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Old 07-08-2009, 01:37 PM   #1
G22inSC
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Default help me decide...BB or iPhone

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I am new to the smartphones and will be switching from a standard "flip phone." I like both the iPhone 3G and the BB 8900; however, I can't decide which to go with. I really like the availability of certain free iPhone apps (the weather channel app, directv app, etc.) that I do not believe are available for the BB. Can anyone correct or affirm availability for the BB? Can apps be downloaded to a computer first and then transferred to the BB (so you could purchase the app once and use it between phones if you happen to upgrade)?

I am not sure I would like the constant touch screen on the iPhone. I believe I would prefer the QWERTY keyboard on the BB, but on the other hand, the full screen would be nice for surfing the web. I really want the internet to look like the internet (not a altered version) no matter which phone is being used. I am sure the iPhone is a true representation, but I am not sure about the BB 8900. I think it shows the true internet but I am not positive.

I will use this phone for work (LE use) and want to be able to track cases, reminders for court, etc. I seem to think the BB's are geared more towards this type of use than the iPhone. Is that correct?


Sorry for all the questions. I live in a small town with cell stores that don't really know what they are talking about. I can't even purchase the iPhone locally. I will have to make a trip a few towns over to find a store big enough to carry the iPhone (unless I went the net route). Thanks in advanced for any help you'll can provide.
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Old 07-08-2009, 01:56 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G22inSC View Post
I am new to the smartphones and will be switching from a standard "flip phone." I like both the iPhone 3G and the BB 8900; however, I can't decide which to go with. I really like the availability of certain free iPhone apps (the weather channel app, directv app, etc.) that I do not believe are available for the BB. Can anyone correct or affirm availability for the BB? Can apps be downloaded to a computer first and then transferred to the BB (so you could purchase the app once and use it between phones if you happen to upgrade)?

I am not sure I would like the constant touch screen on the iPhone. I believe I would prefer the QWERTY keyboard on the BB, but on the other hand, the full screen would be nice for surfing the web. I really want the internet to look like the internet (not a altered version) no matter which phone is being used. I am sure the iPhone is a true representation, but I am not sure about the BB 8900. I think it shows the true internet but I am not positive.

I will use this phone for work (LE use) and want to be able to track cases, reminders for court, etc. I seem to think the BB's are geared more towards this type of use than the iPhone. Is that correct?


Sorry for all the questions. I live in a small town with cell stores that don't really know what they are talking about. I can't even purchase the iPhone locally. I will have to make a trip a few towns over to find a store big enough to carry the iPhone (unless I went the net route). Thanks in advanced for any help you'll can provide.
I am in the same shoes as you are; trying to decide which phone to get. From what I have gathered so far, and mess around with the phones in the stores. I have found that Iphone doesnxxx8217;t have flash, so you are going to get a half of a web page. Correct me if I am wrong, at least thatxxx8217;s what I see when I visited the AT&T store. And took me like twice as long to type a message on Iphone, since I am a BB user and not used to a touch screen key board.

Last edited by leec81; 07-08-2009 at 02:22 PM..
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Old 07-10-2009, 03:26 PM   #3
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I used to be a BlackBerry user and then switched to iPhone. Now I am back to the BB world with a BB 8900.

It all depends on what you want. If you want a phone that can do multiple things at once ie: browse the web, have your weather apps or messenger apps running in the background while you do something else. The BB is the phone for you. Media wise as well the BB is getting better a lot better than in the pervious versions.

If you want to play games on your phone all day long and do not care about multi-tasking you can go for the iPhone.

I do a lot of texting and IM. I hated the fact that the iphone would turn off the wifi is I did not touch the phone for 10 - 15 minutes. Not sure if they still do that. The only way to keep the wifi on is to leave the screen on which means u drain the battery a lot faster. Plus keep in mind the new overheating problems the 3GS is having. Search google and you will have tons of links.

In the end, think of what you need the phone for and then decide. I m not saying the iPhone is a bad product its just not the phone for my needs.
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Old 07-12-2009, 01:14 PM   #4
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The real Internet is on the iPhone. Flash is not available yet for the iPhone, but my Pearl doesn't play Flash files either. YouTube is available on the iPhone, but Flash embedded in websites will not work. Media capabilities may very well be much improved on the BB, but still absolutely pale compared to the iPhone.

The mail app on the iPhone is far and away a better experience than the BB. I'm not talking about push or BIS or security or any of that stuff. I get push mail and the "enhanced security" is lost on me. I am talking about once the message is open on your device being able to view it as sent. The iPhone will also open doc, docx, xls, xlsx and pdf files (all the formats that I use) directly for viewing. No large 3rd party app needed. Audio files sent as attachments (like from my voicemail provider and voice memos in MP3, WAV and M4A format) play seamlessly with a click. The BB sort of does as well, but there are extra clicks and another application slowly loads the message to listen to.

The iPhone does not multi task, but you still get notifications when you have a new email or SMS message. There are IM apps that also provide push notification of new messages. You can also listen to music and run other apps like Mail or Safari. That's all of the multi tasking that I do. That said, when I click a link in a message and go to Safari I can select Mail and be right back in the message where I left off.

That's not multi tasking at all, but that's close enough for me. Given that my Pearl has a great deal of difficulty managing it's meager allotment of memory I'm not sure if multi tasking is a feature or a curse, but the BB does multi task.

The on screen keyboard is different at first but I am now quite used to it and have no issues at all typing out even longer messages. I wouldn't say that I prefer one keyboard over the other, but after a few days the on screen deal become very easy for me. And no, WiFi does not automatically get shut off after a set amount of time. I wasn't aware that it ever did.

As mentioned, there is an overwhelming number of apps available for the iPhone. A great number are just fluff but there are some really fun and useful apps to be had and the ones that aren't free generally don't cost much. Google Earth, Kindle, TweetDeck iTunes Remote, DirecTV and Paper Toss are my current freebies and I love them all.

Neither the iPhone nor the Blackberry are a one size fits all solution. Go to a store that has working (Internet too) demo phones and try both. Go back multiple times if you need to, but make up your own mind by holding each in your hand and trying them on for size.
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Old 07-12-2009, 05:30 PM   #5
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I'm not sure if you'll find a totally subjective list of opinions asking that question on a Blackberry forum

I wouldn't let a lack of apps stop you at this point though. AppWorld is filling up nicely, and any apps there's demand for will certainly appear quite quickly.

Everything else being equal though, if surfing the web is the most important thing to you, I suggest iPhone is the way to go.
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Old 07-12-2009, 05:36 PM   #6
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If you don't type a lot and are a more casual user, the availability of apps for the iPhone is cool, and the interface is very elegant.

But it doesn't multitask, which can be very frustrating for anything beyond casual use. Also, currently, you are stuck on AT&T with the iPhone. AT&T's service is really bad in many places, and the network, esp the data network seems overcrowded so hence, doesn't perform well.

If you really need to get actual work done, get a BB with a keyboard. If it were my choice, I'd get it on a network other than AT&T. I like Verizon.

To put it more simply, the iPhone is cool, sexy and sort of fun.

The Blackberry is less sexy but really good at just getting things done.

My smartphone isn't a casual toy, so I'm Blackberry all the way.
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Old 07-12-2009, 06:26 PM   #7
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If no one else has mentioned it, the BB can open full website if you use the Opera Mini browser. It has a window that you scroll over the area of the page you want to view and when you click on it, it magnifies that area. That may be common knowledge, but when I purchased my BB the tech did not tell me that and I only found out when I went back in with a question and another tech introduced me to the Opera mini. I do love the multi-tasking option and did not know Iphone was not able to do that. That is good to know. M only problem with my BB is the inability to view certain vids. I am able to view Utube vids but not all vids from other sites, esp. porn vids (you know you were thinking it)...only half kidding on that one. Anyways, I like my BB, but not sure which I would purchase if my service provider actually offered an Iphone. Good luck!
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Old 07-12-2009, 06:31 PM   #8
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Pretty sure a Blackberry will play almost any kind of video starting with OS v4.7.
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Old 07-12-2009, 06:57 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kurichan View Post
If you don't type a lot and are a more casual user, the availability of apps for the iPhone is cool, and the interface is very elegant.
I type a lot. A LOT. I would hardly consider myself a casual user. Now, I am on just an iPod Touch until March but if I am in WiFi range I use my iPod for everything except for (obviously) phone calls.

I guess that since i have laid my Blackberry aside except for when away from WiFi I must not be doing REAL work, but I get a lot more done with an iPod and a WiFi router than I do with a Blackberry.

And I was wrong (as were you) when I stated (as did you) that the iPhone doesn't multitask. It certainly does:

YouTube - Apple iPhone Video Demo

I'm sure you will say that the multitasking is weak, or that it is nothing that a Blackberry can't do but it DOES multitask.
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Old 07-13-2009, 07:56 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dualsub2006 View Post
I type a lot. A LOT. I would hardly consider myself a casual user. Now, I am on just an iPod Touch until March but if I am in WiFi range I use my iPod for everything except for (obviously) phone calls.

I guess that since i have laid my Blackberry aside except for when away from WiFi I must not be doing REAL work, but I get a lot more done with an iPod and a WiFi router than I do with a Blackberry.

And I was wrong (as were you) when I stated (as did you) that the iPhone doesn't multitask. It certainly does:

YouTube - Apple iPhone Video Demo

I'm sure you will say that the multitasking is weak, or that it is nothing that a Blackberry can't do but it DOES multitask.
Iphone can multitask? Have your music file opened, and texting is not really multitasking. I can have multi-email account running, and editing my documents at same time on the Blackberry. My co-worker has an Iphone and a Blackberry Bold. We travel few times a month together for conferences, and I have only seen him using the Iphone for games or music. I don’t really care for playing games on a phone that much, but that opinion is available on Blackberry as well. If someone can afford it, then get both. Blackberry for business, and I guess Iphone for games, etc.
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Old 07-13-2009, 11:43 PM   #11
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Wirelessly posted

Quote:
Originally Posted by leec81
Quote:
Originally Posted by dualsub2006 View Post
I type a lot. A LOT. I would hardly consider myself a casual user. Now, I am on just an iPod Touch until March but if I am in WiFi range I use my iPod for everything except for (obviously) phone calls.

I guess that since i have laid my Blackberry aside except for when away from WiFi I must not be doing REAL work, but I get a lot more done with an iPod and a WiFi router than I do with a Blackberry.

And I was wrong (as were you) when I stated (as did you) that the iPhone doesn't multitask. It certainly does:

YouTube - Apple iPhone Video Demo

I'm sure you will say that the multitasking is weak, or that it is nothing that a Blackberry can't do but it DOES multitask.
Iphone can multitask? Have your music file opened, and texting is not really multitasking. I can have multi-email account running, and editing my documents at same time on the Blackberry. My co-worker has an Iphone and a Blackberry Bold. We travel few times a month together for conferences, and I have only seen him using the Iphone for games or music. I don’t really care for playing games on a phone that much, but that opinion is available on Blackberry as well. If someone can afford it, then get both. Blackberry for business, and I guess Iphone for games, etc.
Actually, he was talking on the phone while sending an email and was web surfing. Then the music came back on.

You think that because your friend only listens to music and plays games that is all that can be done on an iPhone? Please.

I have multiple email accounts open in the background while editing office files in Quick Office every day. When I go from QO to mail and back again I pick up right where I left off.

Attempt to belittle all you like. Statements like the ones you just made prove that you don't actually know what you are talking about.
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Old 07-14-2009, 01:14 AM   #12
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the calendar sucks on the iphone too if you have recurring appontments. if you have appointments every MWF you have to enter each one seperately. on the BB, you can choose what days of the week you have for your weekly recurring appointments.
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Old 07-14-2009, 05:16 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hakaida442
the calendar sucks on the iphone too if you have recurring appontments. if you have appointments every MWF you have to enter each one seperately. on the BB, you can choose what days of the week you have for your weekly recurring appointments.
Yep, that one does suck. I get around it by adding the appointments in iCal, Outlook or Google Calendar. Recurring appointments sync just fine, but you can't set them up.
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Old 07-14-2009, 07:47 AM   #14
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Wirelessly posted



Actually, he was talking on the phone while sending an email and was web surfing. Then the music came back on.

You think that because your friend only listens to music and plays games that is all that can be done on an iPhone? Please.

I have multiple email accounts open in the background while editing office files in Quick Office every day. When I go from QO to mail and back again I pick up right where I left off.

Attempt to belittle all you like. Statements like the ones you just made prove that you don't actually know what you are talking about.

Well, I probably don't know enough about the Iphone.

But I had the pleasure playing with my co-worker's Iphone for a while, things I don’t like so far;
Drop calls-Probably not an Iphone issue.
Can’t remove the battery-so if the battery runs out on the plane, I am out of luck.
Text issue-I can’t sent pics or forward them.
White screen-I will get a white screen sometimes when I tried to close apps.
Emails—you can’t delete multi-emails, and for someone receiving at least 100 emails a day…you tried to delete them one at time for 365 days a year.

Come on, let’s be reasonable here. I know the drop call is not an Iphone issue, and AT&T does suck. My two biggest issues with this phone are battery and emails. For someone spending 6-10 days a month traveling and average use on the phone is around 4-5 hours a day. Battery becomes a big issue; I carry a replacement battery each time I go out! And I will say it again; no one in their right mind would delete emails one at time…well, you are able to delete emails from your computer if the server is IMAP (not pop).

And that white screen/black screen comes up, if I try to open up emails and reply while the music is running. That will require a reboot… Iphone looks nice. If I would have to use it as a business phone, then I might as well carry a mini laptop around and get more work done.
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Old 07-14-2009, 06:00 PM   #15
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Yeah AT&T is not the best. Agreed.

To delete multiple emails at once you hit edit in the upper right corner, check off the ones that you want to delete and hit delete.

I hate MMS. Impotant to you so I will just leave it there.

On the battery thing, all of my travel is by auto so charging isn't an issue for me. If I were to fly I would have my MacBook and could plug right in to that as I do my Blackberry.

Back to the MMS thing, as soon as AT&T's network can handle it that will be there as well. Other countries have it already, but.....
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Old 07-14-2009, 10:26 PM   #16
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And that white screen/black screen comes up, if I try to open up emails and reply while the music is running. That will require a reboot…
I missed this the first time through. I am not certain which iPhone your friend has, but on my 2G iPod Touch and my brothers brand new 3GS I have never seen anything like this. Music and email is something that I do together all day every day. I've not seen anything other than normal operation.

Quote:
Originally Posted by leec81 View Post
Can’t remove the battery-so if the battery runs out on the plane, I am out of luck.
You actually got me thinking with this one so I decided to see what I would do if I needed more power but had no outlet and no MacBook on hand. I found a solution!

FastMac | Product - iPhone External Battery Pack

I've ordered one for my Touch tonight and I will be certain to have one on hand when my 3GS arrives.
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Old 07-15-2009, 07:38 AM   #17
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This external battery pack looks useful, I might want to get one for my blackberry.

He has the Iphone 3G I believe, and from what I can tell it will freeze if I try to open up an email that's 2MB or more in size.
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Old 07-15-2009, 07:02 PM   #18
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My iPod Touch should be just about the same hardware as a 3G, well, minus the phone part.

I read a 6MB PDF file from email this evening. I only had to wait a couple of minutes while it downloaded the PDF.

I don't get them that size very often, but larger than 2MB a lot. Never had a freeze like that at all. Again, I listen to music and podcasts non stop.
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Old 07-16-2009, 12:07 AM   #19
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For multi-language support. iphone rocks!
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Old 07-16-2009, 12:08 AM   #20
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iPhone is good for general things, but for serious email and office work, I believe BB is a better choice.
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