[ian13550]

I went from a BB Pearl to iPhone to BB Bold. HUGE mistake going to the iPhone from a BB.

3 main reasons:

1. Email Management -- The BB email management is LIGHT YEARS ahead of the iPhone. The iPhone makes it almost impossible to quickly switch between different email accounts. It also has no unified inbox for messages.
2. Handfree BT Dialing - The iPhone does not have the ability to do hands-free voice dialing over a bluetooth headset. This is a mind-boggling oversight by Apple for a device that has no physical keyboard. Try dialing the iPhone while driving -- I wouldn't recommend it.
3. Profile Config -- The iPhone is pretty crippled when it comes to customizing the notification profiles for various events. You cannot use a custom tone for a notification - only the built in Apple sounds. You also cannot customize the mail notifications for different email accounts like you can on the BB.

I'm a big Apple fan but the iPhone is a cool toy right now. I'm sure Apple will eventually figure it out but until the business features of this phone improves, I'd stay away for another version or two and stick with a BB.

--Ian

[rambo47]

I feel ya! I'm something of a general Mac fanboi myself, but the iPhone is NOT a serious communications device. Slick toy, good iPod, but not a communicator like the Blackberry.

My reasons for not liking the iPhone:

1. Virtual keyboard - FAIL! I can't deal with it. Maybe if I sent out one or two short messages a day it wouldn't bother me so much. My Blackberry Bold has great key placement/layout, and tactile feedback.

2. Copy/Paste - I use this daily. It's just part of how I work. How does ANY smartphone today not have this? My Palm Treo 650 did this! C'mon Apple, get with the program!

3. MMS. My kids have basic flip phones and don't do email on them. So if I snap a quick pic and try to send it to them, like when I'm away on business, they can't get it unless it's an MMS.

Let us not forget THIS PAGE! Although the author is clearly a Nokia fanboi, the sentiment translates to other platforms as well.

[marcotor]

... Longtime Mac user (first was a FatMac), who makes his living supporting WinTel systems.

I happily ditched a company-issued Treo on iPhone launch day, and used it until the end of 2008. Now, my daughter has my iPhone, and I am a *very* happy 8330 user. The iPhone is a stunning media device, but did not fit my needs.

The Curve fits *my* needs much better than the iPhone ever did. What it comes down to is what works for *you*, regardless of what anyone else says.

The Windows/Mac or iPhone/Blackberry flame wars are entertaining, but honestly to me, these devices are just tools.

[El Blackberry]

I just switched back from an iPhone to a Bold. I have been a BB user since 2005 but I had to get the 3G iPhone. Well, It lasted 6 months but I had to get rid of it. For many of the reasons that have been posted here. My biggest gripe was the bad email management, lack of push email and typing on the screen. I would have ditched the iPhone sooner but jailbreaking it had lots of perks. In the end, the choice was clear. I am glad that I can use the 2 apps I loved most on the iPhone - Pandora and Qik, on the Bold! I compare the feeling of having a Blackberry again like this: When you take a nice month long vacation, it's nice to sleep in all those hotel beds, but nothing compares to coming home to your own bed and laying down...that's what i feel like now.

[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by ian13550

The BB email management is LIGHT YEARS ahead of the iPhone. The iPhone makes it almost impossible to quickly switch between different email accounts. It also has no unified inbox for messages.

Light years ahead? You must be kidding. The unified inbox is a nice feature, but hardly qualifies as light years ahead. You don't even get folder support with imap email accounts on the BB using BIS. Sure you can get it with BES, but that assumes your company, if you use it for work, has one. Otherwise, inbox only. Hardly light years ahead. Also Exchange support. With BB you again have to use BES [RIMs big cash cow] to get it. The iphone has it right out of the box without added cost.

[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by rambo47

I feel ya! I'm something of a general Mac fanboi myself, but the iPhone is NOT a serious communications device. Slick toy, good iPod, but not a communicator like the Blackberry.

My reasons for not liking the iPhone:

1. Virtual keyboard - FAIL! I can't deal with it. Maybe if I sent out one or two short messages a day it wouldn't bother me so much. My Blackberry Bold has great key placement/layout, and tactile feedback.

2. Copy/Paste - I use this daily. It's just part of how I work. How does ANY smartphone today not have this? My Palm Treo 650 did this! C'mon Apple, get with the program!

3. MMS. My kids have basic flip phones and don't do email on them. So if I snap a quick pic and try to send it to them, like when I'm away on business, they can't get it unless it's an MMS.

Let us not forget THIS PAGE! Although the author is clearly a Nokia fanboi, the sentiment translates to other platforms as well.

With the release of OS 3.0, items 2 and 3 will no longer be an issue.

[ian13550]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

With the release of OS 3.0, items 2 and 3 will no longer be an issue.

Agreed. v3 is a good step forward. However, IMHO, Apple still has not addressed any of the other major weaknesses that are show stoppers for me as a business user.

The lure of the iPhone's browser is still really strong. I have an iPod Touch (1st Gen) that I can play with at home...it reminds me of how poor the BB Browser really is. Maybe OS v4 will get me to go out and try the iPhone again. Really cool pocket computer, crappy phone (for now).