The Blackberry and other such fruit

[TheSpikeyCrow]

Ok, [deep breath] here goes ...

Am currently trading from home via a laptop with broadband connection. The arrangement is working fine but as I am about to be on the move a lot more I am looking to sell my laptop and opt for a more compact and portable alternative.

Frankly, I know diddly-squat about Blackberry devices but thought such a thing might just do the trick.

A few basic questions that I hoped a patient techie could advise me on please:

1. Currently trade using web-based sites and would need to access a web-based charting site (FXtrek) and a broker site on an hourly basis.

2. I gather you need to sign up to Orange/Vodafone/A. N. Other service provider in order to get such access. Do these contracts work along similar lines of a standard mobile package, ie you buy into a contract, pay 'x' per month and that gives you email/internet access? If I'm accessing a website on an hourly basis what would be my minimum data requirement?

3. Roughly how much does this service cost and for what minimum contract term? Are there restrictions on data size limit or are there unlimited options? Any recommended/avoid at all costs providers?

4. Have noticed that there are Blackberry devices for sale on eBay. Is there any advantage in purchasing this way or does the device come 'free' as part of the contract anyway.

5. Is it possible to retain your existing email id (with BTYahoo.com) and link it into the Blackberry so it appears seamless?

6. Am UK based. Is the internet access on the Blackberry on an "always-on" basis and, on a practical level, how effective is it to work with? Is there a particular model I should be looking into?

Sorry for all the basic questions but I genuinely want to learn more. Surely I can't be the only person here who doesn't have the answers? I am? Oh dear. In a fit of helpyourselfitis I did browse around the internet for more detail but to date have only found technical specs for specific Blackberry models, not an 'Idiots Guide' to how it all pulls together.

Any advice would be gratefully received.


Spikey.

 

[JasonC2]

You need internet/email access on the move, If your laptop at present is too big/heavy for this purpose you have the following alternatives,

Mobile Phone,

Would need to have a data tariff/add on with one of the mobile providers, but be warned, these are extremely expensive indeed, most charge £2+ per MB, T-mobile I think have a 40 meg per month package but I think it's still very expensive

Also would need to have a large screen like sony ericsson P990i and these handsets are more expensive

PDA,

You could sync it with Wifi hotspots and access internet that way

Blackberry,

Don't know much about these, I know you can use email on them but I don't know how they are with websites

Sony TX2XP/L series Ultra portables,

These are amazing new devices from Sony, just been released, they are very small in between a PVP (personal video player) and a small laptop, they have amazing 7.5 hours battery life and wiegh just 1.25kg!

They cost alot £1400+ but the spec defies belief, they manage to cram an 80 GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM into a tiny ultra-thin, ultra-compact 1.25kg notebook and the screen on these is very thin, If you've got a decent budget and you fancy treating yourself, Go for one of these beautys

Heres a link http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39030094,49253292,00.htm

Extremely advanced technology from Sony..........not just a pretty notebook!

Hope this helps!

Jason

 

[CFD1]

Check this link:

http://www.my-xda.com/xdaexec_what.html

 

[TheSpikeyCrow]

Check this link:

http://www.my-xda.com/xdaexec_what.html

JasonC2, CFD1,

Thank you both for the info. You've given me some very good ideas to look into.

rgds,

Spikey.