I have a confession to make: I am addicted to my BlackBerry. Indeed, the term “CrackBerry” certainly applies in my case. Ever since my wireless signal was established years ago, I have been mainlining my BlackBerry on a relatively constant basis.
There was a time that BlackBerry really was the only real PDA game in town at my firm. However, more recently, we have opened up the iPhone option, and as time passes, more and more of my colleagues have been weaning themselves off the BlackBerry and migrating to the iPhone. What’s more, some of my colleagues have been encouraging me (rather strenuously) to change my PDA drug of choice, turn my back on my beloved BlackBerry, and go the iPhone route myself.
So, what am I to do? At home, we are an Apple family, with MacBooks, iPads and iPods to be found all over the place. Plus, my wife and two daughters are die-hard iPhone fans and users. Thus, one would think that a switch should not be too difficult for me.
However, I am a creature of habit. And, I really like some of my BlackBerry’s features and functions. For one, the BlackBerry raised keyboard really works well for me — indeed, my thumbs just fly and I can type on my ‘Berry almost as fast as on a laptop or desktop. Also, the battery life on the BlackBerry is superb. Moreover, I have saved tons of photos, songs and video clips on a rather beefy memory chip inside of my device.
But, and there always is a “but,” the BlackBerry is not Nirvana either. The reception from T-Mobile where I live can be spotty. In addition, when I enter my car, the device does not automatically synchronize with the car’s Bluetooth function, and at times not at all. Furthermore, there are occasions when the BlackBerry tells me that I have unreviewed messages, when that is not true. And last, but certainly not least, the viewing screen for looking at images and Internet pages is not terribly generous.
I am told that I likely would have better reception on an iPhone in my area. I also am informed that the iPhone should sync automatically with my car’s Bluetooth. And I am apprised that there may be more and better functioning apps on the iPhone. Most importantly, the iPhone is an Apple product, and we know what that means: excellence in overall user ease and experience.
Habits do die hard. But I suppose if I can convince myself that I can get used to the iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard, and will be able to transfer all of my media (perhaps through the cloud and back), then maybe I will make the jump. I can’t tell you exactly when this might happen, but it just might be soon.
P.S. This was typed on an Apple MacBook Pro!