[bigoldthor]

Hi all...looking for advice on Android, ready to upgrade this month. I've been using BB for 5-6 years now and was a pretty active member on CrackBerry, but I'm getting tired of the clunkiness of the interface. Have a Torch, but web browsing is awful. I probably use my device 50% web browsing, 30% email/messaging, and 20% apps and tinkering.

I'm pretty tech savvy and try to keep up on all the latest goings on in the world of gadgets. I tried an iphone 3gs for about 3 months last year but could never get used to typing on a touch screen. Now I want to give it another go, but probably on Android instead of iOS.

My priorities in order of importance are:

1. Browsing - needs to be fast and look good
2. Messaging - something I can hopefully type on halfway decent with my fat fingers
3. Apps - love apps and love to tinker
4. OS - see above...love to tinker and experiment
5. Multimedia - meh, not so much a big deal, but nice to be able to handle images and media files easily

I like the looks of the HTC devices but I don't know enough at this point to say which brand or UI is better. I'm pretty much tied to AT&T, so it would have to be on that carrier. Since browsing is important, I want a 4G device, even though I know AT&T isn't truly 4G yet. (This year?) Also, I would like a 4.3" screen, resolution negotiable?

Anyway, I look forward to any recommendations or opinions anyone may have. Thanks in advance.

[mar#CB]

You might want to try the Inspire, big enough screen so that the keyboard is usable, also, it might come with the Swype keyboard. With Swype you can touch the first letter of a word then drag your finger to the other letters all in one "swype".

[petaf]

Yes, I was going to say the Android that fits the bill is the Inspire. You will be making an incredible leap with Android, but it is wonderful. (And Swype is great once you get used to it.) I am a former BB person myself, and I am totally enjoying the Android experience (including this site!). Good luck!
By the way, using a 4.3 screen with fat fingers will be heaven...

[RUSH]

Welcome to Android Central forum.

You won't regret coming to Android. You could also read the posted link below.

http://www.androidcentral.com/jumpin...-you-need-know

[CookKooc]

I just switched from Blackberry bold 7900 to my firt Android (Motorola Atrix 4g) It has a 4" screen wich I love....There is a couple of bug's to work on, but I think when I get the new update I could about when it is abalabl to Bell it will fix a lot of them....If you sink your blackberry with Microsoft Office....for e-mail, calinder, notes, so on....You will not be able to syc Adroid with it, or I have not found a way....You have to make an googl aounte & e-mail...So there is a way to import your calinder to your googl calinder....Now I did we this biss calinder app you have to buy...But don't know much about it....I hope this has helped you out a bit....I hope I have not scard you away from Android....If you have any ? let me know....

[Xopher]

I made the switch in December after four years of BlackBerry. I faced some of the same concerns.

Swype is very good once you get used to it. I think I pushed myself to use Swype for about a week, then it was second nature to me. I also got SwiftKey, which in landscape mode, has nice sized keys, and the text prediction is pretty wild. I did try Smart Keyboard Pro as well, which has autotext and a compressed (SureType-like) keyboard for portrait mode. It works really well, but I prefer SwiftKey on landscape and Swype in portrait. The nice thing is that you have multiple keyboard choices.

For Outlook, I have Google Calendar Sync on my PC, which syncs calendar entries between Google and Outlook. I also had my BB sync calendar and contacts with Google, so when I switched over to my SGS, appointments and contacts synced over right away. I was sing Google Sync apps to sync my BB and Outlook before switching to Android (was too lazy to always connect the USB cable every day), so the switch was just replacing one device with another.

[Smitty_82]

Welcome to AC! Between SwiftKey and Swype you should be able to find a keyboard that will work for you. A 4.3" screen will help.

[NoSpin]

Just spend a few days on Swype and you'll swear by it. Android is a big jump from Blackberry, and judging by your browsing needs it's one you need to make.

[jtb79]

Also considering an Atrix very strongly. Coming from a BB, email and text is very important for my job. How is it on Android?

[bigoldthor]

Love it. Seriously. Like a BB on steroids. Just took time for me to adjust to a touchscreen device.