The new 7280 is only 4.8 ounces
... -- I held Sidekick and it is a whale compared to the new Berry 7280! Also, here's a copy of a post I made in another thread, which has relevant info.
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Forwarded: Copy of other post.
Blackberry, Blackberry, Blackberry! (The modern ones, that is)
( More info at
http://www.marky.com/hearing/ and at "RIM Forum" at
http://www.howardforums.com Mobile Phone Forums, make sure to see the sticky posts under my name)
I can whitelist any email address, or blacklist any email address. I can even do the following:
(1) Make only certain email addresses vibrate
(2) Make other email addresses silently arrive
(3) Make yet other email addresses automatically discarded
Make sure you choose a provider that provides these features minimum.
Some features are not included and have to be purchased third party (like software you have to install on the Blackberry yourself using a cable between a computer and the Blackberry). I also purchase my own text-to-voice service at
www.imbot.com and also purchase my own voice-to-text alpha-style paging at
www.dictomail.com a voicemail box that automatically converts all voicemails to emails and sends them to me alpha-dispatch-style .... and realtime live relay calls (without a TDD) using MCI Wireless IP Relay which works on Blackberry (just make sure you read up on HowardForums first!). And FOUR chat networks (AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo) from
www.webmessenger.com ... MCI Wireless IP Relay also works on Blackberry too. (It needs a program called Idokorro MobileSSH ... which is expensive ... but you can nicely ask for a deaf discount at
www.idokorro.com 's own telnet/SSH client and they may give you one.) And now I have a color web browser too. (probably better than the one on the Sidekick now). Much better battery life, I can be continuously logged onto AIM or MSN for 100+ hours nonstop, which is 4 days continuous, without a battery charge, and vibrates when I get a message. (I do keep separate buddy lists, so that I only keep important contacts on my Blackberry, so I am not disturbed during the day... or I simply log off)
Yes, it's not an all-in-one package, I have to buy all this separately, it does get expensive, but it becomes the ultimate deaf warrior wireless device. And I do get unlimited airtime, the keyboard is now backlit, it's now color, etc. (Model 7280 Blackberry .... which replaced old 950). Network coverage is much better, I got reception between Toronto and Ottawa, and also between Ottawa and Quebec City by train. My old 950 would go dead between cities with no reception! And the thumb keyboard is really good, easy to learn to thumb touchtype on. I can thumb touchtype without looking at the screen, and I thumb type more than twice as fast as I can write on paper now!
At the moment, I prefer to use my own replaceable email address that automatically forwards to my Blackberry. If the email address becomes a disaster, I can just create a new email address. (You do have to find an email service that can forward.... usually a pay service, which is well worth it for me, I got @marky.com back in 1996 ...)
If $$$ is no object, this is the ultimate deaf warrior mobile wireless handheld. (Barebones is like about $50 per month unlimited... .but then you got to spend between $50 and $300 extra in software if you want the best....and about a few dollars extra per month if you want to purchase third party services. Purchased from 4 different companies, not all-in-one (because nobody offers all), installed on my Blackberry, costs me about $100 per month for everything now. That gives me unlimited Email, HTML, AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo, Live Relay, Live TDD, Telnet, SSH services, plus about 200 messges of Voice2Text service, plus I also get Text2Voice service. Also get IRC via Linux via Telnet connection too. (no one company provides all of this service on one Blackberry, I have to buy from several companies and install on the Blackberry ...)
I was going to go get a TREO handheld computer, but the Blackberry has better battery life, more crash proof, and can be left always-on for about 3-6 days nonstop (9 days is advertised, but 3 to 6 days real life use in my experience, which is roughly 100 hours), and the email is much faster -- no 15 minute polling, email is always continuously connected. Emails arrives at instant-message speed. Somebody clicks SEND on their computer, and then it shows up on my Blackberry wirelessly in mere seconds even halfway across the country.
Unlimited country wide roaming too (but costs extra to roam internationally). Meaning unlimited wireless long distance calls too. (as long as you get data-only searvice).
Give up maybe about 2 or 3 of the above features, and you can bring the costs down to $75 per month. Give up almost everything except limited email and WAP, you can pay only about $30 per month. (But who wants to stick with only limited email? No relay, no chat, no web, etc) All the software installation is a hassle at first before things are running smoothly. Someday this will be cheaper and easier and all-in-one. But I am not going to wait!
told ya! Blackberry is lightfeather!
I think, it is funny to say slide kick !! LMAO... Thanks for your criticize my bad speller ....
