Blackberry maps

I like the Blackberry maps application.  It shows a street map of any address that you provide, zooms in and out, and provides navigation instructions between two locations.

But there is one annoying shortcoming in this application – there is no “here” capability.  Obviously the GPS in the Blackberry knows exactly where you are.  For example, the Yelp application identifies restaurants closest to where you are.  That requires knowing exactly where you are.

However when you try to get instructions, you cannot specify “here”.  So, Blackberry, you need to enhance this product to provide a basic function.

Progress using gmail

Since the time I got my replacement, I re-loaded the Facebook application, Yelp app, and have been searching for an app that I can use to track my sales call (I haven’t found anything yet).

I loaded the gmail application.  This one acts more like an email client than the basic Blackberry app for text messages.  The gmail app allows me to check my “sent mail”, “compose” new mail, and has the feel of a typical client.  However, it does NOT support folders nor have I found a way to easily create a contact list.  You would think I could use the contacts that I already have, but it does not seem to work.

Overall, I like the application.  I went to the primary gmail account and uploaded my configuration so that it would retrieve email from my earthlink account.  Now I can get both my earthlink and gmail mail right on my Blackberry.  Since gmail is involved I do not get spam either.

Reboot

I reached for my Blackberry a couple of weeks ago and found that it would not turn on.  Despite by best efforts, it was just “dead”.  After a week’s worth of misinformation and wrong a wrong diagnosis, I finally received a replacement unit. Fortunately I had done a backup just two days previously so I had only an insignificant loss of data.

Why did my unit die?

In summary I believe that T-Mobile did the correct thing in sending a replacement unit.  However their policies and mis-diagnosis of the problem was frustrating.  There was no “bending” of their policies.

Adding insult to injury, my applications were lost. My fault, of course.

So I decided to start all over.  That’s where I am with this blog as well.  I am restarting.

Applications and uses

I use email on my Blackberry.  In addition I use the browser to search the Internet and view specific websites (our customer websites while they’re in development).

For purposes of this study I limit email to my GMAIL account.  A few selected associates have my GMAIL address — I’m sure that’ll widen as time goes on.  Our company uses an answering service – they have my GMAIL address.  I used it many months ago when I filled out a survey at Chili’s restaurant.  So that’s it.

In addition, here are other applications that I have used on my Blackberry.

- Blackberry Maps (I like this app but it needs additional functionality)

- Blackberry Browser (OK)

- Yelp (Limited functionality, but what there is, I like)

- Facebook (I haven’t used it enough to fairly comment)

- WordPress (I haven’t used it enough to fairly comment)

We’ll discuss these in detail another time.

Why this blog?

We at WebCubic recommended to Jason that he acquire a web-enabled PDA.  This was five years ago and the justification was that he could use a mobile PDA environment and better learn the kinds of applications that being digitally wired would need.  In time, the PDA was replaced with a web-enabled phone.

The results of these five years of experience?  Not as successful as we would have liked, but Jason learned a lot.

Now we determined it was my turn to see what my experiences would reveal.  In March I purchased a small Blackberry 8220 (the Perl Flip).  Why this phone?  Small. Flip cover would prevent accidental hitting of keys. 

Then two months ago, I added a data plan to my account.

Here’s what I am learning and experiencing.  Therefore this blog.