Business "impression". Your opinion?

[63dot]

It's not whether the iPhone has business capabilities -- I won't argue with you there, it's very capable. It's the image, and RIM has cornered the business image.

That's so true, and RIM can keep their business image, just like Dell can keep the corporate cubicle image. Apple will do fine with the creative, education, and "fun" markets and continue to thrive.

I like my Mac for fun and at a certain point, and I wish it didn't take me years, decades, to find this out, but it's much better to have fun and enjoy Macs, iPhones, and iPods. The Blackberry is just a tool like a pencil, although a sophisticated one. Life is too short to use a PC, Dells, or Blackberrys.

OK, I guess I am being dramatic, but my brain MRI tested negative last week for a brain tumor. It kind of puts things into real perspective.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

That's so true, and RIM can keep their business image, just like Dell can keep the corporate cubicle image. Apple will do fine with the creative, education, and "fun" markets and continue to thrive.

I like my Mac for fun and at a certain point, and I wish it didn't take me years, decades, to find this out, but it's much better to have fun and enjoy Macs, iPhones, and iPods. The Blackberry is just a tool like a pencil, although a sophisticated one. Life is too short to use a PC, Dells, or Blackberrys.

OK, I guess I am being dramatic, but my brain MRI tested negative last week for a brain tumor. It kind of puts things into real perspective.

You're arguing with a wall. You're on some tangent fanboy rant that has very little (read: nothing) to do with this thread.

 

[nlr]

Who looks more professional?

Example:

 

[thelatinist]

I really think the iPhone 4 will change the answer to this question. The 4 is just a far more professional-looking device.

 

[Swampthing]

Suggested reading...

While you're taking in the various views in this thread, I invite you to read this article on how iPhones may overtake Blackberrys in Washington, DC. Look at the perception that different Congressmen are getting when using each device.

Will iPhones edge out Blackberrys in Washington?

 

[gloss]

Funny, I feel like some people here are confusing 'professional' with 'old'. I know a great number of young professionals in the area working with a variety of government contractors who use their iPhones happily. Generation shift.

 

[adm531]

I wouldn't expect anything less than a wholeheartedly positive endorsement for the iPhone on these forums, but if you are trying to look professional then surely a Blackberry is better for this. I love my iPhone but when i see businessmen with them I can just imagine them wasting away hours on end playing games, watching videos and listening to music, whereas when i see a blackberry the first thing that comes to mind is "this guy needs his emails instantly".

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I own two different small businesses, one is in tech the other is custom fabrication (woodworking mainly). I have Mac's and iPhones in my shops, along with a few blackberries.

First off, I don't spend my time on the phone with others when with a client. When I walk into a clients office, my phone stays in my car or in my briefcase. I'm there to impress them, not make them listen to me talk to other customers. I'm in boardrooms, conference rooms, individual offices and waiting rooms maybe 45-65% of each weekday. I just don't spend my time yammering away or surfing the web while waiting for or spending time with the customer. My customers include Fortune 500 clients as well as small business owners. You are there for face-time or you should be doing it remotely via telephone...wouldn't you rather them see your face than the top of your head?

So honestly, pick whichever you want/prefer but if you want to appear professional, don't pull your gadgets out in front of them. Stay focused on THEM and try not to make it always about YOU.

 

[63dot]

You're arguing with a wall. You're on some tangent fanboy rant that has very little (read: nothing) to do with this thread.

I did get off topic and I am definitely a huge Mac fan/iPhone/iPod/Apple person , but to put it simply while an iPhone could do anything related to business, my "impression" and those that I know in business is that the Blackberry is the business phone.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I wouldn't expect anything less than a wholeheartedly positive endorsement for the iPhone on these forums, but if you are trying to look professional then surely a Blackberry is better for this. I love my iPhone but when i see businessmen with them I can just imagine them wasting away hours on end playing games, watching videos and listening to music, whereas when i see a blackberry the first thing that comes to mind is "this guy needs his emails instantly".

Your argument would be better if the BlackBerry App World wasn't filled with games, or Media Sync didn't exist.

 

[scottness]

Funny, I feel like some people here are confusing 'professional' with 'old'. I know a great number of young professionals in the area working with a variety of government contractors who use their iPhones happily. Generation shift.

I think that what you're saying depends on your definition of "old". What is "old" to you, by the way?

My version of "old" people don't use smart phones at all.

 

[chriskzoo]

iPhone gives the impression that you are forward thinking, innovative and young.

Blackberry gives the impression that you are grounded in traditional business practice and steady.

As someone going on interviews, I've found showing them some videos I've created on my iPhone always creates a great impression.

This 1000X

Unfortunately my company would probably fall under whatever impression whipping out a RAZR makes.

 

[gloss]

I think that what you're saying depends on your definition of "old". What is "old" to you, by the way?

My version of "old" people don't use smart phones at all.

Okay, fair enough. Nonetheless, half of the silliness in the posted images had to do with the fact that the guy using the iPhone looks like a dorky young intern while Blackberry appears to be a Fortune 500 CEO.

 

[sushi]

Okay, fair enough. Nonetheless, half of the silliness in the posted images had to do with the fact that the guy using the iPhone looks like a dorky young intern while Blackberry appears to be a Fortune 500 CEO.

Agree.

If you took the same pictures, and photoshopped the images to be reversed, I would imagine the same opinions would come through. Using your comparison, one guy continues to look like a Fortune 500 CEO and the other like a dorky young intern.

It has nothing to do with the phone they are holding.

 

[JayDude132]

this doesnt contribute to the thread much, but i work for a large corporation and the people who have phones given to them by the company recieve Blackberries, but a TON of people would like to see this change to iPhones in the future.

I think the first gen iPhone looked professional - i actually REALLY liked the looks of the original. Then the 3g and 3gs came and they look good, but not professional exactly. now, the iPhone 4 looks extremely professional in my eyes. It has really nice lines and is overall very sleek, whereas the blackberries, in my eyes, dont look very professional with buttons all over them - and usually having a short and wide stature unlike the iPhone. The buttons on the blackberries really give it a messy look.

 

[rwilliams]

I work in IT at a college, and we have a policy in place that prohibits any college data (email, calendar, documents, etc.) on iPhones. The iPhone's security is absolutely abysmal compared to that of Blackberrys. It's not uncommon to see high ranking staff & faculty carrying both an iPhone for personal use, and a locked down Blackberry for professional use. The college will even go so far as to pay for Blackberrys for official use. So in my place of business, the iPhone is definitely looked upon as a cool toy, while the Blackberry is the business phone.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I work in IT at a college, and we have a policy in place that prohibits any college data (email, calendar, documents, etc.) on iPhones. The iPhone's security is absolutely abysmal compared to that of Blackberrys.

I'm no expert in security, hence why I have a question, but what security does RIM provide that Apple doesn't? What's so abysmal about iPhone's security.

 

[ReallyBigFeet]

I'm no expert in security, hence why I have a question, but what security does RIM provide that Apple doesn't? What's so abysmal about iPhone's security.

If an enterprise uses BES, there are a variety of policy controls that can be enacted and enforced to make all attached RIM devices behave a certain way, enforce certain security restrictions, disallow installation of apps, enforce username/password policies, synch up with corporate LDAP type of security models, etc. There's a huge list of things you can, as an IT Director, replicate out to and enforce on all attached RIM devices.

I don't think the iPhone has any such feature outside of email security since iTunes is the "policy manager" and it doesn't exist in an enterprise flavor at this time. Mobile Me is about as close as they get to policies but even that only exists at a 1:1 level and is consumer-grade stuff at best. Or so I've read.

Google BES Policy and you'll see lots of info and guides on what you can do with BES and a RIM device. It was built specifically for enterprise-class security.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

If an enterprise uses BES, there are a variety of policy controls that can be enacted and enforced to make all attached RIM devices behave a certain way, enforce certain security restrictions, disallow installation of apps, enforce username/password policies, synch up with corporate LDAP type of security models, etc. There's a huge list of things you can, as an IT Director, replicate out to and enforce on all attached RIM devices.

I don't think the iPhone has any such feature outside of email security since iTunes is the "policy manager" and it doesn't exist in an enterprise flavor at this time. Mobile Me is about as close as they get to policies but even that only exists at a 1:1 level and is consumer-grade stuff at best. Or so I've read.

Google BES Policy and you'll see lots of info and guides on what you can do with BES and a RIM device. It was built specifically for enterprise-class security.

Ah I see. I'm glad it's not lacking on security for end users. The only thing I don't like is that you cannot remote wipe with phone if a thief removes the SIM card.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I really think the iPhone 4 will change the answer to this question. The 4 is just a far more professional-looking device.

No it will not. It is the fact that it is an iPhone is why it has the image of being a toy. Apple image is that of a hip 'coo' guy but not an image of professionalism. End of story. Think about the Mac and PC adds. Mac did not look professional in how he dressed compared to how PC dressed. Apple is the T-Shirt and jeans image. Plan and simple.

Blackberry has that professional business person image because it is a blackberry.

 

[AlanShutko]

I don't think the iPhone has any such feature outside of email security since iTunes is the "policy manager" and it doesn't exist in an enterprise flavor at this time. Mobile Me is about as close as they get to policies but even that only exists at a 1:1 level and is consumer-grade stuff at best. Or so I've read.

There's a lot more available than you might think, although it's not as widely known.

We've been running a pilot at work on corporate iPhone use and our CIO has one, although we haven't deployed it widely.

http://images.apple.com/iphone/business/docs/iPhone_Security_Overview.pdf

 

[Rodimus Prime]

There's a lot more available than you might think, although it's not as widely known.

We've been running a pilot at work on corporate iPhone use and our CIO has one, although we haven't deployed it widely.

http://images.apple.com/iphone/business/docs/iPhone_Security_Overview.pdf

but it still pales in security when compared with a blackberry.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

but it still pales in security when compared with a blackberry.

One would expect it to be pretty decent at $99 per CAL

 

[JayDude132]

i wouldnt call the iPhone a cool toy...

 

[mdwsta4]

First, I think the question is ridiculous. If the impression of me is based on what kind of phone I have, I obviously didn't give off the right impression. I have also never judged a client by their cell phone choice (or wardrobe, car, etc). Not to mention why would they know what kind of phone I have in the first place? It should be in my pocket or left in my car. Not on my hip, not on the table, and not me playing on it (all of which give off the wrong impression). So I'd question how 'professional' you can be to ask the question in the first place.

That said, I'd argue a Blackberry is more business-like. Why? Because it's business first, other things second. It does email well, has a good speaker, and well, that's about it. For doing more 'things' (whether it's work or play), the iPhone wins. I have a Blackberry Bold for work and an iPhone for personal use. I'm not the biggest fan of the Blackberry, but it does what it needs to do and that's probably the reason nearly every business professional still has one.