Business "impression". Your opinion?

[Rodimus Prime]

lol wow some of you guys must eat nails for breakfast and have sharks for coworkers if the iPhone looks like a toy. What would make it less toy-like? More buttons? What purpose does that serve?

For me, it isn't about simplicity, but cleanliness, something that I believe the iPhone does well. I mean, what looks more professional:

vs.

(both taken from flickr)

Now i'm not saying the bold is the ugliest thing on the planet, not by a long shot. However, it's clear that RIM and Apple are not competing on the same fronts wrt design, yet Apple is being thrown under the bus for paying attention more to design. It's as if the "messy" data center is more "pro" because they clearly didn't spend much time tidying it all up, so that means they were busy racking new hardware and deploying servers, whilst the "clean" data center wiring is more "juvenile/amateur" because asthetics are obviously important.

And before anyone says it I know that in a data center environment there are real gains to be had from having a clean install. Just using the above as an example.

As far as functionality goes well...anyone who wants to argue the iPhones merits can show me how versatile their phone is when they want to do anything other than email

But for a communcation tool apple is the messy picture. It has no real notification system other than that pop up message that ONLY shows you last one received. The new message or unread message count is NOT on the lock screen.

On blackberry the entire phone is designed around communication. On the lock screen you can tell exactly how many new/unread message you have and what type. Every button on the phone is design to do exactly what is needed. The entire phone is designed around being a communication tool first and for most.

LED light on it to be able to tell if a message is new with out even pulling out you phone. A in holster and out of holder responds for messages.

I think of those 2 pictures the blackberry is more true than the messy one.

Apple designed to be sleek and cool but it when with looks first functionality 2nd.

Also it does not matter what the iPhone looks like. The blackberry image is that of bussiness. People see it think bussiness proffesional.

People see iPhone they think toy, personal after hours phone.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

lol wow some of you guys must eat nails for breakfast and have sharks for coworkers if the iPhone looks like a toy. What would make it less toy-like? More buttons? What purpose does that serve?

For me, it isn't about simplicity, but cleanliness, something that I believe the iPhone does well. I mean, what looks more professional:

vs.

(both taken from flickr)

Now i'm not saying the bold is the ugliest thing on the planet, not by a long shot. However, it's clear that RIM and Apple are not competing on the same fronts wrt design, yet Apple is being thrown under the bus for paying attention more to design. It's as if the "messy" data center is more "pro" because they clearly didn't spend much time tidying it all up, so that means they were busy racking new hardware and deploying servers, whilst the "clean" data center wiring is more "juvenile/amateur" because asthetics are obviously important.

And before anyone says it I know that in a data center environment there are real gains to be had from having a clean install. Just using the above as an example.

As far as functionality goes well...anyone who wants to argue the iPhones merits can show me how versatile their phone is when they want to do anything other than email

You'll have to teach me what mental gymnastics led you to believe that those two are analogous.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

You'll have to teach me what mental gymnastics led you to believe that those two are analogous.

The topic of this thread is what gives a more of a business impression, right?

And many have said the blackberry, because the iPhone looks like a toy, right?

And i'm asking why this is.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

The topic of this thread is what gives a more of a business impression, right?

And many have said the blackberry, because the iPhone looks like a toy, right?

And i'm asking why this is.

You suggested that messy wires vs clean wires is analogous to blackberry vs iPhone. They aren't.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

You suggested that messy wires vs clean wires is analogous to blackberry vs iPhone. They aren't.

Ok.

While the iPhone doesn't seem very limited in corporate business connectivity, I think a blackberry bold looks more professional.

Why?

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Why?

Keep in mind I never said it's better with business, that's all a matter of opinion. I said it looks more professional. Why? Because RIM has a long history with business users, this history has brought Blackberry to be a symbol of getting things done.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I said it looks more professional. Why? Because RIM has a long history with business users, this history has brought Blackberry to be a symbol of getting things done.

o....k....well I'm not talking about symbolism. My data center analogy is geared towards those who , again, feel the iPhone is a toy based on (I assume) aesthetics. I didn't insinuate that the bold was "messy" as the first image I posted (just used for contrast), but I cannot draw any other conclusions as to why the iPhone (from a design standpoint) would be less professsional than a bold.

 

[nlr]

I think the iphone 4 gives a much more professional look now and I personally think recently blackberry rep has gone down due to ALOT of the younger generation having Blackberrys for BBM for general use.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

BB says you are stuck in 2006. Even my bros. crusty accounting firm has switched to iPhones. One caveat: black only.

 

[gloss]

I think perhaps the Blackberry's more limited nature plays into its image as a Business Phone. It does calls, secure e-mail, and messaging, and everything else is secondary. Some companies are probably looking for people exactly like that.

iPhones denote a sort of interest in the outside world that corporate America finds scary.

 

[niuniu]

For a strictly business no nonsense image - the Blackberry wins all out. Don't write the iPhone out though, creativity and appearing 'in-touch' is a growing part of business now, but again as businesses are cutting back and are sensitive to employees wasting time by consuming media while at work, you might want to limit how laid-back you look.

Really, only each person can make these sort of decisions based on their own situation.

 

[oneteam]

I think the phone has very little to do here. The impression is made by the person carrying the phone, the way he/she dresses, speaks and projects to the outside world.
my two cents...

 

[sushi]

BB says you are stuck in 2006. Even my bros. crusty accounting firm has switched to iPhones. One caveat: black only.

Agree with both points.

To add, black is definitely the professional color. White will raise eyebrows in certain situations.

 

[grantsdale]

I run small business, and it's in IT. Have to meet different people, usually all techs, some are executives, Web, media/stuff. I see a lot of my clients pay some attention to gadgets/devices. May be it's just a small talk, but it happens pretty regularly. So, I wonder. My business again is small. I work hard to get every client. If it does take me to look better, work sharper, give better service -- I do it. For me it's important to make impression of professional. Please, don't want to flame about -- "everybody should speak basing on kind of service you provide, not looks".. yeah, yeah -- but I am not talking about referral clients, I am tlaking about new acquisitions. They are tough.

So, which phone do you think just adds this extra tiny piece of professional impression. Blackberry or iPhone? My own understanding is that usually iPhone users are creative kind of people. Web designers, musicians, artists.. while Blackberry more on business side. More decision makers, IT executives, etc. are with Blackberry.

Your opinion?

Blackberry is a dying breed. They fell way behind the times, especially the non-touch phones. And if you're going touch, that defeats the purpose of having a Blackberry.

 

[ct2k7]

I think the iphone 4 gives a much more professional look now and I personally think recently blackberry rep has gone down due to ALOT of the younger generation having Blackberrys for BBM for general use.

Here in the UK, it is the opposite, well where I am, and used to be at least. A lot of te young generation have iPhones, very few have BBM. Why? Games and crap like that :/

 

[wirelessmacuser]

I run small business, and it's in IT.

Your opinion?

BlackBerry without hesitation.

I carry two smartphones. An iPhone 3Gs & BlackBerry Bold. It's not unusual for the business men & women I deal with, to comment on these two. The executives I meet with range in age from 35 to 55. The universal reaction to the BlackBerry is very positive. Their reaction to the iPhone ranges from clearly negative, to a chuckle or subtle look like "one of those Apple fanatics".
No other tech company is so polarizing. Being that the business community has a long & successful track record with windows netwoks as the mainstream standard, they simply don't relate to Apple as a serious platform. Due to Apples strong ties to Hollywood & products like the iPods their kids carry, Apples simply not taken seriously. Let's face it, between iPods, iPhones, iTunes & Apple TV, what was once known as Apple Computer, now known as Apple is largely perceived as the entertainment company Steve Jobs has turned them into.

 

[PNutts]

IBM made an iPhone client for Lotus Notes early on and you can't get more professional than that. When I asked our on-site rep why, she said because of the demand by senior executives. They like their toys, too! Our CIO and CEO clamored for iPhones and they are now common at meetings. It may not be a fair comparison since BBs are banned. We're now migrating to Exchange and the 3GS and 4 support enough Exchange ActiveSync Policies to meet our security requirements so we'll continue to use them.

 

[ct2k7]

IBM made an iPhone client for Lotus Notes early on and you can't get more professional than that. When I asked our on-site rep why, she said because of the demand by senior executives. They like their toys, too! Our CIO and CEO clamored for iPhones and they are now common at meetings. It may not be a fair comparison since BBs are banned. We're now migrating to Exchange and the 3GS and 4 support enough Exchange ActiveSync Policies to meet our security requirements so we'll continue to use them.

Right now, I'm having much more success with Exchange + BB than Exchange + iPhone. It's becoming a nightmare that the phone seems to have lost most of the messages in the inbox, and refusing to download messages, apart from new/unread ones - not to mention, the "Search on server" doesn't work.

 

[westla7]

For appearance alone, I'll say BlackBerry. 1st impressions can be important.

If your question were having to do with just about any other category, I'd get the iPhone.

That's confusing.

 

[westla7]

BlackBerry without hesitation.

I carry two smartphones. An iPhone 3Gs & BlackBerry Bold. It's not unusual for the business men & women I deal with, to comment on these two. The executives I meet with range in age from 35 to 55. The universal reaction to the BlackBerry is very positive. Their reaction to the iPhone ranges from clearly negative, to a chuckle or subtle look like "one of those Apple fanatics".
No other tech company is so polarizing. Being that the business community has a long & successful track record with windows netwoks as the mainstream standard, they simply don't relate to Apple as a serious platform.

Yeah, I got this couple times. iPhone -- huh, "guess people like new toys"? I got this comment, and that made me think -- heck, some people accept this as a toy and nothing more. May be it's in them being close minded, but I need to cut a deal, and (well, both phones are pretty equal for MY needs) may be need something to make other image of myself/my company for them.

 

[westla7]

Agree with both.

To add, black is definitely the professional color. White will raise eyebrows in certain situations.

THanks Black is definitely the color for me

 

[westla7]

I think the phone has very little to do here. The impression is made by the person carrying the phone, the way he/she dresses, speaks and projects to the outside world.
my two cents...

Very little, but still. It does make a big impression still. Especially if you want to show additional image that you are reachable, reliable, and up with new tech. Just simple "add on". Personally, if I'd work wth somebody who carry RAZR or something like that - I'd doubt if they can do Web/IT work good enough. Same as Web designers who claim to be professionals and working on old Dell laptops, right?

 

[sushi]

I would also add, that how you interact with your cell phone when conducting business does matter. Initial impressions can go a long ways in a business setting.

 

[63dot]

But for a communcation tool apple is the messy picture. It has no real notification system other than that pop up message that ONLY shows you last one received. The new message or unread message count is NOT on the lock screen.

On blackberry the entire phone is designed around communication. On the lock screen you can tell exactly how many new/unread message you have and what type. Every button on the phone is design to do exactly what is needed. The entire phone is designed around being a communication tool first and for most.

LED light on it to be able to tell if a message is new with out even pulling out you phone. A in holster and out of holder responds for messages.

I think of those 2 pictures the blackberry is more true than the messy one.

Apple designed to be sleek and cool but it when with looks first functionality 2nd.

Also it does not matter what the iPhone looks like. The blackberry image is that of bussiness. People see it think bussiness proffesional.

People see iPhone they think toy, personal after hours phone.

Being a former techie, I totally agree with you.

But what is wrong with a toy?

Apple is about fun and really has the corner on the market for people in their 20s and under. I almost see an ageism when it comes to Macs vs. PCs, Blackberrys vs. iPhones over here in Silicon Valley. I say if you are still young and want to have fun, do everything on a Mac and with an iPhone. That won't help when you join a company and they all have PCs and issue Blackberrys to their mid-management and upper management.

I am quite a bit older and my peers, people who work for a living, have Blackberrys or something similar and use PCs. It's a tool that's functional and effective and people hate them because it's just another way the boss can reach them off hours. The older folk like me also listen to CDs and are not as up on having thousands of iTunes downloads.

But their kids? Now that is something different. They have iPhones and iPods, and pretty much most of them love their Apple products. Why? Because they are fun.

If you want to run any business, it's about the Blackberrys and MS Windows, and that fits the functional, yet boring world of making a living. It fits with the concept of drudgery and work.

Again, Apple is about fun, and yes they make toys but people love their toys. Also many a working person has their PC/Blackberry setup at work, but when they want to come home to enjoy high tech, it's the iPhone and iPod all the way. That's how I approached it for many years - PC and their business world for work, and Apple products for fun and play.

 

[STEVESKI07]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7E18 Safari/528.16)

Blackberry hands down. It works so much better for a business person and it makes you looks more professional. Bringing out an iPhone might look good to some clients, specifically ones that own one themselves but to the rest of the business world it looks unprofessional. Don't flame me, it's just my opinion, but I'd "trust" a business person if they looked like they meant business more then if they looked cool or fun. There's a reason blackberries run the business world.