Email options

[Guest kittyv]

I have a Blackberry 7210 which I originally got through AT&T to use as my phone and to receive email. I liked it for email but not so much as a phone. I am now looking to change devices and am wondering about non-Blackberry options.

The things I didn't like about the Blackberry were (1) large size as a phone and (2) the fact you had to take it out of the holster to be able to see the screen. Also, the fact that it lacked a lot of bells and whistles.

So, I got rid of the phone service and got a stand alone Bluetooth camera phone with AT&T. What I really wanted was to have a share plan for the 2 phone numbers so I could share minutes between them but the share plan was not available for the Blackberry.

Now, it is a year later. I like my small phone but I find I have too many devices. I would like to combine 2 of them if possible and the most likely way to do it would be to combine the phone and email functions. Someday I would like to combine the phone, email and PDA but have not found anything yet that will work well.

At this point, I can get a different Blackberry with Cingular or with a different provider. I don't know if there is anything else available other than a Blackberry that will do it what it does with email. I could also get a different devise with Cingular or Verizon (where we already have accounts) or with some other provider as well.

Here is what I have now and what I like and don't like about it.:

1. Blackberry 7210 - Used for email only. Don't like large size for phone or fact you have to take it out of the holster to see the screen.

2. Cell phone - Bluetooth camera phone, color screen. I love the bells and whistles. I can get email on it but I have to go and get the email and it is slow and tedious. I like the idea of playing games on it but it is slow so it usually isn't worthwhile.

3. Notebook computer (Vaio) -- I have the Novatel EVDO care with it (from Verizon) so can get email and internet access at broadband speed. I absolutely love this. However, when I am in a meeting the Blackberry is better because I just pull it out and glance at the screen to see the email I've received. I can use the Blackberry places where it is not practical to use the notebook. I can't pull out the notebook computer, fire it up and then go get email and wait for it to show up.

4. Dell Axim -- This is wireless bluetooth. What I really like is the VGA screen and that it has both a compact flash and secure digital slot. If it would just get email, things would be great. Alas, it needs either a wireless network or to use a cellphone as a modem to get email, neither of which is practical.

What I would like:

1. Email receipt like on my current Blackberry. Must be able to read attachments.

2. Combined with a bluetooth cell phone.

3. Relatively small size.

4. EVDO would be nice but not absolutely essential.

Features that would be nice:

1. Ability to view screen and read email without removing from holster (or one that doesn't need a holster at all)

2. Internet access -- By internet access I mean access to "regular" internet sites not the WAP stuff. If I had this I would ideally like this to be EVDO access.

Is there any non-Blackberry that can do this?

[Guest Confucious]

Nothing touches the blackberry for email - terrible as phones but brilliant as email devices.

[Guest kittyv]

Nothing touches the blackberry for email - terrible as phones but brilliant as email devices.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, is there nothing else that will get mail in the same way?

A few years ago I had a Motorola Talkabout which got mail in the same way as a Blackberry (this was through Earthlink). I liked the design better (a clamshell type) although the screen was not as large and, of course, there was no phone.

On my current phone, I can get email but it is a pain in that you have to essentially go to a web page to view it.

[Guest Confucious]

So, is there nothing else that will get mail in the same way?

A few years ago I had a Motorola Talkabout which got mail in the same way as a Blackberry (this was through Earthlink).  I liked the design better (a clamshell type) although the screen was not as large and, of course, there was no phone.

On my current phone, I can get email but it is a pain in that you have to essentially go to a web page to view it.

The SMT5600 can pull email - you can set it to check your POP3 email but only one account at a time, you don't have to go to a web page to view it (although you can if you want to)

If you just have the occasional email that's fine but it doesn't have a full keyboard (it's a phone) nor the fully integrated push email of the blackberry.

I use my C500 (the UK version of the 5600) for email and it's fine, just nowhere near as good as a blackbrry if email is your main priority.

It's a cracking phone though. ;)

[Guest kittyv]

The SMT5600 can pull email - you can set it to check your POP3 email but only one account at a time, you don't have to go to a web page to view it (although you can if you want to)

If you just have the occasional email that's fine but it doesn't have a full keyboard (it's a phone) nor the fully integrated push email of the blackberry.

I use my C500 (the UK version of the 5600) for email and it's fine, just nowhere near as good as a blackbrry if email is your main priority.

It's a cracking phone though. ;)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not familiar with the SMT5600. What brand? I could get around the checking one account at a time by having my other accounts forward to the account that it checks.

Thanks.

[Guest Confucious]

I'm not familiar with the SMT5600.  What brand? I could get around the checking one account at a time by having my other accounts forward to the account that it checks. 

Thanks.

The Audiovox SMT5600 is the HTC Typhoon. It is available in the USA on Cingular.

[Guest JBW]

The exchange active Sync available in WM 5 (and the new exchange service pack) is wonderful if you just want to keep up to date with corporate emails that are being sent to you (you can also reply, but while T9 is great it can't compete with a true keyboard). It's also able to pull from a pop account but that isn't as spiffy.

Unfortunately no EV-DO in the C500/5600/typhoon as it is a GSM (and thus gprs) based phone instead of CDMA. It does have pretty nice bluetooth support and is great for piggy backing a wireless connection to a handheld (PocketPC or whatever) or laptop.

~JBW

Edited May 31, 2005 by JBW

[Guest kmattoo]

I would suggest the Treo 650. With SnapperMail, you can d/l multiple email accounts at the same time. You do need to set it to check your email however often (the more often it checks, the more data is being used. of course if you have an unlimited data account it shouldn't matter).

[Guest Confucious]

I forgot about thr Treo 650. Here in Europe it has had some very bad reviews and is very unpopular but in the USA it is very popular. I'm not sure why but as you are in the USA it is probably worth checking out.