[twigg]

Background:
I've been a long time iphone user, in fact I've had every iphone since the 3G. The speed, simplicity, and apps on the iphone were fantastic but I purchased a Torch because its suppose to be better at texting, email, notifications, etc.

Hardware Design:
The Torch is nowhere near as elegant or classy as other Android or iPhone devices but it looks professional and clean. I wish that RIM would have choosen a less classic Blackberry design and gone with a more modern one.

Screen/Camera:
The screen has a low resolution and it doesn't have the clarity or pop of say the Droid 2 or iPhone 4. Considering the competition RIM lags behind by a mile in this area. The camera is also average and the pictures appear (at least on screen) to be grainy and unclear. Its ok for a quick shot but again, not in line with other flagship smartphone

OS/Ease of Use:
Let me just say this, this is the best operating system I have ever used. Why? Because it is simply better at email, social networking, notifcations, and is quicker to acess those functions. Since I have stopped playing games on my iPhone I have realized its flawed OS. Simply put, its a giant app launcher with no deep integration of customization and social functions. With the Torch, I no longer have to stop what I am doing when I get a notification nor do I have to go to the settings app to change my wireless settings. Its a more convienentOS. But the iPhone still beats it in ease of use, speed, apps, wide support (from devs to case makers) and being streamlined.

Battery Life:
Its a bit better than my iPhone and gets me through the day but is nowhere near the famouse BB battery life I was expecting.

Comaints/Other Tid Bits
This phone is a tiny bit slow. Its fine for most tasks but for others such as browsing and media there is a noticeable lag, and yes I'm in .246. The OS also needs to be streamlined a bit more, what's with the menus in menus in menus and the deal with multiple apps for the same purpose ex: social feeds w/FB and a sperate FB app?

Bottom Line: I love this phone and am now using it over my iPhone 4. The easy access and great UI for handling social functions such as notifications is simply better.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[raremage]

Background:
I've been a long time iphone user, in fact I've had every iphone since the 3G. The speed, simplicity, and apps on the iphone were fantastic but I purchased a Torch because its suppose to be better at texting, email, notifications, etc.

I'm the same, been using an iPhone since the first gen, over 3 years. I currently have both an i4 and a Torch. The appeal of the Torch is more robust messaging, option to use a physical keyboard, and notification functions. I've also used a Palm Pre in the past, and like the slider form factor.

Hardware Design:
The Torch is nowhere near as elegant or classy as other Android or iPhone devices but it looks professional and clean. I wish that RIM would have choosen a less classic Blackberry design and gone with a more modern one.

Tend to disagree a bit here. It's not as slick a design as the i4, but it is 'classy'. It also feels like the build quality is excellent (as does the i4)

Screen/Camera:
The screen has a low resolution and it doesn't have the clarity or pop of say the Droid 2 or iPhone 4. Considering the competition RIM lags behind by a mile in this area.

Certainly this is true, the i4 'Retina Display' is amazing. But the Torch looks quite good for business / communications use. I've found image quality suffers a bit from the low-res screen.

The camera is also average and the pictures appear (at least on screen) to be grainy and unclear. Its ok for a quick shot but again, not in line with other flagship smartphone

They look a bit grainy onscreen, but they look pretty nice on a larger screen. I don'tt hink there's anything at all wrong with the quality of photos from the still camera, at least for day-to-day use.
The low video resolution is a shame though, HD is pretty much the place to be these days.

OS/Ease of Use:
Let me just say this, this is the best operating system I have ever used. Why? Because it is simply better at email, social networking, notifcations, and is quicker to acess those functions. Since I have stopped playing games on my iPhone I have realized its flawed OS. Simply put, its a giant app launcher with no deep integration of customization and social functions. With the Torch, I no longer have to stop what I am doing when I get a notification nor do I have to go to the settings app to change my wireless settings. Its a more convienentOS. But the iPhone still beats it in ease of use, speed, apps, wide support (from devs to case makers) and being streamlined.

while I still like iOS4, I tend to agree that it's quite dated, and the notification capabilities pale in comparison to BBOS6. Haven't been using it long enough to say it's the best ever (to be honest, WebOS has some pretty cool features as well) but it certainly appears to be very well tuned to the Torch, so much so that you really don't realize the lower-spec hardware compared to the i4 and other devices.

Battery Life:
Its a bit better than my iPhone and gets me through the day but is nowhere near the famouse BB battery life I was expecting.

From what I could tell the two seem to be pretty comparable; and it isn't the amazing life that previous BBs have knows; however, when you ask more of a device, something has to give, and battery endurance is often one of those things. Having said that, I find the battery life to be perfectly acceptable.

Comaints/Other Tid Bits
This phone is a tiny bit slow. Its fine for most tasks but for others such as browsing and media there is a noticeable lag, and yes I'm in .246. The OS also needs to be streamlined a bit more, what's with the menus in menus in menus and the deal with multiple apps for the same purpose ex: social feeds w/FB and a sperate FB app?

I think the OS is very well tuned for the device, haven't really noticed significant performance problems so far. I agree that some of the workflow could use a bit of tuning.

I have three other complaints: the appearance of threaded messages in the GMail app, and the sync performance when items are modified on a webmail client versus syncing those changes to the device (though if I were using XCHG and BES I suspect that would be less of an issue, or a non-issue).

Finally, placement of the USB port. What were they thinking? Really should be on the bottom IMHO.

Bottom Line: I love this phone and am now using it over my iPhone 4. The easy access and great UI for handling social functions such as notifications is simply better.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I'm still on the fence. There are things I love about both devices and I haven't yet made up my mind. Having said that, I agree that the Torch is an outstanding device

[Masahiro]

The battery life could use some improvement. Hopefully an OS update will improve it, like with other devices. It's not too surprising though: the Torch is essentially a bold with a large touchscreen and a form factor that seems to restrict the battery size. Luyckily I'm on Rogers, and 2G is a very viable, battery-saving alternative to 3G.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[IchigoMochi]

You seem to have a reasonable opinion of the Torch and don't seem to be terribly biased in either direction and your opinions are very legitimate. If anything I disagree with your statement about picture quality. Like you said the screen resolution does leave a lot to be desired, but on a computer screen pictures look much better and I feel that they're quality is comparable to that of an iPhone.

I'm glad you like the Torch =D

[13echo4]

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
I'm sorry but I have to disagree. My wife has iphones 2g all the way to the i4. The torch looks just as good as the iphone and droids. I've always thought the BBs looked good and tight. The I4 only out performs tHe torch in stats. It does have a 1ghz cyclic rate. After saaying that the torch works circles around the iphones and droids I seen work. You can be working in excel get and kind of message go check it and never miss a beat. For that matter you can download files from the net and work in word at the same time. Yes its the os that let's this be. Apple again dropped the ball. The BB is to work and droid and iphones are game consoles. Screen res is fine for a 3" screen. Apple will never be where rim is today. They can't get over their egos to actually built something useful.

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[Altarocks]

Fair assessment. There are tradeoffs with either device. iPhone is clearly better at multimedia while the Torch wins at communication. Someone else described them perfectly: The iPhone is a mmedia device that also communicates, while the Torch is a com device that also does mmedia.

Couple items of note I've noticed with my Torch in comparison with my wife's i4: in my home, holding each in one hand, her phone had two bars of signal strength while my Torch had full bars. Odd, since both are on ATT.

Second, there is a wide range of battery life reported with the Torch. 10:00 at night, I still had 65% battery remaining, while her iPhone was at 12%. Both had moderate use throughout the day, WiFi off for same amount of time. I know others are struggling with the batt life of the Torch, but mine has been amazing. My wife seldom makes it through the day with more than 10% remaining.

[wxman123]

To state the obvious, the most critical aspect of a device used for texting and email is a good keyboard. Touch even at its best on an Iphone (which is the best at this) is still darn frustrating. Long live the torch!

[Rickroller]

Overall a fair assesment. I too disagree with the "look" of the phone. I think it looks real classy and modern, and am glad they didn't produce the (what is now) standard look of the iPhone's and Droids (that will follow with the newest release of the Storm models i'm sure).

As far as the camera goes, I can see how the pics wouldn't look as crisp on your phone once you take them, but once they get uploaded i've heard they look excellent (I have yet to do this however..so I'm going by heresay).

All in all the reason's myself and alot of other users love BB's is because of the ease of operation. The seamlessness of switching between tasks and ease of use. I love the fact I can just use one hand and pretty much move around the phone as needed, without having to exit out and swipe around looking for what i want. That's why I love Quicklaunch..with one click of a button, i can access pretty much every app or feature on this phone..all with 1 hand.

[_StephenBB81]

Finally, placement of the USB port. What were they thinking? Really should be on the bottom IMHO.

Though I agree that the USB port placement sucked! but it can't be on the bottom or using the charging doc wouldn't be as user friendly.


I wish the would have mounted the USB port near the top of the device like the Curve, not the bottom it is just in the way,

[nite732]

Yeah after using it for two days I have not missed my iphone4.

[gritsinct]

It's awesome to see a thread that is discussing pros and cons without disintegrating (yet) into a "mine is better than yours" melee. Thank you all for giving your viewpoints on the two devices in such a civilized manner!

I enjoy reading what people like and dislike about BBs and other devices. I'm perfectly fine with someone deciding the iPhone and/or android device is better for their needs - just not so fine with them trying to shove their opinion down my throat - which is what is dominating this forum.

[Tangocore]

Though I agree that the USB port placement sucked! but it can't be on the bottom or using the charging doc wouldn't be as user friendly.


I wish the would have mounted the USB port near the top of the device like the Curve, not the bottom it is just in the way,

+1
with my curve i could charge it and use it perfectly, on the torch, the usb is too low giving an akward grab

[dollardb]

My girlfriend has a iphone 3g and I toyed with the iphone 4 after my run in with my Storm but I have to say two days into my Torch I made the right decision.

It's easily the sexiest BB yet and I love OS6. With every new model there are some teething problems....let me tell you with my Storm, I've been there, but I am sure RIM and the networks will release upgrade to the OS that make this BB an iphone killer!!

A very happy Torch owner.....

I just hope others see the light!

[sallenthornton]

Having owned both phones at one time, I can say the slider is probably what pushed me over the edge. I hated it. The torch touchscreen felt awkward and unpolished. I loved the social feeds idea. It was and is a great feature. However, I sold it mainly due to the design. I prefer the keyboard of a regular bb. Once the 9780 comes to town, I will take a look at it.

[raremage]

A few more observations - if anyone has feedback on these it would be great.

1. The touchscreen accuracy on the Torch is sometimes a bit iffy - on menus for example I often find it's better to use the trackpad to ensure accuracy. Is this something fixed in the OS upgrade? (I still have the stock AT&T version)
2. The keyboard takes some getting used to. I'm still struggling with this a bit. How long before folks felt comfortable typing at speed rather than 'hunting and pecking' as I am now?
3. My wife made this comment, but I think it's valid (she uses a BBerry for work, a 3GS as her personal cell). The iPhone autocorrect feature, which works pretty well, she considers to be obtrusive. I don't know about obtrusive, but it is annoying when it corrects things incorrectly if you get me. I much prefer having a spellcheck run as I send, with the option to correct then.

[Altarocks]

A few more observations - if anyone has feedback on these it would be great.

1. The touchscreen accuracy on the Torch is sometimes a bit iffy - on menus for example I often find it's better to use the trackpad to ensure accuracy. Is this something fixed in the OS upgrade? (I still have the stock AT&T version).

You'll find a much better browsing experience (and better all-around responsiveness) by installing .225 or .246. It really seems like a different device. I haven't read anyone yet that chooses to go back to the laggy original release, but you can certainly do so if you choose to.

edit: Even with the OS upgrade, it's just too difficult to rely solely on the touchscreen to select links. Most of the time double-clicking to optimize the window size gives enough zoom to select, but other times you'll probably have to rely on the trackpad to get the fine control.

[twigg]

A few more observations - if anyone has feedback on these it would be great.

1. The touchscreen accuracy on the Torch is sometimes a bit iffy - on menus for example I often find it's better to use the trackpad to ensure accuracy. Is this something fixed in the OS upgrade? (I still have the stock AT&T version)
2. The keyboard takes some getting used to. I'm still struggling with this a bit. How long before folks felt comfortable typing at speed rather than 'hunting and pecking' as I am now?
3. My wife made this comment, but I think it's valid (she uses a BBerry for work, a 3GS as her personal cell). The iPhone autocorrect feature, which works pretty well, she considers to be obtrusive. I don't know about obtrusive, but it is annoying when it corrects things incorrectly if you get me. I much prefer having a spellcheck run as I send, with the option to correct then.

I completely agree the touchscreen isn't up to par in many respects but it is a first gen device in many ways. Once RIM tunes and streamlines the OS the device will be perfect. And I'm still getting use to the keyboard too, don't you hate how the shift and alt keys are switched on th Torch?

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[Rooster99]

... edit: Even with the OS upgrade, it's just too difficult to rely solely on the touchscreen to select links. Most of the time double-clicking to optimize the window size gives enough zoom to select, but other times you'll probably have to rely on the trackpad to get the fine control.

Why don't you use pinch-to-zoom instead of double-clicking? Seems to me that would be the natural way to do things.

Sorry - not a Torch owner so my apologies if my comment makes no sense. Just going by vids.

- R.

[Altarocks]

Pinch to zoom will work, but it's more cumbersome. Torch is set up to optimize the window size to fill the screen upon a double tap. It expands the text size to fill the screen and wraps it appropriately. If you use pinch to zoom you'll increase the text size, but it won't wrap and you'll likely have to scroll to view it all.

The double tap is really slick.

[kwkid]

I would like to thank all the posters also for not allowing this to become another phone bashing of the iPhone or Torch. Both phones have their pluses and minuses and it is up to each individual to decide what works best for them. Believe it or not it is perfectly ok to love your own phone and yet respect the opinions of others loving their phone. Again, thanks to all for making excellent points and comments, we all learn when the discussions are civil and polite.

[twigg]

I'm glad that we could have a civil discussion about the Torch in relation to other phones. There have been a number of one sided and biased threads on this topic that I've seen on other sites.
-------------------------------------------------------
In other news, people have been asking me where my iPhone 4 is (I still have it and plan on keeping it). They tell me I'm crazy for switching over but they change their mind when I show them the notifications bar, quick access wireless settings bar, and better notifications bar. They think it's "pretty cool" and has a couple of "neat" features. Would they switch over? Probably not.

[Jghost23]

Great, productive thread. This is a mature thread of comparisons and contrasts of two top of the line phones. I'm loving it. Why can't we have more threads like this? Lol I guess the world would then be perfect. I agree with most stated pros and cons of each phone. I'm lovin' my Torch. It isn't perfect but it will suffice until they make a Torch 2. I'm a very happy owner.

To each his/her own.

I did like what one of the guys on stage at Devcon said though. Paraphrased - "We understand people have a phone for communication."

[shawn122]

lovin the thread..still trying to decide between an android or a blackberry (iphone4 isnt my cup of tea)

I have had the bold 9000 for the past 2 years and now its time for an upgrade.

[raremage]

lovin the thread..still trying to decide between an android or a blackberry (iphone4 isnt my cup of tea)

I have had the bold 9000 for the past 2 years and now its time for an upgrade.

I've used extensively the Droid and the Nexus, and evaluated the Droid2, Incredible, and EVO. If you've got specific questions feel free to send a message (or post, if it's appropriate).