January 23, 2008 by AC.

WidePoint Enters Into Strategic Business Relationship With Protexx - Congrats to my friends over at Protexx.

HTML E-Mail, Document Editing Coming to BlackBerrys - BB ups the ante against the iPhone and similarly fancy new smartphones.

Explaining the Macintosh Surge - Something is going on indeed.

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January 23, 2008 by AC.

I am a little behind in writing this one - sorry!  Last August I grew increasingly frustrated with Sprint due to poor phone service and awful customer service.  I started shopping for a replacement phone and decided to finally go for a smartphone, PDA-phone or BlackBerry.  I ended up choosing the BlackBerry 8830 from Verizon and have absolutely loved the decision.

In choosing this new device I was looking to replace an aging (and outdated) Compaq iPaq hadheld PDA that served me well for almost nine years.  I was looking to not only have phone, but data, calendar and address book functions available in one device.  Among the devices considered: the Cingular/AT&T 8525 (previously reviewed here),  the Sprint Mogul and the T-Mobile Sidekick.

After a good deal on research online I focused on the BlackBerry.  Two of my good friends both had the device and sterling reviews from each sealed the deal.

Some highlights of the BlackBerry 8830: Excellent service and call quality, ease of use, reliability and battery life.  Some low points: no reset button, low speaker volume and learning curve transitioning from PocketPC/Windows Devices to BlackBerry.

Out of the box the 8830 is a stunning device in a smart, lightweight handheld package.  A full QWERTY keyboard sits underneath an ample screen.  Keys on the keyboard are slightly raised and easy to press.  I have larger hands and have noticed it difficulty to hit the correct keys at times, but I have not found it to be a major problem.

The included BlackBerry software of browser, email client, calendar application, etc. is adequate.  I have read many reviews of people adding new browser software, like Opera, but I have no problem with the included broswer.  There is an included Map/Directions program but I did add the Google suite of mobile applications which included Google Maps.  I use both and find little difference between the two.

Data speed on the Verizon network in my area (Central Jersey) are fantastic.   Email setup was a snap and I was able to add email accounts for my personal business and accounts from Yahoo, Google Gmail and MSN Hotmail.  I did have to pay for the upgrade to paid service on Hotmail to access it via the phone.

The built-in calendar and personal software (tasks, notes, etc.) took a little getting used to having come from a Windows PDA.  At first I did not like using the calendar at all.  Now it is a breeze.  Sync with my PC has also not been a problem.

The phone itself is quite durable.  I have dropped it several times - not trying to drop it mind you, but I have.  It sports some battle scars now but functions just the same.  I am sure there are some more technical and thorough reviews out there but I can tell you that through real world, every day use this has become one of my favorite devices of all time.   

Posted in Phone/PDA, New Products | 2 Comments »