[Jake-44]

The New York Times pits the Blackberry against the iPhone in an interesting test.

Who wins? Watch: A Smartphone Showdown - Video Library - The New York Times

[CrackBerry Kevin]

Pretty good. Reminds me of the good 'ole CrackBerry Kevin's Smartphone Hierarchy of Needs. It's all about finding the best phone for your needs.

Seriously, I've owned every iPhone and every BlackBerry since the the 7290, and try as I might I've never been able to get by on using the iPhone. It drives me nuts. Just too inefficient at the "get it done" stuff, which I NEED, despite it being good at the media/fun stuff. Part of the reason why I think a BlackBerry + PlayBook/iPad/tablet is such a powerful combo. Use the phone for staying connected, critical apps, etc, and use the tablet for killing time.

[Blacklatino]

I agree. Whatever device suits the needs of the individual.

[Jake-44]

Yes different strokes for different folks. My wife has an iPhone and she loves it.

As a trial attorney, I could not live w/o my Blackberry and it excellant and fast push email capability. With all federal courts and most state courts now utilizing email notifications and filings, my BB has saved the day many a time by providing me with instant notifications of important filings in courts.

The iPhone is a good phone and has plenty of apps to play with, but when you live or die by emails, the BB is the only way to go.

[Economist101]

The iPhone is a good phone and has plenty of apps to play with, but when you live or die by emails, the BB is the only way to go.

It's unfortunate the number of people that "live or die by emails" is shrinking so rapidly, but time marches on.

[ibigberries]

It's unfortunate the number of people that "live or die by emails" is shrinking so rapidly, but time marches on.

Who Knew? E-mail Is Still Really Important
Jeanniey Mullen | March 14, 2011 | 7 comments
sponsored by: iContactPlus
This column goes out to all of the e-mail skeptics out there. You know who you are. You are the analysts questioning the value of e-mail in an SMS-driven world. You are the speakers who stand in front of audiences and suggest that social networks will kill e-mail. You are the C-level executives who refuse to approve the budgets for e-mail staff and support because you still think it should be free.
Well, if you are not a believer in the critical importance of e-mail, you might want to reconsider it. Here is why:
E-mail enables a conversation, while social enables a public statement. E-mail is essential to have an ongoing dialogue that is secure and personal. When is the last time you reviewed the e-mails your service team is sending? Do they appropriately address the brand?
It still doesn't happen digitally if you don't have an e-mail. The advent of single sign-on has changed our world. Now, it is much easier to share, save, and sign up for services when you can use Twitter and Facebook. But remember, at the end of the day, you register for all services using your e-mail. E-mail is the digital social security number and will remain the stable, backend foundation of your digital persona. Until we can scan eyeballs and hair follicles, I think it is safe to say e-mail is here to stay.
When something happens with your company's services, the first place customers expect to get information is through their e-mail. I was reminded of this the hard way last week, but it was worth it. It restored my faith in the channel. Do you have e-mail as part of your crisis or recovery plans?
While the three scenarios above speak to e-mail as a backend element of your digital initiatives, it doesn't mean e-mail doesn't still play a role in marketing. E-mail is still the kill app for relationship and lifecycle marketing when using all of those innovation-based efforts at the beginning of the funnel.
So fund your programs as they relate to e-mail. It could be one of the best investments you make.

[JasW]

Sorkin, the BB owner, needs to open the Media Player on his BB (and perharps d/l the Amazon MP3 app) if he thinks that the iPhone he played with has it all over the BB music-wise. Also, he must have a 9700 running 5.0 if he thinks browsing is all that bad.

[i7guy]

It's unfortunate the number of people that "live or die by emails" is shrinking so rapidly, but time marches on.

You are incorrect. However, On the flip side I have the same 6 apps on my iPad 2 that I had 2 months ago. So this shows me an iPhone is not in my future.

I'm still waiting for the darn s3 replacement.

I didn't even read the article, know why? 1 nyt 2 I tried to like the iPhone but iOS in a phone didn't really work for me. Therefore whenever a comparison is done between bb and iPhone, the outcome for me is the same. Bb always wins.

[01itr]

I can't help but laugh every time I read this type of comment on CB. There is a perception here that apps are simply games or farting apps.

Browse through the Apple App store. 'Games' is one of 18-20 categories. Do you "play" with a weather or radar app? Do you "play" with a NYTimes, CNN, BBC, WSJ, FT, etc., app? Do you "play" with Scoremobile? Do you "play" with Evernote? Do you "play" with Google Maps or a GPS app? Do you "play" with TripIt and FlightTracker? Do you "play" with Flixster? Do you "play" with Schwab, eTrade, Wells Fargo, etc., apps? Do you "play" with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp? I suppose that one can say that TuneIn Radio, Pandora, Slacker, Hipstomatic, Instagram, Camera+, ShakeIt Photo, and 8mm Camera could be considering "playing", but that's even a stretch.

Now, are any of those apps essential for business? I suppose not. But those types of apps are exactly why apps have become so popular. It's not farting apps and even Angry Birds that made apps an essential part of the mobile computing experience.

I think what he is trying to say is that when it comes to the utility apps like the ones you listed above, iPhone and BB are arguable pretty similar, albeit iPhone might have a slight advantage. The main difference between the selection of apps on BB and iPhone is when it comes to games. That is why he is saying that the iPhone is better for playing games on.

[01itr]

Apple does not have a slight advantage in top end apps. They have a HUGE advantage.

I wouldn't say HUGE. BB has most of those apps that you've listed above. Although they probably do run better on iPhone... Don't get me wrong, apps are MUCH better on my iPhone 4 than on my previous BB (9800), but for the people who are not interested in games and only care about functionality, I don't think apps are a huge deciding factor between iPhone and BB.

[Jake-44]

I agree that the app selection available for the iPhone and Ipad is fabulous and there is a very wide variety of choices to please almost everyone.

I just want some of those great apps for my Playbook and for the PB browser to be upgraded so it can access secure websites without any problem.

[howarmat]

I wouldn't say HUGE. BB has most of those apps that you've listed above. Although they probably do run better on iPhone... Don't get me wrong, apps are MUCH better on my iPhone 4 than on my previous BB (9800), but for the people who are not interested in games and only care about functionality, I don't think apps are a huge deciding factor between iPhone and BB.

i think its a BIG factor. Ecosystem is a huge thing when deciding on a phone/tablet now. If blackberry had huge amount of apps for the PB it would be doing alot better in its market instead of having a very uncertain future like it does now.

[K Bear]

i think its a BIG factor. Ecosystem is a huge thing when deciding on a phone/tablet now. If blackberry had huge amount of apps for the PB it would be doing alot better in its market instead of having a very uncertain future like it does now.

Correction, if Blackberry had a huge amount of useful, low cost apps, they may be in a better position.

[i7guy]

i think its a BIG factor. Ecosystem is a huge thing when deciding on a phone/tablet now. If blackberry had huge amount of apps for the PB it would be doing alot better in its market instead of having a very uncertain future like it does now.

With 6 apps on ipad after 3 months, ecosystem is not a big deal. Useability is. I find a BB to be much easier to user than an iphone. I will say setting up IOS is basically id10t-proof, however, that doesn't mean the day to day usability is superior to a BB.

[Economist101]

With 6 apps on ipad after 3 months, ecosystem is not a big deal. Useability is. I find a BB to be much easier to user than an iphone. I will say setting up IOS is basically id10t-proof, however, that doesn't mean the day to day usability is superior to a BB.

Correction: With 6 apps on the iPad after 3 months, ecosystem is not a big deal . . .for you. But you are not the typical user.

[southlander]

Correction: With 6 apps on the iPad after 3 months, ecosystem is not a big deal . . .for you. But you are not the typical user.

Far as phones go, add me to that list. The day they invent batteries that enable use of all these apps, all day, without losing access to email/BBM/SMS and voice, I'll bite. Lol, my friends complain incessantly about this and that crappy app they downloaded that is sapping the battery. They spend so much time screwing with apps that add very little or nothing to the practical use of the devices. It's not for everyone. I'll grant that tablets are different for most folks.

[Economist101]

Far as phones go, add me to that list. The day they invent batteries that enable use of all these apps, all day, without losing access to email/BBM/SMS and voice, I'll bite. Lol, my friends complain incessantly about this and that crappy app they downloaded that is sapping the battery. They spend so much time screwing with apps that add very little or nothing to the practical use of the devices. It's not for everyone. I'll grant that tablets are different for most folks.

I'm sure many people, on this forum and others, are on the list. But 99% of the world doesn't read tech blogs/forums, be it this site or any other.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I have to say there is currently a huge difference in the applications available between the two platforms. This will eventually(QNX) even out a bit.

More importantly is push email. The iPhone 4 pushes email as quick as BlackBerry's do. This has long been an advantage for BlackBerry's, but honestly it's not so much anymore. I prefer BES/BIS to the iPhones way of doing things, but the i4 pushes as quick as BB's.

[avt123]

I have to say there is currently a huge difference in the applications available between the two platforms. This will eventually(QNX) even out a bit.

More importantly is push email. The iPhone 4 pushes email as quick as BlackBerry's do. This has long been an advantage for BlackBerry's, but honestly it's not so much anymore. I prefer BES/BIS to the iPhones way of doing things, but the i4 pushes as quick as BB's.

Yup. I have been saying this since the iPhone first became capable of it and people were completely in denial. My 9000 and 3GS were getting emails at the same time, or one quicker than the other, and the quicker one was usually the iPhone. It's like what I was saying was unimaginable.

Same thing goes for touchscreen typing. I type faster on my iPhone than I did on my 9000 (and I typed extremely fast on my 9000 and loved that keyboard to death) and got the same reactions when I said that.

[Phil DeLong]

Far as phones go, add me to that list. The day they invent batteries that enable use of all these apps, all day, without losing access to email/BBM/SMS and voice, I'll bite. Lol, my friends complain incessantly about this and that crappy app they downloaded that is sapping the battery. They spend so much time screwing with apps that add very little or nothing to the practical use of the devices. It's not for everyone. I'll grant that tablets are different for most folks.

I'm sure it differs by individual, but I've never had any trouble making it through the day with more than half of my battery left on my iPhone, with apps running. It gets comparable battery life to my 9650 no problem.

[howarmat]

I'm sure it differs by individual, but I've never had any trouble making it through the day with more than half of my battery left on my iPhone, with apps running. It gets comparable battery life to my 9650 no problem.

lies! this cant be true

[Phil DeLong]

lies! this cant be true

I didn't expect anyone to catch on to me so quick!

[K Bear]

I didn't expect anyone to catch on to me so quick!

OMG, how dare you tell such truths!

[avt123]

I'm sure it differs by individual, but I've never had any trouble making it through the day with more than half of my battery left on my iPhone, with apps running. It gets comparable battery life to my 9650 no problem.

More than the 9650?!?!?

No way Apple fanboy!

[Phil DeLong]

More than the 9650?!?!?

No way Apple fanboy!

Haha I'm sure I'll be labelled as such, and the sad thing is I couldn't be further from it. My last 3 phones were all BlackBerrys and I wouldn't even say I'd never go back. Hopefully everyone else be able to see I'm just trying to inform, and if not you can't win them all I guess.