Treo 650 or Blackberry???

I'm just about to step up and get a smart phone and I'm going back and forth. Can people share with me their thoughts-pros and cons or real users?? I am going to use it as my primary phone, address book, client info, email-limited internet searching and I'm going to put it in my pocket not on a belt clip. Camera isn't to important.

 

Treo 650, upgraded screen, fast internet, really a mini computer

 

Are you going to be using it with your work e-mail? If so go with the BlackBerry all the way. I just finished up testing the Treo 600, 650 and the BlackBerries 7750,7250.

The blackBerry is the best to use with enterprise e-mail (Exchange). The Treo's have more gadgets on them that make them appeal to most users. Where the BlackBerry is no fuss e-mail, calander, and contacts and it works all the time.

 

Pat,
First, sorry i fell off the face of the earth with your car. I was getting killed at work and it just slipped my mind. I still have dreams about the car though...

My little company actually doesn't have an enterprise server so I'm told. One of the guys here that has the blackberry is forced to leave his computer on and it redirects the email to him. As far as ease of use are they both pretty similar. Any ideas on reception?

 

I used the desktop redirection for a little while before we put in a full blown BlackBerry Enterprise Server and the desktop redirection worked very well only downside was that you need to leave your work PC on. The reception I get on the BB is much better then what I got with the Treo's (although I didn't have them as long). I would suppose it all depends on your cell provider and their coverage.

no worries on the car. It sold about a month ago and is now in the hands of the buyer.

 

i've been wrestling with this as well. a BB 7100 -vs- a T 650. i had a kyocera 6035 and now a kyocera 7135 - both palm smartphones.

i really wanted to dig the 7100, but i've decided as of yesterday to go with the 650.

i've got an investment in palm apps, the 7100 can't be used for bluetooth dial-up networking for my laptop when i'm travelling. i dig the camera. the screen is gorgeous. i'm not sold on the sure-type (or whatever it's called) BB technology.

the whole back-end for the BB was a downer for me. my company is tiny - we don't have an IT staff or an exchange server. i didn't want to spend ANOTHER $N per month to get hosted exchange. from what i can discern (the sellers were not very helpful) the non-enterprise BB setup is sub-optimal - this stuff is sold to M to L companies, not S companies.

looking forward to getting my 650 next week.

fwiw, ymmv.

doody.

 

I liked the way the Treo looked but for us and our network the BlackBerry just fit so well. You are right smaller companies usually don't run Exchange and then on top of it throw another server in the mix with a hefty software charge it can get expensive. Both are good phones it is just what fits the situation better.

 

Gents -

Want to upgrade my little basic Samsung phone. Have been doing a search on other site, and FChat. It seems Treo 650 seems the way to go. I just wanted to ask whether you thought there were any phones that have recently been introduced (or that will shortly come out) that IYO are better than the T650?

Some additional thoughts:

- Currently on the Verizon network. Good coverage in NYC. Can switch to Sprint if that is recommended, although I understand Verizon is actually a better network (at least in NYC)

- Understand the way to go is to get an unlimited data plan (I know Sprint has one; I assume Verizon does as well)

- I believe earlier 650's had issues with memory, and other small glitches, which have subsequently been fixed

- Currently using a BB at work. I like it, but phone capabilities are weak, so primarily use it for email. The T650 would be for PERSONAL use - syncing to my home computer, basic web browsing, basic PDA functions, etc. Won't be merging office and personal - will have two distinct units, expect will obviously use the T650 for the phone

Given the above, any different recommendations on phone. And any strong preferences on Verizon vs. Sprint.

Many thanks.

 

The treo650 has been quite buggy lately. Got one in at work, and I believe this is the fourth one we've had in just under a month. The current firmware has been acting up. This isn't to say you'll have the same problem. But it will flake out and just get into a cycling power mode where that's all it will do infinitely.

 

I've had a 650 since early July and love it. A few things, though.

BE CAREFUL what applications you load on these things. They're extremely sensitive to even slightly incompatible software and will randomly reset on you without warning. Read the Treo forums before you install anything.

It does NOT natively play MP3s as ringtones. You need a $10 program for that. I bought a program and still have a problem registering it.

They are a weird/odd size and takes some getting used to, especially if you came from a Razr like I did.

You'll need a special mono --> stereo headphone adapter if you want to use it as an MP3 player. No biggie. I got one at Radio Shack for $3 and listen to Podcasts on it on my flights. I bought a 1 gb SD card from Staples for like $80 and it holds a lot of music.

AIM/MSN Messenger and ICQ needs a payware program (unlike the Blackberrys). I paid $20 for Mundu and, although it works fine, its presence has caused some soft resets on me. Came in handy when I was stranded at DFW a few weeks back.

The web is true HTML and it will run Java. Big plus.

You can use MS Word/Excel/PP on this thing with a program called Documents To Go. I couldn't find a compatible prog for the BB.

Otherwise, like the previous poster said, it's like a mini computer. You can even play movies on it.

I had a BB 7100t for about three days before I took it back. These have known issues with a weak antenna. Plus I HATE, HATE, HATE the keyboard on that thing. Typing weird passwords and such was a pain in the ass because it always wanted to try and "recognize" the word I was typing. Great screen, though. Excellent bluetooth product and has AIM/MSN/ICQ built right in. I like the hotsync capabilities of the 650 and the fact I can mirror my calendar, contact and other info on my PC.

If you have a REAL digi camera, you'll quickly realize the one on the 650 sucks. It's good in a pinch, though, when you have no other alternative. I use it for taking pix of contacts when I get their numbers.

The 650 still has the "ooh-aaah" factor from passers by. Pretty cool when people go "what is THAT??"

The only other phone I would consider is that new Samsung PDA Verizon offers. It's pretty dope.

RMX

 

Schatten / RMX -

Thanks for the superfast responses. Couple of follow-ups:

- I assume no issues with syncing to my home Outlook, which is currently connected via TimeWarner cable (I'm going to call Verizon to reconfirm as well)??

- Can the T650 work internationally?

- It seems that most of the add-on programs can be bought for 'one time' purchase fees ($10 - $20), as opposed to monthly fees for use. Would you agree?

- What Treo forums would you recommend?

- What are your typical montly plan costs for unlimited data?

 

I don't use Outlook for my main email. I use Google mail for most business correspondence and I can access it via the web on the T65. Palm bundles a product called VersaMail which can be set up to retrieve email, but a lot of folks have problems with it. Most use Snapper Mail which seems to be working for the majority.

http://www.snappermail.com/wireless/email/

I think you need an unlocked 65 to use it out of the country. Check with VZN.

The only app I've found which requires a monthly or annual fee is VersiChat. I needed an AIM client so I went with Mindu which was one fee for that app and that's it.

http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&prodid=107188&PartnerREF=&siteid=1

As far as Treo forums:
http://discussion.treocentral.com/index.php?
http://mytreo.net/

Another one...

http://blog.treonauts.com/

I pay $109/mo or something like that for 1300 voice and unlimited data minutes.

BTW, check this out. Slick stuff:
http://www.mobitv.com/

Hope this helped.

RMX

 

Thanks for all the thoughts - have placed an order with Verizon for one. Needed to go with VZN because it is what is currently supported by the firm.

Knowing my luck, watch the 670 get released by the end of the year - LOL!

 

Treo user here, I think JPtyke, noahlh and plenty of my east coast compatriots will agree that the treo has more apps you can use and buy for it. the blackberry is nice, cameras on the treo blow, but i go with the palm os. i had a kyocera 6035, been hooked on the palmos since then, find way more tools for it than the blackberry. treos are buggy at times like windows, but it is FAR easier to wipe and restore palmos than the blackberry.

many of my friends have one or the other, but the palm has a slight edge.

watch www.phonescoop.com for upcoming phones.

edit: VZN has WAY better service and call quality as cdma. not international roaming, that is the tradeoff

 

Running a Treo 650 on Cingular since they came out.

Both Blackberry and Treo SUCK as telephones. Treo features far outweigh BB's. I have both enterprise server (work) and email (home email via ISP) setup on the Treo. It works internationally. It has Bluetooth (not all BBs will support Bluetooth).

Keyboard is better on BB, but I bought a little foldup infrared keyboard and hardly carry my laptop on business trips anymore. Generally pleased.