Since I work for a major carrier and we are selling these new BlackBerry's, I had to get certifed by BlackBerry to support it. As a result I had the chance to play with it for a week and I must say is is really nice....
First off, Battery Life - last a bit longer than any good cell phone when you use it like a phone. If you don't make too many calls, they'll last 1-2 weeks. The battery is internal and rechargable through the cradle.
The Network - I used the phone all over the place from my building, inside the datacenter, my home, the mall, various stores, etc and never had a problem with service. As long as you can get a GSM signal you can make a call, and the calls are clear even with only 1 bar of signal. GPRS is very nice and way faster than the mobitex for data.
Backend - Yes, this BlackBerry IS designed for Notes and/or Exchange, but its target market is businesses with mobile employees. It lets you make and modify appointments through the handheld linked wirelessly with the Exchange server. Instant syncronization from anywhere.
Its Fast! - all the menus and applications it has are very fast to navigate through. The wheel on the right side is VERY handy.
$$$ - The Unit itself will likely be around $500 on the open market. Service is $40/mo for unlimited data, no KB charges. Phone service cost is based on the phone plan you choose.
OS - I am not sure what the real underlying OS is supposed to be, I do know that ALL Applications running on it are native Java.
Phone and Email at the same time? - yes and no.. During a conversation, you can compose, read, manage, etc your emails and calendar entries, but since GPRS uses unused bandwidth from GSM you can't actually send or receive anything. Once you hang up the call, GPRS starts working and the Blackberry updates its data, sends emails, etc. You can however send SMS messages while on the phone.
So in short, its GREAT! for businesses, less useful for individuals. But BlackBerry has a Internet version that works with normal email accounts, etc.
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Since I work for a major carrier and we are selling these new BlackBerry's, I had to get certifed by BlackBerry to support it. As a result I had the chance to play with it for a week and I must say is is really nice....
First off,
Battery Life - last a bit longer than any good cell phone when you use it like a phone. If you don't make too many calls, they'll last 1-2 weeks. The battery is internal and rechargable through the cradle.
The Network - I used the phone all over the place from my building, inside the datacenter, my home, the mall, various stores, etc and never had a problem with service. As long as you can get a GSM signal you can make a call, and the calls are clear even with only 1 bar of signal. GPRS is very nice and way faster than the mobitex for data.
Backend - Yes, this BlackBerry IS designed for Notes and/or Exchange, but its target market is businesses with mobile employees. It lets you make and modify appointments through the handheld linked wirelessly with the Exchange server. Instant syncronization from anywhere.
Its Fast! - all the menus and applications it has are very fast to navigate through. The wheel on the right side is VERY handy.
$$$ - The Unit itself will likely be around $500 on the open market. Service is $40/mo for unlimited data, no KB charges. Phone service cost is based on the phone plan you choose.
OS - I am not sure what the real underlying OS is supposed to be, I do know that ALL Applications running on it are native Java.
Phone and Email at the same time? - yes and no.. During a conversation, you can compose, read, manage, etc your emails and calendar entries, but since GPRS uses unused bandwidth from GSM you can't actually send or receive anything. Once you hang up the call, GPRS starts working and the Blackberry updates its data, sends emails, etc. You can however send SMS messages while on the phone.
So in short, its GREAT! for businesses, less useful for individuals. But BlackBerry has a Internet version that works with normal email accounts, etc.