Forgive me for the pun, but I just couldn’t resist. The question, however, is a valid one. Will the T-Mobile Dash slow down BlackBerry Pearl sales at all?
T-Mobile unveiled it’s new Windows Mobile powered smartphone yesterday. The Dash has:
- 2.4-inch transflective TFT display
- Quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE
- WiFi and Bluetooth
- 128MB flash, 64MB SDRAM, microSD slot
- 1.3 megapixel camera
- myFaves support
- 960mAh battery (vs 1130mAh on the Moto Q)
- 4.4 x 2.5 x 0.5-inch body (vs 4.57 x 2.5 x 0.47-inches on Q)
- 4.2 ounces (vs 4.06 ounces on Q)
I don’t expect that diehard business users will go for the dash over the BlackBerry because this thing does run Windows Mobile. Consumers, however, who don’t know any better may see the Dash with it’s full keyboard, and more importantly, lack for the need of a BlackBerry data plan, and think that so long as they can get email and take pictures, what’s the difference.
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I don’t know if the dash will make a huge impact. Part of the problem I have with these QWERTY phones being bought by consumers, is how much more difficult it is to just dial a number from the keypad than with a suretype style keyboard. I’d assume the majority of consumers who’d want a cool looking data phone that’s relatively easier to use as a phone would pick the Pearl
This can mean only one thing! Cingular must have exclusive rights to the 8800!!!!
The Dash, I am sure, will have its fans, but I would think it to be more of a small niche market.
It may be a good device…and perhaps the best Windows Mobile device out there right now…but it’s still WM, and that cripples it.
Plus, it really doesn’t begin to match the Pearl in terms of style.
A few more points: with regards to the data plan, while this device won’t need a BB data plan, it still will need a data plan at extra cost to do email, web.
The data plan add-on w/T-Mo is actually more expensive than the BB BIS service: 29.99 vs 19.99.
So if a user wants to do email on this device, it will actually cost more than with the Pearl.
I missed the memo you all got; what is wrong with Windows-based phones? Not being a smart A, just trying to understand why you all think it is inferior to blackberry (or others?) interface/OS?
I didn’t realize that the data plan is that expensive. I wonder if T-Mobile will offer a pay as you go option like they do with the SideKick? The Dash looks somthing that a younger crowd would be drawn to.
John Q,
Windows Mobile is notoriously unstable as compared to the BlackBerry OS which is viewed as the most stable OS out there. I wonder, however, how much that really matters as smartphones become the norm for consumers just as cameraphones have over the passed 3 or 4 years.
My $.02:
Albert, Windows Mobile in its Smartphone varient is quite easy to use for dialing, similar to many simpler phones, you can simply scroll down through your list of contacts. As for dialing numbers from the keyboard, its no different than on a QWERTY BB.
John, Robb is correct in that BB is more stable, WM does need to be rebooted occasionally, BB simply will not – it just works. Though I would not call WM “notoriously” unstable – it does have some quirks in that area.
Thought, yes the data plan on T-Mobile is $30/mo., but includes the full Internet plan that is required by the BB for email services, and also includes unlimited T-Mo WiFi hotspot access. This fits with the Dash device specs as it has built-in WiFi as well. As an aside, you can requst the BB data plan for $20 – its not limited just to the BBs that they sell.
Personally, I was surpised at the media hoopla around the Dash, T-Mobile has never really gotten this kind of attention on a device before. It almost approached the launch of the Moto Q on Verizon, which I would say is an inferior device.
I think the Dash will have a larger market than many of you project. The Pearl will loss some of its market share but how many business people use T-mobile? T-mobile being a consumer based company should convert quite a few of its sidekick customers to the Dash…and it’s already happening. The Dash is more powerful, plays MP3’s and videos, opens office attachments, and has free Internet. I find it interesting that no one mentioned the WIFI capabilities. Hot spots are literally everywhere. For light email users and web surfers the Dash is far cheaper than the pearl of sidekick. You don’t even need a data plan…just find a hot spot.
Sir
i am from cuttack.here this sets are running perfectly but here no service centre for Blackbery so i Want to give this service to the blackbery customers if you give me a chance .Please show me the way to start the service centre at cuttack
my Contact no: 09337406797
With Regards
Muralidhar Nayak