Blackberry Pearl - WHY???

Hey Elizabeth,

Sounds like you got hit with a sales job. If you just want a phone that makes phone calls, then get a phone that makes phone calls.

There's also a real downside to all these hoity toity new phones.

I've had an iPhone for almost a year now, and while it's a GREAT product, it's also a damnably harsh mistress. I check my email compulsively, surf the web like a crack addict and have a hard time just being present in the moment and hanging out with friends.

OR at least I did before my iPhone fell in soup (full story at http://www.haddadink.com)

Now I'm iPhoneless.

I've got a crappy phone I bought for 15 bucks at radio shack.

And it makes phone calls.

Which is really what it should do.

Here's the real secret:

People always tell you that all this tech is going to make you more productive.

It's a lie.

All it does is make you multitask more.

And multitasking is productivity death.

(though women are better at doing it well than men are . . . )

The most productive people I know don't multitask at all.

They do one thing at a time.

And they often have crappy phones . =-)

Hi Elizabeth and Chris, I'm Bob and I'm A Crackberry Addict (hi Bob)

Okay, seriously, take a deep breath and have a glass of wine. Yes, I do have a Blackberry and have had it over a year. It's an older one so it has the teeny, tiny keyboard, which has more keys, I think... When I dial a number, the number keys work perfectly, but when sending an email, etc. I've yet to get that freaking number lock key to work without having to hold the cap key and then pushing the appropriate key.

But in a sick way I do like it. We live on an island and it's nice to check emails while waiting for the ferry, answer them, and even surf the net, occasionally visiting Biznik and looking at the tiny photos of everyone.

As Chris mentioned, yes you do tend to check that email more often, and, well, is it more productive? I'll hold my tongue on that one.

Wish I had some magical answer for you, especially concerned about those heart palpitations.

Maybe we should do an event on using a blackberry. Somewhere that has a bar, but close to an emergency room just in case!

Thinks for you, huh? I hate it when that happens. Sometimes those great features can be the most mind-boggling.

There's got to be someone out there that "gets" the Pearl. And now we need a cell phone savvy tech to teach the class. Wonder if that 24 year old salesgirl is available??

I had the treo 650 before I switched to the Blackberry pearl. I couldn't handle it! I traded it in for the Palm Centro within a few days. My life is much better now...

Liz - You should be able to turn that phone back in for a period of time after you first buy it. Check your paperwork and/or call your cell provider for the time limit, and then play with the phone from now until then. If it still gives you fits, trade it in. No phone is perfect, but if it gives you heart palpitations, it ain't worth it! :)

What Valerie said. But check the fine print. I've seen contracts that allow you to test-run a phone, but only up to a certain number of minutes used, after which there's no going back :-(

I've been using a Blackberry for over 4 years and love it. But mine had always been the ones with the full set of keys unlike the Pearl. My wife has a Pearl and when I try to use it, I get very frustrated with the smart typing.

Elizabeth, are you sure people you were talking to were raving about the Pearl and not the other Blackberries?

I had put out a call for support for you in my needs! Still worried about those heart palpitations!

Sounds like returning it might be the best medicine.

here's an idea... RETURN IT and QUIT FEELING CONFUSED AND HEART PALP-IE~

XO

Bob Dunn - you MUST get to one of Elizabeth's events Like tonight) - I would love to meet you prior to Bizjam!

I have a 2 year-old pearl and have gotten use to it. I do like the features and I can text quickly. It is a great phone for someone who wants to be plugged in all the time. The upside, I feel somewhat organized because of the organizing software and copy and paste function.

Now, on to the thread about Alt Vista. I could vent for hours about that.

Good luck

Yes, both Judy and I have wanted to get to one of Elizabeth's events -- big time. But since we live on Anderson Island, evening events during the week involve a night over...

But her event would be well worth it and we'll do it soon!

And would love to meet you as well!

I love PDA phones that have Windows Mobile. They don't come "fully loaded" like iphones do [you can load everything on to one if you needed], you can place calls, create a document or an excel spreadsheet, check email, and surf the internet. They play great with Windows and get the job done.

-Andrey

Okay will save you a seat if I get there before you! Hey this is my first post sent via my Blackberry :)

Sweet!

If you're happy, I'm happy. Now I don't have to worry about you. Enjoy the Dash!

Been using the iphone for about a year now. Before that, I juggled a simple clam shell cell phone and a Palm Pilot. I loved (LOVED!) the Palm Pilot but alaways wished I could combine it with the phone. For me, the iphone does that..... but not without problems:

no To Do list: OK, just make a Contacts entry called To Do and list stuff there.... it's OK.

no cut/copy/paste. ugh...miserable. no work around there.

no "beaming" contact info or other info to other Palm Pilots via the IR port (my wife used to call this "Palm Pilot sex").

I DO like carrying around a few movies and Photoshop User TV episodes on the iphone.

I DO like being able to go to any website and not see a crunched up mobile version.

I DO like checking stocks & weather quickly.

Oh yeah, and the phone works too.

Guess it all depends on what you want, what you're willing to spend (time as well as $$) & how you'll use it. Good luck to you.

Rick
see you at Bizjam