01-22-2012, 03:00 PM

I have used a BB for 2 years and am thinking about moving to the iPhone in March. Tell me can the iPhone sync notes to Entourage or Outlook? I use the BB notes app often and need the notes to sync both ways. Also what are the advantages and disadvantages of each device? My BB has worked well and does not crash. I do not have many problems with it neither. Oftentimes do ppl tell me BB horror stories, but they are worthless to me as my BB does not have the problems often in these stories.


John

01-23-2012, 01:57 AM

Well, I had a BB - (hope you mean Black Berry) for years before making the switch a few years ago.

IMHO, you cannot compare the two. In terms of design, functionality, speed, performance and ease of use, the iPhone wins hands down. The iPhone will support all mail, contacts etc. when you sync.
Not sure about notes as I don't use my phone for that...I would imagine it would though.

Does the iPhone crash? well i suppose it may do, but as would any electronic device. my BB did, but nothing that could not be sorted with a quick reset..

The only problem I found with switching was getting the contacts from the sim to the iPhone as you need to have a micro sim, so you have to manually input them again. I suspect there are programs that enable this to be done quicker..

Good luck

01-23-2012, 02:29 AM

Yeah, this is a bit like comparing a scooter to a minivan. Scooters are awesome if that's all you need, but if needs change, scooters can be completely unacceptable.

Looking at Apple's support pages, it would seem that it does fully support syncing with Outlook, including notes. MS doesn't make Entourage anymore so I can't tell you anything about what might have synced or not synced.

Outlook and Exchange syncing is a big part of why the iPhone and iPad have been so popular with corporations. Ninety percent of the Fortune 500 are using or at least testing iOS devices, there's no way that would be happening if they didn't support Exchange and/or Outlook for Mac.

Other than some surface comparisons (they both do phone, email and a few other services), there's not much comparison between an iPhone and your standard-issue BB. You should definitely spend a little time "playing" with the iPhone in a store to see if you think it will be right for you.

01-23-2012, 05:18 AM

BB or RIM are on the slide. The CEO has just fallen on his sword. I've had a Curve and TBH it's like comparing chalk and cheese.

Apart from some email differences (probably not know) and the qwerty keyboard, BB's aren't much fun at all. The camera is awful, the screen and icons are barely discernible and the rollerball/thumbwheel or whatever it is now can be very temperamental.

I think in the medium to long term the BB format will be old hat.

01-23-2012, 02:54 PM

I went from iPhone 3 to BB Bold to Torch and now back with the iPhone 4s. All I can say is that iPhone wins hands down. I went from my first iPhone to BlackBerry because of its superior email capability. Now I find the 4s is (almost) as good. The iPhone is just the complete package. It does the lot! I used to say the iPhone is a computer with a phone and the BlackBerry a phone with a computer. As soon as I got my 4s I wondered why I ever strayed to BlackBerry.

iPhone all day everyday!

01-23-2012, 03:44 PM

I have been on a BB with work. We use Exchange and BES and they are flawless for us. The only issues I have to deal with on the BB's are user issues where they have dropped it, sat on it, dunked it... I still have a BB for work - they wont authorize iOS devices for email. There isnt anything wrong with BB's. They do what they are intended. The mess-ups, as with most devices, are generally user-based. And I support 1200 users across 3 offices in the region - we have over 50k users world-wide with at least 25k BB's in use.

I got my iPhone, and I have a personal Exchange server I use (for the last 6 years) for my email, contact, notes, calendar. Works flawlessly. My iPhone and iPad and MBP at home all stay sync'd up easily. I recently (using GMail's Exchange functions) set my parent's iPad, iPhone and Windows 7 computers up to all sync.

01-23-2012, 04:57 PM

Thankfully we were able to ditch the work BBerry phones and go to the iPhone if we felt like it in late 2011. I was an iPhone user for my personal cell, and so the switch was not hard to make.

The only thing that I would say is the need to be more "careful" with the phone becomes apparent with some users. I have never broken one, but I know a few people who have dropped theirs. Using it more (combining both personal and work use) just leads to more instances in which it might get damaged. Quite frankly, if you are careful and don't have clumsy moments, it's probably never going to be a concern.

01-23-2012, 05:23 PM

I could do all I wanted with my BB once I got my head round the PC software. Now I have an iPhone and it all just happens. My email accounts were set up on the phone without having to think about POP, IMAP, SMTP, etc, email, contacts, calender syncs between my iMac, MacBook, phone and wife's phone and Mac without any issues. Notes sync without me ever setting anything up and its never crashed. My only issue is battery life.

01-23-2012, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by AndyClift

My only issue is battery life.

Yeah, I keep a charger at the office and my car has a 110 power outlet in it as well.

01-24-2012, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by Dave M

I used to say the iPhone is a computer with a phone and the BlackBerry a phone with a computer.

Succinctly put!

02-04-2012, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by BrianLeFevre

You can forget about saving attachments in your e-mails, forget about saving pdf files from a website, forget about intelligent support. I-Phone is absolutely incapable of doing it, Apple doesn't care about it and if you use it for business you better get a mobile hotspot to be able to call into your mail server.

Hmm.. The people on the BB site say that BB is better than iPhone.

BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900/9930 or iPhone 4S? - BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com

I am still not sure if I will be moving to a BB Bold or a iPhone 4S.

02-04-2012, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by evangelist6589

Hmm.. The people on the BB site say that BB is better than iPhone.

BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900/9930 or iPhone 4S? - BlackBerry Forums at CrackBerry.com

I am still not sure if I will be moving to a BB Bold or a iPhone 4S.

I actually like my iphone a lot more than my BB. My problem is that iphone does not allow anyone to save file attachments in their emails without adding another restrictive app that is limiting. I need to save ANY file name, not just what Apple wants me to be able to save using one of the apps they bless.

02-04-2012, 09:07 PM

As someone who has had just about every incarnation of the Blackberry over the past 6 years - I cannot wait for the day I get to smash the one I have now - that day will be Feb 14 - my last day at my current job. My primary complaint is that every time I want to use it - I mean every time - I have to wait for the little spinning clock for anywhere between 5 -35 seconds before I can, make a call, read an e-mail, etc. That may seem trivial at first - until it's EVERY single time. Now - part of that can probably be attributed to the additional security SW my company (and other companies similar to the one I work for) impose on the blackberry - but still - just makes you want to throw it at the wall.

I've had at least 3 blackberries that if you didn't set it down gently on the table - it would reboot - each and EVERY time. Sent two back - then realized it just didn't matter. Oh the reboot? About 10 minutes - and I am not exaggerating in the slightest - in fact, it might be longer than that.

So - for me - iPhone vs Blackberry - it's not even close.

The Outlook sync isn't available right now (at least I don't think) - but hopefully it will eventually come back - I forget the details. Of course you can sync Mail and notes via iCloud.

02-04-2012, 09:17 PM

Thanks Brian, My BB Storm had the same problems you mentioned, but not until the last 3-4 months. That was one of the reasons I got the new phone.

Otherwise it's a great device. Except that I can't Ignore an incoming phone call and send it straight to voicemail. Anyway you know to do that?

02-04-2012, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by BrianLeFevre

Thanks Brian, My BB Storm had the same problems you mentioned, but not until the last 3-4 months. That was one of the reasons I got the new phone.

Otherwise it's a great device. Except that I can't Ignore an incoming phone call and send it straight to voicemail. Anyway you know to do that?

You can silence the phone by pressing the on/off button when the call comes in.