Frustrated by my 7520
 

Hi,

I have had a 7520 for about 4 months and am very frustrated with the software logic and am hoping that there is a way to fix it.

I find the software requires too much navigation to execute simple functions. I spend time on the road (hence the need for a cell phone and email) and when I am in my car, I need to make calls. The Blackberry does not logically function the way I would like it to and requires me to look at the screen and scroll to options that I wish were the primary options. For example:

1) If I have a missed call and click on it under the first icon, the menu says open, rather than call. I rarely need to open a missed call. To call that person, I need look at the screen and scroll to Call xxx-xxx-xxxx. Bad news in a car.

2) If I click on the telephone icon, it only shows some of the calls I have made, not those recieved. It also will not allow me to launch into my phone directory unless I scroll to Call from Address book. Not good when in a car.

3) If I go to the address book and click on a name, it brings up view, not call. Again I have to scroll to the Call option on the menu.

Each of these illustrate a logic problem that I wish could be resolved. When I need to use my 7520 as a phone, I am often in a position where I do not have the ability to scroll through menu options (in my car). When I am checking email, I am always in a position where scrolling through menus is not an issue (never while driving a car). Even still, there is no real reason why an email would need to trigger the same priority of menu options as a voice call because the unit has to differentiate between the two.

I want my 7520 to function under the logic of a phone first and email second. Other co-workers carry cell phones and Blackberry's because of this issue, and I find that unacceptable.

Here is aother frustrating issue. Say you give me your number and I dial it to send you my number and the disconect and try to add your name ad save the number to my address book. I have to Open and then Add to Address Book. Why the extra step?

Is there a solution other than turning in my 7520?

I am asked all the time how I like the unit and I have to be honest, it is cumbersome and I find it dangerous to use when driving. I know that a reply might be pull over, but sorry that is not a real option on the highway and not a big solution over using a payphone at a 7-11.

Thanks.

I agree it can be cumbersome but I drive probally a hundred miles a day between job sites and I bought a great holder for the dash and I can manipulate it while in the holder with one hand so its much easier.

I cant believe you would say that stopping at a pay phone was a better option

I think you summed up the problem right there. The 7520 is an e-mail device first. It may not be the right tool for you. The 7100 series (I know Nextel doesn't offer it yet) is a phone first and an e-mail device second. But the other BlackBerrys, including the 7520 are designed to be e-mail devices.

Then don't use it while driving. Moron.

now that wasnt nessecary hackberry

I find if I hold my blackberry in front of me and above the dashboard while driving, right next to my normal line of sight, I can still see the road in my peripheral vision. Changing focus back and forth from the blackberry to the road is faster and easier.

I'm reminded of the (Marx brothers?) gag:

Patient: "Doctor, it hurts when I do this."
Doctor: "Don't do it then."

If someone finds reading email dangerous when driving, the only proper response is to tell that person to not do it. I would hope this would be obvious to all but the most simple-minded, hence the 'moron' epithet.

Never mind the fact that it actually is dangerous.

i totally agree!!! my wife and friend were in car accidents (nobody was hurt) because the idiot drivers that hit them were both on their cell phones. and now we need to worry about those same idiots reading emails too??? just how stupid are people??? my advice to you DocMcD, if you pull your car off the road, your blackberry just might be easier to use. and no, pulling the car over should be your ONLY option when on the highway - its called a break down lane or the next exit but it looks like you are too lazy to use either one. do us all a favor and use some common sense, you just might save a few lives (including your own) in the process.

DITTO in Spades

hmm... i guess typing while driving is out of the question. :)

You are all guilty of driving and talking on your cell phones. This board is not one in which we stand behind our computers and sling insults. Please keep it civil. We are here for information and community support. If you are going to hold yourself to a higher standard and insult rather than help, then GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. The driving while talking/typing is for another time. If you want to debate the issue, start a new thread. DonMcD has legit questions.

well said crackwheel people are to quick to throw insults at others when they sit behind a computer screen.

I agree with you CrackWheel.

The day after I got a BB for my son I told him, don't drive and read. That very nigh I caught him doing it, smacked him in the back of the head. The next morning he smacks me in the back of the head, when I asked him why, he said, "you're driving and reading!" :razz:

DonMcD, Unfortunately I too must drive and read at the same time. In my line of work (Search & Rescue) I do not have the luxury of stopping to read an email or answer a call.

I purchased a BB Stand and a Laptop stand for vehicles, and modified both to fit next to the steering wheel, but directly in my line of sight, allowing me to look at the road and the BB at the same time, for phone calls I use and earpiece. Also, I rearranged the Icons so I know at all times just how may clicks I need to turn the wheel to get to a specific icon. Drawback is if you don't return to the starting point, your count is thrown off. Don't give up on the BB, you find your ways around it.

You should look into the Motorola ML900. It has a slick vehicle intergration and has almost every wireless protocol...even iden direct connect.

Your the second person to tell me that, but I was told only works for the 7520, I use the 7510. I will double check though. As for my son, I've spent enough on him already.

I have an earpiece for just this reason. I have never initiated a call from my car while moving, and I don't intend to start until the BB has voice dialling. I hope you understand there is a difference between talking and reading.

I find it quite arrogant of you to assume everyone here is guilty of the same sin. If this is holding myself to a higher standard, so be it - what exactly is wrong with doing so?

The OP brought up the issue of driving while talking/ typing/ reading. I responded in kind. If you don't like this, stop reading the forum.

Before this becomes a pissing match over the internet...you are guilty of MY statement. You talk and drive which is still dangerous to use while driving. So you are sinner just like the rest of us. Now if you would like to argue the levels of which we sin, maybe we should take this to another forum.

My Point (again): We all are guilty of talking on a cell phone while driving. Whether or not you look at the phone....

My advice: Try not to be so abrasive when trying to help someone. When I try to help someone who is on the ground...I usually don't step on their chest as I pull them up

Called Motorola about this, and they said whoever told you to look into it was right, so thanks, they put me in touch with a local Motorola Authorized installer. I told the dealer what I do for a living, he's coming tomorrow to go over the set up and show me the ML900.

Thanks again.

They can get expenisve...make sure you only buy what you are going to use. See if they have any demo or refurbs! TAKE PICS!!!

Business write off, if I get it installed, I'll take pics and post them for you guys!

If you're serious about this I forbid you from ever talking to anyone else in the car while any one of you are driving. You may sit there in silence until the journey is over.

And as to abrasiveness, reading email while driving is moronic. There is no other way to put it. There are too many drivers on the road (at least here in Atl) to focus your visual attention on something inside the car for any extended length of time. Maybe you feel it is acceptable to watch TV or DVDs while driving?

Exactly...so then you agree with me then...great! Glad we could work it out.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8545779/

Forbid me lol I am free and over 21 you arent forbidding anything

Well I live in atl and I am going to read my blackberry I am gonna type on my blackberry I am going to talk on my blackberry and there isnt a thing you can do if you wanna call me a moron go right ahead.

I pay for it to be a mobile unit and mobile means in my car since thats where I spend 90% of my day

[QUOTE=Hackberry]If you're serious about this I forbid you from ever talking to anyone else in the car while any one of you are driving. You may sit there in silence until the journey is over.


Next time I get called to go search for a missing loved one, I'll be sure to tell them, "We couldn't recover your lost loved one in time, because I was forbiden to speak on my cell phone or answer my emails while driving, So sorry, we lost valuable time pulling over."

[QUOTE=rcrivera03]Stop being disingenuous.


Perhaps you can also explain to the person whose loved one you killed because your attention wasn't focused on the road, "so sorry, reading my email was more important than the person in the other car".


Which is more likely: that an accident is caused by lack of attention on the road, or that a missing loved one is not recovered because an email couldn't be read in time.

depends on if the notice is sent via email as some are in the fire and emergency services

we get weather reports via email vital SRT information all via email

You have your opinion, I have mine. I got the BB to as a mobile solution, so I'll read while driving if I want.

Thank you for the tips Dawg!
 

nice comment hackferry!!
 

Hackferry,

You and Tom Sawyer, probably don't havr jobs that require travel and meeting with clients to create. You must have a job that allowsyou to sit at your desk all day. Unfornuately, your comment defeats the purpose of having a cell phone and illustrates that you rarely get out of Hannibal, MO and hold a over glorified clerical position that can be outsourced to India. Break out your strawhat, as you will be back to painting fences again you hayseed hick.

Hackferry gets it wrong again....
 

Hey Hillbilly Hackferry,

My comment was that I find the cell phone is cumbersome and I never use email while I drive. The logic on the unit is backwards. But as backwards go, it must make perfect sense to you and your banjo loving family.

Leave the reading to those of us with opposing thumbs. And no, opposing thumbs has nothing to do with the world thumb wrestling federation.

Mooshadow, I don't read email while driving
 

Crackwheel, sorry!!
 

Thank you for reading my post in the right light. I just got back i town and was responding to some of the replies and started having fun.

Let me make clear, I do not read or compose emails while driving and my concern was that when I try to use the device as a cell, which I believe is acceptable when done judiciously, I find the BB cumbersome and a potentially dangerous device. My hope was that, as Dawg pointed out, there could be some set up issues that could be changed or a software enhancement.

Sorry for taking the bait and having fun with it, I do believe this is a shortcoming of the 7520. The fact that the lineage of the device is email first, phone second does help explain the issue. However, it still seems to be a significant flaw to a user that does ot care about the history only the functionality.
(y)

Thanks RCRivera03!
 

Sorry, you misread the original post........
 

The OP was about using the cell phone feature.

Hackberry is Rosana Rosana Dana!!!
 

:space:
WHO said anything about reading emails while driving? My feeling is that the unit should function as a cell first, because I only use the email function when I have the time to focus on it. Not while driving a car.

If you have never used your cell phone while in a car, why do you own one? The only logical answer is if you live somewhere like NYC and do not need a car.


Quoted from the original post (emphasis added to help Hackberry :space: ):

Each of these illustrate a logic problem that I wish could be resolved. When I need to use my 7520 as a phone, I am often in a position where I do not have the ability to scroll through menu options (in my car). When I am checking email, I am always in a position where scrolling through menus is not an issue (never while driving a car). Even still, there is no real reason why an email would need to trigger the same priority of menu options as a voice call because the unit has to differentiate between the two.

I want my 7520 to function under the logic of a phone first and email second. Other co-workers carry cell phones and Blackberry's because of this issue, and I find that unacceptable.

Do you have an update on this? I am in a similar situation, and would be interested in how this worked out for you...specificly the functionality of the ML900 MDT.

Thanks

DonMcD
Yes, now that I look a little more carefully, you are right. I apologize. Sheesh, people sure are touchy in here. I guess I shouldn't tell them about playing Brickbreaker while driving!! :)

***ML900 UPDATE***
I will be having the system installed. I will most likely post something in the OffTopic Lounge. So if you really want to know please send me a PM to let me know that you are interested. The dealer has to verify my authorization to access Emergency Management Systems, when that is done they will install it in mine and my supervisors vehicle.

Moonshadow,

Man, isn't brickbreaker the wierdest thing to put on a BB? Who came up with that one?

There was actually a real arcade game that reminds me of brick breaker. but I can't remember what it was called! Anyone remember?

I think it was BREAKOUT

1) When you miss a call you can scroll to the missed call, which is generally one down, and then hit the ENTER key. That will immediately place a call to that number. I know that seems cumbersome but it's not hard to one hand it once you get use to it. Also I use this in conjunction with Crank_It_Up's suggestion which was:

"I find if I hold my blackberry in front of me and above the dashboard while driving, right next to my normal line of sight, I can still see the road in my peripheral vision. Changing focus back and forth from the blackberry to the road is faster and easier."

Practice it, do it, don't do it any other way.

2) As somebody said earlier, I think it was Dawg, there is an option to change this so you can show all calls. As for going to the address book, if I know I haven't had a recent call from somebody I don't even go to the phone screen, I go directly to the address book. This is all made easier using the shortcuts. Make sure you have the option for dialing from the home screen turned off, that way you can use the letter shortcuts. I just hit "A", then the letter that starts the entry and then I scroll to where I need to be and click and select call. It's still a few extra steps but less than what you had. It also gets easier with practice.

3) This was pretty much covered in my answer for two but again, this gets easier with practice and also using the technique I mentioned in #1.


I love my 7520 and while it is cumbersome as a phone I manage to use it in the car just fine by taking my time, using safe methods and practice through repetition. It definately sounds like what you want isn't possible with what you have but if you are willing to compromise a bit I think it could all workout.

Thanks PingGuy!

(y)
Thanks PingGuy!

You are welcome. :)

another helpful hint that I found while using the bb to make a phone call was to remember that pressing the SPACE key, it takes you right to the phone application. and if you memorize key locations, its not that hard to dial the number and hit enter all with one hand.

Hey funny man
 

Ha! you so funny! You misspelled my name! I would think it's a typo but you did it more than once, for double the laughter! And if that weren't enough, you did it to another poster also! (advice: don't give up the day job. You'll starve as a comic.)


While I may have got the impression from your post that you were emailing, a mistake that was all mine and for which I apologise, scrolling through address book lists falls under the general category of 'reading'. I know this because another member of my banjo-loving family read your post to me slowly so's I could understand it. If you find something dangerous to do, regardless of what it is, wouldn't the appropriate action to not be to continue to do it? Leaping off cliffs without a parachute is fine except when you take out the guys climbing *up* the cliff who don't expect to be blind-sided by some ignorant fool with his eyes and his thumbs on his cellphone.

Please tell me how your opposing thumbs assist with your reading (note: not scrolling; reading), and I'll be glad to invest in some. Who knows, they may help with my banjo playing.

Oh, I'd also like to apologise for my careless use of the word 'moron'. Having read your other posts, I can clearly see now that this was insulting to morons.

in addition to holding my blackberry above the dash and right next to my normal line of sight, I forgot to mention to leave some extra space between you and the next vehicle in front of you. That will give you some extra time to change from your peripheral vision to focus and still have time to react accordingly

driving a vehicle with play in the steering can be especially dangerous, since the vehicle can drift without actually turning the wheel.

of course, some ppl are challenged by driving in general and should not attempt this no matter what

Wirelessly posted (your electric?: BlackBerry7520/4.0.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 UP.Browser/5.0.3.3 UP.Link/5.1.2.12)

Hackberry,

All I am going to mention is that it takes a couple of seconds to look in an address book for a name, and also takes a couple seconds to look at a missed call. Will also mention that this should not be attempted unless checking your surroundings first i.e. traffic and pedestrians. I personally do make calls while driving, but also put myself away on my messenger clients while driving and do no answer emails. You are making it sound like all attention it put on the BB, which is not true since all of us here have enough common sense to watch the road at the same time (multi tasking).

pink