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Hi all,
I am sure you see a lot of these posts but as I have a couple of specific questions, I thought I would ask in the hope someone would help out.
I currently have a BB 8900 & have had it for about 6 months.
It's my first BB and I love it, some of the functionality and various apps really have changed the way I do things.
My main reason for thinking about moving is to reduce the number of devices I carry with me.
I currently have my BB, my iPod and when I have a long train of plane journey, I also carry a MP4 player (my iPod is so old, it doesn't support video playback).
Also, with the iPhone now being available on 3 of the biggest UK networks (mine being one of them), the price is now better than ever (with one network already confirming that the device will be free on some contracts).
If I move to an iPhone, I will be down to 1 device, but I'm not going to do this at the cost of loosing some of the great functionality of my BB.
The functionality that is really key to me is:
- E-mail - I really like that my e-mails are pushed to my device without any interaction from me. I'm not bothered if my e-mails are pushed or if I have to scan for new mails and then download them, as long as this can be done automatically and does not have a huge impact on battery life.
- Calendar - I use my calendar a lot, basically, it runs my life for me. I have everything from friends and family birthdays to reminders to feed my bonsai tree. A good calendar is a must, and while it isn't a deal breaker, the "Today" functionally that allows me to see my upcoming appointments is really important.
- Social Networks - A lot of my business comes by way of referrals through Facebook and it's important that when someone contacts me, I know about it and am able to reply. I would want any application on the iPhone to be able to notify me as soon as I get a new message, friend request, wall post etc. I also like that I am able to integrate my device contacts with my Facebook contacts so I don't need a separate profile picture for each one.
- Alerts - This may sound like a stupid requirement but I really am keen on this. I have BerryBuzz on my 8900 and as my device is on silent for most of the day, the colour of the LED tells me everything I need to know before I pick up my device. If I am arm deep in washing up and my BB LED is flashing like a disco, I don't need to worry because this is a call and I can easy call someone back. If the LED is flashing blue, it's a Facebook message and I will want to action it ASAP as this could be the difference in me landing a job or it going to another photographer.
Any advice that anyone is able to offer will be a great help.
Cheers,
Gaz11-02-09 06:27 AMLike 0 -
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DuviRetired ModeratorEmail... you can have push functionality with one gmail account (uses the one exchange slot) or with Yahoo (not reliable) or MobileMe. There are some others, but these are the main ways to get it.
Calendar... I like you use my calendar for everything. It reminds of the same things (minus the plant.. lol). Without it being jailbroken, there is no today screen and IMO the alert for calendars are weak. If you jailbreak it, there is an app that can give you not only a today screen, but have the screen flash for certain alerts. This app is called IntelliScreen.
Social Networks... no push notifications for facebook yet (that is coming), but you can have those alerts sent to your email that pushes. This of course isn't the fastest, but is probably the quickest until the new fb is out.
Alerts... Going back to the app I mentioned under 'Calendar'... if you don't have it, alerts isn't the strong suit of the iPhone. If you aren't going to hack it, then stick with the BlackBerry if it can mean landing a job or not.11-02-09 12:20 PMLike 0 -
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I know I will be displaying my ignorance here but...
Iphones only allow one email addy to push to the device? Does Hotmail work?
I am wanting to switch and my 3 main issues are email, calendar, & personalized ringtones. Does the Iphone allow personalized ringtones?
Thanks for your time!Last edited by Danijay; 11-10-09 at 01:08 AM. Reason: spelling
11-10-09 01:07 AMLike 0 -
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You can have both Yahoo and Gmail accounts push to the phone, and any other email like hotmail or aol retrieved into your inbox by what the iPhone calls "fetch". Fetch is basically the phone periodically checking for email at time intervals that you designate. So if you set it to fetch at 15 minute intervals, every 15 minutes, it will check your account for email, and if there is new email, will pull it into your inbox automatically. I have 6 email addresses coming to my phone: 2 are push (yahoo and gmail), while the rest are fetch (aol and hotmail accounts).I know I will be displaying my ignorance here but...
Iphones only allow one email addy to push to the device? Does Hotmail work?
I am wanting to switch and my 3 main issues are email, calendar, & personalized ringtones. Does the Iphone allow personalized ringtones?
Thanks for your time!
Yahoo push on the iPhone apparently is sometimes not reliable, however, and so you also have the option to purchase a yearly subscription to Apple's MobileMe, which is a service that, among other things, can have all your emails from any account pushed to you phone by way of active over the air synch.
As for calendars, yes- the iPhone does have it's own calendar application, which I find is fine for my purposes, and very similar to blackberry's calendar app. And yes, you can have personalized ringtones on your iPhone by either buying them from iTunes or making your own, and then using a free program to convert it to a format that works with the iPhone and then transfering it into your iTunes so that you can synch it to your phone. That's what I did.11-10-09 05:05 AMLike 0 -
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I recently switched from a iPhone 3G to a BB 8330. While I miss some of the applications, I find the BB to be a better business related phone. I do wish the BB had a better web browser. The BB has a better sounding mp3 player. Both synch to ITunes. Not impressed with yahoo push on the iPhone.
Gregg01-10-10 09:58 PMLike 0 -
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To the OP, just my opinion but I think that you will be happy with the iphone. The email and calender work fine for me and there are many ways to get ringtones without going through itunes. As for the alerts once you get used to not looking for the blinking light it is really quite nice not to stare at your phone just hoping it blinks.01-10-10 11:50 PMLike 0 -
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Everyone I know with an iPhone agrees they have one flaw that they hate and has resulted in them changing to a Blackberry and that is the Battery Life. iPhones are almost impossible to put down like the Blackberry but unlike the Blackberry you cannot swap another battery.
My Advice is Stick with the Blackberry and buy an iPod Touch as no matter what anyone says the iPod will always be good, But Blackberrys are damn good phones.!01-11-10 10:54 AMLike 0 -
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I upgraded from a 8900 to a 9700 via iphone...lol.....I used my upgrade on to get the iphone 3gs 32gb and 1 week later I exchanged it for a 9700!!...I couldnt be happier. I didnt like that I had to have the phone attached to a charger so much. All the iphone has over the berry is the browser and that is it!!!01-11-10 12:21 PMLike 0 -
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I wouldn't let those issues keep you from moving. If you install "Mobile Me" you can get all your emails, contacts, calendars, photos pushed instantly. As for facebook there are apps, that will push your notification. There are some different notification sounds, but BB definately is better than iPhone on that.
I had those same concerns, but got use to the short delays on emails, etc.01-11-10 12:58 PMLike 0 -
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Mobile Me also costs you an annual fee of 100 bucks. Why pay almost ten bucks a month to have push e-mail when a BB does it for the data price.
I had the iPhone 3GS...it's a cool device, but I need all 3 of my e-mail accounts PUSHED. The calendar set up on the iPhone is pretty, but I find my BB calendar just as functional. My Storm2's battery tromps my old 3GS. I take it off the charger at 7:30 AM. 20-30 texts, a quick phone call, streaming Pandora (15 min) and by noon, I'm still at 95%. On my iPhone, doing some fo the same stuff (less usually) I would be at 80% by now if not lower. I can always swap out a battery in my BB if needed.
Stick with a BlackBerry, you'll be happier, I am.
As for ringtones, a BB can use any short or long MP3 file. The iPhone requires the file to have the m4r extension. So you have to either find a site that has them in that format already or you have to convert the file to AAC than rename the extension to m4r...it's a lot of work for a ringtone. iTunes controls it all...on my BB I can just go to m.cellsea.com and download any MP3 and apply or save it as a ringtone.
On the iPhone, you can't add text alerts or change the alert sound for e-mail, voicemail, etc. You are stuck with the default sound. The text alerts, you have 8 or so options... Not on a BB...you have unlimited sounds (as you can apply any MP3 file for an alert and BB offers tons of preloaded ones).Last edited by markhunsaker; 01-11-10 at 01:29 PM. Reason: Added information
01-11-10 01:26 PMLike 0 -
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As stupid as it sounds to most people who've never had a berry, it's very important if it means the difference between landing a job and not. The iphone is a fantastic phone, but in your situation I'd stick with the berry because of everything you listed as being extremely important to you. Like others have said, there are apps that allow you to do something similar as standard features on your berry. I'm sure the convenience of only having to carry 1 device is awesome, but is that convenience worth a possible hit to your business? Only you can decide that.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com01-12-10 02:21 AMLike 0 -
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As stupid as it sounds to most people who've never had a berry, it's very important if it means the difference between landing a job and not. The iphone is a fantastic phone, but in your situation I'd stick with the berry because of everything you listed as being extremely important to you. Like others have said, there are apps that allow you to do something similar as standard features on your berry. I'm sure the convenience of only having to carry 1 device is awesome, but is that convenience worth a possible hit to your business? Only you can decide that.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
Wait are you trying to say that a person might not a get a job based on what type of phone they have? If so you are really talking like a berry fanboy. The other thing that I find funny is that the OP was really asking the opinion of iPhone users but low and behold here comes the berry crew to once again try and crap on our device. Look I love blackberry, the reason that I made the switch is that I wanted something different and IMHO better. I really do not miss anything about my blackberry and in fact now that I have had the iPhone for a while I do not know why I didn't make the switch before. The OP said that he gets lots of business from facebook, there is just no way that anyone can say that the FB app is better on the berry then it is on the iPhone.01-12-10 02:36 AMLike 0 -
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Well lately FB has been dropping the ball on us iPhone users with what apparently is a crap update lol.Wait are you trying to say that a person might not a get a job based on what type of phone they have? If so you are really talking like a berry fanboy. The other thing that I find funny is that the OP was really asking the opinion of iPhone users but low and behold here comes the berry crew to once again try and crap on our device. Look I love blackberry, the reason that I made the switch is that I wanted something different and IMHO better. I really do not miss anything about my blackberry and in fact now that I have had the iPhone for a while I do not know why I didn't make the switch before. The OP said that he gets lots of business from facebook, there is just no way that anyone can say that the FB app is better on the berry then it is on the iPhone.01-12-10 08:12 AMLike 0 -
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I forgot to mention the fee for the Mobile Me which does suck. The BB is a true business phone with other capabilities. An iPhone will do everything a Blackberry can do (for the most part, don't pick me apart on that), but you will pay for it. Apple is good for draining the money out of you. You'll just have to decide. I went from 2 blackberry's to 2 iPhones, comparable services and now pay about $50 more a month. It was worth it to me, but you'll have to decide that...01-12-10 08:16 AMLike 0 -
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use to have a storm but got rid of and went back to a basic phone...too much going on with work and going back to school for a doctorate.
My main needs will be: calendar (planning events, wedding coming up, class schedules, work days etc...)
use of internet and searching,
restaurant information, enteratainment in areas...(apps)
personal emails,
as for the pricing of data plans w/o tax
at&t: $61 month ..450min, 200 text, data
sprint: $54, 450 min (unlimited mobile to mobile, unlimited text, data)
verizon $65+/-... 450min, 250 text, data...
I tend to vary month to month on minutes, sometimes I will be close to 450 others I will be under by a 100+ mintues...Coverage in my area for all 3 carriers is fairly solid, not much traveling yet. Pretty much itll come down to what phone I would like.01-12-10 05:17 PMLike 0 -
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Once again, another person's opinion causes an iphone owner to get all **** hurt. The op said the notifications are EXTREMELY important to him, and quick responses could mean landing a photography job or not. Why does it automatically turn to defensiveness, like I was incinuating that employers won't hire people because they use an iphone. An led indicator says it all for him. He knows exactly what the message is without even looking at the phone. And again, as said before, the iphone is a fantastic phone, but when notifications are this important the iphone won't touch the berry.Wait are you trying to say that a person might not a get a job based on what type of phone they have? If so you are really talking like a berry fanboy. The other thing that I find funny is that the OP was really asking the opinion of iPhone users but low and behold here comes the berry crew to once again try and crap on our device. Look I love blackberry, the reason that I made the switch is that I wanted something different and IMHO better. I really do not miss anything about my blackberry and in fact now that I have had the iPhone for a while I do not know why I didn't make the switch before. The OP said that he gets lots of business from facebook, there is just no way that anyone can say that the FB app is better on the berry then it is on the iPhone.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com01-12-10 06:46 PMLike 0 -
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I have to agree with this comment. Try the phone and make sure it meets your needs (not only as the phone, but for the service), then if you are good to go, then cancel your verizon account. I have the Iphone 3GS and there is no going back. It is a great phone.
01-12-10 07:44 PMLike 0 -
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after using my friends iphone, it will meet my needs and wants....
Just a matter if I dont want to get another blackberry now, AT&T wasnt an option, till I found I get employee discount with them.
all the plans are pretty much the same...w/o tax
att: 450min, data, 200 messages iphone:60.99..... blackberry 59.99
verizon:450min, data, 250 message, 60.18
sprint: 450min, data, unlimited message, 54.59
all within price range of what Im looking to spend, service is pretty good on all carriers.
Get the most from sprint, mobile to mobile and messages unlimited plus nights/weekends at 7pm. ATT rollover will be helpful,minutes vary month to month, plus I do like the iphone, and bold.... Verizon solid coverage,01-13-10 07:18 AMLike 0 -
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I am a student currently writing a dissertation on smartphone user awareness, brand loyalty and perceptions. It ties in exactly with this forum topic. I would really appreciate if you took 5 mins to respond to my survey.
Smartphone Survey
Thank you!!01-24-10 06:49 AMLike 0 -
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If emailing is all he does without charging for days due to a disaster at a job then it's a dingleberry he will need.01-24-10 08:04 AMLike 0 -
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Reading the OP's post, I have the feeling he may be better off with a Blackberry.
Email is a lot better on the BB than the iPhone. Yes, it can push gmail, but if you use another service? Plus, BB already has push notifications for things like FB and such.
If push and email are really important to you, then don't go to an iPhone.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com01-24-10 09:50 AMLike 0
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