[dirtypirate]

BB all the way, stay away from the "iScam"

[snowcrash]

Had an iPhone and now the Curve. Loved the iPhone but was unreliable as a email/sms/non-mms device. Like some people above thats more important to me then the "flashyness" of the iPhone. I do miss the web on the iPhone, nothing comes close. The web on the BB is just about useless to me. Never been a fan of mobile web surfing other then the iPhone. The other thing about the iPhone that I didnt like was all the steps it took to do something. Click, slide, phone, contacts, scroll, call.... When basically now i can just type the first two initals of someones name and hit send. A LOT easier.

If you want glits and flash and a fun toy get the iPhone if you want a reliable, serious device get the BB.

Also go test some out, talk to friends who have them and play with them. Check out thing like making a call with an iPhone, try the speakerphone, add a contact, add a apt to the calendar, etc, then try it on a BB. Thats the only way to tell. Plus with ATT you get to use it for a while and if you dont like it you can return it (though with the iPhone there may be a re-stocking fee, though im not sure) but check with them first just in case. I know with my Curve i had 30 days to decide if i liked it. I knew in about 2 days I was keeping it and havent looked back at the iPhone.

Was playing with my brothers iPhone again today and though i miss the web on it, thats just about all i miss (well visual voice mail was tight too, but rumor is most phones are going to be rolling out with that soon enough anyway)

[alib21]

I agree with BryanHarig, I recently traded my iphone for a curve. The web browsing is amazing on the iphone, but my communication was more important, which it lacks, emails are to slow to get, and battery life is horrible. Iphone is pretty but just doesn't do the what I want/need as good as the curve does. I had the iphone for about a month, and really couldn't take it anymore (had the 8700 before it).

[davistld01]

I have to add that I had the iPhone...actually four of them before I finally gave up and came back to BlackBerry. I traded my first Curve (8300) for my first iPhone (ignorantly...I bought into the hype) and was in lust for the first two weeks or so, thinking the big colorful display was the coolest thing ever (it is cool), and the touch-tap-pinch-flick of the multitouch screen was amazing (and it is amazing). But...after the first two weeks, the cool/amazing became frustrating as various areas of the screen began to lag, taking two-three taps to respond...then went totally dead after a few days.

I sent Apple my phone for repairs...and the one they sent me as a replacement (the first one was non-repairable I guess) was even more buggy than the first. Long story short...I finally sold my fourth and final iPhone.

My return to BlackBerry has been a very satisfying reunion. No...the Curve is not as flashy as the iPhone, but it's very cool in it's own right...and just gets the job done reliably and easily. I can't say I miss anything about the iPhone at all...except maybe for the web browsing (as others have stated), but that's such a small deal with me that it is barely worth mentioning.

When Apple releases the all-new "Generation-2" iPhone in 2008...I might take another look at it, but only if it is head and shoulders better than the "beta" offering has been. If not...I will gladly stay in the BlackBerry-camp.

[NEPatriot4life]

Originally Posted by penguin3107

Neither.
I think you should pay attention to your instructor while you're in class.

LOL Second to that but I must Admit I love IPhone but only problem is that dont have any deaf friendly offer for IPhone. Blackberry is best so far for deaf friendly. If IPhone change Plans for deaf people then i would grab IPhone or keep both IPhone and Curve

I bet they wonder what Deaf friendly mean or do they offer the plans

Deaf Friendly offer Unlimit Data user, Unlimit text messenger, Able to download Relay service on cellphone, EMAIL, Instant Messager Average plan cost is 40 to 60 dollar same as Hearing people.

[NEPatriot4life]

Originally Posted by penguin3107

Neither.
I think you should pay attention to your instructor while you're in class.

LOL Second to that but I must Admit I love IPhone but only problem is that dont have any deaf friendly offer for IPhone. Blackberry is best so far for deaf friendly. If IPhone change Plans for deaf people then i would grab IPhone or keep both IPhone and Curve

I bet they wonder what Deaf friendly mean or do they offer the plans

Deaf Friendly offer Unlimit Data user, Unlimit text messenger, Able to download Relay service on cellphone, EMAIL, Instant Messager Average plan cost is 40 to 60 dollar same as Hearing people.

[dooks88]

First, to answer the original question, I think the thread starter should get an iPhone. It is the ultimate time killer.

Second, on to the iPhone vs. Curve:

I currently have both devices. This is my 5th blackberry (72xx, 87xx, 81xx, 88xx, & 8310). I am a MAC user. I get about 50 emails a day. I am a professional photographer.

Now thats out of the way, this is my PERSONAL OPINION & experience with both.

What the iPhone does better:
- All things web related (not even a comparison)
- Viewing movies, photos, etc ( the screen is second to none)
- Music
- Keyboard. it took a few weeks, but I can now type much faster on the iPhone (flame on)
- HTML email viewing
- Coolness factor
- Visual Voicemail (although is lags for me, its a very nice concept)
- Data plan price

What the Curve 8310 does better:
- Email (except for HTML)
- Messaging (MMS, SMS, BBM ...)
- Versatility. Countless programs available for it
- Sleep sensor in cases (simple, but I love it)
- Signal reception is much better
- Phone. speakerphone, voice quality, and earpiece are all better
- Dependability
- Battery life (last 3 times longer than the iPhone)


So like others have stated, if you want a cool phone with great web browsing and iPod features, get the iPhone. If you need a corporate tool that is a email machine, versatile, and dependable... get the BB.

[Rancho Gordo]

I don't like mac "culture", if that makes any sense.
The Blackberry seems practical and elegant.

[davistld01]

Originally Posted by Rancho Gordo

I don't like mac "culture", if that makes any sense.
The Blackberry seems practical and elegant.

Frankly...it makes lots of sense. If you visit a particularly huge online mobile phone forum...and go to the Apple-specific forum, the vast majority of communication there is done by obviously juvenile (in age or mentality) members. They will acknowledge no other phone besides the iPhone, and are lightning-fast to attack any poster that questions their beloved iPhone's place as the ultimate phone ever. This blind "fanboyism" is offensive, and seems to be most common within the Apple/Mac segment of the consumer population.

I don't mean to stereotype, or generalize...but there seems to be a certain arrogance surrounding the culture. I mean...Steve Jobs is not God!

[Pseudo-Fed]

Originally Posted by PPCMD

Get the iPod touch instead of the over rated iPhone (I am big MAC user and I won't get an iPhone). I get asked at the office a lot about smartphones and I tell iPhone buyers to wait for iPhone 2.0 or beyond before wasting there money. First you can only install what Jobs wants you to install (Jail break can break your phone) and at least BB's are adding more apps (still way behind Palm and WinMobile).

Blackberry's work just fine for web browsing and you can tap into the college's WiFi with the 8820 put media on a 6GB microSD card. So where is the issue, get the BB and show the folks that you are ready for the real world and not the playground.

Um, ditto. Not that I believe for a minute you came looking for an unbiased opinion on this board. I did not even like iPods until recently. I preferred devices that allowed me to have an FM radio, unlimited downloads via monthly subscriptions, etc. But, my Yahoo Unlimited started getting flaky and some songs that were subscription stopped working though my monthly credit card payments did not.

So, for a seamless device/library of music experience--I asked for an iPod touch for my anniversary in November. Love the device for what it is--I even like purchasing music from iTunes using wifi on the device BETTER than using my desktop PC at home! But, even with my small fingers and good hand/eye coordination (I type 60 wpm with accuracy), I canNOT get used to the iPod's virtual keyboard. I have a texting plan on AT&T, with 5 on my family plan. We text pretty frequently, with my Stepson texting 4000-6000 per month. He has tried the iPod and so have I-extensively.

Another consideration was I wanted to use the iPod for music at times while at work or any other time I wanted, without concern about combined useage of the battery all day.

If you do any texting, save yourself the frustration....Get a Blackberry as a communication/business device. Save yourself the luxury of picking the right iPod for entertainment. After all, you can go up to 16GB on the iPods versus just 8gb on the iphone.

[archer6]

Speaking from experience with 2 iPones, its an overpriced internet toy. Not very entertaining but gets looks that will benefit those with low self esteem. Dumped mine on ebay because I had no need for such a time wasting device. Got lucky & recovered nearly what I paid for it. A few weeks later Steve Jobs slit the throats of his customers with a $200 price cut. Nice huh?

[Alex Alexzander]

There is absolutely a culture there, and it's not complimentary. I have owned both Macs and PCs, and I easily see both sides of the culture as I have been both sides of it myself.

What I find so disgusting about fan boys is simply this. They invent reasons to need just about anything with an Apple logo on it. What ever Steve Jobs releases at this MacWorld will be justified and purchased minutes after it is announced.

One of my good friends owned a Treo and loved it. Went on about how great it was all the time. As soon as the iPhone released, he suddenly told me how much he hated his Treo, and how awesome the iPhone is. He stood in line like an idiot to buy one.

All the iLife apps in my opinion are horrible, slow, just worthless software. But they love it. iPhoto is a joke, slow, stupid, barely a feature on it. They love it. iTunes is dog slow. If you want subscription, try the Zune. Seriously it is a good product. Especially the new ones. Subscription is the way to go in my opinion. I don't need to buy every song, as many of them just sort of go out of fashion. With Zune, your son can download everything and it won't ruin you financially. I have to believe the cost of monthly music purchases is now exceeding your subscription costs, and you have to be careful to buy only what it is you really think you want to keep forever. Music should be enjoyed for what it is today, regardless if you believe you will like it tomorrow. Subscription is right on. But Yahoo, Rhapsody, and Napster all blow ducks. Try Zune.

I remember talking to a Mac friend about how Apple needed to do something about the lack of an Office Suite. We talked about how Apple should support OpenOffice as it is very compatible, and in wide use, and Apple's clout could do a lot to get Open Office more widely accepted. We agreed how great that would be. Apple releases Pages, and suddenly Office sucks ducks, and Pages is all he needs. I am thinking you either need Office itself, or OpenOffice if you can get buy with the little incompatibilities that exist between it and Word or Excel. But Pages? Give me a break.

They Love Adobe, hate Microsoft, at least until Adobe came out with LightRoom, which competes with Aperture. Now Adobe sucks ducks and it's an Apple world. They are purist. Apple is always on top. But they'll take Adobe over Microsoft, which is on the bottom. They hated Intel, until Jobs finally came to his senses and dropped the PowerPC. Now they read any new news about Intel, love the Company, and the PowerPC sucks ducks.

I was editing in HD over a year ago, and needed to burn a Blu-ray disc. I simply bought a Pioneer Blu ray burner, added it to my PC, and added Sonic DVDit HD Pro. Just like that, I was burning in HD. CyberLink PowerDVD is a software player for Blu ray. The PC has Nero 8, which also plays Blu ray or HD DVD. We have lots of drives to choose from. Some as low as $199 for players, not burners. Burners are now about $479. And Settop boxes are now under $300. Where is the Mac on Blu ray? Doesn't exist. Now if it were the other way around, they'd be claiming first. They'd be claiming they lead the industry. They'd never let you forget it.

Look at the choices PCs give you. You can run, built, buy, or subscribe to just about anything. I'm not seeing the downside to this. It seems like a huge plus, and yet the Mac Cult refuses to even acknowledge it. Mention a PC, and they shoot back with VIRUS. Why is it an Apple 20" is $700, and a Dell which uses exactly the same glass, from the same manufacturer, cost less than half that?

Who else but Apple can tell its fans that there is zero subsidy for the phone when purchased with a contract. Imagine for a second that if Microsoft did this a year ago with the Windows Mobile what the Mac cult would have yelled from the roof tops. Monopoly Microsoft throwing their weight around. It would have been unthinkable, except that Apple did it, so it's okay. No discount, you must buy a contract, and you can pick from AT&T and um.. AT&T. They are my carrier of choice already, but still. What if they weren't. What if Sprint or Verizon has something I want. I can't get a phone from them? That's ridiculous. And why not... Because Apple wants to tax their customers buy taking some of the revenue from AT&T. Think about that for a second. It means if Apple releases a new iPhone, and these knuckleheads want it, they just pay full price all over again. It's treated like buying a PC. Why the heck are they signing contracts?

Now I understand Apple wants Asus to build them something like what they built for themselves. That Eee PC that sells for merely $399 and is a fully working PC laptop. It's an ultra mobile. I bought one, and I think it's great. Runs Linux, has Open Office, and it can be used to get email, browse the web, and even write Office compatible files. When Asus is done with whatever Apple wants, how much will it cost? Will it come with a free office suite as good as Open Office? With the OS upgrades be free? Will the Office upgrades be free? In short, the Eee PC is $399 now, and that's it. It's built on all free software. The cost doesn't go up. It's an amazing idea, and it works.

Anyway, I could go on all day long with this. I just can't stand the Apple cult.

-Alex Alexzander

[untjoker]

Originally Posted by BryanHarig

If you will mainly be using it for web browsing the iphone is a better device. The blackberry is a better phone and email device, the iphone is a better web and media playing device.

Have you browsed the web on an iphone? Its laughable, pages take as long as pocket internet explorer. I almost switched from berrys for the iphone when it came out but boy am I glad I played with one first. And don't even get me started on the pseudo keyboard....there's no comparison really for someone who needs speed and reliability....

[Rancho Gordo]

I guess I struck a nerve, huh Alex?
I understand.
I don't care one way or the other but my Apple pals sure do.
There's also this smug, "well-designed" superior attitude that I don't find appealing. And it's sort of a dated post-modern 1990s aesthetic that doesn't excite me.
But to each his own!

[surge8320]

if you want to surf the net, get the iPhone

[Zzeuss]

Well.. I got a phone and my decision was>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>> CURVE 8310.

How I came to this decision:

My friend just got an Iphone 2 days ago so I played on it for a few minutes. The look of the Iphone is really cool. The touch is sweet, but I must say when I click over to browse the internet it took forever for a page to get loaded and was pissing me off. Now my friend just got a curve about a month ago and I went on that. The browser is way off, but I must say I can still look up and look at what I need to on curves browser. I can look up stuff lets say 3x faster then the iphone. Now that I have the curve I actually have more of my friends saying how awesome of a phone it is and how professional it looks. There are so many apps out there and I really don't even know where to start with it. I love sports and when I was looking at scores and my friend that had the iphone was looking at scores it wasn't even fair. I was like 2-3 plays ahead of him at all times.

Now that I have my curve I will be coming to you guys for alot of help as I have many questions to be answered :P. 1 downfall that I did find though on the curve and I am not sure if it is the same on the iphone is the battery life. I was on messenger and browser for about 3 hours and my battery life went all the way down from 100% to 58%. Does that sound right? Like I said the battery life is very week and I feel if I use the messenger and browser as much as I plan I will need to charge my phone 2 times per day. :S Anyone else having the same problem?

Thanks guys and glad to be part of the BB community now

Eddie

[JohnJohn]

I have both.

If you are buying the next 30 days, and from what you said you'll use it for...get an iPhone.

<decision already made, sorry>

[Sig10225]

Gee Alex, why don't you tell us how you really feel about Apple?

[aiharkness]

Originally Posted by Zzeuss

Well.. I got a phone and my decision was>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>> CURVE 8310.

How I came to this decision:

My friend just got an Iphone 2 days ago so I played on it for a few minutes. The look of the Iphone is really cool. The touch is sweet, but I must say when I click over to browse the internet it took forever for a page to get loaded and was pissing me off. Now my friend just got a curve about a month ago and I went on that. The browser is way off, but I must say I can still look up and look at what I need to on curves browser. I can look up stuff lets say 3x faster then the iphone. Now that I have the curve I actually have more of my friends saying how awesome of a phone it is and how professional it looks. There are so many apps out there and I really don't even know where to start with it. I love sports and when I was looking at scores and my friend that had the iphone was looking at scores it wasn't even fair. I was like 2-3 plays ahead of him at all times.

Now that I have my curve I will be coming to you guys for alot of help as I have many questions to be answered :P. 1 downfall that I did find though on the curve and I am not sure if it is the same on the iphone is the battery life. I was on messenger and browser for about 3 hours and my battery life went all the way down from 100% to 58%. Does that sound right? Like I said the battery life is very week and I feel if I use the messenger and browser as much as I plan I will need to charge my phone 2 times per day. :S Anyone else having the same problem?

Thanks guys and glad to be part of the BB community now

Eddie

Good job. And, yeah, toys always look better on TV. It was that way when I was 5, and it's still true now, only the toys are different.

About the battery, what was your cell reception like at the time? That might be a factor. Pay attention to that, and what else you might have running in the background at the time. Generally, battery life on blackberry's is very good. But your mileage may vary.

[jleebiker]

You made a decision! That's the first step. The fact that it was the 8310 is proof why you're on the Dean's list. LOL!!!
J/K all the iPhone people out there. "Don't taze me Bro!" (GOTTA get that MP3 as a ring tone!)

As far as the battery life, there's alot of things that affect battery life... Most important is when the BB is transmitting. Are you in an area of poor coverage? That's gonna make a big difference.

After that is going to be display backlighting. Under Options>Screen/Keyboard, you can tweak these settings if you are in a well lit area (Classroom, listening to the lecture). No sense in using battery if you can see the display just fine.

As for battery life...
I'm constantly using mine all day for emails and phone. I do use it for IM from time to time if I am going to be away from my desk alot. Even still, I get a good full 8+ hours out of it no problem. I've even used it to listen to MP3's one night and woke up the next morning with it still running.

If you're really concerned about battery life, there are extended life batteries you can get. Might be a wise investment for you.

HTH and grats on making a decision.