BlackBerry Review: 8703e
From Provider Wiki
Rob Short
Sr IT Support Specialist, ISC, University of Pennsylvania
Disclaimer: Before using the BlackBerry 8703e, I had never used a BlackBerry or any other “smart phone” technology before. My review is from the point of view of a user new to the technology and interfaces with little or no knowledge of or experience with either.
Contents |
Initial Setup
Unit arrived with partial charge, so was able to turn it on immediately and go about setting it up without having to wait for it to charge sufficiently. Had to call Verizon call center to activate unit for phone use. (This was surprisingly easy considering I had only the unit phone number and the name of the University as owner; I was connected to a “Demo Unit” group that was able to assist without needing to know the account number, or the specific name on the account beyond “University of Pennsylvania”.) Unit had no previous email configuration to alter, although voicemail account for previous user had to be reset with help of Verizon call center. Online setup of email account from my desktop proved far easier than using the web interface through the unit itself (entering information through traditional keyboard was easier then using the unit keyboard). In addition, I had trouble finding a location in my building that would allow sufficient signal type\strength to allow for web-based configuration with the unit’s browser. From my desktop, I was able to easily enter the requisite information (username, password, server info, etc.) to enable the unit to read the account. Once set up, email began accumulating on the unit (and per the account setup page, mail was also left on the server so I was also able to use my desktop client normally). Once the voicemail account was reset by the Verizon call center, I called the voicemail number (*86) and followed the prompts to establish my voicemail account.
Web provisioning link: https://bis.na.blackberry.com/html?brand=vzw
Use as Phone
As a phone, the unit performed well, although dialing numbers from the keypad proved a challenge at first particularly when used “one-handed” because of the off-center position of the number keys. Additionally, the “Send” button also proved a bit awkward at first but was fairly easy to adjust to. Reception was similar to my personal Verizon cell phone (which is generally good). Once voicemail was set up, it behaved as expected.
Use as email client
As an email client, the unit is initially awkward for a user accustomed to a traditional keyboard. “Thumb typing” takes some time to master and as a novice, I am far more adept and quicker on a traditional keyboard. Mail delivery proved quick and reliable when in range. The unit’s reception for email was somewhat less than for phone use. If deep inside a building, I could sometimes get phone reception but not email. Having one message grouping for all accounts was convenient to view all incoming items at once, but having separate groupings for individual accounts allows the user to separate messages by account (i.e., view Penn mail separately from Gmail). Setting up a second account was simply a matter of logging into the Accounts page and entering the requisite information (username, password, server info, etc.). Overall, the unit is convenient for receiving email “on the go”, but initially awkward as a composition device (at least, for me).
Web Browser
As with other functions of the unit, browsing he web presented certain interface challenges, most of which were fairly easy to overcome. Using the scroll wheel as the sole pointer presented challenges in selecting an link at the bottom of a page (i.e., having the scroll through all the links on a page to get to the desired one), particularly if the page in question had not been designed/optimized for a handheld browser. While not difficult, using the scroll wheel in this manner is certainly an adjustment for a user accustomed to using a mouse. Additionally, as the scroll wheel is the sole pointer, there is only one menu initially available on a screen and in an effort to replace the various menus of a desktop browser, this menu can be lengthy. Many pages I visited did not display well on the unit, which is of course not the fault of the unit itself, but the way in which the page was designed. Some images\pictures were pixelated or fuzzy (e.g., www.rabbit.org) and page layout was often altered to a long, “single-column” page to accommodate the smaller unit display (e.g., www.cnn.com; www.nbc10.com). Again, while this is not a problem with the unit itself, but one inherent to most handhelds because of webpage design, it is still one to which the user must adapt.
Ergonomics
As a user unfamiliar with the BlackBerry unit, I found the interface challenging, but not unlike learning any new interface or control set. The scroll wheel became relatively intuitive fairly quickly, but I found I had to deliberately press it in to make a selection; any accidental movement of my thumb away from center often caused the selection of the option immediately preceding or following the desired one. The location of the Back button, just below the scroll wheel, was comfortable for thumb use in navigation. Additionally, the Profiles button on the opposite side of the unit provides handy access to manage the unit’s phone operations. The keypad is a considerable challenge for a user accustomed to a traditional keyboard. I found composing email or entering data difficult. While continued use would undoubtedly lead to improved proficiency, I found myself having to be very deliberate in “thumb-typing”, often leading to longer time needed for composition and not infrequent loss of my train of thought (because I was having to concentrate on just entering the text). One detriment is the placement of the USB connector; if connected for recharging or synchronization, having the requisite cable protrude form the side of the unit makes it a bit clumsy to hold and operate. I found my fingers constantly having to fumble around it as I held the unit and attempted to perform many tasks. Placement of the connector on the bottom would likely alleviate the problem.
