Didn't think I'd really leave BB

[BitPusher2600]

Just saying howdy folks.
I finally deactivated my BlackBerry (a Bold 9900), and switched carriers to Sprint and got this Ativ Neo. I've very briefly toyed with a Windows Phone before but couldn't leave BlackBerry. There are several years of loyalty there, and I'm one of those goofs that see my smartphone as something far more important to me than "just a phone" as I use my device to manage alot of my adult life (such as bills, budget, etc etc.) Games are extremely low on my priority list. At any rate, my switch was prompted by two things; one, BlackBerry desperately trying to sell the company, and two, the vacation I took recently.

I live about three hours from my family, the few alive anyway live in WV. Well, my ever loyal BlackBerry was on a T-Mobile MVNO called Simple Mobile. As it turns out, there was zero service anywhere down that direction, and when I say zero, I meant zero. Cannot make a phone call, nothing. Sprint is big down there, my whole family is with them so a couple days in I found myself in a Sprint store looking at their Windows Phones. I have my own reasons why I won't consider an Android or iPhone ever, so those options were never on the table anyway. I probably stood in that store for an hour or so picking up and putting down those Windows Phones and then staring at my beloved Berry. I hated not having any service but it was a h*ll of a mental debate.

I will always love and dearly miss BlackBerry, after relying on and trusting a platform and brand for so long. Still, I don't see a bright future for them since its extremely likely they'll be exiting the handset business in the next year anyway. Between what's left, I would much sooner back Microsoft.

Just thought I'd share a little of my story here.
As for this device, It does make me crazy that my typing speed has been cut from around 70wpm to about 30 (measured using King Typist on BB and TextTextRevolution on WP.) I love writing and write alot to be sure (I have even written and published a book that was done entirely on a BlackBerry, a Bold 9650 at the time), but how does one ever get any real speed with a virtual keyboard? Other than the typing aspect, I don't completely regret my change because Windows Phone is beautiful and Samsung seems preferable over Nokia to me only because the Ativ Neo gives the options I'm used to and every device 'should' have in the first place, like a changeable battery and expandable storage.

I realize there are hardly any of you who could give one d*mn about some stranger's story but I just wanted to share anyway and suggest to anyone on the fence about the Ativ S Neo that it is a beautiful device. It's fast and fluid for me and is a great user experience. I'm not one who uses much in the way of social networking, but for anyone who's personal usage leans more towards productive use than entertainment, the Ativ Neo is fantastic. Battery life has been quite acceptable too

Cheers folks.

 

[12Danny123]

welcome man!! I loved BB when I was younger. last one was the Bold 9900. last year was when I came to WP haven't looked back since.

 

[Lucidlore]

Your story is actually quite common. BB's loss is WP's gain. Welcome.

 

[snowmutt]

Are ya kidding?? We here at WPC LIVE for these kind of stories. Glad you considered the Neo.

Just as a couple side notes: I desperatly miss my keyboards. I still make more mistakes and move slower on a virtual board. You are not alone there.

Also, BB's troubles kill me. I do not know if you tried BB10, but it was fantastic. Loved the gesture based UI. Loved the way the keyboard worked, loved the unique set up. At the time, I was thinking this could get me back to BB if they just showed dedication to their platform.

2 months later, they nailed up "Yard Sale" signs up in front of their corporate offices. Makes me bummed.

But, WP is really good, and I do enjoy it. Glad you are here. Give us an update how you like Sammy's top effort in the states...

 

[Laura Knotek]

I remember you from CrackBerry. :smile: Welcome to the world of Windows Phone and WPCentral.

I'm also an ex-BlackBerry user. I left last year. I'm able to type just as fast and accurately as I did on my 9700, but I've had ~1.5 years practice. I'm sure that you will adjust to the Windows Phone virtual keyboard and be typing up to speed in no time.

 

[christenmartin]

I have the same story. I can type just as fast with a virtual key board but I never could type that fast period. The blackberry thing friggin drives me nuts because I really like their new OS. The problem is the lackluster effort. I would hear that the new phone was a failure 2 months after it was Launched. What the heJJ? There did not seem to be much of a commitment from BB for the last couple of years. Sucks I think they would have been fine if they would stick with it and slowly grow but that does not seem to be the objective. Also, a physical key board is bad ***. Just saying.

 

[BitPusher2600]

Hey thanks folks. I suppose it may be a common story around here; BlackBerry folks switching over. I just really have an emotional thing going on about it all because BlackBerry was really important to me, whether its ridiculous or not is neither here nor there. I wish sincerely things could've gone differently. Being that I can see what's coming and what has happened thus far, you eventually have to accept it. Though loyalties aren't as deep in the present day comparatively speaking, I am a big fan of Microsoft and because of my disdain for Google, I was already tied into their ecosystem pretty well pre-WinPhone (desktop OS, email service, Xbox.) Windows Phone is a somewhat natural fit anyway. It does feel odd to rely now on something else but I am getting comfortable and even a little attached to this device. All the little things in Metro are truly a pleasure to look at. Very very efficient daily driver. I kind of wish I could've supported MS a little better by getting a Nokia as they own it now but I rather like to stick to some old BB habits, like having a spare battery on call

And howdy Laura, its good to see some fellow CrackBerry followers. By the by, do you suppose its easier to get some decent speed (for longer writing) in portrait or landscape? I've been using landscape since it makes the keys a bit bigger.

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

Former CrackBerry here too. You may remember me as "Paladinleeds". Anyways welcome to WP. Wish I still had my Nokia though, but warranty repairs galore meant it had to go

 

[cckgz4]

I understand the "emotional" tie to a device. It's how I felt about Windows Phone when I got the HD7. I liked it sooo much but the ecosystem was sorely lacking. Now, their ish is together, and I'm happy

 

[GReeN SCoRPioN 8K]

I kind of wish I could've supported MS a little better by getting a Nokia as they own it now but I rather like to stick to some old BB habits, like having a spare battery on call

First: Welcome to WPCentral also from me! I Support Blackberry at Work (also use one as Corporate Device) and also don't like Whats Happening but i think there Path is set and no one can Really help them coming back into Smartphone Buisness as a Big Player again! :-(

You could also use a Nokia with SD Card Support and Changeable Battery like the Lumia 810, 820, 822, 520, 521, 625 or 620 if you want a Nokia/MS Lumia Device.

 

[BitPusher2600]

Thank you. I tell you this, I would flip for a keyboarded WP. Anyway, I am a Sprint customer, so there's no Nokia option for me. That, and of course being on a contract, if I'm going to be tied for two years I won't accept less than a top tier device, and for my choices, the Ativ S Neo is superior to the HTC device Sprint is presently offering.

I sincerely miss BB because after relying daily on their OS for several years, something different changes the routine, doesn't quite feel like home. But I'm starting to fall for it so I suppose it eventually will

 

[fatclue_98]

Welcome to the most civil forum in existence. I was a BB man myself, a 9900 like you. It was my first stop after my beloved webOS went into Sir Thomas Crapper's lovely invention. My first device was the Dell Venue Pro because of the portrait kb, but after some time I saw that I was using the virtual kb more and more. The predictive text is awesome and it's gotten to the point that I only type first letter of a word and my selection is there waiting for me. For short texts and emails, you can't beat the speech-to-text. These little tips may not improve your typing speed but they'll make you more efficient time-wise.

 

[_Emi_]

Wow this is a big change! congratulations.

it sounds hard to say if your speed on keyboard from BB to a WP virtual keyboard will be the same. for example my dad has a Bold 9700, and when I use it, I feel like its so weird to type on it. for you Im sure it would be fast, but for me nope.
and what I mean its... if you see my sister typing on her Lumia 800 phone, you would see in not a big screen, she can manage to type soo fast! so Im sure with time you will be able to type faster and faster.

I don't even know how my dad on his BB phone can manage to type with such small keyboard, she he has fat fingers. but he is hoping to get a new phone soon, it seems he doesn't like much BB, especially since he doesn't have BIS/BES or that stuff, so he never managed to get email on his phone and stuff like that that should be easy. I installed logicmail and it works fairly good, but you know, its not the best experience.

anyway! congratulations, and I hope you stay with WP for long time. I mean, if you were with BB like the 9900 for so long, Im sure you will like WP more, not only because you will get more apps, gosh, I even little apps like a controller for MediaPortal was easy to find but for my dads BB bold nope, not a chance. even if you don't need many apps still you will find more functionality on WP. I wish I could find more things for my dad's phone but it seems its not an easy task most of the time.

so anyway! take care and enjoy your WP experience. its nice you wanted to choose it and not android or iphone btw! sometimes people reject windows phone based on "windows" name or "Microsoft" and they don't see WP is a really good platform, with pros and cons like any other thing, but surely is a good OS that will improve soon with wp8.1.
if its only the keyboard typing speed that is your "concern" well im sure it will improve overtime until you don't notice any slow in your typing. its not like BB keyboard was the best thing either, it was "comfortable" just like any real keyboard since you can feel it. but it doesn't mean WP keyboard wont be as fast as BB was!

 

[rdubmu]

I am also a person who came from Blackberry 2005-2009. (3 devices).



I find that I can type faster now on my Lumia 920 than my old blackberry. You need to trust autocorrect and if it doesn't make the right word, simply click on the word and other choices will be available. Also most of the time it will correct the word. Good luck and congrads on your purchase.



On my BB8120, I could type without looking on the screen. Because it had a sure type keyboard, I found that the switch to apple iPhone 3gs and then later on (HTC HD7, HTC Titan 2, and now Nokia Lumia 920, I can utilize the autocorrect. Most of the time I don't look at the screen. I would never go back to a physical keyboard.


Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Tapatalk

 

[Ian Too]

"I realize there are hardly any of you who could give one d*mn about some stranger's story but I just wanted to share anyway"

Let me add to the welcome you've already received BitPusher and assure you that yes, we are interested and understand the emotional attachment you can develop with a device. All of my PCs and old phones go to good homes; they're never just sold on eBay.

As for the demise of BB, it makes me sad that another secure platform has met its demise at the Google and its Android juggernaut.

 

[fatclue_98]

Wow this is a big change! congratulations.

it sounds hard to say if your speed on keyboard from BB to a WP virtual keyboard will be the same. for example my dad has a Bold 9700, and when I use it, I feel like its so weird to type on it. for you Im sure it would be fast, but for me nope.
and what I mean its... if you see my sister typing on her Lumia 800 phone, you would see in not a big screen, she can manage to type soo fast! so Im sure with time you will be able to type faster and faster.

I don't even know how my dad on his BB phone can manage to type with such small keyboard, she he has fat fingers. but he is hoping to get a new phone soon, it seems he doesn't like much BB, especially since he doesn't have BIS/BES or that stuff, so he never managed to get email on his phone and stuff like that that should be easy. I installed logicmail and it works fairly good, but you know, its not the best experience.

anyway! congratulations, and I hope you stay with WP for long time. I mean, if you were with BB like the 9900 for so long, Im sure you will like WP more, not only because you will get more apps, gosh, I even little apps like a controller for MediaPortal was easy to find but for my dads BB bold nope, not a chance. even if you don't need many apps still you will find more functionality on WP. I wish I could find more things for my dad's phone but it seems its not an easy task most of the time.

so anyway! take care and enjoy your WP experience. its nice you wanted to choose it and not android or iphone btw! sometimes people reject windows phone based on "windows" name or "Microsoft" and they don't see WP is a really good platform, with pros and cons like any other thing, but surely is a good OS that will improve soon with wp8.1.
if its only the keyboard typing speed that is your "concern" well im sure it will improve overtime until you don't notice any slow in your typing. its not like BB keyboard was the best thing either, it was "comfortable" just like any real keyboard since you can feel it. but it doesn't mean WP keyboard wont be as fast as BB was!

You might want to edit your post before your dad sees that "she has fat fingers". Hope she doesn't have a fat right foot.