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T-Mobile Dash vs Blackberry Pearl

L

LS20

Banned
Hi, there are various threads about the Dash and the Pearl on AT, but does anybody with sufficient experience with both phones want to make a direct comparison?

What I want:
-Decent web-browsing
-Easy synch to Outlook (Tasks, Calendar, and Emails)
-Good battery life
-Form factor (hate bulky stuff in pocket)
-Ease of use for adding tasks and calendar entries

I heard with the Dash I can get unlimited web usage, exclusive to talk minutes, for only 5.99$ from tmobile. can something like that be done with the Pearl?

(yes i have read http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=38&threadid=2030169&enterthread=y )
 
The Dash runs on Windows Mobile, so Outlook sync-ing should be no problem.

Both phones are quite slim - the dash is flatter (hamburger-wise), the pearl is slimmer (hot dog wise).

I can;t comment on battery life for either.

The Dash has Wi-Fi, which is a major selling point for me.

My co-worker (who uses the Dash) says she pays an extra $20-30 a month for the Dash data plan. I'm not sure what that plan includes. Im sure the T-mo website will have info on that
 
You have to have the Blackberry Data plan if you want Internet access on the Pearl. I think it is about $20 a month or so. The T-MobileWeb (T-Zones) will not work. I have signed up and tried it, and read about it on the net all with no luck. A friend of mine who works at T-Mobile also confirmed I needed the Blackberry Data Plan.

It kind of sucks, $5.99 compared to $20 a month is quite a difference. I just go with no Internet and just use the Pearl as an organizer.

I don't have experience with both phones but as far as the Pearl:

I like the tasks and have recently been using the calendar and that works well. Battery life is nice and I think the form factor/look and feel is pretty much the best out there. I use the voice recognition a lot as well. It is nice that is knows who to call when you say a name without having to program it in.

The few downsides I have found are (as mentioned above) the lack of $5.99 Internet is a big one. Sometimes dust or sand get into the trackball area and you have to get it out or it doesn't work right. And my battery cover on the back seems to slip off pretty easy - I have had this thing since it came out, however.
 
I'm leaning towards the Dash for the Wi-Fi and more familiar Windows interface

Ive been reading this morning on HowardFOrums about TMobile scaling down the 5.99$ unlimited access.. it seems to be happening regionally.. but if it applies around here, that would totally blow.
 
To be honest - I dumped my Pearl 2 months after I got it. Ended up really hating the thing. My GF now has a Dash, it's pretty slick. (Still prefer my Treo, but the Dash is a much better option than the Pearl)
 
considering every other major has unlimited data for the 35-50 range, 5.99 internet is either not going to last or be severely crippled

have heard nothing about the dash but lots of my friends have issues with the trackball on the pearl after a few months.
 
Originally posted by: skrilla
You have to have the Blackberry Data plan if you want Internet access on the Pearl. I think it is about $20 a month or so. The T-MobileWeb (T-Zones) will not work. I have signed up and tried it, and read about it on the net all with no luck. A friend of mine who works at T-Mobile also confirmed I needed the Blackberry Data Plan.

It kind of sucks, $5.99 compared to $20 a month is quite a difference. I just go with no Internet and just use the Pearl as an organizer.

I don't have experience with both phones but as far as the Pearl:

I like the tasks and have recently been using the calendar and that works well. Battery life is nice and I think the form factor/look and feel is pretty much the best out there. I use the voice recognition a lot as well. It is nice that is knows who to call when you say a name without having to program it in.

The few downsides I have found are (as mentioned above) the lack of $5.99 Internet is a big one. Sometimes dust or sand get into the trackball area and you have to get it out or it doesn't work right. And my battery cover on the back seems to slip off pretty easy - I have had this thing since it came out, however.
Click to expand...
Don't know who told you that the Pearl doesn't work with T-Zones, but they were quite wrong. The Pearl can access T-Zones pages just fine, there aren't any games available for download for the Pearl, but the other areas of T-Zones work just fine.

ZV <-- T-Mobile Corporate employee.
 
The only thing that the Tmobile dash has over all other available phones is the wireless internet. Id get the Blackberry that Cingular has (looks like pearl but a little wider with qwerty) if it had wireless internet, but it doesn't.

I like the wireless internet feature of the Tmobile dash because when I was visiting SF, Tmobile coverage was pretty splochy, but there were decent amounts of wifi-for-free spots.

id rather have the form of the blackberry though...
 
Originally posted by: Tiamat
The only thing that the Tmobile dash has over all other available phones is the wireless internet. Id get the Blackberry that Cingular has (looks like pearl but a little wider with qwerty) if it had wireless internet, but it doesn't.

I like the wireless internet feature of the Tmobile dash because when I was visiting SF, Tmobile coverage was pretty splochy, but there were decent amounts of wifi-for-free spots.

id rather have the form of the blackberry though...
Click to expand...
T-Mobile has the BlackBerry 8700g just like Cingular as well. The 8700 is not exclusive to Cingular.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Tiamat
The only thing that the Tmobile dash has over all other available phones is the wireless internet. Id get the Blackberry that Cingular has (looks like pearl but a little wider with qwerty) if it had wireless internet, but it doesn't.

I like the wireless internet feature of the Tmobile dash because when I was visiting SF, Tmobile coverage was pretty splochy, but there were decent amounts of wifi-for-free spots.

id rather have the form of the blackberry though...
Click to expand...
T-Mobile has the BlackBerry 8700g just like Cingular as well. The 8700 is not exclusive to Cingular.

ZV
Click to expand...

He is referring to the 8800 which is exclusive to Cingular as of now.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Tiamat
The only thing that the Tmobile dash has over all other available phones is the wireless internet. Id get the Blackberry that Cingular has (looks like pearl but a little wider with qwerty) if it had wireless internet, but it doesn't.

I like the wireless internet feature of the Tmobile dash because when I was visiting SF, Tmobile coverage was pretty splochy, but there were decent amounts of wifi-for-free spots.

id rather have the form of the blackberry though...
Click to expand...
T-Mobile has the BlackBerry 8700g just like Cingular as well. The 8700 is not exclusive to Cingular.

ZV
Click to expand...

He is referring to the 8800 which is exclusive to Cingular as of now.
Click to expand...

yeah thats the one, sorry i just couldnt remember the numbers lol.
 
Originally posted by: Tiamat
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Tiamat
The only thing that the Tmobile dash has over all other available phones is the wireless internet. Id get the Blackberry that Cingular has (looks like pearl but a little wider with qwerty) if it had wireless internet, but it doesn't.

I like the wireless internet feature of the Tmobile dash because when I was visiting SF, Tmobile coverage was pretty splochy, but there were decent amounts of wifi-for-free spots.

id rather have the form of the blackberry though...
Click to expand...
T-Mobile has the BlackBerry 8700g just like Cingular as well. The 8700 is not exclusive to Cingular.

ZV
Click to expand...

He is referring to the 8800 which is exclusive to Cingular as of now.
Click to expand...

yeah thats the one, sorry i just couldnt remember the numbers lol.
Click to expand...

It's a great BB. I don't need 802.11, so it's a perfect fit for me. EDGE is fast enough for the sites I go to on it.
 
The T mobile Pearl is a web'n'walk device so I would doubt you need a BB data plan.

I have had a Pearl since launch and I still love it. Tiny and powerful. The GF has the White Pearl. I surf all the time on my pearl and many a time it has saved my bacon!

My BB is connected to my corporate BES, but I would have it as a personal phone, too. Many people I know have bought a Pearl as a private phone.

I AM biased to a degree as the GF works for RIM, but meh, I have had Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Samsungs in the past and this thing blows them all away.

If you want full qwerty you can get the 8800. Looks like a pearl, it just as thin as the pearl, but has a bigger screen for surfing. It also has a GPS reciever and mapping app, but NO camera.2
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
The T mobile Pearl is a web'n'walk device so I would doubt you need a BB data plan.

I have had a Pearl since launch and I still love it. Tiny and powerful. The GF has the White Pearl. I surf all the time on my pearl and many a time it has saved my bacon!

My BB is connected to my corporate BES, but I would have it as a personal phone, too. Many people I know have bought a Pearl as a private phone.

I AM biased to a degree as the GF works for RIM, but meh, I have had Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Samsungs in the past and this thing blows them all away.

If you want full qwerty you can get the 8800. Looks like a pearl, it just as thin as the pearl, but has a bigger screen for surfing. It also has a GPS reciever and mapping app, but NO camera.2
Click to expand...


I think the no camera is perfectly fine, especially where some companies are not allowing camera-equipped phones on the job. If only it had wi-fi... :/
Everything else about the 8800 is sweet.
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: skrilla
You have to have the Blackberry Data plan if you want Internet access on the Pearl. I think it is about $20 a month or so. The T-MobileWeb (T-Zones) will not work. I have signed up and tried it, and read about it on the net all with no luck. A friend of mine who works at T-Mobile also confirmed I needed the Blackberry Data Plan.

It kind of sucks, $5.99 compared to $20 a month is quite a difference. I just go with no Internet and just use the Pearl as an organizer.

I don't have experience with both phones but as far as the Pearl:

I like the tasks and have recently been using the calendar and that works well. Battery life is nice and I think the form factor/look and feel is pretty much the best out there. I use the voice recognition a lot as well. It is nice that is knows who to call when you say a name without having to program it in.

The few downsides I have found are (as mentioned above) the lack of $5.99 Internet is a big one. Sometimes dust or sand get into the trackball area and you have to get it out or it doesn't work right. And my battery cover on the back seems to slip off pretty easy - I have had this thing since it came out, however.
Click to expand...
Don't know who told you that the Pearl doesn't work with T-Zones, but they were quite wrong. The Pearl can access T-Zones pages just fine, there aren't any games available for download for the Pearl, but the other areas of T-Zones work just fine.

ZV <-- T-Mobile Corporate employee.
Click to expand...

I may not have been clear I guess. I'm sure the Pearl can access the T-Zones pages... I wasn't doubting that. I'm not entirely sure what the T-Zones pages are - some sort of hub/homepage site you get access to once you are connected?

But you have to have a Blackberry plan for ~$20/month - to get Internet access if you have a Blackberry. The T-Mobileweb plan for $5.99 Internet access won't work with a Blackberry.
 
I have a Dash. It works fine for me. The internet is fairly quick for a mobile, and the interface works well. I think it's processor is a bit on the slower side, but then again, I'm basing this on the delay it takes to access contacts, and that's probably at least partially due to me having so many stored. I think one of my gripes, is that if you use hotmail like I do, I don't get emails pushed to the phone unless I'm logged into MS Messenger. The problem is, my messenger won't stay logged in. Sometimes it'll stay logged in for over a day, other times it'll disconnect after a few hours. My work email works fine via exchange. Google works funny with Windows Mobile as well. You have to reset the settings every once in a while, or you'll stop getting gmails. As for the Pearl, I know people that like it, and others that don't. If I had the choice again, I'd go with the Dash again. I just like having a QWERTY keyboard way too much.
 
Blackberry Pearl hands down. I have T-mobile and I can setup my email accounts on their site. It works without a BES if all you need is just email. Internet speeds are decent for browsing and getting email. I use it primarily for multiple email accounts, gmail, google maps, googletak. All google applications are written for this phone. The processor on the pearl is alot faster than a Dash or Treo (Windows Mobile). It's one of the best phones I've ever had. The suretype keyboard is great once you get use to it.
 
for the $5.99 web on the dash you may have to use a proxy yo access if t-mobile shut down the access in your area, otherwise the $19.99 bb plan works the same as the $29.99 total internet plan. and for gmail if you put recent: in front of your email address (recent:no@gmail.com) it'll always get your most recent emails.

I have the mda with the bb internet plan and love it!
 
I love my Pearl. I've had it for 5 months, no issues. Everything works great, no problems with the trackball, I couldn't ask for a better phone. I only wish it had Wifi and GPS like the new 8800 and 8300 have. If i had wifi I don't think I'd bother with a data plan. The nice thing about the data plan is I'm always connected to traffic, email, and the yellow/white pages. I was looking at a phone booth the other day with the big 10 pound white/yellow pages book hanging off the side, then I looked at my pearl and realized that the little thing replaces that entire phone booth times 10.
 
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