# iPhone vs Blackberry



## mrae (Sep 5, 2008)

I have been through a lot of places pre July 11th to find an in depth article on the differences between a blackberry and an iPhone. I currently own an iMac at home, Mac Pro at work, and did buy and iPhone. I guess I am quite solidly Mac saturated. However, pre my iPhone, I had a Blackberry.

I was indeed a Blackberry fan in the highest order. It did what it was supposed to do well; that is communicate. 

After a few months of using my iPhone, I found there to be many differences; I would like to explain these for the next person who was in my position of whether to buy an iPhone and switch from a Blackberry.

To start, the iPhone blows any Blackberry out of the water concerning, browsing the web, pictures, video, music, and add-on applications. The App store on the iPhone has hundreds of new fancy programs from books to financial programs to help you in any random way. The iPhone's UI (user interface) is easier to get around; the touchscreen is like none other. 

Where the Blackberry starts getting ahead of the blackberry is when you start using the communication apps....mail, sms, pin, mms.....

For those Blackberry users that use Blackberry Messenger to PIN to other Blackberry's...this is the greatest single loss when moving to the iPhone. In fact, it is the only factor that could drive me back to my Blackberry. 

Now...we all agree that the iPhone has a better interface and so on. Yes, it reads mail better, a nicer SMS interface, awesome attachment viewing...and so on. However, beyond this, there are some other missing elements that are not widely discussed. To some, they are minor, however, to others, it might help to know. 


iPhone cannot mark multiple mail items as "read" - (Big Pain)
iPhone cannot copy/cut/paste
Does not have sound profile options as a Blackberry
Minimal sound customization (ie. cannot change email sound)
No light indicator for notifications
"Push" Mail for only MobileMe accounts or Exchange. All other accounts are are "fetched" from periods of 15 minutes or greater
No MMS ability
No PIN ability
Typing is definitely different, though iPhone's typing is not near as fast as on a Blackberry 8700/Curve, it is decent after enough time. 
Though iPhone has great dicitionary tools to assist, Blackberry's "AutoText" option is greatly missed. You cannot customize the dictionary as you can in a Blackberry. I am not a predictive texter, and the iPhone's assistance can sometimes be annoying.
Not having a phone keyboard handy in a phone call can be a pain. You have to hit extra buttons for the keyboard to show up during a call. 
Phone number presets with "pause" or "wait" in the number take FOREVER to dial, and sometime never dial at all.
No native instant messaging abilities (must download from app store...nothing decent is out yet).
Once a program is exited, its connection is terminated. In other words, programs don't run in the background ie. like an instant messaging client, you must keep it open at to get messages). 

So, as a communication tool, I vote the Blackberry to take the cake. It does it all, and it does it well.

However, if you want a device that will cause your peers to constantly lust after your phone, get an iPhone. However, remember, as a Phone/iPod/Web Browser...its amazing....but within its email and beyond....sub-standard to a Blackberry. 

I am not being negative to either phones, but merely stating their differences. Your needs will govern which way you go.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

mrae said:


> You cannot customize the dictionary as you can in a Blackberry.


Actually, you can. My understanding is that if you 'nullify' the iPhone's suggestion on a word three times, it will "learn" what you mean and stop trying to correct you on that.



> I am not a predictive texter, and the iPhone's assistance can sometimes be annoying.


I had some trouble with this as well, and asked an Apple engineer I knew about it. He simply said "use the force."

After thinking about it, what he meant was "let go." Stop trying to get it right or correct on the fly. Keep typing.

He was right. My speed doubled and accuracy greatly improved.



> Not having a phone keyboard handy in a phone call can be a pain. You have to hit extra buttons for the keyboard to show up during a call.


I'll have to take your word on this one. If you're IN a phone call, why would you type?? Wouldn't that be extremely rude??



> Once a program is exited, its connection is terminated. In other words, programs don't run in the background ie. like an instant messaging client, you must keep it open at to get messages).


This specific complaint is being addressed later this month.



> So, as a communication tool, I vote the Blackberry to take the cake. It does it all, and it does it well.


Earlier in your own post, you said (and I quote) "To start, the iPhone blows any Blackberry out of the water concerning, browsing the web, pictures, video, music, and add-on applications." So evidently, according to you, the Blackberry does not "do it all and does it well."

You're saying the BB is better at a very specific set of non-phone things -- in your words again, "mail, sms, pin, mms," and I am not disputing you on that in any way. Two of the abilities you mention the iPhone doesn't do at all!

But then, after contradicting yourself, you end by insulting iPhone owners, saying that "if you want a communication tool, the Blackberry takes the cake. If you want your coworkers to drool with envy, get an iPhone," implying that that's the only reason someone would want an iPhone -- as a status symbol.

For the record, most iPhone owners who got away from a Blackberry (and there are many who fit this profile, including a few on this forum) did so because the BB, while strong in the areas you mentioned, is actually a pretty lousy PHONE, and of course it's also a TERRIBLE iPod. 

In short, for most people the iPhone's communication abilities are just fine, thank you very much (not that there's no room for improvement, just that there's a world out there that doesn't need mms/sms/pin/email on quite the level of corporate-cubicle types).

I think if you'd simply said that you think the BB is a better option for people who live in email/sms/pin/mms, you'd find widespread agreement. But I can't think of anyone who's written about their iPhone here who bought it solely as a status symbol, or is happy with it because their coworkers "drool" over it. I can't speak for everyone, but most iPhone/iPod Touch owners I know tend to keep their device in kind of a low profile in public, lest they increase the chance of theft.


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## MikeyXX (Aug 2, 2008)

I think what he meant about not having the keyboard handy during a telephone call is when you connect to a IVR and it says "press 1 for english...." and " type in your credit card number" etc. As well, when you get the electronic reception that asks you to type the persons name in to connect to their voicemail...


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## mrae (Sep 5, 2008)

I had no idea this would create such a passionate reply. You might have forgot that I have an iPhone...and many other Mac items..so your preaching to the choir when spouting mac praises. 

Second...I didn't send the post to create a intense phone bashing thread. I have both phones and know clearly the benefits and deficiency's of both.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

MikeyXX said:


> I think what he meant about not having the keyboard handy during a telephone call is when you connect to a IVR and it says "press 1 for english...." and " type in your credit card number" etc. As well, when you get the electronic reception that asks you to type the persons name in to connect to their voicemail...


If that's the case, he's wrong.

When you're on a phone call and need to type such things, simply take the headset away from your head and you'll see a window of option appear, including the keypad. You can then type in numbers as needed.

If you need to actually type LETTERS during a phone call, that too is easily done. Put the call on hold, press the Home Button, open the Notes app (or any other app) and type whatever you need. You can return to the phone call by pressing the red bar at the top of the screen that reminds you there is a phone call on hold.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

mrae said:


> I had no idea this would create such a passionate reply. You might have forgot that I have an iPhone...and many other Mac items..so your preaching to the choir when spouting mac praises.


You completely misread my post, particularly the part when I *AGREED WITH YOU* about the iPhone v. Blackberry's strengths and weaknesses.

I was simply pointing out a contradiction in your posting that left a poor implication. If you didn't mean it that way, fine.


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## Zer0tails (Oct 21, 2007)

I find the reason of buying an iPhone so it will make all your friends' lust after it one of the stupidest reasons in the world.

OP - this is not directed at you. Personally, I just find that reason dumb and had to rant.


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Actually, I think that's a pretty good reason. Come on, admit it. Half the reason we have Apples is so that we can rub the PC users noses in the fact that Apple products just work better (most of the time anyway). The reliability factor is deeply satisfying.


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## milhaus (Jun 1, 2004)

fjnmusic said:


> Actually, I think that's a pretty good reason. Come on, admit it. Half the reason we have Apples is so that we can rub the PC users noses in the fact that Apple products just work better (most of the time anyway). The reliability factor is deeply satisfying.


The reliability factor of the iPhone 3G? Now we know you're really drinking the kool aid.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Although I don't myself own an iPhone 3G (yet), but merely have the 2G version, most of my friends here in Victoria have the 3G. No issues with reliability or build quality that I've seen or heard about, everyone's in total love with these things. Maybe the west coast got all the good ones??


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

No issues with reliability? Oh come on, my god... you're such a fanboy...
Just google "iphone 3g reliability". 
at random: Apple Racing to Fix Endemic iPhone 3G, MobileMe Problems
Keep on enjoying that CoolAid dude...


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## ZRXer (Jan 18, 2007)

Script Kiddie said:


> No issues with reliability? Oh come on, my god... you're such a fanboy...
> Just google "iphone 3g reliability".
> at random: Apple Racing to Fix Endemic iPhone 3G, MobileMe Problems
> Keep on enjoying that CoolAid dude...


I think chasm meant that, amongst those 3G owners he knows, there aren't any reliability issues, dude.

I second chasm's nod towards its reliability. My wife and I have one, and we know about a dozen people with 3G iPhones. Not a single one has any complaints regarding reliability, 3G connection issues, or frankly anything else I've read about here. So before you write another well thought out "you're such a fanboy, dude" response, I'd like to clarify. I'm not saying those issues don't exist - I'm only saying that within the circle of 3G owners that I interact with and frequently discuss the phone with, I have not come across any of those complaints. And frankly, I'd think most people here are fanboys of Apple products, yet remain realistic when it comes to accepting their warts. So go ahead and call us fanboys, it really doesn't change whether our posts are valid or not. Dude.


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## shonline (Nov 9, 2007)

Script Kiddie said:


> No issues with reliability? Oh come on, my god... you're such a fanboy...
> Just google "iphone 3g reliability".
> at random: Apple Racing to Fix Endemic iPhone 3G, MobileMe Problems
> Keep on enjoying that CoolAid dude...


Oh yes, let' all get our honest Apple related news from the infamous windows hack Paul Thurrott. Are you serious Dude?

Please troll at the Windows live forums kiddie...


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## MacGYVER (Apr 15, 2005)

Interesting, we never do hear about those that have no problems. Well, I will add that mine works great. I have had no problems with 3G or calls up to this point. I can say the same with others that I know, we are not having any problems where I live. Of course with all technology, you will only hear from those that have problems, and not from those that are enjoying their gadgets.


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

chas_m said:


> Earlier in your own post, you said (and I quote) "To start, the iPhone blows any Blackberry out of the water concerning, browsing the web, pictures, video, music, and add-on applications." So evidently, according to you, the Blackberry does not "do it all and does it well."


The complete quote from the OP (that you are taking out of context), is:



> So, *as a communication tool*, I vote the Blackberry to take the cake. It does it all, and it does it well.


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

chas_m said:


> Although I don't myself own an iPhone 3G (yet), but merely have the 2G version, most of my friends here in Victoria have the 3G. No issues with reliability or build quality that I've seen or heard about, everyone's in total love with these things. Maybe the west coast got all the good ones??


The iPhone 3G stinks in comparison to the 2G version... I only used my 2G up to firmware 1.1.4, so I don't know what stability is like for the 2G phone with firmware 2.0._x_, but on the 3G it's awful!!!

I hope it is a firmware issue and can be resolved with the 2.1 update and beyond...


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

G-Mo said:


> The complete quote from the OP (that you are taking out of context), is:


No, I'm not.

On my planet, "browsing the web," at the very least is part of what I understand as "communicating" and thus factor into whether the iPhone is a good "communication tool" or not.

Ironically, the OP didn't actually mention the, you know, PHONE part of his BB as part of his criteria of "communication tool." His definition of a "communications tool" is (again by his own post) centered around "email, sms, pin and mms." An illuminating omission.

I imagine most people with cell phones would, if asked, define a good "communication tool" around such factors as dropped calls, can I hear them okay, airtime/price ratio, etc.

Email would certainly be a factor, but for non-BB types the iPhone's email and voicemail are pretty impressive. It's a very specific audience that needs more than what the iPhone provides in that arena.

I was just pointing out that what he (clearly) _meant_ to say was "the BB rules when it comes to email, sms, mms and pinning people," which is a pretty narrow (but important to certain customers) criteria of what makes a good "communication tool."

On those specific points, I concur with the OP. The BB _is_ better than the iPhone.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

Oh sorry G-Mo, you're not allowed to say _anything bad_ about the iPhone here! No, no its all good, sunshine sunshine, sunshine!
LOL, my gosh ZX and co. So touchy! 
Point is there are a high percentage of iPhone 3G defects and to say that they don't exist because "10 of my friends don't have problems" means you should read a little about statistics. Stuff everyone should know.


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## whatiwant (Feb 21, 2008)

Script Kiddie said:


> Oh sorry G-Mo, you're not allowed to say _anything bad_ about the iPhone here! No, no its all good, sunshine sunshine, sunshine!
> LOL, my gosh ZX and co. So touchy!
> Point is there are a high percentage of iPhone 3G defects and to say that they don't exist because "10 of my friends don't have problems" means you should read a little about statistics. Stuff everyone should know.


I am on my third iPhone 3G now. I have not had any dropped calls or 3G issues, however the build quality of this phone is far inferior to the original. That said, this phone (my third) is 99% perfect and has had no connectivity issues yet. I love it. In fact if the proprietary port on the bottom were bigger...


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Script Kiddie said:


> Point is there are a high percentage of iPhone 3G defects and to say that they don't exist because "10 of my friends don't have problems" means you should read a little about statistics. Stuff everyone should know.


I see. And you have these percentages of defective iPhones from a verified source that you will _of course_ share with us, I presume?

It seems to me that my "10 friends" (actually about 300 clients altogether, but nevermind) are at _least_ as valid a data source as *your ass*, which is where you're pulling YOUR figures from ...


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

LOL, Chas_m I think you've been watching too many American cowboy movies - with that silly tough talk. 

As I said before, and I'll say again, the high defect rate is all over the news, blogs, analysits sites etc. There is the collective consensus which you stridently deny, which only has the effect of reducing your credibility and your personal comments only show us what you're really made of.


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## shonline (Nov 9, 2007)

Script Kiddie said:


> LOL, Chas_m I think you've been watching too many American cowboy movies - with that silly tough talk.
> 
> As I said before, and I'll say again, the high defect rate is all over the news, blogs, analysits sites etc. There is the collective consensus which you stridently deny, which only has the effect of reducing your credibility and your personal comments only show us what you're really made of.


There is NO collective consensus. There is no proof anywhere of a high defect rate. No proof anywhere of high user dissatisfaction. Show me precentages or stop posting this drivel please.

IMO, you are parroting misinformation passed off as 'news', FUD to be exact, based on competitors of Apple trying to plant those thoughts out of fear of the market share Apple is gaining. Go ahead and shoot me down for saying it - but I believe in my heart that this is the case.

As many have pointed out, most folks have no issues at all (or some minor easily fixed issues via a software update). A very small, VOCAL, minority, certainly have had some bad luck, but Apple has 99.9999% of the time fixed these issues for them. That is what Apple does.

So, please link to concrete proof of this consensus from a reliable source with no ties whatsoever to the industry. A story that simply does not quote MS funded bloggers. Please link t some information that can be proven to be 100% accurate and based on market research facts from a company or research firm with no ties to Apple or its competitors. Please. 

I beg you to do this because:

Your Paul Thurrott article wrongly attributes the 250MB download 'patch' for the iPhone as proof there must be a huge issue - yet anyone with half a handle on the situation realizes that is is an ENTIRE IMAGE of the OS!! Hello!?? Anyone home?! The forum comments on his very own site point this out for him and yet he offers no retraction. Yikes. That's great journalism. Plus, he is a well known Windows hack. Even if his facts were not blatantly WRONG, his motives would still be in question.

Also, please follow up on stories again after a few days. 

For example, the great 3G issues hampering iPhones is not the hardware as first rumored by some analyst. There is nothing wrong with the chipset, no massive recall coming. This was a farce, and yet some people after reading this original story still cling to it as true.

It was proven a few days later that it was a carrier issue, not a specific phone issue, and that apple patched things a bit to make allowances for carrie deficiencies - primarily ATT. The proof as that BB users had the same issues, but were using a different chipset.

A word to the wise - please source the folks/sites/sources giving you 'information' to be sure they have no agenda other than honest reporting and at the very least show a basic understanding of the technological facts as they are... 

I expect to see many more posts in the future bashing Apple and the iPhone as M$ spends their 300 million promoting Vista and funding bloggers to stir things up and spread misinformation. Anyone who falls for that and does not give things further research before believing them to be true is REALLY drinking the Kool Aid.

So, enjoy your iPhones folks. Enjoy the fact that we will have many updates, bug fixes and new features added in the coming days, weeks and months, while users of almost every other mobile device will be lucky to see any type of OS update for the life of their product. This for me is the proof that the device is a very good choice indeed.

Stu


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## chasMac (Jul 29, 2008)

I have a BB 8830 and iphone 3g. What I really miss about the BB when using the iphone is a common complaint: the physical controls. Love the speed dialing on the BB especially when in the car - iphone is definitely not a great phone when your driving.


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## The Shadow (Oct 28, 2006)

My iPhone is working just fine. Thank you, drive thru.


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

shonline said:


> There is NO collective consensus. There is no proof anywhere of a high defect rate. No proof anywhere of high user dissatisfaction. Show me precentages or stop posting this drivel please...


No collective consensus?? Please!!! There are at least three class-action lawsuits against Apple right now with complainants in the "tens of thousands" because of issues with the iPhone 3G...

Apple Facing iPhone 3G Class-action Lawsuit || The iPod Observer - Now Playing
The Wireless Weblog: The iPhone 3G Class Action Lawsuit
Apple hit with class-action lawsuit over iPhone 3G flakiness
iPhone Atlas - iPhone guides, help, applications, news and more, updated daily.
ARN - Disgruntled customer files second iPhone 3G class-action lawsuit
IPhone 3G Draws Second Class Action Suit | iPhone News Updated
AppleInsider | Third lawsuit joins into complaints about iPhone 3G speeds, bugs

There are major issues with at least the original 3G firmware, the top gripes (and this includes some of those covered in the class action suit):

It crashes! Often!
Safari crashes! Often!
Apps crash! Often!
It doesn't get great speeds when it should.
Switching to EDGE in areas that have 3G coverage.
Takes minutes to find a signal when coming out of a no signal area (e.g. Subway) claiming to get "No Service" (sometimes never getting service) often requiring a restart or switching Airplane Mode On and Off.
Calls drop and fail all the time.
Keyboard lag.
Orientation switching when you rotate the phone is inconsistent at best.
Backups take minutes, sometimes hours.
The audio output dies and it needs to be restarted to listen to music through headphones.

Even Steve Jobs and Apple have now admitted there are bugs with the initial 2.0 and 2.0.2 was supposed to correct some of the 3G issues (I have noticed minimal improvement), and Jobs has stated that Apple hopes to resolve more issue with firmware 2.1:

Apple confirms iPhone 2.0.2 addresses 3G bugs | The Apple Core | ZDNet.com
IPhone: iPhone 2.0.2 Update Is Here, Fixes Bugs In iPhone 3G
AppleInsider | Steve Jobs vows iPhone app crash fix for September

I love the iPhone, with 1.1.4 on my 2G it was rock solid, but, at least the 3G version of the initial firmware is BUGGY! Lets hope 2.1 improves that... 

(Note: I would love to hear what experience people who upgraded their 2G phones to 2.0._x_ have had... Obviously, they won't have any of the 3G complaints, but what about typing lag, phone/Safari crashes, app stability, etc...)


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

Clearly the iPhone is not perfect. Show me one smartphone that does everything the iPhone can do that is perfect.

Most of the complaints that you list here are related to connectivity and have been proven to "mostly" lie with the carrier. Some were pointing at the iPhones antenna as a problem. Several tests have been conducted and found that the iPhone antenna functions fine.

MacNN | Secondary testing backs iPhone antenna quality

Just because people file law suits, does not prove a thing. Some people are unhappy with the speeds. Apple advertised better speeds and when they don't get them, they get mad at Apple. Forget the fact that there are all sorts of factors that are out of Apple's control.

As far as the crashes go, I've read about it and I assume that there is a problem that will need to be addressed. It could be a flaky app, it could be the firmware or the OS... who knows? It will get resolved. Personally, Safari has quit a couple of times, but outside of that it's been solid for me.

Having said that, I'm not saying that Apple cannot improve things. That's why there are updates for crying out loud!

True, it doesn't run as fast as the commercial showed, but I never expected that it would. I learned a very long time ago not to believe everything I see or read. When it comes to technology, companies always show their products under "best case scenarios" rather than "real world scenarios". They ALL do it, not just Apple!

My iPhone works well and I couldn't be happier. My son's iPhone works great too. I cannot compare the iPhone 3G to the first iPhone as I never owned one. But I will say that the iPhone is hands down, EASILY the best phone that I have ever owned. It does everything that I need it to do and more. I also know that it will continue to get better.

Everyone has different needs. If the iPhone doesn't blow your hair back, then go buy something else that does. Also remember that in life, some people will never be satisfied no matter what you do.

Im willing to bet that if you manufacture 4 million of ANYTHING, there will be some duds that slip through.

BTW, I like RIM's stuff, I really do. I am tremendously proud of them as a Canadian success story. But... do they have a smartphone that I prefer to the iPhone? Not yet. Down the road, who knows.


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## shonline (Nov 9, 2007)

G-Mo said:


> No collective consensus?? Please!!! There are at least three class-action lawsuits against Apple right now with complainants in the "tens of thousands" because of issues with the iPhone 3G...
> 
> Apple Facing iPhone 3G Class-action Lawsuit || The iPod Observer - Now Playing
> The Wireless Weblog: The iPhone 3G Class Action Lawsuit
> ...



Nice job with Google. But nope. No collective consensus proven in your links. Sorry - just reports of some lawsuits, blogger complaints, etc... You didn't provide the info necessary to prove your original blanket statement of huge issues etc...

Even if I would meet you halfway it doesn't pan out : Let's pretend there are 10 million iphones sold. Even if there are 30,000 people suing where's the consensus?

And, even though I'd like to spend the day doing this for you - I can show you rebuttal to every link you posted. But to be brief:

The Jessica Smith lawsuit:

"Smith is also certain she isn't alone and *appears to rely on Internet reports as support* for the class action nature of the suit. As there have been many complaints of slowdowns or outright connection problems with the phone, the complaint reads, the number of affected users is said to potentially run into the "tens of thousands."
SPECULATION

The New Jersey Lawsuit:

"Relying in part on "online blogs'" reports on the drops as proof,"
SPECULATION

San Diego Lawsuit:

Since many customers are potentially affected by the *alleged flaws in AT&T's network and its interaction with Apple's phone*, Gillis is seeking class action status so that every AT&T subscriber in California plagued by slow or intermittent performance -- which could measure into the "*thousands*"
SPECULATION 

and, since proven to be an issue with the new BB Bold as well. Most of this is mainly an ATT issue. 

Anecdotally, I have had ZERO dropouts on Rogers. ZERO dropped calls. My phone has NEVER crashed. Safari has NEVER crashed. Some apps have crashed after updating - but this is a software issue regarding interaction of the phone and iTunes and the Apps needing updates. Advice is to update via iTunes not the phone. This will likely be fixed tomorrow with 2.1. Again, try getting this many updates from RIM or MS over the life of their product. At least RIM offers a mature product that is fairly stable. (My wife's Pearl locks up every few days - should I sue RIM?) Windows Mobile is joke. Go ahead and try using it after using a BB or iPhone. 

Your original blanket statement is what offends. You seem to associate number of online stories (usually regurgitating the same original story) with a consensus. This is simply flawed logic. I kindly suggested earlier that you dig deeper before making such forceful pronouncements.

I wonder if all the water is Kitchener is BB flavored.....


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## Ashtangi (Nov 25, 2005)

mrae said:


> I have been through a lot of places pre July 11th to find an in depth article on the differences between a blackberry and an iPhone. I currently own an iMac at home, Mac Pro at work, and did buy and iPhone. I guess I am quite solidly Mac saturated. However, pre my iPhone, I had a Blackberry.
> 
> I was indeed a Blackberry fan in the highest order. It did what it was supposed to do well; that is communicate.
> 
> After a few months of using my iPhone, I found there to be many differences; I would like to explain these for the next person who was in my position of whether to buy an iPhone and switch from a Blackberry.


To the OP - 

I don't think anyone has said this yet, but thanks for the comparison. I'm also a Mac user and have debated the switch to the iPhone - I've got an iPod touch so I'm familiar with the UI and the multimedia capabilities. 

I'm currently using a BlackBerry Curve, and while it has it's own quirks and annoyances, I'm of the belief that a switch to the iPhone would be a step backwards for my productivity. All of those little omissions would definitely add up and result in a frustrating experience for me. Now with that being said, I'm always waiting for the "next big update" to the iPhone - I'd love to be able to migrate to it, but issues such as the lack of multitasking are showstoppers for me. There are some incredible applications in the App Store like AOL Radio, but if I can't do anything else while I'm listening to AOL Radio then it's a non-starter for me. I know that Apple has said they'll be addressing this soon, but until it's released and is working smoothly I'll remain skeptical. 

Hopefully they get the iPhone updates out soon - as the Bold is introduced and RIM continues to focus on more consumer-oriented devices, it will make the decision on transitioning to the iPhone far more difficult for some people.


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## VNJ85 (Feb 24, 2006)

Well here is my opinion of what the OP had to say....

*Flame*flame*flame *smack* flame*smack* flame*flame* smack*smack*smack. .....
beejacon 

Actually no, I truthfully have to agree. For those who want simply a great communication device BB is the throne holder, iPhone is milliseconds from dethroning the BB.. the difference is that the iPhone is simply a rushed product. You cannot deny it, the facts are in the faults (albeit minor ones). Yes, many will be addressed with snowleopard but that doesn't negate the facts.

I am a complete Apple fanboy, and have converted many people, as well as proudly own an iPhone 16g. I happen to be switching to a BB at the end of the month, and will purchase an iPod touch to compliment it. I know i must be crazy to be giving my beloved iPhone away, but the truth is, it is a glorified iPod touch/toy. I need a communication device first and foremost. I won't go into the details the OP pretty much covered what the iPhone lacks, or what the BB has that make the BB the winner.

I have absolutely 100% faith that within a year or two the iPhone will kill the BB... Look how the iPod has progressively taken over the mp3 market, remember they climbed many versions tweaking and perfecting off what their consumers said, they are doing this with the iPhone as well, I do not doubt Apple will slowly tighten their grip on the market. 


flames away!


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

chasMac said:


> I have a BB 8830 and iphone 3g. What I really miss about the BB when using the iphone is a common complaint: the physical controls. Love the speed dialing on the BB especially when in the car - iphone is definitely not a great phone when your driving.


To my similarly-named friend:

You should NOT be dialing a phone when driving. Pull over to make your call.


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

G-Mo said:


> It crashes! Often!


Again, I've asked all the people I know who got one (about 300) to please let me know about any issues.

No crashes.
No Safari crashes.
No App crashes.

The only complaint I've heard so far is about battery life.



> Backups take minutes, sometimes hours.


They do take excessively long, I'll happily grant you that.



> The audio output dies and it needs to be restarted to listen to music through headphones.


No reports of that I've seen or heard.

That one's just you, I think.



> Even Steve Jobs and Apple have now admitted there are bugs


I have a terrible, shocking, horrible secret to let you in on:

ALL software has bugs in it.

That's right, you heard me: iPhone, Mac, PC, Linux -- every SINGLE piece of software on your computer has bugs, flaws, and other imperfections in it.

Where's that class-action lawsuit lawyer when you need them!! :lmao: 



> (Note: I would love to hear what experience people who upgraded their 2G phones to 2.0._x_ have had... Obviously, they won't have any of the 3G complaints, but what about typing lag, phone/Safari crashes, app stability, etc...)


You're hearing from one right now. I have 2.0.2 running on a jailbroken, unlocked, 2G iPhone (bought on the original launch day).

No crashes.
No problems with app stability.
No lag in typing.

Sorry to rain on your parade. I will say that on the initial 2.0 release there seemed to be some lag on app _launching_, but that's been fixed since 2.0.1.

I'm not saying it's bug free (see above) ... I'm saying that as someone using 40 different apps on the 2G iPhone, I'm not seeing these problems. Have you tried a complete reset and restore?

I think shonline has hit the nail on the head with this. There are some people with legitimate issues, a much larger group of people with PEBIAC problems, and some people who just like to parrot the FUD because they don't themselves own an iPhone, and between them they constitute a tiny (but vocal) minority of iPhone users.


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## Script Kiddie (Jan 30, 2003)

VNJ85 said:


> I have absolutely 100% faith that within a year or two the iPhone will kill the BB... Look how the iPod has progressively taken over the mp3 market, remember they climbed many versions tweaking and perfecting off what their consumers said, they are doing this with the iPhone as well, I do not doubt Apple will slowly tighten their grip on the market.
> flames away!


But the trend so far does not support your statement.

See the recent report: THE NPD GROUP: SMARTPHONES REPRESENT 19 PERCENT OF ALL HANDSETS SOLD TO CONSUMERS IN THE U.S.

Or perhaps this one: RIM the big winner in smartphone market: Gartner | Technology | Reuters

The iPhone is a beautiful device, but its not for everybody, and the smartphone market is more than large enough for both RIM and Apple to keep expanding for a few more years.


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## Corvillus (Nov 15, 2007)

G-Mo said:


> I love the iPhone, with 1.1.4 on my 2G it was rock solid, but, at least the 3G version of the initial firmware is BUGGY! Lets hope 2.1 improves that...
> 
> (Note: I would love to hear what experience people who upgraded their 2G phones to 2.0._x_ have had... Obviously, they won't have any of the 3G complaints, but what about typing lag, phone/Safari crashes, app stability, etc...)


I have an iPhone 2G, probably going to upgrade to the 3G in the next week (I'm getting the $17.50 EPP plan on Fido and I need to get something out of signing that stupid 3 year contract. )

Anyway...most of the iPhone 3G problems have to do with firmware 2.0.x. On the 2G, aside from dropping to EDGE (since it's already on it, obviously), it has all of those annoying issues. I've had data randomly die on me twice (reboot fixed it), drop to GPRS in a 5 bar EDGE area twice (reboot fixed that too), and it still has the keyboard lag (holding home to kill whatever application in question fixes that), markedly poorer battery life (now I get about 1 day where I used to get 2-3, although I will admit that it might just be because I have push e-mail now and didn't before). Also the infamous long backups (3 hours for me) and long app installs are there.

Unfortunately...I still find that having all these extra applications tends to outweigh the annoyances, so I don't see myself downgrading to 1.1.4 anytime soon. So I might as well just get the faster phone at the subsidized price since I need to sign the contract anyway.

But anyway, to summarize the answer to your question, the 2G has the same issues, and I do think they are software related and that Apple could fix them with a firmware update.

Edit: I'm also running 2.0.2. The issues are still there...it seems to manifest from actually installing a lot of applications. Every time I do an update or restore the problems tend to go away, but after maybe 5 more app installs they come back. So I would wager that many of these issues might have something to do with the FairPlay DRM that Apple has for copy protection on the App Store (and I think Steve actually said something about this earlier, in fact).


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## Bilbo (Jul 12, 2001)

I think that it mostly comes down to how you use the phone as far as making a decision about what is best for your needs.

I'm in a similar situation as Chas_m., I have had next to no troubles at all. My son has had no troubles. The battery life has even been an issue for me.

The iPhone isn't perfect for everyone. While RIM BB's are very nice, they aren't perfect either. Both are good devices. At the end of the day, there is plenty of market share for both RIM and Apple.  

Cheers.


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## Ashtangi (Nov 25, 2005)

VNJ85 said:


> I have absolutely 100% faith that within a year or two the iPhone will kill the BB... Look how the iPod has progressively taken over the mp3 market, remember they climbed many versions tweaking and perfecting off what their consumers said, they are doing this with the iPhone as well, I do not doubt Apple will slowly tighten their grip on the market. flames away!


As others have pointed out, there is plenty of market available for both RIM and Apple to co-exist. If you look at the market share of both on a global scale, it's tiny - it's more likely that RIM and Apple will start to take away market share from the Motorola and Nokia's of the world. In fact you've already seen that start to happen, as Nokia issued an earnings warning late last week. 

Whether you support Apple or RIM or both, I'm sure most people can agree that competition will benefit everyone.


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## VNJ85 (Feb 24, 2006)

@ Ashtangi

Yep, I like competition, I agree with you there. As well, to me it looks like Apple joined a war fighting all fronts at the same time. However you are right, there is plenty of market for both RIMM and Apple, and in the coming months/year we'll see how Apple plays their cards. What it will come down to is which features Apple will implement, improve, or enhance. As I see it, if Apple doesn't encroach too much on features that the BB has unique to it, there should be no problem in terms of the market (however if they do... it'll be one crazy fight between BlackBerry and Apple, and Apple has a reputation for clobbering their Market, man I love a good fruit-salad!). Both handsets excel at what they were designed to do, as long as they keep some key features independent of the other device I truly see them monopolizing the market in relatively short time.

The phone market is now maturing, and as all mature markets go- the weaker competitor either closes up shop, creates or switches to a new market, or buys-out/sells-out too a competitor. Basic macroeconomics... I truly hope to slowly see all those really cheap phones that are now on the market quickly disappear.


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

chas_m said:


> Again, I've asked all the people I know who got one (about 300) to please let me know about any issues.
> 
> No crashes.
> No Safari crashes.
> No App crashes.





Steve Jobs said:


> No crashes


iPhone 2.1 software update announced - Engadget

iPhone 2.1 Update Coming Friday: *Less* Call Drops, *Crashes*, Faster Sync, Better Battery Life


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## bmmr (Nov 25, 2006)

I'm a toy Junkie so I have a Bold for email and Iphone 3G for play and phone calls


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## PoliceDog (May 1, 2008)

bmmr said:


> I'm a toy Junkie so I have a Bold for email and Iphone 3G for play and phone calls


Ahhhh - a fellow junk-junkie!  (As my doctor said many years ago - "...spending money on toys like that? It's better than shoving a bunch of white powder up your nose every morning. And he was serious.)

Just upgraded from BB Curve to Bold (gave my gadget-freak daughter the Curve and she loves it - more than her Pearl!  ) I have a 160GB iPod Classic to listen to music and radio spots I produce, a second-gen Nano for a few music tracks and all of my French lessons, a Shuffle because it's cute, and just got a new (sorry, "old") iTouch because......sorry, what the heck does IT do again?  Love 'em all!! Hate the 'product antagonists' - reminds me too much of the nastiness in some of the Treo forums (fori? foramen?)


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