Operating experience BlackBerry 8800

Several posts about Blackberry in general and the Model 8800 in particular.

1. Operating experience BlackBerry 8800
2. BlackBerry 8800. Part 2: Soft, BT, GPS
3. BlackBerry 8800. Part 3: Taming the device
4. BlackBerry 8800. Part 4: OtterBox 1933
5. BlackBerry 8800. Part 5: Mail, tips'n'tricks

Below is the first post

Operating experience BlackBerry 8800

For a start, I’ll tell you a little about how BB is so famous for how it works. There are 2 types of services for accessing email, IM and other charms of BB - this is BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) and BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server). The first is provided by the operator and included in the plan, i.e. the server part is located on the operator’s site. In the second case, all this is placed on the side of the organization, which decided to please its employees. In Russia, operators provide only software for the organization of BES, and for considerable money - about $ 10K. Thus, in a simple way, BB services are not available here . There is an option to buy BES either for resale of the corresponding service, and even works (for details - on Google), but looking at the cost of monthly payments to me this idea seemed unreasonable. Of course, the BB concept is not only messaging, but also full control over devices provided by both BIS and BES. But that's another story, besides the lucky owners of unlocked devices are deprived of this, so for details again in Google.

Now about 8800

I got my hands on this device at the end of August last 2008. Well poyuzany 8800 in the color of Dark Blue, locked on AT & T, cost ~ $ 140 with delivery from the States. It was unlocked the very next day, for the benefit of those who want to send an unlock code in exchange for a piece of paper with Comrade Hamilton's face on eBay abound. The device is very pleasant, really “A Stylish Way To Get Things Done”. The case is on a quad with a minus, after a long conversation with the Benq Siemens S68 I really lacked aluminum and soft-touch plastic. But the solution was found :), about which later.

Management and display

The main control element is the trackball, the piece is really comfortable, besides it is absolutely indifferent to the thickness of the gloves on your hands. On the sides of the trackball - large buttons, covered with silver, which over time can and after. The keyboard is full-size QWERTY, very convenient, from the additional keys - Alt , Shift and Sym (bol). From the left end is one customizable button, on the right - 2 to adjust the volume. Above - a power management button (long press) and a backlight (short presses - off , max . Auto ) and a button to go to Standby mode (the keyboard is locked, which helps when using non-original covers and holsters) - IMHO useless the presence of a good case. Right from the conversational speaker - light indicator, the modes are as follows:

• red (call, message, calendar event)
• blue (working bluetooth connection)
• yellow (low battery)
• green (indication of network coverage, in a simple way - constant blinking, disconnected).

Interface

We redefine with the help of themes, of which there are 4 types according to the set of icons on the screen in the standby mode:

• Zen (customizable icon set, determined by the order in the first line of the main menu icons)
• Today (lists of recent messages and calendar events are displayed)
• Icons (in essence, without standby, displaying the main menu)
• L (predefined dial on the left and bottom edges of the screen)

All of this varies in third-party themes. I use the standard Dimensions Zen, because no matter what topics I put, they did not change the top of the screen in the main menu - I don’t know whose bug it is, but that’s what’s right with me. The icons in the main menu are customizable, it can be hidden these and placement in folders. The menu button brings up the menu itself, the Back button - to go up a level or close an application (less often - to hide, depends on the application), the end button - to exit to the standby mode. The call button works according to its destination from everywhere (well, except for the Skype client, iSkoot , in which it also initiates a voip call to the contact selected in the list). When you try to enter from the keyboard - the search in the address book works, so to make a call you just need to start typing the name of a person from the standby mode or from the main menu. If the first character entered is a digit, a number input is available in addition. This behavior is customizable, in the alternative case, you can hang a quick application call on the keyboard.

Further…

I'll tell you about applications, built-in and third-party, the work of bluetooth and GPS.