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BlackBerry 8703e on Verizon: the First Two Hours

posted by rajbot on April 28th, 2007  

I just got a Blackberry 8703e. I’ll post more about why I got it later, but here are some first impressions:

  • Verizon sucks:
    • When you try to download the RIM aim client from http://blackberry.com/aim, you get this warning: Sorry, your wireless service provider does not allow access to AOL Instant Messager for BlackBerry for your device.
    • blackberry maps client works, but Verizon has disabled the internal GPS. Update: Google Maps client is better.
  • The Google Talk client works. Using these instructions (but a different AIM Jabber Transport), I got the GTalk client to talk to AIM, and it seems to be working great.
  • The MidpSSH client worked out of the box.
  • The thumb scroll wheel is superlame. I wish this thing had a trackball like the Pearl. The 8800 comes out in a couple weeks and it has a trackball and EVDO RevA.
  • The keys are hard and plasticky. I wish they were soft and rubbery like the old sidekick2 keys.
  • The web browser is sooo much faster than the sidekick. Two orders of magnitude faster.
  • The 8703e has no camera.

Filed under: gadgets |

9 Responses to “BlackBerry 8703e on Verizon: the First Two Hours”

  1. rajbot
    April 29th, 2007 | 10:57 am

    Verizon charged me an activation fee of $35, even though their web page states “Enjoy free activation and free shipping when you order online now!”

    I called 1-800-922-0204, hit 0 to talk to an operator, and 9 minutes later I got the activation fee refunded.

  2. may
    April 30th, 2007 | 9:00 am

    i seem to remember peliom’s pearl having an aim client. in fact we tested it at the Ramp one day and it worked (very slow though)

  3. rajbot
    April 30th, 2007 | 2:25 pm

    Yeah, I think most people use the ramble BB Aim client, which is supposedly free.

    However, the shitheads that make Ramble put this in the EULA:

    (k) Audit. SRA or its representatives may conduct an on-site audit with reasonable notice to You during regular business hours, no more than twice a year, of Your compliance with the use restrictions in the Agreement.

    Who would ever agree to such a thing?

    I’ll use the jabber->aim gateway until Verizon starts to support RIM’s AIM client. There are rumors on the internets that this should be happening soon..

  4. rajbot
    April 30th, 2007 | 2:28 pm

    Also, T-Mobile’s EDGE network is 100x slower than Verizon & Sprint’s EVDO network.

    Anyone who gets a BlackBerry on T-Mobile is doomed to the slowest network in the US.

  5. Herve
    May 1st, 2007 | 12:41 pm

    Why did you pick Verizon over Sprint?

  6. bobslobster
    May 2nd, 2007 | 6:18 pm

    Certainly after reading all you have posted about your new blackberry, my first thought was “but why didn’t he pick Sprint?” Raj?

  7. Rob
    May 7th, 2007 | 6:54 am

    How did you get Google Maps to work on your verizon 8703e? I can’t seem to get it to download and I keep getting error messages. Any help would be very appreciated.

  8. rajbot
    May 7th, 2007 | 12:26 pm

    I had Sprint from 1998-2002. Absolutely the worst customer service of any cell phone provider, and lots of capacity problems. Once they shut off my cell phone and when I called to ask why, they said the bill was due so they shut it off. I always paid on time and asked when the bill was due, and they named a date that was two weeks in the future. It took them several days to correct their mistake. Never again!

  9. rajbot
    May 7th, 2007 | 12:27 pm

    Rob, I just loaded this link on my BlackBerry’s web broswser:

    http://www.google.com/gmm

    It installed cleanly, with no errors!

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