Remember the days when the BlackBerry was just an e-mail pager? No phone, no GPS, no Wi-Fi, no camera, just straight-up e-mail? Things have gotten a little more complicated since then, but Peek is trying to whittle things down to the single most important service our BlackBerry provides. Seeing an e-mail-only handset with a modern layout certainly makes us BlackBerry enthusiasts wonder if we’ve strayed too far from the core functionality, or if we even need all those other bells and whistles. Sure, I’ve been plenty happy to have some of the navigation features on my BlackBerry Bold, but Scott, who managed to get a first glance at the Peek, made one very good point.
“When I talk to less technology savvy people, their number one complaint is that most products nowadays do too much. Many of them just want something that can make a phone call, or a camera that just makes photos without trying to be too cocky.”
What do you guys think? Is the BlackBerry getting too cocky? Is its complexity overwhelming the average consumer? If you’re looking for something more simple, Peek should be due out in two weeks for $99.99 at Target, and cost $19.99/month for unlimited e-mail.
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As a new 8320 user I am still trying to get to grips with the functionality and appeal of this phone. My lasy phone a Nokia did email, did browsing actually far better than the blackberry amd.the menu applications were more user friendly. So what is the reason to own a blackberry.
Sure, I think a solo function device is fine for some. For me, I prefer not carrying around several solo function devices and am willing to accept trade-offs for convenience. My 8800’s been a portable godsend.
I’d love being able to leave it at the office on weekends, and still be able to have my mobile phone with me.
Up until the Curve, I wouldn’t even consider a BlackBerry because I wanted all-in-one functionality. Others prefer a separate device for each function (e.g., mobile phone, camera, PDA, GPS, etc.). My point is that there are markets for both single function and converged devices.
This seems kind of ridiculous to me… for $99 bucks??/ Heck you can get a Blackberry Pearl for free, which does it all, why would you want a solo device for more money that does less?
IGOR: If you are questioning the use of your Blackberry its too much machine for you already, maybe you should go back to your Nokia?