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In choosing this new device I was looking to replace an aging (and outdated) Compaq iPaq hadheld PDA that served me well for almost nine years.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 »

August 22, 2007 by AC.

I had a chance to get hands-on with the Cingular/AT&T 8525 phone and while it is far from a new item I thought I would write up a little about my experience with the device.  The phone itself was released late last year but there are several similar offerings from the phone maker, HTC.

The 8525 is a great, great PDA (personal digital assistant). It is literally a pocket-sized computer and a powerful one at that, packing a 400 MHz processor and generous memory - 128 MB of ROM and 64 MB of RAM.  Some may laugh at the generous term but unless you are looking to add tons of big applications this memory is more than you need.  An expansion slot welcomes MicroSD cards for more memory if necessary.  The big selling point for the 8525 is the slide-out QWERTY keyboard.  The keyboard is roomy and easy to use but does require two hands to operate.  Sliding out the keyboard toggles the screen display from Portrait (when its just the candybar-shaped phone) to Landscape (with the keyboard out).  I did not see any noticeable lags with the screen changes on the 8525 - but I have in similar phones, namely in the T-Mobile Wing (an HTC cousin of this phone).  The 8525 runs Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 but there is a ROM update to bring it to WM 6. 

Additional features include Bluetooth 2.0 support, which I found to be inconsistent with several devices tested.  A built-in 2.0 megapixel camera was OK, but not as great as other reviews have claimed.  The 8525’s other big feature is wireless, which allows the phone to surf the web on AT&T’s 3G network or wireless signals (where available).  The phone will pick the the best & fastest signal for data transfer.  Pages load fast and the data features of the phone are outstanding.

All of the normal Windows Mobile features are here as well with pocket versions or Outlook, Word and Excel.  Sync was a snap with Microsoft ActiveSync.  I have been a longtime PocketPC user, having just retired an eight year old iPaq PPC (it served me very, very well) so moving within the 8525 screens and applications was second nature. 

Unfortunately the 8525 has shortcomings as a phone.  Just getting to your contacts and phone numbers can be a chore.  If you are unaccustomed to Windows Mobile or uncomfortable using the jog dial (on the side of the phone - a super convenience tool) you will be working even harder.  I have read a lot of reviews where reviewers claim you need to slide out the keyboard to make calls - this is not true, but you need to know your way around a PPC - tapping the screen or using the jog dial will get you to a phone number quick.  That said the Today screen is poorly organized.  It was never much of an issue when I used a stand-alone PPC, but with the phone features added I expected much more.  Palm users have some great convenience and shortcut items added to the Today screen that enhance the phone experience.

8525 users must go out and get those enhancements.  I found a great posting online that listed several such tips & tricks.  Some will cost money to add the extra software.  It is also worth checking out Handango, or similar mobile software sites - look for a few useful Today screen changes from Spb. I came across a site that has a number of free applications for the 8525 as well.

One recommended change is to update the phone operating system, currently Windows Mobile 5 to Windows Mobile 6.  October is the AT&T official release date for the update, but it is available now from HTC.  This should flush out some of the operating system bugs. It may be worth your while to see some user feedback regarding the update over at xda Developers Forum and Pocket PC Addict.

Overall it is a fantastic device and perhaps the best WM phone available now designed for the heavy data user who needs the functionality of a Windows Mobile device.  The slide out keyboard is great for people who reply to a lot of email or send a lot of text messages.  It does have its shortcomings as a phone, so heavy talkers may want to look elsewhere.

Posted in Phone/PDA | 1 Comment »

August 19, 2007 by AC.

I came across a simple and useful tool online while reading David Pogue’s Blog. Mr Pogue writes for the New York times and I have enjoyed his Cicuits column for sometime now.  A recent post dealt with some iPhone features but included a comment from a user with a great and useful link.

Verizon provides a page that lets you search phone numbers (up to three at a time) to see if they are Verizon Wireless numbers.  This is useful in determining who among your friends and family are within your network.  This has significance depending on your phone minute & messaging plans.  See for yourself at:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/LNPControllerServlet?path=lnppromo1

I am not sure if the other major wireless providers offer the same search features.  If anyone knows feel free to comment with the links.

 The Original Blog & Comments appeared at:

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/08/03/your-free-call-indicator/

Posted in Phone/PDA | No Comments »