I've been looking for a couple of weeks at the smartphones and decided to go for the HTC legend, but now thinking of the Blackberry 8520 (no 3g).

What do you use the mobile internet for? Can I justify the extra money? I have a dongle and mobile internet,any reason to go for the Legend over the 8520 when I only need email access??

I have an HTC Legend and a Netbook with integrated dongle.

The legend is a wonderful phone to use. The interface is great and I have some great widgets/apps for free on it now.

The browser experience is good and works well in landscape rotation, although I dont usually post on threads through it.

The only problems with the legend are the radio signal struggles because of the metal case – Id be tempted by the plastic cased Desire instead. Also, yesterday I had the phone in the car as a voice satnav with the GPS on for position, HSDPA signal for mapping downloads, bluetooth for my headset and boy did it get hot! 🙂 Its great that it works so well, but the power draw is huge – it is a like a small computer.

I like the back up of a good second browser so I dont have to whip out the netbook all the time. I still prefer to type emails, thread replies, on the netbook though.

Oh, and my life is run through google apps (calendar, mail contacts etc) so the seamless sync of google apps with android systems makes it a no brainer for me.

What do you use the mobile internet for?

I pretty much only use the mobile internet these days (except when I'm at work obviously). Just much easier being able to browse singletrack in one hand while watching telly, sitting on the train, having a crap, etc 🙂 I actually use it even when I have a netbook sat next to me that I could use instead.

Also like Stoner I rely on having email and Google Calendar to organise myself and the missus, so having it always available on the phone (iPhone in my case) helps a lot.

Cheers guys, it's still not convincing me. The 8520 is only 6€ per month against 15€ for the Legend and I can't see the justification in the extra 9€ when I think the main use will only be email work.

Also the metal cased Legend swings it for me in one respect. Internet on the crapper? Is there no escape???

Put it this way: I can't see the point in getting a smartphone if you don't have an unlimited internet access contract.

Pretty much everything I do with my phone involves the internet:
email and browsing obviously, but also calendar, GPS, podcasts, RSS feeds, facebook, youtube, app store, radio, TV, iplayer, banking…

I use wifi when I can (most of the time) but it's surprising how much stuff still uses "paid for" access (3G or GPRS). It's actually slightly annoying but hey ho – got 500MB a month which is so far fine (and a 3G meter app).

Most of the offices I work in have free wi-fi connections and I'm not free to surf anyway- I should be working.
I guess I don't use the internet as much as some. I don't really use Mp3 player, so radio not an issue. My life isn't so complicated that I need calendar, I just need to know what day it is!!! I generally work on a week to week basis.

The real function is to authorize sales through email. I can always upgrade in the future I suppose.

Thanks.

*checks usage*

I've sent 61MB and received 463MB on the cellular network since the start of April. 🙂