Help Me Pick A Blackberry

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I think there was a thread similar to this before, however variables would undoubtedly be different so here's what I'm looking at:

Telus:
$35/month
200 Daytime Minutes
Unlimited Talk & Text between any 5 numbers nation wide
Unlimited Texting
Unlimited Social Networking (Facebook, MySpace, BlackBerry
Messenger & Windows Live Messenger)
Evenings and Weekend start at 6pm
$12 Caller ID/Voicemail
$6.95 System Access Fee
$0.75 911 Fee

Activation Fee $35

Monthly Bill Estimate: $61.82

Bell Mobility:
$45/month
250 Daytime Minutes
Unlimited Talk & Text between any 10 numbers nation wide
Unlimited Data
Evenings and Weekend start at 6pm
$15 Caller ID/Voicemail/250 Texts
$6.95 System Access Fee
$1.28 911 Fee

Activation Fee $35

Monthly Bill Estimate: $77.10


Rogers Wireless:
$45/month
300 Daytime Minutes
Unlimited Talk between any 5 numbers nation wide
Unlimited Texting
500 MB Data
Evenings and Weekend start at 5pm
$15 Caller ID/Voicemail/250
$6.95 System Access Fee
$0.50 911 Fee

Activation Fee: $10

Monthly Bill Estimate: $76.22

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So basically I have it narrowed down to Bell and Rogers as the Data is an option I would want to have.

Both are basically the same price.

Ergo what do I pick as a handset?

With Rogers the Blackberry Curve 8900 & Blackberry Bold 9000 both have wifi which is a feature I would want. However if Bell has unlimited data, then a 3G phone would do the trick nicely.

Bell doesn't have any wifi Blackberries, and only the *gasps* $250 Tour is 3G. Which begs the question will will their GSM network be up and running, primarily in Fredericton NB?

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Another tangent sort of off/on topic. Any idea of the cell phone prices in Malaysia? Particularly what a Tour/Bold/8900 would cost?

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Thoughts/ideas/suggestions?

PS: I'm specifically looking at blackberry for the BBM feature, and because of ease with e-mail

PPS: I don't like touch screen keyboards, thus the iPhone and BB Storm are out.

[mykalberta]

What location of the country do you live?

Do you need to use your phone outside of North America?

I know Telus does have a Data Plan, unless you are looking for something different. I have had one for almost a year and the only things I use that access the Internet are Google Maps applications, TheScoreBbApp, and weather network update page which I have saved in Favorites.

Basically, surfing on that device is a pain in the ass, like most cell phones except it has a bigger screen and a keyboard, just IMO of course. I only say this because of your wifi requirement as for me I cant seeing it being that useful unless you have an iPhone.

For me, Blackberry's arent that great for websurfing. They are great for email and texting.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

PPS: I don't like touch screen keyboards, thus the iPhone and BB Storm are out.

I don't think anyone does at first. I didn't when I got my iPhone, but now we're inseparable and the thought of a 'real' keyboard annoys me.

[GoinAllTheWay]

Does Telus not offer the unlimited data for $15/month anymore? My plan looks the same as yours with the exception of voicemail (I don't have that) and I pay around $65/month. I also don't have the unlimited talk and text to any 5 people. Seems the only thing I have over your plan is the unlimited data. Can't use the phone as a tether but other than that, I can go to town with email/webpages/downloads. Not that it's THAT great though, the browser on my phone leaves a tad to be desired.

[starseed]

Bell has better coverage in Canada than Rogers. If you are going to be roaming, or going into less populated areas, I would go with Bell.

At least, that is what I gather after reading reviews on mobilesyrup.com

[CMPunk]

http://www.telusmobility.com/en/AB/m...es_index.shtml

My plan works out to be about $69 a month and I have unlimited texting , the my 5 and 500 mb per month

[BlackArcher101]

Bold with Rogers imo.

[burn_baby_burn]

I think in Alberta we are really spoiled when it comes to mobile high speed internet coverage. With Telus I have coverage pretty much everywhere I go and I'm talking some real remote area's in rural Alberta. The good thing about the Tour is that it will be able to use the new 4G network whenever it is released. Now if the 3G coverage in the Maritimes sucks, you may want Wifi. In Alberta I don't need Wifi since I can get fast mobile internet where ever I go. You will use the browser more than you think. I do pretty much most of my browsing on my BB. You just need to find mobile sites that cater to the mobile devices.

In Alberta Rogers is terrible for coverage out side of the city or the #2 highway. If I did go with Rogers I would get the Bold.

I don't know much about Bell.

[TimSJ]

I picked up a Tour to replace my 8830 last week. Really like it so far. I have no idea what my plan is though. company pays so i don't really pay attention. But as far as the device goes i highly rec the Tour

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

In Alberta Rogers is terrible for coverage out side of the city or the #2 highway.

It used to be, but not much anymore. I storm chase quite a bit on the backroads and secondary highways, and still able to use it just fine. Of course, if you are talking 3G coverage, then I agree.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

I've been thinking long and hard. Looks like I'm going to go with Rogers. I'll make a more in depth post on my logic tomorrow after I sleep on it.

That said I'm leaning 8900 over Bold. Thoughts?

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

It used to be, but not much anymore. I storm chase quite a bit on the backroads and secondary highways, and still able to use it just fine. Of course, if you are talking 3G coverage, then I agree.

Recently I was at a meeting with a customer not far from Gull Lake. Another business associate of his took out his new iPhone and everyone was oohing and aahing over it. Then he asked if he could borrow the customers phone to make a call because he had no service. Mean time my Telus BB is vibrating like crazy with data and missed calls through out the meeting.

[silentsim]

Rogers + Bold.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Here's the decision I came to.

I checked into Telus and it's $20 to start to add on data, bumping their montly fee up to $55. More expensive and they have the same handsets as Bell. I ruled them out.

Bell has the unlimited talk and text between 10 numbers nationwide. Honestly I don't see me using more than 5. So I'll have five extras that aren't needed. As far as the data goes something like 94% of Rogers users don't use 400 MB. So the data seems more to be a marketing gimmick as opposed to me saving money. Especially if I get a Wifi enabled blackberry.

So the Rogers plan will suit me fine.

Handsets.

It boiled down to the 8900, Bold, and Tour.

Tour is $250 on a three year contract

Bold is $150

8900 is $100

When I look at hardware pricing, I like the fact that the 8900, and Bold are wifi, whereas the Tour is not. The Tour is also the most expensive.

So it boils down to 8900 and Bold. Reviews seem to be win/win, six in one hand-hlf a dozen in the other.

8900 has better battery life and is a bit smaller. So looks like I'm opting 8900.

The other side of things is the Source offers a 3 year warranty that covers battery, accessories in the box, and a one time replacement (water/physical damage) for $130. Thus is 3 years I can soak my phone and they'll replace it with a new one.

With the warranty it's still cheaper than the Tour.


There's only a $50 price variance between the 8900 and Bold.

Any arguments on making a case for the Bold over 8900?

[@theCBE]

Originally Posted by maritime q-scout

any arguments on making a case for the bold over 8900?

3g

[anyonebutedmonton]

You would be wise to pay the extra to get 3G.

[@theCBE]

I probably should have elaborated more. I bought an 8900 because I loved the sized, the screen and the way it looked. It is my first smartphone and I never really thought I would use the internet that much.

After having it for a few months now I can see that I would have really appreciated some more speed. Edge is ok.. not painfully slow but I have used phones with 3G and I do find them to be noticabley faster.

Plus I find the phone to lag a bit at times... such as exiting applications to answer a quick message or make an urgent phone call I have to wait about 5-10 seconds. Not a big deal but I think the bold has a faster processor so those types of things would be faster.

If I had to choose again I'm not sure which way I would go.. I really do love my 8900 and I still hate the fact the bold is so big.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

With the wifi is it really going to make a big difference with the 3G? What about battery life?

[burn_baby_burn]

Battery life is not going to be a big deal. They are all probably pretty close. You can get cheap car and wall chargers on Ebay. I would definately go with the Bold. Unless you plan on never leaving the house.

[@theCBE]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

With the wifi is it really going to make a big difference with the 3G? What about battery life?

Battery life on the 8900 is decent. I don't really consider myself a heavy phone user but I do a decent amount of talking/emailing and bbming on my phone everyday. The battery is usually at 50% by the end of the day... sometimes less if I've been listening to music. Sometimes more on the weekend when its not buzzing every 5 minutes when another email. I usually charge it every night.. About once a week I will let it drain and charge it on the second night.

I haven't found the wifi to be useful at all. If I am at home or the office and I need to look up something that will take me more than 30 seconds I will just go to my computer. If I am away from a computer and I need to look up something on my BB and there is a wifi connection in the area it takes about 30 seconds to find the network and authenticate before you can go online. The edge network is fast enough that you are not going to save 30 seconds by using wifi. Unless you are going to be surfing for longer than a couple minutes. Which I generally don't do on my BB.

I guess the features are just tailored to different users.. if I had to choose I would rather have 3G over wifi.