Pros and Cons of the iPhone

Can you guys tell me your opinions on what your favorite/least favorite features of the iPhone are? I have a choice between this and a Blackberry for Christmas...

Posted on Dec 2, 2007 3:26 PM

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Posted on Dec 2, 2007 4:48 PM

I've had an iphone for a week - after using a blackbery pearl for a year. I've spent hours playing with both - the jury is still out as to whether or not I will keep the iphone, but here's my current synopsis:

iphone vs blackbery pearl (both with AT&T service)

Internet: iphone. you can view everything and don't have wrapping problems or size issues - which you do with the blackberry. When you are on a wifi connection, the speed is incredible. I use the internet much more on the iphone - especially for driving directions and things that used to be a pain with the blackberry

Music: iphone. I had a 2gig card on the blackberry and it played well, but syncing is better/easier/faster on the iphone. The downside to the iphone is that it doesn't support A2DP (streaming stereo music via bluetooth) which the Curve blackberry does. I will get around this issue with an adapter, but it's pretty lame for apple not to include the software.

Syncing: iphone. I sync contacts and calendars on 2 pcs. Contrary to what the apple folks tell you and what you might read, you can do so easily and it is actually more accurate than the blackberry was. (You cannot sync music to 2 computers) However, it took me hours to get the sync cleaned up when I first tried - mostly due to oddities from previous blackberry syncs. The downside is you can't sync notes which do sync on the blackberry.

Phone: blackberry. My reception is intermittent on the iphone - I've compared it to our other phones and know it's the iphone and not just the service or weather. I'll go from a strong signal to no signal without moving while the signal on other AT&T phones remains strong. I'm still working on trying to figure out what is causing this because if it keeps up, I won't keep the phone. I also miss the voice dialing feature on the blackberry. And, if I'm downloading something via edge, the phone doesn't work (incoming calls go straight to voicemail)

email: blackberry. emails are not saved in the inbox on the iphone, so everytime you want to read one, it has to load from the server (which can't be done while you are on the phone). The work around for saving emails is to send them to the trash file or forward them as ironically, sent and deleted emails are saved on the phone! But, you have to make sure you have the entire message and attachment open when you delete or forward the email if you want to make sure they are saved on the phone for future viewing. It's a bit of a pain to say the least.

email attachments: iphone. I haven't gotten an attachment that I couldn't read. No, you can't edit them, but I couldn't on the blackberry either and I couldn't read half or more of the attachments.

cost: The upfront cost of the iphone is more than the blackberry, but the monthly costs are lower - especially if you go overseas.

cool factor: iphone. it's a much more fun phone to play with, which is going to make it really difficult for me to go back to a blackberry if I'm unable to get better email and phone performance from the iphone! The downside is its size - it's really too big to wear on a belt clip -whereas the blackberry pearl is nice and small.

Good luck deciding!
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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 2, 2007 4:48 PM in response to MustangxBlondie

I've had an iphone for a week - after using a blackbery pearl for a year. I've spent hours playing with both - the jury is still out as to whether or not I will keep the iphone, but here's my current synopsis:

iphone vs blackbery pearl (both with AT&T service)

Internet: iphone. you can view everything and don't have wrapping problems or size issues - which you do with the blackberry. When you are on a wifi connection, the speed is incredible. I use the internet much more on the iphone - especially for driving directions and things that used to be a pain with the blackberry

Music: iphone. I had a 2gig card on the blackberry and it played well, but syncing is better/easier/faster on the iphone. The downside to the iphone is that it doesn't support A2DP (streaming stereo music via bluetooth) which the Curve blackberry does. I will get around this issue with an adapter, but it's pretty lame for apple not to include the software.

Syncing: iphone. I sync contacts and calendars on 2 pcs. Contrary to what the apple folks tell you and what you might read, you can do so easily and it is actually more accurate than the blackberry was. (You cannot sync music to 2 computers) However, it took me hours to get the sync cleaned up when I first tried - mostly due to oddities from previous blackberry syncs. The downside is you can't sync notes which do sync on the blackberry.

Phone: blackberry. My reception is intermittent on the iphone - I've compared it to our other phones and know it's the iphone and not just the service or weather. I'll go from a strong signal to no signal without moving while the signal on other AT&T phones remains strong. I'm still working on trying to figure out what is causing this because if it keeps up, I won't keep the phone. I also miss the voice dialing feature on the blackberry. And, if I'm downloading something via edge, the phone doesn't work (incoming calls go straight to voicemail)

email: blackberry. emails are not saved in the inbox on the iphone, so everytime you want to read one, it has to load from the server (which can't be done while you are on the phone). The work around for saving emails is to send them to the trash file or forward them as ironically, sent and deleted emails are saved on the phone! But, you have to make sure you have the entire message and attachment open when you delete or forward the email if you want to make sure they are saved on the phone for future viewing. It's a bit of a pain to say the least.

email attachments: iphone. I haven't gotten an attachment that I couldn't read. No, you can't edit them, but I couldn't on the blackberry either and I couldn't read half or more of the attachments.

cost: The upfront cost of the iphone is more than the blackberry, but the monthly costs are lower - especially if you go overseas.

cool factor: iphone. it's a much more fun phone to play with, which is going to make it really difficult for me to go back to a blackberry if I'm unable to get better email and phone performance from the iphone! The downside is its size - it's really too big to wear on a belt clip -whereas the blackberry pearl is nice and small.

Good luck deciding!

Dec 2, 2007 3:40 PM in response to MustangxBlondie

Advantages:
All in one phone- MP4 player, camera, email, video/movie player with large screen and great sound (with headphones). Also, in my opinion ATT has great national and international coverage.

Disadvantages:
Expensive, stuck with ATT for 2 years and the biggest problem is inability to view or edit pdf and word documents as attachments in email. Also, can't play games without going through internet. These disadvantages will hopefully go away in the future, but for now...

Hope this helps,
SWS

Dec 2, 2007 5:11 PM in response to MustangxBlondie

I was one of the people sitting in line, the first day of the iphone. I really like it. ATT had a deal for the new Blackberry curve 8310 for just $99 and I bought my wife one. It was terrible. Not user friendly at all. You would be crazy to get a Blackberry! It was so bad for her and I to use that I took it back. I am going to get her an iphone for christmas.

Also, the media package is cheaper for the iphone. The blackberry unlimited data plan was $29.99 and that did not include any text messages. The iPhone's unlimited data plan is $19.99 and that includes 200 text message per month. The web browser on the blackberry is unusable. It is not functional.

Get an iphone...you will not regret it!

Dec 2, 2007 3:37 PM in response to MustangxBlondie

Will you be using this for business?

A Blackberry is more designed and intended for the enterprise market/business use and the iPhone is not. The iPhone is more designed and intended as a consumer device - a phone, an iPod and an internet device.

If you currently have an iPod, you will be able to combine two devices with one.

If you want a well integrated touch screen, Google Maps, Web Browser, Date Book, Calculator, Contact List, Email account access, SMS, Video iPod, Stock Checking, City weather report producing, 2 MP camera with an unlimited always on wireless internet connection via WiFi or AT&T's EDGE network that has a user interface that is (for devices in this class) ahead of what anybody else has brought to market to date that also makes and receives phone calls, then get an iPhone.

If you need this for "serious" business use (the iPhone can also be used for business on a more limited basis), then you should get a Blackberry.

Dec 2, 2007 3:42 PM in response to MustangxBlondie

I had a treo, which handled business well. It had documents to go where I could look at and create documents and spreadsheets. I also miss the games to keep me patient and kind.
I do love this phone too, but waiting for the document application so I can do business things. I guess when they do that they will also add copy and pasting, which would be helpful for grabbing notes to internet information and vice-versa.
Also needs a better notetaking application. Maybe folders in it, and jotting ability.

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Pros and Cons of the iPhone

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