As some of you may know, I’ve been going back and forth about whether to get an iPhone or Blackberry Bold given I need to return my Blackberry 8800 back to PlanetEye next week.
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, fueled by advocates for both sides as well as a steady flow of device updates from my friend and wireless guru Kevin Restivo.
But I’m pretty sure that I’m going to get an iPhone. Here’s why:
1. It has a much better Web browser experience that’s more like the Web as opposed the chuga-chuga experience on the Blackberry.
2. The Apps Store. Not to suggest that I – or, for that matter – many people use many of the applications that they purchase or download for free from the App Store but it is good to have choice to pimp your iPhone the way you want. Blackberry is launching a store soon, which may help close the gap.
3. Twitter: The number of Twitter applications for the iPhone is bountiful, and they work really well. On the Blackberry, this is not the case.
4. WordPress: Not that I plan on blogging much from the iPhone but at least there’s a WordPress application ready to go when needed.
The only adoption hurdle when it comes to the iPhone is the lack of a keyboard. Sure people rave about the touch screen but I like the tactile feel of the keyboard. If Apple was smart, it would introduce an iPhone with a keyboard but Steve Jobs is never going to let that happen.
Technorati Tags: apple, blackberry, iPhone
This is the dilemma I’ve been having. I’m holding off for a few months until the new Nokia N97 comes out. I’d hold off a few months until you can see how that works out, unless you really just have to splash the cash now.
Have you considered Opera Mini on the BlackBerry?
http://is.gd/lKKy
It’s every bit as good as the iPhone’s browser, and you’ll have a *real* tactile QWERTY keyboard…
my reason to have chosen an iphone is: we will always remember having had the first icon phone. is like if you had an spectrum in your childhood or not. I sadly didn’t have an spectrum…
Get the iPhone. Not only is the browser experience better but the viewing of word documents is crystal clear and easy. Lots of quality apps to choose from among many other benefits…especially if you integrate with the Mac.
If you do ANYTHING on the web, iPhone is a no-brainer. Seriously. Using the Bold’s browser is absolute torture. I haven’t tried Opera Mini, but it’s not difficult to imagine it being a significant improvement over the native browser. Fundamentally though, I think a touchscreen is essential for a good browsing experience.
So:
iPhone browser = A
iPhone typing = B
Blackberry browser = B
Blackberry typing = B
It just depends on what you’ll be spending your time doing more.
Oh, but what may be the deciding factor is that the iPhone’s actual PHONE functionality is pretty crap. Not very good voice quality, not very good reception, dropped calls. Just a buggy experience, where I’ve heard Blackberries are rock solid in that regard.
Funny you say that about the keyboard… many critiques I’ve heard of the G4 is “Why, in this day and age, is a real keyboard needed in a device and as soon as Google realizes that the quicker they’ll get marketshare?” Actually taking points off the G1 design because it had a real keyboard!
Personally I think it’s just iPhone bias… somehow Apple makes something and that is THE way to do it and everything else is wrong.
My wife and I went back and forth between the G1 and the iPhone and ended up choosing the iPhone.
We’ve definitely not regretted it. I don’t think we’d have regretted the G1, either, though. Both are very nice devices and as soon as my Verizon contract is up…. (or that iPhone on Verizon rumor comes true)….
Also, you should spend some time with the Bold – on paper, it’s not a quantum leap over the 8800 Series, but the UI tweaks and jaw-dropping screen makes for a much more enjoyable user experience.
And not sure what you mean about Twitter clients on the BlackBerry platform – there are plenty. And it’s a far more enjoyable experience tweeting with an actual physical keyboard. TwitterBerry, Social Scope, BlackBird, etc.
1. You’re right. Even with Opera Mini the iPhone has one of the best mobile browsing experinces out there.
2. Even though a BB app store will be out soon, do you really want to be forced to get all of your third party apps from a centralized location that controls what shows up? If someone makes an app for the BB and RIM doesn’t like it, tough luck RIM. If the same happens for the iPhone, Apple just pulls the app from the app store.
3. There’s at least a dozen Twitter apps for the BB. SocialScope being my favourite so far. I’m writing this concern of yours off as bogus.
4. I know of at least 2 WordPress compatible apps for the BB so far so there is no concern here either.
The iPhone rocks but unless you loathe the BB browsing experience there seems to be no reason to switch from your current list of dilemas.
I very recently got an iPhone after having a blackberry for years.
The typing isn’t as bad as you might think – but I do prefer the physical feedback you get from a keypad.
Web browsing and the apps are great. I quite like the way contacts work, especially when set up to sync with Google Contacts.
Overall I do actually love it, but there are some annoyances you’ll have to learn to live with until they get fixed.
Cut and paste is an obvious one, but you can kind of work around it due to apps building in ways to email links etc.
Lack of multi-tasking is VERY annoying for a blackberry user. Want to check your email while that web page is loading? Sorry, when you switch back it won’t have loaded in the background and will reload. Want to listen to Last.Fm app while you surf the web? Nope – switching apps closes the last one.
This is a huge problem for IM – unless you leave the IM app open at all times, you won’t stay online. It makes IM basically impossible.
But Tweetie is a great (paid) Twitter app.
Finally, text messaging is a bit crap – doesn’t tell you how many characters you’ve used up or whether it will split and it’s all separate to emails. No MMS either. Nor can you forward a text.
My technophobic fiancee LOVES her iPhone. I could never get her to use her old Razr properly, but she took to the iPhone like a duck to water.
You’ve got to be kidding. iPhone is untouchable all-around. Unless you don’t enjoy sheer joy, pleasure, awesomeness, etc. I’m not a fanboy. I’m depressive as hell and negative about most everything, except my iPhone, which is the finest piece of technology available. Also, next week’s iPhone will be better than this week’s iphone, because the OS continues to improve and the APP STORE continues to add functionality. You won’t get free, automatic operating system updates with any other phone. The iPhone will continue to improve on an exponentially faster bases than other phones.
Hahaha. Unless you need to be productive, in which case it’s an uphill battle with the iPhone.
iPhone is so far ahead, it’s too hard for the rest to play catch up. Kind of like how the iPod was. Every year was suppose to be the iPod killer – but it never happened. Why did iPod win out when it was years late to the party? Same with the Apple iPhone. Mobile phones have been with us for 2 decades. Smart phones? Maybe 8? Then comes iPhone to change everything. Oh boy. The 20,000 apps in the app store is the real killer. Android has the best chance to be second best.
“Unless you need to be productive”
It’s truly amazing how iPhone-haters like to use that phrase but never tell us what that word “productive” means to them.
My iPhone gives me the info I need via its great web browser, and it is so much quicker to get to all its functions so I use them all. That makes me one heck of a lot more productive.
Ah, yes. Life in the cloud.
Why can’t I consolidate all of my emails accounts into one inbox? Why do I have to constantly switch between them?
Why doesn’t the email application have a decent search functionality? Why can’t I attach pictures to my emails from within the email client?
Why can’t I copy and paste? Why do I have to find a paper and pen when I need to copy down important information?
Why can’t I use turn-by-turn directions with the GPS? Why do I have to use my standalone Garmin unit to accomplish this?
Why can’t I multitask? Why am I limited to having one application running at a time?
I could go on and on. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the iPhone. But it’s a toy – you won’t ever mistake it for a serious productivity tool. There’s a reason why it still hasn’t been adopted by Enterprise.
I switched from Palm to iPhone and I use my friends BB all the time.
I really can’t imagine being more productive on a BB. I think the truth is that maybe in terms of pure email processing the BB has an advantage in terms of productivity but in terms of everything else the iPhone kinda rules.
I also think there is this thing that the BB is so painful to use that people really tend not to expect it to do that much. The iPhone on the other hand is literally being used for everything imaginable. Its such an incredible platform for mobile software. I think if you have used a BB before you basically get the jist of it. If you get an iPhone you are watching a whole new world of possibilities and really the future of mobile devices develop right in front of you.
This tireless battle should just end. Iphones users think they have the best toy on the planet, Blackberry users say they have the best business/power mobile device.
There is no best, just what is suited to your needs. I currently have a Bold (love it) and the only reason I would need a Iphone is because we are selling advertising in that space. I may opt to use my Itouch instead of gettin the phone.
Please don’t do that!!!! My wife has an iPhone and just got a Blackberry Bold, she said I saved her life!
Did you read this?
http://tinyurl.com/9kc7vy