I started using a BlackBerry about three weeks ago and I thought I should write about my little experience considering I am a Droid.

Lets get started.

The Good

The BlackBerry Messenger  (BBM): This is like an underground Facebook. A social network built around chatting. The impressive thing is the amount of coordination that can be done with it. Creating instant group chat, sharing documents, pictures and voice on the go etc. It is exactly what you would expect from the guys at Yahoo! if we knew what they were doing with the messenger.

The Keyboard: Although it took me a little while to get used to it, I would say is it pretty damn good. I still wonder how I am able to type so fast with such tiny keys. It is very impressive

The Bad:

BBM Username /PIN is tied to  the device: I do not know weather to consider this stupid, dumb or a mistake.  Just imagine if you had to change your phone number anytime you got a new phone. That is exactly what this is. I am still trying to understand the logic behind this decision.

The Cost of usage: Not to be harsh, the only reason I (and many others) use a BB is because of the messenger. This therefore makes the BBM the most expensive social network the world as it costs  $35 every month. Did I mention you would have to spend at last $400 in getting the device in the first place?

The Damn Ugly:

The BB OS: My friend Dewole has a good quote that best describes the BB OS

Writing apps for the BlackBerry is like a dark art, if you do not belong, you do not belong.

If you  cannot play Angry Birds on your phone, just know the OS is crap. Simples!

The BB App Marketplace: If the Apple app marketplace is Wal-Mart, and the Android market place is your local TESCO, the BlackBerry app market is Onitsha. It is really ugly.

Overall, I would say the only saving grace of the BB (in Nigeria) is the messenger and the fact that all four GSM carriers are pushing it relentlessly.

My final verdict: In the smartphone league, the BlackBerry plays division 2. In this mobile era, it is all about the apps baby!

11 thoughts on “My BlackBerry: The Good, The Bad and The Damn Ugly!

  1. Brotherly Android is clearly the way to go.
    I’ve always been a Nokia fanboy but they’re not keeping up very well with smartphones.

    BTW: Are u sure BB does voice?

  2. Brotherly Android is clearly the way to go.
    I’ve always been a Nokia fanboy but they’re not keeping up very well with smartphones.

    BTW: Are u sure BB does voice?

  3. You forgot one very important feature with Blackberry subscriptions in Naija: Unlimited Internet!! I think that is what does it for most people. Ubiquitous access to the Internet. I know a lot of people who do all sorts of chat and a great deal of web browsing on that little device. I used to tether mine to my Mac and had stupendous bandwidth until MTN changed the settings.

  4. Your BB ID isn’t tied to ur device’s pin…that’s sooo wrong..u shud read up b4 making such claims…and I got my iphone when I had a BB 8700g (google it)…side by side, both with data plans, I still used the BB more..(I insist u google it)…3 BBs later…aint noin changed…:)
    As 4 android, we all love the underdog status and the open source(ness) but what exactly does the android do better than an iPhone or a BB?
    And apps? What apps do u use daily on ios or android that u can’t find on BBs? Besides the my-phone-can-do-this-urs-cant apps that u don’t use? (Note: I don’t play games on phones, d 4 or so screens worth I have on the iphone r there 4 my niece & nephews) 🙂

    ***funny how I could post this on the iphone & had 2 use a BB…lol

    1. firstly, why would u want to change ur pin when all contacts and subscriptions are auto transferred seamlessly to ur new device the moment u put ur bis provisioned sim into the new device? the contacts dont even notice that ur pin changed…neither do u have to re-add peops or anything….just transfer ur sim and that’s it…Ur BB ID (google that 🙂 which is tied to ur account is managed on d site provided by ur network…same site u check ur mail settings…:)…that said, u can physically swap pins…but that’s illegal in some countries…so google (again) 🙂

  5. Lol, I see you love Angry Birds as well…
    I’m an iOS all the way gal myself and I still don’t get the BB. I’ve been told it’s a Naija thing, so I guess you’re all right…

  6. Lol. I had to switch to a Droid after the unpleasant experience of having three distinct blackberry pins anytime I changed my BB. I was like, I’m not having any of this anymore please! I wasn’t aware of any means of retaining your pin after switching BBs. Is this possible? Anyone in the house that knows how should please share.

    Anyway, currently rocking my droid and loving it!!

  7. Actually, you don’t move your PIN from one device to the other – but everything moves with you. I’ve had 2 BB devices, and I’ve never had to re-add my contacts. The only thing you do is to authorize an email address to your current device PIN. Once you change devices and register that email addresses, all the BBM contacts from your old device are transferred. And your PIN is changed on their devices, so they never know what happened.
    Of course, there are bugs to this and sometimes it doesn’t work as advertised, but that’s the general idea.

    For me, the biggest issues with the BB are – the form factor (it’s just oogly), the screen (small, dull), the slow and buggy OS and the browser. Opera 5 is a breath of fresh air, but that OS is just a pain.

    Of course, when I can buy unlimited internet for any phone, that’s the end of my BB adventure.

  8. I agree that the BB OS is not impressive. I really like my BB curve, but when I compare the hype I got from my brother to the actual device…it doesn’t stack up at all. The apps are decent but the iPhone does apps a whole lot better. It helps that my plan is relatively inexpensive.

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