[lanerya2]

I'm starting my own law practice and I'm wondering if I should move away from the blackberry...

I've been a loyal blackberry user for 2yrs now, but I'm considering an Iphone chiefly because I use a Mac and the pocketmac app loses contacts and calendar appointments regularly. I like the Mac because it's 1) Stable, 2) cost efficient (I have one), 3) a separate login with File Vault encryption.

On the other hand, I hear horror stories of AT&T drops/outages, and as a pre-merger customer of both AT&T and Cingular, I believe they're true. In addition the cost associated with an AT&T plans is ridiculous. For the cost of unlimited talk with AT&T I can get unlimited Everything with Sprint.

My current BB plan is with T-mobile for about $75/mo (unlimited data/email/text, 1000 minutes, no weekend or nightly allowance, unlimited wi-fi calling).

With AT&T the unlimited talk is $100, required internet is $30, unlimited text is $20 for a total of $150 or twice my previous cost.

I'm torn... comments one way or the other?

[papped]

Do you want to pay more?

If not, then AT&T is out of the question.

Do you want Sprint? Phone selection is limited only to Sprint phones. But your original complaint was about Mac, so I'm not sure what Sprint has to do with anything if you're considering AT&T because of the iphone.

[bish0p34]

I don't have a lot of dropped calls or outages with AT&T, but I know it depends on your area. I've been with them for 8 years now. Also, AT&T only requires a data plan if you want the extra $100 off of your phone. But, T-Mo is still cheaper. I don't mind, as I write off my phone bill at tax time. I think AT&T has great customer service too. I have no problems with them.

As for the phone itself, that depends on how you intend to use it. Iphones don't multi-task (how do you call them the most advanced phones ever if they can't do something a 15 year old pc can?), Iphones still don't do MMS, blue-tooth file transfer (not sure about 3gs), doesn't have great push e-mail, aren't the best for typing (the p is near the send key. I get a lot of incomplete msgs from friends), and I like having a spare battery and the option to upgrade my memory with a new card.

Not sure if they support and edit MSOffice docs like BB does...

However they are hands down the best for web browsing, watching movies and playing games. The touch screen is the top of it's class in smoothness. They also sync up very well with macs. there are far more apps for the Iphone, but BB has more than enough to do what you need. I'm self-employed and like the BB for keeping my business together on the road, and sending a thousand + msgs a week. If I wasn't, I'd have an Iphone for sure.

You can pay full price if you want ($700 for 3gs) and get it unlocked. I believe that if you pay full price you are entitled to the code. T-Mo is one of the carriers I think uses GSM like AT&T to get 3G service.

I hope this helps a little.

[spirehealth]

Very similar boat here. I also have a Mac and own a medical consulting business. I need security and reliability for my patient data.

I have a BB on T-Mobile and the service and quite frankly the price is right. I can't remember the last time I dropped a call. The UMA feature rocks as well. I'm typing this in my basement and of course have full bars for voice and data.

I can afford the iPhone and the jacked up ($$) service plans as well, but why? I have unlimited (multi-line) talk for 89.99 and a BB data plan for 19.99.I defintely talk a lot, so the unlimited plan is a must. I'm sure you've done the math, but to have the equivalent service plan, I'd be paying mid 200 bucks/month.
The phone is cool and I love the Mac OS, but my curve has served me well. RIM just needs to get with the program on the Mac side.

Also, YMMV, but just check the service in your area.

Some of my colleagues use ATT and we have been talking (to other people) in the same office and/or outdoor establishment and they've dropped calls while I'm still chatting away. This has happened more than once.

I'm not here to bash ATT because you have to use what works for you. If it's reliable in your area and you really want the phone, then go for it. IMHO though, don't jump ship just for a phone. Apple is too smart to keep exclusivity with ATT. This thing is a revenue monster and other carriers will do what they have to so that they can offer it.

Good luck.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Eileen89]

Go and test the BB Bold out, and you won't want an iPhone.

[MrShawn]

AT&T's network was more than enough to make me avoid the iPhone.


Honestly, go to Sprint and get the BlackBerry Tour or the Pre, you will be much happier with a much larger 3G network and cheaper rates.

here is proof that Sprint has a larger 3G network, just click on 3G comparison

Cellular Map Net-Coverage, License and Comparsion Maps

[Prospekt#IM]

AT&T's problems seem overexaggerated. I have never had a dropped call with them and consistently have 5 bars of 3G compared to 3 bars on verizon and -2 bars on Sprint. However it depends on your area.

Both iPhone and BlackBerry are amazing phones, it just depends whether or not you can deal with a touch screen

[papped]

I get blazing speeds on AT&T on my nokia and haven't had a dropped call yet.

[fabuloso]

They are cheaper on craigslist. from what ive seen, F! a contract.

[Card Storm]

If your with t mobile now you might as well go to AT&T it sure is better than T-Mobile

[nwoods06]

AT&T's smartphone plans along with the extra costs associated with messaging and everything else are ridiculous.

[Card Storm]

I'm starting my own law practice and I'm wondering if I should move away from the blackberry...

I've been a loyal blackberry user for 2yrs now, but I'm considering an Iphone chiefly because I use a Mac and the pocketmac app loses contacts and calendar appointments regularly. I like the Mac because it's 1) Stable, 2) cost efficient (I have one), 3) a separate login with File Vault encryption.

On the other hand, I hear horror stories of AT&T drops/outages, and as a pre-merger customer of both AT&T and Cingular, I believe they're true. In addition the cost associated with an AT&T plans is ridiculous. For the cost of unlimited talk with AT&T I can get unlimited Everything with Sprint.

My current BB plan is with T-mobile for about $75/mo (unlimited data/email/text, 1000 minutes, no weekend or nightly allowance, unlimited wi-fi calling).

With AT&T the unlimited talk is $100, required internet is $30, unlimited text is $20 for a total of $150 or twice my previous cost.

I'm torn... comments one way or the other?

I figure in order to make the OP happy, DON'T GET THE IPHONE! Hope your convinced!

[mba3866]

In my area, Sprint's coverage lacks while AT&T's does not. I cannot remember the last time I dropped a call on my AT&T phone.

Iphones:

1) are not insurable
2) have limited repair service centers

[vietalogy#CB]

Basically it comes down to what you need in a phone. Iphone is basically a media phone and a blackberry is a work phone. But since you need to sync your mac, mobileme with iphone should work out great for you.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MrShawn]

It really does depend on the area, if AT&T gets good coverage in your area. You should be fine, but if you travel a lot, you can expext decent coverage, but no 3G, with Verizon or Sprint you would likely have 3G and good coverage on the highways and may rural areas, AT&T will only keep you covered in medium to large cities.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[timd28]

Wait for the driftwood to come on tmobile. The iphone is not reliable as a business phone in my opinion. I had one between my 8310 and my Bold.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[petes99]

I went from a BB Pearl to an iPhone recently. You can read about it on my rolling review - duckfatfries.com - and I honestly can't STAND the iPhone, coming from the BB. Granted I don't have the same criteria as you.. but I found little information when asking that "BB or iPhone" question and figure some of the info might help

pete

[kevdrty]

yes thts true it all depends on the area

[Easy]

With a thread title like that, how could I resist....

I have had a billion smartphones (ok, ok SLIGHT exaggeration), and a few BBs now, and the iPhone is the worst phone I've had in YEARS (let me add that I have had a 160gb iPod classic, that is full of music, for quite some time now, and I LOVE it, and not the first problem- knock on wood). Hopefully the OP hasn't already made the iPhone mistake. My review of my 16gb 3g that I had for 6 long, agonizing weeks........

PROS:
* Email folder access (HUGE plus for me)
* Visual Vmail (or whatever it was called- not necessary, but pretty slick)
* iPhone search was pretty useful.

CONS:
* Dropped more calls in a week than I did/do with my BB in a YEAR.
* Had 0 to 1 bar when sitting in my office, where I had 4 or 5 bars with ANY BB, or any other ATT phone for that matter.
* Crappy Push- Even with Yahoo (with whom they said it'd work), it didn't push. Short version: Push didn't.
* I store (and use) a lot of MS Office docs, and well... it just ain't the same as on my BB.
* Locked up constantly.
* Didn't get half my calls, and if I did....
* I could fry an egg on the phone after using it for 5 minutes.
* Battery sucked ***. I use my phones a LOT (have unlimited everything), hence I charge my phones a lot. My iPhone battery lasted less than half the time my BB battery does, and even worse, WOULD NOT CHARGE WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE!! My BB's all charge while I'm using them, but that iPhone... all charging did was slow down, ever so slightly, the battery discharge from use.
* No replaceable battery (yes, I knew this up front, but it only became an issue when I discovered the aforementioned "Battery sucked..." bullet point. Looked all over for a replacement battery with more capacity, and was gonna crack my iPhone open and change it, but I couldn't find anything for internal use, just those big orthopedic looking add-on battery packs that make it's already-large size more remnicient of my long-retired Motorola Brick phone from back in the day.
* WiFi for some reason sucked, so I eventually just turned it off.
* Cut/copy/paste is crap.
* Camera is crap.
* All this proprietary crApple crap is crap.
* Nowhere near as customizable (settings) as a BB, even after jailbreaking, into which I didn't delve.
* Speakerphone... yeah you guessed it... crap.
* MMS: Crap. ATT doesn't support it yet (I know that's temporary), but even receiving a message was crap. On this (supposedly) newfangled ultra-hi-tech phone, you have to write down on a scrap of paper some abstract username and pswd to access a simple pic? Let me reierate... CRAP.
* Can't forward SMS.
* Oooh, how could I forget this one?! You can only send one photo attachment per email. You can't compose the email and then attach said photo, you have to go to the photo and elect to send that pic. No second pic, no other file type (that I found). This was another big deal to me, as I send a lot of pics, files, and other stuff as attachments, multiple attachments per email, as I can freely do all day on my BB.


Ok, I'm sure there's more, but I think this effectively communicates my disdain for the iPhone... I gave it a fair shot; back to BB for me. Apologies for my infidelity, I have learned my lesson, and sufficiently thrashed myself. Thank you for reading. That is all.

[Prospekt#IM]

Pretty much everything you posted was justified by just saying it is "crap."

[Easy]

Pretty much everything you posted was justified by just saying it is "crap."

Typing that was my therapy.