a lot of limitations in the name of security (BT, no editing word docs, no file transfer by usb) my needs were essentially usable email, a phone and basic pims. I have that with the BB. Pocketmac has been flawless in syncing my calendar, addressbook and tasks. The speakphone is excellent. And push email is killer. It's so fast and opens all the necessary attachment formats with no fuss. While I can't edit word docs, I can strip out text, edit it and send it back in the body of an email or a vCard Note. Not ideal, but I know there have always been serious issues with Word doc corruption on handheld devices, ironically even Pocket PC, since it couldn't handle advanced formatting. As for not being able to upgrade the OS without a windows machine, I was concerned, but found the point was moot since tMobile is not offering an upgrade yet.

I stayed away from the MDA because of Windows. They still haven't convinced me they can do a phone OS any better than they do a desktop. Desite being into PDAs/Smartphones for over 10 years, they still only have about 12% of the market for smartphones, which signals to me they still don't have it right

I'd really like to hear how the MDA works out for you, especially sync and browsing speed. Keep us posted.

Kevin

brace! brace! · 05-02-2006, 04:43 AM

Sad to hear the BlackBerry hasn't worked out for you. I'm onto my third now (an 8700g which I got about 3 weeks ago) and I couldn't be happier, even though I am a Mac user of many years now.

I've had Palm's in the past but the PDA on the BB kills anything that I've used in the past. I've tried my friends' Treos, Windows Mobiles etc but I find they still don't cut it against the BB. I agree with you the phone features have been a bit lacking over the years but RIM is almost there now. Things like Voice Dialling are something which I've never used in a phone so for me I don't notice these features missing.

In defence of the BlackBerry:

- PDF, Word and Excel viewing is available free of charge through eFile. No "crazy subscription service" is needed.

- Yes Bluetooth is limited to secure services but as a Mac user you should appreciate the difference between having a device which is secure by default (like Mac OS X) versus devices which are open to exploitation (eg Windows).

- eOffice does not require Windows. Remember it's a wireless device.

- There's heaps of 3rd party software to choose from. The only software which I want which isn't available is a Chinese <-> English dictionary. I've been using a free web based one but I've decided to port this myself so I can access it when I am flying so eventually I'll get around this too.

The BB isn't just a smartphone replacement - it's the ORIGINAL SMARTPHONE; and still the best. Feature for feature it still beats the competition in ease of use, stability, email (of course!!), The phone features are not limited by a long shot. Apart from Voice Dialling, I can't really think of any missing useful features (not that I would use it anyway). PDA support is stronger than ever. If you think this is limited, I'll send you my old Palm Pilot and then you'll know what a limited PIM is!!

So, yes, you should consider carefully before choosing your next device. It's important to remember how important battery life is and just how important the interface is with ease of use for beginners and the use of key shortcuts so advanced users can get things done quicker than ever (without one of those stupid touch screens).

Just my 20c worth. Good luck with your new device. Hope it suits you better.

cheers
brace! brace!

fliedlice · 05-02-2006, 05:14 AM

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7250/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Sounds to me like you should have done your research before buying your blackberry. Could have saved yourself some money and us a thread.

noeffectx · 05-02-2006, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mapin

I had my bb 8700 for 11 days, now I'm saying goodbye to it. In it's place I'll be getting the T-Mobile MDA smartphone tomorrow.

As a mac user, I found the BB support non-existent. Sure I can sync my contacts and ical with Pocketmac, but what about installing firmware and 3rd party software?

Overall I found very little 3rd party software to choose from, the browser does not have flash support, you can't have a basic pdf viewer on your bb without some crazy 3rd party subscription service, you can't edit office documents without eOffice which requires Windows, there's no voice dialing, they cripple the bluetooth to just a few "secure" features, there are no modem drivers to tether the bb to my os x laptop, and the list goes on and on.

The bb is good for one thing only and that's email. Well i can get email on a treo or pocketpc as well, plus a million other features for the same price as my 8700.

So for me this was a poor choice. I encourage newbies (especially mac users) to consider their purchase very carefully. The BB is definately not a smartphone or PDA replacement, it's just an email device with limited phone and PDA features.

tmobile mda is cool, you can pretty much do it all kind of device, but
try dropping a blackberry7290/8700g and a tmobile mda, for atleast 3ft high, on the ground, see which phone survives ;)

just remember to get an insurance for that mda phone, youll need it, trust me

good luck

brace! brace! · 05-02-2006, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fliedlice

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry7250/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Sounds to me like you should have done your research before buying your blackberry. Could have saved yourself some money and us a thread.

Well said. I've gotta remember this one for another time!

finch · 05-02-2006, 07:40 AM

Like all the other BB user who jumped to a Treo, iMate, MDS, WM5 etc. you'll be back within 6mo's. Hang on to you BB for a bit you'll be needing it... Long time Mac advocate and BB user.

gdpmumin · 05-02-2006, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finch

Like all the other BB user who jumped to a Treo, iMate, MDS, WM5 etc. you'll be back within 6mo's. Hang on to you BB for a bit you'll be needing it... Long time Mac advocate and BB user.

I am one of those who jumped from a BB to a Treo 700w. It was only for the fact that when I switched to Verizon, they had the Treos in stock, but not the BB and I needed to walk out of there with a phone. I lasted two days with the Treo before trading it in on a BB. Believe me, there's no comparison. My wife still has a Treo 700w (and loves it). I play with it every once in a while, and I'm thankful every time I do that I went back to the BB.

Kripto · 05-02-2006, 03:39 PM

Itsn't the MDA Windows Mobile 5? If so, I don't think there are any tools out there yet that can sync that to a mac.. Last I looked Mark/Space and PocketMac were the only 2 even thinking of working on it..

Blackberries are excellent email tools, if you know that and are comfortable with that, you will be happy.

cblackberrynyc · 05-02-2006, 06:00 PM

Well add another to the Treo / Blackberry / back to Treo users. The BB is great at one thing.... push email. However the BB is really lacking at many of the functions that the palm, and even windows smartphones can provide. Dont go BS'ing the OP for not doing research... RIM proclaimed back 1/2005 and again 1/2006 they supported mac sync. Well as we know that was a bit of BS because RIM doesn't support mac, they forked over $$ to put the RIM name on a rather crappy solution for mac sync which is not supported by RIM, bearly supported by IAA PocketMac and is in no way a application which has any of the quality which people into RIM for. By the way as another poster pointed out, when the Treo and other windows smartphones can do pull email, paying 44 to 49.00 for RIM to push email isn't really cost effective. Bring into the decision process the things the BB cant do which other smartphones can do. There is really only a very small group of people which "need" what the BB gives, while those people are missing out on all the things the BB cant do.

Thanks to the various lawsuits against RIM people are waking up to the fact that the RIM BB isn't the solution they thought it was, and that there are now many other smartphones and service corp's. which can now do it better than RIM and BB.

Quote:

Originally Posted by finch

Like all the other BB user who jumped to a Treo, iMate, MDS, WM5 etc. you'll be back within 6mo's. Hang on to you BB for a bit you'll be needing it... Long time Mac advocate and BB user.

KonTiki · 05-02-2006, 06:07 PM

Just one question for you on your statement of : "There is really only a very small group of people which "need" what the BB gives, while those people are missing out on all the things the BB cant do."

Dont you think that everyone is by now aware of the other things other phones can do, and moreover dont you also think that they know the phones are there to be bought, now putting that aside, dont you know that a lot of others like you keep trying to point that out almost on a daily basis, YET BB owners are still happy and satisfied with what they have despite any shortcomings as you point out. In my book that means that they are not interested. So if indeed the BB is not the answer for you, please BE HAPPY and get yourself whatever it is that will give you the answer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cblackberrynyc

Well add another to the Treo / Blackberry / back to Treo users. The BB is great at one thing.... push email. However the BB is really lacking at many of the functions that the palm, and even windows smartphones can provide. Dont go BS'ing the OP for not doing research... RIM proclaimed back 1/2005 and again 1/2006 they supported mac sync. Well as we know that was a bit of BS because RIM doesn't support mac, they forked over $$ to put the RIM name on a rather crappy solution for mac sync which is not supported by RIM, bearly supported by IAA PocketMac and is in no way a application which has any of the quality which people into RIM for. By the way as another poster pointed out, when the Treo and other windows smartphones can do pull email, paying 44 to 49.00 for RIM to push email isn't really cost effective. Bring into the decision process the things the BB cant do which other smartphones can do. There is really only a very small group of people which "need" what the BB gives, while those people are missing out on all the things the BB cant do.

Thanks to the various lawsuits against RIM people are waking up to the fact that the RIM BB isn't the solution they thought it was, and that there are now many other smartphones and service corp's. which can now do it better than RIM and BB.

Stinsonddog · 05-02-2006, 06:27 PM

Actually I don't use my blackberry for much. See my other posts but it's basically covered with black electrical tape in most places so I can hide icons. Don't have to worry about functionality that way.

cblackberrynyc · 05-02-2006, 06:35 PM

ah NO Kontiki when I see other post stuff like this:

"Sounds to me like you should have done your research before buying your blackberry. Could have saved yourself some money and us a thread."

No not everyone is aware the other things phones and smartphones can do, and know the BB is lacking most of those things. The PROBLEM is RIM proclaimed Mac support and RIM DOES NOT have in house Mac support. IF one was to listen to RIM, one would buy a BB, however the real world tells us RIM's "Mac support" is nothing but a 3rd party app, and NOTHING more.

RIM, and fellow Blackberry users have the right to be amazed at how good a business device a BB can be but how terrible the 3rd party mac support can be. IAA's solution makes the BB look BAD. Which is sad, its not RIM's fault that IAA drops the ball and doesn't understand the BB is a business device and the app and the support better be what business people expect.

So yes indeed people need to do research and saddly not listen to everything RIM says. Even though the BB is a great solution for some, for Mac users needing to do wacky things like sync a smartphone, better be sure what they are buying into when trusting the RIM solution.

You know to "BE HAPPY" and all....

Quote:

Originally Posted by KonTiki

Just one question for you on your statement of : "There is really only a very small group of people which "need" what the BB gives, while those people are missing out on all the things the BB cant do."

Dont you think that everyone is by now aware of the other things other phones can do, and moreover dont you also think that they know the phones are there to be bought, now putting that aside, dont you know that a lot of others like you keep trying to point that out almost on a daily basis, YET BB owners are still happy and satisfied with what they have despite any shortcomings as you point out. In my book that means that they are not interested. So if indeed the BB is not the answer for you, please BE HAPPY and get yourself whatever it is that will give you the answer.

EricaJ1074 · 05-02-2006, 07:51 PM

I'm not a Mac user, but as a former user of 6 Windows Mobile devices, 3 Sidekicks and a few regular cell phones, and a BlackBerry user for 4 years off and on, I am completely aware of the things that a BlackBerry is capable of doing and what it is not capable of doing. The reason I got a BlackBerry (as a college student, not in a corporate world yet) is because of my need for a stable organizer and access to the web away from my home. This is ok as it serves my needs/wants for now.

1) Music-I have an mp3 player and my pc.

2) Camera-I can buy a camera for picture taking.

3) Document viewing, editing, etc.-I have a computer for that reason.

4) Third-party software-I have found TONS of titles I use. There are places to find this stuff online. I am only waiting for 2 or 3 games I used to play on my PPC's to come out for BlackBerry. Otherwise, I'm happy.

5) Mac support-I cannot answer this personally as I do not own a Mac.

6) Bluetooth IS enabled (Go to Options, Bluetooth, Enable it and set your BB so it can be discovered by other BT devices). I have 2 BlackBerries and they are paired with each other. I also attempted to pair my 7100t with a headset...don't wanna go off into that rant due to the problems I had. I also am still trying to figure out how to pair my 7105t with my pc (anybody willing to help me out here? LOL).

7) Tethering-Hopefully this will change for Mac users. I've heard it works well for PC users but I haven't tried it yet.

8) Voice dialing has just been recently released for the 7100i by Nextel. Other models/carriers haven't released it yet (maybe T-Mobile will soon). It would be a nice addition since I am not able to hold a phone at the same time I am driving. I have a handsfree headset to get around this issue since I am not willing to change providers for voice dialing.

9) Windows Mobile OS-I personally have had 6 PPC/PPC Phone Edition devices die on me.

10) Browser-MUCH more stable than the THREE Sidekicks I went thru and the Windows Mobile devices I had. I couldn't even browse the web on my Dell Axim X50's or my Compaq 3835, and all 3 of my Sidekicks gave me constant errors about timing out or not supporting certain pages. I can go anywhere I want on the web with my BB.

11) Durability-I dropped all of my BlackBerries and they're still working, except for 3 that dropped a signal never to come back, one of whch also had a malfunctioning power button (I got 2 of these replaced). Try this with a Treo, Sidekick or WM device (none of my PPC Phone Editions survived a single fall. My Compaq iPAQ won't stay turned on either but not because it's been dropped). Heck I had a Samsung E635 (basic phone, nothing fancy) which froze and RESET itself several times a day. That phone lasted a month before I gave up on it.

12) E-mail-I can view email attachments on my BB. I don't have a need to edit them on my BB yet. My only gripe is that they only support Yahoo Plus and Hotmail Plus (which I don't have) but I can check those accounts on my pc.

Overall, I am very happy that I came back to my BlackBerry. I missed it while I was using other devices (while waiting to find out what was to become of the patent lawsuit which was resolved).

cblackberrynyc · 05-03-2006, 04:26 PM

The main issue (in this thread anyways) is RIM's mac sync solution is simply not up to par. When it comes to the quality of the Blackberry to mac users who want to get proper use out of the BB smartphone. RIM needs to decide to either shit or get off the pot. The IAA pocketmac for blackberry doesn't even come close to the quality of the in house pc solution.

The BB devices are well made, but the lack of functions, the premium service cost, and the fact other smartphones have caught up and are surpassing the BB devices is forcing RIM to design a BB which people want, with functions people want.

The question is will RIM finaly do the right thing by Mac users and drop the bandaid pocketmac and get a in house sync app, with in house RIM support. Give Mac users the same if not better sync app. Sure the BB device is good, but without proper working, well designed, freq. updated sync software it sure makes a BB smart device seem pretty dumb.

j0nkatz · 05-04-2006, 01:21 PM

I have both and love both.
What's really neat is running Blackberry Connect on the MDA.

K-Mack · 05-04-2006, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

Actually I don't use my blackberry for much. See my other posts but it's basically covered with black electrical tape in most places so I can hide icons. Don't have to worry about functionality that way.

LMAO!!

HashGordon · 05-05-2006, 10:31 AM

its sad that you are leaving the world of BB. Coming fromme, its kinnd funny since i dont own a BB as of now, but have always wanted to, just naging around these forums figuring out Mac users' experience. I must thank all the Mac users who post here and elsewhere (like a miniscule small community at http://www.macandmobile.com/blackber...elds-vf20.html) and its because of you guys that a lot of us make purchase decisions.

the only reason that i have nevr been able to buy a BB is the facty that I cant use it as a modem with a Mac. Its really the saddest. I use a motorola a780 which i cant sync with my Mac but i CAN use it as a modem. and I use a Sendo X to sync Mac+A780 using mobical.net

i hope the newer 7130 is more compatible with a Mac

mapin · 05-06-2006, 03:25 PM

Original poster back, just a quick update.... i'm enjoying my MDA very much so far for past 5 days. It's a bit thicker and heavier then the 8700, but it feels more solid. I tend not to drop my stuff, so hopefully its durability won't be tested.

As a mac user, the only downside is using Win Mobile 5. The Missing Sync software has an alpha version for syncing to the mac, so that's almost there. The Win Mob 5 OS is more cumbersome then the BB of course, but you get to do so much more.

To the tool who said i should have done my research and saved him a thread. Get a life, as if I forced you into the thread and made you waste your time reading it. I did a fair amount of research, but things become more clear once you actually use the device and have it in hand. It became clear the BB wasn't for me. Again, I'm just warning newbies to take a hard look at what they want, and I hope my experiences can help.

I'll post again in a few weeks after I've used the MDA some more.

thx
Mark

BlackBerry Forums Support Community

goodbye bb