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The Kitchen Table

Blackberries and IPhones...why are they better than cell phones?

15 years ago

I have a cell phone that can take photos, send photos, receive photos and more. I can also send and receive text messages. I can also surf the 'net (but I choose not to, due to a monthly fee).

What is it about a Blackberry that makes it better than a cell phone? Seriously, I do not understand.

And why is an IPhone better than a cell phone?

Thanks for the explanation.

Rose

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Comments (10)

jennmonkey
15 years ago
Internet access! They also double as MP3 players so you can have all your music on there too, or watch movies. It's like a phone/computer/iPod in one.
iowagirl2006
15 years ago
We don't have AT&T around here so we can't use iPhones - but man they are cool! LOL! That may have a lot to do with it, Rosemary.

I can't remember what kind of phone DH has, but it is not a Blackberry - but it steers his tractor! No kidding!!

It has software loaded on it that connects to the RTK network - then it works with the guidance system on the tractor (or sprayer or combine - whatever he has it hooked up to at the time) and steers it through the fields.

Cool huh? I think so!
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Weirdly enough, everyone I know IRL who has an iPhone has dropped it in the toilet. One person I know has done so twice. I gave him the belt clip with the retractable "leash" that sticks onto the phone for his birthday. :-) It made me wonder how many iPhone insurance claims are for dropping them into toilets! DH lost his fancy-schmancy Verizon phone a couple of years ago and was sent a pretty bashed-up refurb as a replacement. It was one of the touch-screen models and the replacement's screen was all scratched up, but when he raised a stink they sent out another one RDQ. Still a refurb but in basically mint condition. (He's very good at being so politely nasty that you don't realize you've been handed your @$$ on a plate until you feel a draft in your pants.) It doesn't bother me that the replacement is a refurb if the one it's replacing has been in use for a certain period of time, as long as it's in good condition - it's when a NEW phone (or computer - do you hear me Dell? - or some such thing) is defective right out of the box and they try to replace it with an obvious refurb that I get cranky. Sprint used to be notorious for that. I think it makes sense to carry insurance on the expensive smartphones, Blackberries, etc. but not on the plain-Jane ones. For the same amount as the annual insurance charge on my phone I could just go buy another one that's good enough for my needs - I don't need texting, Web access, music, or all those "extras", which generally translates out to much less expensive phones and sometimes even freebie handmedowns when people you know upgrade. :-)
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Debby, I'm sure you'll get a lot of use and enjoyment from your new phone, have at it!. Sometimes phones are like new cars, the excitement and joy they generate alone are worth the price paid. As a reasonably capable tech user who serves as tech support for both Apple and non-Apple products in the family, it's my view that hardware differences are few. With one exception - Apple has always emphasized hardware and software for exceptional media capabilities in Macs, iPads and iPhones. In a household with a variety of Apple "stuff", it all coordinates and works together seamlessly. Apple's software stresses ease and simplicity of use, being cool and lots of sizzle. People love Apple products more than owners of competitive products. Are the differences real or imagined? Non-Apple products usually have the same capabilities - an example is that when an app developer produces an IOS app, there will also be an Android version and vice-versa. So saying - "my iPhone will do ......" is usually not something that's unique, unless talking about a media item. In the camera department, as an example, one Motorola model has a Hasselblad attachment. Is it as good or as flexible as an iPhone. Or better? I don't know, but it's just an example of what's commonly possible. With battery life, the Apple 11 Pro has a battery of about 3100mAh. The last Moto phone I had had a 4000mAh battery. Even at nearly 3 years old when I replaced it, it lasted a full two days with fairly heavy use, 3-4 with lighter use. As with most things, we all have our preferences. What is common is that so many of the newest tech gadgets and capability are fun and extremely useful and make one wonder how we lived without them before.
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stephmc72
15 years ago
You mean Crackberry? LOL...people that have blackberries say they're like crack...addicting.

With that said, I have one and feel pretty lost without it. For me, what sets it apart is mostly the email function. I get all my email in real time and I dont have to log on to a website to get it. It goes straight to my phone and notifies me. I love it. And I have full internet access too. Very handy!
nikki_nj
15 years ago
iPhone- The screen size & touch display. Besides internet & email, mp3,video & photos you can store there's the applications. It comes loaded with some like weather, GPS, calendar, Notes, etc. But there's a million different ones you can d/l. Everything from games to maps, health trackers, virtual to do lists that you check off, alarms, budget tracking, you name it.

It's way cool :)
okwriter
15 years ago
Gee, having the Internet and email would be great...but I'm only gone from home a few hours a week. And I wouldn't know an MP3 from an R2D2.

I do think they look cool, but I can't justify getting one, especially since we live in the boonies. That 3G (or whatever it is) speed they advertise does NOT exist here...from what people tell me.
lynn_d
15 years ago
I got my blackberry about a year ago and have to say that tho I never even wanted a cell phone, I would be so lost without it. I love the email, that is primarily why I got it. I have 3 email accounts that I need to access regularly, this way they follow me no matter where I am. For a busy person, or a business person, it is a real handy piece of technology.
Mystical Manns
15 years ago
I got my first Blackberry about a month ago, and I'm liking it! My phones have accessed emails for years, so that part's not new, but the ease of using this phone is what has sold me. I am technically challenged, you might say. My son (who has never had a Blackberry) helps me set up the functions, and then it's just a click of a button to do whatever I want.

What I won't like about the Blackberry if I'm laid off from work (where they pay for my cellphone usage), is that, in addition to the monthly charge for minutes, there is an extra fee for accessing your emails. Something like $30 a month to access the Blackberry server? Right now I don't have to pay that because of my Zero Dollars plan. Is that fee with any phone company?
stephmc72
15 years ago
When I got my Blackberry, the cost of my monthly bill went up by about $50 due to the email/internet functions.
lynn_d
15 years ago
I think the big difference is that the emails download as soon as they arrive, and they do so automatically. I do love that because so much of my business is time sensitive. I'm not sure about the charges, Stoney, but I would think they are all pretty similar. I'm with Verizon and have unlimited usage of email, internet, text and phone. I think I pay about $160.
jannie
15 years ago
I have an LG from Verizon. My daughter had a Blackberry but didn't like it. She now has a Sidekick which is only available thru T Mobile.

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