Blackberry Pearl w/AT&T vs. ????, small PCs for frequent travelers

[Shuie]

I need a new cell phone. I also cannot use my work laptop for personal stuff anymore, so I also need another device with web access. I travel 100% of time with my work, so Im hoping to find a device that can handle both tasks. Before everyone suggests it, I am not ready to buy an iPhone yet.

For a phone, I need a speaker phone, bluetooth, some kind of Lotus Notes calendar sync ability, and I need something thats a reasonable physical size. For web access, I just need to be able to get to my webmail, to effectively browse the forums, check flight status, etc... I need the service to work on highways between major cities, etc.. The old school blackberry devices with the full QWERTY keyboards are too big. The iPhone is a tad too big also, IMO.

Any thoughts or advice from the frequent travelers that have to deal with similar issues?

How practical is the Blackberry Pearl for web access on the AT&T network? How reliable is the service? So far, this looks like the best balance of size and capability that I've seen (for me).

Im not opposed to just buying another regular phone and a small computer or a personal laptop either. I just don't know what all of my options are with all of the phones.

Any advice is appreciated.

[red-beard]

Go with T-Mobile and buy a Palm. If you like Palm OS, get a 680. If you have no experience with PalmOS, get a Palm 750. The 750 has a slighly lower res screen, buit it will allow you to check personal e-mail and corporate e-mail. It will sync with Lotus notes via hard cable. If your work was using MS products, it will do push e-mail without a Blackberry server.

It will also allow you to read and modify excel, word and powerpoint on the screen. You can read PDF files and there is tons of aftermarket software.

Finally, with the 750, since it is windows mobile, you can add a wifi card for $79.

Read up on the Treo line: www.treocentral.com

I suggest T-mobile over AT&T since the per minute charges are less over seas in most locations. Also, the all you can eat data plan, including wifi hot spots, is $30/month. You can buy any phone from Palm directly, unlocked. It costs more, but you will save more than the difference in 1 year of service from T-Mobile.

[MRM]

I second the Treo. The iPhone would not do the things you are asking for. Someone else suggested the Q9, which is the replacement for the Motorola Q.

[Halm]

Originally posted by Shuie
For a phone, I need a speaker phone, bluetooth, some kind of Lotus Notes calendar sync ability. . .

First, it has been my experience that AT&T's service along Interstates and major highways is pretty good. I even went LA to Charlotte 18 months ago with just my Smartphone. No laptop.

I think the magic words here are "Lotus Notes." So the question is, does you company have a Blackberry Enterprise Server that you would connect with? If "yes" the answer is a slam dunk.

If "no" what kind of email do they allow? POP3 or IMAP4? If either of these, then your door is open to a number of devices on AT&T from a Palm, as suggested, to a Blackjack, to a 8525.

Also, since you mentioned browsing, I would try to wait on one with Windows Mobile 6. Or, the iPhone may be worth another look. Demo it at a store and see how it handles your browsing needs.

[stomachmonkey]

PALM is a good place to start.

[alf]

I just picked up an 8525 a couple of days ago. Good for going on the road, but will be using my 2125 when local. 8525 works in Japan btw, great for me.

[MotoSook]

I have the big Blackberry with GPS and I love it. You can't post on Pelican with it (I haven't figured it out), but you can pull e-mail from several accounts. Recently we were downtown Chicago, and I was able to use it while walking between sky scrapers for directions to restaurants we were not familiar with. It gives turn by turn directions and had GPS tracking on Blackberry maps. It's bigger than mosst phones, but I like the features and I wanted a full keyboard.

I tested an Iphone yesterday and it's very cool, I love the touch zoom screen feature. Viewing Pelican forum was nice. I didn't try posting, but I think it's probably posible. Then again, it's $600.

[red-beard]

The Treo 750 is $199 with a 2 year plan from AT&T

Without a plan and unlocked, it's $569

So the "plan" is worth $369. T-mobile is $30/mth for data and Cingular runs $60. So the "savings" is $720-$369=$351, not counting the lower price for International calls. And you get Hotspot service (All Starbucks, etc) for the same data plan.

Again, for $49 (I checked!) you can add wifi to the 750.

Now, the one thing AT&T has going for it is the UMTS (3G), and it will work with this phone. So...it all depends on what you need.

[id10t]

Nokia 800 and a non-crippled blue tooth phone with proper access plan for data and voice needs...

[alf]

Shuie
Check out the 8525, big sell for me is that you could use it in Japan.

[alf]

responding to this thread from an att 8525 sitting in bed...it is a decent laptop substitute for use on the road

[JeremyD]

I can post with my Pearl - and it does well synching my contacts and email accounts.

[MotoSook]

How did you guys get your Blackberry's to allow you to post?

[JeremyD]

You just have to log in - then I typically just use the quick reply.

[cantdrv55]

Whatever you do, don't get a Treo 700P from Verizon. It is seriously a piece of crap.

How'd you like a phone that reboots on it's own, without warning, during a conversation? How'd you like a phone that has unresponsive buttons intermittently? My understanding is that it's not the phone that's the problem but the software. Customer service told me to download the newest version. I called tech support to confirm but they told me NOT to download it because it has worse bugs.

Can you tell that I am bitter? I'm stuck with the ******* thing for another year!

[alf]

I just discovered another nifty feature of the 8525. I could use it as a modem for my laptop...and it is faster than I expected. Now I could connect on the laptop anywhere I have a ATT signal. Cool!

[holtjv]

Our work switched from bb to treos and all but 3 IT folks went back to the bb. I simply can't believe anyone who's used a blackberry for any length of time would find the treo to be easier to use and more reliable (o/s wise). I think the treos are horrible for my use, which is push email and WIRELESS synch of calendar and contacts. So when you enter a new event or contact into your calendar on your PC, or your admin does, it just pops up on your blackberry.

I have the pearl and like its size; but it is not very practical for web browsing or posting--good enough but I'll always open my lapt rather than use it to browse. Others at work have the curve, which is working well. The bluetooth works well but drags the battery down.

The phone on the bb pearl and curve is excellent with quality as good or better than any cellphone-only device I've used. The battery is superb, also compared to the treo. Note that the pearl has a combination keyboard so you have to get used to it--although it works pretty well you have to double check your note prior to sending or else you'll have written, "are you later" instead of "see you later".

The other thing about any windows device is that there are literally hundreds of 3d party apps (craps) available to download and install and screw up your device.

Now, if you need to VPN into work or run a LINUX app, the treo is for you--the bb can't handle that and this is the only reason why our IT guys have them.

International travel would suggest that t-mobile or ATT is your choice. We've had both carriers and found ATTs service more ubiquitous.

Sorry if I've hurt the feelings of any palm lovers out there but I just find the device so totally inferior in stability, usability, and quality than the bb I had to sound off about it.

Good luck.

[Joeaksa]

Have used ATT on 4 continents in the last month and worked well. Am using a BB.

One thing to be very careful of is that in some countries they charge you for every hour you are connected to the local network to receive data (emails) and the bill can be rather large. Better to turn the wireless on the BB or Palm on several times a day, receive data (emails) then turn the wireless off when overseas. My first months bill when overseas was $380 and I received less than 10 emails. They charged me just to be connected and available to receive emails.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by holtjv

I think the treos are horrible for my use, which is push email and WIRELESS synch of calendar and contacts. So when you enter a new event or contact into your calendar on your PC, or your admin does, it just pops up on your blackberry.

Are you trying to say that Treos do not do Push e-mail? Treos can do push e-mail in 1 of 2 ways. They can use Exchange Active Synch, and it works very well. They can also use "Blackberry Connect". This software turns the Treo into a blackberry.

BlackBerry vs. Treo. It all depends on what you want to do. The Blackberry is probably better at Push e-mail, because it is designed for that as it's primary mission. The Treo is far more versatile. Can you FTP files from your server with your blackberry? How about connect to the corporate VPN? Check personal e-mail using a separate program from work? Listen to Voice messages?

They are different. I wouldn't try to use a Blackberry as a substitute for a laptop. We have Blackberries at work. I choose a Treo 680.