Blackberries are terrible and the only reason anybody uses them is because they are forced to. I have to use one to get my work email. The firm started supporting iPhones on a limited basis and some people are able to check work email on personal iPhones / iPads (so much better this way).

For a personal phone I can't imagine getting a Bberry. RIMM is a disaster.

 
gamenumbers:
Blackberries are terrible and the only reason anybody uses them is because they are forced to. I have to use one to get my work email. The firm started supporting iPhones on a limited basis and some people are able to check work email on personal iPhones / iPads (so much better this way).

For a personal phone I can't imagine getting a Bberry. RIMM is a disaster.

That... pretty much sums it up. +1

in it 2 win it
 

BlackBerries used to be on top... 7 years ago. I got myself one in 2008 and while I really love the form factor, the thing is slow as crap and nothing is supported on it. Hell, I can't even get my damn Google Calendars to sync properly, how am I supposed to get anything done? Needless to say, I got an iPhone 4 the moment it came out.

Currently: future neurologist, current psychotherapist Previously: investor relations (top consulting firm), M&A consulting (Big 4), M&A banking (MM)
 

Iphone all day just tossed my BB 9700 a few weeks ago. Internet browser is weak there is not much you can do with the BB that you can't do better with the iphone other than BBM (with the 20 people on the planet who still have a BB)

'We're bigger than U.S. Steel"
 

My firm gives iPhones, Androids or Blackberries to our guys, you get to pick which one you want.

iPhone is the overwhelming choice followed closely by the Galaxy S or something.

I have a personal Android and a work BB simply because I only use the work phone for texting, emailing, calling and viewing decks.

If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses - Henry Ford
 

I've used all three devices: bb, iphone, and android.

Honestly, I like the BB the most. I know iphones are the shit, but I really can't stand touch screen keyboards. The only problem I have with BB's are that they're extremely slow and have not much use for them other than email/txting/calling (apps suck). However, I had a chance to try out the Bold 9900 series and boy are they a HUGE improvement from the previous models. It's A LOT faster (both browsing and regular use) and also has touch screen.

But on the other hand, I like how simple the iphone is and the fact that it is a 2-in-1 device for someone like me that likes to listen to a lot of music. The apps are also a lot better than BB's, but I don't use many apps anyways.

It definitely comes down to personal preference. Can't really see a lot of bankers using the iphone as their work phone because the email on it is far worse than BB's email (only on the basis of 15 minute fetching vs. instantaneous fetching). It seems like whether I switch to an android or the iphone, I always end up coming back to the blackberry because of the keyboard. Try typing when you're drunk. Even with autocorrect, it's extremely difficult. Maybe I'll try out the android devices with a hard keyboard like adapt or die said.

 

I want my phone purely for making calls and productive tasks - and for such purpose I believe the 9900 is unmatched . For everything else I use my Ipad.

In terms of getting shit done - sending emails, messaging, viewing and sending attachments, checking/editing calendar, writing notes and doing quick browser searches; I can smoke my Iphone/Android friends every time, from both a speed and efficiency perspective. I'm a longtime BB user and I told myself that the day I wanted more from my phone I'd look at an Android phone, but since RIM threw the touchscreen on and new OS in the Bold, I haven't been able to justify a switch.

 

I've been in the IT/IS field for a long time and have owned just about every device you can name. The setup I have now is the best:

1 - iPad with a Google Voice account. I can initiate all my calls from the iPad and also do e-mail and texting on the larger keyboard

2 - Pre-paid iPhone. You can find tutorials online on how to do this. My iPhone now runs me less than $40/month including data :). Since I use Google Voice, my phone could actually be some little cheap thing, it doesnt have to be an iPhone. I just happened to have one for all the cool apps.

If there is an iPad version that makes calls, I'm all over that. I could then use a single device for everything under the sun.

BTW if you guys aren't familiar with Google Voice, you MUST get an account. Call screening, txt by email, call blocking, custom voicemail prompts, just a great piece of software.

 
Best Response
GentlemanJack:
I've been in the IT/IS field for a long time and have owned just about every device you can name. The setup I have now is the best:

1 - iPad with a Google Voice account. I can initiate all my calls from the iPad and also do e-mail and texting on the larger keyboard

2 - Pre-paid iPhone. You can find tutorials online on how to do this. My iPhone now runs me less than $40/month including data :). Since I use Google Voice, my phone could actually be some little cheap thing, it doesnt have to be an iPhone. I just happened to have one for all the cool apps.

If there is an iPad version that makes calls, I'm all over that. I could then use a single device for everything under the sun.

BTW if you guys aren't familiar with Google Voice, you MUST get an account. Call screening, txt by email, call blocking, custom voicemail prompts, just a great piece of software.

Lol, I use the Iphone with pre-paid account. It's in England though, and I pay 15 quid a month, and get 3000 texts, 300 minutes and all-i-can-eat data. It's a very good deal!

Perhaps I should have stated my preference when I started the thread. I prefer the BB for work, but the Iphone for my personal stuff.

It seemed to me that the Blackberry was the nr 1 choice for companies, and for ''professional use''. I suppose that's changing...

 

I prefer android. I have never understood why people like the blackberry and I don't think I ever will.

When luck shuts the door you gotta come in through the window - Doyle Brunson
 

If you have the choice, there's no reason to not get the iPhone as opposed to the Blackberry. Sleek and strong performance vs clunky and a shitty OS.

I spoke with a couple VPs at a BB, and they all said that they only have the Blackberry from work for work — the iPhone is what they use for personal stuff.

"When I was young I thought that money was the most important thing in life; now that I am old I know that it is." - Oscar Wilde "Seriously, psychology is for those with two x chromosomes." - RagnarDanneskjold
 

Identifying a Blackberry as a "banker phone" is akin to calling the pitchbook commenting process a "banker way of doing things." Both are rooted in banker tradition. Neither are things you should be proud of.

iPhone or Android. I have the Galaxy Nexus and love it to death.

 

i use iPhone and seriously speaking, it has nothing to do with what you do and what the mobile you carry. but iphone is a lot better option than BB, it is simpy an addiction and owes a great to your personality

 

I had an iPhone for 2 years and got rid of it for a blackberry bold. Mostly to unlock some liquidity in the phone. Made money on the deal also so I'm happy.

BB pros: excellent call quality and loud speaker, LED notification, texting BB cons: shitty apps, battery life

iPhone pros: apps, apps, apps, but over time (in my case) all apps got boring and I stopped using them. All the sudden the iPhone became just a regular phone. iPhone cons: I hated texting on this thing. Couldn't text while driving, thumbs would always hit the wrong letters. Also the damn thing is a square and my ear always hurt after talking too long on it.

 
cyoungmark:
I had an iPhone for 2 years and got rid of it for a blackberry bold. Mostly to unlock some liquidity in the phone. Made money on the deal also so I'm happy.

BB pros: excellent call quality and loud speaker, LED notification, texting BB cons: shitty apps, battery life

iPhone pros: apps, apps, apps, but over time (in my case) all apps got boring and I stopped using them. All the sudden the iPhone became just a regular phone. iPhone cons: I hated texting on this thing. Couldn't text while driving, thumbs would always hit the wrong letters. Also the damn thing is a square and my ear always hurt after talking too long on it.

Well, I'm glad that you are back to texting and driving with your BB. GODSPEED!
 
cyoungmark:
^^ LOL

O and for all the say RIMM is a dying company, just wait.

I'm a contrarian myself and I am contemplating getting long RIMM. Hell, maybe if I wait long enough I can just do a hostile takeover of them. What's their mcap like $50?
Asatar:

iPhone. Mostly comes down to personal preference though. Are you certain you will have access to corporate email on a mobile device during an internship though? I've know of several places that don't allow it for security reasons.

You download an app that gives you a secure connection to your work email. Works similar to remote access.

Would recommend against it though. Occasionally, you'll get emails that for whatever reason don't push through. Also, the notification may not be loud enough/continuous enough to wake you up or to hear it at a bar.

 

perhaps i unintentionally hid my question (though thanks shake for answering it).

are analysts in s&t given blackberries? if so, what banks? thanks!

secondly, is it possible (in terms of will compliance allow one to do it) to forward work e-mail to a g-mail account?

 
dentyne13:
i wanted to know people's opinion on getting an iphone or a blackberry for someone was going to be starting full-time in s&t.

i know that bankers are given blackberries by the employers, but are people in s&t given one also?

i'm leaning towards getting an iphone (more so for personal use), but if my employer gives me a blackberry, i think i would stick with just the blackberry because i wouldn't want to carry around two phones. thoughts? thanks in advance.

my hr contact mentioned nothing about either iphone or blackberry ...

 

the iphone does everything better than a blackberry for personal and business purposes. it then does 10x that with multitude of apps available. also, if you are worried about running 3rd-party programs in the background (like Pandora or last.fm), you can always jailbreak your iphone and install Backgrounder.

only large companies with a lot of internal email to manage benefit from having a company-wide blackberry system.

 

Recently came back from a conference full of PMs...they were all using BBs. Right now I have a iPhone5 for work and Nexus 4 for personal use and I think the combo is great. Both of them allow me to easily access bloomberg, my calendar, and emails. I asked my PM if he thought I should get a BB and his response was that the firm was phasing them out...

The only reason I would choose a crackberry over an iphone or android device is b/c of the build quality and physical keyboard.

Disclaimer for the Kids: Any forward-looking statements are solely for informational purposes and cannot be taken as investment advice. Consult your moms before deciding where to invest.
 
JPMortgage:
What do you think about the new BB? I'm contemplating making the switch from the iPhone.

The new blackberry seems to be doing well in Canada. I believe it would serve you well as a phone for work and business.

 

I keep BB for work and iPhone for personal use. If I can only use one phone, it has to be iPhone but then I need to carry a portable charger all the time. It just looks lame.

So much for information overload: BB chats, whatsapp, iMessages, and whatever from the wife!

Invest first, investigate later.
 

It's not really any different from having two phones as an entrepreneur. I have a personal berry, a BB I use for my own business that I can write off as a work expense and I suppose another blackberry from my SA gig this summer. Cant beat the convenience of the Bold/Torch... especially now that I can sync it with my Playbook.

‎"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns or dollars."
 

Blackberries are the biggest pieces of shit, no matter what anybody tells you... You can do so much more on an iPhone... except BBM currently, but since RIMM is acknowledging that their phones suck and the only good thing about it is BBM, BBM is going to be available on other phones as well.

PS I have a blackberry and it sucks. So I'm not a huge blind apple supporter

 

Neither. Droid. It has the best browser on any smart phone. I had a blackberry before my droid, it was great for e-mail, but the internet was lacking. And having an iphone from what I can tell is like using a gameboy as a cell phone.

 

In many cases, due to security reasons, you will bet your phone from your employer.

If you are looking for a personal phone, and the above are your only options, get the iphone. Blackberry is really an enterprise device.

Like lxwarr said, look into android devices; they are technically superior to the Iphone at the moment. Regardless, it might be worth holding off until June to see what the iphone 5 looks like before you make a 2 year commitment.

 

What do you use your phone for? Emailing/messaging blackberry is the best, nothing beats a physical keyboard and their security. The blackberry browser does however suck, it has gotten better recently but is still light years behind the iphone/droid. Iphone also has the apps, any game, time waster etc you can want will be available. BB, not so much.

I personally have a blackberry now, though I love the messaging (bbm) and physical keyboard I will be making the shift to android in the near future

 
Bobb:
What do you use your phone for? Emailing/messaging blackberry is the best, nothing beats a physical keyboard and their security. The blackberry browser does however suck, it has gotten better recently but is still light years behind the iphone/droid. Iphone also has the apps, any game, time waster etc you can want will be available. BB, not so much.

I personally have a blackberry now, though I love the messaging (bbm) and physical keyboard I will be making the shift to android in the near future

bbm is going to be available on iphone and android platforms in near future

 

This will really be both my work and personal phone. I am leaning Iphone, as I currently have an older BB Curve which I am getting rid of shortly.

Biggest benefits I see going Iphone: - So much more flexibility - Speed / functionality of browser - Easy to look up addresses if going between meetings at different locations - Better news alerts / updates on any stocks that I follow - Better calendar

My biggest fears going Iphone: - No BBM (I can live with this) - Typing seems ok, but maybe not perfect - On my Ipod touch, the email system seems pretty cumbersome - Lots of other folks use BB in the office - so am I the odd man out?

I'm not too worried about the games - but I like the idea of having access to variety of Apps for productivity.

Plus, aren't there apps out there which would handle email on an Iphone the same way BB handles email? - like one touch / easy reply buttons, etc.

 

Pick whichever phone phone you want. Its yours. I don't think people sit around compare phones at work. If they do they should be working harder.

People should not need their handheld with minor decisions. You already said you can get either the iPhone or the BlackBerry. Pick what you want.

I have a Torch. It is slow compared to the Storm I had before. I haven't used an iPhone but I imagine it is slow compared to that as well. Rimm seems to be behind on processor speed. I only use my phone for e-mail, text, and a few random apps. For those tasks it is sufficient, although I would like it to be faster.

"yeah, thats right" High-Five
 

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"yeah, thats right" High-Five
 

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