iPhone or Blackberry?

Iphone or Blackberry.  For us techies, it’s the great debate and what divides us otherwise united forces onto two very separate fronts.  There are those of us that go for the apps and the overall cool look and functionality of the iPhone, and there are those of us that aren’t too hyped by the apps and insist on functionality, email synching and overall productivity enhancement which can arguably be provided moreso with a Blackberry than with an iPhone. 

For me, there was only one thing that separated the two when it came time to buy my smartphone: the touch screen.  I hate fingerprints.  Stupid?  Some might think so, but for me it was the deciding factor.  Yes, they show up on my Blackberry screen, but not as much as they would if I were to be touching the screen daily to access my calendar, email or music as much as I do on my Blackberry.

I am the proud owner of a Blackberry Bold 9700, which is sometimes better known as the Onyx.  It does great things.  No, it doesn’t cook me dinner or talk to me when I’m lonely, but it keeps me in order, allows me to email on the go and provides me with reliable, functional access to the internet at my fingertips.  What more could I want?  Do I really need an app that tells me where all the coffee shops or Starbucks are within a 5 km radius?  No.  I can Google that.  Do I need an app that tells me how many calories I’m eating?  No thanks.  I’d rather not know.  Overall, I just don’t see the allure.  It’s completely a preference thing for those of us that go to either camp, I think. 

I don’t run my own business, nor do I receive work emails on my phone, but I like to be able to respond to emails for my volunteer work and from friends and family as soon as possible.  The Blackberry lets me do this with ease 100% of the time (so far).  I don’t really use the apps that much, but some of them are helpful like Poynt and Urbanspoon.  They aren’t “must haves” per se, but they make my life a little easier when I’m out and not able to readily access my laptop.   

I don’t need to be able to shake my phone.  Why would you want to spend $300 on a phone and then go shaking it?  I don’t need my phone to make noises while I play games to amuse my bored self.  How old am I, six?  Get a Wii. 

All in all, I’m a Blackberry user to the death.  I will NEVER go to the darkside.  I won’t even get an iPod touch.  That’s how anal I am about the fingerprints!

But I should mention two important things:

1.)    I’m a die-hard Mac user and refuse to use PCs unless I have to

2.)    I have an iPhone looking theme on my Blackberry.  What?  I didn’t ever say that the LOOK of the apps wasn’t appealing, now did I?

Do these two factors change the fact that I love my Blackberry, no.  But does the theme make it prettier? Yes.  Pretty is good.

Here is an interesting review from jawal123.com which compares the Bold 9700 (which I have) and the iPhone side by side.  Looking at the rating criteria, a lot of it is based simply on personal preference, not overall functionality and ease of use.  To me, it’s not a 100% technically based comparison in and of itself, but for the purposes of us so called “prosumers” who are the main target market for smartphones, it seems to do the trick.  Take a look and see for yourself; I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

So, my lovelies, iPhone or Blackberry?

 Hugs,

*Canadian Girl