Trying to Decide...and ... Made a Decision

[terpkristin]

So, I'm still trying to figure out what new phone I'm going to get. I've narrowed it down to an iPhone 4 or a Blackberry Bold (or if they release something new by the end of October, maybe that). There are pros and cons to each. Anybody else care to chime in for/against either device? I'm not getting an Android phone so please don't waste my time.

iPhone Advantages and Disadvantages
D - dropped calls (not too important, I don't actually like making calls)
D - AT&T customer service sucks (I was in a past life an AT&T customer, not anymore)
D - phone antenna issue (might be fixed by the time I buy)
A - already have a slew of iPodTouch apps and am well-vested in Apple (including accessories, etc)
A - the toy factor
D?- 2 GB data cap (using AT&T's online estimator, I could blow through that by listening to Pandora for more than an hour a week, not sure how accurate their estimator is)
A? - rumor is that my work might start to support a proper Exchange server so we could use iPhones instead of only Blackberry's
A - ability to use it overseas and in Canada thanks to GSM

Blackberry Advantages and Disadvantages
A - I get a discount through work
D - constant access to work email
A - easy access and synchronization of my work calendar (hey, I have a lot of doctor appointments)
A - apparently no data usage cap, so streaming Pandora would be easy
D - no apps worth mentioning/that would make me lean toward it
A - I'm a current Verizon customer and eligible to upgrade my phone with a discount (otherwise my contract ends 10/25/10)

I'm not opposed to carrying two devices, so if I got a Blackberry, I'd still use my iPod Touch, I just wouldn't be able to play Words With Friends at work (hahah).

Thoughts? I thought I had settled my mind, but the more I think, the more confused I get.

/tk

[stevew]

The 2 gig data cap was the biggest reason I didn't get an iPhone.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

So, I'm still trying to figure out what new phone I'm going to get. I've narrowed it down to an iPhone 4 or a Blackberry Bold (or if they release something new by the end of October, maybe that). There are pros and cons to each. Anybody else care to chime in for/against either device? I'm not getting an Android phone so please don't waste my time.

iPhone Advantages and Disadvantages
D - dropped calls (not too important, I don't actually like making calls)
D - AT&T customer service sucks (I was in a past life an AT&T customer, not anymore)
D - phone antenna issue (might be fixed by the time I buy)
A - already have a slew of iPodTouch apps and am well-vested in Apple (including accessories, etc)
A - the toy factor
D?- 2 GB data cap (using AT&T's online estimator, I could blow through that by listening to Pandora for more than an hour a week, not sure how accurate their estimator is)
A? - rumor is that my work might start to support a proper Exchange server so we could use iPhones instead of only Blackberry's
A - ability to use it overseas and in Canada thanks to GSM

Blackberry Advantages and Disadvantages
A - I get a discount through work
D - constant access to work email
A - easy access and synchronization of my work calendar (hey, I have a lot of doctor appointments)
A - apparently no data usage cap, so streaming Pandora would be easy
D - no apps worth mentioning/that would make me lean toward it
A - I'm a current Verizon customer and eligible to upgrade my phone with a discount (otherwise my contract ends 10/25/10)

I'm not opposed to carrying two devices, so if I got a Blackberry, I'd still use my iPod Touch, I just wouldn't be able to play Words With Friends at work (hahah).

Thoughts? I thought I had settled my mind, but the more I think, the more confused I get.

/tk

If you look at Blackberry check out the new torch that has a touchscreen and the new really slick BLACKBERRY 6 OS. But the one negative is AT&T has the 6 month exclusive deal for it right now. I wouldn't go with AT&T unless the blackberry was a perk for my job so I never have to deal with AT&T myself. So, if this is a work fro you should check out the Torch.

[Marc Vaughan]

I got an iPhone4 recent and am happy as heck with it - its basically everything I liked in an iPhone but faster

(not that I'm errr biased because I'm working on an iPhone game or anything )

[dawgfan]

I don't think the antenna issue is that big of a deal, and regardless, they are providing bumpers or covers for free to rectify the issue.

The data cap is a bummer - as an existing AT&T customer I was able to grandfather my previous unlimited data plan, but I can see where it would be an issue for a new customer without that grandfathering option. If you're streaming Pandora while on a WiFi connection, does that get around the data cap issue?

I'm surprised to hear the complaints about AT&T customer service - I much prefer them for customer service over what I was getting with Sprint before I switched over to the iPhone 3G.

I was happy with my 3G, and have been even more happy with my 4 - better camera than I expected, video is quite good, amazing screen resolution, same great iPhone touchscreen functionality, unbelievable amount of apps.

[RainMaker]

I had an iPhone and left the contract early because the connection was brutal.

[Mantle2600]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

I don't think the antenna issue is that big of a deal, and regardless, they are providing bumpers or covers for free to rectify the issue.

The data cap is a bummer - as an existing AT&T customer I was able to grandfather my previous unlimited data plan, but I can see where it would be an issue for a new customer without that grandfathering option. If you're streaming Pandora while on a WiFi connection, does that get around the data cap issue?

I'm surprised to hear the complaints about AT&T customer service - I much prefer them for customer service over what I was getting with Sprint before I switched over to the iPhone 3G.

I was happy with my 3G, and have been even more happy with my 4 - better camera than I expected, video is quite good, amazing screen resolution, same great iPhone touchscreen functionality, unbelievable amount of apps.

The data cap is only over 3G, it doesn't count on wifi

[RainMaker]

My issue with the iPhone reception wasn't the antenna, it was how horseshit AT&T's network is.

[Raiders Army]

Are you sure you have a data cap? When did you buy your iPhone? We bought ours in 2008 when it was unlimited and when I upgraded my wife's phone to the 4G, we were able to still choose the unlimited data plan for $30 a month.

[CU Tiger]

I see only 2 D against the blackberry.
1) Lack of Apps....yep that is either a deal breaker or a deal with it. You mentioned carrying a touch also which I think can runn all the same apps, right?
2) Constant access to work email, you can turn off individual email accounts...and even set profiles where they are off...problem solved.

So it comes down to lack of apps and if you can live with that. It would be a no brainer for me....I went iPhone for 4 days and dropped an amazing 76 calls in 4 days...I went back to Verizon and haven't looked back. I've carried a blackberry for like 6-7 years now...and will until the end of November when I am going to the option you dont want to consider....

[Alan T]

When my wife and I go out places that we have to wait for whatever reason (waiting for a movie to start as an example). I tend to play stuff on her iphone and just leave my blackberry in my pocket.

My blackberry serves its purpose, which is work email. The apps on it are boring, the screen for the few games that I have on it is not as good. The only thing it does well is allows me to email replies in an efficient manner. (I never can type words on the iphone easily with my big fingers).

If I didn't have it for work, I would probably just get an iphone since it is far more fun. I don't know if how "fun" a device is would be part of your overall importance but it also takes better pictures, better videos and better almost everything else than my blackberry (with the exception once again of email)


Edit: A few additional comments after re-reading your advantage/disadvantage list:

- My blackberry has an international plan. I had no problems using it in Canada or Chile when I went. You listed that as an iphone advantage, but my blackberry worked fine for me.
- For work environments that have exchange, from my experience if they have a blackberry setup, they still prefer to support blackberry devices over iphone even if they begrudgingly support the iphone too. Part of that might be the whole microsoft vs apple culture, I don't know.
- Any app that I actually did find for the Blackberry that I liked, I found the same app or a better one on the Iphone.

[terpkristin]

Originally Posted by Marc Vaughan

I got an iPhone4 recent and am happy as heck with it - its basically everything I liked in an iPhone but faster

But I assume you're on the older plan, that still had the unlimited?

Originally Posted by CU Tiger

I see only 2 D against the blackberry.
1) Lack of Apps....yep that is either a deal breaker or a deal with it. You mentioned carrying a touch also which I think can runn all the same apps, right?
2) Constant access to work email, you can turn off individual email accounts...and even set profiles where they are off...problem solved.

So it comes down to lack of apps and if you can live with that. It would be a no brainer for me....I went iPhone for 4 days and dropped an amazing 76 calls in 4 days...I went back to Verizon and haven't looked back. I've carried a blackberry for like 6-7 years now...and will until the end of November when I am going to the option you dont want to consider....

1) I'm not sure that the lack of apps is a bad thing. But there are some apps I'd need a network connection for, and am often not near wi-fi for an entire day. So I'm not sure how much of a D it is.

2) It's not that I can't shut it off, it's that the work email would be right there, and I'm the kind of person who would check it every 10 minutes (and then do more work, possibly returning to the office, etc), and that's something I need to avoid. I work enough and have issues separating myself when I find something that needs doing.

Dropped calls aren't the biggest concern to me, I rarely use my phone as a phone (I think I use fewer than 100 minutes a month). Also, at least where I live, it seems that coverage is good (though understanding that when I travel it would be different). Also, there are some implied advantages and disadvantages (e.g. the D of Verizon being mostly CDMA is listed as the A of AT&T being GSM). One A I forgot to mention for iPhone 4 is that the camera takes some of the best shots I've seen from a phone camera (though others have higher resolution, I think the sensor is better, based on what I've seen), and the new HDR software looks like fun.

It's not that I'm not considering Android, it's that I'm no longer considering it. I have given that one a lot of thought, and considering my Apple "investment" (apps, music store purchases, iTunes credit--over $100, accessories), the fact that the Incredible (the only Android phone I've played with so far that I don't mind though I don't like the interface--Droid 2, Droid 1, Droid X, the new Samsung Galaxy variants have all been disappointing), it doesn't offer any advantage over iPhone and (in terms of re-purchase) offers some disadvantages. Does anybody know if the Incredible can be used as a wifi hotspot (and the cost, since I assume Verizon would want someone to pay extra to tether)? And applications for a better UI? I loathe that you can't see the full Android marketplace until you have an Android device. If it could be used as a hotspot that might make my "app" issue go away. And look, I'm back now to POTENTIALLY considering an Incredible.

Originally Posted by dawgfan

I'm surprised to hear the complaints about AT&T customer service - I much prefer them for customer service over what I was getting with Sprint before I switched over to the iPhone 3G.

HAH! My progression in cell phones has been Sprint -> AT&T -> Verizon. AT&T was light years ahead of Sprint in terms of customer service but since I have a corporate dealie with Verizon, I get treated much better than AT&T was doing for me. Regarding streaming Pandora over WiFi, yeah WiFi use doesn't count against the cap but except when I'm home (and I don't listen to much music when I'm home), I don't really have WiFi available. I listen to music almost all day at work, and would like to listen to Pandora at least a bit (like 1 or 2 days a week) so I can get exposure to music other than what's already on my iPod.

[terpkristin]

In a stunning turn of events, I made a decision. I'm going to try out the Incredible. We'll see how I like it.

The kicker, for those who care, was that I still have my iPod Touch for apps that aren't available there (and won't be abandoning it I don't think), unlimited data, and that I can exchange within 30 days if I give up.

/tk

[Tasan]

I LOVE my Incredible, I just got it on Tuesday. There are tons of apps out there as well. Plus, at least for me, Verizon's network seems very solid. AT&T can go to hell now, thank you very much.