Comments on: Head-to-Head: Empower vs. BBSmart

By: Tully weiss | Hyfresh

Tully weiss | Hyfresh — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:24:18 +0000

[...] Head-to-Head: Empower vs. BBSmart | BlackBerry CoolJun 5, 2008 … Tully Weiss. “Viewing emails as presented by Empower will not be possible with RIM’s release of OS 4.5,”. empower released a version that … [...]

By: 50% off BlackBerry Software from MobileHeist at SmartPhoneCool.com

50% off BlackBerry Software from MobileHeist at SmartPhoneCool.com — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:05:57 +0000

[...] BBSmart Email Viewer –> Now $14.98! VibAndRing –> Now $4.48! Ascendo DataVault Password Manager –> Now $14.98! Ascendo Fitness –> Now $14.98! [...]

By: The Crazy 48: 50% off BlackBerry Software (’Cool Deals) | BlackBerry Cool

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:48:24 +0000

[...] BBSmart Email Viewer –> Now $14.98! VibAndRing –> Now $4.48! Ascendo DataVault Password Manager –> Now $14.98! Ascendo Fitness –> Now $14.98! [...]

By: BBLover

BBLover — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:39:25 +0000

Thanks Ani for the TIP!!! I just received the BlackBerry Software update directly from Verizon then went to read emails and found them dreary and boring again. Couldnt not figure out how to fix (even though the solution was so simple!). Also, found it difficult finding an answer to my problem. Thanks again for the help!!!

By: BBLover

BBLover — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:39:00 +0000

By: MikeM

MikeM — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:03:25 +0000

The error message says:

“The application net_rim_bb_messaging_app has attempted to open a connection to a location inside the firewall and outside the firewall which is not allowed by your IT policy.”

I am using BIS connection.

By: MikeM

MikeM — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:03:00 +0000

The error message says:

“The application net_rim_bb_messaging_app has attempted to open a connection to a location inside the firewall and outside the firewall which is not allowed by your IT policy.”

I am using BIS connection.

By: MikeM

MikeM — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:32:54 +0000

I liked the trial of Empower but it gave me a repeated firewall error message when trying to open some of the messages. I did not get this type of message with BBSmart. I like Empower better. Any ideas on the firewall messages?

Thanks,
Mike

By: MikeM

MikeM — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 03:32:00 +0000

Thanks,
Mike

By: Ani

Ani — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:04:12 +0000

Gerson, please visit http://www.getempower.com on your BlackBerry (not your Computer) and click on the green ‘Download Trial’ button next to the product you want to install. Once downloaded, just click on ‘Update Registration’ under Empower Options > Register. When you visit the site using your BlackBerry the system automatically detects your RIM OS and serves you the correct version.

The product page for computer download will be updated soon.

Thanks,
Ani.

By: Ani

Ani — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:04:00 +0000

The product page for computer download will be updated soon.

Thanks,
Ani.

By: Gerson

Gerson — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:10:16 +0000

I just downloaded empower and its not version 3.0.70.7 its an older version. And it doesn’t work on my curve OS 4.5 is there anyway I can get this newer version? I went to blackberrycool site to buy it but there’s nowhere on there where it shows that new version that will work with 0S 4.5. Anyone??

By: Gerson

Gerson — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:10:00 +0000

By: MK

MK — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Thanks for the comments, guys.
jB, the only ‘bias’ involved with my review was the one that naturally developed after using both programs individually for a 2-day trial period on my personal device. I became ‘biased’ toward Empower because it provided me with a far superior user experience. If you prefer BBSmart’s features, I certainly respect that but please don’t call this review “biased and untrue”.

DavidB – when opening an email, I much prefer to see the text immediately and have the images load into their placeholders while I can begin reading. I find this much more of a Browser/Viigo type of experience that you reference. BBSmart’s popup makes the reader *wait* until either 1. All images are downloaded, or 2. User cancels all image downloads. I personally found that irritating, but I do understand that opinions differ.
Thanks all for the feedback!

By: MK

MK — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 16:33:00 +0000

By: DavidB

DavidB — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:12:04 +0000

Thanks for replying MK. I am curious though, why BBSmart is so downgraded in your mind when it operates almost identically to the built-in web browser, and to Viigo? Reading an email with BBSmart is essentially like reading an article in Viigo, pictures have to be downloaded and inserted inline and BBSmart just shows you that dialog box so you know what’s happening (unlike Viigo or Browser or apparently Empower). I guess to each his (or her) own, but seems to ME that’s a BENEFIT to BBSmart if Empower doesn’t give you the opportunity to abort downloading pictures if one wants to get at the “meat” of an email quickly. At EDGE download speeds it seems to me that could be very frustrating if the email isn’t displayed until all the pictures are downloaded. But perhaps I’m just not understanding how Empower does it and how it is so much better in that aspect than BBSmart (or Viigo, or Browser, or Opera, or …).

By: DavidB

DavidB — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:12:00 +0000

By: jB

jB — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:55:14 +0000

That is about as biased and untrue a review I’ve ever read on 2 similar technologies… I almost disagree whole heartedly… BBSmart’s 1st release had a significant time issue on rendering the message… Since the upgrade, it’s almost instant and the fonts frankly are a great asset… not near the negative feature the reviewer asserts

By: jB

jB — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 16:55:00 +0000

By: Vagrant Pistol

Vagrant Pistol — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 04:36:49 +0000

I have 4.5.021 on my BB Curve and Empower Pro works just fine!