Anyone using Blackberry?

[Slowpoke]

I just dont feel like lugging a laptop with me whenever I travel just to get my email and I have decided to get a Blackberry. I went to their website and found that they sell a dozens of different units.

Anyone using one and have a reccomendation?

Also, if anyone has one is there anything I need to know before I get one?

This would replace my cell phone and I use AT&T Wireless now.

[QWK SVT]

I just dont feel like lugging a laptop with me whenever I travel just to get my email and I have decided to get a Blackberry. I went to their website and found that they sell a dozens of different units.

Anyone using one and have a reccomendation?

Also, if anyone has one is there anything I need to know before I get one?

This would replace my cell phone and I use AT&T Wireless now.
:soapbox:
Ugh! You'll be like every BB-toting a-hole VP, at my company! They can't even sit through a meeting, without spinning the dial, and reading emails.:cheesed:

I emplore you, if you get a BB, do NOT let the above happen to you!

Now that I've said that, have you thought about a PocketPC? I have one (Compaq iPAQ), which is bluetooth enabled. My GSM phone is, also. I use bluetooth, to connect (wirelessly) to the phone, and then GPRS (internet over cell phone, quicker than traditional dialup), to connect to the internet. Not JUST email, but surfing, as well.

Functionality is MUCH greater than a BB, as well. BIG, pretty screens, and Microsoft O/S based, integrates very nicely with the typical word/excel/office suite. Other side benefits are better games, and multimedia (mp3, video, etc.). I even convert episodes of the Simpson's, and pop them on a memory card, to watch off the iPAQ.

Weigh your options, you may choose something different, but it's at least worth looking at.

[Dr Caleb]

Ahhhh 'Crackberry' is what we call them. I've used many different models for years, from the small pagers to the new full colour models.

RESIST!!

They will rule what is left of your very short amount of personal time daily.

My current position does allow me the freedom to choose. I do not carry a pager, crackberry, cell phone or PTT handset when I'm not at work. RESIST I tell you!

[martyo]

Gosh I am enjoying this thread!

Everyone, and I mean everyone in my business has one. I am one of only a few hold outs. Guys are literally sitting in Court frantically e-mailing away and the Judges have taken notice. Many of them are prohibiting the use of Blackberry's in the Courtroom and some Courts are making you check them with the Marshalls.

Now mind you, I feel that my strength at resisting is weakening. I average 400 e-mails a day and it would be nice to get rid of these on the fly.....Someone please start an intervention on my behalf should I succumb!

We need a Ms. manners for the new Millennium.

Better still are the clients that come into a meeting with me and answer 58 calls while I am sitting there holding my ummm, uhh, instrument {pen}. When they apologize, I just remind them that the meter runs at the same rate whether they are talking to me or someone else while I am just sitting there.

{rant off}

[Dr Caleb]

Good rant Marty!

I've always felt that there is a priority to communication. A person standing in front of you deserves your full attention, therefore in meetings my phone is off. A phone call can be returned later, and email should be used for things that need to get done, but not right now.

Blackberry, IHMO blurs the line between a phone call, and email.

People actually use them in court? That's a bad as a cell phone in a movie theater!

[Slowpoke]

I travel quite a bit. I have to lug around a laptop to retrieve email. It's a royal pain! For certain reasons I wont get in to here I need to be able to be reached via email even when out of town. I am the boss here and really dont mind for people reaching out to me when I am out of the office.

The only thing I can do to mitigate the pain I currently feel is to have people send me text messages on my cell phone, but responding to them is a hassle because I dont have a qwerty cell phone. My existing cell phone is just about worn out and it only seems logical to move to a blackberry - something I rather look forward to that will save me time and aggravation.

I, too, get lots of emails every day, but it is much better than having to call all those people when a few sentances will suffice.

Just looking for model reccomendations, thats all.....

[MM03MOK]

A phone call can be returned later.....That's why voicemail was invented!

[martyo]

That's why voicemail was invented!

Sure, now you have me going!

Voicemail, is something I have but only use in the few hours each day that my office isn't occupied. I get (no exaggeration) an average of 35-40 calls a day (it used to be like 50 a day, but things are quieter right now). If I miss half of my calls and everyone leaves me a 1-2 minute message, that means I have to listen to more than a half hour of messages each day. And, you know that I will then hear all of it all over again when I speak to the message leaver. So voicewail is bad, very bad for me! :mad2:

[martyo]

Just looking for model reccomendations, thats all.....

Rick: When did you get here? :D

[Logan]

Long time blackberry user here. I recently gave mine up for a Treo 600, soon to replace it with a Treo 650.

They blow the Blackberrys away. I'd never go back at this point.

www.palmone.com

The 650 has double the resolution of the 600, and is bluetooth enabled...

[Slowpoke]

The Treo looks nice; I have a few friends - other than you - that use them. Since AT&T is now part of Cingular I will look into them as well.

Don't know if they have the 650 yet. But I will check.

Voicemail does not really save me a whole lot of time because I too get some really long voicemail messages.

We actually 'invented' a fake person here at my company who gets all the inbound telemarketing calls. He has a voicemail box with a male voice, an email address, and even phoney business cards. This, alone, save us hours and hours every week. We've had him here for close to five years and sometimes people swear they have talked to him when they demand to speak to him. All our magazine subscriptions are in his name too. Anytime someone calls for him the operators tells the caller that he is out to lunch, or in a meeting, or in the bathroom, on vacation, or that they just missed him.

[martyo]

We actually 'invented' a fake person here at my company who gets all the inbound telemarketing calls. He has a voicemail box with a male voice, an email address, and even phoney business cards. This, alone, save us hours and hours every week. We've had him here for close to five years and sometimes people swear they have talked to him when they demand to speak to him. All our magazine subscriptions are in his name too. Anytime someone calls for him the operators tells the caller that he is out to lunch, or in a meeting, or in the bathroom, on vacation, or that they just missed him.

It is a felony in several states, including Illinois, to impersonate an office worker.

[Dr Caleb]

We actually 'invented' a fake person here at my company who gets all the inbound telemarketing calls.

You're killing me! :lol:

What a great idea!

I like the Treo, but I have the Blackberry 7290. I don't know why, because I have an iPAQ and a laptop and a PCS phone with a bluetooth data feature (and GPS!).

http://www.blackberry.com/products/blackberry7200/blackberry7290.shtml?CPID=ILC-nah7290

I friggen nearly need my Batman Utility Belt (TM) to hold it all.

[Slowpoke]

It is a felony in several states, including Illinois, to impersonate an office worker.


I seriously doubt we have commited a crime; in fact, a large number of people have copied what we do! You oughta try that for all the copier salesmen, investment brokers, and used car salesmen that call you.

Our standard answer of, "oh you want the model of our copier, OK, hold on..... here it is, we got the Ditto Master Model 1955" doesn't seem to make them laugh like it used to.

[TechHeavy]

Long time blackberry user here. I recently gave mine up for a Treo 600, soon to replace it with a Treo 650.

They blow the Blackberrys away. I'd never go back at this point.

www.palmone.com (http://www.palmone.com/)

The 650 has double the resolution of the 600, and is bluetooth enabled...
Slowpoke, what Logan said... The entire Palmone family is excellent. Tungsten user here... highly recommend. The Treo is an excellent smartphone... it just depends on what your needs are.
Just my 2 cents...

[MM03MOK]

I friggen nearly need my Batman Utility Belt (TM) to hold it all.http://www.cyproductions.com/images/batmanubelt.jpg http://www.costumecraze.com/images/vendors/rubies/2268-main.jpg

OK - I had to go find it!

[Slowpoke]

damn... I derailed my own thread.... now THAT oughta be against the law!

[jgc61sr2002]

The Treo looks nice; I have a few friends - other than you - that use them. Since AT&T is now part of Cingular I will look into them as well.

Don't know if they have the 650 yet. But I will check.

Voicemail does not really save me a whole lot of time because I too get some really long voicemail messages.

We actually 'invented' a fake person here at my company who gets all the inbound telemarketing calls. He has a voicemail box with a male voice, an email address, and even phoney business cards. This, alone, save us hours and hours every week. We've had him here for close to five years and sometimes people swear they have talked to him when they demand to speak to him. All our magazine subscriptions are in his name too. Anytime someone calls for him the operators tells the caller that he is out to lunch, or in a meeting, or in the bathroom, on vacation, or that they just missed him.


Rick - Is he/she on the payroll. :D :D

[mpearce]

I just dont feel like lugging a laptop with me whenever I travel just to get my email and I have decided to get a Blackberry. I went to their website and found that they sell a dozens of different units.

Anyone using one and have a reccomendation?

Also, if anyone has one is there anything I need to know before I get one?

This would replace my cell phone and I use AT&T Wireless now.
Hey Poke,

I work for a company that functions solely on the Blackberry. The company is Flight Options, based at the Cuyahoga County Airport in Richmond Heights, Ohio. We have over 1,000 pilots, and 250 aircraft, flying all over the country utilizing the information we send them via the Blackberry. It's truely amazing the amount of information we send out, and receive back on a daily basis. If you want to know more, send me a PM.

-Mat

[Petrograde]

wow,... and I thought I was a dork! some of you have me beat hands down!

j/k :lol: I'm just curious,... WTF is a Blackberry? I guess some kind of PDA? :confused:

[MM03MOK]

I'm just curious,... WTF is a Blackberry? I guess some kind of PDA? :confused:BlackBerry 7290™ Wireless Handheld
http://www.blackberry.com/images/handhelds/landing/7290_landing.jpg

Email, phone, browser, SMS, and organizer applications in a single, integrated handheld

[Petrograde]

wow,.. thanks Mary! :up:

hmm,.. I think I can honestly say that I have absolutely no need for one. ...sigh...

but,.. hey,.. I'm a mechanic. Not an IT professional.

[Haggis]

.. I think I can honestly say that I have absolutely no need for one.


I'm with you Tom, looks to 21st Century to me. Just give me the days of an old Kentucky and a Bowie and I'll be happy.