IGX

Any of you ninjas use a non-blackberry as a business smart-phone? I get and reply to dozens of emails and texts from customers throughout the day and for that, I do like the blackberry keyboard. Can't imagine using a touch screen for all that messaging, but, BB is painfully behind the others for apps, and when our POS system gets the mobile add-on, surely BB will be the last to get the app, just as it is with everything else.

If you have nimble fingers, the touch keyboard on the iPhone, especially in conjunction with auto-correct (when it works) is easy enough to use. The first day the results were hilariously surreal, but you adapt.

bigpeach wrote:Any of you ninjas use a non-blackberry as a business smart-phone? I get and reply to dozens of emails and texts from customers throughout the day and for that, I do like the blackberry keyboard. Can't imagine using a touch screen for all that messaging, but, BB is painfully behind the others for apps, and when our POS system gets the mobile add-on, surely BB will be the last to get the app, just as it is with everything else.

I message less than you do and I've never seen an app on another platform that Blackberry doesn't have that would make me give up the Blackberry keyboard and message app. An Android phone with a keyboard might be an option, but even Apple's virtual keyboard sucks compared to a Blackberry's physical keyboard.

WildGorillaMan wrote:If you have nimble fingers, the touch keyboard on the iPhone, especially in conjunction with auto-correct (when it works) is easy enough to use. The first day the results were hilariously surreal, but you adapt.

This with the caveat that the phone is still best for those quick, two-minute emails - anything longer or more in-depth feels better on a physical keyboard to me.

Terry B. wrote:

WildGorillaMan wrote:If you have nimble fingers, the touch keyboard on the iPhone, especially in conjunction with auto-correct (when it works) is easy enough to use. The first day the results were hilariously surreal, but you adapt.

This with the caveat that the phone is still best for those quick, two-minute emails - anything longer or more in-depth feels better on a physical keyboard to me.

Well, yeah. But who writes full reports from their phone?

Samsung Galaxy Note is the bomb especially for work. Makes my day easier. I snap a picture, write instructions on the picture and send it off.

Pinky wrote:

bigpeach wrote:Any of you ninjas use a non-blackberry as a business smart-phone? I get and reply to dozens of emails and texts from customers throughout the day and for that, I do like the blackberry keyboard. Can't imagine using a touch screen for all that messaging, but, BB is painfully behind the others for apps, and when our POS system gets the mobile add-on, surely BB will be the last to get the app, just as it is with everything else.

I message less than you do and I've never seen an app on another platform that Blackberry doesn't have that would make me give up the Blackberry keyboard and message app. An Android phone with a keyboard might be an option, but even Apple's virtual keyboard sucks compared to a Blackberry's physical keyboard.

Agreed. Only thing I really want in a phone...email, keyboard, browser, Google maps, and calculator. You can dominate the world with those things. I'm not sure what other apps I would even want. That's why I'm sticking with the BB even if it's going out of style.

Re: Apps
A good Business card reader helps a lot. Snap a photo of it and the phone loads all the info and puts it in the proper catagory.
And a spam call blocker like Mr. Numbers.

There are currently a ton of different virtual keyboard options on Android, you can literally pick the one that works best for you.

Swype, swiftkey, Smart Keyboard Pro...

My son and daughter both had non smart phones with a slideout qwerty keyboard, at Christmas I got them each a Galaxy S II. Each kid uses a different keyboard program, and each one will say they are way faster on the new one versus the old slider.

Some reading
best android keyboard apps
15 best android keyboard apps
5 best alternative android keyboard
Blog - best android keyboard

Edited to add, I use a Droid 3 as my business phone. It has a sliding keyboard which is OK. I do texts 3 ways, with the slider keyboard, especially if texting a conversation, with the touch screen for quickies, or the voice to text, which actually works remarkably well.

For business, I picked that phone as my employer uses Verizon, and I also had to have a global phone. It sucks hairy donkey balls that Verizon still does not have a 4G phone that is also a global phone. If I did not have to have a global phone, I'd go with the Droid Razer maxx (the thicker one with the larger battery).

WildGorillaMan wrote:

Terry B. wrote:

WildGorillaMan wrote:If you have nimble fingers, the touch keyboard on the iPhone, especially in conjunction with auto-correct (when it works) is easy enough to use. The first day the results were hilariously surreal, but you adapt.

This with the caveat that the phone is still best for those quick, two-minute emails - anything longer or more in-depth feels better on a physical keyboard to me.

Well, yeah. But who writes full reports from their phone?

Most of my shit is 1-2 sentences. But, 5-10 messages at a time in between appointments. So, 5-20 sentences at a time, every 60-90 minutes. I resist technological change, though I was on facebook in late 2006, so I guess I'm sometimes ahead of the masses.

j-cubed wrote: Edited to add, I use a Droid 3 as my business phone. It has a sliding keyboard which is OK. I do texts 3 ways, with the slider keyboard, especially if texting a conversation, with the touch screen for quickies, or the voice to text, which actually works remarkably well.

For business, I picked that phone as my employer uses Verizon, and I also had to have a global phone. It sucks hairy donkey balls that Verizon still does not have a 4G phone that is also a global phone. If I did not have to have a global phone, I'd go with the Droid Razer maxx (the thicker one with the larger battery).

This sliding keyboard Droid interests me. No doubt Sprint has nothing of the sort. That's the trade-off with their awesome unlimited everything rates.
Razr has a great history. Wonder if the new one will make such a splash as the original did.

I don't recall the roadmap for their rollout offhand, but Samsung's Pro line with physical keyboards, and very clearly designed to eat Blackberry's lunch are supposed to come out this year.

If you are on Sprint, look at the EVO. Its basically an Android iphone.

iPhone. I had one of the originals, then moved to droid about a year ago, and deeply, deeply regret that move every time I have to deal with corporate email. As much as I hate Apple the company, I'll be moving back to an iPhone when my contract on this piece of shit droid expires.