Blackberry, Pocket PC or Mobile PC?
Thread poster: mediko06
mediko06
mediko06
Türkiye
Local time: 05:10
English to Turkish
Aug 19, 2008

I recently started thinking about buying a device that will enable me to be online outside my flat and receive my e-mails instantly. First, I almost had no doubt that the best choice for me was a blackberry however after a little research, I noticed other options might be as useful, too. At this point, I can't decide and honestly, I don't know main advantages or disadvantages of one over another. The main options now seem to be Blackberry, Toshiba G900 or similar Nokia models or HP IPAQ models.... See more
I recently started thinking about buying a device that will enable me to be online outside my flat and receive my e-mails instantly. First, I almost had no doubt that the best choice for me was a blackberry however after a little research, I noticed other options might be as useful, too. At this point, I can't decide and honestly, I don't know main advantages or disadvantages of one over another. The main options now seem to be Blackberry, Toshiba G900 or similar Nokia models or HP IPAQ models. Can you please give me some advice? Thank you.

[Edited at 2008-08-19 14:41]
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Sonja Allen
Sonja Allen  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:10
English to German
+ ...
Similar question already asked Aug 19, 2008

Dear Mediko

Not long ago I asked a similar question on this forum. Please check

http://www.proz.com/forum/smart_shoppers/107935-any_downsides_to_blackberries.html

I am now the proud owner of a Blackberry and am very happy with it.

It is of course not the perfect solution for everything (but I don't think
... See more
Dear Mediko

Not long ago I asked a similar question on this forum. Please check

http://www.proz.com/forum/smart_shoppers/107935-any_downsides_to_blackberries.html

I am now the proud owner of a Blackberry and am very happy with it.

It is of course not the perfect solution for everything (but I don't think other devices would be either) for example when I am out and about I often have to stop every couple of minutes because some email has come in and in the end it turned out it was just Spam. Or some client asks me a question about the translation I have done for them and for that I would have to be at my home computer to check (as the document is on my home computer and I can't have all my files on my blackberry. I also find typing a bit slow as I am normally touch typing (ie typing with all 10 fingers without looking at the keyboard) which I do so instinctively that I can't tell you where the letters are on a QWERTY keyboard. I honestly write texts on my normal mobile quicker than on my Blackberry as the letters are in alphabetical order there.
Surfing the net is also a bit slow because you have to scroll a lot. I once tried to check the PROZ Blueboard for a client and it took me absolutely ages. I also had a client send me a pdf once and the letters were so small I could not read it.

But most of the time it is a fine solution and the Blackberry has just helped me through a difficult week where I could not access my email (fault of the provider) but somehow they all came through on my Blackberry.
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Dr. Andrew Frankland
Dr. Andrew Frankland  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 03:10
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
My point of view Aug 19, 2008

I've just changed operator in Spain and got a Nokia 3120 for free. I downloaded the Gmail mobile application and have been able to access my email with no problems. Browsing is also relatively easy. I will be upgrading to a Nokia N95 in a couple of months, which should be even easier to use. The only difference, as far as I'm aware, with a Blackberry is that a Blackberry will check your in-box every so often automatically whereas with the other phones you have to do this yourself.

A
... See more
I've just changed operator in Spain and got a Nokia 3120 for free. I downloaded the Gmail mobile application and have been able to access my email with no problems. Browsing is also relatively easy. I will be upgrading to a Nokia N95 in a couple of months, which should be even easier to use. The only difference, as far as I'm aware, with a Blackberry is that a Blackberry will check your in-box every so often automatically whereas with the other phones you have to do this yourself.

Andy
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Claudia Alvis
Claudia Alvis  Identity Verified
Peru
Local time: 21:10
Member
Spanish
+ ...
Smartphones vs. Blackberries Aug 19, 2008

Dr. Andrew Frankland wrote:

The only difference, as far as I'm aware, with a Blackberry is that a Blackberry will check your in-box every so often automatically whereas with the other phones you have to do this yourself.

Andy


Actually, that's not the case anymore. Windows Mobile 6 phones have push email capability--just like Blackberries, with the additional option to change the frequency. My advice is start selecting the features you want the most, and from there, choose the phone you need.


 
Rosina Peixoto
Rosina Peixoto  Identity Verified
Uruguay
Local time: 23:10
English to Spanish
+ ...
Pocket PC Aug 19, 2008

Hi mediko06,

I´m very pleased with my HP iPAQ 211. I use it to receive and send mail when I am away. It lets you connect to the Internet from Wi-Fi hot spots. It has integrated Blue tooth which I don´t use. It has Outlook and Office 2007 (Excel,PowerPoint and Word Mobile) and synchronizes perfectly with my PC through a USB. I have also downloaded Skype for PDA and I can communicate with my daughter who is living far away. The quality of the sound is very good but you don´t have
... See more
Hi mediko06,

I´m very pleased with my HP iPAQ 211. I use it to receive and send mail when I am away. It lets you connect to the Internet from Wi-Fi hot spots. It has integrated Blue tooth which I don´t use. It has Outlook and Office 2007 (Excel,PowerPoint and Word Mobile) and synchronizes perfectly with my PC through a USB. I have also downloaded Skype for PDA and I can communicate with my daughter who is living far away. The quality of the sound is very good but you don´t have a camera. It has an integrated microphone. You can make use of Pocket MSN. It has a total storage capacity of 128 MB SDRAM so you can store music, files and pictures. If you don´t want to fill your storage card you can use a SIM card. It has a large 4" touch screen. I use Outlook for the list of contacts, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses as well as tasks and reminders. We fell in love with the device when my husband bought the previous model which had a cradle. Now we have one each.

The only disadvantage is that it´s not very easy to type as it doesn´t have a keyboard. Using a stylus is not the quickest or the best thing.

Hope it helps. Regards

Rosina
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Amy Duncan (X)
Amy Duncan (X)  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 23:10
Portuguese to English
+ ...
I have a BlackBerry Aug 19, 2008

I recently bought a BlackBerry and am very happy with it. I have it set to play a little signal when my e-mails come in. Although I wouldn't want to write a lot of very long e-mails on it, I'm getting used to the little keyboard, holding the BlackBerry with two hands and typing with my thumbs. I never get spam because I use Gmail, which automatically separates the spam into a separate folder.

Other advantages for me are being able to use it as an mp3 player. I bought a media card a
... See more
I recently bought a BlackBerry and am very happy with it. I have it set to play a little signal when my e-mails come in. Although I wouldn't want to write a lot of very long e-mails on it, I'm getting used to the little keyboard, holding the BlackBerry with two hands and typing with my thumbs. I never get spam because I use Gmail, which automatically separates the spam into a separate folder.

Other advantages for me are being able to use it as an mp3 player. I bought a media card and have put lots of music on it. And I have to confess I'm getting hooked on the Brick Breaker game!

Amy
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Madeleine MacRae Klintebo
Madeleine MacRae Klintebo  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:10
Swedish to English
+ ...
Had the same decision to make 6 months ago Aug 19, 2008

Claudia is right, you can get push email on any mobile using Windows Mobile 6. And it's very addictive

I did look at Blackberrys, but the reason I went for an HTC was that their mobiles have basically everything (except looks and light weight).

My HTC TyTN II has:
- all kinds of connectivity incl. Bluetooth and WiFi
- mobile versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint which means I can write my be
... See more
Claudia is right, you can get push email on any mobile using Windows Mobile 6. And it's very addictive

I did look at Blackberrys, but the reason I went for an HTC was that their mobiles have basically everything (except looks and light weight).

My HTC TyTN II has:
- all kinds of connectivity incl. Bluetooth and WiFi
- mobile versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint which means I can write my bestseller while waiting for the tube/lift/life
- GPS if I should get lost while writing my bestseller
- "full" slide out keyboard to make it easier for me to write my bestseller
- and push email which "plups" whenever an email arrives

Note: this type of mobile should not be charged over night, the battery is "too good" - i.e. it deteriorates if over charged. No problem for me as I'm picking up my replacement battery tomorrow free of charge.
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Penelope Ausejo
Penelope Ausejo  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 03:10
English to Spanish
+ ...
iPhone Aug 19, 2008

Since you have asked, I'd like to include in the comparison the iPhone.

Does any of you own an iPhone? I've been trying to buy a Blackberry for the last month or so but, who knows why, nobody has wanted to sell me one ¿? They keep on telling me that they will check if I can use the Blackberry with my e-mails (two different mails), that they will call me when they have one, etc. but... no luck! Then I thought about buying an iPhone but none of this cell phone stores had any. They ar
... See more
Since you have asked, I'd like to include in the comparison the iPhone.

Does any of you own an iPhone? I've been trying to buy a Blackberry for the last month or so but, who knows why, nobody has wanted to sell me one ¿? They keep on telling me that they will check if I can use the Blackberry with my e-mails (two different mails), that they will call me when they have one, etc. but... no luck! Then I thought about buying an iPhone but none of this cell phone stores had any. They are supposed to receive some in September. So... is it worth it to buy an iPhone (vs the Blackberry)?

Thanks in advance!
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mediko06
mediko06
Türkiye
Local time: 05:10
English to Turkish
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you! Aug 20, 2008

After reading your replies, I decided to check the features of my mobile phone first and to my surprise I learnt that I can actually check my e-mails on it. It was a present from my husband and to-date, I never considered using it for purposes other than making calls. Now I will see if it will be enough to meet my online demands and if not, I will go with the blackberry.
Thank you!!


 
Natalia Eklund
Natalia Eklund  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 03:10
French to English
+ ...
iPhone Aug 20, 2008

Penelope Ausejo wrote:

Since you have asked, I'd like to include in the comparison the iPhone.


Hi mediko06. I saw you've already made a decision, but since Penelope asked I figured I'd put in my little review of the iPhone.

I never tried the blackberry, but I got the first version of the iPhone last December.
I'm prety happy with it since I really need to be able to react quickly to my emails, and I'm often running around.

I have a Gmail account and I set up the iPhone to automatically check for new emails every 15 minutes. This is really good also in the evening at home, I can sit back and watch a movie or do other things, and the iPhone will let me know if I have an email.
The only problem I have is that I cannot choose which email address to show when I answer. I have a couple email addresses directed to my Gmail account, and on the normal computer I can select which email address my client will see when I answer. When I answer with the Iphone, it's by default my gmail.com address.

Last week I had to do a translation directly on my Iphone (urgent, delicate email for one of my clients). I was stuck riding in the car for 6 hours, and I have to say it was a bit laborious because of the combination of a lack of copy/paste/text-select options and the automatic word suggestion offered by the Iphone that was always suggesting words in the wrong language. (For those who haven't used it, when Iphone suggests a word you have to tap directly on the word to refuse it, otherwise it will automatically replace the word you wrote as soon as you hit the space bar - very annoying).
Also, there's no Ctrl-Z function if you accidently erase something important!

I hadn't planned on doing translations on the Iphone, but it was an interesting experience to see its limitations.
I actually had a laptop in the car with me, but there was no way of downloading the text to the computer and uploading the translation to be sent.

As a final note, Google recently developped a google chat function for the iPhone, which I am curently testing. It seems you have to have the iphone active and directly on a webpage for it to work (no nice 'pluip' sound to let you know you have a message when you're doing other stuff, like with the email system).
All other chats or VOIP doesn't work on the iPhone (too bad, I was really hoping to get Skype)

I hadn't seen other reviews of the Iphone on the Proz forums. I wonder if most translators have decided not to use it. It certainly seems that Blackberry has won over most people.


 
Marc P (X)
Marc P (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 03:10
German to English
+ ...
UMPC Aug 20, 2008

N.M. Eklund wrote:

Last week I had to do a translation directly on my Iphone (urgent, delicate email for one of my clients). I was stuck riding in the car for 6 hours, and I have to say it was a bit laborious because of the combination of a lack of copy/paste/text-select options and the automatic word suggestion offered by the Iphone that was always suggesting words in the wrong language.


For anything more than reading and writing (brief) e-mails and occasional web use, a UMPC (ultra-mobile PC) such as the Asus Eee is worth considering instead of a Blackberry or phone-type device. There is - and probably always will be - a trade-off between convenience in use (size of keyboard/screen/hard drive/battery life) and portability (especially weight), but at least these devices are much more affordable than they used to be: I have read that there are around 40 different models to choose from at the moment priced between 200 and 600 euro, as opposed to virtually none this time last year.

Marc


 


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