Hello from a new forum member

[billfisher]

Hello to everyone. I just joined this forum because I am a long-time BlackBerry user (currently a Bold 9650) wanting to learn more about Iphones because I am thinking about getting the same phones for both my wife and me and since a few of my kids have Iphones and seem to love them I am looking into getting Iphones, probably the new 4S or maybe wait and see what next year's model may have. I am also a long-time Sprint user and since Sprint now is getting the Iphone I want to know more.

I am impressed with what I am reading about the new Iphone 4S, but my question to any former BlackBerry owners who have switched recently to Iphones--are you happy you switched? Why would I want to switch to an Iphone instead of say, the new BlackBerry 9930?

I will greatly appreciate any thoughtful responses. Thank you for any assistance.

 

[JohnnyApple]

Hey Bill, welcome to the site.

I will tell you about my first experience when I switched from a BB to an iPhone. I was a bit unimpressed with the email integration and notification system. However, iOS5 has come a long way since that first time.

The email is still superior (for speed) on the Blackberry system... assuming we aren't comparing it to Storms which are terrible.

The notifications are now on par with Blackberry.

If email is your primary use, you'll probably grow a bit frustrated with it comparatively. However, everything else is superior. The apps ecosystem is the real selling point for the iPhone though. There really is a high quality app for everything you can think of.

 

[iDude]

Welcome aboard! I think you'll find the Apple eco-system is so much larger then with blackberry. If all you do is voice/email/txt and basic functions on the phone, the Blackberry is a good device. If your wanting to do more with your phone iPhone or Android is the way to go.

 

[Quicksilver7714]

Welcome to the forum Bill. As Johnnie pointed out BlackBerrys are better for heavy eamil users but the iPhone is superior in many other ways. For example the ability to easily brows the web and text. It might take you a little while to get used to a touch screen but in the end I think it is far superior to the most physical keyboards.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[billfisher]

Thank you. I appreciate the thoughtful replies so far.

Quicksilver7714: I notice your response came via a DROIDX (one of my sons has one of those). In your opinion how does the iPhone 4S compare to the Droid? I ask for the following couple of reasons: 1) my wife has an Android-based HTC EVO 4G Shift and I don't find it all that impressive and she has struggled with it; and 2) because I have read several places that the Android operating system is superior to Apple's iOS. What is your thought?

 

[Quicksilver7714]

While I don't have my iPhone 4S in hand I have spent quits some time with the iPhone 4. I like both platforms but the uniformity in apples iOS is a strong point. Yes there is only one iPhone but it makes it infinitely easier to have apps work with less problems. I do how ever love my Droid X. But with Android being so divided sometimes not all apps work 100% flawlessly. I don't get many "Force Closes", maybe one per week, and I use the crap out of my phone. Sometimes I am on it 5-6 hours per day.

I do how ever get great battery life with moderate usage. As I am certain that I could kill the iPhone 4S battery in under 6 hours with my heavy usage just like I can with my Droid.

I would like to not that I am Rooted. I did not need to root for any reason related to performance problems as I always leave my phone stock for at least a month or two. But I rooted for the ability to have more controls of the system. In doing so I like to over/under clock the CPU speed and undervolt the processor as well. When doing the previous I can have great effect on the battery of the phone. Curretly I am underclocked from the stock CPU clock speed of 1000Mhz to only 800Mhz. I have seen only a minuscule reduction in performance but my battery life has gone up significantly. I also enjoy customs system.setups, or ROMs, and themes. The prior can offer better speed and stability over the stock OS and it can even add some features that were locked by the carrier or not included in general. **Please not that the features are modifyed from already included hardware/software.** The latter will offer me more choices in how my screen layouts look.

Now with iOS most things are just given. Great battery life with out the need to jailbreak and smooth performing software. But you have less choices when it comes to the specs and look of the phone because there is only one device running iOS and that's the iPhone. I love the fact that the iPhone just works. Now I can't say I will keep my Droid or the iPhone but they both offer great gains in the world of smartphones.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[VTR]

G'day & welcome to the forum!!!

 

[billfisher]

Thank you for the explanation Quicksilver. One more question--I am not familiar with the term "jailbreak" as applied to smartphones--what does it mean, please.

Thanks again,
Bill F