I would like to hear your thoughts. I currently have a BlackBerry 8310 with a contract running out at the end of April – should I get an iPhone and more importantly, why?
As a person, I like to think that I am open minded although very loyal when I find something that works (this contradicts to history with boys, more that I seem to have more luck finding a reliable phone than a person). I’m extremely active and one that tends to look after technological equipment, although if it cannot handle a random bump on the head, then it is just not tough enough for me. Without this sounding like an online dating profile, I would like to hear from users of iPhones whether I should jump the mobile phone ship. Realise this will be a tough battle to win.
Comments along the lines of “cause they are cool”, “just because” or “you’ll look cool” won’t count. What will be appreciated is an analytical response to the needs of me, a consumer and the functionality of the device. If there was a reason why I didn’t get an iPhone last year, convince me that the problem is no longer an issue. My needs are listed below as well as current considerations for why I haven’t gotten an iPhone already. The best comment will receive imaginary warm fuzzy feelings. Main hurdle is still having the idea in my head that in buying something, the more features it has on it, the more things that could break.
I use the phone for the following, all (but the last) are default options on the BlackBerry:
- Old school operations – making phone calls, sending SMS (Daily)
- Sending and receiving email (Daily)
- Instant chat (although this only recently, all I needed was another distraction)
- Taking occasional photos (Note: Professional photographer by trade, refuse to buy a phone ‘for’ the camera, it’s a nice to have)
- Calendar (Weekly)
- Note / Reminders (Daily)
- Maps / Directions (4 – 5 times a week)
- Calculator (Rare)
- Internet (Rare)
- Needed to download: MySpace and Facebook
I did not buy an iPhone last time because:
- No MMS
- Was easier to continue with a phone with buttons rather than touchscreen (previous phone to the BlackBerry was the flip Nokia model that takes over the World in Die Hard 4)
- A touchscreen and being a girl (i.e. having nails) didn’t work
- I have too many keys in my handbag
- I was worried about scratching it
- I was having trouble taking people seriously with some of the Apps they were downloading
- It didn’t fit in my back pocket
- Was more cost effective to get the BlackBerry (I’m a business customer, not a personal shopper, thus great deals and 12 month contracts)
- I was able to crack the screen of my BlackBerry with a nail polish bottle (how girlie is that) – can an iPhone withstand an enemy attack from beauty products?
Other factors and areas that no amount of convincing will effect:
- I have the Internet at home, so do not use the phone to ‘surf’, having the option is nice, although used rarely
- I do not use the phone for music, mainly as collections see tracks about 85MB each and an hour long
- Photography is done via my SLR Digital Camera and is not a factor for phone purchases
So, with all the modifications to the iPhone over the past 2 years, can it now rid me of the reasons why I didn’t buy one 12 months ago? Will I just need to buy a phone sock and bigger pants? Tell me, for reasons other than the ‘idea’ of an iPhone, when you break it down into the real facts of a phone – is the iPhone the model for me?
Please note: If you would like to comment, please be nice and constructive.
No MMS – They are adding MMS in June with the new 3.0 software upgrade.
Was easier to continue with a phone with buttons rather than touchscreen (previous phone to the BlackBerry was the flip Nokia model that takes over the World in Die Hard 4) – This is personal preference for alot of people, but I can tell you right now that messing around with the phone in the Apple store is not enough time to get used to the new touch interface. I had the phone since the day it came out and I can probably type faster than you can on your blackberry. You have to allow for the learning curve to get used to it and you have to just type and trust the auto-correct instead of trying to fix every mistake as you are typing.
A touchscreen and being a girl (i.e. having nails) didn’t work. – Doesn’t seem to be stopping my mom from using it…
I have too many keys in my handbag I was worried about scratching it – The screen itself is pretty much unscratchable. It’s everything else on the phone you have to worry about. Like the chrome and the plastic backing.
I was having trouble taking people seriously with some of the Apps they were downloading – That is because people are stupid. And why are you letting other people effect your decisions in buying this phone. Obviously, you won’t be one of these people downloading stupid apps if you were to get the phone. For every stupid app, there is an incredibly useful app that you usually can’t find on any other phone.
It didn’t fit in my back pocket – Who the hell puts their phone in their back pocket? You sit on your phone?! And all your pants have the same size back pocket? It fits in my back pocket fine. (I am a guy not wearing skinny low rise pants so might be different)
Was more cost effective to get the BlackBerry (I’m a business customer, not a personal shopper, thus great deals and 12 month contracts) – That is the one thing you got me on. I can’t argue with you there.
I was able to crack the screen of my BlackBerry with a nail polish bottle (how girlie is that) – can an iPhone withstand an enemy attack from beauty products? – The screen is the strongest part of the phone. I would also advice getting a nice see-thru case for the phone and an invisible film to overlay on the top of the screen for even more protection (once the film is on and the bubbles go away, it’s almost impossible to see)
I have the same blackberry model. I find it extremely useful for emails and texts, due to the non-touch screen QWERTY keyboard. But its also quite lumbering in other areas.
It seems like on your list of requirements for a phone, there’s only one major feature that you use on a regular basis that the iphone blows away the blackberry on. That feature is the map. Even though the google map app for the blackberry is better than the garbage that comes installed on the blackberry, it still pales in comparison to the iphone. If you live or work in Manhattan, the iphone map is great for figuring out how to get you places by walking, subway or bus.
I rarely use the calendar on the blackberry because it is so limited. I would imagine that there is a better calendar or app that you could find for the iphone.
For internet, there’s nothing better than the iphone. The internet for the blackberry is terrible. I’m constantly getting that hourglass symbol while the phone tries to load a page that seems to never end.
My main problem with the iphone is that there is no physical keyboard. Everyone tells me that you get used to the keyboard, but if you have nails, I see how that wouldn’t work at all.
The camera on the blackberry compared to the iphone is also not great. Neither are sufficient for going on photo shoots with, but the iphone’s image quality seems much better for that occasional random photo you want to take.
The lack of a video camera on the iphone also bothered me. According to a guy working at the apple store, no software update will fix that. However, I believe that MMS are now included with the newest iphone software update.
In conclusion, until apple gets serious about catering towards the business user and decides to add a physical keyboard, the iphone will just be a very useful and sophisticated toy that I wish had a real keyboard.
P.S. Neither the iphone or blackberry will solve your dating problems, but you might want to try dating men instead of boys. We’re often much more reliable. I would put in one of those smiley face punctuation things, but I graduated elementary school a long time ago.
i’d wait until June.
I have the same issue, The Iphone is cool but that’s just the problem “it just Cool” it has no substance. Unless I can be proven otherwise…..
The Iphone is absolutely perfect for what it does, which is ALMOST everything. Interface and sleekness are where it shines, along with the multimedia capabilities (movies, music) and of course the webbrowser. Gaming as well as other useful apps like a metronome or facebook or Maps with GPS are also pluses. If you don’t plan to use it for music or movies or games or internet, then it might actually be a waste for you to have one, as these are all areas where the Iphone trumps all others. It seems to me like you just need something that calls, can text, and has a calender and decent camera. You can get phones that do those things for much less than the Iphone.
As far as durability goes, the Iphone is AMAZING. The screen almost never scratches, though I’d still get a cover for it (I did). Also the sleek back cover scrathes a bit, so a cover is also advised, though a cover would be good for just about all phones of high value. The Iphone can take quite a few small drops, just try and kick it with your ankle as it falls to soften the blow. If you get an Iphone, I guarantee you that you will find a way to use what it really has to offer. You will begin to listen to more music, watch movies, play games, surf the web, and do alot of cool stuff. I had an N75 which was capable of music and internet, but it just was no match for the Iphone when I got it. Now I listen to music all the time and of course use the internet every chance I get. But thats just me… With Wifi and bluetooth tethering on the way, by summer Iphone 3.0 OS will be out, and MMS and tethering and copy/paste will be a part of the Iphone. While it is “cool” and “the thing to do”, the Iphone really does have so much to offer. I used to hate Iphones because they were so popular and because everybody had one, but now I realize it is so much more capable than just about every other phone, and its only going to get better
My wife just moved to an iPhone after using a Palm TREO for several years. At first she was reluctant, because she didn’t need all the functionality, but she is now a solid convert. I use a motorola phone from Verizon, and I will likely switch to the iPhone when my contract runs out.
I’ve used her phone enough to offer the following:
Typing on the screen becomes easy after you get used to the keyboard. It’s awkward at first, but you get the hang of it quickly.
My wife bought a case for her phone that has a foldover cover that is secure enough it doesn’t open in her purse. This protects the screen.
Apps for calendar/task list and other business tools are readily available at a low cost or free.
My wife hasn’t mentioned any issues with her nails interfering with the touch screen.
It is expensive, but not so much more than other phones that offer PDA type functionality. I don’t know the price of the new units due in June, but my wife’s 3G iPhone was $199 with a two year commitment. We already had the data plan for her TREO.
Yes,you want a iPhone. I have had mine for 1 month and love it. I thought my Motorola Q was good, but this is so much better there is no comparison.
Go to appshopper.com and take a look at all the good apps you can get for your phone 1000′s of free apps. You can get an app for anything you want to do.
Try “Say Where” for a great map app that blows anything else away.
Getting around in the iPhone is such a pleasure after using a keyboard and arrows and trying to move around.
You don’t use the internet much on your phone because you don’t have an iPhone. If you get one I know you will use it a lot.
If you are into Photography you need an iPhone. It is the best way to have your photos with you and be able to view them and show them off. Take your photos with your SLR camera then load them into your iPhone and see how easy it is to page through them and show them off. Other phones are such a hastle to find and display photos and the iPhone just makes it so easy you will love it. Syncing the iPhone with your computer is so easy, once set up you just plug it in and it is all automatic. You just put the photos you want in your iPhone in to a folder on your computer that is synced with your iPhone and next time you plug in the iPhone it will load them automaticaly.
The Blackberry is much better for picking up my dog’s poop. The poop really sticks to the keys, so I can easily get it all off of my lawn.
1ST – I’m just a little confused. How do you have an “iphone blog”…yet not have an iphone?
Now on to your questions:
* No MMS – You could wait til June OR get an app like SwirlyMMS.
* Was easier to continue with a phone with buttons rather than touchscreen. – All a matter of preference, but the touch screen and keyboard have me (A girl, btw) typing faster than I ever did on my keyed phones. It takes a bit of time getting used to, but not that much…)
* I have too many keys in my handbag / I was worried about scratching it – Invest in a good case and screen protector. I throw mine in my purse with just that, but if you have rogue nail polish bottles rolling around that you’re scared of, they have cases with flip lids or sleeves.
* I was having trouble taking people seriously with some of the Apps they were downloading – Err..best thing about the App Store is the variety. You don’t have to download the iFart app if you don’t want to..lol. There are great apps from productivity apps, to book apps to classic games.
* It didn’t fit in my back pocket – No? Mine does in a pinch…no I don’t wear the *tightest* jeans, but I don’t tend to keep my iphone in my back pocket often anyway.
* Was more cost effective to get the BlackBerry (I’m a business customer, not a personal shopper, thus great deals and 12 month contracts) – I can’t argue with that.
Other factors and areas that no amount of convincing will effect:
* I have the Internet at home, so do not use the phone to ’surf’, having the option is nice, although used rarely – Well as rarely as you might use it, I’ve had many types of phones and the iphone’s internet capabilities outshine them all when I need it in a pinch (out in the street needing specific info immediately)
* I do not use the phone for music, mainly as collections see tracks about 85MB each and an hour long – Not really sure what you mean, but ok…
* Photography is done via my SLR Digital Camera and is not a factor for phone purchases – Like someone said above, wanna show off those marvelous pics on the go, then? The iphone’s screen does it beautifully. (don’t wanna load those big pics on the phone itself – use Shutterfly and their new app).