Questions Re: iPhone vs Blackberry 8800 series
 

I searched the forums for the topic and came up with some old results, but I have some specific questions that weren't covered.

1. I have a mac at home, and a PC at work. I would primarily sync at home, so I will need my device to be compatible with a mac. How does the iPhone sync with a Mac? Can you set up a blackberry with Microsoft Exchange Server on a Mac?

2. I've also read that when a blackberry user with Exchange changes a calendar event or some contact information on his/her PC, the changes automatically appear on the BlackBerry. Are there any new changes that allow the iPhone and the Mac to sync this way?

3. Has Google made any changes to the way Gmail works on the iPhone? Are there plans to add more features that would be useful for business/productivity?

4. Will Facebook/Youtube/other services work on the 8800?

Thanks in advance for your responses

1, 2, 3: These are iPhone questions. You'd probably do better asking them at iPhone Forum - iPhone Forum Index

4: Facebook is now being pushed onto T-Mobile users' Blackberrys without even asking the users. It definitely works. As for YouTube, results are mixed. Do a search in the Media forum here for YouTube and you'll see lots of discussion about that. I believe the next Blackberry OS release, due out any day now, is going to allow YouTube functionality. One thing that doesn't work is any kind of Flash video. No Blackberry support for Flash. That may come with the release of a future Blackberry model, but for now there's nothing.

Or maybe even better yet at the iPhone forum run by the same folks as this forum is. ;-) iPhoneSource.com

8800 > iPhone
83xx > iPhone

iPhone(n)

I found some useful info about sync with Mac, and apparently there are some third party apps that are better than the RIM software.

I guess my questions should have been more clear.

I'm really just looking for some advice from someone who has used both devices. Email/Messaging is very important, customization is also important. I like alot of what I've read about some BB features that the iPhone doesn't have, but I'm just looking for a comparison.

Thanks

The iPhone syncs with the Mac the same way an iPod does. You activate your iPhone via iTunes. You sync email, calendar, address book, etc through iTunes. You even do your updates for the iPhone via the iTunes client.

If you use Apple's Address Book, iCal, and mail.app, this is a snap. And if you use .Mac or another IMAP client, then mail sent from the iPhone will appear as mail sent in the sent folder in your mail.app clients as well. In this sense, it works a lot like Exchange / BlackBerry works. But without Push, which I'll explain later.

The second part of your question; can you setup Exchange to work with your Mac? You can indeed. You can use either Entourage that is bundled with Office 2004 or Office 2008. With the 2008 version, the Home and Student version DOES NOT have support for Exchange. You will need to buy the standard version.

Things can get a little tricky with 2008. At this point in time, there isn't a god sync solution for BIS accounts with Exchange / Entourage 2008. The Mac application, "The Missing Sync" is designed to sync addresses with Apple's Address Book. Entourage itself can also sync with Apple's Address Book app. So in theory, you sync from Entourage to Address Book, on through to Missing Sync and onto your BlackBerry. My attempts at this created many many duplicates.

If on the other hand you are using BES, then there is no need to sync via a wire or sync software because BES will sync your addresses, calendar, and email OTA (Over The Air) and automatically. BES / Exchange work best with the BlackBerry and weather you have a Mac or PC, the results are the same as the BlackBerry gets its Exchange information without the PC or Mac.

The Mac / BlackBerry enjoy this OTA sync via BES only. Otherwise you must sync manually with Sync software.

The iPhone / Mac does not do this entirely, but it depends on what you use. I use .Mac as an IMAP client, and so mail sent from my iPhone will find it's way into my sent folder on .Mac without me ever touching a Mac. The iPhone and the .Mac account stay in sync. But the Address Book, and iCal need to sync with iTunes.

I don't personally use Google with the iPhone, but you can read about how Google interacts with the iPhone from an in depth article written by Paul Thurrott over the Windows Super Site.

URL = http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/iphone_08.asp#113

BlackBerry has a great FaceBook application. It does work with the 8800. The iPhone FaceBook app is visually better, but doesn't include the ability to upload photos. The BB FaceBook app will allow this. Since you don't have a camera in the 8800 I don't know if photo uploading from the phone matters to you anyway.

YouTube

Clearly the iPhone is far better with YouTube. The WiFi connected iPhone works incredibly well with YouTube.

In the 3rd party software section of this site, there is an application that allows you to watch a low grade version of YouTube on the BlackBerry. Any attempt to watch a higher grade would not work.

Alex

The easiest way to compare the difference between the iPhone and BlackBerry can be summed up as follows:

First, take the strengths of each:

EMail: iPhone - Good, visual, uses intervals to check for email
Email: BlackBerry - BIS accounts are good, uses intervals to check mail
Email: BlackBerry - BES Exchange mail is instant, and excellent!

Web: iPhone, excellent web interface. Almost as good as a standard PC or Mac.
Web: BlackBerry - Good as far as standard mobile devices get. Not on the same level as the iPhone. The iPhone's web experience is a full generation ahead.

Calendar, Notes, Addresses

iPhone must sync for these.
BlackBerry with BES / Exchange sync instantly for these. If you so much as add an address in the Exchange Outlook client, in seconds it just appears in the BlackBerry without you doing anything. It's automatic and over the air.

The Phone Application:

iPhone has a handy favorites section, a better dial pad, and a great visual system to help you manage the call in progress. Visual Voice Mail is outstanding.

BlackBerry has the advantage of being well integrated. Just start to type the name of the person you wish to call, and BB finds names in the address book that match what you have typed thus far, and offers suggestions. It's quick, easy, and effortless. No need for favorites. However, you do need to use menus to manage the call, and in that sense, it feels clunky compared to the iPhone's interface. But then, how often do you conference a call on your cell phone? If never, don't worry about this. If often, the iPhone is easier to work with.

3rd party software

Here is where the BlackBerry shines big time. Check out RexWireless for the best ToDo application ever written. Only available on the BlackBerry, and in my humble opinion one of the reasons the BlackBerry should be considered above all. If you are juggling client requests there is no better software to help you than ToDoMatrix, period, end of story, bar none.

BUt if you can by with the iPhone's calendar and Apple's iCal, then perhaps this matters less. I myself am a customer of RexWireless and I now use the iCal and iPhone, and though not in the same class by any stretch of the imagination, I find I am okay with it. But I do miss my ToDoMatrix. It is clearly the better application.

On the iPhone side, there are some nice built in applications. The Stock Quote application is great, and BlackBerry has no such built in app. There are 3rd party apps however. The weather app on the iPhone is also visually outstanding.

SMS is threaded on the iPhone. Not on the BlackBerry. But SMS is an extra cost. On the BlackBerry, you can add a 3rd party IM client, such as JiveTalk and that can connect to all your IM friends. There are web versions of this software for the iPhone, but the BlackBerry is easily the winner here. JiveTalk is the better way to go.

The iPhone of course has built in iPod functionality. If that is important to you, and it is to some, then there is no better way to enjoy your media. Managing media via iTunes is stupid-easy. And the larger screen make watching video acceptable. The built in chapter functions are incredible. It's as close to functionality equivalent of watching a DVD on a set top box that you can get. You can chapter skip for example in a downloaded movie. Incredible.

If it's media related, the iPhone really shows it's well thought out intentions to be a great media device.

So I hope you can see from this that for business, email, sync, contact management, etc; that the BlackBerry really excels.

For lighter email, great web, and outstanding media, the iPhone really shines. So it really depends on where you sit in those areas.

Best,

Alex

That was an incredible review, and I can't thank you enough for taking your time to type that out for me.

Thank you!

By doing research, and now reading your posts, I've found that the decision that needs to be made is exactly what you said at the end of your post.. business or pleasure.

Thanks again Alex

Alex's review is 100% correct and as Dallas mentioned above, check out iphonesource.com run and owned by the same people as this site.

Since you thoroughly cover both mail apps I'm going to ask what is probably a foolish question. I am a Blackberry 8800 user. Is it possible to sync apps with my Ipod Touch - including mail - just like I do my Blackberry and at the same time?

In other words, can I use both on the same email account?

Actually now having both in my hands. The iPhone actually supports JiveTalk as an actual APP. It's amazing on the iphone, as well as any other app in the app store. There is so much to choose from and it's right at your fingertips.

However, I give an additional point for Jivetalk on the Blackberry, because it can notify (the little number on the icon) me of incoming messages.

Other than that, it's pretty tough. Especially asking here.

It most certainly does allow you to upload photos. And besides that, the iphone Facebook application is 100 times better then the BB one in so many ways, not just visually as you say. I've used both, so I know.

Can you say H A T E R ?? Hahahahaha !!!(n)