Round Robin: TiPb vs. BlackBerry Bold Video Preview
[This is an official Smartphone Experts Round Robin post! Every day you reply here, you're automatically entered for a chance to win an iPhone 3G, Case-Mate Naked Case, and Motorola H9 Bluetooth Headset! Full contest rules here!]
Cursed I tell ya. Not “Steve Jobs’ isn’t keynoting Macworld cursed, (though Dieter clearly blames me for that anyway!) Cursed in that not only did UPS hold CrackBerry Kevin’s beloved BlackBerry Bold hostage for nearly a week (”it didn’t make it on the plane” — what, it decided to go bar hoping first?!), not only to BIS take days to start working (”oh, you wanted BlackBerry BIS — no, I wanted iPhone BIS?!), but then I — a rabid iPhone enthusiast — had to endure my first completely non-touch screen device! Cursed!
Did I survive? Could I even use the tic-tactile little BlackBerry beastie? Check the video above to find out, then drop a comment here for your chance to win an iPhone 3G, or post on my comment thread over in the CrackBerry.com forums and you may just win a BlackBerry Bold! Prize details after the jump…
Every day you comment here, you get one entry to win not only a supra-shiny iPhone 3G, but the Case-Mate Naked Case which allows full touch through access to the iPhone’s amazing screen. Smartphone Outlet is also kicking in the revolutionary Motorola H9 Bluetooth Headset AND a runner-up prize, $50 coupon good at any SPE store, including the new Smartphone Outlet, where you can find refurb Smartphone Accessories at very (very!) low prices.
Check out our full contest rules!
December 19th, 2008 at 10:35 am
First post!! Nice review btw
December 19th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Is that a waffle on your ear? Oh wait. It’s just a Blackberry.
Seriously, my wife has a Curve (although she secretly covets my iPhone 3G), and although she was considering the Bold, she decided against it because it was just too big.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:47 am
That’s a nice look at the Bold – I’m looking forward to your final review when you look at the media player when compared to the iPhone.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Great review. I wanted to know if you tried out how word processing worked on the bold and if there was any cut and paste.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:53 am
Good review also wondering how the copy and paste works on the bold because i had a treo and it was simple with the touchscreen and wondered how would that work with non touchscreen berries thanks ahead of time
December 19th, 2008 at 10:56 am
If the iPhone didn’t exist, I’d probably have a bold. Though I love my iPhone to much.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Ping!
December 19th, 2008 at 11:17 am
I have been looking forward to this review. I love(d) my BlackBerry and have been thinking about going back, but the iPhone just does everything I need it to do.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:22 am
I suppose the big news is Jobs shunning Macworld and Palm’s upcoming announcement, but Rene’s video is a fun few minutes… ping! Yeah, trying to hold a conversation with a Blackberry owner is an exercise in frustration as they never seem to pay attention to you… ping!
December 19th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Good Review!
December 19th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Its so painful to watch blackberries being used hahaha
December 19th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
its still a cool phone. but i want the iphone
December 19th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
That has got to be the most entertaining review I’ve read throughout all of the Round Robin Posts so far. Rene cracks me up! Seriously.
While I am a Crackberry addict, I really enjoyed listening to his take and humor on the Bold. So much so, that I may even look at an iphone as a secondary device.
Yeah, he was that good.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Ok. This guy obviously does not know a thing about blackberry. They have spellcheck, and the iphone does not render GIF files, as blackberry does — at least the Curve I am using does.
I could go on, but i’ll save it for my I-phone co-worker. We go at it all day lol.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Excellent (P)Review!
December 19th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Rene, nice job of inserting humor in what would otherwise be a review of a truly boring and passe product. Ping…gotta go.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Didn’t I see that hideous contraption in an old movie?
December 19th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
From someone coming from an iPhone and just starting to work with the Bold, I thin kit was a good review. Just remember, pressing P will take you to the previous e-mail/message and N will take you to the next, so you don’t always have to go into the menu to access options.
December 19th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Great review!
December 19th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
and so it continues. if i could combine a few phones I would be a happy camper.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
The “fake buttons” you refer to are actually the contact points for the new style dock/cradle they came out with.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Good review. Please cut and clean your nails next time though before doing a video review. hehe j/k
December 19th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Good review. I too wanted to know if you tried out how word processing features on the device.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
I like your initial love of the keyboard.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
All you do to copy and paste is go into the options. I dont know how it is on the Storm yet since I will finally be getting it next week. I still don’t get it. I’ve played with the Iphone way before my first Blackberry and still enjoyed RIM’s device better. To me the Iphone is an over glorified psp. That being said, I would rather have an Iphone on all trips and to waste time because of the games/app store. Oh well.
December 19th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Nice review Rene, a few things off for the comments about the spell check and the “fake” buttons, but I’m sure by now you have realized what I’m referring too, from the comments here and just usage of the device. Can’t wait to hear your final take!
December 19th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Nice review!
December 19th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
You might want to clean and cut your nails before showing your hands in a video again.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
This is great. Good job
December 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Its amazing how many features you were using on Bold that do not exist on an iphone that were just second nature i.e. Menu button. every app you are in on blackberry has a menu that can do so much. This is the one HUGE thing the iphone is missing. it allows you to forward or reply to a msg from msg view without opening. You can select multiple msgs and mark as read. you can SEARCH you inbox. iphone for email is a complete JOKE.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Great review. I enjoyed the pings a lot.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
that bold is a nice phone !!
December 19th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Good review. More positive than I expected from an iPhone user.
December 19th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Just some FYI’s.
The “fake” buttons on the bottom of the sides of the Bold are power contacts for a Charging Pod: http://www.shopblackberry.com/blackberryaccessories/cgi-bin/pd.cgi?frompage=category&page=productdetail&from_category=BlackBerry%20Bold&category=BlackBerry+Bold+Chargers&pid=F2222X26M2J9PNVTGW7
When you place the Bold into the Pod, the Clock will display, and the Clock application can also enter “Bedside” mode which can optionally turn off the LED notifier, disable the Radio, and dim the screen.
Also, you can use the Space bar to scroll down in the Browser.
Finally, you can usually tap the first letter of a menu item to get to it quickly, so when you’re in the Browser, instead of having to scroll forever to find Options, you hit Menu –> O –> [Enter] to get into the Options.
There’s a wealth of shortcuts – including the Shortcut Keys (http://blackberryforums.pinstack.com/blogs/jdellasala/680-homescreenshortcutkeysqwertydevicesonly.html?referrerid=3389) and lots more!
Give a yell if you need any tips! Nice review BTW.
Jerry
December 19th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
It seems that even Rene is having a hard time finding too much fault with the Bold. It’s just a very good PDA that does everything well. Probably the most well rounded device in the round robin. I look forward to your final take.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Nice review. My wife and daughter have the iPhone. I have a Curve 8310. I have to say that using both platforms, I find the iPhone to be awesome… at games. But in real day to day life, I’ll take my Blackberry any day. I’ll be upgrading to a Bold.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
i really like the look of that? what carriers have it in the us? my iphone just isn’t cutting it for email and texting and i like the looks of the blackbery
December 19th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Very nice review. It’ll help to learn some of the shortcuts, but even that’s a little hard with one week. It took me a month or two to just use shortcuts.
December 19th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Ah, my cheap company wants to pay for a phone plan but not for the phone itself. I’m trying to get away from Windows Mobile, this generation just isn’t in the same league as these other devices.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
My iphone is nice, but this blackberry looks outstanding! I think I will be switching soon.
(I can’t do it. I’m really a bb user. I just felt like being a wisea**, hehehe, sorry)
Nice review, though.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
GREAT VIDEO, I WAS LAUGHING LIKE CRAZY. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A BLACKBERRY I MUST SAY I LIKE THE LOOKS OF THE BOLD ALOT. IF I WERE TO GET A BB THE BOLD WOULD BE THE ONLY WAY TO GO.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
If my works wants to buy me one, I wouldn’t complain…
December 19th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Good review!
December 19th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Love my Blackberry! Wish I could rent an Iphone to see if i liked it
December 19th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
If I comment here can I win an iPhone? Or I guess I’m probably excluded since I’m an editor in the Smartphone Round Robin…hehehe
Just wanted to say awesome review!!!
December 19th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Great review. If it wasn’t for the iphone I would be a Blackberry lover.
December 19th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Want tha iphone 3g…heard it was a great device and ive been reading reviews on it….blackberry bold and iphone unstoppable team lol
December 19th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Great review. iPhone 3G!
December 19th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
The size of the Bold actually has never seemed “large” to me… but then again, its about the same size as a Treo.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
you’re so popular with all your messages lol. the bold is ****.. next to the iphone of course (;
December 19th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Im sorry, your just a complete moron. First off your gramar was horrible when talking about not typing good. Second off, you don’t like to manage memory on your phone? That’s maybe that worst apalogetic defense i’ve heard for the iphone only being able to run 1 program at once, excluding core programs. Jesus man, get off your high horse. The iphone is technology from 3 years ago. Your amazing OS is a bunch of shortcuts on 1 screen, and the browers is based on webkit. YOu can get webkit browsers for any phone. Ill take skyfire over safari any day.
December 19th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Nice review… I got a chance of playing around with both iPhone 3G and Blackberry Bold at Rogers, still can’t make up my mind with which one I want to go for…. may be both (I buy Blackberry and then I win the iPhone 3G here….
)
December 19th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
the back button! wooooooot! lol multiple ways of spelling, bruce lee training method, HAHAHA blackberry claw…lol
December 19th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Merry Christmas!
December 19th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
@Joeh4x:
Not only is your comment riddled with bad grammar, but you also misspelled the word grammar (not to mention other words). Perhaps you typed it on that piece-of-sh*t phone of yours.
Looks like we all know who the “complete moron” is.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Back button – gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!
December 19th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Good review. I had both the iPhone 3G and the Bold. Still not sure which I prefer though.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Wow, it sure is….uh… shiny.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:13 am
The Bold looks pretty great to me.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Great Review! Had been on the fence with the two devices but your review has convinced me to fall fruit side. I’ll take that iPhone, please!
December 20th, 2008 at 12:35 am
HA! @Joeh4x…
or maybe it was a poor shot at irony?
Anyway, great review! I’m a Bold user in a relationship with an iPhone dweeb. That goes well beyond frenemies..
December 20th, 2008 at 1:27 am
I am an iPhone user who came from Blackberries. The menu sytem of blackberries is a good thing and a bad thing. It allows you to customize a lot but there are menus everywhere. And if your looking to customize something specific, it can be hard to figure out which menu to use: within the app? Main settings? Advanced settings? Blackberries are centralized around menus and the menus are all over the place. Not user friendly in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong though, I love the Bold, that’s why it’s frenemy #1
December 20th, 2008 at 2:04 am
I’m an iPhone user and I want that keyboard.
December 20th, 2008 at 6:27 am
the GAYphone please.
December 20th, 2008 at 7:06 am
The iphone and the Bold are both are great phones!
December 20th, 2008 at 8:10 am
If only there was some way to combine the iPhone and Bold into one superphone. Then I’d be happy.
December 20th, 2008 at 8:17 am
haha great review very entertaining! Bold is awesome!
December 20th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Bold prevails…
December 20th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Great Pamela Anderson reference, loved it.
December 20th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
For the iPhone!
December 20th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
**** phone… well, both are.
December 20th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
mmm….the keyboard’s nice haha
December 20th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Looks like a nice device!
December 20th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
What a weird year for me…started with an “V” (model before the env), went to ATT for the original Iphone, could not receive a call while downloading on EDGE, went back to Verizon for the Voyager, switched to the rev A speed of the Dare, and lastly bought the Storm. The Bold looks nice , but I favor a touch screen.
December 20th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Great review, hope i win an iPhone though
December 20th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
give me a bold ANYDAY.
December 20th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
At least RIM will partner to all carriers…iPhone’s number one problem in the US is AT&T.
December 20th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
Have the best of both worlds, get a BlackBerry Phone and an iPod Touch.
December 21st, 2008 at 2:07 am
IPhones are great if you don’t manage a business, so are G-1’s, but Blackberry’s are still king if you are a business person or just really busy…
Note: People dont buy them for games, whatever you type you can make a million errors- just hit menu and spell check. Duhhhhhhh……I find the spell-check in my Curve to be better than Word…
December 21st, 2008 at 8:20 am
sick review!!!
December 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pm
You’ve got mail!
December 21st, 2008 at 4:08 pm
clash of the titans
December 21st, 2008 at 7:20 pm
The bold is a beautiful phone.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:38 pm
pick me
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:34 am
I was a previous owner of the iPhone (sorry guys), and have converted to a BB lover ever since my change. I have a VZW Curve and I don’t know how I ever lived without one before (heheh). I do think I’ve outgrown it as I look at the Bold and the Storm with drool on both sides of my mouth. Not sure what side of the fence I’ll fall on but I’m not going back to an iPhone. Again, sorry folks
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Though the browser is awesome on the iphone, nothing compares to a blackberry! Especially the Bold!!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:08 am
Very nice review
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Muhahahaha……The Bold is King! All Hail the BB Bold!!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
One of the great benefits of a physical keyboard is shortcuts: R for reply, F for forward, etc. Forget the endless menus!
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:40 am
Nice review. I’m holding out to see what Palm brings out at CES.
December 24th, 2008 at 12:48 am
Nobody mention the bold is HUGE with the smallest sreen of all. It’s the tallest and widest phone among all the new phones. But also the smallest screen. (Sq inches:) - Fuze 8.06 - G1 10.10 - Treo 10.60 - iPhone 11,20 - Bold 11.66 Bold with the smallest screen is even bigger than the HD with a 3.8″ screen
It’s a huge tablet to hold in your your hand and put in your face. It’s a good phone but there is no point of comparing to the iPhone. Two different animals.
December 24th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Excellent!
December 31st, 2008 at 10:05 am
Wooo! Let’s go! I wanna win me some prize-age!
January 1st, 2009 at 3:42 pm
IPHONE WINS
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Bold….loses
January 14th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Bold loses, but is still the best BB to date. Thanks for the great review!
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:14 pm
If you cant work the sliders, then you may need to resort to some primmage. ,