Can't Stop Crying

[Haley53]

I hate my stupid piece of shit phone. I hate it right now. My partner needs me, he cannot reach me any other way, and it decides to freeze. It's a BB Torch, yes, it's a common problem, but none of the keyboard resets are working and the battery cover will not come off. I'm about to take a hammer to it. But I'm assuming I'm going to need to let it drain the battery on its own. I've tried everything from plugging it into the computer (it registers but the phone is still frozen) to trying the keyboard resets to button mashing to wrestling with the battery cover to no avail. And I'm freaking out and nearly shitting myself with anxiety and cannot stop crying because this is the only way my partner has to reach me and he's been needing me so desperately lately. And now I'll be unavailable for god knows how long until this thing decides to die off and work for me again?!? I don't know what to do. I sent an SMS via Skype, I'm hoping it will deliver, but there's going to be no contact and I'm sick with ill-feeling, worry, desperation, and sad. Why did this have to happen now? I don't know what to do. And of course me being me, I'm paranoid it's not going to work once it's died out and I recharge it, but asdfghjkl.

[CynicalQuixotic]

Gah, I'm so sorry about all of this. What a clusterfuck.

He doesn't have any internet access at all? Have you tried calling BlackBerry customer service and seeing what they have to say? I know it's usually an exercise in futility, but it's worth a shot.

[Haley53]

Well I managed to finally get the damned battery cover off by using the casing from my medication and pushing it inside. Amazing. Who knew there'd be a silver lining to mental issues. At least I got it off, though now I am exhausted from what feels like a stupid emotional outburst. But he literally texted me asking me where I was (technology, again, wonked at a convenient time) earlier because he needed me and gah. The idea of not having a phone while it dies for a couple days is/was terrifying, because no, he doesn't have internet access at all, and with what he's going through, it'd be a lot to drag himself to the city and sit in an internet cafe with a ton of people. :/ Luckily it seems to be working now, though I punctured a little blue thing on accident... Gah. I should never have upgraded to a smart phone.

[Aaron]

Good. I was just researching on how to do resets over the computer instead of using the keyboard or taking the battery out. My recommendation would have been backing up personal data and restoring to factory settings on the phone (followed by restoring your information) because it sounds like it could be an app acting up or a problem with the operating system which could require a reinstall. Anyway, I'm glad it's fixed. In future if you have any troubles with the back cover, I found a little post online which people have found to be useful in removing the back cover. https://supportforums.blackberry.com...ght/true#M5855 Good luck and I hope things get patched up between you two soon.

[Sunbeam]

I'm sorry about your phone troubles.
I have a Blackberry too, and sometimes that's the only contact I have with my SO because of the time difference, he'll be on Facebook, but I'll be out; and I like to know he's okay, especially on bad days.
Sometimes, our phones suck.

[Haley53]

@Aaron -- Thank you, I'll keep that link. I'm also going to save my data in case I ever need to do a restore to factory settings. :/

@Sunbeam -- Yes, it is hard. My anxiety's been up because he's finally moved into his new place and is having difficulty getting used to it. I mean he's motherless, his family more or less guilted him into leaving before he even had bed sheets on the bed, he has to care for his brother who is understandably also having a difficult time, there's no internet access, there's no heating, his best friend is going off to the army for 3 months, etc... It's like I've wanted nothing more than to be his constant and then my phone threatened to kapuf and it threw me into hysterics, because usually my phones take about 3+ days to die out if they're left alone.

[annb8888]

Gurl ... USE GMAIL SMS!!! it works like a phone. Enter his phone number and he gets your text. He can reply to it too, just don't close your Gmail account so you can see it.

AND IT'S FREE

That, and get an android.

[Haley53]

Does it work internationally?

[annb8888]

Does it work internationally?

Yes it does. And it's free. I use that to text my boyfriend who's in Philly. And I'm in Asia. He gets the text message in real time, no delays. If he answers me via Gmail SMS and I'm not online, it becomes an email.

If im out and I have wifi, I use HeyWire application for androids. It's also free to text anywhere in the US and other selected countries. So if he texts me to my phone, I answer via HeyWire OR Gmail SMS if Im online.

keeps me connected AND saves me tons of cash. LOL

[Zapookie]

Sorry to hear that Eclaire! I have a blackberry too and the damned thing freezes up a lot... I have to regularly take the battery out when it's on so that it resets itself because the hardware is so laggy. I can't wait to get rid of it. I'm glad you finally got the cover off though! maybe try and make a makeshift cover if you can so whenever it freezes up you can easily take the battery out and reset the handset. I know it sounds dodgy but if the cover is being a jerk then might as well get rid of it!

[LilyChiba]

AOL Instant Messenger also allows you to send SMS free to any phone number.

[Haley53]

Thank you everyone.

The phone's a newish phone, and I love it to bits and pieces. This was the first time it froze up on me though and at the most inconvenient time... Usually I'm better at handling these things, but then again, usually the battery cover is not so difficult to get off. :P

[Malaga]

I'm glad it's all sorted now
Smartphones are godsend for LDR. We rely on them so much, it's hard to imagine what it would be like if we didn't have them. His iPhone was stolen a couple of months ago and he went into such a fit. He kept repeating it was his link to me and his friends said he was beyond desperate. He got a new one a few weeks later and in the mean time we talked via email. Communication didn't actually suffer, we even talked more than usual, but still, as soon as he got his new phone, he was like, ahhh that's better, now I feel like we're together again. I guess it's like carrying your SO with you in your pocket or something.

[Haley53]

Haha, yes. :P I'm pretty addicted to my phone and get pretty desperate when something happens. I probably would not have freaked out as bad if a) it weren't our only mode of contact and b) it weren't a day when he had come to me needing to talk about his feelings about his mother etc. I probably could have dealt with it, as much as I would have hated it, but the idea of not being in contact with your SO when they're not only grieving but in hysterics... That's what really pushed me over. :/ Glad he got a new phone, though, I'd die if I had to go so long without one. :P The idea of a few days had me turning pasty, haha. I like the analogy of it being like keeping your SO in your pocket. So true.

[HollzHeartsChris]

God, I couldn't live without my smartphone. The smartest (sorry I just had to ) thing I've bought all year! Blackberries are shamefully unreliable, I can't believe that I even considered buying one once lol. My friend bought a brand new white one sometime last year, and within 6 days of buying it, it wasn't working because he couldn't text of it, send calls, go on the internet or anything. I felt really bad for him. Get an Android phone, they're far more reliable and although it's not an iPhone, trust me, in some ways, it's better because they don't go wrong so much

---------- Post added at 06:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:26 PM ----------

And I've found that the best app to use for international texting is WhatsApp on the Android market, a brilliant app that you can use to text friends for free on any phone, be it iPhone, Blackberry or another Android phone. I'd highly recommend it.