[EchoTango]

I'm not sure this is real. The OP has a very low post count and may only be trying to stir up the users on this site. I may be wrong but I find many vocal Apple die-hards or "agent provocateurs" posting on various vendor specific and tech investment sites.

I'm not accusing just raising the possibility......

[apengue1]

I couldn't agree more with mjs416.

I've also looked at reviews on many memory heavy apps that are on the appstore through my gfs iphone. Lots of reviews for many apps that crash and lots of bugs. I do not know first hand since i never used one enough to experiment.. but I take it as I see it. Some of these games were games that run just fine on the playbook, btw.

Lots of garbage on appstore. Theres a license to drill app. Really? It received 1 star cause it wouldnt even work. The app store is a big advertisement scheme in many ways

[TheYalier]

Well thanks for these helpful opinions, but at the end of the day, I just need my BlackBerry. I need my BBM, my keyboard, my LED lights.
So, what I think I'm gonna do is try out one of the OS7 ones, probably the 9900 although I kind of like the Torch more.
Actualy, that'd be better for me, that would give all the things I like about BB but also that change I've been looking for.
Thanks guys.

[ubizmo]

It's interesting to me that some of the things that people give as reasons for staying with BB are things that I'm utterly indifferent to. I've never used BBM, since I don't know anyone else with a BB. And I'm always surprised at how many people cherish the LED notifier. When I'm not actually using it, my BB is in a pocket or holster where I can't see the LED anyway. It's rare for me to check messages because I saw the LED blinking.

The keyboard, on the other hand, is something I fully appreciate. The overall form and function of my 9900 are excellent, and that's why I still have a BB, despite the occasional temptation to use something different. But you could take away BBM and the LED and I wouldn't miss them.

[shemaree09]

The keyboard, on the other hand, is something I fully appreciate. The overall form and function of my 9900 are excellent, and that's why I still have a BB, despite the occasional temptation to use something different. But you could take away BBM and the LED and I wouldn't miss them.

I could live without BBM, but I looooove the notification light.

When I tried out the iPhone, I didnt like how I constantly had to touch it to see if something was happening (new email, tweet, etc.) ESPECIALLY when its on silent.

The led alerts on paired with Bebuzz makes it an amazing feature to me. Cant live without it.

[reeneebob]

Well, the situation I now find myself in is a rather difficult one.
I have always been a huge BlackBerry fan, and the opposite of a fan when it came to Apple's iPhone. However, after a variety of my BlackBerry smartphones failed to perform and eventually all broke (three smartphones, ranging from the Curve to the Bold broke for different things, such as trackpad, screen, or just simply died), I became rather cross with BlackBerries, and began to ponder about having the competition's phone.

I still really like BlackBerries, I'm really a fan of BBM (most of my friends have BB, so it's just amazing to talk to 100s of them for free internationally), the fact that BBs have keyboards and how easy and functional they are (the red notification light for instance and the fact that you can sort out all of your messages in just one folder, while in the iPhone you don't have that kind of practically). But, after three phones broke over a one year period, I had to get everyone's PINs again and there was the dreaded blackout, my fondness for the brand has been decreasing, and I'd say about 50% of it already disappeared.

Enter the possibility to get an iPhone. Advantages? Camera, it's stylish, more app variety, different software (a fresh change is something I could use), better camera, and I hear it's more durable. Disadvantages? No red light, less practicality, no keyboard (I just need my keyboard!) but mostly N-O B-B-M.
BBM is the thing I use most on a smartphone and that is the main reason I am still not sure about what I should do...

... should I give my BlackBerry another chance, put every single thing back on it and give it a go while risking great disappointment, or, should I get the new and shiny iPhone??

I realize there's most likely a similar thread, but I just wanted to put all my ideas and thoughts out there so that you could perhaps help me out.

Anyways, what I'm hoping you can help me with is deciding which one is the best for me at the moment. Also, if you have one or the other, or both, why did you choose to have one and not the other? Which one do you like best? What do you think about BB's features compared to those of the iPhone? Also, on a more superficial note, what do you think when you see someone with a BB and someone with an iPhone?

It does sound like BB is still the way to go for you.

As far as what I think when I see someone with a BB or an iPhone, I don't judge someone by the phone they carry (although I will have my eye drawn to a case if it's pretty - I have a small case addiction lol). I think anyone judging someone by the phone they carry probably have some more important issues about themselves they should deal with

EDIT

Also, OP, thank you for this thread if only because it found me a couple more people to add to the ignore list. FYI to anyone reading this - if someone uses the App Store and can't find anything except '15 versions of Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, and some other game', they don't know how to use an App Store.

[reeneebob]

Not sure why you would move on now, bb10 comin out soon..... i phones are jice, but are not more durable, they become the size of a brick once you out on a protective cover, as you have to as your glass will shatter, should you drop it.. i message has nothing on bbm.. Dont fool yourself, iphones have broken and people have gone through plenty of them, more then the phones you have had to replace.

Any phone has the potential to break if you drop it, but I will say my iPhone has hit the concrete stockroom floor a few times, both in cases and naked, and it's only taken a small scratch on the front glass that you can't even see with the white paint. Technically, that scratch wasn't from it hitting the stockroom floor, it was a drunken Canada day, downward slope covered with gravel, my flip flops, and basically sledding down the hill about 3 feet with my hand holding the phone face down on the gravel.

They are sturdier than you think. If you hit it just right, it will break, but our store display 9900 has broken glass from someone dropping it and it bumped against the display. It hit it just right and *CRACK*. We are waiting on a replacement model now. Likewise the SGS 2 with Gorilla Glass is also shattered. We were doing the usual bang the phone demo we have done for years with all the Galaxy models and this one broke the second time we did it (compared to the original SGS that was rubber mallet beaten, thrown around the store, had xacto knives scraped across the screen and didn't break lol). The display iPhone has also been dropped against the metal on the display a bunch but it's fine.

[mjs416]

EDIT

Also, OP, thank you for this thread if only because it found me a couple more people to add to the ignore list. FYI to anyone reading this - if someone uses the App Store and can't find anything except '15 versions of Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, and some other game', they don't know how to use an App Store.

I have 2 college degree's and used to be able to do differential equations in my head - Im pretty sure I figure out how to use the app store.

And if you can read - I said I was attempting to find something to help me with productivity at work. I found nothing that I either didnt already have access to on my BB/PB or could do with Outlook.

I thought I was on your ignore list too? Bub bye.

[paris.williams]

to the OP - i think blackberry devices are the best out in the market at the moment. better than the iphone4s or any android device. try the blackberry 9900 or 9810 or any device that runs OS 7.1 to be sure.

RIM is in pretty good shape with the quality of phones they are producing lately, nothing can beat their keyboards, hardware, and quality of apps

[jthep]

I am a big BB fan mostly for the real keyboard which is such a joy to type on and the LED notifications. That sounds overly simple, but those are my fav features on BB's which is why it disturbs me when RIM attempts to outdo Apple in touch only devices?

If I actually wanted a touch only device, I might give the iPhone a shot, but I can't stand typing on it and I feel like I would get bored with it quick since I already have an iPod Touch that can do pretty much everything on an iPhone minus making calls.

I also like the trackpad/trackball and I am getting a little nervous that BB10 devices will scrap them from the concept pix we have seen so far. RIM should stick to the form factors of Torch slider and Bold with touchscreens, trackpads, killer keyboards, and just improve the OS and specs.

Those phones are great in their design, just have to keep up with evolving tech, which RIM has lagged behind by a lot. I do like the battery life to slightly weaker phones though, much more practical than worrying about useless Android widgets draining battery life...

[paris.williams]

^how have they lagged? aren't they far advanced than iOS and android ice cream sandwich?

[jthep]

Minor things that probably don't matter, such as video conferencing, Netflix apps, and many other entertainment/media apps. I don't feel the need to have those things, but users should at least have a choice.

[mjs416]

Minor things that probably don't matter, such as video conferencing, Netflix apps, and many other entertainment/media apps. I don't feel the need to have those things, but users should at least have a choice.

I think its important to note that development of a few keys apps like you mentioned (Skype, Netflix, etc) are more the fault of those individual companies than RIM. I agree - there's probably a dozen or so app's that are critical for the playbook that dont exist now.

[jthep]

The reason I won't "move on" is bc I just luv the keyboards, LED notifications, the berry button for easy navigation/options, and the trackpad. But from early pix, the last two things might be scrapped? WTF?

Anyway, I would never go to iPhone just bc I already own an iPod Touch and cannot say games without buttons can even compare to 1989 monochrome Game Boy games that control far better just bc of BUTTONS!!! I also must have a keyboard.

As for Android, I wouldn't completely rule it out, but must work well, have a good battery, a great keyboard, thats a lot to ask since it seems like everyone "moved on" to phones without keyboards? What is wrong with people, are they all crazy?

So in all likelihood, I will own a BB10 device by this time next year when my contract is up...