we like ike

Oh yes we do like Ike. But right now I'm not talking about my favourite Fire Emblem & Super Smash Brothers Brawl character. Today I am speaking of Ike, my new phone: the BlackBerry 8520.

Classic & Elegant

As much as I adored my LG KU990 (Viewty), it was beginning to fail on me. The shuttle wheel is demolished, the case and screen majorly scratched and the touch screen sensitivity is now probably at 30%. Not to mention the instability of reception - I have been told by family members and my darling boyfriend that trying to contact me was hell (and it was not merely an Optus problem because when I shifted the sim card into my older Samsung, my signal never did drop out). Oh, and not to mention the most important thing: the charger port was majorly screwed up. To charge my phone, I had to sit there and hold it at just the right angle, or move it throughout the charge at strange angles in order to find the right angle and somehow get it supported enough to charge without me there. So it was time for a new phone.

Now the choices for this very important piece of technology are plentiful in this day and age. There seems to be a phone to suit all lifestyles and fashion choices, so why a BlackBerry?

I've always liked the full qwerty keypad on a phone as it makes texting so much easier (and I text a lot, let me tell you) and it adds bulk. And phone bulk - is always a good thing in my opinion. Phones just have to feel right in your hand, and I've found with all the BlackBerry devices I've handled that I've loved the way they feel. Not too wide, not too narrow - and its not one of those phones that are so thin they make me feel like I'm going to snap them in half.

Another reason for me to choose a BlackBerry was their association with suits and business people (in their early days, now BlackBerry is associated with people from all walks of life). Having a BlackBerry makes you look important - and the only thing that makes you seem more so is having several email and SMS pings go off consecutively (when that happens to me, I get giddy).

It's also said to have the best PIM (Personal Information Manager) system across all smart phones. This is a definate draw card. I am a diary person and I have this almost obsessive need to have things organised. On Ike, I have most of my days planned including work, school, social meetings and anything else that may come up. Most of this data is synced to my Google Calendar which I don't see why I hadn't gotten one sooner.

I like the fact that it's not an Apple product. That is all I have for my anti-Apple rant. I don't really have anything against Apple itself, I just prefer other products.

The BlackBerry user interface is great - I like the simplicity of the screens and menus. And the fact that you can choose the font style and size defaults (I get annoyed at sans serif fonts, except for Charlie's - my Zune - font. That's the cutest and least annoying sans serif font I've seen). I don't know what it is about them, but they just aggravate me when I look at them constantly. Sure, they may look cleaner and neater, but they don't look pro do they?

So why this model in particular? Well, it was the only one available on Optus Pre-Paid, and eligible for the one year free internet promotion. Seeing as I seem to be pretty much glued to twitter, this appealed to me greatly. And I also figured that I didn't need all the shiny bells and whistles that come with one of the high end BlackBerry devices (like the Bold), and after having my Viewty, I have kind of lost the entire fascination of the touch screen phone (like the Storm). Don't get me wrong, touch screens are neat and fun and mega useful - but with the amount of texts, lists, emails, tweets, searches, memos, notes and documents I tap out on the go, I fear for the life of my screen.


I can live with GPRS speeds when out and about and at home, as my room seems to make 3G go haywire. And I don't really care too much for speed, as long as I get what I want done. And anyway, at home it's normally hooked up to my WiFi.

A 2MP camera with no auto focus or flash is bearable. I have an awesome camera which takes great shots in Felix, and the phone camera is just a secondary in case of emergencies thing. The lack of flash doesn't faze me either. I now almost never use flash (unless I am in dire need of light) because flash always makes colours go funny. Natural light is the best way to go.

And lastly - why go prepaid when you can go on a cap plan for much cheaper? I'm not exactly known for sticking to things. I like technology. I like technology a lot. If a phone which I desperately want comes out and I can afford it, I don't want to be locked into a contract. While the idea of a free phone upgrade at the end of the contract entices me, I like to have lots of choice. And knowing my luck, a phone will not last 24 months in my possession. Maybe it will, but it will majorly damaged. And finally, the money thing. My spending habits on my phone vary from week to week. One week may see me sending 600 text messages, and the next week will find me sending 6. I don't exactly know how much I spend a month (and I don't like going over caps or plans, it annoys me), so prepaid is the best option for now.

Like Ike? No, LOVE Ike =]

Now, let's hope Ike doesn't get too damaged with me and will last me a fair while.