Comments on: BlackBerry Trounces Windows Mobile

By: MichaelP

MichaelP — Wed, 21 May 2008 04:04:51 +0000

My sister has a Blackberry Pearl and my dad has a Curve; I’m not so sure that I like the trackball’s “feel,” but the cursor is pretty handy.

Personally, I’m still a Windows Mobile fan.

It’s interesting that you mentioned this though: we’re actually working on a product to bring this type of functionality to Pocket PCs. But, since Pocket PCs don’t have trackballs, our product uses the arrow keys to allow people to control a mouse cursor.

The cursor can do almost anything a stylus can, except for handwriting and drawing pictures.

Our inspiration didn’t come from the Blackberry’s trackball, mind you, so it’s not quite the same — but I think it’s turning out to be pretty useful.

If anyone is interested, we’ll be releasing a beta version on Wednesday, June 4th (about two weeks from now).

More info can be found at http://www.VirtuaMouse.com

Hmm… this is actually the first public place that we’ve mentioned the beta or our product. It looks like you’ve got the scoop, Mobility Site! :)

By: CommieKennedy

CommieKennedy — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:05:57 +0000

Form factor and configuration are superior with Blackberry. ONLY thing lacking is a media player ala Realplayer or Windows Media Player. Now that competition has spurred creativity at RIM, watch out. No one, NO ONE will come close.

By: hyedipin

hyedipin — Mon, 19 May 2008 13:35:56 +0000

You can move it as a mouse while using Blackberry Browser or another browser and just emulate a mouse, also you can jump between items horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
However, I do not like the loose feeling of a trackball and would prefer scroll wheel for scrolling through pages.

By: buzzzqwert

buzzzqwert — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:54:14 +0000

Can someone please explain what a trackball does? The Q has some kind of directional “wheel” that allows you to move around a web page and click on things so why is a trackball better?

By: hyedipin

hyedipin — Mon, 19 May 2008 04:10:06 +0000

Blackberry is great for nothing but e-mails
WM Phones are great for everything but e-mails

If there was a BIS client for WM6, I wouldn’t even use my Curve for another day. WM is trying the push e-mail, but it just doesn’t work the way BB does. If Microsoft comes up with something like BIS (honestly many people don’t even care about BES) it would be able to take the market back from BB.. But doesn’t look like it will anytime soon.

An interesting article (and helpful one) would be on how to set up e-mails on WM6 with similar working behavior as blackberry.

Trackball, really I could live without.

By: Shawn Roberts

Shawn Roberts — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:39:55 +0000

Steve, your observations and reporting support a point I have been pondering: that WM may be in trouble with true 3G BlackBerrys coming (i.e. GSM, HSPA). The high speed data capability brings applications like Slingplayer mobile and a NewsBreak/PocketPlayer type of program into play (downloading and streaming podcasts). If RIM is able to maintain the stability of its OS, the reasons to use a WM device are disappearing. This is particularly true for a user like me who does not have access to an Exchange server. RIM’s BIS allows me to have some of the benefits of Exchange.

I also discount some typical arguments in favor of WM: being able to create/edit documents, spreadsheets on the device using Office Mobile (who actually uses their phone do document creation or editing?) and the opportunity to use third party apps (how many third party apps do most uses actually use? my guess is not as many as people think).

With the new BB Bold having security, stability (hopefully) and now sizzle, rather than focusing on raising its market share, my MS should be strategizing ways to maintain the share it has.

By: Steve Laser

Steve Laser — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:36:27 +0000

Does the Moto Q9 have any sort of trackball? Does any winmob phone? To me that is a great feature. Too bad we can’t combine the best of the iPhone, WinMob and Blackberry. Or is Android going to do that?

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:08:53 +0000

Chris, try Opera Mini 4.1… It isn’t as good as iphone browser but it beats the heck out of the built in Blackberry browser.

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:58:15 +0000

I love my verizon Curve! The fullsized keyboard rocks! I had the iPOS..err..iPhone for about a month and couldnt stand the slow EDGE network. The virtual keyboard was bothersome too. I can type so quickly on the BB vs. the iPOS. The only thing that the iPOS trounces the BB is the web surfing. I hate to admit it, but Apple really hit a homerun with the browser on the handheld. Will be hard to beat their implementation.

By: jeffkelly

jeffkelly — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:44:50 +0000

Love Windows Mobile, so I purchased a XV6800. Hated it. Switched to a Blackberry 8830.

By: buzzzqwert

buzzzqwert — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:18:12 +0000

I was referring to the capabilities of a Windows device vs. a Blackberry. If the Curve has more options available to it than the Q or the Q9, please let me know.

By: doogald

doogald — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:11:30 +0000

I have a Moto Q9m and I’m not sure that I agree that the Q is “a far more capable device”. What makes is far more capable?

By: buzzzqwert

buzzzqwert — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:07:30 +0000

Having a Motorola Q which allows one handed operation without a stylus, I still don’t understand why people would like the Curve better. The Q is a far more capable device so other than people wanting to have a Blackberry (just like the biggies in Washington) I don’t see the advantage.