iPhone?

I'm already a T-Mobile customer and have been quite happy with them, so not having to switch to AT&T; would actually be a big plus for me. The other features sounds reasonable.

I think I'm going to have to get my hands on a BB to play with. Ultimately I think it's going to boil down to UI factors. The BB will need to be pretty impressive to overcome my iPhone lust, but it sounds like it's worth at least checking out before deciding. Thanks again.

Tim, you would be a considerable scalp for us bb fanboys, so take whatever follows with the corresponding grain of salt. I am now on t-mobile, which I like partly for extra-technical reasons. The t-mobile network is not as wide or deep as the main competitors, but they are working against that in ways that align with my interests: first with wifi as an alternative gateway, and second with a feature called "My Faves", which is competing with the in-network pricing of VZW and ATT, but let you choose 5 people on any network. Whether in their corporate heart of hearts they really care about openness is doubtful but for the moment they are advancing what I consider positive trends.

The browser is a little better than Safari for text and in all other respects it is worse, the basic look and feel is java phone with some optimizations. I actually prefer the mainly text interface, although with the iPhone's screen that might be less the case. There are little things though, like being able to navigate and use the device with a cup of coffee in the other hand, that I would have trouble giving up. Access to web services is OK, I can't seem to download any big media files directly. There is no flash. I had to toggle a few options to install some 3rd-party applications that use network data connections, like (no-longer-necessary) gcalsync and MidpSSH. All of this is on the $20 unlimited plan, which is as good as I suppose EDGE can be. Also, you can use wifi at t-mobile hotspots, and there is some way to tether that to a laptop, but I am in the relative wireless and coffee paradise of San Francisco and haven't needed to.

The media player is also no iPod, it comes with something called roxio, but I just use some little python scripts to manage podcasts.

My only basis for comparison is limited use of my mother's iPhone, which she loves and I also think is great. At a minimum you can think of this comment thread as part of your due diligence on the way to the apple store ;) Look forward to reading about how it goes either way.

Timon, thanks. That's very helpful. Are you getting your access through T-Mobile? They appear to be charging $20/month for the call-via-WiFi functionality now (which I'd probably skip since I don't spend a lot of time on the phone). And there appear to be several Internet options (T-MobileWeb $6, BlackBerry Unlimited E-mail Add-on $10, BlackBerry Unlimited Add-on $20). Will that last one give me unlimited, non-crippled Internet access?

Also, how good is the browser on the Curve? I think the thing that most attracts me to the iPhone is that it's the first phone that has a large/dense/bright enough screen and a slick enough UI that I can actually imagine using it as a browser without getting a headache.

Thanks again!

There are a few things about the Blackberry Curve 8320 that have just completely won me over, I would recommend it to anyone. First -- unlimited free ($10/mo flat) calling over WiFi. This is huge, it also works overseas, so none of those obscene roaming charges (no charges at all, in fact, if you are in wifi range). It has an excellent media player that has an ordinary mass storage mode, and will take whatever micro sd you can squeeze in. Whatever os/java vm they are using is a little beast, my previous one lasted two years and was probably turned off for a total of 20 mins total. Also, just to name a few potential advantages: an ssh client, a keyboard, a very good overall workflow including support for innovations such as cut-and-paste, wireless sync to google calendar, and the ability to take it out and use it in a business setting without looking fey (though that last one is probably not applicable to tech bloggers.) As an aside, I am no longer using any of the exchange integration, and actually no ms software at all, despite my employer having it available.

I am tempted by the iPhone, and the Apple user experience tends to be great, but the Blackberry qua information appliance is just amazing. It also seems wrong for the WiFi chip not to be enlisted in support of the main function of the phone, so that you can be gouged more deeply by Apple's partners. (Even a gizmo client and forwarding via grandcentral or some such would be a fair compromise.)

Do put some thought into it, this is the first year phones have been available that really can often substitute for laptops, and inspire the same degree of devotion ;)

In my opinion, once you take away the fancy UI, the iPhone becomes only a very basic smartphone.

Take a look at the N-Series and E-Series phones from Nokia, or any of the huge number of Windows Mobile phones on the market. All of these will do what the iPhone does and a whole lot more, and you won't be restricted to a certain cellular provider.

I agree with heathshow but remember that whatever improved iPhone (if any) that Apple announces in January won't be available until the second half of '08 at the earliest.

I bought an iPhone right off the bat and couldn't be happier. However, what you don't know won't hurt you. Now that I have it I can't live without it, but since you don't have it I would certainly wait until MacWorld to see what enhancements there might be on the next generation.

Either way I'm sure you'll be pleased with it :)

Yes.

;)