# Setting Up a Consumer Blackberry: Google Makes it a Cinch

By [Continuations](https://continuations.com) · 2009-09-14

iphone, blackberry, google

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Yesterday I went to [T-Mobile](http://www.t-mobile.net/) to get a new Blackberry 8900 for Susan, who wanted to switch back from the iPhone.  There were a bunch of things she did not like about the iPhone.  She never got used to typing on the glass keyboard and wanted to have a real keyboard again.  She also was super unhappy when we were in Europe this summer that I was using my Blackberry with abandon due to [T-Mobile’s excellent international email roaming](http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/addons/services/information.aspx?PAsset=InternetEmail&oscid=61C1A282-2E67-48CD-84B6-352D2CE3E5D1&tp=Svc_Tab_BlackBerry), while she was afraid of even touching her iPhone due to all the [horror stories about AT&T’s data roaming charges](http://www.latimes.com/travel/sns-trvrail3-wk2-sep2,0,2169624.story).  She never really got into downloading apps onto the iPhone, so that she really wound up with primarily the downsides and none of the upside of an iPhone.  
  
I was not looking forward to setting up the Blackberry, because somehow I remembered from the last time I had done so that it was quite involved.  But I couldn’t have been more wrong.  From start to finish, the setup took about 30 minutes and was as smooth as could be.  First, I downloaded [Google Sync](http://m.google.com/sync) and got a calendar and address book sync going.  Then, I added email  again by connecting to her gmail account simply [using the “Setup e-mail” icon](http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=78882) right off the Blackberry.  After adding a gmail account the Blackberry itself suggested [downloading a “plugin”](http://na.blackberry.com/eng/devices/features/communication/gmail.jsp?) that provides extra gmail functionality inside Blackberry email.   Finally, I added Google Maps and Twitterberry (waiting for Socialscope to be general release).  
  
So far everything is working incredibly well.  Bottom line is that for a consumer who is entirely on google (calendar, address book and email), a Blackberry is a great fit and super easy to set up.

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*Originally published on [Continuations](https://continuations.com/setting-up-a-consumer-blackberry-google-makes-it-a-cinch)*