I intentionally got this 3G before 3.0 came out, so I could see how well Apple was addressing a year’s worth of needed improvements to the phone. I installed it on Weds and have noticed some changes on the device, though it won’t live up to the many, many months of hype.
Install was a breeze – Apple has that aspect very well covered. I plugged the phone into my PC, Itunes loaded and did its thing. Blackberry OS installs are nowhere near this easy.
Improvements for me, a Blackberry user.. you can now set the “home button” to perform one of a limited number of canned actions on double click – luckily, Camera is one of these actions. Thats really nice. Still tough, though. I find the camera VERY shakey – maybe due to the weight of the phone? No real noticeable improvements to the camera with 3.0, which is a shame.
Push has some potential to resolve some of my biggest gripes – that being the “disconnect”. Ages old Blackberries have the ability to let you know if you have IM messages and other notifications. Iphone, “to save battery”, is severely crippled in this aspect. When it goes to sleep, the only way to get notified of a message is via Push or a native app. Since there is no native IM app.. things like Gtalk cannot stay connected while the phone is sleeping. To send an IM, you have to wake up the device, log back into IM, and then go. Beejive is supposed to be releasing a new client soon, with Push notifications for your IMs. That’s a good thing – but you have to PAY for it. Grr.
Typing – its a bit easier on the landscape keyboard, but that’s still only available in certain applications. And when it is – you have very little screen left to view the application itself. It is still futile to try typing without looking though.
Getting really tired of typing my Itunes password for every download or app upgrade.
Search – best part is that searches MP3s.. making songs easy to find. Not that I use it as my Ipod very much. I do like the Ipod interface though – the scrolling beats the crap out of the scroll wheel.
I’ll say this again.. the technology in the device is fantastic. Its really a shame to see just how backwards RIM’s devices are – RIM is really relying on their basic functionality to get users, but I can see why so many people are buying iPhones too. The iPhone can, and does, SO much more than the Blackberry.. however, as a toy, as an internet device.. but not so much as a mobile communication device. This is the corner that RIM seems to think is their bread and butter.. but really – if Apple were to release something that made messaging more convenient – it would litteraly destroy RIM as things stand right now.
New BB’s and new BB software CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH. Fortunately for RIM, Apple is very content with what they have going – but for the regular consumer – I don’t see a BB competing with the $99 iPhone. For the power users / crackberry / must.. have.. email.. person, I still don’t see the iPhone as a replacement. Since I am still in that category.. I really like alot about the iPhone, but still have my issues. Right now I can see it as an awesome device to take on the road, or keep on the coffee table. Like I said before.. I’ll take it over a netbook anyday.