I Drive a Subaru. I'm a Blackberry.

I've been thinking about getting a Blackberry, but iPhone commercials on television tempt me. So, how does one decide? The gadget or the network? New cool or industry standard?

For some, the answer is crystal clear: if you're a Mac, then you're probably an iPhone, which also means your network is decided for you. AT&T sells both the Blackberry and iPhone but is the only service provider for the iPhone.

According to Jason Tice, "It's the network." Jason owns two Wireless Zone stores in Blacksburg, Virginia. “A phone is only going to be as good as the network that serves it.”

He represents the Verizon Wireless Network. “I don't say that because I sell it; I sell it because I can say that.”

 Jason recommends the Blackberry Curve. He refers to his Blackberry Curve as “utilitarian” and tells me it's the best phone he's ever used. Having been in the cell phone biz since 1999, he's tried out quite a few phones.

He particularly likes the well-established “email push” as well as the Blackberry Browser, though notes that he has customers who own both an iPhone and a Blackberry.

Currently, at the Wireless Zone, the Blackberry Curve is outselling the Blackberry Storm, which Tice says is the most fully-functional of the Blackberry Family.

You had me at "utilitarian." I drive a Subaru. I must be a Blackberry.

Compare the specs at these sites:

iPhone:
http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html

Blackberry Curve:
http://www.blackberry.com/blackberrycurve/

Blackberry Storm:
http://www.blackberry.com/blackberrystorm/

Comments

[Anne Clelland]

Hugely useful post - more about that later - and Rob at The Wireless Zone used this site to help us compare features of phones:

http://www.phonescoop.com

[Z. Kelly Queijo]

Thanks, Anne. You're right www.phonescoop.com is a terrific site for cell phone/smart phone info.
-Kelly

[John Nolley]

CNN ran a story a few weeks ago claiming that Apple and Verizon were working on an iPhone for Verizon's CDMA network. (This confirmed speculation from last year based on Apple hiring reqs which had asked for experience in "EVDO," Verizon's particular 3G CDMA technology.)

The problem (and big unknown) is the timeframe, given the exclusivity agreement with AT&T. That had originally be speculated to be for 2 years, but clearly is longer in term.

But at some point hopefully soon, we'll likely see a Verizon iPhone.

[Z. Kelly Queijo]

It would certainly make sense for Apple and Verizon to work together. Thanks for sharing this, John. Which are you???

-Kelly