Nerd Alert: iPhone vs BlackBerry
The recent buzz around iPhone clones, the Palm Pre, and the iPhone 3G S have kept smartphone fever at record highs. In this edition of Nerd Alert, we will pit the two frontrunners to the smartphone throne, iPhone and BlackBerry, against each other and try to pick a winner.
In the Corporate Corner: RIM BlackBerry
The first PDA-style BlackBerry was released in 2002 and quickly became a massive hit in corporate circles for the then-innovative “push” email technology. For the first time, emails could be received almost as soon as they were sent, similar to text messaging. Since then, this feature has been copied by most other smartphones, leaving BlackBerry to compete on more equal footing.
In the Consumer Corner: Apple iPhone
The first iPhone was released in the summer of 2007 to massive consumer acclaim. The large glass screen was a drastic departure from the standard thumb keyboards of the time. Since then, there have been two major hardware and software revisions to the iPhone line. Ironically, the iPhone’s marketing campaign also sparked interest in competing smartphones, as buyers came to consider their current phones to be too primitive.
Round 1: Cell Carriers
This basic technical issue can be a deal-breaker. BlackBerry devices are available on all the major carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. The iPhone models, however, are only available with AT&T. Breaking a contract with your current provider could prove to be very expensive (as much as $200 per line) so you may want to wait until the end of your current contract if you have to switch. Another option for the adventurous-at-heart is finding an “unlocked” iPhone for sale on eBay or other websites, although we wouldn’t recommend it.
* Winner: BlackBerry
Round 2: Multimedia Experience
Although even the most basic flip phone does an acceptable job of playing mp3 files, iPhone boasts seamless integration with iTunes. This takes a lot of the hassle out of managing your media library, purchasing content, and syncing playlists. Getting video onto a BlackBerry can be a roll-up-your-sleeves affair, although there are a number of useful tutorials on the Web that lessen the learning curve. Also, with the exception of the BlackBerry Storm, the iPhone’s screen is nearly twice as large, which can make video playback more enjoyable.
* Winner: iPhone
Round 3: Applications
BlackBerry had a five year lead on iPhone when it was initially released, and consequently had many more applications available. Everything from shopping lists to games could be found and installed across BlackBerry’s line up, leaving iPhone looking very weak. The great dissatisfaction caused by the situation led to the “jailbreaking” techniques for hacking third-party applications onto the iPhone. Whether it was part of the plan all along, or a reaction to the jailbreakers, Apple unveiled their online app store in mid-2008 and has since moved over a billion apps. The convenience of being able to find, buy, and install apps wirelessly from the device itself is hard to beat.
* Winner: iPhone
Round 4: Business Productivity
The “push” email technology that made BlackBerry such a darling of business folks was met to a certain degree by the second major release of the iPhone software. This release introduced native over-the-air syncing with Microsoft Exchange servers, as well as support for corporate policy enforcement on iPhone devices. The remaining technical gaps (only interesting to IT geeks) were closed in the recent 3.0 release of the iPhone software. Where BlackBerry still has the edge, is in the editing of Microsoft Office documents with a selection of third-party tools. Document editors for the iPhone are forthcoming, but the warm fuzzies that BlackBerry technology gives executives and IT departments will be hard to overcome.
* Winner: BlackBerry
Round 5: Web Browsing
Typically, cell phone browsers have been so bad that they weren’t worth mentioning. The mobile version of Safari included with iPhone changed that, and raised expectations for all mobile browsers. The classic BlackBerry browser is pretty primitive, but the one included with the Storm is a huge improvement. Frustratingly, the Storm is one of the few modern BlackBerry models with no Wi-Fi capability, which significantly slows down the browsing experience. Possibly more annoying, however, is the iPhone browser’s fluctuating tendency to crash in different software releases.
* Winner: Tie
Conclusion: Tie
Some of you may be disappointed with a split decision, but the choice of a smartphone really is a personal one. If your company’s IT department supports BlackBerry devices, that could push you in one direction. If you want to watch the latest movie rentals on car trips or flights, that would certainly push you in the other direction. The best suggestion we can make for Eastsiders is to visit Kenwood Towne Centre, play in the Apple Store, visit your carrier’s kiosk, and make the tough decision over a smoothie.
AT&T: (513) 351-5851, 2692 Madison Rd.
Cincinnati Bell: (513) 979-5200, 3880 Paxton Ave.
Sprint: (513) 321-6766, 2733 Madison Rd.
T-Mobile: (513) 731-2826, 2731 Edmondson Rd.
Verizon: (513) 729-9033, 3705 Isabella Ave.
David Arnold frequently spaces out on technology, mathematics, and games. Occasionally, he writes it down. Follow him on Twitter @david_n_arnold.
I’d much rather have a Palm Pre than either of these two phones.