I'm thinking about getting a Blackberry 8900 for my next phone upgrade. The main reason is that I have a regional job and it would be handy to access my emails on the move. I'm not high enough grade to get one free and instead I get a Nokia 3109 and a laptop. I thought that if I got my own Blackberry, then I could access my works emails. I would have to check that I would be allowed to do this but assuming I can, would the 8900 Blackberry be the best phone for my needs?

I had no problem accessing emails on my n95, and I have no problem on the iphone. Most "smartphones" can retrieve emails now, not just blackberrys.

Email use on a blackberry requires an additional subscription, as well as the monthly contract charge.

I have email on my N95 and it works perfectly, and it will sync with any pop3 server. The N95 can even sync with a MS Exchange server.

Whichever option you go for, you are going to need an inclusive data tariff as well otherwise its going to get expensive.

I would also need it to sync with Outlook on my laptop. I'm sure it can be done but my concern would be if work would give me the settings to access my mail. I work for Asda and I'm not sure they will allow a 3rd party phone to access the network

If you go with vodafone they will charge an extra £5 a month for the privelige of not using vodafones servers for the email so if Asda have their own exchange or rim servers you pay more - it's not clear from their website or brochures that they do this.

I should have a chat with the IT guys at work, my work was fine with me doing it. I'm not sure about blackberrys and N95 etc but if you have a windows mobile phone it can be setup so it can be wiped remotely they may want to do that.

There are remote wipe apps for symbian.

Unless it's a work phone, I cant see your employer going for it. Even we cant on our phones, yet happily have access on the laptops we lug round. The reason cited is data security.

There are remote wipe apps for symbian.

Unless it's a work phone, I cant see your employer going for it. Even we cant on our phones, yet happily have access on the laptops we lug round. The reason cited is data security.

Thats my thoughts exactly. I could do far more damage with my laptop and VPN connection than I could ever do with a Blackberry. I guess I'l have to work harder and get a promotion or two.

I have had one for about 6 years now and TBH they are overrated.

It's like a little electronic ball and chain...

I have had one for about 6 years now and TBH they are overrated.

It's like a little electronic ball and chain...

My boss has made the same comment. He says that once you have one, everyone will expect you to be available 24/7. He has started to take holidays abroad to ensure he's not contactable. I suppose I need to way up the pro's and con's of having one.

I have a Blackberry 8320 on Orange.........Best phone I've ever had

I bought a palm treo 500 £113 for brand new smartphoney goodness I have no complaints with it at all.

I use a Palm Treo Pro at work and it's been great so far, great battery, phone's superb, changing network passwords (always been tricky on previous Treos) etc etc but also a little pricey too.

As it's a work phone, I can connect it to my laptop for VPN access if I was away from an internet connection (you should be able to with most PDAs).

I find it more useful than my laptop due to being so portable.

I've got the Blackberry storm from Vodafone, can't winge and get all my work e-mails using the IMAP settings. We don't have a BB exchange server and i don't have to pay any more money to them.

As my work phone i have the Blackberry Bold, just because i'm a recent BB fan