[ArgonNJ]

Originally Posted by RobM

I have been thinking about the iphone for alittle while now, since I like gadgets...but I'm a scrooge when it comes to money...has to be cheaper for me to jump.

Watch for the price to drop just before they come out with the 3G model some time this year.

[strike2tamu]

Originally Posted by Rolo1971

I've read alot of people who HATE the key board. The issue of mis-typing letters and this was major to some. OK, if your fingers are the size of sausage links YOU WILL have some typing problems. These people with fat fingers probably cannot use a regular key board for that matter. Try the gym, it works wonders people!
I have not encountered this problem with my IPOD TOUCH and it's the same size of the IPHONE.
OK, I feel better now that I am done with my rant. Now back on topic.

The iphone is great and I understand it's not for everyone.

Possibly the dumbest thing I have ever read, finger size and being fat rarely go "hand in hand". The hand is not the place that fat stores, some people just have big hands, fingers, etc...but you did make me laugh

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Watch for the price to drop just before they come out with the 3G model some time this year.

$150-$200 is what i have heard. though, by the time that comes out *hopefully* RIM will have 3 device type offerings. 1 entry consumer, 1 business, 1 high end

[zkyevolved]

Originally Posted by Rolo1971

I've read alot of people who HATE the key board. The issue of mis-typing letters and this was major to some. OK, if your fingers are the size of sausage links YOU WILL have some typing problems. These people with fat fingers probably cannot use a regular key board for that matter. Try the gym, it works wonders people!
I have not encountered this problem with my IPOD TOUCH and it's the same size of the IPHONE.
OK, I feel better now that I am done with my rant. Now back on topic.

The iphone is great and I understand it's not for everyone.

I must disagree there. I would never be able to use the iphone or ipod touch (i've used them both) because I constantly change languages (being a language teacher) I often have to converse in English, Spanish, Italian or French. I went to the AT&T store in Germany to play with the iphone, and I've played a lot on the iPod Touch and I must say... Writing a text message in different languages is near impossible. Apple Touch devices are Mono-lingual devices due to their "auto correction" features. I wanted an Iphone for a while, after I kept someones ipod touch for a day, and couldn't type a single message correctly.

Keyboard is NICE but NOT PERFECT. Long way to go for many people that work in multiple languages.

[Rolo1971]

Well I am not sure what you disaggree with BUT the Ipod touch does not have text message capabilities nor is it found at the AT&T store. It only has email. And it sounds like the device isn't for you since you converse in different languages so I guess you should wait until apple or some other company releases something that will suit your needs. The discussion was on the touch pad not language capabilities.
I should have been clearer when I said "many people complain about the keyboard IN THE UNITED STATES and mistyping"
I'll try to be clearer next time.
I also speak fluent spanish and I don't have problems sending an email in spanish to friends. Granted I don't have all spanish punctuation the message gets across.

Rolo

[i robot]

I have a curve for work and the iPhone is my personal phone. I am posting from it on what has to be the best mobile web browser ever. Yes the phone isn't there yet when comes to email and SMS but come June and the 2.0 who knows.

[Rolo1971]

Irobot, What's happening in June and what is the 2.0? You've got me excited!
Are they releasing another phone? or is this an OS upgrade?

[i robot]

Originally Posted by Rolo1971

Irobot, What's happening in June and what is the 2.0? You've got me excited!
Are they releasing another phone? or is this an OS upgrade?

Well two things really, 2.0 (iphone software upgrade) is going to be released. This will allow third party programme to be installed on the iphone even VOIP when using Wifi for example. Games utilities and the like. Apple just released their Software Development Kit and there are programmers out there beavering away now.

The second thing is the Microsoft Exchange integration which they say will be better and cheaper than RIM's but they would say that. This will offer push (mail contact appointments etc) facilities to the iPhone for corporate users.

All existing iphone users will be able to use it as a free upgrade. But there is a lot of spec about a 2nd gen iphone being released at the same time? But that mere spec at the moment.

Its certainly going to be a challenge to RIM if they get it all right

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by i robot

Well two things really, 2.0 (iphone software upgrade) is going to be released. This will allow third party programme to be installed on the iphone even VOIP when using Wifi for example. Games utilities and the like. Apple just released their Software Development Kit and there are programmers out there beavering away now.

The second thing is the Microsoft Exchange integration which they say will be better and cheaper than RIM's but they would say that. This will offer push (mail contact appointments etc) facilities to the iPhone for corporate users.

All existing iphone users will be able to use it as a free upgrade. But there is a lot of spec about a 2nd gen iphone being released at the same time? But that mere spec at the moment.

Its certainly going to be a challenge to RIM if they get it all right

only consumer. reliability and security is the blackberry trademark feature. Apple has neither of those in their device. 4 days to be hacked is all a business has to say. The iPhone 2.0 features will be nice, but the 3rd party apps will be fairly useless unless they fix that it closes when an Apple app is run, and that you can only run one at a time. if they actually keep that feature, they will really miss the bus.

[i robot]

Your right the consumer will have the choice your also correct on the security issues. But apple aren't even a year out of the blocks yet. Just look at RIMs desktop software many years on its still terrible, multimedia still terrible, browsing terrible yada yada yada. At least there's a race on and competition is healthy. Dont get me wrong I love my curve and its the best email solution by far but the iphone trumps it when I get home and want to use my phone. Pros and Cons the consumer will decide.

[i robot]

PS I am from Northern Ireland originally so I spent many years being on side of the religious fence, surely when it comes to a phone we can relax and enjoy whatever we prefer. This Blackberry/iPhone thing could start WWIII

[Rolo1971]

Great points by both you! And I am with you irobot, I love my 8100 and glad I got it instead of the Iphone but I am hoping Apple gets the bugs out so that they can produce a better 2nd generation Iphone that will meet my needs. Although, the curve is looking good to me now.

[Sith_Apprentice]

i dont have any issues on multimedia (nor does my device lock my music files when i put them on the device). I will concied to apple their revolutionary nativation on the device. it has set many manufacturers scrambling to make better touch screen devices. personally i despise the typing on the device, although the touch screen aspect for zooming on web pages is nice (i just use opera and click to zoom in/out, but using your fingers like that is cool). but what you say is correct, its all based on personal preference. i am merely stating that although apple may get some business, i dont see them putting a huge dent in RIMs 80+% marketshare on Enterprise email. and it would be interesting to see if blackberry connect comes out with revision 2.0 on the iphone device. and Rolo, whereabouts in Bmore are you? I am not too far from either of those places.

[Rolo1971]

Yeah, you are right. I don't really think it would put a dent in RIM's market. I did read that someone mentioned RIM might or would consider making a touch screen BB. That would be cool.
I live in Mt. Vernon/Inner Harbor and work in Bethesda.

[ArgonNJ]

Yes the phone isn't there yet when comes to email and SMS

I agree with you on email, but the SMS is much better on the iphone.

reliability and security is the blackberry trademark feature.

How is the iphone not reliably? When I had my BB I had to do battery pulls ever few weeks. And the memory leak problems. One might say that counts against reliability. Now if you said BB was more reliably then Win Mobile, then I would agree with you.

[Sith_Apprentice]

Ah thats cool. Havent been down that way in a bit, though i go *by* Bethesda whenever i drive the ... pleasant... road that is the DC Beltway

[i robot]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Yes the phone isn't there yet when comes to email and SMS

I agree with you on email, but the SMS is much better on the iphone.

reliability and security is the blackberry trademark feature.

How is the iphone not reliably? When I had my BB I had to do battery pulls ever few weeks. And the memory leak problems. One might say that counts against reliability. Now if you said BB was more reliably then Win Mobile, then I would agree with you.

SMS has a better interface but you can't even 'forward' never mind 'forward as' SMS on the iphone yet. I am sure they will fix this like the group text issue but it still bugs me. I'd still say at the practical level the SMS is better on Blackberry. Oh my god I am developing a split personality!

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by ArgonNJ

Yes the phone isn't there yet when comes to email and SMS

I agree with you on email, but the SMS is much better on the iphone.

reliability and security is the blackberry trademark feature.

How is the iphone not reliably? When I had my BB I had to do battery pulls ever few weeks. And the memory leak problems. One might say that counts against reliability. Now if you said BB was more reliably then Win Mobile, then I would agree with you.

i have many many devices i never do a battery pull on, it really depends on how you take care of your device. with 0 battery pulls and 8-9 apps installed on my device, i still run 17-18mb free on my BlackBerry.

i forgot to mention reliability in terms of the construction of the device. you can hit your iphone in one specific way, and it pops open. I have seen this, and apparently the components can be replaced pretty easily at that point. Then of course overall durability (that touchscreen, while extremely nice, isnt nearly as durable as a non-touchscreen, by the nature of the device.) my 8130 has gone through a wall in a training room (i handed it to a trainee to toss, and he ended up THROWING it through the wall.) and still works fine. has a decent size scratch on the back, but that is the totality of damage. im not saying anyone will be throwing an iphone, just illustrating a point.

for SMS, it goes back to the keyboard for me. i just did a typing test in front of a group of reps yesterday on my blackberry and i finally broke 75 wpm on my blackberry qwerty, and 53 on my suretype III device. i have yet to see anyone with an iphone type that quickly, and in that, type without errors that quickly. on the same token though, i hope i never have to carry a BB that is touchscreen if one every comes out. the tactile response lets me know i pressed the key, and i dont have to look at the device to type, with a touchscreen its much more difficult (or impossible in many cases) to have that same degree of certainty.

dont get me wrong, the iphone has opened up an entirely new market for smartphone developers. consumers will purchase a $600+ device if you give them features you want. (and i really think Apple + RIM will kill palm in the coming year or 2). I hope we see continued innovation on both sides, and at some point maybe we will get iphone functionality + blackberry security/reliability. (perhaps touchscreen + full keyboard/suretype) wouldnt that be nice?

[i robot]

I can barely do 75 words per minute on a normal keyboard and would never need to but that's heavy duty speed dude. I have 1200 songs on my iPhone and still have 8gb left but size isn't everything

[ArgonNJ]

Then of course overall durability (that touchscreen, while extremely nice, isnt nearly as durable as a non-touchscreen, by the nature of the device.)

What will be your argument when RIM comes out with touch screen BBs.

i hope i never have to carry a BB that is touchscreen if one every comes out.

I think RIM has already confirmed one is up coming.