This fall I’m planning on finally dumping AOL and updating my entire web/email world. I’m going to buy a new blackberry doohickey (my old one was the lame AOL Mobile Communicator, long defunct), change my email system etc. etc. Here’s the problem, I used to be fairly techno savvy, but years of Mac and AOL use has caused my muscles to atrophy — both literally and in the sense that I no longer have a firm grip on what PPOEs and DNS watchyamafradgets are. So here’s what I’m looking for and I would appreciate any guidance.
1. First, No web-based email. I simply don’t like the feel of ‘em.
2. I want to be able to synch everything: laptop, blackberry, desktop etc.
3. I want everything to be easy. I know that PC people think that it’s not “serious” unless it’s difficult and involves a whole bunch of dot-sys-batch files and C-prompts. But I want to make this one upgrade and then continue on my blissful slide into ignorance about how it all works.
My systems: I’m a Mac Guy — and that will not change. I have a G-4 laptop (on its last legs) and a G-5 desktop. I haven’t bought the PDA doohickey yet. My ISP is a local cable company. I do most everything on WiFi.
So what I’m looking for is the best email software, the best blackberry (probably PDA-phone combo) and the best way to hook ‘em all together (blue tooth etc). Another thing: I would like to have, if possible, multiple email addresses that can all be checked easily and interchangeably by my various devices without mucking up the synching and the rest. Guidance would be very much appreciated.
But one more favor: please please send all suggestions, advice and criticisms on this issue to JonahResearch@aol.com. My JonahNRO email can’t withstand the onslaught of a tech bleg, and keeping it all there helps me refer back to it. I don’t mean to sound cranky, but for reasons that should be pretty obvious, techblegs for a readership which is by definition fairly computer savvy always result in lots and lots of email.
Thanks again and any help really is very much appreciated.