This is not my words in any way was checking thru some BB bashing and i saw this, so i thot what the hell. Read and Enjoy  . .  would have loved to add a pole to see what y'all think but . . . . .

Now I tried my best to keep this analysis unbiased and fair (since I'm biased against general purpose CPUs that won't run custom applications):

My cousin works at a large hospital and he has a BlackBerry which he uses for e-mail. My friend's dad is an account and a gadget freak so a bought a BlackBerry after hearing a lot about it being a useful business tool since he gets e-mail from a lot of corporate clients. He said it was a useless piece of junk after all the PDAs he's used in the past. I've used their BlackBerries extensively to see what all the fuss was about and I wasn't impressed. In fact it lowered my opinion of what I thought of BlackBerry.

Price:
Ludicrously overpriced. The hardware specs cannot be compared to phones from Nokia or Sony Ericsson in the same price range. Camera sucks, etc. The cheaper BlackBerries look like a Treo from 2001. Most people won't be caught with something like that in their pocket.

The keyboard is amazing. Is is definitely the best keyboard I've ever seen on a mobile device. No doubt about that. However that still doesn't justify paying upwards of 50,000 for a BB.

But we all know BlackBerry is all about the business features it offers so lets over look the hardware and pray that the features can justify the price (but they won't).

Conclusion: No way to justify ridiculous pricing. At least the iPhone is superficially "cool".

Push E-Mail:
There are only 2 ways to get real push e-mail on a BlackBerry:

1) You must use the you@carrier.blackberry.net e-mail address that you get when you pay for the BB data plan.
When the BB mail server receives a mail, it notifies your carrier which notifies you phone and you see the mail immediately.

2) You have a (usually corporate scale) Microsoft Exchange server or other supported mail server that has the BB extension installed. The BB extension detects when your mail server receives a mail and immediately notifies the BB server, which notifies the carries, which then reaches your phone.

Both of these require you to use a corporate or BB e-mail address so you can forget about getting your personal e-mail pushed in real-time.

To get (3rd party) personal e-mail "pushed" to your device you must go to their website and enter your e-mail addresses and their passwords. Their server polls your personal mail account every 15 minutes and then pushes it to your phone the same way as before. I don't need my passwords sitting on someone else's server, thank you.

Now lets look at push e-mail on other phones:

Any Symbian S60 phone natively supports IMAP mailboxes. Just enter your account details and your incoming mail server, say imap.gmail.com . Your phone connects to the IMAP server and stays connected via IMAP IDLE. Any time you receive a mail, the server can directly notify your phone without ANY delay.

With IMAP idle your mail stays perfect synchronized with the server, and anywhere else you access it from using IMAP. If you read a mail on your phone, its marked as read on the server. So when you open the GMail web interface anything you've read is marked as read. If you delete it one one device, it gets deleted everywhere (or archived when you delete from the IMAP Inbox).

Even if your mail server doesn't support IMAP (Hotmail), you can configure the device to poll the mail server every 15 minutes, effectively doing the same thing that the BB server does.

You can get true push e-mail on your personal AND corporate e-mail addresses. You don't have to give up your old address if you are only looking for push e-mail.

Both methods require active GPRS connections so battery consumption is even. Very few carriers support the WAP/SMS push notification.

Conclusion: The BlackBerry's push e-mail is redundant. It has multiple points of failure. They can steal your passwords. Its actually inferior to ordinary devices that don't even boast push e-mail support, from a technical point of view.

[size=8pt][size=8pt]PIN-to-PIN Messaging:[/size][/size]
BB users can message other BB users for "free" via their devices unique PIN number. The messages are sent via GPRS so your are still charged for bandwidth. Depending on your data plan, this might even work out costlier than sending an ordinary SMS since most plans have a 10KiB pulse and BB data plans charge ridiculous amounts per KiB/MiB (10 times more than ordinary GPRS with some carriers).

This is nothing but a glorified IM service such as Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, or Google Talk from a technological point of view.

Messaging on other phones:
Just install any IM client. There are hundreds of IM clients that connect to all the popular networks for Java phones, Symbian phones and almost every kind of device. You message ANY one not just other people who have BBs. You have to pay for the generic GPRS bandwidth anyway but it costs just a fraction of what a BB data plan's GPRS bandwidth costs.

Conclusion: A completely redundant feature that any cheap Java enabled phone can do. On top of that its a money making scam by the carriers since you are charged for bandwidth at BB data plan rates.

BlackBerry Internet Service:
This is one of their ridiculously overpriced data plans. Its technically nothing but an ordinary GPRS connection which allows the phone to communicate with their servers. [s]They charge exorbitant amounts per KiB or MiB. Over here its around 20p for 1KiB pulse. Generic GPRS is only 5p for 10KiB pulse. The BB data plan is 40 times costlier for than an ordinary GPRS plan in Vodafone India.[/s]

Previously they tried to con us into believing that all data is "secure" and goes through the BB servers. Therefore only applications that natively supported the BIS could access the internet. Basically it meant that only the built-in applications like the BB browser and BB mail client could access the internet. If you installed a 3rd party Java application that had online support it wouldn't be able to connect. There is no technical reason for this limitation. The official BIS applications used nothing but standard TCP/IP connections to make outgoing connections to their servers. The BlackBerry OS was intentionally blocking all outgoing TCP/IP connections from other applications. They must have had plans of extorting software companies by charging a license fee to use the internet through their BIS gateway.

Once they realized that developers would call this BS, they immediately opened up TCP/IP access to Java applications in the newer firmware. Now BB users could use other browsers like Opera Mini instead of the lame excuse for a browse that comes with BBs.

[size=8pt]BlackBerry Enterprise Service:[/size]
To access your corporate email pushed from a mail sever with the BlackBerry extension, you must have a "BES" plan instead of the BIS plan it seems. This costs even more than the BIS plan and there is no technical reason you need this BS since the whole thing is just a generic GPRS connection and a sham. A device should be able to connect to any server from the generic public gateway. The ONLY reason a carrier should have a separate BIS plan is if and only if they support the WAP/SMS/hidden message method of pushing e-mail notifications. Even then there is no reason you need a separate plan for this. The OMA EMN specification allows you to notify of push e-mail using an ordinary SMS through a GSM connection, so you phone can only connect via GPRS when it receives a notification.

Why should you pay for this BS when a Windows Mobile device can directly sync with a corporate Exchange server with an official Microsoft client and also sync your contacts and calendar and other stuff, through a generic GPRS connection?

Symbian S60 phones support the OMA EMN specification for push e-mail notifications so you don't need to have an active GPRS connection for them either, if the mail server supports OMA EMN notifications.

[size=8pt]Software:[/size]
The BB only supports 3rd party Java applications. There are very few native 3rd party application like the GMail client. Since they have no software, hardware specs like CPU speed etc. are completely irrelevant.

Their "App World" store is full of overpriced junk. Like one of the devs said about the PSP and iPhone, "Having a taller pile of garbage isn't necessarily better".

Conclusion:
RIM are a bunch of crooks who make overpriced phones, which do less than other Symbian or Windows Mobile phones that cost half as much, and are in cahoots with the carriers to fleece customers of their money.

All because someone is too silly to configure the mail client on their Symbian or Windows Mobile phone. A typical example of a critical failure but commercial success. Just like "Epic Movie" was a commercial success.

Spread the word. Teach people how to configure a mail client, since that's the primary reason they fall prey to greedy companies like RIM. I'm fuming with rage just writing about this daylight robbery.

Nice one bro. I've been raging for months against the BB scam. You finally gave me technical reason to back up my arguments.

I currently own a Nokia N97 on a MTN prepaid line. How do I configure it for push email?

Much obliged

Can I post this on my Facebook wall? I have a lot of friends who own Blackberry's and a info like this will probably show them the light. I have a Nokia 5230 and it can pretty much do everything Blackberry brags about. That's pretty impressive for a mid-range phone.

rflmao!!!
dos RIM guys shdnt see this thread oh!!!!
This as finally sealed my conclusion about BBs

the verdict has been passed. RIP BLACKBERRY

mehn this post long die but with the responses i am seeing, i will have to read it. i just have to tie my hands to this chair and discipline myself

If not for the hate i have for Crapberry,i wouldnt have bothered reading this write-up.
The BB is just a fad in Nigeria that will soon wear itself out.

The BB OS is actually a sub-par experience if you're used to more intuitive phones like the iPhone, but seriously, do you guys have any justification to call out the BB?

90% of you here use Nokia phones. And to be honest, Nokia has been pretty pathetic for a while. Don't get me started on the crappy N97.

aieromon:

If not for the hate i have for Crapberry,i wouldnt have bothered reading this write-up.
The BB is just a fad in Nigeria that will soon wear itself out.

Not Nigeria alone, bro.
RIM has the largest marketshare for smartphones in North America. And their customer base in Europe isn't anything to sniff at either.
Consumers are buying BBs and iPhones these days.

Blackberry come be phone?

^^Hisses and leaves the thread. . . .

texazzpete:

The BB OS is actually a sub-par experience if you're used to more intuitive phones like the iPhone, but seriously, do you guys have any justification to call out the BB?

90% of you here use Nokia phones. And to be honest, Nokia has been pretty pathetic for a while. Don't get me started on the crappy N97.

Still doesnt change the fact that BB is[b] CRAP[/b]!!

thot mr. spambot deleted this topic, did not see it after posting. . . guess i was wrong in thinking mr. bot uses a BB

malikalhaj:

thot mr. spambot deleted this topic, did not see it after posting. . . guess i was wrong in thinking mr. bot uses a BB

LOL

lynxnoon:

Still doesnt change the fact that BB is[b] CRAP[/b]!!

At least as far as communication suite, the BB does what it claims pretty well. In fact, it's messaging and IM features are best in class.

Remind me again of anything Nokia really does well. Or anything Nokia can really claim to be best in class for any of its phones.

the Symbian OS is old, slow, clunky and outdated. Their touchscreen phones almost always ship with mediocre resistive screens. Their once-awesome software library is being outstripped and left far behind in terms of relevance. Their apps are almost always visually inferior to those on the Android or IOS platforms. The available games are more often than not mediocre - and their failure to relaunch the N-gage platform shows that.


Nokia is an old dinosaur that now churns out boring phones by the dozen. They are slipping badly in the smartphone market, selling only well at the cheap smartphone level (like the Nokia 5800) while faring poorly at the premium, high-end section (the Nokia N97 and N96). There's a reason why their CEO is being pressured to step down.


The BB is kinda crappy if you aren't on BIS. But when you're on a BIS message and data plan, the device comes alive. And those unique BB features are enough to excuse the purchase of a BB device. It does what it does best very well.

Unless you're an old, stodgy fellow or you're short of cash, it's a brainless move to buy any of the Nokia phones in the market today (except for the excellent N900). I can understand if you don't wanna plunk down for an iPhone (it doesn't appeal to everyone). But you'd have to be really really weird to buy an N97 over any decent Android phone from HTC.

BB may be a scam, but it sure has gotten me laid.

Tex, so you think the amount you spend on buying and running a Blackberry is really worth it, you have no doubts what so ever? Nokia has many faults but they do make some decent mid-range phones. I prefer going for an Android phone rather than a BB or a Nokia.

@tex
am a nokia fan but with the way they are goin now am shifting my gear to android
. . . . dnt get me wrong, BB is very good at messaging but dat only comes in when one is on d BIS; even getting the full capabilities of the fone only happens wen the BIS is active.
Are u saying one cant get such service on other fones without having to suscribe to Blackberry?
I've even considered getting a BB but decided not to when i found out other 3rd party apps r locked out of d BIS
The BB is ONLY n i repeat ONLY a good device n business tool for those in the corporate world.
Cheers

@tex r u saying u'd take a BB 9000 over an E72?

malone5923:

Tex, so you think the amount you spend on buying and running a Blackberry is really worth it, you have no doubts what so ever? Nokia has many faults but they do make some decent mid-range phones. I prefer going for an Android phone rather than a BB or a Nokia.

Yeah, Android is part of the future.
And i agree with you, Nokia's best efforts seem to be focused on the mid to low-range phones like the 5800.

The BB has very impressive messaging and IM features. At first glance i hated the OS. The default browser is terrible and the OS can be rather clunky. but the BIS makes things worth while. I'm more of an iPhone guy, though.

lynxnoon:

@tex
am a nokia fan but with the way they are goin now am shifting my gear to android
. . . . dnt get me wrong, BB is very good at messaging but dat only comes in when one is on d BIS; even getting the full capabilities of the fone only happens wen the BIS is active.
Are u saying one cant get such service on other fones without having to suscribe to Blackberry?
I've even considered getting a BB but decided not to when i found out other 3rd party apps r locked out of d BIS
The BB is ONLY n i repeat ONLY a good device n business tool for those in the corporate world.
Cheers

BB does it better than other phones. Simple and short.
i'm not sure what you mean by '3rd party apps' being locked out. Twitter apps, Facebook apps and messenger apps like Gtalk and yahoo messenger are fully supported when you're on BIS. The default blackberry browser is totally horrible. i installed opera Mini on it and it's much better at browsing.
On a BIS plan, the BB is getting a huge popularity increase as a consumer phone. and it's not just a nigerian thing; all over the world, connectivity and social networking is HUGE.

Without a BB package, the phone isn't all that great to be honest. But then again, most people who go for BBs are on one plan or the other.

texazzpete:

BB does it better than other phones. Simple and short.
i'm not sure what you mean by '3rd party apps' being locked out. Twitter apps, Facebook apps and messenger apps like Gtalk and yahoo messenger are fully supported when you're on BIS. The default blackberry browser is totally horrible. i installed opera Mini on it and it's much better at browsing.
On a BIS plan, the BB is getting a huge popularity increase as a consumer phone. and it's not just a nigerian thing; all over the world, connectivity and social networking is HUGE.

Without a BB package, the phone isn't all that great to be honest. But then again, most people who go for BBs are on one plan or the other.

thatz where u got it wrong

Lynx, I totally agree with you on the corporate part.

I blindly joined the band wagon 2 months ago, now i have decided to ditch my BB for good. I can't imagine paying for BB messaging, because i can find other features and functionalities on a Nokia smartphone.

have been wondering too, what has blackberry got to offer that it is so
expensive.I initially posted a link about what blackberry can do
courtesy mobility.com. but this TRUMPS that. BB, nah! nah! nah! they'l
not get my cash. am going for my E72 pronto!

texazzpete:

BB does it better than other phones. Simple and short.
[b]i'm not sure what you mean by '3rd party apps' being locked out. [/b]Twitter apps, Facebook apps and messenger apps like Gtalk and yahoo messenger are fully supported when you're on BIS. The default blackberry browser is totally horrible. i installed opera Mini on it and it's much better at browsing.
On a BIS plan, the BB is getting a huge popularity increase as a consumer phone. and it's not just a nigerian thing; all over the world, connectivity and social networking is HUGE.
Without a BB package, the phone isn't all that great to be honest. But then again, most people who go for BBs are on one plan or the other.

other apps dat may require internet connection usually doesnt work. . . not necessarily social networking apps alone; though i heard the recent OS is trying to fix that issue but for now its mainly d apps preinstalled on the phone that works with BIS

I prefer Nokia with push email function or windows mobile
Nokia is now having messaging application which has (Yahoo, Gtalk, Ovi and Live) @ ovi store free

malikalhaj:


The keyboard is amazing. Is is definitely the best keyboard I've ever seen on a mobile device. No doubt about that. However that still doesn't justify paying upwards of 50,000 for a BB.

WTF!!!

Blackberry has the crappiest keypads.
Use an iphone and then revert back to me about your experience.

malikalhaj:

Is is The messages are sent via GPRS so your are still charged for bandwidth. Depending on your data plan, this might even work out costlier than sending an ordinary SMS since most plans have a 10KiB pulse and[b] BB data plans charge ridiculous amounts per KiB/MiB [/b](10 times more than ordinary GPRS with some carriers).

really?
well, am on 'pay as you go' (since i rarely make calls with that particular number) and all i pay is 20pounds for 6 months unlimted blackberry services .ie. internet, blackberry messenger, etc. and that to me is a very good bargain.

@texazpete you keep ringing that Nokia is Slow and intuitive but am sorry to say Nokia isn't that slow as you picture it to be and yes it far more advanced and better than the crap berry.this is my first blackberry phone and already i feel like aa dullard the applications aint much the operating system slows down like hell and i have to take out my battery everyday,my 2year old laptop boots faster than the blackberry and the Messenger hangs if u belong to a group please i don use close to 10 nokia phones and i have never had this kinda issue.also the Operating system is pure Java. i dont think BB has a native app. Blackberry is a fad also you complain a lot about N97, u keep using a single phone to rule out others, yeah Nokia might be crap with current phones but the operating system is no where crap its been the defacto since a long time because you are iphone person you keep taking interface into consideration than functionality, Not everyone can afford an iphone or the android so nokia caters for the public its because we users here are advanced, also the ios apart from the Darth Vader Death Grip is no where perfect at all.still the Android crowns them all not saying the iphone is useless it actually the best but hate the fact that Darth vader doesnt give you a choice on what you want,

word!!

pc guru:

@texazpete you keep ringing that Nokia is Slow and intuitive but am sorry to say Nokia isn't that slow as you picture it to be and yes it far more advanced and better than the crap berry.this is my first blackberry phone and already i feel like aa dullard the applications aint much the operating system slows down like hell and i have to take out my battery everyday,my 2year old laptop boots faster than the blackberry and the Messenger hangs if u belong to a group please i don use close to 10 nokia phones and i have never had this kinda issue.

I've been on record to state firmly that the BB OS is crappy and dated. However at least RIM does have its messaging and communication prowess and is indispensable to people who require those features.
For Nokia, there's actually no excuse. Every single feature they can boast of is easily replicated and surpassed in rivalling high-end phones out there. Thus it's more difficult to swallow their crap.

pc guru:

.also the Operating system is pure Java. i dont think BB has a native app. Blackberry is a fad

There are loads of native apps on the BB. Also, RIM has been selling BBs by the bucketload to consumers for a while now. Sure, the recent BB craze is a fad, but you cannot call out Blackberry adoption as being a 'fad'

pc guru:

also you complain a lot about N97, u keep using a single phone to rule out others, yeah Nokia might be crap with current phones but the operating system is no where crap its been the defacto since a long time because you are iphone person you keep taking interface into consideration than functionality, Not everyone can afford an iphone or the android so nokia caters for the public its because we users here are advanced, also the ios apart from the Darth Vader Death Grip is no where perfect at all.still the Android crowns them all not saying the iphone is useless it actually the best but hate the fact that Darth vader doesnt give you a choice on what you want,

The N97 is STILL Nokia's flagship phone. And it isn't just me; virtually all independent reviewers had harsh words for the device. From the crappy resistive screen, to the mediocre processor Nokia stuck in to the OS itself, the phone was mediocre through and through.
Even a Nokia executive is on record admitting that the N97 sucked.

pc guru:

but the operating system is no where crap its been the defacto since a long time because you are iphone person you keep taking interface into consideration than functionality,

And that's the problem. The Symbian OS has been out there for  a long time. It's been left in the shadow by newer, more nimble phone OSes like the iOS, Android, WebOS and soon Windows Phone 7. The OS was shoved almost unchanged into a touch interface by Nokia from the 5800, and it shows.
Its situtation is not helped by Nokia's folly in using mediocre processors in their touch screen smartphones (with the exception of the N900).
Nokia used to have an advantage in app quality and quantity, but no longer. Android's Market and Apple's AppStore are now the kings of the hill when it comes to contemporary mobile apps.

make call, receive call, send text, receive text, browse, take pics, record videos, listen to music, play games, i wonder which phone these days that can not do all these be it a symbian, a blackberry, android, Iphone or even java. or what else do you guys do with your phones? pls let us know.