[RZMedia]

Looking to purchase either a BB 8700c or the Sidekick 2. Will mostly use it for work emails, texting and the occasional web surf.

Have done a ton of research on both, but would love to get some REAL user opinions who are familiar with both.

Thanks in advance.

RZ

[Seattle18]

Don't waste your time with a Sidekick, once you try the BlackBerry you will understand what I mean.

[JesterDog]

Originally Posted by RZMedia

Looking to purchase either a BB 8700c or the Sidekick 2. Will mostly use it for work emails, texting and the occasional web surf.

Have done a ton of research on both, but would love to get some REAL user opinions who are familiar with both.

Thanks in advance.

RZ

I really tried to like the Sidekick 2, but in the end it was like a good idea that never finished getting developed. I sold it a month after buying it. If you want a cool device (mucho bling ala Paris Hilton) go for the Sidekick 2, if you want a real device to conduct commerce get th 8700c.

[finch]

The Sidekick is little more then a fragile, un-secure toy that can do POP3 and seem to be a real hit for AOL IM... Do yourself a favour, get a BlackBerry.

[RZMedia]

Originally Posted by JesterDog

I really tried to like the Sidekick 2, but in the end it was like a good idea that never finished getting developed. I sold it a month after buying it. If you want a cool device (mucho bling ala Paris Hilton) go for the Sidekick 2, if you want a real device to conduct commerce get th 8700c.

Definitely not concerned with the bling aspect. Are you able to be more specific about what you didnt like about the SK2? I have friends that use it and swear by them.

Thanks!

[finch]

THen get the SK2 because your friends say so. 1. The service is limited for PIM to PC syncing, 2. The units are poorly made and you'll be replacing them 3. The service is un-secure at best 4. No corporate server integration 5. It's not a BlackBerry. Base your device on your needs not what your friends swear by...

Originally Posted by RZMedia

Definitely not concerned with the bling aspect. Are you able to be more specific about what you didnt like about the SK2? I have friends that use it and swear by them.

Thanks!

[sfo]

You're asking 8700 owners on their forum, so of course there's a bias.
That said, SK2 (I had one, returned it in a week) has a superb keyboard. Other than that, it's a teen toy. Mail is slower, web surfing is slow, the phone is poor in both call quality and usage....and it's huge.

Get the Blackberry and you'll laugh at how you considered the Sidekick 2 in the same league.

[JesterDog]

Originally Posted by RZMedia

Definitely not concerned with the bling aspect. Are you able to be more specific about what you didnt like about the SK2? I have friends that use it and swear by them.

Thanks!

There were certain things I liked about the SK2: great keyboard, decent camera for having fun, Yahoo IM. Things I hated about the SK2: size, slow internet speed, unable to get POP mail, no sync capability with PC or Mac. It truly is a great toy, but I need a business related device which the 8700c provides. It all comes down to what you are going to use the device for, me I run a business with my 8700c as an integral part of it.

Good luck in your quest!

[nickp]

I have had both. I currently use the 8700c on T-Mo and really like it. The SK2 is also a nice device in my opinion. Contrary to what was stated here, you can get POP email, you can sync with Outlook and it is a great device for messaging. The Outlook sync even works wirelessly. You load a client on your laptop which syncs with Outlook and then sends the changes to the SK2, and visa versa.

Things I did not like about the SK2 was the format for using it as a phone. You had to open it to dial (yes you could dial with the screen closed by using the thumbwheel to scroll number by number) too bulky to use without headset, limited 3rd party software apps and the RF was marginal to OK.

After using several devices (T600,T650,BB7290,BB7105 and 1/2 dozen PPC devices) I really enjoy the performance and design of the 8700c. I bought one outright from my local Cingular store for $450, paid Adam at GSMPhonesource $45 to unlock it, and was live on it within 6 hours after getting it.

I basically agree with some of the posts here. If you need it for business, the 8700c format and performance capabilities are second to none. If you like it for heavy text messaging and the club scene factor, then go with the SK2.

[teamcrn]

well i can throw my opion in to the ring... the sk2 is a sexxy toy that your teenage brother would love.. and a blackberry is something your father would carry... im in to event planning and the sk2 can only email to 10 diffrent emails at a time were blackberrys have no limt.. also the sk2 has over the air updates that takes along time and interupt service... quick story my friend wasnt getting his emails.. for 2 weeks straight do to a service outage or defective unit.. the gave him 5 dollars twards his bill everyday. but he was so frustrated he through his unit in the east river and copped a blackberry the same day...lmao man the blackberry is boring in looks but it just works... with the sk2 its a crap shoot... in nyc we call them Sh!t Kicks all major record labels and corporations use the blackberry.. so the club scene is changing alot more blackberrys in the club..

[RZMedia]

Thank you all for your responses. Happy to have gotten feedback from people that have actually used both, as opposed to those that just knew about them.

[Mr Pink57]

Had a SK2 when I first really started with email and data, I had it as data only with an i860 as my phone. It was nice at the time, but I did get a lot of service outages (danger servers), also thought the OS on the device kinda sucked. Due to the fact that I cant load my own apps on it, and if I do want a app I have to pay mucho bucks for a crappy app anyways. Needless to say I traded a friend for a 7520 and then move to a 7100i and have been happy ever since.

pink

[aphr0deity]

I'm currently a SK2 user, but I have every intention of purchasing an 8700t when it's released.

I owned the 7100t for one week and loved the functions, but I hated the keyboard and preferred a QWERTY. That, and still being a college student, I couldn't rationalize choosing a 7100t that I pretty much hated (aesthetically and for the keyboard) over the SK2 which had all I needed: QWERTY, great functioning AIM, and a mediocre planner. And I've recently found the joy in snapping random photos and sending them to other Sidekickers for fun. YES, I am totally a consumer user. But the camera on the SK2 is awwwful. The resolution is better once the photos are uploaded, but as far as viewing it on the device itself--that's a no go. Also, Danger is very strict as far as developing applications... kind of a pain, as it's not open source.

But like I said--I'm switching over to the 8700t the second it comes out, since it's the one I've been waiting for. I need a device with better planning features and downloadable applications. I had tried the 7700 series but found that the screen in the sunlight just didn't work for me. I will say that I'll miss the joy-snapping and whatnot, but I don't really use a camera that often anyway.

Hope that helps.