Now that the BlackBerry Bold's made its
official North American debut, there's a lot of talk about a video Mobile Computer did of the Bold getting blown away browsing head to head with an iPhone 3G over WiFi -- but there's a slight problem there: the Bold was actually using 3G and EDGE. Yeah, that's not a fair fight -- and given how flaky the iPhone 3G's data speeds can be, it actually reflects quite well on the Bold. Head to head on WiFi, the Bold does seem a tick slower, but we'll let you judge that for yourselves -- videos after the break.
Read - BGR browser vid
Read - Mobile Computer browser vid
The original Mobile Computer vid -- note the lack of a WiFi icon while browsing.
The Bold browsing the same sites on WiFi.
posted Aug 21st 2008 at 1:22PM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Moe @ Aug 21st 2008 1:28PM
I knew that looked wrong. Yes, the iPhone loads faster, but not that much faster. Bastard fanboys!
PIMP @ Aug 21st 2008 1:39PM
Not that much faster? Lawl, the iPhone kicked the shit out of the Blackberry. And the result is 50 times better, more rapid on iPhone. The iPhone totally humiliates the blackberry on all points. The iPhone looks even better. Easier, smoother, next to, per, fec, t
ggnore
From My Cube @ Aug 21st 2008 1:43PM
@ PIMP ( somehow I doubt that) Give me a break....The iphone is a good phone and so is the bold. Both have there advantages...the Iphone lacks a physical keyboard and a removable battery. Those are two things the BB does better not to mention push email is far better (and secure for that matter) on the BB....The iphone is a good phone, so is the bold...let it be
Quix @ Aug 21st 2008 1:47PM
Not that much faster???
On the original test, the iPhone loaded the page in 35 seconds. In the "debunk" test, the Bold loaded the page in 59 seconds. That's still a difference of 24 seconds! And the page was viewable (thus somewhat usable) on the iPhone (though not fully loaded) very quickly, while the Bold provided nothing but a blank white screen for 30 seconds.
The new video does nothing to "debunk" the test other than to prove the Bold is slightly less sucky at Web browsing than originally shown.
"Bastard fanboys" indeed.
sycks @ Aug 21st 2008 2:25PM
@From My Cube
How is the push email using Exchange on the iPhone not secure? Then again how is push email on a Blackberry MORE secure? I have both, a new 3G and a BB Pearl. If want to talk about security RIM has access to ALL blackberry email if they need to access it for some "Homeland Security" reason.
Also how is Push email on a Blackberry better?
itguy08 @ Aug 21st 2008 3:58PM
"How is the push email using Exchange on the iPhone not secure?"
Because Exchange is the suckiest biggest POS ever conceived? And the Blackberry push e-mail is _THE_ standard for secure push e-mail.
I love my iPhone, but _HATE_ that they licensed Activesync. They should have licensed Blackberry like palm.
Crenor @ Aug 21st 2008 3:17PM
I will not get a Bold after watching that. but will not get an iPhone either due it's poor job of doing email.
1st and foremost, it will be a work phone. So pretty iPhone looses. I need EMAIL. The other features are just nice, not needed.
It looks like I will be waiting on the next gen BB, or possibly a new HTC phone. HTC seems to be kicking both BB and iPhone in features...
Adam @ Aug 21st 2008 3:35PM
Let's face it, the iPhone had to be faster than something, however I can change contracts and batteries much faster on the BB bold than the iPhone. The iPhone may be a better phone but Stevie can kiss my a$$ before I sign up for an 18 month contract with no choice of provider, a closed application model and no chance to replace the battery.
initialxy @ Aug 21st 2008 3:57PM
@sycks, to answer your question about BB security. BB encrypts ALL data from one BB to the other. everything in between is encrypted. This might be an overkill for consumers, but business and government users definitely love that. Push email allows the process to be more responsive. iPhone basically checks email for you every 15 seconds, which means it could have < 15 seconds delay. I personally don't really mind waiting extra 15 for an email, but i guess some people do.
initialxy @ Aug 21st 2008 4:01PM
@sycks, o by the way, like i said, BB encrypts all data in between one BB to the other. RIM could access your data if they want, but not even RIM can decrypt it and read its contents. Of course, home land security might ask RIM to hand over your data, but they won't be able to read its contents either.
Jeff @ Aug 21st 2008 4:27PM
for the record, Quix (reply #3), you're totally right.
100%
"Debunk" my ass.
loosely_coupled @ Aug 21st 2008 5:40PM
Why does anyone care about the minor differences in speeds? That's hardly an issue compared to the real problem here!
The Bold's screen is TINY compared to the iPhone. I don't care if the resolution is the same, that hardly matters when the screen is SO FREAKIN' SMALL! It's hard enough to read a standard paragraph without having to scroll horizontally on the iPhone's 3.5" 480x320 screen. Now just imagine how tiny text will be on a screen almost 1/2 the size!
I do like the style and design of the Bold though, it looks like the best Blackberry model now. And the interface certainly is good looking, although I'm not sure how consistent and intuitive the user interface is. The fake chrome plastic is pretty lame however.
mike @ Aug 21st 2008 7:32PM
@Adam - Not to interrupt your rant, but it is 24 months, not 18. You may now get a little more mad...
haX0r @ Aug 21st 2008 9:10PM
I like the Bold features, but I think that I will wait to see how HTC's version of Android OS turns out. It's is only two months away and with the release of the Bold by then, we will hear the good and bad of BB's phone.
Besides, Android's Open Source is the best source for appz (iPhone users won't understand "Open" platforms).
Forreal @ Aug 22nd 2008 2:55AM
The iPhone is still far faster - not just a little faster. Not to mention, the iPhone 3G is at least 3x faster than the Bold from my experience, and yes it is consistent.
The lack of a physical keyboard is actually a benefit of the iPhone. Not only does this allow for international keyboards, but when I had the blackberry, it would get sand or other dust in the keys and some of them would not work, especially the ball roller - not an issue on the iPhone. I don't see any benefit of a physical keyboard. The biggest problem with a physical keyboard is the number pad on the blackberry; it's impossible to figure out how to dial phone numbers that are written out, like 1-800-my-apple. But the iPhone keyboard changes depending on which application you're in. So if you simply want to dial a phone number, you get a large number pad WITH the alphabet under the numbers.
The removable battery is also pointless for 90% of people because removable batteries just require extra space and are far heavier. My battery lasts at least all day, and most people have access to a car charger or wall charger all day anyway in their car, office, or home. I'd rather just plug in my phone than keep switching out the battery throughout the day. According to reports, the blackberry only beats the iPhone's battery life by minutes anyway.
Zro @ Aug 22nd 2008 9:00AM
Ok, let's do a bit of debunking myself here.
1) Security. Exchange's "push" email is not in fact a push. It's a poke-pull method. Your phone (not just iPhone) keeps a constant connection through your firewall to the Exchange server. When New email arrives, the Exchange server sends a notification down this open channel, and your phone pulls in the new email. This means that the sys-admin would have to keep this hole open in the firewall for all inbound traffic.
Zro @ Aug 22nd 2008 9:02AM
Ok, let's do a bit of debunking myself here.
1) Security. Exchange's "push" email is not in fact a push. It's a poke-pull method. Your phone (not just iPhone) keeps a constant connection through your firewall to the Exchange server. When New email arrives, the Exchange server sends a notification down this open channel, and your phone pulls in the new email. This means that the sys-admin would have to keep this hole open in the firewall for all inbound traffic. This security risk (even if it is a small one). And the messages are not encrypted while in transit or on the device (I think MS has changed this now, so they do some sort of encryption while in transit..). BlackBerry email is a bit different. The BES and Exchange server are generally in the same WAN of your company. The Exchange server notifies the BES of a new message, the BES picks it up, and sends it out to the BB network (open hole in the firewall, for a single computer going out, and it is an OUTBOUND connection only). The BB network routes it to the cellular network then to the phone. The message is encrypted from the moment the BES picks it up to the moment the handheld receives it. There is also the option to have it encrypted on the BlackBerry while it's stored.
2) Multiple browsers on the BlackBerry. This is and isn't true. The BlackBerry has a single browser, but uses different configurations to determine how it looks, what features are enabled, what connection method to use, etc. These are also user configurable. You can completely turn off images/javascript when browsing over EDGE/3G, to save on data charges (not all carriers in all countries offer unlimited data) and have your WiFi connection set to show everything. You configure these once, and never have to worry about it, it'll automatically switch. I phone allows some configuration, but won't save it as a configuration for that connection method. If you have limited data plan, each time you go out of WiFi coverage, you'll have to manually turn off features.
3) Reliable 3G connection. A lot has been said in the news lately about the iPhone 3g's call drops when switching between 3g and EDGE (fringe 3G coverage or not) whereas the Bold will not drop your call when you move out of 3G coverage. You'll notice that even in the first vid when the guy was on GSM, he had a flaky signal, but the Bold still went from 3G to EDGE without issue. Although I will admit it was a bit slower, even in the WiFi video.
4) Screen. The iPhone screen is bigger. Same resolution. My personal opinion is that I prefer the crispness of the smaller screen, but others will prefer the bigger screen. This is a personal preference...yours will probably be different.
5) Touch vs physical keyboard. I'm torn on this one. I really like what Apple has done for it's virtual keyboard. I don't think any touch keyboard will come close to it for a LONG time. But I prefer a physical keyboard...although I prefer the Curve's keys to the Bold's keys.
6) Interface/UI. Apple wins this one hands down. After all, they've been doing UI's for a LONG time, and they have made some really nice eye candy.
7) Removable battery. You try telling a busy exec that he's going to be tied to a wire for his phone for a while multiple times a day while his iPhone charges.
8) A2DP. BB has it, iPhone does not. I like my bluetooth headphones for music. Pair this up with the audio gateway that RIM sells and you can litterally walk home from work with wireless headphones, step in the door, and have the music continue on your home stereo. And since it's wireless, you can carry your BB around to change tracks, pause music etc.
So there's my rant. You can do with it what you will.
Zro
sycks @ Aug 22nd 2008 12:05PM
@ Zro
Now that is what I call debunking and not just repeating what I said and adding your personal opinion. I was unaware of the poke-pull method that ActiveSync uses, it does however use SSL though, AES or 3DES would be much better, so we do get some form of encryption. It is however almost instantaneous when testing the device. All other email features that I have ever used on the BB are on the iPhone EXCEPT "Mark all as read" I do miss that option, though I can live without it.
Also I do not use Exchange as I feel it is the worst application ever developed with the best lock-in I have ever seen.
cardboardbox @ Aug 21st 2008 1:29PM
As long as its faster than my Pearl, I'll be happy.
Zinger314 @ Aug 21st 2008 1:31PM
The Blackberry Bold will have to be...bold, in order to beat the iPhone! :D
kjb434 @ Aug 21st 2008 2:03PM
Why does it have to beat the iPhone?
Why does ANY phone have to beat the iPhone?
I use WinMo because it fits my needs better than the iPhone. It doesn't mean I consider beating it. I'm sure the loyal legions of blackberry users out there may think that the iPhone is neat, but also doesn't fit their needs.
This relentless wasting of time trying to compare anything to the iPhone is stupid. I'm glad I have a life and only responding to this during my lunch break.
who? @ Aug 21st 2008 3:33PM
How could it beat the iPhone?
How could ANY phone beat the iPhone?
I use the iPhone because it fits my needs better than WinMo. It doesn't mean I consider beating it. I'm sure the loyal legions of Windows users out there may think that WinMo is neat, but also doesn't fit their needs.
This relentless wasting of time trying to compare anything to the iPhone is stupid. I'm glad I have a life and I'm only responding to this during my lunch break.
Sarig @ Aug 21st 2008 6:53PM
I c wat u did der!
stiltskin @ Aug 21st 2008 1:31PM
Oh that first video is bull shit and I don't own a blackberry or iphone.
My windows mobile is faster than the iphone with opera mini.
Phil @ Aug 21st 2008 6:34PM
For god sakes, you can hear the GSM feed back in the audio. The least they could have done was turn off BOTH phone radios!!!!!!!!!!!
rattyuk @ Aug 21st 2008 7:03PM
except you can't - YOU have to have 3G on the Bold for wifi to work.
MBN @ Aug 22nd 2008 9:42AM
Same with the iPhone. The only way to have wi-fi active without the GSM radio on is to remove the SIM.
Tom @ Aug 21st 2008 1:32PM
Who would record a side-by-side race with so many variables? It's like comparing two bicycles to each other, but one of the bikes has square wheels.
Nick @ Aug 21st 2008 2:44PM
...and the other bike had Lance Armstrong on
Jason @ Aug 21st 2008 1:37PM
Bullshit comparisons to the iPhone that try to make everything else look like junk?
Say it isn't so!
Maybe instead of trying to make RIM look bad, Apple and their team of cheerleaders could explain why there are still so many serious bugs in the 3G.... not to mention why the 3G is still lacking basic features like Video, MMS, etc, which every $20 phone has these days.
burkemulisha @ Aug 21st 2008 1:39PM
except the Bold browser sucks to use and the screen is too small
The Dude @ Aug 21st 2008 2:00PM
Except they're both running the same resolution (480x320) which sucks pretty hard for the iPhone given that it has a 3.5" screen to work with.
Patrick Austin @ Aug 21st 2008 2:09PM
Yeah, it sucks for the iPhone. I hear people complaining about the iPhone screen all the time.
"Oh, I can't read it. It's only 160 dpi. Where are my reading glasses and ear trumpet?"
Benson @ Aug 21st 2008 2:19PM
You don't get it; the reason it sucks for the iPhone is that even though it's got the nice big display, it's the same pixel count; you either display the same amount of text (but it's bigger), or to display more text, you have to make everything chunky. For a handheld screen, 160 dpi is kind of bad, but not because people need reading glasses, just because it makes text ugly with big fat pixels, which all the goggles in the world won't help.. Until you get used to reading on a 225 DPI display with all fonts antialiased, you won't get it.
Tejas @ Aug 21st 2008 3:02PM
You need an ear trumpet to read?!
phanbouy @ Aug 21st 2008 3:26PM
they still make ear trumpets?
Jeff @ Aug 21st 2008 4:43PM
@benson: bullshit. 131dpi is considered "High DPI" for winmo devices.
160dpi is GORGEOUS, and still FAR higher res than most the crap out there. sure anything higher would be great, but i'll take a 3.5" 160DPI screen ANY DAY over a tiny little 2" (?) screen.
i'm happy to admit that 225dpi is cleaner than 160, but if you really think, at this level (150dpi+), that having the SAME resolution on a screen half the size is somehow better, you're out of your mind. ...or you're one of those "feature-list" idiots who thinks numbers are more important than *usability*
Phoenix @ Aug 21st 2008 1:40PM
What... the fuck.
That site has just lost ALL credibility in my eyes. You can see the signal strength icon that is plainly evident in the other vid.
Either they're stupid or it was deliberate. Either way, no credibility.
I-phone Is I-sexaayy @ Aug 21st 2008 3:37PM
lmao, tipical anti-apple fanboy,
you just got beat by the iphone, how does it feel? it stings doesnt it
Phoenix @ Aug 21st 2008 3:57PM
The site loaded was full of java. Now I don't think that the iPhone browser supports java. That could be something to do with the speed difference...
phanbouy @ Aug 21st 2008 4:25PM
"anti-apple fanboy" is a really, really stupid meme. just sayin'
I-phone Is I-sexaayy @ Aug 21st 2008 4:26PM
please... please dude watch the vid. are you going to tell me that the bold browser is better than the iphone's ?
be honest.. cmon, stop hating apple and tell the truth.
Phoenix @ Aug 21st 2008 4:57PM
I'm not saying that the iPhone browser isn't better. Just that the test isn't fair.
Engadgetier @ Aug 21st 2008 8:29PM
Retards.
iPhone supports java to a small degree, but the iPhone was running off of WiFi and the Bold was running of of 3G then it switched to EDGE in the middle of the test. so the way i see it, the test is not credible.
aaron @ Aug 21st 2008 1:45PM
why does this matter?
Jubei @ Aug 21st 2008 1:50PM
WiFi helps it. Yet It's still slower than the iPhone or Touch. It's still ugly. It's till too small of a screen image. The UI is still terrible. Nothing gained by enable WiFi on the Bold. Very sad for RIM users.
Mystic @ Aug 21st 2008 2:01PM
Why doesn't the BBB use wifi when it's available instead of 3G/EDGE? Huh anti-Apple zealots? Answer that one. Lame ass fanboys.
pakkman781 @ Aug 22nd 2008 3:39AM
Yeah, I wondered that too. Why not use Wifi automatically? Just seems logical to me. Time for a firmware update?
jc79 @ Aug 21st 2008 4:02PM
Ya, the first vid was pretty off, but still, the second vid...it didn't seem that much faster did it? It still took forever for the Bold to load that page even on wifi...sure it was faster than the first vid, but not that much faster
OGHowie @ Aug 21st 2008 2:48PM
Ummmm, in the YouTube video the Bold is pretty damn slow too.