iPhone vs BlackBerry Curve

[Eric is God]

I know there was already a thread created for the iPhone but because it is about to launch I thought the topic was worth revisiting. First off, I have to be honest and say that I am obligated to hate the iPhone because I work for the guys who make the BlackBerry. I can understand why people would want to purchase an iPhone but here are some of the major differences between the iPhone and the newest BlackBerry device:

***WARNING: the following will be biased because it was created by a Research In Motion employee and I don't mean myself!***

iPhone

Price
$499 w/2 year contract for 4Gig model
$599 w/2 year contract for 8Gig model
Availability
Limited initially (1 network, 1 country)
Push Delivery
Yahoo only. All others Pull.
Instant Messaging Support
None
Keyboard
Limited 26 key virtual QWERTY keyboard
Phone Features
No one touch or voice dialing
Camera Feautres
2MP
No mirror for self portrait
No flash, no zoom
Video capture
Location/Maps
Mapping Applications
No built-in GPS
Video Support
iTunes/Quicktime
Audio Support
iTunes
Battery
No user replaceable battery
8 hours talk time (testing method TBD)
10 days standby (testing method TBD)
No compression/ optimization
User Interface
Touch screen


BlackBerry Curve

Price
$199 with 2 year contract and $100 mail-in rebate
Availability
Available now. Over 110 countries – over 270 networks globally
Push Delivery
Yes, for all supported email accounts
Instant Messaging Support
Google Talk™, Yahoo® Messenger, BlackBerry Messenger, Third-party clients
Keyboard
Full 35 key QWERTY keyboard
Phone Features
One touch and voice dialing
Camera Feautres
2MP
Mirror for self portrait
Flash and zoom
No video capture
Location/Maps
Mapping Applications
Built-in GPS
Video Support
MPEG4 part 2, Simple Profile, H.263, WMV
Audio Support
MP3, MIDI, AMR-NB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA
Battery
User replaceable battery
4 hours talk time
17 days standby
Compression and optimization
User Interface
Trackball with intuitive menu and icons


I'm not saying people shouldn't buy an iPhone or that they should buy a BlackBerry, I just don't feel the iPhone has much going for it other than 2-3 cool novelties (like having the web turn as you turn the iPhone) really call for that kind of price or make up for it's lack of instant messaging, the risk of breaking the glass screen and guarentee of having to go to Apple directly to get a new battery.

[Emaho]

The sad thing is that the iPhone is already old when they launch it. I can't see why they didn't in a better camera for example...?


Edit: Not that I will every be likely to use/test one since it's US only... But still.

[SEAL]

iPod phone is just the 'first' model out there. It's a great concept; i mean.. whats not to love about the initiative interface?

YET. its the first model out there. Who wants to buy a model 1.0? If you have cash enough and you are a technology freak: go for it. Buy it as a secundairy phone. And when model 2.0 comes out, you buy that one. That's the way to go with this phone for now.

Minus points for the phone:
- price (then again, we are getting used to paying alot for techonology: ps3, ipod, etc)
- 2 mp camera. (my new nokia is 5)
- MMS is not supported.
- Instand Messaging is not supported.
- low amount of memory. You fill that up easely with a movie and some music. "But SEAL, your nokia has only 32mb memory and you gotta buy more yourself, with a max of 2 or 4, so what are you bitching about?" ITS AN IPOD PHONE. YOU EXPECT ALOT OF MEMORY


Check out the nokia n95; thats what im ordering. It has alot of technology.

[Emaho]

- MMS is not supported.

That's pathetic...

But you're right, It's the same with new car models - never buy the first edition/generation.

[Shan]

Nokia :wub:

[Eric is God]

iPod phone is just the 'first' model out there. It's a great concept; i mean.. whats not to love about the initiative interface?

YET. its the first model out there. Who wants to buy a model 1.0? If you have cash enough and you are a technology freak: go for it. Buy it as a secundairy phone. And when model 2.0 comes out, you buy that one. That's the way to go with this phone for now.

Minus points for the phone:
- price (then again, we are getting used to paying alot for techonology: ps3, ipod, etc)
- 2 mp camera. (my new nokia is 5)
- MMS is not supported.
- Instand Messaging is not supported.
- low amount of memory. You fill that up easely with a movie and some music. "But SEAL, your nokia has only 32mb memory and you gotta buy more yourself, with a max of 2 or 4, so what are you bitching about?" ITS AN IPOD PHONE. YOU EXPECT ALOT OF MEMORY


Check out the nokia n95; thats what im ordering. It has alot of technology.

I have to say that a 5 mp camera in a phone is impressive. I really won't ever buy a cell phone because I get a free BlackBerry from work (although I have to pay the phone part of the monthly fee if I want it to be active) and a free new device of my choice every 18 months.

Like all technology I guess it comes down to what you need. I have to send a lot of business emails/text messages (even on the weekend) because of my position so obviously a BlackBerry makes sense. If I actually had a busy social life I'd probably get a cell phone that is similar to the Nokia n95 you described Seal.

[Galleleo]

It's silly to compare the iPhone (new in it's kind) to a blackberry (just another improvement). The blackberry doesn't have a multitouch screen does it?

Edit: The iPhone is coming to Europe at the end of this year, and European Cell Phones don't work in Canada/US. So the whole country thing is a moot point.

[Emaho]

Nokia :wub:

SE noob, SE

[Facetious]

I mean, at least to me, it makes very little sense to have a huge phone that's also an ipod (that only holds a max of 8 gbs anyway) instead of getting a tiny phone and a tiny flash mp3 player, and then just bringing what you want with you. Of course, that's from a practical perspective. If you get an iPhone, especially right away, everyone is going to be VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOU. That Blackberry looks like a Blackberry, nobody is going to be impressed by it. Anyway, that's why you buy the iPhone. Of course it's no more functional, but you're not buying the thing for function. You're buying it because everyone wants to see it.

[Eric is God]

It's silly to compare the iPhone (new in it's kind) to a blackberry (just another improvement). The blackberry doesn't have a multitouch screen does it?

Edit: The iPhone is coming to Europe at the end of this year, and European Cell Phones don't work in Canada/US. So the whole country thing is a moot point.

My whole point was that a touch screen and a few other cool features (none of which that actually add significant value to the product) do not constitute a $400 price difference between devices. The iPhone is definitely new but it is hardly revolutionary and in my opinion only tech nerds or people with way too much money on their hands would buy one. Exactly what is a multitouch screen worth to people? $50? $100? $400? It had better be close to the latter because that's a huge part of what someone is paying for.

By the way, the BlackBerry 8830 aka the World Phone works across CDMA and GPRS networks so it does work whether you are in North America or Europe.

[Eric is God]

If you get an iPhone, especially right away, everyone is going to be VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOU. That Blackberry looks like a Blackberry, nobody is going to be impressed by it. Anyway, that's why you buy the iPhone. Of course it's no more functional, but you're not buying the thing for function. You're buying it because everyone wants to see it.

This is what I have never understood. How many people on this board would actually be impressed by one of their friends showing off an iPhone? It's like anyone who bought a PS3 when it came out. They wanted the newest, coolest console out there and I feel like laughing at them for wasting their money. Again, I'm not saying the iPhone is crap because it does look cool, just not $600 cool.

[ConcreteSchlyrd]

If I were going to be buying one (I won't, since $500 for a phone is highway robbery), the feature that I thought is actually worthwhile on the iPhone is the way it displays web pages natively--none of this "website hacked specifically for your Blackberry" bullness. As a tech who sometimes finds himself working on machines with no internet access, being able to pull up a FAQ on my phone would be kind of nice.

(Yes, I understand the RAZOR network sucks balls, speed-wise, but anything is better than nothing.)

[GuruMeditation]

It's silly to compare the iPhone (new in it's kind) to a blackberry (just another improvement). The blackberry doesn't have a multitouch screen does it?

Because there is so many potential uses for multitouch on a 3" screen.

Go on list them all. I can wait.

[Eric is God]

If I were going to be buying one (I won't, since $500 for a phone is highway robbery), the feature that I thought is actually worthwhile on the iPhone is the way it displays web pages natively--none of this "website hacked specifically for your Blackberry" bullness. As a tech who sometimes finds himself working on machines with no internet access, being able to pull up a FAQ on my phone would be kind of nice.

(Yes, I understand the RAZOR network sucks balls, speed-wise, but anything is better than nothing.)

That is by far the best thing the iPhone has going for it in my opinion and the one feature that actually "wowed" me. Do a lot of people with smart phones actually use them to surf the web? I've always found it somewhat annoying with a BB device so maybe that's the one area the iPhone will bring vast improvement in.

[GuruMeditation]

Do a lot of people with smart phones actually use them to surf the web?

Only to get directions from google maps.