Bold User > Now IPhone 3gs User -- Brief Review
I'm sure the internet is loaded with these types of comparisons, but I thought I would share a brief synopsis of my experiences between the different phones.
Both are on AT&T.
I will review it from the standpoint of the Iphone, and compare and contrast it with the Bold 9000, rather than have two separate sections.
--------------------
The touch screen on the iphone is good, but sometimes I launch the wrong app, or touch something by accident that causes me to have to start over what I was in the middle of. I have medium to thin hands for a man, with always clipped nails, so I should be better off than those who have larger fingers.
Typing is not very enjoyable on the Iphone, but it's far better than a dumb phone that doesn't have qwerty capability.
Internet browsing is fast and enjoyable. Safari does work quite well. It does however use a lot of battery power (I will discuss the battery later). Browsing is substantially more enjoyable than on the Bold, be it the oem browser, bolt, or opera. Overall, it's a big plus for this phone.
The app base is good, though I've found that I use many of the same apps that are available for the Bold. The main difference is that they generally run smoother, faster, and are more user friendly on the Iphone. The downside is that they tend to eat more battery power.
The community base is moderately helpful at best. Often I find that I need to roam multiple sites to find answers to even basic questions, and there is a general lack of intelligible writing in many of the posts I find.
The lack of an LED, the reduced push capability (push is certainly not as good on the IPhone), and the feeling that I constantly need to unlock the phone and check to see if I missed a call/email/sms, makes it clearly lacking compared to the Bold in every way, when it applies to peace of mind in knowing your phone will quickly let you know recent transpirations.
The screen looks good, but text, while larger, isn't nearly as clear as the Bold. This is because of the fact that the Iphone resolution is similar, over a larger area. At the same time, the Bold is almost overkill for resolution for its screen size, so when it comes to viewing pictures, video, and such, the IPhone is far more pleasing to view (and share the viewing with others).
2g and 3g reception is definitely not as good on the IPhone. It's not terrible, but I found that the Bold was easily the best phone I've used when it applies to signal strength. On the other hand, recent tests show the Bold was rated at about the absolute worst end of the spectrum for radiation transmission, so if long term health considerations are taken into account, it could be a trade off for non-bluetooth users that frequently head-and-shoulder their calls.
The IPhone feels fragile, as did the Bold. I used the Otterbox defender on the Bold, and it was fantastic for protection. I was glad to see it's offered for the IPhone as well, and have ordered one for it. I think the comparisons of which is sturdier is moot, as they're both delicate, and need good protection if you want to ensure long term usability.
Ok, now the battery discussion that's so controversial. The IPhone battery is fine when it comes to standby, texting, and phone use. As long as it's mostly kept in standby and only used for basic communication functions, it's not bad in any way. When it comes to browsing, running apps, and the other multi-media things that people relate the IPhone with, it does drain quickly. Very quickly at times. Fortunately, there are inexpensive ($50) external batteries that USB interface, and can recharge it as many as 3 full times or more, and they can fit comfortably in a pocket. Being able to swap batteries, and reduced power consumption from apps, puts this in the Bolds favor, but an external battery makes it basically a moot argument.
Ok, Jailbreaking. I doubt I have to explain the basic concept, and it would take more time and knowledge than I have to explain everything that it allows. Day 2 of having an IPhone my "friend" already decided it was time to break it. A refurbished 3gs allowed the serial to fall below the recent cutoff, so it was a lucky break. Jailbreaking really improved the Iphone experience, and allowed for some of the major flaws to be overcome. No "Today Theme" type of capability without a jailbreak was painful, after being used to the Bold. No folders to organize things in, was also resolved by jailbreaking. All in all, I think the IPhone would really be a substantial step below the Bold, assuming jailbreaking wasn't possible.
Well, in summary, I really like the new IPhone. It's very good all around, it does need case protection just like any expensive smartphone, and it trades some real world phone/email capability (including the keyboard), and battery life, for better running apps, a far sleeker browser, no worries about memory being used up by installing apps, and for $60 more an extended manufacturers warranty that increases it to 2 years.
I would highly recommend a consideration of both phones to any prospective buyer, but suggest that they be considered for their strengths and weaknesses carefully. They're pretty much polar opposites. I would also suggest that businesses not lean towards the IPhone, but I would steer a casual user to it over the Bold.
--bb