Official switching from BlackBerry to iPhone 4 thread

[Rene Ritchie]

Are you switching from BlackBerry to iPhone 4? Have any tips for people who are? Here's you thread to get help and to give it.

Can anything help BBM withdrawal? How can you move over your contacts and other personal data (hint: if you're using Google, just set up and you're golden). Are your movies already in H.264?

We're going to post an article up on the front page later in the week and we'll be linking back here so let's get going and ease that switcher pain, shall we?

What do you know, and what do you need help with?

 

[ebedoun]

I'm an ex Windows Mobile user, current BlackBerry user, soon to be iPhone 4 user. I never thought I'd leave Windows Mobile, my Treo or treocentral.com.

When the wife and I moved, our Verizon service no longer worked in our new home. There is an at&t tower very close by, so at&t was the wise choice at the time. Our original intent was the iPhone. That was until we realized that on Premier at the time, all Windows Mobile phones were free. Wife picked the tilt, I went with the Treo 750. Nothing but issues with both phones. After several warranty exchanges we took advantage of the no lemon policy and went with the BlackBerry Bold 9000. We loved them. When the BlackBerry Bold 9700 released, we bought 2 at full price $349 on sale and received 2x $100 rebate cards. Sold our BlackBerry 9000's and made up the cost, making the 9700's pretty much free. We never thought we'd leave BlackBerry or crackberry.com

After surviving several BlackBerry Internet Service(BIS) outages and other issues with the 9700 we have decided to go with what we originally wanted. iPhones. We were going to switch a couple of months ago, but decided to wait until June for something new. I'm glad we did.

We have several friends and family who we have talked into blackberry and BBM. I'm totally not going to miss BBM. It it almost a little TOO instant.

If anybody needs assistance with moving any info from their BlackBerry to their iPhone, let me know with a PM. I'm personally using Google sync.

Any movies we have encoded for our BlackBerries were actually encoded for our iPod Touch devices in the first place. They are already H.264, encoded using HandBrake.

I know this post went a little off topic, but it is our story. I think we really will never leave the iPhone or tipb.com

I also noticed how tipb.com is a lot less active than crackberry.com. This made me realize that there must be less users with issues than their are with BlackBerry. Looks like tipb.com is a great place for people who love their iPhones. I'm glad to soon be one of those people. The wife is finally happy to have a phone she can manage herself also(she is waiting for the white iPhone 4).

 

[metalmike]

i myself have pulled the trigger and jumping ship from verizon and blackberry storm2 for the iphone after 8 months of a phone that never worked right i needed something that seemed to have a lot less problems and idc about the voice service i hardly make calls on my phone to begin with we all text

 

[Smlk]

Wow. I've had iPhone since the first one launched and these horror stories make me even more thankful. Welcome.

 

[pastordavidnorman]

I'm jumping from my Blackberry 8330m on Sprint. Since it's already sync'd up to my macbook, i'm not expecting too many issues.

 

[ebarne]

First message here on tipb! Also transferring from a 9700, and I would really like to transfer sms to sms more than anything else. Contacts, calendar, and notes I will transfer thru outlook, is there any way to transfer sms directly to the iphone in such a way they will show up in the iphone as an sms??

Appreciate the help!

 

[saintofsteel]

I've used several models of Blackberry's on Verizon for the last 5 years or so, and was very reluctant to switch from Verizon to AT&T. My wife however took the plunge with a 3G Last year February, and for the most has not complained about the service. I decided to test the waters with an iPod Touch and since than I only use my Blackberry to actually make phone calls. So Long story short I pre-ordered my 32gb black iPhone on the 15th and can't wait for Thursday.

 

[iquinn]

I made the jump in Dec, and I have not looked back since. I thought the biggest issue was going to be the keyboard but as it turns out typing on the iPhone is much better then it is on a Blackberry. I think this is mostly due to Apple's sweet auto correct.

 

[ebedoun]

First message here on tipb! Also transferring from a 9700, and I would really like to transfer sms to sms more than anything else. Contacts, calendar, and notes I will transfer thru outlook, is there any way to transfer sms directly to the iphone in such a way they will show up in the iphone as an sms??

Appreciate the help!

I don't believe there is a way to move SMS to and from either device.

 

[cmikhow#AC]

iPhone 4 has made a convert of me, I'm just waiting for a Canada release date, I'm gonna miss my LED indicator though is there truly no better notification system for iPhones?

 

[taylorh]

I'm an ex Windows Mobile user, current BlackBerry user, soon to be iPhone 4 user. I never thought I'd leave Windows Mobile, my Treo or treocentral.com.
<snip>
I'm personally using Google sync.
<snip>

I've been through them all. Treo 600>Treo 650>WM Treo 750>HTC (AT&T) Tilt>Blackberry 9700>iPhone 3G>iPhone 3GS>iPhone 4.
For me going from WM to iPhone prior to OS 2.0 and iPhone 3G would have been a big step down. But once they had 3G, exchange support, and 3rd party apps (yeah, remember iPhone when it was only web apps?) made it worth the switch.

With all I've been through, the iPhone isn't perfect, but it's the right combination of functionality that makes it a great device. I eagerly await the iPhone 4 and really don't consider greener pastures such as Andriod.
Windows phone 7 has my interest, but for the first year or so it will be still missing a lot of features that are planned in future versions of the OS. Too early to jump.

Anyway, the purpose of this post was to say that Google Mobile Sync works quite well.
Google Sync for your phone
I recommend it to my friends and family for wireless sync of contacts, (multiple) calendars, and push mail.
Anyone coming from BB may want consider it unless they already have a favorite provider or hosted exchange account that supports activesync.

Also be aware of Nuevasync.
NuevaSync - Push Email and Over-the-Air Synchronization for Your iPhone
It started as exactly what Google mobile sync is now, which is an Activesync interace Gmail (before Google supported it.). But Nuevasync supports multiple services now. It may make your life a lot easier. Some even still prefer it for Google syncing over direct Google mobile sync. I'm not directly aware of why. Maybe it translates data differently. I personally go directly through Google.

Also, make sure to be familiar with the known limitations:
Known Limitations : Google Sync (ActiveSync) - Google Mobile Help

 

[wifiphone]

I'm migrating from BlackBerry Bold as my primary smartphone. The only problem for me, which I was already aware of, is the lack of a physical keyboard. Had the new upcoming DROID 2 been available before it's estimated August launch date, I would have preferred it.

That said, I do like my one month old 3Gs so much, I've ordered an iPhone 4

 

[lakergirl24]

I'm leaving the original blackberry storm, which will always and forever go down as the worst phone in the history of rim, and hopefully I'll be getting my iPhone 4 sometime soon

 

[AbstraKt]

Coming from a 9000, push email is a big deal-breaker for me. Threaded SMS is an added bonus.

Are there any free alternatives to MobileMe seeing as how this feature was included w/my BB?

 

[saintofsteel]

iPhone 4 has made a convert of me, I'm just waiting for a Canada release date, I'm gonna miss my LED indicator though is there truly no better notification system for iPhones?

I totally agree about the indicator. One of the few features that I will miss. That and Auto on/off.

 

[CarolinaDiva]

I made the switch earlier this year from BB to iPhone Now I am waiting for the iPhone 4

 

[nulldog]

I with lakergirl24.
I plan to switch some time soon after the Iphone 4 is available in Canada.

I do not like the way RIM stopped the OS updates on the Storm1. Its like it does not exist anymore.
I am not a fan of keypads on a mobile device and prefer the touchscreen.
And I do not like the wait-state related to using BB apps.
Appworld...= marketing joke.

I love the various themes and notifications for the BB Storm, but this is not enough to keep me as a BB user. The device becomes obsolete before any contract runs out.

Network compatibilty is the final change over factor for me.
Only one Blackberry device works on the Bell HSPA network and its not the Storm 1 or 2.
All of the Apple phones are compatible with Bell's HSPA network.
And I am still waiting to hear of Iphone users having email and/or data disruptions.

I am going to switch to Rogers when I am ready to ditch the Storm 1

 

[LocoStrange]

I made the switch earlier this month, right before they got rid of the "Unlimited" data plan, for the reason alone.

Like others have said, I will miss the red led to notify me of messages and what not. I do miss having a keyboard since its been a hard but good transition to the iphone keyboard. BBM and knowing if they read your txt or not (even tho its a bit stalkerish) was fun. In the end, I still do believe that the blackberry is great business phone, especially when emails was your number one ways of contacting people. But I am now a student and the iphone fits better.

Like again, how others have said, I do not like how RIM ignores the phones that were not released in that year. I bought my Bold 9000 the day it was released and it seemed 6 months later, RIM ignored it like the bastard step child.

 

[bigchamp]

i to left blackberry.i purchased the 9650 but couldnt resist the glamour of the iphone4. gotta give it a shot.hope ill be pleased.we know all know everything that glitters aint gold.

 

[ebedoun]

I made the switch earlier this month, right before they got rid of the "Unlimited" data plan, for the reason alone.

Like others have said, I will miss the red led to notify me of messages and what not. I do miss having a keyboard since its been a hard but good transition to the iphone keyboard. BBM and knowing if they read your txt or not (even tho its a bit stalkerish) was fun. In the end, I still do believe that the blackberry is great business phone, especially when emails was your number one ways of contacting people. But I am now a student and the iphone fits better.

Like again, how others have said, I do not like how RIM ignores the phones that were not released in that year. I bought my Bold 9000 the day it was released and it seemed 6 months later, RIM ignored it like the bastard step child.

even if you would have waited for iPhone4 you can still keep your unlimited data plan. It isn't only iPhone users that are grandfathered in. Anybody with a smartphone is. Pretty happy they are doing it this way. Sucks about the new plans and I wonder how long they will let us keep our unlimited, but I'll be happy to use the unlimited plan on the iPhone4 in 3 days!