[iphonetoTorch]

You guys are too much.

[Mandel]

Originally Posted by iphonetoTorch

Do you get something extra when someone press the thank you button???

Yes... recognition that your input is appreciated... that's one of the reasons this button exists.

[colonel]

I ran the iPhone 4 and the torch for a number of weeks to work out which one I would keep.
the iPhone 4 is going.
why? it's smaller, lighter, beautiful and is more fun - ie. loads of fun apps
so why keep the torch ?
it had a better battery, excellent keyboard, good web browser but most of all the integration of email, texts and Facebook for me is unsurpassed.
iPhone email fails download if the signal is weak, but bb just heroically gets your email through by drip feeding data when the signal is ok.

basically the bb is a better phone and messaging device, the iPhone is a better entertainment device.
thing is, I need my phone primarily to be a phone and a messaging device.

[jwh463]

I had an iphone for 2 yrs; been there and done that & got tired of it..miss the keyboard. I'm an apple guy, I have a ipad 3g that i love.

When I realized back in September I wanted a BB again I got out my old BB9000 and started using it just to make sure I still wanted one. 3 weeks ago I got the torch, I love it. It's a learning curve with the new touchscreen because I have this habitual desire to open the keyboard everytime I use it even when I dont need it. I have one realization during all this....the BB9000 is probably my favorite ever. There is no turning back now, my wife left her iphone on the truck bumper and drove off exposing it to a few dozen moving cars till she found it....I had to give up my old iphone to her. Make the leap, try it if you dont like it take it back to ATT and try something else

[alphasports]

I've had iphones since day 1, recently returned my 2nd Torch after finally deciding it wasn't for me. Loaded OS6 on my 9700 and it works great, IMO even better than the 9800 it was built for. Bottom line: I still love my iphone but also like my BB, so end up swapping the sim card back n forth about 10x a week... An iphone with status LED and Blackberry Connect would be cake city!

[emicen]

I am in a similar position to the OP, looking at going from iPhone 3G to Torch. Some questions I havent seen on this thread so far:

- Can the Torch browser handle flash? This is something that seriously pisses me off with the iPhone

- How many mail accounts can you run? I've seen 10 listed for the Bold but nowhere seems to list the same info for the Torch (UK suppliers)

- I heard rumours of an issue with googlemail, this would be a big problem as all my mail accounts bar 1 are with them

Battery issue is something thats really starting to annoy me with iPhone and even if the BB isnt that much better (I browse quite heavily, ~5gig in 3 months since my last reset ) you can at least carry a spare BB battery without needing tools to open the thing!

Other important features for my use would be decent facebook and instant messenger apps. Everything else could really be found via web browser although apps are that bit handier.

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by emicen

I am in a similar position to the OP, looking at going from iPhone 3G to Torch. Some questions I havent seen on this thread so far:

- Can the Torch browser handle flash? This is something that seriously pisses me off with the iPhone

- How many mail accounts can you run? I've seen 10 listed for the Bold but nowhere seems to list the same info for the Torch (UK suppliers)

- I heard rumours of an issue with googlemail, this would be a big problem as all my mail accounts bar 1 are with them

Battery issue is something thats really starting to annoy me with iPhone and even if the BB isnt that much better (I browse quite heavily, ~5gig in 3 months since my last reset ) you can at least carry a spare BB battery without needing tools to open the thing!

Other important features for my use would be decent facebook and instant messenger apps. Everything else could really be found via web browser although apps are that bit handier.

The battery life on the Torch is not as good as other Blackerry devices but it's certainly better than your iPhone. And, like you mentioned, with the Torch, you have to option to carry an extra and easily swap should you need to.

Neither the iPhone nor the Torch supports flash but Steve Jobs decidely ended the possibility of a relationship between Flash and MAC portable devices. It won't happen. Blackberry, however, is introducing the Playbook (tablet) that will support Flash and will serve as a larger screen for your Blackberry phone. And there may be a chance for future OS upgrades to support Flash on the BB. Again, not going to happen with the iPhone.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[alphasports]

Earlier in this thread I said I had dumped my Torch and gone back to my 9700/iPhone combo. That has changed. The 9700 is now on eBay and I am back to a Torch thanks to a good deal from my brother who didn't adapt to it well...! With some patience you actually realize it's a pretty good phone.

As for the iPhone/Torch comparison, they are very different and both excel at their specialties: iPhone is great for general purpose content amusement and communications (horrible email client, I use Google Mail's app), Torch is great for email and OK at the rest.

I'm lucky to have both but the prob is I can never decide which I want t use so end up switching back n forth about 10x a week ;(

[nathan62969]

Although I only have experience with the 9000 Bold, I find the Torch battery life much better -- about 3x as much.
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[nathan62969]

- How many mail accounts can you run? I've seen 10 listed for the Bold but nowhere seems to list the same info for the Torch (UK suppliers)

...

Other important features for my use would be decent facebook and instant messenger apps. Everything else could really be found via web browser although apps are that bit handier.[/QUOTE]

I did not know there was a limit on email accounts, but I have 7 right now.

The Torch comes stock apart from BBM with Yahoo Messenger and GoogleTalk.

As for the FB app, some of us such as myself have had problems with not receiving all notifications and items not pushing and random error popups and inability to keep down scrolling through feeds beyond a certain point, mostly to do with the new 1.9 -- I downgraded to 1.8, which solved most of that -- not sure if remainder (very mild occasional gltches) are due to FB or RIM's version of the app, both or beither tho?

As I've more-or-less said before, I'd personally consider somehow my Torch being replaced with an iPhone as punishment, lol ;)
Posted via BlackBerryForums.com Mobile

[jwh463]

after much thought I took mine back today before the 30 days expired. Here's why, I miss my 9000 Bold & I just didn't think I could go 2 years without being wooed by something else. I want to save the upgrade for maybe something new that might come out.

NOW ATT; be warned if the iPhone does come to Verizon look out you return policy will make me leave not your network. They charged me $35 to return it, so let's review the math:
$99 Torch
$18 Activation fee
$39 for the extra charger

Out of pocket $156
Returned Torch -99
restock fee +35
I'm out $92...when I get to my office I'm returning that charger too.

These policies suck

[emicen]

Originally Posted by jwh463

after much thought I took mine back today before the 30 days expired. Here's why, I miss my 9000 Bold & I just didn't think I could go 2 years without being wooed by something else. I want to save the upgrade for maybe something new that might come out.

NOW ATT; be warned if the iPhone does come to Verizon look out you return policy will make me leave not your network. They charged me $35 to return it, so let's review the math:
$99 Torch
$18 Activation fee
$39 for the extra charger

Out of pocket $156
Returned Torch -99
restock fee +35
I'm out $92...when I get to my office I'm returning that charger too.

These policies suck

O2 UK

Paid for a new N96 in Sept 2008 (no upgrade offered on 8yr old contract) and less than a year later the usual Symbian OS nonsense was creeping in.

Bought an iPhone outright in June 2009 (£400 / ~$600 at the time), no upgrade offered and paid to put a data bundle on the contract.

Here we are in 2010 and I'm ready for a change, ah, no upgrade offered and a Torch is going to run me £450 (~$700 by my math).

[JimScar]

I love how people rant "do a search" when someone asks for opinions or help. Try your own advice and come back and tell us what you think. Including any relatively popular term in your search will reveals dozens of pages, each with dozens of posts. Most of them useless.

Anyhoo... I used TorchMobile's WebKit browser on WM6.5 and found it to be awesome compared to the final version of IE on that OS. (RIM bought TorchMobile). Since BB OS is based on Java, I don't think an OS update would be required to develop a Flash plugin for the browser. Of course, with QNX about to replace BB OS on all future devices, RIM might not bother to invest the time on development for what is surely already internally considered a "dead end". Would be nice, but... And they're probably building Flash support into the OS, since that will seriously reduce app development time and enable faster porting between Flash-supporting OSes.

[emicen]

Originally Posted by JimScar

I love how people rant "do a search" when someone asks for opinions or help. Try your own advice and come back and tell us what you think. Including any relatively popular term in your search will reveals dozens of pages, each with dozens of posts. Most of them useless.

Anyhoo... I used TorchMobile's WebKit browser on WM6.5 and found it to be awesome compared to the final version of IE on that OS. (RIM bought TorchMobile). Since BB OS is based on Java, I don't think an OS update would be required to develop a Flash plugin for the browser. Of course, with QNX about to replace BB OS on all future devices, RIM might not bother to invest the time on development for what is surely already internally considered a "dead end". Would be nice, but... And they're probably building Flash support into the OS, since that will seriously reduce app development time and enable faster porting between Flash-supporting OSes.

Which leads me on to the next question: How quickly is this likely to become obsolete with the new OS?

I bought my 3G 29 days before the 3GS came out which would have addressed most of the grumbles I have with my 3G. I dont really fancy buying one and then it being superceeded by a vastly superior phone 6 months later.

[alphasports]

With the average shelf life of "new" phones being about a year (or less!) you need to decide if you want to stop the train and stay awhile with one model, or play the absurd game of "Keep Up" by changing phones every 6 months and "only" losing about 50% to depreciation. Carrier technology (bandwidth) only changes, and slowly, about every 5-7 years (next stop LTE but don't hold your breath), so the only reason to change phones more often than that is boredom or a busted device.

Don't know what my point is here, I'm as guilty as the next guy of device boredom, but I'm frankly bored with the boredom. I've got a Torch and an iPhone and swap the SIM card all the time just to stay amused, if you asked me to "choose one" I'd go with the iPhone, or consult a shrink

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by alphasports

With the average shelf life of "new" phones being about a year (or less!) you need to decide if you want to stop the train and stay awhile with one model, or play the absurd game of "Keep Up" by changing phones every 6 months and "only" losing about 50% to depreciation. Carrier technology (bandwidth) only changes, and slowly, about every 5-7 years (next stop LTE but don't hold your breath), so the only reason to change phones more often than that is boredom or a busted device.

Don't know what my point is here, I'm as guilty as the next guy of device boredom, but I'm frankly bored with the boredom. I've got a Torch and an iPhone and swap the SIM card all the time just to stay amused, if you asked me to "choose one" I'd go with the iPhone, or consult a shrink

lol - i hear ya but at the same time, there is some legitimacy in upgrading to a newer device that has become available.

I, for example, bought the 8820 and had it for a year when the 9700 came out. That device had a camera, a trackpad as opposed to the ball, and many other usable upgrades. The 8820 cost me $200 with a 2 year deal. I got the Bold free (with another two year contract) as long as I bought the Jabra bluetooth car accessory for $100). I sold the 8820 on eBay for the same 200 that I paid. So thus far I'm in $100 deep. I picked up the Torch recently for $100 and sold the Bold on eBay for $260. Turns out - I have the Torch and the Jabra bluetooth and a $60 net GAIN!!

Not bad to upgrade to a superior phone that I love.

[knottyrope]

I sold my 9700 for enough money to pay for Torch and a 32 gig MicroSD for it.

[alphasports]

Originally Posted by TonyTone

lol - i hear ya but at the same time, there is some legitimacy in upgrading to a newer device that has become available.

I, for example, bought the 8820 and had it for a year when the 9700 came out. That device had a camera, a trackpad as opposed to the ball, and many other usable upgrades. The 8820 cost me $200 with a 2 year deal. I got the Bold free (with another two year contract) as long as I bought the Jabra bluetooth car accessory for $100). I sold the 8820 on eBay for the same 200 that I paid. So thus far I'm in $100 deep. I picked up the Torch recently for $100 and sold the Bold on eBay for $260. Turns out - I have the Torch and the Jabra bluetooth and a $60 net GAIN!!

Not bad to upgrade to a superior phone that I love.

Ya I agree with you, I pretty much do the same thing. When I'm eligible I'll get a high end phone like an iphone just for the obvious savings, then eventually parlay that into upgrades towards newer devices, often used but as-new. Same thing goes for my BBs (I usually always have a BB and iPhone "in stock"!). At the end of the day I probably don't spend (read: lose!) more than about $100 a year on hardware, which is pretty good. You need to work pretty hard at it to get it right though!

[redtarga]

Both iPhone 4 and Torch are good phones. I have both. I don't waste too much time on my BB Torch as it is really designed for business use and much more efficient with the physical keyboard. Iphone 4 is nice, but not really suitable for emails and business use, never got used to the virtual keyboard. Oh, battery lasts longer with the Torch.

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by redtarga

Both iPhone 4 and Torch are good phones. I have both. I don't waste too much time on my BB Torch as it is really designed for business use and much more efficient with the physical keyboard. Iphone 4 is nice, but not really suitable for emails and business use, never got used to the virtual keyboard. Oh, battery lasts longer with the Torch.

Indeed, both devices are excellent and there's no denying that. I'm curious though. You said you don't "waste" too much time on your Torch for what it's designed for. But wouldn't that keyboard come in handy with not only emails, but texting, BBM'ing, and input for websites? And if that's true (which it is for me), is it really a waste of time using it for those purposes?

I'm also noticing sort of an under-leveraged asset using the Trackpad in conjunction with - not the physical keyboard - but the touch screen. Often times touching the screens results in unwanted selections. And there are many times when using the touchscreen, spelling errors occur and I want to touch exactly where i want the cursor to go but I'm seldom accurate resulting in time loss. With the trackpad, I can still place the cursor right where I want it and lightning fast !!!!!! In that regard, I think the Torch is very useful, in fact, preferred!