Question for bb switchers

[pastornordel]

Coming from bb, and considering a windows phone, I'd like to hear from others that have made this switch. Im a heavy email user and have used bb exclusively and would be curious if i would find contact management and composing a big disappointment in wp.

 

[12Danny123]

I was a former BB user in 2010 and I really think Wp is the best OS there. It's very smooth and it doesn't have one problem for my phone. But since Wp8 is coming out I really think you should wait. you'll be shocked how much Wp8 has changed from wp7. but if you want a cheap Wp then get a Nokia lumia 900 is a great phone. and it's cheap now. because wp8 is coming out very soon

 

[pastornordel]

I was a former BB user in 2010 and I really think Wp is the best OS there. It's very smooth and it doesn't have one problem for my phone. But since Wp8 is coming out I really think you should wait. you'll be shocked how much Wp8 has changed from wp7. but if you want a cheap Wp then get a Nokia lumia 900 is a great phone. and it's cheap now. because wp8 is coming out very soon

I for sure wont be switching until wp8 arrives. If bb10 had come this year then I might have waited to see it. But I really dislike my bb playbook which supposedly prefigures bb's next qnx based OS, so when wp8 comes out I think I'll make a switch. But I'd like to hear what bb users miss after switching. There are many things that i really, really like about my bb: one handed use (with track pad), qwerty keyboard, very efficient typing shortcuts, robust contact management, to name a few.

 

[12Danny123]

I for sure wont be switching until wp8 arrives. If bb10 had come this year then I might have waited to see it. But I really dislike my bb playbook which supposedly prefigures bb's next qnx based OS, so when wp8 comes out I think I'll make a switch. But I'd like to hear what bb users miss after switching. There are many things that i really, really like about my bb: one handed use (with track pad), qwerty keyboard, very efficient typing shortcuts, robust contact management, to name a few.

Well it basically has all your stuff that you need except the qwerty keypad. And keyboard on the screen is very good. It's rumoured that wp8 devices will have a curved keyboard. Meaning it's designed for your thumb to type. Also bb10 is delayed until 2013

 

[pastornordel]

Well it basically has all your stuff that you need except the qwerty keypad. And keyboard on the screen is very good. It's rumoured that wp8 devices will have a curved keyboard. Meaning it's designed for your thumb to type. Also bb10 is delayed until 2013

Curved keyboard sounds interesting!

 

[12Danny123]

I agree with you man. The curved keyboard is very interesting for bb users.

 

[pastornordel]

I agree with you man. The curved keyboard is very interesting for bb users.

So, I'm trying to think of an example that a former bb user might recognize. Getting a feel for how well any particular OS will wear for a particular user's needs is really hard when choosing a phone at the store. But, OTOH there also seems to be convergence to a fairly generic glass slab across all of them that are are capable of incredible mobile computing. It's the little things that i could foresee making it difficult to learn to really like a different system. So, for example, a bb user would know that to pick up your phone and send an e-mail is incredibly easy: hit "m" for mail, "c" for compose, and then the two initials of the recipient and then type away. No swishing through pages of apps, no scrolling through names and no enlarging a name to make it distinct enough to tap on. I'm asking if bb users would say things like: I love my wp, but I'm finding this one thing (anything) really different from my bb. Cheers.

 

[12Danny123]

So, I'm trying to think of an example that a former bb user might recognize. Getting a feel for how well any particular OS will wear for a particular user's needs is really hard when choosing a phone at the store. But, OTOH there also seems to be convergence to a fairly generic glass slab across all of them that are are capable of incredible mobile computing. It's the little things that i could foresee making it difficult to learn to really like a different system. So, for example, a bb user would know that to pick up your phone and send an e-mail is incredibly easy: hit "m" for mail, "c" for compose, and then the two initials of the recipient and then type away. No swishing through pages of apps, no scrolling through names and no enlarging a name to make it distinct enough to tap on. I'm asking if bb users would say things like: I love my wp, but I'm finding this one thing (anything) really different from my bb. Cheers.

Well former BB users will Say "I love my Wp". Well Wp is not that difficult to learn it's very straight forward. But also We will welcome you to Wpcentral man

 

[crystal_planet]

I for sure wont be switching until wp8 arrives. If bb10 had come this year then I might have waited to see it. But I really dislike my bb playbook which supposedly prefigures bb's next qnx based OS, so when wp8 comes out I think I'll make a switch. But I'd like to hear what bb users miss after switching. There are many things that i really, really like about my bb: one handed use (with track pad), qwerty keyboard, very efficient typing shortcuts, robust contact management, to name a few.

I just switched from a Bold 9650 (screen shattered) to this Lumia 800 and here's the truth without the bark:
- BlackBerry's ability to handle messaging - texts and emails - is the best in the industry. Period. It probably has more to do with BIS/BES than the phone itself but I really miss it.
- The ability to customize alerts I miss as well, but I expect that will be addressed by MS at some point.
- This Windows o/s is absolutely amazing in terms of smoothness and the live tiles I believe is what sets it apart from any other o/s. Fantastic UI and I'm frankly surprised Windows Phone is not more popular. One of the biggest complaints I've heard is WP's lack of tweakability - but that's probably a safeguard to keep it buttery smooth.
-The apps are sparse (but lightyears ahead of BB) and they will only increase.
-The ecosystem Microsoft has in mind will be all encompassing and will make transitioning between phone/pc/surface tablet/gaming console seamless. (This is not fact, but what I see happening)
-I'm surprised that I don't miss the BB's physical keyboard. The touch keypad on my device is very accurate.

**I'd wait if I were you to see how RIM does with its release and WP 8 as well. I think both camps are going to be happily surprised. I've always had a soft spot for my beloved Curve then Bold, but I'm genuinely happy with my Windows Phone.

 

[pastornordel]

I just switched from a Bold 9650 (screen shattered) to this Lumia 800 and here's the truth without the bark:
- BlackBerry's ability to handle messaging - texts and emails - is the best in the industry. Period. It probably has more to do with BIS/BES than the phone itself but I really miss it.
- The ability to customize alerts I miss as well, but I expect that will be addressed by MS at some point.
- This Windows o/s is absolutely amazing in terms of smoothness and the live tiles I believe is what sets it apart from any other o/s. Fantastic UI and I'm frankly surprised Windows Phone is not more popular. One of the biggest complaints I've heard is WP's lack of tweakability - but that's probably a safeguard to keep it buttery smooth.
-The apps are sparse (but lightyears ahead of BB) and they will only increase.
-The ecosystem Microsoft has in mind will be all encompassing and will make transitioning between phone/pc/surface tablet/gaming console seamless. (This is not fact, but what I see happening)
-I'm surprised that I don't miss the BB's physical keyboard. The touch keypad on my device is very accurate.

**I'd wait if I were you to see how RIM does with its release and WP 8 as well. I think both camps are going to be happily surprised. I've always had a soft spot for my beloved Curve then Bold, but I'm genuinely happy with my Windows Phone.

Hey, thanks! That is exactly the kind of info, based on user experience, that im looking for. You dont know about these little changes, like customized alerts, until you dive in. I agree about the MS ecosystem possibilities!

 

[Laura Knotek]

I am also a former BlackBerry user. I had a 9000 and a 9700. I definitely like my Nokia Lumia 900 much better than the BlackBerries.

I find that email is better on Windows Phone. The only email account I had that used IMAP was my Gmail account. Hotmail on BlackBerry uses POP3, but I set it up as Exchange ActiveSync on my Windows Phone, so it is much faster than on BIS.

I also like having Netflix on my Windows Phone.

Live Tiles are nice, especially when I want to check sports scores without actually opening an app. I use Pro Sports Scores and Sports Scores apps to check my teams.

Rowi and Mehdoh Twitter apps also show new mentions and direct messages in Live Tiles.

I still keep in touch with my former BBM friends via WhatsApp, which is a cross-platform app that uses data, not SMS. It even allows one to create groups, and there is none of the freezing/lagging/hourglassing when a group member joins a group, like what happened with BBM groups.

The best thing is that there is no need for daily battery pulls and no lag/hourglass. YouTube plays without buffering, as does Slacker Radio.

There are no issues with "page too large" in the browser. I've never had the browser crash.

There are no truncated emails.

 

[pastornordel]

I am also a former BlackBerry user. I had a 9000 and a 9700. I definitely like my Nokia Lumia 900 much better than the BlackBerries.

I find that email is better on Windows Phone. The only email account I had that used IMAP was my Gmail account. Hotmail on BlackBerry uses POP3, but I set it up as Exchange ActiveSync on my Windows Phone, so it is much faster than on BIS.

I also like having Netflix on my Windows Phone.

Live Tiles are nice, especially when I want to check sports scores without actually opening an app. I use Pro Sports Scores and Sports Scores apps to check my teams.

Rowi and Mehdoh Twitter apps also show new mentions and direct messages in Live Tiles.

I still keep in touch with my former BBM friends via WhatsApp, which is a cross-platform app that uses data, not SMS. It even allows one to create groups, and there is none of the freezing/lagging/hourglassing when a group member joins a group, like what happened with BBM groups.

The best thing is that there is no need for daily battery pulls and no lag/hourglass. YouTube plays without buffering, as does Slacker Radio.

There are no issues with "page too large" in the browser. I've never had the browser crash.

There are no truncated emails.

Thanks, thats very helpful. A data based messenger app to replace bbm is very significant (when roaming the data based messaging is a fraction of the cost of sms based messaging with my canadian carrier).
Question: the tiles sound great, but how customizable are they? Will i have to look at an xbox tile forever?

 

[happynoodleboy]

The tiles themselves aren't really that customizable other than color and what the developer designed the live tile to do. The tiles on your home screen are not set in stone so you cam have whatever tiles you want or don't want there. Don't want Xbox Live tile just remove it.

Sent from my HTC Trophy using Board Express

 

[pastornordel]

The tiles themselves aren't really that customizable other than color and what the developer designed the live tile to do. The tiles on your home screen are not set in stone so you cam have whatever tiles you want or don't want there. Don't want Xbox Live tile just remove it.

Sent from my HTC Trophy using Board Express

Very interesting. And can all apps made for wp utilize a live tile? If so, this would make the home screen very functional and flexible. Sounds nice.

 

[Laura Knotek]

No. Not all apps use live tiles, but quite a few do, especially news and sports score apps.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[pastornordel]

No. Not all apps use live tiles, but quite a few do, especially news and sports score apps.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

So, going a bit OT, is it known whether MS's talk of integration of mobile and tablet in Win8 will bring wp apps with live tiles to the new Surface?

 

[Alex_Hong]

I'm still a BlackBerry user looking forward to BB10. But I took on my own little world tour like CrackBerry Kevin (in fact earlier than Kevin did). I got a Lumia 800, and Galaxy Note. I've already been an iOS user for years, but still i went back for a short while as well on the iphone 4.

Anyway, I actually love WP 7.5. Its a brilliant looking OS with lots of potential. I actually preferred the Lumia 800 over the 900 because of the size. Its easier to type with one hand since the width is shorter. The phone fits very nicely into the hand, and I'm able to reach all corners of the screen with ease.

In terms of typing, as mentioned above one hand typing is still pretty good. The virtual keyboard is actually quite brilliant. In fact i prefer it over iOS' other than a few weird placement of characters like the "underscore". Though in terms of text editing, the trackpad and keyboard shortcuts still works better. But i mean WP7.5 is still not too bad imo.

Emails wise i have to say BB is still better. I find it easier to manage my emails. I'm using gmail, so i set it up as an exchange account. Emails comes in pretty much instantaneously as well.

Contacts management i just use gmail contacts, so its pretty similar no matter which platform i'm on. Though if you have social networks like twitter, linkedin and facebook, you'll find that you can link accounts together with your contacts much like PlayBook OS 2.0. The social network integration is the best i've seen from any platform.

Not sure if battery life is important for you, but i still find my BB having better battery life even when doing similar tasks like emails, messaging, calls, and whatsapp. That plus having more apps on WP means having to charge daily. But still its able to last me a day at least.

There are a surprising amount of good apps and games on the WP platform. Despite not being a huge mobile gaming fan, i enjoyed Wordament very much. With the exception of Tapatalk though. I prefer the BB version. Board Express was a little underwhelming. But i'm sure you'll find most of what you need and more on the marketplace.

Overall, there are still a bit of pieces of things i found lacking. But its the same with every platform in the market as of now, every platform has it weaknesses. Its just what you can live with, or without.

I'm sure you won't find it a big disappointment. Once you get the hang of it, its pretty good. If you want to pick up a windows phone, you wont go wrong with any of the current ones. They all run incredibly smoothly. But if you can wait, why not wait for WP8, JB, iOS 6, or maybe even BB10?

 

[pastornordel]

Might wait for bb10

I'm still a BlackBerry user looking forward to BB10. But I took on my own little world tour like CrackBerry Kevin (in fact earlier than Kevin did). I got a Lumia 800, and Galaxy Note. I've already been an iOS user for years, but still i went back for a short while as well on the iphone 4.

Anyway, I actually love WP 7.5. Its a brilliant looking OS with lots of potential. I actually preferred the Lumia 800 over the 900 because of the size. Its easier to type with one hand since the width is shorter. The phone fits very nicely into the hand, and I'm able to reach all corners of the screen with ease.

In terms of typing, as mentioned above one hand typing is still pretty good. The virtual keyboard is actually quite brilliant. In fact i prefer it over iOS' other than a few weird placement of characters like the "underscore". Though in terms of text editing, the trackpad and keyboard shortcuts still works better. But i mean WP7.5 is still not too bad imo.

Emails wise i have to say BB is still better. I find it easier to manage my emails. I'm using gmail, so i set it up as an exchange account. Emails comes in pretty much instantaneously as well.

Contacts management i just use gmail contacts, so its pretty similar no matter which platform i'm on. Though if you have social networks like twitter, linkedin and facebook, you'll find that you can link accounts together with your contacts much like PlayBook OS 2.0. The social network integration is the best i've seen from any platform.

Not sure if battery life is important for you, but i still find my BB having better battery life even when doing similar tasks like emails, messaging, calls, and whatsapp. That plus having more apps on WP means having to charge daily. But still its able to last me a day at least.

There are a surprising amount of good apps and games on the WP platform. Despite not being a huge mobile gaming fan, i enjoyed Wordament very much. With the exception of Tapatalk though. I prefer the BB version. Board Express was a little underwhelming. But i'm sure you'll find most of what you need and more on the marketplace.

Overall, there are still a bit of pieces of things i found lacking. But its the same with every platform in the market as of now, every platform has it weaknesses. Its just what you can live with, or without.

I'm sure you won't find it a big disappointment. Once you get the hang of it, its pretty good. If you want to pick up a windows phone, you wont go wrong with any of the current ones. They all run incredibly smoothly. But if you can wait, why not wait for WP8, JB, iOS 6, or maybe even BB10?

Thanks Alex. I guess i may end up waiting for bb10, but i also might switch to wp8 this Fall. I compose a lot of fairly lengthy e-mails with my bb and this is also the reason that I got a smartphone in the first place. I cant imagine trying to compose and edit without a trackpad (I really miss it on the playbook), but I'm not sure the new bb's will have one anyway.
I noticed that people here were using a wp app called Board Express to post here. I'd never seen an app for bb to manage forum posts and still cant find a decent one. Simple tasks like this seem to be more available on other OS's.

 

[cckgz4]

Buy a used WP device to hold you over and to be able to get an experience in. Even though i didn't go to WP, I had an 8530 and then bought a 3gs. My main gripe with bb was how long things took to get done.

Sent from Le Cyan de Lumia via Board Espresso

 

[woodbane]

Buy a used WP device to hold you over and to be able to get an experience in. Even though i didn't go to WP, I had an 8530 and then bought a 3gs. My main gripe with bb was how long things took to get done.

Sent from Le Cyan de Lumia via Board Espresso

^^ This isn't actually a bad idea - especially as you can pick up a great phone like the Samsung Focus in fair condition for <$100.

Of all the WP7.5 models it's also the most tweakable in terms of hacks and custom ROMS.

C'mon in and get your feet wet!