Is Making the Big Switch From BlackBerry to iPhone 4 Worth It?
Making the big switch from BlackBerry to iPhone wasn’t easy for me. The thought of getting a touchscreen phone was daunting, I’ve heard stories about people’s screens packing up on their phones. So here’s me thinking having a touchscreen phone without the touch is not the way forward.
So about 2 years ago I opted out of getting an iPhone or any touchscreen phone and got my hands on the BlackBerry Bold 9000.
Fast forward to today: I love my BlackBerry Bold. Yeah it’s big, wide and the camera isn’t the best, but I found it was ideal for me in every way, and here’s why:
The Build
It is solid, which meant I didn’t have to worry about being ‘fragile’ about it. I could throw it around a bit and not worry too much. The leather back casing was very elegant and a slick touch which felt good against my hands. The overall build and style of this model made the other BlackBerry’s look cheap and plastic.
Communication on the go
I’m always on the go, so with this device I could use email and BlackBerry Messenger for instant contact with friends, family and business clients. For socialising I had Twitter and Facebook apps as well as the ‘normal’ phone call and SMS / MMS.
Calendar
Running my own business the calendar was perfect for me to organise my time, which believe me I use religiously.
Full QWERTY Keyboard
Here’s where the BlackBerry gets the main ‘Brucey bonus points’. The full qwerty keyboard is easy to use and with a short time can turn even the most awkward typer to a hyper text writing maniac. The buttons are slightly bigger on this model compared to other BlackBerry’s, which makes all the difference.
A soon as my contract ended I was happy to keep my BlackBerry Bold and carry on but friend Jmwob was always going on about how his iPhone “changed his life” and that it can do this and that, and how he just downloaded this new app that can….(this is where I stopped listening and switched off) but you get the portrait.
I had to see what the fuss is about and whether it lived up to the hype. So I bit the bullet for breakfast and ordered it. I ordered the iPhone 4. The Big Daddy.
As soon as I got the delivery I was excited and just in awe of the box and the packaging alone. The little details in the packaging illustrates the perfect fine detail and effort gone into this product – it wasn’t just another phone thrown into a box with a charger, it felt like I had just purchased part of the brand and was in for an experience.
With no messing about I got the new micro SIM registered, the phone charged and going – which was easy as counting to 3 (I only have 3 fingers)
Screen
When putting the phone on, I was instantly impressed with the clarity and screen quality. The screen is clearer than my TV, seriously mind-blowing; it’s the first thing you notice. Apple has definitely raised the bar by having this. Just writing a text message or surfing the net is a HD experience.
Touchscreen
Ok, so I said I didn’t like touchscreens, but this one is different. The touch sensitivity on this phone is very responsive to your every finger movement. It is the best touchscreen out there and very hard not to love how easy it makes things.
Aesthetics
The phone looks slick. No doubt about it, it’s thinner, less heavy and flatter than the BlackBerry Bold and still has a feel of quality about it. I won’t be throwing this around in hurry though.
Complete ease
The Apple iPhone 4 goes to extra lengths to make sure you don’t overwork. It makes things so effortless: Surfing the Internet, YouTube, gaming, whatever you want.
For example:
If you are a BlackBerry owner you will know that you have the facility to access YouTube, but how much of a head ache is it to load up the browser up, load up YouTube, load up the video, stream / buffer it and wait. The same experience is unbelievably easier and faster on iPhone 4 with much more options available. Literally one touch, and your on the YouTube landing page. Another touch you’re playing a video – as soon as you load what movie you want, it’s playing. No messing about. No streaming or buffering (depending on your signal etc.) It just makes the whole experience less effort and much more enjoyable that you will go back and do it more often. Put it this way, it’s so easy to use even someone who is not tech-savvy or from an older generation can use it.
Entertainment
When they say it’s another world of Apps, it truly is. Each comes with a full descriptive summary, reviews, ratings and a reporting option. There is something for just about everything and everybody. The Apps let you transform your phone into a comic book, a novel, a games machine, a laptop or whatever else is available. You’ll never be bored.
Facetime
The first time I tried Facetime, the whole experience simultaneously felt amazing and weird. The fact that you’re speaking and seeing someone on the move is fantastic. I was speaking to my friend Smwob and showing him around my house! Incredible.
The strength of your Wi-Fi will determine the lag and clarity of the experience but when I did it – the screen was very clear and there was no lag speaking to my budd on the other side of the city. Seriously mind-blowing: a small sign of future technology to come.
Overall Thoughts
So for now – the BlackBerry is packed up in it’s box and I’m waiting on my free iPhone case to be shipped out from Apple. I know others may have had different experiences, this is just my personal experience and what I had to go through when making the switch from Bold to iPhone.
So did I regret signing up for the iPhone 4? So far, nope. 24 months down the line from now my views may be different and I’m sure there are loads more things to find out, good and bad – like getting used to the touch keyboard but I know one thing, I’m gonna have good time while doing. This is only the beginning of journey. Look out for another post coming soon and see how I’m getting on.
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