Blackberry Smartphone
The Blackberry smart phone combines the use of a cell phone with that of a PDA. It can be used as an organizer, for e-mails, for phone calls and more. There are many things to consider when looking for a Blackberry.
When shopping for a Blackberry, ask yourself:
- does it offer WiFi? do I need Wifi?
- does the device offer GPS (global positioning systems) navigation? This could be a good choice for those who get lost easily or travel for business frequently.
- is there a QWERTY keyboard? This is the miniature keyboard that sets apart the Blackberry from other devices. It allows you to compose e-mails and text messages with ease.
- is there a camera present?
- can the device record/play video? If you like to take pictures with your camera phone, you will want to make sure your Blackberry can take good pictures.
- is the Blackberry compatible with my cell phone service provider? Not every model will work with every service. To make matters more complicated, some providers are limited in the kind of text messaging and instant messaging services they will provide.
- how well does the browser work? Be sure to test the Blackberry before you take it home with you to make sure everything works to your satisfaction.
- is the device compact enough? Think about where you will store the phone and what size is comfortable for you. This will govern your choice.
- do I like the style? From smooth to rough edges and a variety of colors and surfaces, different styles will suit different people/
- is this device comfortable? You will be stuck with this Blackberry for a long time, so be sure to test it out to make sure it is comfortable.
Below are a few of the predominant models:
The RIM BlackBerry Bold (AT&T) offers a lot of features, good performance and a sharp display. It is HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access_ compatible and includes WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, QWERTY keyboard and a solid e-mail system. The Web browser is considered sub-par compared to its competitors and the device is considered a bit large and costly. The RIM BlackBerry Curve (T-Mobile) offers WiFim, an attractive design, a QWERTY keyboard, good quality and a 2-megapixel camera. However, there is no 3G support and there are no video recording capabilities. The browser is considered to be lacking. Performance is considered good, and this device is considered to be the best among the T-Mobile Blackberry.
The Sony Ericsson P910a has several features including a long battery life, a large screen and a QWERTY keyboard. The camera and Web browser leaves much to be desired and the device is considered to be too clunky. The RIM BlackBerry Curve 8300 (AT&T) is an attractive device with a 2-megapixel camera and a QWERTY keyboard. The device is Bluetooth compatible and has a media player, as well as spell check and a feature that automatically turns up the volume of phone calls in noisy environments. However, there is no WiFi or 3G or video recording capabilities.
The RIM BlackBerry 8820 (AT&T) offers WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, a long battery life and a push-to-talk button. However, this device lacks 3G and camera and the QWERTY keyboard can be awkward. There is limits with the text messaging client. The RIM BlackBerry 8830 (T-Mobile) has GPS an can play music and videos. There is no camera, the device is large and there is no Bluetooth compatibility. The RIM BlackBerry 8800 (AT&T) is an attractive device that offers GPS, push-to-talk, multimedia, a QWERTY keyboard, and Bluetooth compatibility. There is no WiFi, the device is locked and the instant messaging capabilities are limited. The RIM BlackBerry Pearl (T-Mobile) has a 1.3-megapixel camera, music and video playback, mapping and Bluetooth. There is no video recording capability, nor WiFi.
