BlackBerry vs iPhone

If you are not yet the proud owner of a smartphone and considering becoming one, the choice between a BlackBerry and an iPhone can be quite a difficult one, but comparing different features and applications can make it rather simple.

If the size of your phone is a deciding factor, it would be necessary to consider that BlackBerrys are larger than your average mobile phone, and would not fit comfortably into a standard pocket, whereas the iPhone slides into a pocket comfortably.

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The screens of the two phones also vary in size, and could affect your final decision. The iPhone’s screen takes up an entire side of the phone, due to it having a touch screen with a virtual keypad. This is advantageous if you plan on watching videos and browsing the internet with a large screen, but the Blackberry provides a more comfortable typing experience with its full QWERTY keyboard, and so screen space had to be sacrificed.

Both iPhones and Blackberrys provide a GPS application for driving, however only Blackberrys support the Drive Safe.ly application that reads out e-mails when activated, providing a safer driving experience by giving the user the option to not read their messages while driving. Both phones’ GPS is rather slow when in motion, when getting turn by turn directions, but there is software that can be downloaded when using a Blackberry to speed this up.

iPhones and Blackberrys both have similar camera functions and battery power, but differ in the internet browsing and e-mail departments. Blackberrys are very good for browsing for information, but the trackball can make browsing difficult and takes some time to get used to, whereas when using an iPhone, browsing flows quite easily, and the larger screen is a plus.

When it comes to e-mailing from your smartphone however, the Blackberry trumps the iPhone every time. With a Blackberry, you are able to open and edit documents, but iPhones will not allow any editing. The Blackberry’s QWERTY keyboard also makes typing e-mails easier and saves time, and it can be connected to your computer as a modem.

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Blackberrys and iPhones both have their separate networks where applications can be easily found and downloaded either for a small fee, or for no cost at all. On iPhones, one of the smarter applications, the Genius feature, recognises your previously downloaded applications, and recommends applications that might appeal to you as they are available.
However, one of the most popular Blackberry applications is BlackBerry Messenger, which allows BlackBerry users to connect and share any type of media and information instantly for free, and can work anywhere and at any time. This was one of the more select features of BlackBerry, and resulted in less people using Mxit, but it has lost its exclusivity due to WhatsApp, an application that most phones can download which is very similar to BlackBerry Messenger.

Both of these smartphones are very efficient, but both have small differences that make them stand out more for different people, depending on their lifestyle. The choice between the two all depends on what you are looking for in a phone, and how you hope to use it on a daily basis, but both a BlackBerry and an iPhone would make an excellent choice for anyone.

***Nicole Rodel is not a tech or smartphone expert. This column is her opinion.