My New Blackberry

verizon-blackberry-tour-unboxing-01-smI just got a new BlackBerry Tour this weekend. I went to the store at 8 AM on Sunday and bought it on the first day of its release. I know that’s ridiculous. But I do it all for you – my readers.

I’m very pleased so far. It’s not nearly as cool as an iPhone. But, I really prefer Verizon over AT&T and I can’t live without a physical keyboard.

I know a bunch of people that use smartphones and most of them don’t use many applications other than phone, email and calendar. I thought I’d mention the apps I use – the ones that actually get used.

1. I use mail, calendar and address book like everybody else. I’m also a big user of SMS messages. My kids, and a bunch of my friends won’t talk to me anymore – they only text.

2. I also use Microsoft Messenger and leave it on all the time. We have everyone in the firm on Messenger and by using it on the phone I don’t have to remember to login and out when I come and go from my laptop.

3. I use the web browser to keep up with the New York Times and a few other sites.

4. I really like the Wall Street Journal app.

5. NewsGator Go is my feed reader. It syncs with NetNewsWire on my Mac.

6. My Twitter clients are  TwitterBerry and YATCA. I use one to send and one to receive.

7. The Facebook app for the BlackBerry is great.

8. Evernote is what I use for notetaking and for finding my notes on the go.

9. SugarSync stores all my files in the cloud and I can email files from the BlackBerry to others.

10. VR+ Voice allows me to record dictation for transcription.

11. VZ Navigator is my GPS. I decided to pay the $10 per month rather than deal with hardware costs and the expense of updating the database on my old Garmin.

12. Google Maps works great on the BlackBerry. I constantly find myself using the satelite images. I also share my location with some friends using Google Latitude.

13. PageOnce is a great summary of my finances. It aggregates all of my accounts. I used Mint for a while and recently switched to PageOnce.

14. I love to use the Amazon app as I walk through Barnes & Noble.

14. I use The Missing Sync for wireless sync of the phone with my Mac.

I really like the Google Mobile App and its voice search feature. For some reason, I haven’t been able to download it to my new phone so far. I’ll get it eventually.

I don’t have many games, music, videos, books or other entertainment on the phone. I carry an iPod Touch and do all the fun stuff on that device.

That’s about it. I’ll let you know if I find anything else that works for me. Are you using anything interesting on your BlackBerry?

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  • Steven

    I see you didn’t get the latest iteration of the Storm. Why? In what ways do you believe the Tour is superior to the Storm…Curve?

    • Lee Rosen

      Well, I bought a Storm and returned it. My issue with it was the lack of a physical keyboard. The Storm has an easy to use voice dial button (unlike the iPhone) and that worked for me. But the keyboard thing just didn’t cut it for my fingers.

      By the way, is it just me or does everyone notice people repeatedly jabbing their fingers at their touchscreen phones while looking frustrated?

      The Tour is basically an updated version of the Curve – better camera, etc. I don’t see significant distinctions in day to day use. I was using a 8830 World Edition until last week which didn’t have a camera so the Tour is a nice step up for me. Verizon gave me a $75 instant rebate and a $50 credit so the phone was a pretty good deal.

      Lee

  • http://advantagedenton.com Melissa Denton

    I use ubertwitter on my blackberry curve. I agree with you about needing a keyboard. Thinking about switching to android T1, but I use tmobile and no newer phones support hot spot unlimited free internet calling.

    Do you use sugarsync with your calendering program? I am not too happy with google calendar but want wireless constant updates. Maybe sugarsync (which I use on laptops/desktops) would be a good answer.

    • Lee Rosen

      Melissa,

      I haven’t tried T-mobile. They don’t have 3G network in Raleigh. Last time I checked, they only offered it in 20 markets so it’s off my list for now.

      Sugarsync is what I use to keep up with my files. I sync several machines with it so I have access to all of the files wherever I am. It’s also my primary backup for some of those machines which aren’t on our network.

      One option on the free calling front is to use something like the Verizon Friends & Family plan. You can call 10 numbers free. I dial through my office to make some calls for free. My connection to the http://divorcediscourse.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php#comments-formoffice is free and then I can grab an outside line to place the call. Another option is to use Google Voice. Make there number one of your 10 “friends” and do all your calling in and out through that number. You can set up speed dial to make it all pretty seemless. They just released the blackberry app for google voice this morning. It’s also at that google URL and it’s free.

      I sync my Blackberry with google calendar using the free google sync program at http://m.google.com.

      Thanks for contributing to the conversation.

      Lee

  • http://advantagedenton.com Melissa Denton

    Dear Lee,

    You are welcome. I find that google calendar is pretty buggy (especially on repeat functions – horrible messes) on my blackberry and it moves repeating appointments around against my will.

    What I would really love to move to is the Palm Pre, but it also is not on tmobile. Need to look into unlocked Pre possibilities. Started with the Palm platform in the early 90′s and miss it every day, especially for calendar functions. Good luck with your technology adventures.

    Melissa

  • Lee Rosen

    Sorry to hear that about the google calendar. We’re looking at Google apps now as a possible email/calendar replacement for our current system.

    I’m pretty sure the Palm, even unlocked, wouldn’t work on the T-mobile system. It’s not a GSM phone (not yet anyway). One of my friends has a Pre and seems pleased with it but isn’t jumping up and down or anything.

    Lee

  • http://www.sarahcarrlaw.com Sarah Carr

    Thanks for you review of the new Blackberry. Currently, I have an Iphone, but the AT&T service has been horrible (even here in Raleigh). So, though I love the iPhone, I need something more reliable. It probably won’t be too much longer before I go back to Alltel/Verizon.

    Sarah

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