BB Geeks » BlackBerry 8800

T-Mobile adds BlackBerry 8820

Joe — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:57:11 +0000

Despite it’s status as the nation’s No. 4 wireless carrier, T-Mobile has steadily been atop the BlackBerry game. They’ve got the original Pearl, the 8800, and the Curve, plus the new Pearl is coming. Adding to that already impressive lineup is the BlackBerry 8820, an updated model in the 8800 family. Just what upgrades does this new model have, you ask? Well, since T-Mo is making a big push in WiFi, it only makes sense that the 8820 would have this. So that makes two BlackBerrys through T-Mo which have WiFi, with a third to be added with the Pearl 8120. This is only going to drive up the desire for the Hotspot @Home service.

Another addition is GPS. Surprisingly, this is the first T-Mobile BlackBerry with GPS built in. And no, it won’t be crippled:

Using the BlackBerry 8820 smartphone’s built-in GPS and location-based applications, such as BlackBerryÂ® Maps, customers can navigate between meetings and locate the closest restaurant or use other advanced services such as TeleNav GPS Navigator(TM) to receive audible turn-by-turn directions to reach their next destination.

The 8820 is also the thinnest BlackBerry to date, measuring just 0.55 inches deep. I’m not sure how much a difference that makes for people, but it’s something.

Other than that, we’re looking at roughly the same specs as the 8800. Clearly, T-Mobile is pushing hard with Hotspot @Home, and the more people they get with WiFi handsets, the better they’ll be able to market the service to existing customers.

The device will run you $349.99 with a two-year contract.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

T-Mobile adds BlackBerry 8820

AT&T aids USPS with BlackBerrys

Joe — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:09:34 +0000

Apparently, the USPS is feeling some heat, as competitors like UPS, DHL, and FedEx cut into their government-funded business. Part of the solution: better technology. And so AT&T has delivered 5,400 BlackBerrys to the post office. They’re of the 8800 and 8820 models, and will be distributed to IT staff, execs, and high-level managers.

This number is staggering: The USPS employs 800,000 people. Quite insane, right? We suppose we just never thought it took that many people to handle a mail delivery operation. We were wrong.

“This is the largest centralized federal government BlackBerry deployment we’ve ever done,” said Chris Hill, VP of the government solutions group at AT&T’s wireless unit. AT&T has also supplied the U.S. Army with tens of thousands of BlackBerrys, but those are scattered in batches at various bases across the country.

The 8800 models are being delivered now and the Wi-Fi enabled 8820s will go out in a second-phase deployment later this year, said George Wright, VP and acting CTO at the USPS.

“Over the last few years we’ve been breaking even in our core business,” said Wright, “but now we’re in this new competitive position with private shippers, and we’re there to make money. It’s an interesting new world, and the BlackBerrys are one way we hope to improve our productivity and compete.”

The main usage for these devices, for now, lie in two software applications. First is BCM software, which is utilized by IT staff to quickly respond to troubleshooting matters. The other is a custom program which allows managers to deal with purchase orders when they’re not in the office.

So it appears that they have limited use for the time being beyond mobile e-mail. But we figure that after a few weeks on the job, the users can figure out plenty of ways to make the USPS more efficient.

[Information Week]

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

AT&T aids USPS with BlackBerrys

Make calls via WiFi on your T-Mobile BlackBerry

Joe — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 17:42:01 +0000

We were psyched up enough when Research In Motion announced that the new BlackBerry would be WiFi capable. We’re getting to a good point with mobile data speed, but it still doesn’t come close to a solid WiFi connection. Now, though, it appears that T-Mobile will be tying in the soon-to-be-released 8320 with their Hotspot @Home service. So now not only will you have WiFi data transfers, but you’ll also have free calling at T-Mobile Hotspots.

T-Mobile has prepared for the release of this device. Previously, there had been problems reported when switching between traditional cell towers and hotspots while talking. They’ve apparently fixed many of these issues, probably to assuage the doubts of BlackBerry users.

T-Mobile’s mobile VoIP service costs $10 for an individual line, $20 for a family plan. The router is $50, but comes with a $50 mail-in rebate, so if you’re on top of things you can get it for free.

[PC Magazine]

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

Make calls via WiFi on your T-Mobile BlackBerry

Switch from speakerphone to handset mode hands free

Joe — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 16:16:39 +0000

If there’s one thing we don’t understand, it’s technical documents. So when we came across a Russel Shaw blog regarding a Research In Motion patent, we knew we were in for it. We could feel our eyes glazing over as we read. It’s a lot to digest, but the long and short is that we could be seeing a feature in the next series of BlackBerry that allows for a voice-activated switch from speakerphone to handset mode.

Unfortunately, there’s not much to really say about this. We like elaborating on news items and such, so you can get a fresh take. But in this case, it’s pretty straightforward. Voice is above a certain threshold, it’s on speakerphone. Voice is below a certain threshold, it’s on handset mode.

Now, the question is, will the device adapt to different users? For instance, we have a particularly loud voice. Would our BlackBerry recognize that and change the threshold? Or is it a constant? We suppose that could have been in the Abstract, but if it was we didn’t understand it.

[ZDNet]

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

Switch from speakerphone to handset mode hands free

If it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for us

Joe — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:46:15 +0000

What if we told you that a division of NASA — yes, those guys who send people into space — decided recently that they were going to issue PDAs to their employees? You’d probably think: oh, those tech geeks will probably go batty over the iPhone. It’s all cool and technologically and advanced and all that jazz. Well, the division is ODIN — Outsourcing Desktop Initiative — and their initiative is basically outsource their IT. But guess what? They’re going with the BlackBerry 8800.

This is all according to meeting minutes from back in July, which were obtained by the online magazine InformationWeek. In the meeting, defense contractor and ODIN acting project manager Jeff Stephens made the announcement that the iPhone is not “enterprise ready.”

Well, tell us something we didn’t know.

We’re not going to tell you that the iPhone sucks, because it really doesn’t. It’s a technological marvel, and it deserves some of the hype it’s receiving. However, when it comes to using it for business, well, we (and many others) have found it lacking.

To wit, what NASA found:

lack of support from major device management and mobile security software suites, lack of removable batteries, and Apple’s exclusive contract with network provider AT&T.

Yeah, that sums it up pretty well. So this isn’t so much about new news, but more about our position being vindicated by some really smart people.

InformationWeek says that Apple did not return phone calls seeking comment. Well, duh. If we owned a company that made a device that was found lacking by NASA, we probably wouldn’t comment, either. It’s not like Apple can really refute any of the claims, anyway.

[InformationWeek]

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

If it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for us

AOL Instant Messenger available on BlackBerry via Sprint

Joe — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 21:54:01 +0000

We have to admit that something does peeve us about the BlackBerry. It advertises instant messaging, but that’s really limited to BlackBerry Messenger. There’s nothing wrong with it, really, it’s just that when we hear “instant messaging” we tend to think MSN, Yahoo, or AIM. After all, most of our friends use it, so to have access from our BlackBerry would be pretty sweet. Alas, we’re left wanting in that area. But those crazy cats at Sprint are ready to deliver what we’ve been looking for.

Yes, they will be the first BlackBerry carrier to supply AOL Instant Messenger to their subscribers. This will be a Java-based application, so we remain skeptical about its overall functionality, but it’s still an excellent idea that will help Sprint boost its BlackBerry sales.

This feature will be available on the following CDMA units: 7130e, 8703e, and of course the 8830. It will also be available on the iDEN units 7520 and 7100i. This comes at no additional cost to the BlackBerry subscriber.

The only quibble we have right now is that it advertises “virtual real-time message exchange.” Okay. We don’t like the word “virtual” next to the phrase “real-time,” only because “virtual” is one of the most ambiguous terms ever. We’ll see if we can find some reviews of the service in the coming weeks.

Does anyone have a BlackBerry with Sprint service? We’re quite curious to know how well it operates on the whole. Because really this is a neat-o feature. We wonder how long it will be before the other carriers pick it up.

[Mobility Site]

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

AOL Instant Messenger available on BlackBerry via Sprint

More iPhone/BlackBerry hoopla

Joe — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:43:04 +0000

This morning, like most mornings, we were reading article after article, in search of anything BlackBerry related (really, we’re this geeky over it). The news was pretty much the same old, same old — yes, we know that the French have banned the BlackBerry for government communication. The only other big stories to repeatedly reach our inbox related to the iPhone. Yes, you know, that device that’s being released later this week that’s supposed to revolutionize smart phones.

Apparently, though, Research In Motion isn’t scared of this big bad machine. The biggest kicker for them: the traditional, mechanical QWERTY keyboard, as opposed to the touch screen function of the iPhone. “The industry has shown that well-designed tactile keyboards are the standard. That’s what people prefer,” said Mike Lazaridis, CEO of Research In Motion.

Really, the BlackBerry Curve offers nearly everything the iPhone does — and you won’t be shelling out $600 for it. Now, it won’t be as navigable as the iPhone; after all, that’s the device’s main selling point. However, all the features are there — maps and GPS, e-mail, and even the multimedia player.

Oh yeah, and the BlackBery is smaller and lighter, too.

We don’t mean to be all high and mighty about the BlackBerry, especially in comparison to (admittedly) one of the coolest gadgets to hit the market. We’re just saying that the iPhone is a $600 toy. Toys are cool. But the BlackBerry will still remain the king of functionality.

[San Francisco Chronicle]

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

More iPhone/BlackBerry hoopla

Why You Want the BlackBerry 8800

Joe — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:26:38 +0000

In the modern business world, falling behind even one day can mean doom for a company. That one day turns into one week, which turns into one month…pretty soon, the company is a year behind the competition, and they’re blown out of the water. Keeping up is essential — but it’s not exactly easy.

One way to stay at least even with the competition is to take advantage of every new technological advance. Companies that started using PDAs en masse were the ones getting more done, at least until the rest of the world caught up. But since they were already so far ahead, they were at a position of advantage.

So why should this make you want a BlackBerry 8800? Because you want to get ahead. To work faster and more efficiently. To get things done on the road. To stay connected. The reasons can be endless. But you can do all of those with just any Smartphone, right?

Not necessarily. The BlackBerry 8800 represents the latest advancement in PDA and SmartPhone technology. It combines all of the traditional SmartPhone features — e-mail, instant messaging, web browsing, organizers — with innovations that make it stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Just take a look at all that BlackBerry has done for its users with the 8800:

Un-lose yourself — anywhere in the world

Can you even count the number of times you’ve had to drive somewhere unfamiliar? Or, worse yet, when you were stuck with a rental car over 1,000 miles from home and have no clue where your destination is? Google Maps might help give you an idea, but they won’t help you with unmarked roads, construction detours, or unlit roads at nighttime.

If you need to be somewhere on time — and can’t afford to leave an extra 30 minutes early — a GPS navigation system is critical. And what do you know? The BlackBerry 8800 comes with one built in. You can use the BlackBerry Maps program to view the road ahead, or you can install a simple application, like e-Mobil GPS Traffic, and get voice-guided directions to your destination. You’ll never get lost — and never be late — again.

No need to lug around your BlackBerry AND your iPod

iPods are great for music and video, but when you’re always on the go, they just amount to one more thing to lug around — and potentially misplace. And when you lose one, you don’t just lose a $300 machine…you lose all the time and effort it took to get just the way you like it. And that’s not even to mention all the songs you lost!

This time around, the BlackBerry comes with a multimedia player. On the road? You can access video news clips and sports highlights (bet your iPod can’t do that!). Have a ton of unread messages and need to reply to them? Rock out to Van Halen while you tap out those responses. All with just your BlackBerry.

If someone calls while you’re watching or listening, the multimedia player will pause while you talk. Once you finish the call, your video or music will pick up right where you left off — so you don’t have to miss a beat. It redefines the term “Smartphone.”

Store all the information you need and want

So, now that you have this nifty multimedia player, you decide to stat downloading your favorite songs. One of them is just about done, but — d’oh! — you’ve run out of space on the device’s flash memory. What good is a multimedia player if you only have 64 MB to fill? That’s what, 16 songs? Hardly enough to make it through a plane ride across state lines, let alone the whole country!

Of course, this isn’t a problem with the BlackBerry 8800. You’ll always have enough disk space because it uses a removable microSD card, which is now available in up to 8 gigabytes. If you want your BlackBerry to double as an MP3 player, that’s 2,000 songs!

Because it is removable, you can store even more information. You can keep 1,000 songs on one card, and 1,000 spreadsheets on another. Plus, the way technology is evolving, the capacity of these cards is only going to increase. Soon, you’ll be wondering why you even need an iPod in the first place.

Cut down on the thumb workout

Have you ever noticed a soreness in your thumbs after typing on your PDA for a while? If you haven’t, you’re certainly in the minority. Business people across the country are complaining of soreness after heavy use of their PDAs. Some of them are forced to tap out messages with a pencil eraser.

Did you know that constant, repetitive thumb movements can result in not only soreness, but tendon damage, or even arthritis? Video gamers have known this for decades, calling it “Gamer’s Thumb.” Of course, with the widespread use of PDAs, the term has been modified to “BlackBerry Thumb.”

Thankfully, the 8800 has introduced voice dialing. It may not save your thumbs the agony of typing a 1,000-word manifesto in reply to your boss — but hey, every little bit helps. It’s only a matter of time before they implement an accurate voice typing system. Your thumbs will be thanking you.

Don’t worry about forgetting your charger

It’s happen to all of us: you’re on your way somewhere, and you’re struck by a sudden feeling that you’ve forgotten something. You have your wallet, your keys, your phone — oh, no! You forgot the charger!

Most times, you’re left with two options. Either you buy another charger when you arrive at your destination, unnecessarily blowing money because of your forgetfulness, or you lay off the talking and e-mailing in order to conserve battery life. Anyone who owns a BlackBerry, though, knows that it’s not really an option, so most of the time, you’re stuck paying for another charger.

Not so with the 8800. Surveys are reporting that its battery can last for two or three days — and that’s with heavy usage. Just think: if you’re carrying an extra battery (and if you’re a heavy user, that’s basically mandatory), it can last you all week. If you’re not a heavy user, the one battery might last you all week, anyway.

Save time getting started

When you open an exciting new toy like a PDA, you want to start using it right away, right? Oh, but there are so many settings to play with and programs to configure. Itâ€™s like the company wants you to waste time getting it set up.

Not so with the BlackBerry 8800.

When you power it up for the first time, it runs you through a quick and simple setup wizard that gets you started in no time. That’s a lot of time and frustration saved.

What’s more, it also runs you through all of the settings, demonstrating what each does and how you can change it. This way, you can personalize your BlackBerry with little hassle — and without the agony of trial and error.

Total time saved: at least a couple of hours. Time better spent downloading your favorite songs!

Navigate with ease

What if your computer only had up and down scroll arrows? Big pain, right? You’d have to hold down another button to move the cursor left and right. And who wants to go through all that trouble?

But, if that was the only way a keyboard had ever worked, it wouldn’t be a problem at all — since it would have been the only way, you’d have been used to it. You might even express frustration once keyboards started implementing all four directional keys.

Imagine that.

The same goes for BlackBerry’s new trackball navigation. Users might be used to the click-wheel on the side, and complain of having a new navigation system. But soon enough, after you get used to it, you’ll wonder how you ever survived without it.

Plus, all of the features you’ve come to know and love from BlackBerry

The best part about the BlackBerry 8800 is that it has all the features of previous models, along with the new ones. Together, they make the most comprehensive Smartphone on the market.

E-mail – Same easy interface. You can juggle up to 10 accounts, business and personal, so you’ll always be in the know.

Instant Messaging – When a message needs to be delivered with more immediacy than e-mail, you can instant message it to other BlackBerry users. Talk about instant gratification! If you would like to Instant Message someone other than another BlackBerry owner, try the IM+ software for the BlackBerry from the BBGeeks Store.

Browser – Internet on the go. The 8800’s trackball makes the Internet even easier to use than previous models. And it’s designed for high-speed networks, like EDGE, so you can move just as quickly as your computer at home.

Organizer – The days of address books and planners are over. The BlackBerry can act as both without taking up any extra room. Set up your entire calendar with alerts so you won’t miss a meeting.

There isn’t a PDA or Smartphone on the market that has this wide range of features. The best part is that BlackBerry doesn’t waste any precious space: every feature directly benefits you, the user. It saves you time and frustration, and allows you to do things you couldn’t if you just worked from your stuffy office.

After you experience the BlackBerry 8800, you might just be wondering how other PDAs and Smartphones can compete. And you may even wonder if they’re falling behind a day or two.

This post originated at BBGeeks.com - home to all things Blackberry! Also a great source of info about AT&T BlackBerry.

Why You Want the BlackBerry 8800