iPhone 3GS vs Blackberry Bold 9700

[acfusion29]

Would like to know what and how much apps you were backrounding, Cause I never had any slowing down problems multitasking apps. iPhone 3GS speed always seem the same to be.

Browser, MSN, BBM, Facebook and Twitter.

I closed my twitter app because it was draining the battery, so ya.. I think that might have been the problem.

I must say the new BB Bold is nice. Big improvement to previous models... But would I replace it for my iPhone? Nope!

Why?
- Browser
- Software
- No decent apps
- It's a bit ugly
- Horrible keyboard imho...

I've had this for a few days, so let me just say a few things.

- Browser is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. It's not no iPhone, but it's not IE7
- Software, meh... I hardly used the apps on my iPhone (aside from Shazaam, Score Mobile, Weather App and Twitter, which are all available on the BB!)
- No decent apps, again, I hardly used the apps.
- The new BlackBerry's are not ugly IMO... it's all preference (as is everything else in this world)
- The keyboard pissed me off for a few days, but I'm used to it now. I still can't type as fast as I could on the iPhone though.

 

[alent1234]

nice thing about the iphone is that it doesn't become a paper weight if AT&T has an outage. i can still use it on wifi.

every time RIM has an outage it seems you can't do anything on blackberries because RIM likes to route all network traffic through their data centers. i can understand this security for BES blackberries, but what is the point for a personally owned one?

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Browser, MSN, BBM, Facebook and Twitter.

I closed my twitter app because it was draining the battery, so ya.. I think that might have been the problem.

I haven't have one smartphone yet where an IM type of app hasn't drained the battery while left running for more than a hour or two. The Twitterrific app also drains my battery life but not as much a Palringo or most IM apps.

The Sidekick 2 was the only phone I've used that was good at this.

nice thing about the iphone is that it doesn't become a paper weight if AT&T has an outage. i can still use it on wifi.

every time RIM has an outage it seems you can't do anything on blackberries because RIM likes to route all network traffic through their data centers. i can understand this security for BES blackberries, but what is the point for a personally owned one?

QFT ...... On the BB curve 8900, I couldn't use wifi if I turn the cell data off and could barley distinguish if I was using wifi or my cell data.

 

[ctt1wbw]

Sorry, just stumbled across this thread... read the first post and suddenly realized how tough life must be if someone who is 16 can't decide between a Blackberry and an iPhone.

When I was 16, I was excited about getting a hoopty toyota tercel and a job. Times have changed, I see.

 

[sergistud]

my 2 cents

i hope it's not too late to post an opinion.

it's a difficult choice i must admit, being young and making the decision to choose 1 of 2 of some of the most sophisticated smartphones on att's network. and i must put in a few points.

1. there is a Blackberry appstore with many free and useful applications as well as other third party app stores some of which can connect and integrate contacts with your blackberry using popular social networking sites such as but not limited to facebook, myspace, and twitter, but furthermore you can download other apps very similar to iphones.

2. with the bold 9700 you have fantastic options for customizing the looks and functionality through free and premium themes.

3. the use of bbm is important to you as well as email and obviously blackberry has the upperhand when it comes to those features. and the usability of a physical keyboard is second to none (despite the progression of ease with virtual keyboards) and the bold 9700 using the fretted keyboard is very easy to use.

4. multitasking.. you can switch between multiple apps with quick and ease using default shortcuts with the blackberry. also, if you aren't satisfied with blackberries lack-luster and slow browser, switch it up to opera mini beta 2, its speed is comparable and sometimes faster than safari and it's pretty easy to use.

5. you don't have to "jailbreak" your blackberry in order to use third party applications.

6. despite some of the data applications on a Blackberry being useless during outages (which don't happen ALL the time) you can still browse the net using the pretty speedy MediaNet (of att's)

7. the battery life is pretty.. damn.. good =)

8. furthermore... if you go wirefly.com you can get your blackberry bold 9700 for free.. yes free with 2yr activation.. which is also free. so if you aren't satisfied just return it.. and get the iphone 3gs (which refurbished is now down to an astonishing price of $49)

summation of this would conclude that the bold 9700 is a more useful phone for your needs. give it a whirl and see if you like it.. i did, but everyone is different. it's new sexy, sleek, toned down look is wonderful and new despite the lack of enormous change in look from previous blackberries.

all in all the iphone is more of a toy.. and the bold 9700 is a mobile smartphone powerhouse, that if you want.. you can use as a toy.

 

[PhoneI]

all in all the iphone is more of a toy.. and the bold 9700 is a mobile smartphone powerhouse, that if you want.. you can use as a toy.

I love these crazy stupid statement. Lets see..........

1. There is an iPhone app that allows me to connect to my corporate sales database when I am in the field. The blackberry doesn't.
2. There is an iPhone app that allows me to use my corporate Basecamp account (Project Management software). The blackberry cant do that.
3. There is an app for the iPhone that allows me to see in realtime the inventory levels of my companies product for each region. The blackberry cant do that.
4. My iPhone with its great mobile browser allows me to browse corporate web sites with ease. On the blackberry its a frustrating mess
5. My iPhone has an app for syncing with my Bento database app on my Mac. The blackberry doesn't

Every business app that is available for both the iPhone and Blackberry is far better on the iPhone. But yes, the blackberry does allow themes for the homescreen.

My iPhone is a far better business device then my Blackberry.

 

[sergistud]

I love these crazy stupid statement. Lets see..........

1. There is an iPhone app that allows me to connect to my corporate sales database when I am in the field. The blackberry doesn't.
2. There is an iPhone app that allows me to use my corporate Basecamp account (Project Management software). The blackberry cant do that.
3. There is an app for the iPhone that allows me to see in realtime the inventory levels of my companies product for each region. The blackberry cant do that.
4. My iPhone with its great mobile browser allows me to browse corporate web sites with ease. On the blackberry its a frustrating mess
5. My iPhone has an app for syncing with my Bento database app on my Mac. The blackberry doesn't

Every business app that is available for both the iPhone and Blackberry is far better on the iPhone. But yes, the blackberry does allow themes for the homescreen.

My iPhone is a far better business device then my Blackberry.

First off, I'm sorry that your poor iphone love was hurt by my "crazy" and "stupid" opinion of the iphone vs bold 9700 in the eyes of a teenage guy, but your use of applications and opinions are seriously irrelevant, and really don't apply to this situation.. and i find it pretty funny (i'm laughing inside... really) that you had to take the time to comment about your opinions of the iphone vs blackberry in corporate america when this guy's post was merely about deciding between the iphone or bold 9700 when it comes to the application of a smartphone in his student and personal life.

In all fairness, though, i believe that both smartphones have their strengths, but for this situation i believe (and it ONLY is an OPINION =]), the Blackberry will better suite his lifestyle.

btw PhoneI... i'm sorry for offending you with the "crazy stupid statement".

 

[PhoneI]

First off, I'm sorry that your poor iphone love was hurt by my "crazy" and "stupid" opinion of the iphone vs bold 9700 in the eyes of a teenage guy, but your use of applications and opinions are seriously irrelevant, and really don't apply to this situation.. and i find it pretty funny (i'm laughing inside... really) that you had to take the time to comment about your opinions of the iphone vs blackberry in corporate america when this guy's post was merely about deciding between the iphone or bold 9700 when it comes to the application of a smartphone in his student and personal life.

In all fairness, though, i believe that both smartphones have their strengths, but for this situation i believe (and it ONLY is an OPINION =]), the Blackberry will better suite his lifestyle.

btw PhoneI... i'm sorry for offending you with the "crazy stupid statement".

I'm laughing at you laughing!!!!

The iPhone is a toy comment and the blackberry is a serious business device is a laughable comment. The iPhone has far more, and higher quality business apps. I get my corporate email just as fast on my iPhone as you do on your blackberry. Sorry my opinion differs from yours, but I think you just need to deal with it. I loved your little rant though. Very cute.

 

[sinsin07]

Don't lose your phone

I'm laughing at you laughing!!!!

The iPhone is a toy comment and the blackberry is a serious business device is a laughable comment. The iPhone has far more, and higher quality business apps. I get my corporate email just as fast on my iPhone as you do on your blackberry. Sorry my opinion differs from yours, but I think you just need to deal with it. I loved your little rant though. Very cute.

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/06/iphonesecurity/
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/23/iphone-security-broken-business-users-take-note/
http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2009/111109antonopoulos.html
http://ridethelightning.senseient.com/2009/07/iphone-security-a-complete-misnomer.html
http://anthonyvance.com/blog/forensics/iphone_encryption/
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/07/iphone_encrypti.html

 

[PhoneI]

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/06/iphonesecurity/
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/07/23/iphone-security-broken-business-users-take-note/
http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2009/111109antonopoulos.html
http://ridethelightning.senseient.com/2009/07/iphone-security-a-complete-misnomer.html
http://anthonyvance.com/blog/forensics/iphone_encryption/
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2009/07/iphone_encrypti.html

Please show me 1 real world example where an iPhone user had their iPhone security compromised. I'm sure you can find one, right?

Again, these comments that an iPhone is a toy, where the blackberry is a "serious business" device is crazy.

 

[///M5]

I have both, 3GS and BB 9700.

I started using the BB as just an emailing device for my corporate email. Now I'm using it more and more. The iPhone is cool and all, but still missing basic functionality such as multitasking, profiles, etc.

Love how customizable the BB is as well.

Also almost everyone I know has a BB and uses BBM, so that's a big plus for me.

My primary phone is the 9700 now. Still use the 3GS for browsing as the BB browser is a joke.

 

[PhoneI]

I have both, 3GS and BB 9700.

I started using the BB as just an emailing device for my corporate email. Now I'm using it more and more. The iPhone is cool and all, but still missing basic functionality such as multitasking, profiles, etc.

Love how customizable the BB is as well.

Also almost everyone I know has a BB and uses BBM, so that's a big plus for me.

My primary phone is the 9700 now. Still use the 3GS for browsing as the BB browser is a joke.

I also have a 9700. While I think its a great email device, thats really all I use it for. Just curious, what do you use the multitasking on the BB for? What apps on the BB do you find you need to run all the time?

 

[sinsin07]

Please show me 1 real world example where an iPhone user had their iPhone security compromised. I'm sure you can find one, right?

Again, these comments that an iPhone is a toy, where the blackberry is a "serious business" device is crazy.

I do not have a real world example. However it is because of these issues and many other things that many big businesses will not adopt an iPhone. My company has around 19,000 BBs, (northeast region). Blackberries get lost, I would imagine because our users don't pay for them. If we had subsidized iPhones, they would get lost as well, the user doesn't feel compelled to take care of the device because it does not belong to them. Do to the nature of our business, we can't take the risk on the iphone until they implement the security better.

Big business runs on BB and will so for the foreseeable future. Plus, the BB can take more abuse than an iPhone. I would be more fearful of dropping an iphone on the floor than a BB.

I know the App store is good for small business or businesses that do not have the budget for technology development, but big business who need it develop their own BB apps to do exactly what is required if an app does not exist.

 

[sergistud]

I'm laughing at you laughing!!!!

The iPhone is a toy comment and the blackberry is a serious business device is a laughable comment. The iPhone has far more, and higher quality business apps. I get my corporate email just as fast on my iPhone as you do on your blackberry. Sorry my opinion differs from yours, but I think you just need to deal with it. I loved your little rant though. Very cute.

I really like how you are continuing this "debate".. but it's still irrelevant. Why you may ask? (as i see you are still puzzled).. For a number of reasons.. several of which are, This post was solely on a TEENAGER (a student, mind you) deciding between the two great smartphones (yes i said that they are both great) and because i never said that the blackberry was a "serious business device" (as you continue to say i did).. in a statement that i was joking about (that you took VERY seriously) i said the blackberry is "a mobile smartphone powerhouse" and the iphone is "a toy".

They are both smartphones and they both have their pros and cons and it is based solely on the user and how they use the phones that generate preference and opinion. I see that both of you use both phones and have certain dislikes and likes, accordingly. But for the topic at hand... i still prefer the blackberry, using it for what the topic pertains to, and would suggest it still.

If you want to keep the irrelevant conversation via posts going PhoneI... i would thoroughly enjoy it =)

PS... I'm laughing at you laughing at me... laughing at you

 

[sinsin07]

nice thing about the iphone is that it doesn't become a paper weight if AT&T has an outage. i can still use it on wifi.

every time RIM has an outage it seems you can't do anything on blackberries because RIM likes to route all network traffic through their data centers. i can understand this security for BES blackberries, but what is the point for a personally owned one?

You have a point. For a personally owned device it may not be worth it. I would not get a BB unless it was for business. In business, there is way more to a BB in the background than an average user knows about. To me you are comparing apples to oranges, no pun intended. Right now each device is for a different audience. People mention app store all the time, yeah no body beats Apple, but that is not what the BB is about. Browser, yeah I like the iphone better, but you can still get what you need done on the BB.

 

[ctt1wbw]

I do not have a real world example. However it is because of these issues and many other things that many big businesses will not adopt an iPhone. My company has around 19,000 BBs, (northeast region). Blackberries get lost, I would imagine because our users don't pay for them. If we had subsidized iPhones, they would get lost as well, the user doesn't feel compelled to take care of the device because it does not belong to them. Do to the nature of our business, we can't take the risk on the iphone until they implement the security better.

Big business runs on BB and will so for the foreseeable future. Plus, the BB can take more abuse than an iPhone. I would be more fearful of dropping an iphone on the floor than a BB.

I know the App store is good for small business or businesses that do not have the budget for technology development, but big business who need it develop their own BB apps to do exactly what is required if an app does not exist.

Big business does not run on Blackberry. It runs on Microsoft Exchange, which is mysteriously present in the iPhone.

 

[scaredpoet]

I do not have a real world example. However it is because of these issues and many other things that many big businesses will not adopt an iPhone. My company has around 19,000 BBs, (northeast region).

That's nice, but that's also probably more due to technological inertia than security.

Meanwhile, where I work there is a mix of devices: Blackberries, Windows mobile and iPhones. The iPhones are definitely winning out.

Blackberries get lost, I would imagine because our users don't pay for them. If we had subsidized iPhones, they would get lost as well, the user doesn't feel compelled to take care of the device because it does not belong to them.

Generally, when one of our employees loses a device, they have to pay for its replacement, AND the data on it is assumed compromised and they must assume responsibility for that. And they know this before agreeing to it. Regardless of what they choose to get.

Do to the nature of our business, we can't take the risk on the iphone until they implement the security better.

Hogwash. if you really think your Blackberries are giving you added security, you are buying into a myth. Have you ever thought about how your company has no control, at all, of what happens to e-mails and online communications once they leave your server? The greater security breach here is the apparent inability of your company to train your employees not to share sensitive information over insecure e-mail and wireless networks. The Blackberry isn't protecting you against that at all.

Either you are overstating your security needs, or you have a bigger security problem that no mobile device can solve for you. Either way, you are badly misinformed and have bought too much into sales pitches and blog posts.

Bottom line is, at the end of the day, you can possibly secure the physical access to the device better on a blackberry, and there might be dubious arguments that the link between the mobile device and your servers is slightly more secure (though a good VPN connection on an iPhone takes care of that easily). But both issues are the least of your worries.

Let's also look at some the pundit's claims here You cited:

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/06/iphonesecurity/

Which states "The remote wipe is useful, but for someone who’s targeting an enterprise phone specifically, that remote wipe can only take place if the iPhone is on a network. If I steal someone’s phone and I have the goal of stealing information on that phone, the first thing I’m going to do is pop the SIM card out."

So.... the SIM card is permanently locked into a Blackberry? When did this happen? And second, I would like for someone to demonstrate a remote wipe from a Blackberry not connected to a network.

A lot of the other links point to people with vague doom-and-gloom "Oh this is easy to hack" statements without any proofs of concept. That doesn't say a whole lot.

 

[w00t951]

Blackberry=10+ messages per day.
iPhone=10- messages per day. And it does everything else that a Blackberry does, plus... 10,000 more. Believe me, there's that reason why I sold my Bold.
Stupid user interface, chunky keyboard, no sense of style. Plus the App World for Blackberry is a HUGE FAIL.

 

[PhoneI]

I do not have a real world example. However it is because of these issues and many other things that many big businesses will not adopt an iPhone. My company has around 19,000 BBs, (northeast region). Blackberries get lost, I would imagine because our users don't pay for them. If we had subsidized iPhones, they would get lost as well, the user doesn't feel compelled to take care of the device because it does not belong to them. Do to the nature of our business, we can't take the risk on the iphone until they implement the security better.

Big business runs on BB and will so for the foreseeable future. Plus, the BB can take more abuse than an iPhone. I would be more fearful of dropping an iphone on the floor than a BB.

I know the App store is good for small business or businesses that do not have the budget for technology development, but big business who need it develop their own BB apps to do exactly what is required if an app does not exist.

So you took the time to post a bunch of links about security problems the iPhone has, but cant find 1 real world example supporting these limitations. Kind of a weak argument then if you ask me. Again, lost iPhones can be remote wiped just as easily as a lost Blackberry.

 

[PhoneI]

I really like how you are continuing this "debate".. but it's still irrelevant. Why you may ask? (as i see you are still puzzled).. For a number of reasons.. several of which are, This post was solely on a TEENAGER (a student, mind you) deciding between the two great smartphones (yes i said that they are both great) and because i never said that the blackberry was a "serious business device" (as you continue to say i did).. in a statement that i was joking about (that you took VERY seriously) i said the blackberry is "a mobile smartphone powerhouse" and the iphone is "a toy".

They are both smartphones and they both have their pros and cons and it is based solely on the user and how they use the phones that generate preference and opinion. I see that both of you use both phones and have certain dislikes and likes, accordingly. But for the topic at hand... i still prefer the blackberry, using it for what the topic pertains to, and would suggest it still.

If you want to keep the irrelevant conversation via posts going PhoneI... i would thoroughly enjoy it =)

PS... I'm laughing at you laughing at me... laughing at you

I dont even know what your point is anymore. But, thanks for playing.

 

[1BadManVan]

At my job, i work in the head office building, where all the corporate big shots are and a few years ago, it was mostly BB phones being used, then a year ago it, was half and half. Now this year its 90% iphones, even the owner of the mulitmillion dollar company got rid of his blackberry for an iphone.

Young teenagers for the most part, have the blackberry, not because its a better phone but because you can get some of the models for cheap or free witha contract. Also most of them had their parents pay for them so they dont wanna fork our the extra cash on an expensive phone that they will probably lose.

Was funny, when i was in highschool, it was the first or second year of the iphone and the odd kid that showed up with an iphone, everyone put their BB away to go check out that phone.

 

[sinsin07]

So you took the time to post a bunch of links about security problems the iPhone has, but cant find 1 real world example supporting these limitations. Kind of a weak argument then if you ask me. Again, lost iPhones can be remote wiped just as easily as a lost Blackberry.

Some big businesses see this security thing as a weakness and don't want to risk being the first example. Businesses with something to worry about if a devices is lost are not going to flock to the iphone in droves. The iphone is a weak link in regard to security compared to a Blackberry. You may not like the sound of that, but no matter how much rationalizing you do, you won't escape that fact.
Blackberries can be set to wipe themselves when the sim is removed for a period of time.

 

[PhoneI]

The iphone is a weak link in regard to security compared to a Blackberry. You may not like the sound of that, but no matter how much rationalizing you do, you won't escape that fact.

Again, for you to make a statement like that, I'm sure you have tons of real world examples. Please post one.

My fortune 500 company had a small iphone pilot last year. Not one person in the pilot asked to go back to their blackberry. We now have thousands of iPhone's in use. Never once did we have any security problems.

 

[sinsin07]

Big business does not run on Blackberry. It runs on Microsoft Exchange, which is mysteriously present in the iPhone.

This is true to a point, however without a device to read your mail on while your own the move, an Exchange server becomes irrelevant. Many many decisions are made away from the office because of a having a handy mail device. When your ride corporate elevators in the morning and evening, go outside at lunch time, you mysteriously see the suits reading their Blackberry. Take a walk around a business district in a major city, this is what you will see.

 

[1BadManVan]

lol many times thats because the business is just to cheap to shell out for an iphone, most guys using the blackberries i see in the business, aren using the top model, its one of the cheaper models you can get for $49.