Blackberry Bold User Considering LG Ally

[larrytxeast]

My first-ever post.

An AT&T Blackberry Bold 9000 user, I've been flirting with an Android device. Trouble is, I most certainly want a physical keyboard, I type in the 70s (words per minute) on a PC & am fast on my Blackberry too (obviously not 70 words per minute). I also have particular needs which I don't want to lose on a device that may be more "play" oriented than "business" oriented--never mind that I'm a "normal consumer" anyway.

I've seen an LG Ally show up on the cheap, which I know would involve moving to Verizon, but I'm pondering it. It would seem to serve my needs pretty well from what I've read about it. However I have a few questions, many of them regard Android as an operating system as much as the LG Ally as a device.

I did see this link from someone else who's in the same boat (Bold user pondering the LG Ally) and this link which details how the LG Ally apparently will get Android OS 2.2. I've read reviews about the LG Ally having a great QWERTY and 3.1" screen.

Background: besides my Blackberry Bold, I also used a Palm Treo 650 & 680 for a long time, so I have experience with touch-screens (granted those devices had a QWERTY and a 5-way also) and I also tried out a Palm Pre Plus for a few days. I like being able to touch-screen but I also like using physical keys for many things.

Here are my questions--and there are many, so bear with me

(1) The "stock" browser--does it have the "Find In Page" function. Or would another 3rd party browser have it? (Maybe Firefox Mobile?) I use that feature a lot with Opera Mini on my Blackberry--rather than having to read the entire page to find a particular word-phrase, I perform "Find in Page" and find it quickly. (The Palm Pre Plus could not do this.)

(2) Does Android have memos? I use those a lot. I realize now many people just email things to themselves, which I also do--but I use memos a lot for information that's available if the Internet isn't accessible. (My children's social security number for doctors, my electrical service's account number, my AAA Towing membership ID, etc.)

(3) Google Maps--I assume it's full-featured. It was very stripped on the Palm Pre Plus I tried out--no favorite, no search history, no ability to map-out directions to a manually selected point on the map. My Blackberry had all of this.

(4) The "stock" browser--can you navigate with keys? I realize an OS like Android is very "touch" oriented--but I am used to a "touch-physical button" mix, much like my old Palm Treo used to do. With my Blackberry, I can skip an entire page simply by pressing the space bar.

(5) I have my AT&T plan on the prepaid--I only pay $20 a month for unlimited data (the "MEdia Net" plan, since discontinued--but I still get it "grandfathered"--it's officially meant for cheap flip-phones, but it works on smartphones too) then I have $10 for 1000 texts and $30 for 200 daytime minutes. What prepaid plans for this would Verizon have?

(6) Can you customize the keyboard to shortcut-launch applications? That is, if I press "M" then texting is launched, with a 3rd party app installed pressing "Q" lanches texting & sets it up for a new message (don't have to select "Compose New SMS" from the menu), "D" launches memos, "L" launches calculator. Again, I realize the touch-screen makes it obvious and that's fine, but I can fly using the keyboard shortcuts also.

(7) Does the 5-way pad on the slideout work for scrolling on the home page, lists, browser window etc as I'd expect?

(8) Lastly--would I be better served waiting for something analogous to this to show up at AT&T? It would be nice if it did, but so far everything Android on AT&T seems to be touch-only devices.

Thanks for any & all tips.

 

[kstoutdog]

go with the droid pro or droid 2 LGALLY is crap... seriously..

 

[larrytxeast]

Ok, so LG Ally is junk. What about the other questions pertinent to the Android OS features & layout itself? Any rumors for an AT&T device similar to the alternatives you mentioned?

 

[dandrumheller]

My first-ever post.

An AT&T Blackberry Bold 9000 user, I've been flirting with an Android device. Trouble is, I most certainly want a physical keyboard, I type in the 70s (words per minute) on a PC & am fast on my Blackberry too (obviously not 70 words per minute). I also have particular needs which I don't want to lose on a device that may be more "play" oriented than "business" oriented--never mind that I'm a "normal consumer" anyway.

I've seen an LG Ally show up on the cheap, which I know would involve moving to Verizon, but I'm pondering it. It would seem to serve my needs pretty well from what I've read about it. However I have a few questions, many of them regard Android as an operating system as much as the LG Ally as a device.

I did see this link from someone else who's in the same boat (Bold user pondering the LG Ally) and this link which details how the LG Ally apparently will get Android OS 2.2. I've read reviews about the LG Ally having a great QWERTY and 3.1" screen.

Background: besides my Blackberry Bold, I also used a Palm Treo 650 & 680 for a long time, so I have experience with touch-screens (granted those devices had a QWERTY and a 5-way also) and I also tried out a Palm Pre Plus for a few days. I like being able to touch-screen but I also like using physical keys for many things.

Here are my questions--and there are many, so bear with me

(1) The "stock" browser--does it have the "Find In Page" function. Or would another 3rd party browser have it? (Maybe Firefox Mobile?) I use that feature a lot with Opera Mini on my Blackberry--rather than having to read the entire page to find a particular word-phrase, I perform "Find in Page" and find it quickly. (The Palm Pre Plus could not do this.)

(2) Does Android have memos? I use those a lot. I realize now many people just email things to themselves, which I also do--but I use memos a lot for information that's available if the Internet isn't accessible. (My children's social security number for doctors, my electrical service's account number, my AAA Towing membership ID, etc.)

(3) Google Maps--I assume it's full-featured. It was very stripped on the Palm Pre Plus I tried out--no favorite, no search history, no ability to map-out directions to a manually selected point on the map. My Blackberry had all of this.

(4) The "stock" browser--can you navigate with keys? I realize an OS like Android is very "touch" oriented--but I am used to a "touch-physical button" mix, much like my old Palm Treo used to do. With my Blackberry, I can skip an entire page simply by pressing the space bar.

(5) I have my AT&T plan on the prepaid--I only pay $20 a month for unlimited data (the "MEdia Net" plan, since discontinued--but I still get it "grandfathered"--it's officially meant for cheap flip-phones, but it works on smartphones too) then I have $10 for 1000 texts and $30 for 200 daytime minutes. What prepaid plans for this would Verizon have?

(6) Can you customize the keyboard to shortcut-launch applications? That is, if I press "M" then texting is launched, with a 3rd party app installed pressing "Q" lanches texting & sets it up for a new message (don't have to select "Compose New SMS" from the menu), "D" launches memos, "L" launches calculator. Again, I realize the touch-screen makes it obvious and that's fine, but I can fly using the keyboard shortcuts also.

(7) Does the 5-way pad on the slideout work for scrolling on the home page, lists, browser window etc as I'd expect?

(8) Lastly--would I be better served waiting for something analogous to this to show up at AT&T? It would be nice if it did, but so far everything Android on AT&T seems to be touch-only devices.

Thanks for any & all tips.

I am an AT&T subscriber who came from a BB Bold 9700 to an HTC Aria. I realize you are looking to keep a physical keyboard, so the Aria and Captivate will not work for you. About the only thing I'm aware of on AT&T that is similar is the HTC ChaCha, supposedly coming "later this year". That being said, I'm not familiar with the specs on the device, so don't know how it compares to the Ally. As it is a gimmicky "facebook" phone, I don't have real high hopes for it myself. If you are willing to go to VZW, you will have a better selection of Android devices. I am not familiar with their rate plans, but I would guess you will pay at least $65 per month for voice and data. I don't know if ATT would allow you to grandfather your Medianet plan onto an Android device.

In answer to some of your questions:
1) Opera Mini for Android has "find in page"

2) There are numerous nice free memo apps for android

3) Google maps is very full featured, allows directions to points manually picked on the map, records some history (don't use this so don't know how much). Also includes voice turn-by-turn directions.

4) Have not used an android with a keyboard, so I don't know if you can nav with keys

5) see comments above

6) see answer 4

7) see 4

8) If you want to stick with ATT and hope you can keep your cheap plan, that might work, might not. If you want a nice device, go to VZW. If I didn't have 3 devices on my plan, all on different upgrade cycles, I would be on VZW even with the slightly higher rates. If you get yourself a higher end device that has a larger following, you are more likely to enjoy it for the length of your contract, and are more likely to get more manufacturer support, including software upgrades. Devices like the Ally and Aria are niche devices, and are likely to get left in the dust.

Hope that helps...