Blackberry vs Palm etc How to choose?

[WestinsMom]

Okay, so I really want a pda phone. I have a pda now that I use but I basically use it as a calendar and calculator. The problem being that I don't use it often enough to really keep reminded of my appointments. If it was also my phone, I would look at it all the time, hence knowing when my appointments are.

My cell phone is my only phone, we don't use a land line anymore. My current Nextel plan has free incoming and mobile to mobile (so I can talk to dh). We can't get Sprint signal at our house and I would like to stay in the Sprint/Nextel family. The only phone Nextel offers is a blackberry. I am hoping Sprint expands their towers and I get coverage from them soon.

I am not in a hurry, just "want one". I am anxious to be able to use it with the proposed parent monitor for the cgms when it comes available. Should I wait and see what the sprint service will do? Should I go with a blackberry or palm or even windows based (I think)? Do I need to wait to see how the parent monitor works or will it work with all? I just don't know anything about this stuff. What about service for it? Am I gonna need an expensive plan added to my current plan? Anyone with experience and knowledge, help!

[CJ's Mom]

I'm not familiar with the parent monitors so I can't help you there. I've had a BB Pearl since last June and just bought CJ a BB Curve. Both phones have the same functions including camera phones, but I like the larger Curve with the QWERTY keypad better. They both perform fine, haven't had problems with either one. We each have 2GB memory cards in ours to store photos, music, etc. We download a lot of family photos from the PC and they sync with MS Outlook. Both have bluetooth, we send files back and forth and occasionally use a headset. Also syncs to my laptop via bluetooth.

The BB plan that is on my phone includes unlimited internet, PTT, E-mail (I have my personal email pushed to my BB), 1500 text and/or multimedia messages and is an additional $39.99/month. I really like having the internet to pull up weather maps during severe weather and accessing CWD when I need a fix. There is also TeleNav maps but we never use it, I usually know where I'm going.

The signal we get with the BB is better than any other phone we've had. CJ just got a Razr for CHristmas and let a friend use it, friend dropped it and broke. In school he couldn't get a signal with the Razr but he can with the BB, he texts me his BG and lets me know if he's not feeling well, etc. If CJ wasn't D he would have gotten a cheap replacement.

I've never used a Palm but would get another BB in a heartbeat.

[momtojess]

I think you should look into verizon.. or atleast get unlimited text, so i can stop running up my minutes!..:D

Sorry no advice on which is better.. but I want one too, but it wont be till next summer.

[CJ's Mom]

I should have added, we're with at&t. They were really great when I explained to them that CJ's phone was busted (showed it to them at the store), Cj was D and he had to have a phone. They did some calling and we ended up not having to pay full price but an upgrade price with a rebate!

[Kaylee's Mommy]

I have a BB pearl and LOVE it.. I haven't figured out all the features yet.. but the internet really came in handy back in March!!:) I got the BB in hopes of the software that will come out (really that was just my excuse;) ) for the cgms. I live in the sticks, I travel to work at night through the sticks.. I never had great service and through half of my trip had NO signal.. now with my BB I can get a signal almost the entire way.. I can pick up signals where others can't.. my mom has verizon (I'll never ever use verizon again..) and has horrible signals but mine come through strong (we live 10minutes from each other..) I have sprint and love their service.. customer service has been great.. we also pay $39.99 a month for all the BB 'extras'.

[stony.broken]

lol, this has nothing to do with diabetes! Anyway, good advice here but I would strongly suggest that you go to a store where they carry a bunch of pdas and try them out for yourself. I can't really comment on carriers, I've only used AT&T, who is ok. Anyway I was in the same position as you a few months ago and tried out a bunch...but I wound up with an iphone! Anyway, happy shopping.

[kkuncl]

I don't really know anything about the CGM parent monitor, but I will tell you that I have an iphone and it is AMAZING!!!!!!! The best part is the safari browser and the wifi, so I can jump on calorieking.com whereever we are quickly and figure out carb counts!! Nevermind I watch movies on my iphone in all the places that I sit and watch/wait for my kids.

Happy shopping. Once you go to a pda phone you will never go back!!

[WestinsMom]

I should say that what I know about the supposed parent monitor that will be releases at some point is through my old MM rep. It is yet to see the light of day.

[frizzyrazzy]

Just a word of caution - I had a palm treo (loved it really) but HATED it as a phone. So finally after 2 years I have traded it in. I still use it for the palm aspects (and I would really recommend only Palm OS not the windows OS) but I got another cell phone for everyday use.

But I have the USDA database downloaded, the calorie king downloaded, and I find it very handy to have all that info on the palm when we're out and about. (especially the usda)

[Bsbllmom]

I have a BB Pearl and love it. I downloaded the Opera Mini web browser so the web pages show up like they do on the computer. I use my calendar on it also and I have the theme set up so my appointments show up on the home screen at all times. I like the fact that I can go to Calorie King at anytime if I forget my book. But like a pp said you look at different options before you buy.

[deafmack]

I just upgraded to a Sidekick LX today at a the ASL Expo. I got the Blue one. It has a nice large screen and I can go onto Calorieking and look up foods if they are not on my Track 3. Also the screen is nice and bright. I looked at the Blackberry Curve 8330 but thought the screen was awfully dark. Maybe it was just me. I am use to the sidekick as well. I think whichever phone you decide on will be the right one for you.

[selketine]

I cannot believe it is the 2nd page of the thread and no one had said Iphone. I have one and just love it. I keep my calendar on outlook and it syncs with that (so I can have it on both my computer and the phone). Of course it has those great features of having an internet browser you can use anywhere (price included in your data plan) and it is an ipod so you can carry all the stuff from itunes (podcasts, audiobooks, tv shows, rental movies, and music). I can check email and write email. You can watch youtube vidieos. It cooks dinner.


If you live near an apple store they often have iphone classes - you can go and take a look at the features.

[WestinsMom]

Unfortunately there isn't much coverage for AT&T here :( We currently have Nextel which we have amazing coverage with. We use a Sprint Broadband card for our highspeed internet as we don't have any dsl or cable options. To get a good speed on our Sprint card we use an amp...now I wish we would have did a whole house amp. I am leaning towards trying a Sprint phone and returning it if it doesn't work. Probably the Curve. I read online about the new BB9000 that will be coming out, but god knows when it will get to Sprint.