Attention, iPhone Developers
Are you an iPhone developer? If so, I'd like to point out two recent events:
- Last week, Tom and I both purchased iPhones
- This week, Apple announced that iPhone developers can now give away promo codes to their apps
Coincidence? Maybe… or maybe not. But either way, feel free to send those promo codes on.
Why I got an iPhone
As Tom mentioned below, yes, we got iPhones recently. As many of you heard my paeans of BlackBerry love over the last two years, I've already been asked a few times: how on earth did Tom convince you to switch?
Well, here's what it came down to:
| iPhone | BlackBerry Bold | |
|---|---|---|
| Where they're mostly equivalent | ||
| Initial price (with two year contract) | $300 | $300 (after rebate) |
| Screen | 480 x 320 pixels | 480 x 320 pixels |
| GSM/GPRS/EDGE | 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz | 850/900/1800/1900 MHz |
| 3G | UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz) | UMTS/HSDPA (850/1900/2100 MHz) |
| Bluetooth | 2.0 + EDR | 2.0, A2DP |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g | 802.11 b/g |
| Storage | 16 GB | 128 MB ROM, 1 GB onboard storage, Expandable Memory Storage (microSD): 32 GB |
| Weight | 4.7 oz | 4.8 oz |
| Dimensions | 4.5 × 2.4 × 0.48" | 4.49 × 2.57 × .59" |
| Camera | 2.0 MP | 2.0 MP |
| Music Formats | AAC, Protected AAC, MP3, MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV | .3gp, MP3, WMA9 (.wma/.asf), WMA9 Pro/WMA 10, MIDI, AMR-NB, Professional AAC/AAC+/eAAC+ |
| Where the Bold wins | ||
| Records video | No | Yes |
| Camera has flash | No | Yes |
| Keyboard | Virtual; requires both hands + eyes on the phone to use; no tactile feedback | Standard QWERTY keyboard; external full-size Bluetooth keyboards also available |
| Extra batteries | Not available | $80 |
| Hands-free wired earpiece (3.5mm mono w/single earbud) | Not available | $15 |
| GPS | "Assisted" | Yes |
| Google Maps | Partial (does not include Street View) | Yes (includes Street View) |
| Tethering | No (AT&T restriction) | Yes |
| Works with already-owned accessories | No (not even iPod chargers) | Yes |
| Where the iPhone wins | ||
| Browsers | Mobile Safari | BlackBerry Browser, Opera Mini |
| Basic Monthly plan (450 minutes + 5000 night/weekend minutes) | $40 | $40 |
| Data add-ons | $30 | $60 (BlackBerry® Personal with tethering) |
| 200 Messages/month | $5 | $5 |
| Voice dialing | Requires 3rd party app | $5 |
| AT&T Navigator (provides spoken turn by turn GPS driving directions with automatic reroute, full color maps, and real time traffic alerts all on your device) | Not available | $10 |
| Total monthly cost: | $75 | $120 |
| Total cost of ownership over 24 months: | $2100 | $3180 |
Or in other words, $45/month × 24 months ($1080) is what it takes to get me to move to a phone that I'm otherwise currently finding very frustrating.
Will I ever get used to this keyboard? Or having to manually refresh an app when I want it to update? Or to only being able to use one app at a time?
If you switched from a non-iPhone to an iPhone, tell me how it worked for you in the comments.
Updates:
- According to the manufacturer, this handsfree mic works with the iPhone 3G.
- While Google's Mobile Maps page says that Street View isn't available for the iPhone, it appears that that feature shipped with the 2.2 update.
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