blackberrys in the business world have always been the things to have for emailing, calling and browsing, the iPhone is still new and businessmen havent really taken to them, because they love their blackberrys, that is why... also when you say blackberry in plural, is it blackberries, or blackberrys? hmmmm
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Why do people love Blackberries?
- Thread starter hdsalinas
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Just got my 13yr old a Pearl (to go with her 3G) as the majority of her friends are getting BB's for the BBM....Texting is old hat, they can't usefully use any other IM on the iPhone without relying on Push, so they are going for BB's to get BBM....A whole new market for RIM, screaming 13yr old girls, typing OMG and LOL!
Wow, must be nice to be your kid.
H all.
Because its features are excellent.
It is very user friendly.
You can theme them.
For me the blackberry is the best.
Because its features are excellent.
It is very user friendly.
You can theme them.
For me the blackberry is the best.
I loved my BB because, at the time, it was the only smartphone I'd ever used (and I was blown away by the Bold's display). I loved how it could do everything I needed a phone to do, and do it much easier than my RAZR could (lol). I loved the ease of customization. The only thing I hated was web browsing on it.
I made the switch to the iPhone and have never been happier. If, for some reason, it was no longer a viable option for me, I'd definitely go back to BB, but I wouldn't be thrilled about it.
I made the switch to the iPhone and have never been happier. If, for some reason, it was no longer a viable option for me, I'd definitely go back to BB, but I wouldn't be thrilled about it.
I have a BlackBerry (recently upgraded to a Storm2) for several reasons, some out of necessity and others because it does some things better than my iPhone 3GS. I still have my iPhone 3GS, but it gets far, far less use lately.
- Tight, secure integration with my corporate email, calendaring and directory server. I have HIPAA-protected information on my phone which needs to remain secure. The iPhone OS 3.x currently just doesn't have sufficient encryption/security. This point simply can't be argued.
- Unified inbox for all my email accounts. Quite handy, actually. Can't be done (at least not yet) on the iPhone. Not a deal-breaker, but nice to have.
- It runs on a non-AT&T carrier. Far, far too many dropped calls on the iPhone. It's very unprofessional to have to call back 3 times in one conversation because your phone can't keep hold of a usable signal. Also, there is zero AT&T penetration into the buildings at work. The iPhone was virtually unusable as a phone at work. I get full 5-bar coverage inside with my Storm2.
- Attachments. I can actually open, edit, save and re-email attachments on my BlackBerry. Not so on the iPhone; the iPhone can view and forward, but good luck trying to edit anything.
- User accessible file system. Doesn't exist on the iPhone. Save, edit, rename, resend, etc...
- Multitasking. Personal things like Facebook and my little weather app, and professional things like Epocrates all continue to run in the background, updating themselves when necessary. Yes, Apple's push notification provides some of this functionality, but not all of it.
- I can carry a spare battery for my BlackBerry. While I'd say the battery life of the Storm2 and iPhone 3GS are nearly the same, there are times when I'm simply away from an outlet. It's easy to carry a fully-charged spare battery in a suit pocket. The battery is not much bigger than a matchbook.
Now, the iPhone wins hands down in terms of UI and app availability and has a much better media player, but my Storm2 has a reasonably functional music player and movie viewer, and it'll even play all the same formats the iPhone will (save the Apple DRM-protected stuff, of which I have very little). Plus, the removable microSD card does come in handy; I've got 16GB in it now and can upgrade it to a 32GB card if I so choose.
And for apps, while Apple obviously wins, I have BlackBerry equivalents for everything I need - Open Table, Pandora/Slacker, Facebook, Docs to Go, Poynt, TiVo scheduler, VCast Song ID (like Shazam), Google Maps/BlackBerry Maps, and there's even an Urban Spoon for BlackBerry.
And, yes, the web browser for the BlackBerry is inferior to the iPhone's or Android's. But the broswer for OS 5 isn't quite as bad as people make it seem. And if there's still a browsing issue, Opera Mobile 5 does a very good job as well.
OS 5 for the newer BlackBerry devices correct a lot of minor issues, such as adding threaded SMS like the iPhone has and features kinetic flick-type scrolling on my Storm2 like the iPhone's. Performance-wise, the Storm2 is easily as responsive as the iPhone 3G in terms of scrolling, apps opening/closing/running, etc.
I had a BlackBerry Tour, but grew tired of the mechanical trackball and found the screen and keyboard too small. The landscape keyboard on the Storm2 works really well for me, and I can type quite fast on it - faster than on the iPhone or on the BB Tour. I actually really like the click screen on the Storm2 (never used a Storm 1). And at 40 years old, I prefer the larger screen size of a widescreen touch display.
So, there's my BlackBerry story.
- Tight, secure integration with my corporate email, calendaring and directory server. I have HIPAA-protected information on my phone which needs to remain secure. The iPhone OS 3.x currently just doesn't have sufficient encryption/security. This point simply can't be argued.
- Unified inbox for all my email accounts. Quite handy, actually. Can't be done (at least not yet) on the iPhone. Not a deal-breaker, but nice to have.
- It runs on a non-AT&T carrier. Far, far too many dropped calls on the iPhone. It's very unprofessional to have to call back 3 times in one conversation because your phone can't keep hold of a usable signal. Also, there is zero AT&T penetration into the buildings at work. The iPhone was virtually unusable as a phone at work. I get full 5-bar coverage inside with my Storm2.
- Attachments. I can actually open, edit, save and re-email attachments on my BlackBerry. Not so on the iPhone; the iPhone can view and forward, but good luck trying to edit anything.
- User accessible file system. Doesn't exist on the iPhone. Save, edit, rename, resend, etc...
- Multitasking. Personal things like Facebook and my little weather app, and professional things like Epocrates all continue to run in the background, updating themselves when necessary. Yes, Apple's push notification provides some of this functionality, but not all of it.
- I can carry a spare battery for my BlackBerry. While I'd say the battery life of the Storm2 and iPhone 3GS are nearly the same, there are times when I'm simply away from an outlet. It's easy to carry a fully-charged spare battery in a suit pocket. The battery is not much bigger than a matchbook.
Now, the iPhone wins hands down in terms of UI and app availability and has a much better media player, but my Storm2 has a reasonably functional music player and movie viewer, and it'll even play all the same formats the iPhone will (save the Apple DRM-protected stuff, of which I have very little). Plus, the removable microSD card does come in handy; I've got 16GB in it now and can upgrade it to a 32GB card if I so choose.
And for apps, while Apple obviously wins, I have BlackBerry equivalents for everything I need - Open Table, Pandora/Slacker, Facebook, Docs to Go, Poynt, TiVo scheduler, VCast Song ID (like Shazam), Google Maps/BlackBerry Maps, and there's even an Urban Spoon for BlackBerry.
And, yes, the web browser for the BlackBerry is inferior to the iPhone's or Android's. But the broswer for OS 5 isn't quite as bad as people make it seem. And if there's still a browsing issue, Opera Mobile 5 does a very good job as well.
OS 5 for the newer BlackBerry devices correct a lot of minor issues, such as adding threaded SMS like the iPhone has and features kinetic flick-type scrolling on my Storm2 like the iPhone's. Performance-wise, the Storm2 is easily as responsive as the iPhone 3G in terms of scrolling, apps opening/closing/running, etc.
I had a BlackBerry Tour, but grew tired of the mechanical trackball and found the screen and keyboard too small. The landscape keyboard on the Storm2 works really well for me, and I can type quite fast on it - faster than on the iPhone or on the BB Tour. I actually really like the click screen on the Storm2 (never used a Storm 1). And at 40 years old, I prefer the larger screen size of a widescreen touch display.
So, there's my BlackBerry story.
I thought I was in love with my 8900...
However, most of my issues with this particular model are more because of T-Mobile than anything else.
I'm yearning to switch back to an iPhone; the 3GS looks wonderful.
However, I don't seem to have many of the same business needs as the above poster does. It all boils down to your specific needs. I'm a full time student with an internship / website design work / work at a business part time (yeah three things plus college). So I need a phone with an all in one package for on the go entertainment, calendar and to make calls. I hate Verizon >_<... so no go for the Storm 2.
Looks like the iPhone for me in the next couple months here. Just depends on how much longer I can stand T-Mobile's terrible service in Memphis...
However, most of my issues with this particular model are more because of T-Mobile than anything else.
I'm yearning to switch back to an iPhone; the 3GS looks wonderful.
However, I don't seem to have many of the same business needs as the above poster does. It all boils down to your specific needs. I'm a full time student with an internship / website design work / work at a business part time (yeah three things plus college). So I need a phone with an all in one package for on the go entertainment, calendar and to make calls. I hate Verizon >_<... so no go for the Storm 2.
Looks like the iPhone for me in the next couple months here. Just depends on how much longer I can stand T-Mobile's terrible service in Memphis...
I admit, I only read the first couple of posts - so forgive me if I am repeating what others have said. Prior to my iPhone, I had a BB Bold from ATT which I loved. I swore by my BB and said I would never try anything else. My fiancee had an iPhone 3G and I was always using it to play games, get on net, use face book etc... Finally I took the plunge and got the 3GS. I LOVE MY IPHONE. I had a couple of problems with the battery life being horrible and also not being able to find a belt clip for my iPhone which I only need when I work during the day... based on this I switched back to my BB. I literally lasted 7 hours before I had to switch back. I simply could not imagine going to a inferior interface, back to a track ball, etc...
like I tell everyone AT&T is perfect for me, works dont have trouble, as good as Verizon whom I just left bc of their lack of phones period. I told my wife if I had to give up my iPhone then I just simply will keep a very basic phone for emergency calls and that is it, the iPhone makes everything easier to do in life and without it now after having it for 6 months there is no way I can use a Crackberry.
Those who use them do so bc they dont know a good phone and bc of business reasons, I am in the IT field and I hate when I work for someone who hands me a BB for a work phone, it is simply slow and not comfortable to use at all, without my iPhone a phone is just a phone.
Those who use them do so bc they dont know a good phone and bc of business reasons, I am in the IT field and I hate when I work for someone who hands me a BB for a work phone, it is simply slow and not comfortable to use at all, without my iPhone a phone is just a phone.
There's actually a proper Shazam app for the blackberry now. It's actually quite nice.
And as mentioned above, the batteries are nice. The battery for my pearl is so small, I can just place it in my wallet on longer trips. Extremely convenient, and you can continue to recharge and replace as necessary.
Plus, reliability is a big factor. I've never missed an email on this thing, and it's been performing admirably. And I've dropped it quite a few times, and the phone has managed to carry on, with no hit to performance. The best part? Even the worst cosmetic damage can be fixed with a housing change.
And you've got plenty of options to help tailor the phone to your needs. Most settings can be changed. There are profiles, exceptions, custom message tones and all that good stuff.
Then there's the LED. Aka the blinking red light. It's infinitely useful, and with certain apps, can be customized so that your phone doesn't have to make a sound. Different notifications can be set to different colors, and a quick glance to your phone (even in it's holster), and you know exactly what you have.
I can go on and on, but I'll leave it here for now.
apple already has the phone set to tell you how this operation works and what it does when it is powered on for the first time (or first time after a restore)
what more do you want? people not knowing about this is really just them being ignorant, and hitting dismiss on the popup without even reading it
People act like the iPhone is super unreliable in terms of email. I have NEVER missed an email on the iPhone either.
I use an iPhone for personal and I have a Storm for work. no comparison. BBs can be messed with when it comes to Corporate email. Once they are connected to a BES, you have so much control over them. If Apple geared the iPhone more towards corporate, they could eliminate BB. We started pushing iPhone out on the network, there's just no control. They totally suck for lotus notes domino interaction.
I guess this is the best place to ask this. Does a blackberry perform better as far as maintaining signal goes? My area recently got 3g and since then my
phone will go from 5 bars to 1 just by me picking it up, which leads me to believe the iPhone has a weak antenna. I have heard reports where you can hold a iPhone and a different phone next to eachother and get rather varied results. I'm honestly thinking of picking up a used bb until I see what the next iPhone does as far as the phone part goes. I know it's been said before but as a phone the iPhone is weak. If I'm in anything other than a rock solid 3g area I get garbled calls, dropped calls, or my phone never rings on my end at all.
phone will go from 5 bars to 1 just by me picking it up, which leads me to believe the iPhone has a weak antenna. I have heard reports where you can hold a iPhone and a different phone next to eachother and get rather varied results. I'm honestly thinking of picking up a used bb until I see what the next iPhone does as far as the phone part goes. I know it's been said before but as a phone the iPhone is weak. If I'm in anything other than a rock solid 3g area I get garbled calls, dropped calls, or my phone never rings on my end at all.
Personally, I prefer Strawberries, but I can see why many still hold onto their love for BlackBerry.
It's about loyalty. BB was the innovator and leader of smart phones in the USA. I still love RIM and BB, but after four years I found a better phone - iPhone 3GS. I care more about the quality phone than a brand name.
It's about loyalty. BB was the innovator and leader of smart phones in the USA. I still love RIM and BB, but after four years I found a better phone - iPhone 3GS. I care more about the quality phone than a brand name.
Wow, I've had an iPhone since launch day, upgrading to every new model. I had no idea about the 2 finger scroll inside of text boxes and what not. I just checked out that feature, wow, what a time saver!
Learn something new everyday! Thanks!
um, yeah, it can be argued. A significant number (though still a minority) of major law firms and financial institutions now allow iPhones. Short of the CIA, there aren't really any institutions that require higher levels of information security. The 3GS and 3.1 have made great strides wrt security.
Basically, if you heavily use push email and need your email to be instant like a text message, you must go Blackberry for the best experience. But Blackberry is not universally better than iPhone at email, despite what lots of people say. In fact, iPhone email is better in many ways (HTML rendering, Exchange integration, UI). So it all depends on how you use mobile email.
Picking a smartphone requires the right kind of research. Figure out what YOU want out of a phone, how YOU'LL use it, then choose the one that fits best. All too often people throw around common catch phrases and expect that to decide the matter.
I love my Seidio Innocase with matching separate belt clip. Check here.
well i got of the phone with a iphone rep. I was telling him on how much i love the iphone but i hate AT&Ts service. He (the rep) told me to hold on till January because they are hiring 100 more iphone agents because the iphone is coming to verizon
I don't know why he'd lie, or maybe he was misinformed, but trust me when I say this is utter crap. These things are huge corporate secrets and Apple is one of the best at keeping secrets. They would NOT let this cat out of the bag, not even to employees, until the LAST possible minute. By the way, Verizon is currently launching an all-out PR war at both AT&T and Apple. So I don't think we'll see Apple products on Verizon for years.
It's more likely they are staffing up for the rumored tablet, that might hit in January (though more likely it will only be announced in January), and perhaps he's confused by a cover story.
Perception is a bigger factor than most people think. I've got coworkers who insist on using Blackberries because "that's what my clients use". But now about 8 of us (including the company President) use iPhones, so that perception is changing, at least here.
Well, I've been using Mobile Me for Push email for a while and I get my email instantly, it just works flawlessly. That being said I understand if people whose work depends on email don't want to rely on it too much it since it is a relatively new service and Apple still has some kinks to iron out.
Blackberries are ultra-reliable and extraordinarily well supported no-nonsense enterprise/corporate tools. They even have a real keyboard. And they "just work" - everywhere in the world.