[_StephenBB81]

1. My Android has Flash. I just said that i would use an Iphone before a BlackBerry.
2. You don't know what devices i have used, or tested.
3. The screen on any Blackberry is tiny compared to a 4.3 which is what I use.

Hello, old fanboi! I'm not married to any platform. I've used them all. I go with what is best overall.

What got to me finally about BlackBerry is what you said, "when It arrives." It is always that way with BlackBerry it seemed. I waited forever for a Storm 3 or Monaco. Where are they? Did I miss them?

The Playbook should have been shrunken down to a 4.5 inch BlackBerry. Now that, I'd be all over!

I will conceed yes the Android does have flash, BUT this thread is iPhone user moving to a BlackBerry, not Android user.
I don't know what devices you have used, BUT, if you are calling the browser infirior it is very safe to say the OS7 devices arenot among those you have used.
The Torch 9860 (storm 3) arrives next week in Canada.

There are a lot of technical issues that prevent the Playbook from being made into a 4.5" BlackBerry device.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[_StephenBB81]

I wish QNX BlackBerry would be released already. Not sure what top priorities are for a BlackBerry user these days...What their advantages again? LED only. Battery life seems to have suffered on the newest devices and that IS what many fanbois clung to!

For This BlackBerry user, LED, Keyboard, and ShortCuts are what I "cling to", waiting for a Windows 7 device to bring me 2 of the 3.

Though BBM still is very much a BlackBerry draw for users outside of the US.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mikegcox]

Why is the QNX phone going to be so much better than the current devices? It is going to essentially be a pocket sized playbook. I love my playbook, don't get me wrong, but it is not nearly as useful as a traditional blackberry. There will be no keyboard, no trackpad, and may not have a mature set of core apps. The battery life may be compromised too if the playbook is any indication.

Look what happened to HP when they cloned the iPad and put WebOS on it. The UI was terrific, but there was no compelling reason to get one instead of an iPad. RIM will suffer the same fate with the Colt, if it is just another iPhone clone.

[Chrisy]

Some people can't get used to a virtual keyboard. I have seen it happen. If I couldn't, I'd definitely be back in black.

Shorts are on Android too.

Still, I have used the iPhone and I'd stay with that until a QNX is released. Just what I would do. Luckily, most carriers allow for a return or trial period.

It's hard to know which is best without actually using the device.

I have a Windows phone as a backup and it reminds me of BlackBerry in a way. I like how it's organized.

[_StephenBB81]

Some people can't get used to a virtual keyboard. I have seen it happen. If I couldn't, I'd definitely be back in black.

Shorts are on Android too.

Still, I have used the iPhone and I'd stay with that until a QNX is released. Just what I would do. Luckily, most carriers allow for a return or trial period.

It's hard to know which is best without actually using the device.

I have a Windows phone as a backup and it reminds me of BlackBerry in a way. I like how it's organized.

I am one of the people who can't get used to a vitrual keyboard, I'd say 30-50% of my business email typing is done without looking at the screen as I'm taking notes while talking to someone, or I am reading technical stuff from a book and typing it out, I can't fathom no sight typing on a touchscreen.

The Short Cuts on Android are short cuts as links on a home screen, my short cuts I require are those I use while navigating emails, and other programs,

Blaze did a 3 way video comparison of OS7 iPhone, Android Browsers, and the OS7 browser very much held its own every test. They have come a long way.


As for QNX, I am in no Rush,
They have yet to build a email application
They have yet to build Native BES integration
They have yet to built Autotext and spell check
I want to see all of those on the PlayBook and working before I see them on a device, AND I need a device like my Bold 9900, which for QNX I bet we won't see till next summer. The first QNX phone will be targeted at the Android user base I am sure, FFC, large touch screen, all the flash and bang, not something I care about as my phone, but is great on my tablet

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jebulls]

I'm not sure about iPhone, but on Android you can press and hold your phone dialer keypad to do one touch dial.

Even better though is you can put a contact widget on your homescreen. Then with one touch you can, text or email, or navigate to that contact. I love this feature!

Faster than BlackBerry.

My dad runs his business using his iPhone, including making invoices, printing them, Excel spreadsheets, and mobile payments. I'm actually impressed with all the iPhone can do!

Nothing is faster than speed dial on a physical kb blackberry. Sorry but it just isn't. Unlock phone and hold key....thats it.

[Chrisy]

Same exact process on my Android. Unlock screen, press and hold contact icon. It dials.That's the same thing as BlackBerry.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[BB2Go]

What are their advantages? Ummm, getting more work done which generally translates to more funds to facilitate the purchase of even more gadgets!

A co-worker of mine had a blackberry then switched to an iphone, ranted and raved how great it was so I got one. Now he's got an Android. He's had 4(!) different models in half as many months, finally settling on the EVO 3D. Seems like a great phone, technically superior in every way to a blackberry. I don't know how good the phone reception is but I've called him a number of times and it instantly goes through to VM without ringing. Maybe it's the provider? I don't know...When he used his berries his phone always used to ring. Again I'm sure people will say "transient network conditions" and they may be right.

My wife got an iPhone (fresh off a 9700) and complained while at work with her phone in pocket, often it wouldn't ring and she'd get a missed call sms. I told her I'd fire up her BB and she'd be back up quick. She said as long as she got the missed call txt she'd be fine. For some people, where their cell phone is their primary comm device, missing a call could cost them. Some clients don't want to leave a message and during a business day, would like to reach a live person not VM.

So, back to EVO boy at work. The guy seems to spend half or more of his day sitting on his phone, constantly checking, tweaking, trying new firmware etc, all when the boss isn't around or looking. Does this sound familar? There's a cost to all this messing around with these things. For me, it's lost productivity and revenue, and that's a lot more money than the cost of a new whatever brand of smartphone!

Everyone knocks the berries for not having the latest and best tech, but often it's more than enough to get the job done, and, have a little fun if you want to.

My top clients all seem to have blackberries and BES servers, and surprisingly, even with all the doom and gloom you read in the press about RIM, are still using those phones, getting work done and from my point of view, making a ton of money.

I guess they're nuts to not have a 4.3" 3D screen with a 1.2Ghz Dual-Core? LOL
When I mention if they've seen my co-worker's new HTC EVO with 3D, they usually just laugh and say "who the **** needs 3D screen on a phone?"
I won't be recommending they replace all their Blackberries with iPhones or Androids anytime soon. I could just see the majority of them, sitting in their cubicles, playing with their phones! (I know, cause I've been there, d*cking around during the day when I should be working!) And alas that brings me full circle back to the Blackberry. A solid, reliable phone with great email, and now, a descent browser in the mix. It sounds pretty good to me.

Thanks for the comments, keep em coming!

[Chrisy]

I haven't had those issues. Once you set up your device, everything is easily accessible. With Android though, you definitely have to set it up and customize it first. But that is what I like about it.

I tend to be able to access spreadsheets, document, contacts, email and calendar faster on an Android. Either one takes getting used to.

[rockiet]

Can't wait...

[anon3396357]

So, back to EVO boy at work. The guy seems to spend half or more of his day sitting on his phone, constantly checking, tweaking, trying new firmware etc, all when the boss isn't around or looking. Does this sound familar? There's a cost to all this messing around with these things. For me, it's lost productivity and revenue, and that's a lot more money than the cost of a new whatever brand of smartphone!

I don't use an Android phone, but boy does that sound familiar because it happened on my BB as well! The good old days of trying different hybrid OS builds or leaked and official OS just to get the "right build" which eliminates the most bugs (and leaving some other bugs in it). Put a 5min boot time on top of it (for my S2) and all the crap of loading and activating apps from App World and CrackBerry superstore all over again and again.. I really wished I had a phone that just worked!

[nickdalzell1]

Android is sloooow, lousy at multitasking (try playing music and accessing another app. the music cuts out all the time to an unlistenable state) and has a tendency to lock up, lose touchscreen ability, and reboot itself in the middle of something. i am kinda surprised such an unstable OS has been put out on phones without more effort in making it more stable.

but i think it has more to do with how Android tries to be neat looking with tons of eye candy and a ton of 'widgets' (live wallpaper, etc) that slow it down or demand more than most embedded platforms can handle. while RIM's OS is basic, simple and dated looking but in that simplicity it allows less resource hogging or demand and things just *work* i would have never thought of a Smartphone a year ago when i was still using an archaic Nokia 5185i, but i had never had a BB yet so i was missing out. going with the 'Big Two' (iPhone and Android) was a huge mistake

[BB2Go]

my storm (had this for a week and almost forgot I owned one) 9550 had the on-screen number presses for speed dial shortcuts. They were no where near as good as a physical key to press and hold.

I used to use the alpha keys. Hold the "C" key down and it calls "Chris", "B" was my "buddy" key, "D" for "dad" etc. Physical keys to hammer out numbers rule!

Oh, how about assigning them? Dead simple. Hold the "P" key down and the phone pops up a message "would you like to assign a speed dial" and brings up the contact list.

On my iPhone, sometimes I manually dial the darn number with the on screen keyboard because it seemed quicker than navigating menus! Seems weird but for me, true.

[Chrisy]

You can play music and access apps, navigation at the same time. I use Pandora, Slacker and have 500 songs loaded. Never had them cut out. When I'm running Google Navigation, the song pauses when audible directions are being given.

Not sure which Android you used. It multitasks the same, or better than BlackBerry and iPhone.

Sounds like you had a defective device actually. I don't have reboot, lock ups or any of those issue you mention.

The 9630 left a bad taste in my mouth for BlackBerry. It was junk. It had app errors, tech errors, memory issues, just too much to mention. Had it for two years. It's why I won't go back to BlackBerry.

[nickdalzell1]

Android Eclair 2.1, Coby Kyros MID7015. unusable. i rooted it and it fixed the wifi connect bug but it is slower than a 486 running Win98 even after overclock.

heard similar results with Archos and phones running 3.0 Honeycomb. i suppose when one loads it up it just barely moves. i can load up my BB and the worst it does is run out my battery.

Android does have a lockup glitch if you lock it, and you get the lock screen where you swipe it to unlock but it won't swipe. using the on-screen keyboard for a long time to type out a long post over a few paragraphs can lock up the keyboard in the middle of typing, then you get a blank screen, the Android logo and the home screen again. you lose everything you were doing. i think it's a crash but it shows no error.

[Chrisy]

Ah. I have Froyo. Can't speak to the old Androids. Glad they improved then!

[nickdalzell1]

i hope so. i have no reason to bother with Droid especially since i love the basic dated OS of RIM Blackberry OS myself. first time i loved a phone since the Nokia. i always loved basic icon-based menus with no eye candy myself. my tablet does have one advantage, the Music Searcher app which provides free MP3 downloads, which i later transfer to my BB MicroSD card for playback in my BB after.

[BB2Go]

I agree. I've used all 4 of my co-worker's androids and all of them seemed to multitask very well. The screens are really nice and the live wallpaper does look good but I didn't notice it slowing it down. Now, my usage was limited to a few mins to a few hours at most, not really living with the device so I can't say for certain, but to me they felt like they had power to spare.

[Snafufubar]

You can play music and access apps, navigation at the same time. I use Pandora, Slacker and have 500 songs loaded. Never had them cut out. When I'm running Google Navigation, the song pauses when audible directions are being given.

Not sure which Android you used. It multitasks the same, or better than BlackBerry and iPhone.

Sounds like you had a defective device actually. I don't have reboot, lock ups or any of those issue you mention.

The 9630 left a bad taste in my mouth for BlackBerry. It was junk. It had app errors, tech errors, memory issues, just too much to mention. Had it for two years. It's why I won't go back to BlackBerry.

Apparently, you have the perfect Android. For all the problems people talk about the platform you have the one device that is not affected by known issues - congrats!

[nickdalzell1]

i was also having this one issue when in the middle of browsing, it locked up and i reset it (reset button in back) and i got this odd home screen with the basic icons and a background of 'skating android robots' and i could not play games and some apps would not work. i found no way of getting out of it and had to root it and reinstall everything all over again.

playing music say via Pandora was fine on Droid. it was just trying to do that and say browse the web that cut out the music. it was like my tablet lacked sufficient power to do both. singletasking was fine. but playing certain games (the latest version of Angry Birds Seasons was unplayable) sucked

what the issues that bothered me was more the demands of the OS itself. the MID7015 has an 800MHz CPU which lacks enough power to do that properly, but the BB with a measly 300MHz could do better with only the OS being different. now when a 300MHz blows a 800MHz away when the difference between RIM and Droid is eye candy do the math

[Chrisy]

Well, this is a BlackBerry fan site. Of course you all had terrible Androids! Over at Phandroid they don't seem to have all the issues mentioned here! Go figure!

Mine isn't rooted either. Maybe that makes a difference. And the device is six months old too. Issues worked out. Unlike my Tour, which took a year and a half. Lol

[BB2Go]

I know this is off topic but did Rogers finally release OS6 for the 9700? I was running a hybrid for a bit and it seemed okay, but if an official release is out I'll most likely update a couple of 9700's in the family.

Thanks all. BTW, it's nice to chat phones again, I think I've exhausted those around me with all my iphone versus bb versus android talk, esp when you're not talking up their particular choice.

[Chrisy]

Talking phones is interesting!

[rellyrellz]

I'm a current iPhone user coming back to blackberry. Once I saw the new Torch 9850/60 and read about it I was hooked. All I use my iPhone for is fb twitter n browsing the web. With os7 and improved web I was sold. Plus I just have this strange love for blackberries lol I leave but yet they seem to always get me back. At the end of the day I say it's personal preference.

[BB2Go]

haha lots of sarcasm here huh? Let's all try and play nice. I'm currently an iPhone user missing my Blackberry and trying to justify going back, not to mention building another BES server!

BTW, the Android seems to activesync okay on the work network. I'd love activesync for the blackberry and not have to install BES Express. It's still a few hours of server building and config now matter how you slice it.