Should I switch from Blackberry to iPhone 4 based on this usage...

[Fuzzballz]

I currently have a 2-year-old Blackberry Tour which I'm thinking of trading in for a new Torch. However, I'm wondering if an iPhone would suit me better based on the following (I don't know that much about iPhone email capability):

-I have ~10 email addresses that I check frequently. I use Berrybuzz and different ringtones to help distinguish between them.
-2 of those email accounts are work-related (my own small business).
-All my computers are Windows 7.
-I use BIS, not BES, and use Thunderbird for email on all my computers. I do not use Outlook.
-I would like to sync my calendar with Google Calendar which I do now through my BB and through Thunderbird's Lightning add-on.
-I do not need push capability, 15 minute polling is fine.
-I really want IMAP capability for 1 of my email accounts which I can't get through BIS.
-I never use Gmail. Most of my personal email accounts are through Hotmail & Yahoo.
-I never use BBM but text message a lot.
-I surf the web fairly frequently and find my Tour's browser to be almost unusable.
-I NEED tethering capability (currently use Tether w/ my Tour). Free would be nice
-Wirelessly syncing podcasts from my computer to my phone would be great!
-The app on my BB I use most is Google Maps.
-I had to get an extended battery for my BB because I often use it all day long without being able to charge it.
-I'm on Verizon.
-I have no interest in Android.

Thanks very much! I've never used an iPhone so I don't know much about how it handles email.

It's either upgrade to the touchscreen BB or an iPhone within the next couple of months.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I cant help with all of those but i went from a BB to an iPhone 4 Thru work.
You can have a lot of email addresses.
I dont think you can have separate ring tones per email address. But i am sure theres an app for that. I have not looked. I will say i do miss the separate ring/vibrate settings per email address.
I have 1 Exchange, 1 IMAP, several gmail and several yahoo accts, all work great with iPhone.
The web browser on it is way ahead of the BB. You should like it.
Google Maps will need to be tested. In the past i have heard that Verizon liked to lock down GPS stuff in order to force you to use their products. But that was a while back and i think they have changed how that works, Someone with a Verizon iPhone needs to chime in and fill in that part for me.
Tethering is now capable on iPhone 4 and up.
They make cases with built in batteries for extended power.
The iPhone 4 is great. I also was very happy with the BB9800, and the 9810 is way better. The BBStorm / Storm 2 were huge appointment's for BB devices. Just my opinion.

 

[dndrich]

Gps

Can't answer much about most of the issues, but the GPS is terrific. I had a Palm Pre that Verizon had locked down regarding GPS. iPhone is not like that. GPS is fantastic with any app. Google maps is perfect with GPS. I use MotionX GPS drive for navigation. It is just terrific.

 

[big9erfan]

I currently have a 2-year-old Blackberry Tour which I'm thinking of trading in for a new Torch. However, I'm wondering if an iPhone would suit me better based on the following (I don't know that much about iPhone email capability):

-I have ~10 email addresses that I check frequently. I use Berrybuzz and different ringtones to help distinguish between them.
-2 of those email accounts are work-related (my own small business).
-All my computers are Windows 7.
-I use BIS, not BES, and use Thunderbird for email on all my computers. I do not use Outlook.
-I would like to sync my calendar with Google Calendar which I do now through my BB and through Thunderbird's Lightning add-on.
-I do not need push capability, 15 minute polling is fine.
-I really want IMAP capability for 1 of my email accounts which I can't get through BIS.
-I never use Gmail. Most of my personal email accounts are through Hotmail & Yahoo.
-I never use BBM but text message a lot.
-I surf the web fairly frequently and find my Tour's browser to be almost unusable.
-I NEED tethering capability (currently use Tether w/ my Tour). Free would be nice
-Wirelessly syncing podcasts from my computer to my phone would be great!
-The app on my BB I use most is Google Maps.
-I had to get an extended battery for my BB because I often use it all day long without being able to charge it.
-I'm on Verizon.
-I have no interest in Android.

Thanks very much! I've never used an iPhone so I don't know much about how it handles email.

It's either upgrade to the touchscreen BB or an iPhone within the next couple of months.

-I have ~10 email addresses that I check frequently. I use Berrybuzz and different ringtones to help distinguish between them. - You cannot have different alert sounds per email account at this point in time ( unfortunately ).

-I would like to sync my calendar with Google Calendar which I do now through my BB and through Thunderbird's Lightning add-on. - Syncing with a Google Calendar is easy, and you don't need a PC to do it

- The iPhone browser is great, tethering you can do ( but it's not free, at least not on AT&T, dunno about Verizon ).

- With iOS5 you can wirelessly sync your iPhone.

- There are "battery extenders" for the iPhone.

Hope that helps.

 

[Knocks]

It's interesting that you would consider BlackBerry and iPhone but have no interest in Android. If anything, iOS and Android are the only serious candidates for power users.

 

[anon4705295]

It's interesting that you would consider BlackBerry and iPhone but have no interest in Android. If anything, iOS and Android are the only serious candidates for power users.

Probably because Blackberry works well for power business users* and the iPhone is stable... the iPhone and Android are very similar in business usage but Android just isn't as stable as the iPhone, so you're making a sacrifice there.

*Common opinion that I happen to disagree with heavily, but now's not the time for that rant

 

[Fuzzballz]

yeah, I've played with Android phones and to me they just seem like slightly laggy iPhones. If I'm going to go with a touchscreen phone I want the UI to feel ultra smooth and perfect, and Android doesn't feel perfect to me. It might have a great engine but I've tried enough that I know I have no interest in it, from a purely "feel" standpoint.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[kazmi]

As someone who was a heavy bb user who then shifted to the ip4, I would tell you to try the new bold 9930...with the ip4, you will lose the ability to customize profiles, will not be able to assign and use different email signatures for your different email accounts and not be able to reply to emails and attach files...unless you jail break. While jbing will give you all the above, it might cause your ip4 to become slower and lag or crash sometimes...

just want you to be aware of the pros and cons....

 

[Fuzzballz]

not be able to reply to emails and attach files

What do you mean? You can't attach files to replies or you can't attach files OR reply to emails??

 

[kazmi]

What do you mean? You can attach files to replies or you can't attach files OR reply to emails??

lol..of course you can reply to emails! You cannot however attach a file to it...for instance, you receive a word document..you need to edit it and then resend...you will be able to download it, edit it but not attach it to the same response...you will need to open a fresh 'compose' window (i.e. new email) and then send that file out to the same people....

 

[Knocks]

If you don't like laggy phones, then Blackberry should be the first candidate to get the axe. I've had every Blackberry model for the past 7 years (most recently a Tour 9630 and a Bold 9930), and boy are they slow. Blackberry 7 devices have a better browser and prettier icons, but barely address any of the issues of the previous generation.

So if you're not interested in an Ice Cream Sandwich phone (which are likely to be at least on par with iPhone 4S in terms of "feel"), you only have one other choice available today.

 

[kazmi]

^ I beg to differ about the 9930...I just bought one and set it up for a friend...while it's no iphone4, it beats the pants off any previous bb I have used or seen (and I've been using it from the days of the big blue ones with the track wheels on the side)....the screen too is a pretty decent size which I was surprised about.

It really depends on what the person wants to use it for...since he listed his 'wants', its obvious keeping his 10 email accounts separate and mantaining them (i.e. different email sigs, profile alerts customized for diff contacts etc) would be a high priority..he will need to jail break just to be able to do these two things alone...

 

[Fuzzballz]

(i.e. different email sigs, profile alerts customized for diff contacts etc)

Ok, I don't use email sigs at all, and I hear there's an app that can provide different alerts for different email addresses. Are these the only two email-related things (besides push) that iPhone cannot do that BB can?

Thx again very much.

EDIT:

Here's another question:

Can I send html encoded email on iPhone? On BB when I want to send a clickable link it's impossible--text only.


thanks again.

 

[Seven77]

I went from a blackberry bold 9650 to a iPhone 4. I'll never go BB again, unless they eventually step more into power user consumers. Jail breaking allows you more control over iOS. I'm able to tether for free on Verizon wireless, though I'm sure it's against their ToS and voids your warranty. However you can just restore back to stock. =)

Right now there are only tethered (ios 5) for iPhone 4. I believe there is no JB currently for iPhone 4S. Hear there will be one available soon enough.

Browsing experience on a iOS device is amazing. Same with display.

 

[kazmi]

Ok, I don't use email sigs at all, and I hear there's an app that can provide different alerts for different email addresses. Are these the only two email-related things (besides push) that iPhone cannot do that BB can?

Thx again very much.

EDIT:

Here's another question:

Can I send html encoded email on iPhone? On BB when I want to send a clickable link it's impossible--text only.


thanks again.

The iphone does its own iteration of push...in the sense that it's an exchange account even though you don't have an actual exchange server....the account is set up as an exchange account...Now if you use two separate google apps email accounts for work, only one will be configured as push since the mail server is the same....

but I digress...to answer your question, yes, those are the two main things that matter (to me at least). There also is that one issue about emailing attachments - again, if you don't use that too often, not a biggie. You will get a lot more functionality with jail breaking but I would say that you need to first use it with the factory settings and then consider jb only if you need it to do more....I experienced tremendous lag when I was jail broken so when I upgraded to iOS5, I kept it as is....works great!

It can definitely send html encoded email - links will appear as clickable to the recipient.

Let me/us know if you have any other questions