I'm Probably Getting Atrix This Sunday (6/19)!

[Nickerz]

I have a BlackBerry Bold 9700 and the new Bold 9900 is suppose to be coming soon but at this point, I think I'm ready to jump ship and get an Android device.

I really like that the Atrix has an LED notification light (like my Bold) and the SD card isn't behind the battery (like my Bold) and I'll be using the free trial of CompanionLink to sync Outlook (hopefully works as good as my Bold...don't see why not based on their website).

Of course, the only thing I will miss is the physical keyboard. I have seen some Android devices that have the big screens and a slide-out keyboard and yet they seem to look really thin. So I was wondering if anyone thinks I should consider another phone on the AT&T network or will the Atrix be a good replacement to my Bold?

Worse case scenario, I can return the Atrix if I don't like it (which I don't see happening) and wait for the new Bold 9900 due out this summer or if I like the Android experience but just not the Atrix, I can wait for the HTC Holiday.

I wonder if I get the Atrix, will it already be an outdated phone? Android devices seem to jump out throughout the month and the Bold is it for 1-2 years. But I like new choices!

Sorry, just getting excited as this Sunday is getting closer and closer!

***Edit***
Oh yeah! I have a Garmin 3790LMT which I plan on returning (and saving myself $400) if the Google Navigation/Cardock combo work just as good! The Garmin is nice but it doesn't do things that it SHOULD. I don't know how Garmin, TomTom will stay in business as the smartphone navigation software continues to improve. One thing Garmin has is bluetooth so you can call but you can't navigate to the addresses in the contacts it uploads. Just dumb! I'm assuming this can be done on the Google Navigation? Even then, it seems Google Nav is faster at making improvements to their software.

 

[Sentrix]

Atrix is one of the easier Android devices to switch to coming from a Blackberry. We all know that BB's have superb battery life, and the Atrix has to be one of, if not the best Android device with regard to battery life that I've ever seen.

I would say the Atrix is the most future-proof (and the overall best) smartphone you could get on a 2-year contract with AT&T on right now. The dual core processor is a huge plus knowing that other smartphones are just starting to trend towards a second core, and that future Android releases will optimize apps and performance for it. It's already an extremely fast phone with crazy-high benchmarks, but you can still expect performance to improve in the long term, and that's a great bonus to have. You could pick up some docks too, but I find them pricey/unnecessary.

So, yes, if you're upgrading now, the choice is clear and the best smartphone you can get is the Atrix. There's nothing in AT&T's current line-up that is better or strongly rivals it, and it's only $99.

 

[Nickerz]

Atrix is one of the easier Android devices to switch to coming from a Blackberry. We all know that BB's have superb battery life, and the Atrix has to be one of, if not the best Android device with regard to battery life that I've ever seen.

Very true! I saw a few reviews that said good things about the Atrix's battery life and this is something I never have to worry about with my Bold. But then again, there isn't a lot on my Bold that would run my battery down anyway - lol!

Thanks!

 

[zmagrini]

i have a BB curve 8310 (and really anxious to upgrade.. this thing feels like its from the 1900's) and im getting the atrix friday ! cant wait

 

[Nickerz]

i have a BB curve 8310 (and really anxious to upgrade.. this thing feels like its from the 1900's) and im getting the atrix friday ! cant wait

Sweet! You'll have to give us your mini-review on Friday then! I'll be sure to Sunday. So do you think you will miss the BB keyboard? With the screens getting bigger and me using my Garmin, I think I'll be okay with the touch-screen.

 

[dalvik]

i switched from bb 9700 to the Atrix in march and keyboard was one of my main concerns. now, i cant even imagine having a device with a physical keyboard (even if its an android one) Atrix (and all other high end android smartphones) give you so much more than bb with jts small display and archaic os that its simply would be unachievable if it had a size of bb display. the only best thing about blackberries is mainly texting. with almost four months of use I find Atrix to be far superior at emails and webbrowsing as well as choice of apps and evrything else comparing to blackberry. so let the lack of physical keyboard not bother you. once you'll start using Atrix on daily basis you'll become quickly accustomed to the virtual keyboard and will find it more convenient and robust vs physical one.

 

[blwn231#IM]

I upgraded from the curve 8900 to the Atrix and i couldn't be happier.

 

[cowboyfan]

This is my first post on the forums, been lurking for a long time. I switched to the Atrix the day it came out, and I come from a long line of Blackberries...8700, 8300, 8310, 9000, 9700, and 9800. I tried an iPhone 3g a few years ago, but the battery life was abysmal and I switched back to my Curve the next day. For me, the physical keyboard was my biggest reservation with switching but now I don't even miss it. Can I still type faster on a Blackberry keyboard? Sure, but the virtual keyboard gets easier and easier the more you use it. Plus, with the sheer amount of keyboards available in the Market, it's easy to find one that suits your style and works well for your needs.

 

[anon(301129)]

I had a concern about the virtual keyboard as well. I have had my Atrix since the day they came out. I love it and would not go back to a slide keyboard for nothing. Enjoy your new phone.

 

[austriak]

I upgraded last week to the Atrix and returned it after three days. It was my first Android phone and I did a ton of research so I thought I was going to love it. I was pretty disappointed with Android, not the actual phone. The main home screens, live wall paper, and customizations were really cool. That is about it. You can only do so much to your screen if you want your battery to last one day. My main issue with android is the apps. They suck. I literally had the exact same apps (android version) that I had on a prior iPhone and they looked horrible and functionality was not as good. I think the problem is that it is hard to develop apps to be optimal for all of the different screen sizes, processors, etc... I don't really care about having my one widget and live wall paper if the apps aren't good.

This is just my opinion. I'm not an Android hater. I think it has a lot of potential but the quality is still not there yet for me.

 

[companionlink]

I have a BlackBerry Bold 9700 and the new Bold 9900 is suppose to be coming soon but at this point, I think I'm ready to jump ship and get an Android device.

I really like that the Atrix has an LED notification light (like my Bold) and the SD card isn't behind the battery (like my Bold) and I'll be using the free trial of CompanionLink to sync Outlook (hopefully works as good as my Bold...don't see why not based on their website)...

You're not alone here - a lot of BB users are making the move to Android. We actually created a sort of "switcher's guide" that you may want to check out to help make the adjustment smoother. Android has a lot of great features, but it can be different enough from BB to make the transition a little difficult for some users. You can find our guide here.

And, of course, if you have any questions about CompanionLink during your free trial, just let me know!


- David Z.

 

[attweco]

....I'll be using the free trial of CompanionLink to sync Outlook (hopefully works as good as my Bold...don't see why not based on their website)....

I use CompanionLink on my Atrix, to sync to Outlook calendar and contacts via Google. It works flawlessly, and I highly recommend it. It's not cheap, but as a small business user, I can't afford to mess around. The best doesn't always come cheap.

If you are interested in exploring alternatives for syncing to Outlook, this site is also helpful:

http://www.syncdroid.net/

 

[Nickerz]

You're not alone here - a lot of BB users are making the move to Android. We actually created a sort of "switcher's guide" that you may want to check out to help make the adjustment smoother. Android has a lot of great features, but it can be different enough from BB to make the transition a little difficult for some users. You can find our guide here.

And, of course, if you have any questions about CompanionLink during your free trial, just let me know!


- David Z.

Thanks David! This makes me feel a lot more confident should I run into any issues. I really appreciate it!

I use CompanionLink on my Atrix, to sync to Outlook calendar and contacts via Google. It works flawlessly, and I highly recommend it. It's not cheap, but as a small business user, I can't afford to mess around. The best doesn't always come cheap.

If you are interested in exploring alternatives for syncing to Outlook, this site is also helpful:

Sync Android/Droid with Outlook/Exchange

I appreciate this feed back! If I have to prioritize my most important things to have in the Atrix, syncing with Outlook is definitely #1 of all. I'm glad to hear CompanionLink works "flawlessly" on your Atrix.

An issue that I HATE about BlackBerry (and seems not many BB users are aware or just don't mind) is it truncates notes in your Contacts and Tasks. The limit set up for both Contacts and Tasks isn't a lot (about less than a full page on a word document - yet Google Contacts limit is 128k and I tested this and it's about 26 word doc pages!!! 26!!! I can live with this and won't need that much). I use my contact notes A LOT and this information is like GOLD to me. Truncating text isn't a problem if you sync Outlook to your BB device (it syncs ALL the info that is in your Outlook Contacts Notes). However, AND THIS IS THE IMPORTANT PART........if you want to update your contact on your device at a later time and THEN sync it up again, the data is truncated!

For example I had an appointment last week (which is a client for 5+ years) and I went to update my notes field with my visit using brief notes. Well, after many years, it adds up over time. My Bold 9700 pops up a window "Field Full" b/c it couldn't fit any more. This is OS 6.0. OS 5.0 would have let me put the data in and when I synced it up to my PC, it would have lost that info and more. I don't know if OS 7.0 will fix this but I've decided to move on either way since there are MANY more benefits to Android and the direction they are going.

It looks like the Atrix could be my Bold 9700 KILLER!!! I can't wait to test it out along with CompanionLink to see how it all works. I also wouldn't mind if the Atrix had a slide out keyboard for when you wanted it but I think I can get used to swype or at least the QWERTY keyboard since it's bigger.

 

[attweco]

I've had some rather detailed notes in some of my Outlook contacts. I've never experienced any truncation or mutilation, when transferred to my Atrix contacts. So, I think you should be good to go, in that area of concern.