My first 50 days with my iPhone 4S.

[DZD]

I?ve had a Blackberry since around 2003 progressing through different models up until my most recent 9800 Torch. I also bought my wife the original iPhone when they first came out so I?ve tried her phone every now and then. I?ve always thought of the iPhone as the consumer phone ? simple, easy, pretty but not quite as ?serious? as my business focused blackberry. As time has passed and as the ability to do everything via a cell phone progressed; it seemed that the iPhone excelled in that area compared to the blackberry. I was so excited when OS 5 for the blackberry came out, then OS6 always with the promise that the surfing or apps would be as good as the, ahem, iPhone.

Fast forward to this year, I work for a Software company that acquired another company that primarily uses apple products ? boy was I smitten ? the iMacs, the MacBook Airs, the iPhones all so beautiful and they worked! I really thought they wouldn?t scale to enterprise use but I was surprised. In my role I had the opportunity to get an iPhone ? so I decided what the heck ? I never thought of myself as a consumer user ? I thought I?d just do calls, emails, you know ? real work ? let?s see how the iPhone stacks up.

Then I got her ? a beautiful black piece of glass and metal jewelry ? first observation ? holy crap ? I need to be careful with it ? with my blackberries ? I was never as concerned ? mind you I?m a fairly careful person ? I don?t drop phones, bang them, etc., but I never liked having cases ? I like phones naked.  Not so with the iPhone- I couldn?t find a case that was minimalist enough so I got a default case (from defaultcase.com) that just covers the side and back.

As I started to use the phone I noticed all the things it didn?t have or couldn?t do ? no LED notification (I actually had an app that assigned different colors to different contacts), no sound profiles, no ability to attach from an email ? heck, on the blackberry, if you take a picture you have a menu option to post it on Facebook straight away ? not with the iPhone ? you have to go to Facebook first. No Bedside mode, no sound profiles, no blah, blah, blah.

But as I used it ? I grew more and more fond of it ? not only was the UI and design simple and, yes, beautiful ? but I realized that the overall user experience was also simple. Now to gadget geeks like us that sounds like we?re being limited ? but the truth is if there is only way to do something, the underlying code is simpler and higher quality and supporting users is probably easier as there is only on way to do it.

Then I discovered the apps ? damn ? I had no idea ? I mean I did ? but I didn?t ? I?m not a gamer, I don?t download a bunch of entertainment apps but I love Flipboard, Mint (if you don?t know what mint.com is I strongly recommend it); Netflix (on the blackberry it was blocked as it thought I was in Canada); I also played with a few camera apps ? speaking of the camera ? it?s a very good quality and with the 4S and 5.x it?s quick.

Am I happy with the iPhone? Absolutely ? I now understand what they mean when they talk about the eco system ? to put it another way ? I stepped over to the dark side and I don?t think I?m going back.

Thanks for reading ? I hope this provided some value to some of you ? now I?ve got to get back to Words with Friends.

 

[kshen1]

glad to hear that you like your iPhone

 

[Kristy_Lyn]

Great post. Most people make the switch and never look back!

 

[Cleveland]

Welcome to the dark side, glad you love your iPhone

 

[noaim]

I’ve had a Blackberry since around 2003 progressing through different models up until my most recent 9800 Torch. I also bought my wife the original iPhone when they first came out so I’ve tried her phone every now and then. I’ve always thought of the iPhone as the consumer phone – simple, easy, pretty but not quite as “serious” as my business focused blackberry. As time has passed and as the ability to do everything via a cell phone progressed; it seemed that the iPhone excelled in that area compared to the blackberry. I was so excited when OS 5 for the blackberry came out, then OS6 always with the promise that the surfing or apps would be as good as the, ahem, iPhone.

Fast forward to this year, I work for a Software company that acquired another company that primarily uses apple products – boy was I smitten – the iMacs, the MacBook Airs, the iPhones all so beautiful and they worked! I really thought they wouldn’t scale to enterprise use but I was surprised. In my role I had the opportunity to get an iPhone – so I decided what the heck – I never thought of myself as a consumer user – I thought I’d just do calls, emails, you know – real work – let’s see how the iPhone stacks up.

Then I got her – a beautiful black piece of glass and metal jewelry – first observation – holy crap – I need to be careful with it – with my blackberries – I was never as concerned – mind you I’m a fairly careful person – I don’t drop phones, bang them, etc., but I never liked having cases – I like phones naked. ? Not so with the iPhone- I couldn’t find a case that was minimalist enough so I got a default case (from defaultcase.com) that just covers the side and back.

As I started to use the phone I noticed all the things it didn’t have or couldn’t do – no LED notification (I actually had an app that assigned different colors to different contacts), no sound profiles, no ability to attach from an email – heck, on the blackberry, if you take a picture you have a menu option to post it on Facebook straight away – not with the iPhone – you have to go to Facebook first. No Bedside mode, no sound profiles, no blah, blah, blah.

But as I used it – I grew more and more fond of it – not only was the UI and design simple and, yes, beautiful – but I realized that the overall user experience was also simple. Now to gadget geeks like us that sounds like we’re being limited – but the truth is if there is only way to do something, the underlying code is simpler and higher quality and supporting users is probably easier as there is only on way to do it.

Then I discovered the apps – damn – I had no idea – I mean I did – but I didn’t – I’m not a gamer, I don’t download a bunch of entertainment apps but I love Flipboard, Mint (if you don’t know what mint.com is I strongly recommend it); Netflix (on the blackberry it was blocked as it thought I was in Canada); I also played with a few camera apps – speaking of the camera – it’s a very good quality and with the 4S and 5.x it’s quick.

Am I happy with the iPhone? Absolutely – I now understand what they mean when they talk about the eco system – to put it another way – I stepped over to the dark side and I don’t think I’m going back.

Thanks for reading – I hope this provided some value to some of you – now I’ve got to get back to Words with Friends.

Now you can see why it frustrates iPhone users when blackberry users say its nothing but a toy. I get plenty of business done on my iPhone happy your enjoying it!


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

 

[DaPhoneking]

Blackberry? What's this "Blackberry" you speak of?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LSglock89]

I had a Bold 9650...decided to try and iPhone since VZW got them. Upgraded to the iP4...had it a few months...kinda got bored...then the flagship BB came out...the Bold 9900/9930, I decided to get that and realized how much I missed the iPhone. Got a killer deal on a iP4 32gb...waiting for an upgrade in Feb to get the 4S

 

[ashu44]

Blackberry Bold 9650 is also a very good phone but if you want to buy i phone then buy the i phone because i think iphone is much better then blackberry .

 

[angelinajohn]

I decided to get that and realized how much I missed the iPhone. Got a killer deal on a iP4 32gb...waiting for an upgrade in Feb to get the 4S

 

[leharris22]

I had always been a BB user, as well. But I wanted a change and now I love my iPhone. I've really turned into a gamer and I love that I don't have to do battery pulls or worry about an app messing slowing down my phone. Overall, I just <3 iPhone. Glad you're enjoying your device!

 

[DANNCAS]

Dvd good post

I'm miss the BB at times. But not ready to jump the shark. Not a Gamer ,Facebook, or twitter person either.

 

[jakeless.123]

I had a Bold 9650...decided to try and iPhone since VZW got them. Upgraded to the iP4...had it a few months...kinda got bored...then the flagship BB came out...the Bold 9900/9930, I decided to get that and realized how much I missed the iPhone. Got a killer deal on a iP4 32gb...waiting for an upgrade in Feb to get the 4S

If u have the 4 and you get an upgrade in Feb...you should just wait it out a few more months and get the 5 or whatever they call it. Granted the 4S is really sweet, but it's just a slight bump coming from the 4. Do what u want, but I would wait.



Sent from my iPhone communication device using Tapatalk

 

[DZD]

Another thing I love about the iPhone -

On my blackberry, I would use the headset or bluetooth streaming to listen to my music or Pandora. When I would get out of the car (or disable the bluetooth), the music would stop - then awhile later (in the elevator or in a meeting) this music would start playing and I would think - "Hey - I was just listening to that in my car - what a coincidence" - then I'd realize the music was coming from me and I looked (and sounded) like a dork.

With the iPhone - you unplug the headset or disconnect bluetooth and the player stops - it doesn't start again later on - it doesn't keep playing - it stops. Simple. Elegant. And it works!

What a great phone (music player, personal assistant. et al).

 

[thebignewt#IM]

Good post. I don't have an iPhone (yet), but I got an iMac after years of Windows and I'm going to the dark side too. My wife has an iPhone 4S and she loves it, she doesn't use it for as many things as I do my android. I too had a BB for 3+ years and liked them very much. Next year I'll jump on an iPhone, but my HTC Incredible is pretty sweet too.

 

[_heatherly]

Another thing I love about the iPhone -

On my blackberry, I would use the headset or bluetooth streaming to listen to my music or Pandora. When I would get out of the car (or disable the bluetooth), the music would stop - then awhile later (in the elevator or in a meeting) this music would start playing and I would think - "Hey - I was just listening to that in my car - what a coincidence" - then I'd realize the music was coming from me and I looked (and sounded) like a dork.

With the iPhone - you unplug the headset or disconnect bluetooth and the player stops - it doesn't start again later on - it doesn't keep playing - it stops. Simple. Elegant. And it works!

What a great phone (music player, personal assistant. et al).

LOVE you pointed this out. I had that problem with my BlackBerry too. I'd be listening to music in my car, unplug it to go inside the house or my office and if I hit the "lock" button (which was also the "Pause" and "Play" button for the music player) the music would start up! Very annoying to have to go back into my BlackBerry and manually close down the music player to make sure I accidentally didn't start playing music randomly. Absolutely love that the iPhone stops the music completely when I unplug it from either a headset or my car adapter.

To the OP, yes the phone is absolutely beautiful. I, too, don't like to use cases but I feel it's too pretty to cover up. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect iPhone case that doesn't cover up how beautiful the device is. Very nice hardware. iOS 5 is top-notch as well. So smooth and fluid, never any hang-ups.

 

[gern blanston]

I?ve always thought of the iPhone as the consumer phone ? simple, easy, pretty but not quite as ?serious? as my business focused blackberry.

? I never thought of myself as a consumer user ? I thought I?d just do calls, emails, you know ? real work ? let?s see how the iPhone stacks up.

I'm glad that you talked about the "real work" misconception. As a long time Mac user, I've had to suffer through the "you can't do 'real work' on a Mac" comments. It's nice to hear that someone who's held that idea realize that Apple products can handle the "serious" stuff, too.

 

[nat750]

I carry both a Blackberry (main phone) & iPhone 4 which does everything else (including the odd call & text) im just too scared to ditch the BlackBerry. I really should just use the iPhone on its own for a month. I dont think the BlackBerry would get used again. I seriously cant live without my iPhone 4 & iPad 4 & when im tethering from phone to iPad i just look to the sky & smile & say a little thank you to Steve Jobs (though he wont be happy they are both Jailbroke).

 

[Young Money]

I was on the same boat as you OP; thinking that the only phone for a business person was a blackberry and that iPhones where made solely for "entertainment" only. Now that I have the iPhone I find myself relying on it for all my business needs. From email, to taking debit/cc payments, to basic account tracking, the iPhone really is a "business" phone, plus when I get bored I get to throw birds at pigs haha!

 

[kazmi]

I think that one can definitely use the iphone for business but from personal experience, the bb renders itself better to the business envoronment. I don't mean to start a flame war or anything like that - I was an avid BB user who converted to the ip4 in April and havent looked back since. But I do miss the profiles, bbm (especially to keep in touch with international users/family), email and specifically attachment capabilities. Majority of the people won't think these are too important to merit going back to the bb but for me, I'm seriously contemplating it.

 

[leharris22]

Each device has its stereotypical user, but I think devices really cross demographics these days. BB isn't just for business users, and iPhone can be utilized by professionals. The only real 'business' use of the BB that I truly miss is sound profiles. I find email to be much better on the iPhone.