This summer as we eagerly anticipate the arrival of the Apple iPhone slated for a release date of June 29, 2007, let us take a look at some of the competition that the iPhone faces from new products that have just been released as well.
The RIM Blackberry 8800 is one of the best smart phones available on the market right now, combining both cellular phone capabilities and email. Hosted by Cingular Wireless, the RIM Blackberry 8800 also has the same talk time of 300 min that the Apple iPhone possesses.However unlike the iPhone, the RIM Blackberry 8800 only possesses a meager 16MB of RAM compared to the iPhone’s luxurious 4GB and 8GB models. Also, while the RIM Blackberry 8800 functions as a PDA handheld and a cellular phone, the iPhone offers four capabilities: cellular phone, PDA handheld, 2.0 megapixel camera, and an audio and video iPod. The iPhone is an all-in-one inclusive device, where you can watch video, write emails, call clients, and take photographs from just one piece of equipment.
Both the RIM Blackberry 8800 and the Apple iPhone offer push-to-talk email. However, the RIM Blackberry 8800 operates only on Blackberry Handheld software, whereas the Apple iPhone has a completely functional Mac OS X Unix-based computer system.
The user interface though remarkably improved on the RIM Blackberry 8800, still consists of tiny buttons and requires adroit fingers and the use of a stylus. On the other hand, the Apple iPhone is touch-sensitive, with a virtual keyboard and the ability to enlarge letters for greater visibility. No longer do you have to be glued to your handheld anxiously while you try to compose messages! With the Apple iPhone, you can enjoy a more intuitive user interface.
Both the RIM Blackberry 8800 and the Apple iPhone are Bluetooth-enabled. While the RIM Blackberry 8800 does offer some multimedia features and the possibility of GPS, the Apple iPhone offers extensive multimedia features including photo and video editing, landscape and portrait views, and the ability to take photographs and videos instantaneously. The RIM Blackberry 8800 has mediocre resolution at best whereas the Apple iPhone has excellent resolution and its design maximizes use of a larger screen format. Starting at $149 and going up to $548, the RIM Blackberry 8800 functions best as a PDA and long-time users may continue purchasing the product out of familiarity.
However, the Apple iPhone models at 4GB $499 and 8GB $599 offer remarkable value at unbeatable prices. Where else can you talk to your clients, listen to music, take a video, and email your friends – all in one device?
Source
Written by Jimmy on June 26th, 2007 with 2 comments.
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One of the pending enhancements to BlackBerry is the handling of HTML formatted messages.
There are third party applications dealing with this issue. Empower is one of them. Last week they released their HTML Email Viewer. You can download the beta version OTA pointing your BlackBerry browser to this page.
Before (original BlackBerry view):
After (using HTML Email Viewer):
Three thing to take into account:
1. There is an ‘empower options’ in the main level of the message mailbox. This is where you can change font size and background color.
2. If you have a long message and the message reverts back to text, you can click the wheel and press T to view again in html.
3. It’s a beta.
Enjoy.
Written by Jimmy on June 23rd, 2007 with no comments.
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Accidents happen, that’s what insurance is for. If your BlackBerry is lost or damaged due to fire, theft, water damage or other causes, you will be glad to be covered by insurance.
If you are looking for a third party insurance company, you will find several options. Here you are a list to start your research:
http://www.mobileprotech.com
http://www.ez-protect.com
http://www.safeware.com
http://wirelesssafeguard.com
If you find any of these companies useful or you want to recommend any other, please let me know.
Written by Jimmy on June 21st, 2007 with no comments.
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Airtime Manager has been testing the pre-release version of the BlackBerry Curve and has posted a comparison review between the Blackberry Curve and Blackberry 8800 devices.
One of the things that is obvious from the pictures is that the BlackBerry Curve is smaller than the 8800, with a better keyword layout, with spacing between each key, making for very comfortable use.
One enhancement over the 8800 is that in the BlackBerry Curve the old 2.5mm headset jack is now a standard 3.5mm headphone socket which means you can plug in any headphone set.
In terms of OS enhancements The BlackBerry Curve has a built in spell check utility with the ability to create custom words in your own dictionary.
You can read the full review here.
Written by Jimmy on June 19th, 2007 with no comments.
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The BlackBerry has an event log which can be accessed with the key sequence:
ALT + LGLG
This can be helpful when diagnosing application or connectivity issues.
After the problem occurs, save a copy of the debug logs before synchronizing.
1. Click the track wheel and select Copy Day’s Contents.
2. Paste the content into the body of an email and send the message to yourself.
I hope you find it useful.
Written by Jimmy on May 31st, 2007 with no comments.
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So you’re in the market for a smartphone, and you’ve finally decided to take the plunge, and you’re down to two fine offerings: the Blackberry Pearl, or the newer, slimmer, Blackberry 8800. Which one will suit your needs and personality best? A quick comparison will tell the tale.
The Blackberry Basics
First impressions are often the most important, and at a glance, these two Blackberries are quite similar. Both the Blackberry Pearl and the Blackberry 8800 feature the distinctive RIM Blackberry candy-bar design, with smooth, rounded edges and chrome accents. The Blackberry Pearl is slightly narrower than the 8800, although the Blackberry 8800 has a slightly slimmer profile. Both smartphones are outfitted with a keyboard, although the 8800’s is a full-sized QWERTY keyboard, compared to the Pearl’s truncated (but fully functional) SureType keyboard. Both feature a 240 x 260 pixel, 65,000 color display and the new Blackberry trackball navigation (as compared to the jog dial of older Blackberry models).
The Blackberry Pearl: Superior Messaging, Superior Style
Both the Blackberry 8800 and the Blackberry Pearl feature mobile web browsing, with full HTML and one-touch access, as well as multimedia messaging (with an optional add-on plan). Text / SMS messaging and email are also fully supported on both Blackberries. The Blackberry 8800 features RIM’s trademark “push” real-time email, and has the ability to integrate with up to ten POP, IMAP, or SMTP accounts. As far as instant messaging is concerned, the Blackberry 8800 comes with Blackberry Messenger, whereas the Pearl adds Yahoo! Messenger and Google Talk pre-loaded with the smartphone. If you’re a heavy user of Google Talk or Yahoo! Messenger, this gives the Blackberry Pearl a definite edge. The Blackberry Pearl also wins on style points, as it comes in several distinctive colors, including black, white, and a vibrant red.
The GPS Advantage: Blackberry 8800
In terms of office capabilities, both the Blackberry Pearl and the Blackberry 8800 can open Word and Excel documents, PDFs, and PowerPoint presentations that are attached to emails. Both cell phones come with full Bluetooth hands-free support and are data-capable, meaning either cell phone can be used as a wireless modem.
Now that we’ve firmly established that these two Blackberries have plenty in common, let’s talk about where they part ways. The Blackberry Pearl’s most immediate advantage over the 8800 would have to be the built-in digital camera. The Pearl’s built-in camera phone is 1.3 megapixels, with a 1280 x 1040 maximum resolution, built-in flash, and 5x digital zoom.
However, the Pearl lacks a built-in GPS solution, which is where the Blackberry 8800 really shines. While the Blackberry Pearl can be made GPS-capable with a separate TeleNav GPS receiver, the Blackberry 8800 comes with integrated GPS built into the smartphone. The 8800 requires no extra equipment — only access to a location-based service like TeleNav GPS Navigator. The Blackberry 8800 also features color maps and text or voice-guided driving directions right on the cell phone, making it invaluable for travelers. (The service does cost extra, $9.99 a month or $5.99 for 10 trips.)
If you’re planning on using your Blackberry to listen to music, you’ll find either model will suit your needs. The Blackberry 8800 and the Blackberry Pearl both play music and video files, supporting MPEG4, H.263 video formats and MP3 and AAC (iTunes Music Store) formats. Note that while the 8800 will play video files, it can’t actually capture any; if you want to watch video on your Blackberry, you can use a MicroSD memory card or USB 2.0 to transfer files to it.
The Smart(phone) Choice
Plainly, both Blackberries have plenty to offer the business or casual user. The Blackberry Pearl’s inclusion of a digital camera does aim it slightly more towards everyday use, while the Blackberry 8800’s GPS capabilities make it the perfect choice for someone who’s on the road a great deal. The Blackberry 8800 is also ideal if your workplace prohibits the use of camera phones. With the rich features available on both models, however, both are excellent choices.
Daniel Swensen is a freelance writer who covers websites like Wirefly.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Written by Jimmy on May 28th, 2007 with no comments.
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Last week RIM officially announced the BlackBerry Curve, apparently heading to AT&T initially in the United States.
The press release comes with details on the device, including new additions of a 2 megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom, a currently available and supported A2DP Bluetooth audio profile, a newly designed media player, a revamped desktop media manager, based on the ever-popular Roxio Easy Media Creator, that now provides CD ripping and photo editing functionality. Photos taken from the device can be instantly uploaded to your Flickr account, by way of Yahoo! Go.
BlackBerry Curve’s website is now live at http://www.blackberrycurve.com.
The complete list of specifications:
Features Available
• BlackBerry® Maps
• Media Player
• Corporate Data Access 1
• Wireless Email
• Organizer
• Wireless Calendar 1
• Phone
• SMS
• MMS
• Wireless InternetSize and Weight
• 4.2”/107mm (Length)
• 2.4”/60mm (Width)
• 0.6”/15.5mm (Depth)
• 3.9 oz/111g (Weight)
Data Input/Navigation
• Trackball
• QWERTY (Keyboard)
• Keyboard backlighting
Voice Input/Output
• 3.5mm stereo headset capable
• Integrated earpiece/ microphone
• Built-in Speakerphone
• Headset, hands-free and serial port profiles supported (Bluetooth® technology)
Display
• Font size (user selectable)
• Color display
• Backlighting
• Light sensing screen
Notification
• Polyphonic ringtones
• Vibrate Mode
• LED indicator
• MP3 ringtones
Battery Type
• 1100 mAhr (removable/rechargeablecryptographic lithium cell)
Approximate Battery Life
• Up to 408 hours or 17 days (Standby Time)
• Up to 240 minutes or 4 hours (Talk Time 2)
Memory
• Expandable Memory - support for microSD card 3
• 64 MB (Flash Memory)
Modem
• RIM® wireless modem
• Tethered modem capability 4
Email Integrations
• Integrates with an existing enterprise email account
• Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange
• Integrates with existing business email account
• Integrates with existing personal email account
• Integrates with optional new device account
• Includes desktop software
• Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for IBM Lotus Domino
• Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Novell GroupWise 5
Accessories Included
• USB cable
• Wall Charger
Available In
• Enabled for roaming between North America and Europe/Asia Pacific
Device Security
• Password Protection and Keyboard Lock
• Support for Triple DES or AES Encryption when Integrated with BlackBerry Enterprise Server
• Pending Approval (FIPS Validation) (FIPS Validation)
• Optional Support for S/MIME
Wireless Network
• North America: 1900MHz GSM/GPRS networks
• Europe/Asia Pacific: 900MHz GSM/GPRS networks
• Europe/Asia Pacific: 1800MHz GSM/GPRS networks
• North America: 850 MHz GSM/GPRS networks
• EDGE networks 6
1 Requires a minimum version of BlackBerry Enterprise Server software
2 Based on GSMA PRD TW.09 Battery Life Measurement Technique. Actual results may vary. Network availability and coverage affect battery life and are dependent upon a number of factors, including location and transmission environment.
3 This smartphone accepts microSD cards; the amount of storage is determined by card capacity.
4 Contact your service provider for service availability and pricing
5 Requires BlackBerry Device Software v4.0 or higher.
6 Check with service provider for availability, roaming arrangements and service plans. Certain features outlined herein require a minimum version of BlackBerry software.
Written by Jimmy on May 7th, 2007 with no comments.
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Google Apps email accounts are treated differently from regular Gmail accounts. When setting up Gmail accounts in a BlackBerry device the @gmail.com domain flags the account as a Gmail account and specific backend setup for Gmail is done. However, with Google Apps email, the domain is @yourdomain.com and it isn’t identified as a Gmail account. The existing setup doesn’t provide a mechanism to specify that it’s a Gmail account and the specific Gmail support setup is not applied.
If you are having trouble receiving emails with Google Apps email accounts, when contacting your cell provider’s technical support mention GPOP. The email account has to be set up as a GPOP account which the BlackBerry service interfaces with.
Written by Jimmy on April 27th, 2007 with 6 comments.
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Uploading a MP3 ringtone to your BlackBerry is not an easy quest: you have to prepare the MP3 clip for your device, upload it to some hosting service and download it.
With the service that Tuneusin.com offers, this is quite simple: you e-mail them the MP3 you want to upload to your BlackBerry, they convert it and they host it for you. For free.
Tuneusin.com is also offering the Ringtone Converter. For $14.99 (one time fee) you will have a nice piece of software to prepare your own MP3’s ringtones for your device, upload them to Tuneusin.com’s servers and download them to your BlackBerry.
Written by Jimmy on April 10th, 2007 with no comments.
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GCalSync is a free open source application that allows you to carry your Google Calendar in your pocket! GCalSync will allow two-way synchronization between Google Calendar and your BlackBerry’s built-in calendar. Download events to your BlackBerry, or add an event on your BB and upload it to Google Calendar.
To install, visit http://wap.gcalsync.com with your BlackBerry’s browser or visit http://www.gcalsync.com to download the application if you prefer to install it via USB or Bluetooth.
If you prefer to try a paid solution, CompanionLink developed an alternative for you.
Written by Jimmy on April 10th, 2007 with no comments.
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