i d e a g r o u p

BACK IN BLACK(berry)

After 10 days with the Nokia E61, I have switched back to the Blackberry. Actually, I have switched forward to the Blackberry 8700C, which is a big step up from the 7500 series.

Here are the top 5 reasons I switched from the E61, which is in so many respects a great device.....

5. SLOW DIALING FROM CONTACT LIST: Calling from the "contacts" list is slow. It takes 2-4 seconds to get to the "smiths" when you type "sm" from a list of 1200 contacts (yes, I am a contacts-pack-rat and don't like deleting that random writer I met with one time in New York in 1999). In contrast, the BBerry loads and dials (or emails) from contacts instantly. No wait.

4. WIFI IS SO-SO: I was able to connect to a number of different encrypted and non-encrypted networks, but not always with ease. Managing WIFI connections (and causing applications to use specific connections) requires patience and a visit to a number of different places in settings / wifi, etc.... Not as seamless as it could be. But ok, this is a huge step to have it at all, and yes, the BBerry doesn't have it. My point here is that I bought the thing thinking that the WIFI would cause me to be switching between VOIP and GSM calls with ease and it is just not there yet.  The WIFI was a nice add, but not beneficial enough to keep me in the camp.

3. I MISS MY TRACKWHEEL: I love the trackwheel on the BBerry. It makes things so easy for one-handed use. The E61 has a center-mounted joystick thingy. It works well for web browsing and two-handed navigation through the device's OS, but I prefer the trackwheel.

2. VOLUME: The E61 just isn't loud enough for noisy environment calling. There were many times even in the car with the AC on that I couldn't get the volume up high enough.

1. SYNC ALL: The E61 does have the ability to run Blackberry's Connect software, which gives it some access to BES features--but not all. For example, it only sync's calendar entries over the air--not contacts, tasks, or notes like a true Blackberry device does. I am sure that this is some (Microsoft'ish) way to give their own devices a leg up in the marketplace, but to me, it is a cop-out. If you believe in your devices, make great devices and let them stand on their own--without cheating your software customers. But, I guess in my case it worked--the E61 is going on craigslist this weekend.

A Cure for Gadgetitis?

I just got my Hong Kong shipment--a shiny new, Nokia E61.
  (who says gadgets don't make you happy!)

A Blackberry killer? Maybe. I think more accurately, a sleek Blackberry alternative. I have been hacking around with it for a few days now and am mostly impressed. As a former Blackberry user, I am not as familiar with the Symbian OS, so some of the basics are a bit elusive so far.

The device is sharp looking, lighter and thinner than all of the Blackberries. Most importantly, it is a great phone.  My only major complaint is that while the phone quality is superior, it could be a tad louder.

I spent a half-day this week getting the Windows software, "PC Suite" installed on my spare computer and then getting the Blackberry Connect software working. Through this process, the phone and BES server got acquainted and messages were flowing in no time.

The main difference in the BES/client integration between the E61 and other BES-native devices from RIM is that this does not yet support syncing of contacts, tasks, and notes--just email and the calendar.  I was able to use the Windows app to sync contacts and the rest to the Outlook client, so while it is not optimal, it worked fine. I imagine it is something that will come in time from RIM, or you that there will be other services to do the whole Exchange+BES thing either open source or for a monthly fee.

Want pics? Here is the Flickr group.

Go here to buy one. (I paid $350 for it)
Go to Nokia Asia's site to learn more -- or to this guy's site (a fantastic resource).