BlackBerry’s 26 Advantages Over iPhone

I always find myself conversing (nearly arguing haha) with certain people about why the BlackBerry is better than an iPhone.

Many people look at the BlackBerry and an iPhone’s  features that are visible on the surface, but not too many take the time to seriously look into why they should get one or the other. Don’t misunderstand, I’ve played with an iPhone on a few occasions and it failed to impress me each time. Yes the UI looks nice and is sleek, but you can customize your BlackBerry with both free and premium themes to look just as sleek if not sleeker. Don’t even get me started on their App Store…

Anton Wahlman of Seeking Alpha has put together a great list of BlackBerry’s 26 advantages over an iPhone, which I’ve included after the jump.

I can tell you now that there aren’t just 26 advantages that the BlackBerry has over the iPhone, but here’s a good starter list to arm yourself with in case you ever find yourself verbally dueling with an iPhone enthusiast like I do .

1. Blackberry can be used on almost every carrier in the world (over 475 of them). In the US, the iPhone is available on AT&T (T) only.
2. Blackberry is available in five form factors – small keyboard, large keyboard, no keyboard, flip phone, and candy-bar.
3. Most Blackberries have keyboards, so you can actually type fast and with no errors. Helps while driving, walking, carrying something in your other hand – all the time. iPhone: well…
4. Blackberry uses standardized (=inexpensive and available everywhere in the world) MicroUSB connector for synchronization/charging. iPhone has a much larger proprietary 30-pin connector.
5. Some carriers such as Verizon (VZ) and Sprint (S) offer unlimited international Blackberry data roaming for $40/month or less. iPhone does not. This could save you literally tens of thousands of dollars when you are abroad.
6. If your Blackberry is on T-Mobile USA, it also offers unlimited WiFi calling from anywhere in the world. This is with your existing number – in and out – so no new special number, procedure, etc. iPhone cannot do this (because it is only on AT&T; only T-Mobile USA offers this), and it can save you well over $100 per day when you’re abroad. Think $1 per minute savings, and you’re on the phone two hours per day. That’s $120/day.
7. Blackberry has expandable memory. iPhone is fixed and sold at 8, 16 or 32 gig only.
8. Blackberry has removable and expandable battery. iPhone is fixed.
9. Blackberry allows programs to multitask. iPhone has limited multitasking.
10. The newest Blackberry screen resolution is 480×360. iPhone is 480×320.
11. Blackberry allows communicating peer-to-peer via PIN identifier, circumventing the email system. No such iPhone equivalent.
12. Skype (EBAY) on the Blackberry? Yes, from anywhere to anywhere. Skype on iPhone? Only if you’re on WiFi.
13. Sling on the Blackberry? Yes, it’s free. Sling on iPhone? $30.
14. Google (GOOG) Voice on the Blackberry? Yes, it’s free. Google Voice on iPhone? Verboten.
15. Blackberry can be synchronized to multiple computers simultaneously, if you have multiple computers.
16. Multiple Blackberries can receive the same email feeds simultaneously, if you have multiple Blackberries.
17. Blackberry can sort the address book entries by company name, so you can scroll down a long list of names you don’t remember, but you just want to see who works for which company. Aside from sorting, the iPhone can take several seconds to search your address book, particularly if you have several thousand address book entries.
18. Blackberry isn’t slowed down by having, say, 10,000 or 100,000 address book entries. Try using an iPhone with 10,000 address book entries.
19. All major instant messengers are available on Blackberry.
20. Blackberry is available with multiple browsers from multiple suppliers. iPhone is available only with its standard Safari browser.
21. Blackberry synchronizes with iTunes – and every other media management program.
22. 22. Blackberry models with 480 pixel resolution and WiFi offer PrimeTime2Go, an $8/month TV service that works as a DVR.
23. Blackberry fits as many emails in the inbox as there is memory available (typically many tens of thousands). iPhone is limited to 200 emails. Yes, iPhone has a remote look-up capability, but that doesn’t do you any good when you’re on an airplane or are otherwise out of coverage.
24. Price: Unlimited iPhone voice/data service, including unlimited SMS, is $150/month. Blackberry can be had for much less. For example, unlimited Blackberry service is offered on Sprint for $100/month, T-Mobile USA $125/month, MetroPCS $50/month, although AT&T/Verizon match the iPhone at $150/month.
25. Prepaid “no contract” flexibility: The AT&T web site says the iPhone is sold with a 2-year contract only, although once upon a time it offered a “contract-free” iPhone if you paid close to $899 up-front for the iPhone itself. In contrast, you can get prepaid no-contract Blackberry service on any old or new T-Mobile USA Blackberry handset for $65/month (600 minutes, unlimited Blackberry/Internet, but no SMS), or you can get truly unlimited-everything prepaid $50/month service from MetroPCS, if its handset selection and coverage areas are acceptable to you. That’s ONE THIRD the cost of the iPhone, and there is no contract.
26. Blackberry is an encrypted military-grade security platform, with 100% market share at FBI, CIA, White House, Congress, Department of Defense, major consultancies and major investment banks. In contrast, iPhone has security vulnerabilities. Please see this document for details as to why the Blackberry is the only platform approved for use in our national security agencies. It compares against the iPhone and Microsoft Mobile platforms (.pdf).

via Seeking Alpha