Smart phones - Enie Menie Miney Mo

[Sigger]

So, as I come close to rejoining the ranks, I am now about to lose my company iPhone3G.
This brings me to ponder which phone should I get..

Obviously I am familiar with the iPhone(I like it). I have little knowledge of Android, BB or the Windows Phone, and even though I have read ad nauseum reviews and specs online, I am looking for actual experience based opinion. Especially from Mbrs.

Ok. Go..

 

[Silverfire]

I would stick with the iPhone.  I have owned an iPhone 3GS, a Blackberry 9780, an HTC Legend, and borrowed a friends Optimus Quantum.  I found that the Android and Windows phones were lacking, and the Blackberry makes me want to punch myself in the face. 

Keep/upgrade the iPhone. 

 

[Sigger]

RGR

I likely will. General consensus is the same as yours.

 

[Scott]

Disagree.

I'm on my fourth Blackberry and can't see myself changing for anything. I am not an app guy and use mine strictly for email, phone and BBM (yeah, you can't get BBM for an iPhone!) I know several folks with iPhones and a few who loathe them. Meh, to each their own. But I must voice my disagreement with the statement that iPhone is the be-all-end-all, I haven't seen anything that convinces me that it's better than my BB. iPhone makes me feel the same way Silverfire feels about BB.


Edited to add: The new Bold sems incredibly more intuitive than older versions of the BB, something that was desperately needed. The software and talking to PC has also improved greatly...anyway.

 

[CEEBEE501]

Well I have a Samsung Galaxy S which is android and it is pretty awesome, there are alot of very useful free apps, such as MyTracks which links to your Gmail and will make Spread sheets and maps, tracking your pace and distance and such, great for tracking the progress of your rucksack marches. You can also get apps to replace default apps, such as text messaging. Im With Virgin so my phone uses the bell network, which is pretty reliable and dosent have that many issues that Ive noticed. The one problem is Cases or the lack there of, unless you want a pink sparky gel one, I have found a good tough case from The otter Box which I am pretty happy with. The phone will also if you wish import all your Contacts from any profiles you link (Gmail, Hotmail,Facebook). The difference between the the Iphone4 and Samsung  Galaxy is about 150 and the only Real difference is that for the extra 150 you get a flash for the camera. 

At one point the Galaxy S did have a problem where the CPU would over heat and fry the phone, but that has been fixed and it no long does this 

 

[Sigger]

I really enjoyed my old Blackberry 7130e. The features I miss most is the customizable themes for ring types, fonts etc.
The iPhone seems way too locked.

Edited to add: The new Bold sems incredibly more intuitive than older versions of the BB, something that was desperately needed. The software and talking to PC has also improved greatly...anyway.

 

That is good to hear. I am a techie, so being intuitive is not a problem, but I like the fact BB is getting better at talking to a computer..

Well I have a Samsung Galaxy S which is android and it is pretty awesome,

I do like that the Android is more customizable than the iPhone..

 

[Silverfire]

Disagree.

I'm on my fourth Blackberry and can't see myself changing for anything. I am not an app guy and use mine strictly for email, phone and BBM (yeah, you can't get BBM for an iPhone!) I know several folks with iPhones and a few who loathe them. Meh, to each their own. But I must voice my disagreement with the statement that iPhone is the be-all-end-all, I haven't seen anything that convinces me that it's better than my BB. iPhone makes me feel the same way Silverfire feels about BB.


Edited to add: The new Bold sems incredibly more intuitive than older versions of the BB, something that was desperately needed. The software and talking to PC has also improved greatly...anyway.

I actually agree with you on the BB bit.  I think the general consensus is that Blackberry's are more work oriented, ie the BBM and email, whereas if you use your phone for more entertainment purposes, the iPhone is the better route.

And agreements with the above post.  The Blackberry is more customizable in the ringtones department and its definitely a lot easier to do things like add music. The iPhone is very proprietary.

 

[Scott]

I actually agree with you on the BB bit.  I think the general consensus is that Blackberry's are more work oriented, ie the BBM and email, whereas if you use your phone for more entertainment purposes, the iPhone is the better route.

And agreements with the above post.  The Blackberry is more customizable in the ringtones department and its definitely a lot easier to do things like add music. The iPhone is very proprietary.

I think that's what I was driving at without trying to sound presumptuous (and not saying you are sounding that way...)

I've never used the iPhone so I cannot fairly compare the two. Blackberry was my first smartphone and I have never, ever, used one for surfing internet, social networking, purchasing music, etc. so I don't have anything to really bleat on about there. I can say that, among my work crowd, BB is number one, iPhone is number two (but a distant second), and Android number three (distant from iPhone) - with a lot of Android users heading to BB.

My boss went from BB to iPhone and is now back to BB after throwing his iPhone against a wall for somethingorother.

 

[Sigger]

I do have much to ponder..

thank you

 

[Nfld Sapper]

BB's can also be unlocked to work on any carrier provided the radios are compatible (ex. 3G freqs from Rogers is different than that of Bell/Telus).....and a BB once unlocked is always unlocked...IPhones not so much.....

 

[Silverfire]

To add to what NFLD said, the iPhones can be unlocked, but it is much harder to do. 

Option A: Factory unlock.  Requires purchasing the iPhone at full price from the Apple store.
Option B: Jailbreak.  Comes with its own set of unique problems. 

 

[Nfld Sapper]

To add to what NFLD said, the iPhones can be unlocked, but it is much harder to do. 

Option A: Factory unlock.  Requires purchasing the iPhone at full price from the Apple store.
Option B: Jailbreak.  Comes with its own set of unique problems. 

Like every time there is an update (or is it when it syncs?) it locks itself again...

 

[Sigger]

But now it is fairly simple to Jailbreak, no?

 

[Nfld Sapper]

iPhone Jailbreak: What is it?

In short, iPhone Jailbreak is the process of hacking an iPhone to free it from Apple restrictions.

Because the iPhone is far from flawless as Apple created it, thousands of iPhone users have flocked to Jailbreak in search of changes and improvements to their devices. iPhone has been held back by limited customizability, text message privacy issues, and a lack of multitasking capabilities. But iPhone Jailbreak can solve all of these problems with apps and fixes available in Cydia and Installer.

What is Cydia?/What is Installer?
Cydia and Installer are the unofficial “App Stores” of the Jailbreak world. Developers create apps and tweaks and different utilities and upload them to these package managers, which organize everything into categories. The differences between Cydia and the App Store are the lack of an app approval process, and the lack of access limits on the iPhone software. In other words, with iPhone jailbreak, you can do things Apple did not design the iPhone software to do.

Why Jailbreak iPhone?
1.No restrictions. Want a custom wallpaper on your home screen? Custom icons for your apps? Internet tethering? A category system for organizing your apps? The ability to hide native iPhone apps you don’t use? You can do all of this and more with iPhone Jailbreak.
2.To join the subculture. Sick of Apple’s stranglehold on the iPhone? Those who Jailbreak iPhone belong to a movement of people who demand more from their iPhones. And they’re not gonna let Apple stop them. Beat the system: Jailbreak your iPhone.
3.Unlock iPhone. To unlock your iPhone and use it on any carrier, you must first Jailbreak your iPhone. Some of the best Jailbreak software below also lets you unlock the iPhone.

Why NOT Jailbreak iPhone?
1.The folks at Apple know what they are doing. They have not enabled multasking — the ability for apps to run in the background, simultaneously — most likely because it is a huge battery drain. By controlling the user experience, Apple ensures that your iPhone “just works,” and you don’t have to worry about managing battery life or any other technical details.
2.Jailbreak could (maybe?) brick your iPhone. “When someone develops something for an Apple product and that development isn’t sanctioned by Apple, you run the risk of it not working as it should, conflicting with the device itself, or just all-around bricking that iPhone,” warns Chris Pirillo, who prefers not to Jailbreak his iPhone because “my iPhone just works already.” But I have never heard of Jailbreak completely ruining an iPhone. The consensus at this forum seems to be that the chance is “extremely slim.”
3.Every iPhone update from iTunes disables even the best Jailbreak software. Every time Apple comes out with an update for iPhone, they find a way to prevent hackers from cracking the code again. Hackers then scramble to Jailbreak the iPhone again and release the new methods. That means if you like to download Apple’s iPhone updates, you are going to have to figure out each time how to Jailbreak your iPhone yes again. Do you really want to play this cat and mouse game?
4.iPhone Jailbreak could increase your risk of getting a virus on your device. The only two iPhone viruses ever reported have spread across iPhones that have been Jailbroken. That’s not to say the iPhone platform as Apple built it is totally secure. In fact, some say compromising an iPhone’s security is “child’s play” (i.e. easy).
5.Jailbreak voids your iPhone warranty. If your iPhone is bricked because of Jailbreak, or if your iPhone has another problem and it happens to be Jailbreaked, your warranty becomes void. I once saw a sign at the Genius bar of The Falls, Miami Apple Store that warned customers not to Jailbreak iPhones or they would void their warranties. Harsh.

 

[Silverfire]

Yeah, one of the key problems with jailbreaking; everytime there is a new update for the OS, you need to redo it.  Jailbreaking is relatively easy, but after a new update comes out you need to wait a few days before someone releases the Jailbreak to it as well. 

If you buy the phone unlocked from Apple at full price, you won't have that problem.  You'll just be missing $700 from the wallet. 

Realistically speaking though, how often do you change cell phone carriers?  Unless you travel overseas a lot, its not a huge issue to most people.

 

[CEEBEE501]

Or you know just buy an Android which dose by default what a Iphone does after you jail brake it

 

[PuckChaser]

I'm in the market for a new smartphone and I've completely ruled out the Iphone until Apple does something about the location tracking data it has. It stores your location in a file on the phone, thousands of times a year and Apple won't say why it does it. They're also releasing a new version of the OS that will disable an app that deleted the file every day for the user so it couldn't be stored.

 

[captloadie]

The issue with the Iphone tracking file has been blown out of proportion by the media, possibly assisted by the competiton. Yes, your iphone tracks you, and stores it, if you have the location service turned on. But then again, so do high end GPS units installed in several cars, your credit card company, apps on different smartphones that let you "check in", and CCTV.

Now, I'm not saying it is right, but in this modern Big Brother society, we are almost always being tracked some way.

 

[Strike]

What CaptLoadie said.

You can easily disable location services.  It's five times easier to do this on the phone than on Facebook. 

I know some people are praising Android as the iPhone alternative, but stay away from it.  Several people I know in the IT field have said that there are security/virus issues.  Neither iPhone or BB have these anywhere near the same degree.

For those who say iPhone is more for fun than work, I have to disagree.  There are just as many work-related apps.  You just have to look for them.  In fact, pretty sure you can look up business-related apps at the app store.  It also depends on what your work is.  You can get the normal "business" apps like Pages, Numbers, etc, and you can get other items as well like photo/sound/movie editors that allow you to submit direcly to newspapers/radios/networks.

Food for thought.

 

[PuckChaser]

So you have to disable location services for the phone not to track you, but when you need it to call 911 and you can't talk the locating takes far longer and is not as accurate.... sounds lose/lose to me.