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I’ve talked a few times about Apple’s new iPhone, which has been a big hit. I thought maybe I should do a comparison between it and RIM’s latest Blackberry 8830 phone.
Both phones are great phones and have been extremely popular. Which one is “the best?” It really depends on the person. People have different needs and wants. So let’s compare the phones in some different areas. You can decide which one might be best for you.
Video & Media on the Phones
It is interesting but this latest version of the Blackberry isn’t 3G network compatible. How can you market a phone at the business community where time is money, and only allow them to access the internet on the slower EDGE network when Blackberry already offers other models already equipped with faster UMTS technology?
However, the same is true of Apple’s iPhone. It also uses the same network. Why did Apple and AT&T choose EDGE and not the AT&T 3G network for the iPhone? Because EDGE covers 90 percent of the country, while the 3G network covers just a few markets. Until AT&T builds out its 3G network to reach the rest of us, the iPhone will remain a 21st century device running on a 20th century network. Too bad.
So both of these phones operate on the slower network. But when it comes to watching videos, organizing content and speed of finding your content, the iPhone wins the battle. The iPhone is a media phone. It has a complete iPod built in. So with regards to media, this phone is going to win out. But both phones will be better when run on the faster 3G Network. (If you would like to learn more about the 3G Network, follow this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3G)
Email Capabilities on the Phones
If you are more interested in email and operating your business or work responsibilities on the go, then I would say the Blackberry over the iPhone.
While the iPhone may be best as a media phone, the Blackberry 8830 is a better phone for email. I will say that this latest Blackberry phone is not as good for typing as previous versions of Blackberry phones. Unlike some other BlackBerry smartphones that have firm keys with clear separation, the keys on the 8830 are "squishy" and are so close together that users often found themselves pressing multiple keys while trying to press a single key.
With that being said, it is still a better choice (in my opinion) for people more interested in email. There have been many similar complaints over the iPhone since the keypad only displays when the phone is vertical. It will not display when the phone is turned to the side. This makes it hard to type with two fingers. But I’m sure newer models of the iPhone will address this issue.
The bottom line is the Blackberry 8830 is a perfect smartphone for world travelers who need full access to email, address book and calendar, but also want GPS map tools and a built-in media player. While the design might not be too much to look at, it's a well-built phone that's simple to use with good controls (if you have small fingers).
Globetrotting business professionals will be hard pressed to find a better solution for mobile email access and little multimedia fun.
Wi-Fi on the Phones
This is a big feature. The iPhone has built in Wi-Fi. The Blackberry 8830 does not. RIM will have a Blackberry with Wi-Fi but for now it doesn’t have it.
In case you don’t really understand what Wi-Fi is, this is what it means…
A person with a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a PC, cell phone or PDA can connect to the Internet when in proximity of an access point. The region covered by one or several access points is called a hotspot. Hotspots can range from a single room to many square miles of overlapping hotspots. Wi-Fi can also be used to create a mesh network. Both architectures are used in community networks.
Wi-Fi also allows connectivity in peer-to-peer (wireless ad-hoc network) mode, which enables devices to connect directly with each other. This connectivity mode is useful in consumer electronics and gaming applications.
We mentioned earlier that both phones operate on the slower network. So having the built in Wi-Fi is a big advantage for the iPhone because users can connect to the internet at higher speeds when they are in hotspots. Blackberry users are not able to do this.
Cameras on the Phones
This is another big one that goes to the iPhone. The iPhone has a built in camera like almost every other phone out there. But the Blackberry 8830 does not even have a camera in the phone. It is hard to believe that it doesn’t since almost every phone now has one.
And not only does the iPhone have a camera, it is probably the best camera phone on the market. But most people don’t list the camera as one of the most important features in a phone. But when comparing these two phones you have to note that one has one and one doesn’t.
So like I said in the beginning, you have to decide which phone is right for you. When it comes to media and coolness, the iPhone is going to win. But from a professional or business stand point, the Blackberry may be the better phone. You decide. Both are great phones.
If you have used one or both phones, please share your thoughts. I would love to hear what you think.