My son, daughter-in-law, and 3 grandkids will be arriving in a few hours for a weekend visit, so let me wish you a happy weekend before I forget it.
Now to the phone stuff:
TechCrunch recently ran an article on a venture capitalist’s comparison of the iPhone and the BlackBerry 8800. The comparison was a side-by-side one, conducted over a 2-week period. It is a very interesting read. The bottom line:
His conclusion: despite the overall attractiveness of the iPhone, it lacks too many vital features to replace the BlackBerry as the corporate weapon of choice.
No surprise that one would choose a BlackBerry for a corporate environment. But, you can tell the venture capitalist really liked the iPhone as well.
If you read Robert Scoble’s blog regularly like I do, you know he has been holding out on getting an iPhone. He has talked on several occasions about how his Nokia N95 can do things the iPhone can’t. Well, he is caving in and plans to get an iPhone in a couple of weeks, when funds permit him to do so. His article on plans to get an iPhone is well worth a read. I suspect he has been looking for an excuse to get an iPhone, and I am glad he found one. He is a great guy who has done a lot for the blogging community over the years and I am glad to see him rewarding himself.
One reviewer comes down really hard on the iPhone: Chris Case at Huffington Post has an article about his iPhone in which he says he is going back to his BlackBerry. Sounds pretty dismal. A 3-hour battery life? Touchscreen keys too sensitive? Hum. If I read a few more articles like this, my interest in the iPhone will surely wain.
And finally, Jack Cook of MobilitySite reminds me of a few of the reasons why I don’t just rush out and get an iPhone (aside from the money factor, which is a factor). Software availability is a big ticket item, and like I Jack, I have a ton of software for my Windows Mobile and Palm devices, and of course I have ZERO software for the iPhone. He brings out other good points, as well.
I have tinkered with the BlackBerry Simulator, and BB’s do have a solid reputation for reliability and ruggedness. Bottom line: I remain undecided. Just sticking with my T-Mobile Dash for now.
Regardless, if you are thinking of getting an iPhone or BlackBerry (or any smartphone), these articles may interest you. I’ve tried to show various views so as to not present a distorted perspective.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thomas R. Hall 07.27.07 at 1:04 pm
Maybe you can use the BlackBerry features while still retaining your Dash, Bruce. There are articles out there (including one at Boy Genius Report [1]) that state that the Virtual BlackBerry software for Windows Mobile devices may be headed to the Dash first. If that is the case, you could still have your third-party Windows Mobile software and the BlackBerry experience as well.
[1]: Boy Genius Report - http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2007/07/13/virtual-blackberry-for-windows-mobile-launching-on-t-mobile-dash/
Bruce 07.27.07 at 2:46 pm
Thanks for pointing me to this, Thomas. I’ll check it out a bit later. Sounds like an interesting option.
Bruce 07.29.07 at 8:55 pm
Thomas,
I checked it out after the kids went home (great to have them visit for the weekend). Looks interesting, for sure.
I’ll keep my eyes open for more rumors about this and maybe they will come true soon enough.