02-07-2013 02:33 AM
I have used Blackberries in business since the beginning. Fantastic products!
Sadly after spending the better part of Feb 6th transitioning from Torch to Z10 I have had to abandon the effort and request an RMA number to return the Z10.
Here is why:
"Link" appears to be focussed on syncing documents and media like content such as music and movies but does not, from what I can tell, sync Outlook Contacts, Calendar entries or Tasks. I have never bothered putting music or movies on a BB... never had the time to fuss with such... however, I use, edit and sync my Contacts, Calendar and Tasks between my Torch and my desktop PC every day... as in EVERY day!
From a review of postings on various forums there does not appear to be a solution in the works to this problem and the trend appears to be to use a Cloud based email or service to host such "PIM" information and then sync the handheld to the Cloud repository. This method MAY be suitable for some forms of info but it is not suitable to post such personal info on the cloud... it needs to stay on the desktop and in the handheld device, both of which are password protected and looked after carefully.
This is an odd situation, BB (RIM) cut their teeth on pages, emails, BBM and great cell calls, mainly in a business environment. Many small business users live and die on their BB. They do not run Exchange Server... they run Outlook stand alone on a desktop. To remove this functionality from the Z10 (BB10 overall perhaps) seems at best to be a serious oversight.
I wish BB the best with the Z10 and hope to see it do well. For me, I had to make a choice between the efficiency and effectiveness of syncing Outlook Contacts, Calendar and Tasks with the Torch, or hand feeding and maintaining thousands of constantly changing entries into what is undoubtedly a more powerful and wonderful looking Z10. Efficiency and effectiveness won over brawn and beauty. The Torch is back on line... It's a tool... a really great tool! Tomorrow it will process a hundred emails, numerous SMS messages, a few BBM's, keep me on time and feed me a bunch of useful phone numbers and addresses as it has for a couple of years now. It will also spend an hour or so teathered to my laptop at a remote location where there is cell coverage but no internet. It will NOT display any movies, tweats, twits, or facebook stuff that I won't have time to look at anyway. The fast, powerful, shiny Z10 is heading in an RMA bag back to Telus.
I have a sort of sick feeling in my gut and hope to be able to sync again in the future!
02-07-2013 08:18 AM
my feelings and my situation excatly
03-05-2013 03:26 PM
Well put. So very, very well put.
03-05-2013 03:30 PM
03-07-2013 12:07 PM
Yes, exactly the same situation here. Z10 sent back, and the Torch back on-line (for the moment).
I would like Blackberry to fix this terrible oversight, as I don't want to change platform. But as it stands, Blackberry have changed the platform from underneath me, so if they don't fix it, there's no reason for them to keep my loyalty.
I changed my partner over from Android to iPhone in about five minutes. Why it took me a weekend to admit defeat in trying to go from Torch to Z10 is just ridiculous.
03-07-2013 04:11 PM
I must say that I too am disappointed with the "LINK" software not working with Outlook. I cann't even get the drivers to install and give me a USB connection to my PC.
The only thing I can offer is that if your old phone is Bluetooth able you can send your contacts to the Z10. Just get the two phones to link via Bluetooth and then send the address book to the Z10. I got all 132 of my contacts to transfer in about 1 minute. Be sure to increase your screen lockout time or it will cut off the transfer.
03-08-2013 11:44 AM
Has anyone seen an official response to this oversight from BB? Please post a link if you have.
03-08-2013 12:01 PM
Yes, they've issued a hasty backtrack (a guy called Ty from BB has announced it), where we'll "soon" get the ability to export from Outlook, and in the next release two-way sync. Seriously impressive in 2013, that we're hoping for functionality that we've enjoyed for years.
And they've turned BIS off for the BB10 phones. While Outlook sync is a me-too product (as in, who wouldn't offer it), BIS was/is Blackberry's USP.
I'm struggling even more to see why I should stay with them. If the BB10 phones are just going to poll email themselves like any other phone, wasting battery and eating up data, what's the point? The Z10 wasn't that great as a phone (nice, granted, but no more so than an iPhone).
03-08-2013 04:58 PM
Very well stated.
I wonder if we will ever see a customer focused response from BlackBerry. ![]()
03-08-2013 05:07 PM
Yes, I've been enjoyin the "soon" comments I've been seeing. I'm an iPhone user for my personal phone, but have to use BB for work. I was SO hopeful for this platform. BB is just not making it easy for the industry and its users to like it or stay loyal. So much fail came with the potential for so much win.