iPhone 3Gs vs. Blackberry 9000 Bold: My Take [Update: FINAL]

[wnxgenral]

This past week, I had the opportunity to trade my old iPhone 3G for a brand new Blackberry 9000, better known as the Blackberry Bold. I figured Hey, I might aswell try a Blackberry out, figure out what the hype is about and learn more about RIM's software. I have been a loyal iPhone user since day 1 when I camped out over 28 hours for the 2G iPhone, therefore I have been using the iPhone's UI for over 2 years and I finally just got sick of it. I am one of those people that really can't take the iPhones current GUI and think that it needs an entire overhall in OS 4.0 but thats a different post.

First Impressions: I'm not going to lie, I had the worst headache with this blackberry the first day. I couldn't figure out how to work anything, I no longer had MobileMe so my email wasn't natively being pushed. Lets just say, I wasn't able to use this phone with a blindfold, like I was my iPhone. But determined, I decided to give it a shot.

The very next day, I was taking a trip from where I am from Milwaukee to Chicago for Lollapoolza (It was AMAZING, Kings of Leon, AMAZING...) anyways, I thought this would be a good test for the new Blackberry. Mistake #1... I no longer had my so USEFUL google maps application, I wasn't able to give myself walking directions at all, I had to figure out where I was with Blackberry Maps, which isn't bad but its not nearly as useful as googlemaps. Also for some reason the iPhone would switch between EDGE and 3G... I don't know why but my iPhone usually stays on 3G.

The Good: So what I really like about this Blackberry is the notification system. I can easily see what messages I have, my missed calls, emails, facebook notifications... All from my LOCKSCREEN. I don't have to open the phone and page through applications to figure out what the hell is going on. I also like that there is a message center where all my messages are conveniently stored and organized. Overall RIM's software is nice but I feel that iPhones could be a lot better if they would just update it to todays standards.

The Bad: If your like me and switched to MAC OSX a few years ago and was once a die hard windows user, some of the hate I had for windows is definitely part of this blackberry. The menus are not simple, and although you can multitask really well on this thing, the phone becomes ridiculously slow when you have to many applications open... its a pain in the butt to go into each application and close them.

The Current Verdict: (Update Later) I'm gonna stick with the Blackberry for now, at least until 3.1 is released and its running smoothly. Possibly when its able to be jailbroken. I really like this blackberry but I feel like thats just because its a nice change from the same, simple, iPhone GUI that I don't really like anymore.

I'll update this thread as the week continues, sorry if its not a list of statistics to compare the phones with. This is my personal experience, I feel like if anyone is in my shoes, this would be more useful.

Thanks for Reading, Loyal Apple User,
Jack :apple

Day 2 Update:

Today I went out to the lake with some friends to do some boating, wake-boarding, tubing, etc... you get it. Anyways we were out on the lake when a giant storm moved in ontop of us. Being the techy in our group of friends everyone turned to me, so I went for my iPhone but realized I had my new Blackberry haha. Now I'm used to having The Weather Channel MAX application on my iPhone which gives me update to date live inmotion radar right away. I had no idea what to do on my blackberry so I went to weather.com which loaded up nicely and searched for the city. It was kind of a hassle because I couldn't figure out how to get radar in motion or any of that. The blackberry worked for updating me on what was happening but it wasn't on par like my iPhone is. Anyways, just another everyday situation that I thought I should add to this post.

Day 4: I'm back to my iPhone. I have had enough blackberry. I am never doing that again. End of Story. Haha.

 

[Obsidian6]

jack,

I'm right there with you man! I got really fed up with my iPhone and picked up another Bold.

I definitely don't have all the apps I once did on the iPhone, but everything else works really well.

PS - Be sure to update your phone from the woefully old AT&T release to the latest Rogers one (v.282) it's so so much better!

PSS- there is a google maps app, and a number of useful apps which I'm sure you've discovered already. Plus google voice!

Check out crackberry.com if you have any questions.

 

[wnxgenral]

jack,

I'm right there with you man! I got really fed up with my iPhone and picked up another Bold.

I definitely don't have all the apps I once did on the iPhone, but everything else works really well.

PS - Be sure to update your phone from the woefully old AT&T release to the latest Rogers one (v.282) it's so so much better!

PSS- there is a google maps app, and a number of useful apps which I'm sure you've discovered already. Plus google voice!

Check out crackberry.com if you have any questions.

Hey thanks for reading man, good to know I'm not the only one. I currently don't have Windows and I realized thats the only way to update a blackberry so I am downloading Windows 7 to BOOTCAMP on my Macbook. Also, I am on ATT where is the best place to find the new firmware once I have windows? And then do I use Blackberry Desktop Manager??

 

[jmann]

I know that after so long of using an iPod touch/iPhone, that using any other phone is wayy too confusing and it seems most phones over complicate simple tasks and have too many unnecessary buttons to add to the confusion. Is the menu on the Bold overwhelming, at least at first?

 

[wnxgenral]

I know that after so long of using an iPod touch/iPhone, that using any other phone is wayy too confusing and it seems most phones over complicate simple tasks and have too many unnecessary buttons to add to the confusion. Is the menu on the Bold overwhelming, at least at first?

So overwhelming, I honest to God had to take 800MG of IBProphen after trying to spend 6 hours setting this phone up to the settings I like. It's a great communication device but there is a major learning curve. The best way to explain it is, it would be like having to switch back to Windows after realizing how awesome OSX is... haha.

 

[jmann]

So overwhelming, I honest to God had to take 800MG of IBProphen after trying to spend 6 hours setting this phone up to the settings I like. It's a great communication device but there is a major learning curve. The best way to explain it is, it would be like having to switch back to Windows after realizing how awesome OSX is... haha.

What I don't understand is that Blackberries were originally exclusively used by business people, and then one day someone decided they were "cool" and now everyone has one. I think that they do WAY more than what most people use them for. But then again most people don't even know half of the stuff that the iPhone can do. If I buy something, I try to exploit of ALL the features and become an expert about it. I'm not a Blackberry person I guess.

 

[leomac08]

Hey thanks for reading man, good to know I'm not the only one. I currently don't have Windows and I realized thats the only way to update a blackberry so I am downloading Windows 7 to BOOTCAMP on my Macbook. Also, I am on ATT where is the best place to find the new firmware once I have windows? And then do I use Blackberry Desktop Manager??

Hey Man, i read your story, its insane!, anyways i own a blackberry curve, and i have a macbook, the real sucky thing is that you can't sync with mac! unless you have a PC somewhere, but if you go to blackberry.com, RIM is releasing in September the Blackberry Desktop Manager for mac, (soon u will be able to sync your itunes library, ical, and everything on ur mac!) so things are looking up for blackberry users with macbooks and imac's, enjoy ur bold!

 

[ZBoater]

As a former BlackBerry Bold user I feel compelled to point some things out.

I no longer had MobileMe so my email wasn't natively being pushed.

BlackBerry BIS Mail runs CIRCLES around MobileMe. The difference is NIGHT AND DAY. If you setup your account correctly on the BIS server, your GMail for example will show up on the BB in a couple of seconds. You have to log into the BIS server and setup the accounts for this to work correctly (I am assuming you are not using this on a corporate BB server).

Mistake #1... I no longer had my so USEFUL google maps application

Taking your BB browser to www.google.com would have fixed that. You can download Google Maps onto the BB for free, and it works well.

Also for some reason the iPhone would switch between EDGE and 3G... I don't know why but my iPhone usually stays on 3G.

I am assuming you meant the BB was switching between 3G and Edge, and the iPhone doesn't. That one I can't comment on, as I had the same service with both devices in Tampa. I did not notice one 3G radio being able to hold the 3G signal better than the other, but I assume mileage may vary on that one.

Now, MY take on the Bold vs. iPhone issue:

The iPhone is SUPERIOR in web browsing and HTML email. Circles around the Bold.

I still like the Bold keyboard for my novel typing.

When I got the Bold, 3.0 wasn't out, so there was no search. 3.0 has done a lot to catch up with the Bold.

I use the Bold with my company Exchange server, so the integration with Outlook is 100 times better than the iPhone. Apple seems to lag behind in Outlook integration, both with Exchange and for standalone users. I wonder why that is....

The iPhone does movies and music 100 times better than the Bold.

The Bold does email and messaging 100 times better than the iPhone.

This, of course, is all my opinion and it is worth exactly as much as you paid for it....

 

[wnxgenral]

The Bold does email and messaging 100 times better than the iPhone.

This, of course, is all my opinion and it is worth exactly as much as you paid for it....

God I couldn't agree with you more. I am all about the messaging and email... How come Apple can't figure this out? haha

 

[jmann]

The Bold does email and messaging 100 times better than the iPhone.

So what exactly about the text messaging is better than the iPhone's? I don't really use a blackberry so I'd like to know. Threaded conversations are a HUGE thing for me because I don't want to have to sort through individual messages, the way the iPhone does it with the cute bubbles is very clever IMO.

 

[ZBoater]

I have one corporate and like 7 personal email addresses, and the BB handled them all very elegantly. I got spoiled with BB messenger, being able to set whatever I wanted for SMS tones.

But the screen on the iPhone makes me forgive all these sins...

 

[wnxgenral]

I have one corporate and like 7 personal email addresses, and the BB handled them all very elegantly. I got spoiled with BB messenger, being able to set whatever I wanted for SMS tones.

But the screen on the iPhone makes me forgive all these sins...

I do love BBM and I really love that you can change the SMS tones, they are sooooo much better on a blackberry

 

[ZBoater]

So what exactly about the text messaging is better than the iPhone's? I don't really use a blackberry so I'd like to know. Threaded conversations are a HUGE thing for me because I don't want to have to sort through individual messages, the way the iPhone does it with the cute bubbles is very clever IMO.

Text messages are treated like emails and can be managed in a single inbox or in separate mailboxes. You can store and file them like emails. You can assign whatever tone and volume and vibration and lights for SMS texts that you want, so if you are a doctor on call and want to be woken up by a text message at 3am, the BB can do it a lot better than the iPhone.

 

[ZBoater]

And in the interest of full disclosure, when I traded my BB Bold for an iPhone, my company gave me a BB 8830 (Sprint), so I have both now. Aside from carrying two devices, I am in mobile gadget heaven. Even more so by the fact I can leave the BB behind when I go on vacation....

 

[Blueline29]

So what exactly about the text messaging is better than the iPhone's? I don't really use a blackberry so I'd like to know. Threaded conversations are a HUGE thing for me because I don't want to have to sort through individual messages, the way the iPhone does it with the cute bubbles is very clever IMO.

After switching from the Bold to the 3GS, I'd have to agree with this. JMO, obviously, but I really do like being able to read an entire conversation without having to go out of one message and back into the next, and so on and so on and so on.

The main things I miss from the Bold are (as I've said numerous times) the LED notifications (with BBAlerts I could even customize the colors of the LEDs to indicate various things. I know they normally have different colors for missed calls, email, etc., but I liked being able to tweak them even further and have like pinkish-green for SMSs, aqua for email, and reddish purple for missed calls) and being able to see exactly what notifications I had waiting for me from the lock screen. But that's really about all I miss so far.

ETA: Oh, and I REALLY miss customizable SMS tones. a LOT.

 

[wnxgenral]

After switching from the Bold to the 3GS, I'd have to agree with this. JMO, obviously, but I really do like being able to read an entire conversation without having to go out of one message and back into the next, and so on and so on and so on.

The main things I miss from the Bold are (as I've said numerous times) the LED notifications (with BBAlerts I could even customize the colors of the LEDs to indicate various things. I know they normally have different colors for missed calls, email, etc., but I liked being able to tweak them even further and have like pinkish-green for SMSs, aqua for email, and reddish purple for missed calls) and being able to see exactly what notifications I had waiting for me from the lock screen. But that's really about all I miss so far.

ETA: Oh, and I REALLY miss customizable SMS tones. a LOT.

Soo true. If the iPhone had an LED indicator I'd be such a happy camper.

 

[Small White Car]

A good review for the folks who can stand physical buttons on a cell phone.

(I am not one of them.)

I like these threads. They help me learn about features I would have never guessed were options.

 

[wnxgenral]

A good review for the folks who can stand physical buttons on a cell phone.

(I am not one of them.)

I like these threads. They help me learn about features I would have never guessed were options.

Its actually sort of nice to have a physical keyboard again. You'd prob say the same thing.

 

[Blkz33]

Coming from (verizon) BB world edition, I can agree with most people replies on this post. One thing I couldn't get over was that syncing my BB to my mac was impossible so when some ****** stole my BB I lost all my info that contained important cliental info.
Although I do miss easy email and texting that BB give you it still doesn't par up with iphone in many ways... apps, music, and the efficient OS system I wonder why I didn't come to the iphone earlier.
I hope they smooth out RIM software cuz it needs it and maybe I'll go back to BB

 

[Small White Car]

Its actually sort of nice to have a physical keyboard again. You'd prob say the same thing.

Nope. Physical keyboards are the reason I never used my old cellphone for anything but making calls.

The iPhone introduced me to things like 'texting' because doing it on a tiny keyboard was like getting punched in the crotch with a shark. (Unpleasant.)

If I had to use one again I'd go back to not using the mobile internet again.

 

[lavinci]

Here I go again:

Blackberry = email and messaging fanatics

iPhone = multimedia, applications, basically FUN.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Nope. Physical keyboards are the reason I never used my old cellphone for anything but making calls.

The iPhone introduced me to things like 'texting' because doing it on a tiny keyboard was like getting punched in the crotch with a shark. (Unpleasant.)

If I had to use one again I'd go back to not using the mobile internet again.

I've been evaluating a Pre and the worst thing for me is the tiny, cramped physical keyboard. I'll take the iPhone's virtual keyboard any day of the week.

 

[QCassidy352]

What I don't understand is that Blackberries were originally exclusively used by business people, and then one day someone decided they were "cool" and now everyone has one.

I'm with you. BB was designed for the corporate world, and that's what it's good at (central administration, security, exchange, etc.). I can't understand why you'd use one as a personal device unless you don't care about anything but phone calls and email.

BlackBerry BIS Mail runs CIRCLES around MobileMe. The difference is NIGHT AND DAY. If you setup your account correctly on the BIS server, your GMail for example will show up on the BB in a couple of seconds. You have to log into the BIS server and setup the accounts for this to work correctly (I am assuming you are not using this on a corporate BB server).

So how is that running circles around MM? MM emails also show up in a couple of seconds.

The Bold does email and messaging 100 times better than the iPhone.

Here I go again:

Blackberry = email and messaging fanatics

iPhone = multimedia, applications, basically FUN.

People always say this, but I have no idea what the rationale is. Because the bold has a physical keyboard? Because the bold can multitask? I really don't get it.

I have an iphone and a bb curve, and the bb has these advantages over my iphone:
- see info on the lock screen
- multitasking
- my employer supports it

And really, that's it. It's harder to type on; the screen is smaller and less crisp; the UI lags *badly*; the web browser is a joke; the OS is not very intuitive; email, which is supposed to be bb's killer app, doesn't render nearly as well as on the iphone, so reading it is always a chore; and don't even get me started on the bb "app world."

I dunno, I just don't get the fixation with blackberries. There are nice phones besides the iphone (pre, android), but I really find using blackberries downright painful.

I didn't set out to hate bb. When I first got one I was excited because I'd heard such good things; I thought it would be different from an iphone but with its own strengths. In my experience, though, that really isn't the case.

 

[nfl46]

I LOVE the Blackberry Bold. I prefer the iPhone 3GS over it though, but the Bold comes in a close second. If I HAD to get rid of my 3GS, I'll definitely get the Bold or the 8900.

 

[nehunte]

This, of course, is all my opinion and it is worth exactly as much as you paid for it....

I disagreed with most points you made, but gained 100 times the credibility with that little finale. It's lovely to see that there are still people out there that understand their opinion isn't fact. Well done.