[polldaddy poll=1111183][polldaddy poll=1111183]
The time has come. The Grim Reaper is calling my trusted Blackberry 8700. It has been a workhorse over the last couple of years, but in my real estate business I have spun and clicked the thumb-wheel one too many times and it is now permanently pushed in, and wants to select every link I scroll across. I know I can replace the thumb-wheel, and actually took apart an old Blackberry 7100 of mine
that stopped working a couple of years ago to see how it could be done (it needs to be soldered, which
I am not good at), and was quoted $80 for the part and the installation, plus tax. For that amount I am about halfway to the price of new replacement. What I really want (I think at least, since I have not had one in my hands yet) is the upcoming Blackberry Storm.
My questions is do I wait for the new Storm expected to be available in Toronto before Christmas – both Bell and TELUS are already starting to advertise them – but not at my carrier, Rogers. Or, do I buy an iPhone, which I have been lusting after for a while. The drawback to the iPhone is the soft-keyboard that I have demoed and can’t type more than one or two words correctly, and I hear some e-mail functionality is lacking (like not being able to forward messages?). I also use Top Producer to manage my client contact information and the system does not yet have a database application for the iPhone, but they should.
So, should I wait for Rogers to have the Storm (or its next derivative) available sometime next year perhaps (and will my 8700 limp along until then?), or do I buy an iPhone now? I could always switch carriers, and test to see myself if WNP is working properly in Canada (I was the program manager in charge of the national implementation of WNP on March 14, 2007 when I was with PwC, really). I don’t think I want a Blackberry Bold or Curve since they are not really that much different from an applications perspective than my 8700. Now that I am forced to make a change, I might as well jump to the latest full-featured device.
So, I would be interested in getting your response to my poll above.
Thanks!
George
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So last week I finally bought the iPhone. I love it!
George
Still lov’in the iPhone. Just came back from a couple of weeks away on holidays, and attending the Inman Conference in New York, and the more I use the iPhone the more I find it interesting and helpful.
But, I do wish for the following features:
1) Higher res camera with zoom
2) Ability to take video with camera
3) Widescreen keyboard available in all applications (especially e-mail)
4) Cut and paste available across all applications.
The Blackberry is definitely a better e-mail device, but the iPhone is hands-down a more rounded device that can do so much more. Leaving some e-mail functionality on the table when I switched from a Blackberry, has been more than offset by the additional capabilities the iPhone offers. I am pleased overall, and look forward to the software upgrades which should be able to resolve 2 out of 3 items on my fix-list above.
George