iPhone / BlackBerry Bold get close on video, are clearly uncomfortable together

It was simply inevitable: someone was going to lay the iPhone and BlackBerry Bold down beside one another, and if John Mayer won't stop sending himself emails long enough to do it, CrackBerry's sister site will. There's really nothing here that you couldn't put together yourself from checking out galleries and videos of each device separately, but feel free to humor your sick mind by glancing over the comparative images in the read link below or examining the vid waiting after the jump.

[Matt @ May 21st 2008 8:20PM]

I thought the Bold was smaller than the iPhone... I think I like the iPhone a little better...

[Flashpoint @ May 21st 2008 9:02PM]

I left my Blackberry 7290 behind for an iPhone.

The absolute only reason I wanted the iphone was so I could use Youtube. The ability to use Mobilechat is nice too.

Other than those points, the lack of 3G and the lack of GPS mean that the iphone is all glitz and glamour.

I have NEVER used a better interface on a cellphone than that of the Blackberry. typing data is EASY and quick on the BB while the iphone is TERRIBLE (no matter which ones of you jump to defend it.)

The iPhone's GUI is pretty and its form factor is slick. But, for true business use, the Blackberry's win hands down. Furthermore, iPhone loses to BB in that it doesn't feature email push. Email Push is extremely important in the corporate world and even to regular people who need warnings when an auction is about to end on Ebay.

[Cryonaka @ May 26th 2008 10:24AM]

dude this makes me want to eat like a blackberry with an apple

[Tired_ @ May 21st 2008 10:08PM]

Mobile YouTube alone is worth $400 to you??

[Dave @ May 22nd 2008 12:03AM]

Hey flashpoint, I like how your post starts with the word "I" and is followed solely by opinion presented as fact. Don't you know anecdotes are wasted here????

[Dave @ May 22nd 2008 12:05AM]

Tired_, maybe nobody told you, but cost is only a matter of affordability, not value.

[Reader @ May 22nd 2008 2:34AM]

The fact that someone would pay money to watch youtube videos disturbs me.

[Joppa @ May 22nd 2008 4:23AM]

I watch youtube vids with WM5 on my couple year old Dash straight from youtube.com on pocket IE. Not just the select few vids that the iPhone can access, but the whole damn site. I used to use vtap but now someone at xda developers came out with a flash bundle and it works great. Just go to youtube, click on the vid and select play. This also works with the other flash video sites. It's great to actually be able to launch a video link on my phone browser right from the page. It even works for links in emails.

Can the iPhone do this yet or are they still playing catch up with that goofy youtube app and a limited choice of what vids they are allowed to watch?

[horizontaleight @ May 21st 2008 8:22PM]

I think I really need a break from technology blogs and anyone else in the world who mentions this device one more time. I miss the glory days when Apple was garbage.

[mike @ May 21st 2008 9:02PM]

Oh, you mean...when you and your super-neato friends thought they were crap because Macs couldn't play videogames? Such the informed consumer thou art...

[Timothy Sottek @ May 21st 2008 8:36PM]

I know, friend.

Even if you like Apple products (I think the iPhone is swell -- just saw a couple during my D.C. commute today), hearing about it every five seconds gets tiring.

And as a preemptive strike against those sure to go on a diatribe or rank me down: Yes, I'm aware I that coming to Engadget is optional. I generally love the news thats posted here. I also choose to live in Maryland, but that doesn't mean I have to cup Martin O'Malley's balls.

[Richard Lai @ May 21st 2008 9:00PM]

@horizontaleight: if you don't read iPhone-vs-other-gadgets articles, how will you know ever know when the iPhone becomes garbage?

[Michael @ May 21st 2008 9:05PM]

@ TImothy Sottek

+++ for the comment about our O'Malley, I know how you feel.

LOL x 10!

Glad you like the Iphone, While I know just about all tech blogs are almost constantly doing Iphone/apple news these days, and that can be annoying, I have to admit that I am starting to look forward to all this stuff.

Cheers!

[Eric Atkins @ May 21st 2008 8:22PM]

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is going to have 800 x 480 resolution video and the device is about the same size as an iPhone. I'm holding out on the 3G iPhone for the X1 because I want VGA quality video on my phone.

[Za @ May 22nd 2008 12:19AM]

The Xperia X1 is going to be both notably thicker than the iPhone due to its slide out keyboard but also significantly more expensive. Not considering subsidies, I would not be surprised if it were priced at $599.

On an unrelated note, people knock on the pricing of the iPhone but much of that is due to the refusal to price-subsidize. A Nokia N95 is anywhere between $500 and $750 and an N82 is over $45. Hell, I think most people can agree that the iPhone is a more powerful device than the LG Voyager, and yet the Voyager lists at $399. I believe the HTC Touch also lists at $399, lacking WiFi and the internal memory of the iPhone. Just saying...the iPhone really isn't as expensive relative to other phones as other people make it out to be.

Data plans will get you though.

[gecko1219 @ May 21st 2008 8:27PM]

So any word on the release of RIM OS 4.5?

[Joe @ May 22nd 2008 7:46AM]

BB OS 4.5 is released to the carriers. As soon as they certify it and add their little nick-naks we should get by summer some time. At least that is what Rim said at WES 2008.

[T H @ May 22nd 2008 9:15AM]

"RIM"... *snicker*

[gecko1219 @ May 22nd 2008 10:48AM]

Ok. pushed even further back to summer. swell.

[Brendan Sheehan @ May 21st 2008 8:29PM]

When the iPhone get 2.0 software I think both these products will be for different tastes, not different customers. If I had to choose though I'd go for the..... ;)

[Anku @ May 21st 2008 8:52PM]

I definitely agree with Eric about waiting for the X1, for that is one nice phone. It also has a physical QWERTY keyboard, which is a great advantage over the iPhone's virtual keyboard... And is it just me, or did the Bold seem to have a much brighter, more color-rich screen than the iPhone? The screen also seemed to have much better contrast ratios in comparison with the iPhone (whites not washed out)

[Colin Potter @ May 21st 2008 9:03PM]

the iPhone there is probably a little older... and its also more of a cooler white, not necessarily washed out

[Stabs @ May 21st 2008 10:03PM]

You are absoulutely correct, CNET was not lying when they said something to the effect "the Bold has quite possibly the best looking screen they've seen on a phone ever." I saw it at WES, they had a trailer of the new Hulk movie it looked fantastic.

[M Reddy @ May 21st 2008 9:02PM]

shameless

[Flashpoint @ May 21st 2008 9:04PM]

I just wish Obama would stop nutting in their pants everytime they get a new screenshot (THAT's FAKE) for the 3G iphone.

[agroupofletters @ May 22nd 2008 12:06AM]

Obama? wtf?

[01 @ May 22nd 2008 7:15PM]

??????

[Xefkut @ May 21st 2008 9:05PM]

well i think the other blackberry posted like 2 days ago should be compared to the iphone as it looks the same and probably has more similar features.

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 21st 2008 9:07PM]

Still, the iPhone that the Bold is being compared to is nearly a year old version, which in the handset world is ancient. A better comparison would be against the 3G iPhone. Nothing wrong with this comparison, but just keep it in perspective.

If you think you're hearing too much about the 3G iPhone now, wait until you see the 1000 unboxing videos of the 3G iPhone that are sure to be made. You probably should just lock yourself in a closet for a month to avoid hearing about it. That would be best for everyone concerned.

[patriotsn1 @ May 21st 2008 9:17PM]

and how exactly do you compare the bold to a phone that doesn't exist?

[fred @ May 21st 2008 9:19PM]

"Still, the iPhone that the Bold is being compared to is nearly a year old version, which in the handset world is ancient. A better comparison would be against the 3G iPhone. Nothing wrong with this comparison, but just keep it in perspective."

Against a phone that no one has seen? Basically a phone that you can just make up stuff that it's going to do.

This is a side-by-side of REAL devices, not fanboy fueled fantasies.

[Jeff @ May 22nd 2008 11:31AM]

@Fred

I'm assuming he meant "When it's released" ...which would absolutely be fair, if it's released soon.

It we actually do see a 2nd gen iPhone in the next few weeks, i think it would be a fair comparison to the Bold (or any other new phone).

Yes, comparing the Bold to the imaginary 3g iphone that doesn't yet exist is lame fanboy fantasy, but then again the iPhone always had "just wait, something way more awesome will eventually come out!" comparisons, so whatever.

[ThePremierAssassin @ May 21st 2008 9:13PM]

I like the iPhone way better. Bigger screen and it looks a lot better.

[patriotsn1 @ May 21st 2008 9:17PM]

disagree... the video on the bold looked a lot sharper with much richer colors

[ThePremierAssassin @ May 21st 2008 9:30PM]

I'm talking more style wise. The iPhone still appears to my eye to be a better looking phone.

Yeah I know its vain but I can't help myself.

And also unlike the majority of Engadget readers I don't necessarily need nor want my phone to be capable of running my ENTIRE life or playing some type of supercomputer sidekick for me while I'm on the go.

I just need:

1) Significantly Fast Network
2) Decent Camera
3) Texting/Multiple Texting
4) 3-Way Calling
5) Ringtones
6) Video Recording (Short)
7) Internet
8) Some cool games/3rd party apps
9) GPS

There are probably more but I can't think of all of them right now. Suffice to say that the iPhone 1.0 was a damn good device despite all the hating on it. And iPhone 2.0 will definitely make some significant improvements in my opinion that will put it on par with the so called competition.

[patriotsn1 @ May 21st 2008 9:40PM]

Not sure how needing these things makes the iphone your pick...
1) Significantly Fast Network (no 3g)
2) Decent Camera (its okay.. but you can't send MMS even if you take a good pic)
3) Texting/Multiple Texting (texting is easier with a keypad)
4) 3-Way Calling
5) Ringtones (that you have to pay for...)
6) Video Recording (Short) (that the iphone can't do)
7) Internet (on the edge network)
8) Some cool games/3rd party apps (lol...)
9) GPS (nope.)

and I also must strongly disagree that MOST engadget readers don't want to get their phones doing as much as possible.

[ThePremierAssassin @ May 21st 2008 9:50PM]

Wait I'm confused...

Are you saying most Engadget readers do want a lot of extra features on their phone or not?

To me it seems like a lot of Engadget readers are really tech saavy and business type of guys. SO they want phones that do almost everything possible. Therefore they hate on the iPhoe. Thats their decision and perogative.

Howeevr to the everyday consumer the iPhone does enough things right to make it a better phone IMO.

[Nomi @ May 21st 2008 10:40PM]

Wait...I don't get it, the iPhone does none of that...why did you buy it again? Except 3-way calling and texting, which I'm pretty sure a lot of "better looking" phones have...and you're the one who's confused.

[Nomi @ May 21st 2008 10:41PM]

FK...I don't think you even have an iPhone! OR know anything about the iPhone!

[ThePremierAssassin @ May 21st 2008 10:45PM]

Where did I say I OWN an iPhone?

I want an iPhone. If you look at my history its clear to that I'm waiting with anitcipation for Version 2.0 of the iPhone.

I just listed the things I would want in MY phone. I didn't say the iPhone has these things.

I was just saying that while the iPhone isn't PERFECT it damn well is good enough for the average consumer. Thats ALL.

Hopefully iPhone 2.0 will have all that I listed and more....

[whatphone @ May 22nd 2008 6:46AM]

so what you are saying is: I have no clue and therefore I am talking out of my arse

[Brad Meyers @ May 21st 2008 9:15PM]

I use both a Blackberry and an iPod Touch.

I think the Apple interface including the on-screen keyboard is much better than the BB and anything that allows me to have a larger screen is a plus in my book.

Also, the internet experience on the BB is abysmal.

Online apps like flytunes.fm and schmap help put the Apple products over the top. Apps on the BB are expensive, slow and don't even look that great.

I can't wait for the 3G iPhone so I can spend my money and upgrade to the greatest cell phone ever invented.

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 21st 2008 9:31PM]

They could have waited for both the 3G iPhone and BB Bold to be officially released before making the comparison.

The Bold was disabled by RIM because it really isn't supposed to exist either. That why they got all those flashing glitches when watching videos since it's an unfinished device (so they say). Some Canadian cleaning lady probably snuck that Bold out of RIM's less than secure corporate headquarters and put it up on eBay.

[Andrew Harrison @ May 21st 2008 9:47PM]

Is it just me, or does it look like it took an awful lot of scrolling the scroll ball thinger on the blackberry to scroll down the web page?

Is that just because the browser isn't quite finished yet, or is that standard on blackberries [I haven't used a blackberry for more than a few minutes]

[Stabs @ May 21st 2008 10:08PM]

You can set the sensitivity of the trackball to whatever you want, also you can use the keyboard to scroll down a page for quick scanning of webpages.

[generally @ May 21st 2008 10:13PM]

The commenters on Gizmodo seemed to realize how completely biased the review was. These Engadget commenters are idiots.

[Chris @ May 21st 2008 10:35PM]

I'm so glad someone finally noticed this, when the reviewer every 5 seconds is saying "eh, I still prefer the iPhone", clearly it's a bias review. Even if you put the Bold and the 3G iPhone side by side in a review, you can't really compare the two. The iPhone is based on multimedia, the Bold is based on productivity and multitasking, two completely opposite sides of the spectrum. That's why the iPhone will always win with picture, videos, and music and the Bold/any BB will always win with calendar/scheduling and viewing/editing documents.

[Joshua @ May 21st 2008 10:15PM]

Wow, Blackberry finally came out with an iPhone contender. . .Too bad in 3 weeks the iPhone will be obsolete and iPhone 2.0 will be out. Blackberry will once again be a step behind. . . *sigh

[Steffen Jobbs @ May 21st 2008 10:59PM]

This isn't BB's iPhone contender. They have something called the Thunder that's supposed to be the 3G iPhone contender.

The Bold isn't supposed to compete with the iPhone in any way. It's just a better-screened texter and an improvement on their current BB line of business handsets. It's not meant to be a killer multimedia device. BlackBerry makes excellent business smartphones and that's what they should stick to. No offense, but they'll just get their arses kicked competing directly against the iPhone.

[Jeff Lewis @ May 21st 2008 10:25PM]

I'm not sure this a meaningful comparison. The focus on the Blackberry is email and speed thumbing while the focus on the iPhone is browsing (directly or indirectly).

The lack of a large touchscreen immediately handicaps the Blackberry as a browser/multimedia device, and the lack of real keys (and the tactile feedback) handicaps the iPhone as a texting device.

It seems to me that this is better presented as two devices with different markets. Pick the one that works best for you.