Well, Apple has standardized on the iPod dock style connector, which is actually even appearing in a lot of new cars. I wish I could charge BlackBerries with a USB cable from the computer. They always display the message that it won't charge over USB. That way I could just bring the computer, computer charger, and USB / Dock cable, and eliminate a separate BB charger.

That brings me to another point. With the iPhone, I can play music through my car stereo and select songs from the headunit / steering wheel. Car integration is getting better and better every year. How would I get songs to play with the Bold through the car? I don't think most factory Bluetooth systems support music streaming though the car.

When I get to the hotel, I connect the iPhone with the Apple Component AV cable to the hotel HDTV input panel to watch my movies and TV shows on the big screen. Does the Bold do that?

I guess in my case I'm more into the media / entertainment aspects of the device instead of the email, which is what I think the Bold does best.

There is a nice review of the Bold over on:

http://www.howardchui.com/

I confused the Bold with the Blackberry's forthcoming touchscreen unit in my prior posts and some of what I wrote doesn't apply (some does).

With respect to Bluetooth, there is a program for Windows Mobile call Blue Music which allows other applications to use your Bluetooth stack and communicate through your bluetooth hand's free. I imagine something like this could be written for the Blackberry.

The problem right now is that Apple has a huge competitive advantage with their dock. Blackberry, Nokia, Microsoft, and Sony should come together on a competing standard preferably something just beyond the boundaries of Apple's patents. This would create a powerful incentive for carmakers and airlines to support this alternative standard.

If the car system has Bluetooth A2DP then yes, you can control the audio. Most factory units do not support this, but the majority of Bluetooth enabled aftermarket units DO. And the Blackberry does support A2DP.

No. But in my situation 8Gb (or even 16Gb) is not enough. The Blackberry will never replace an iPod when it comes to media, which is why I carry a 160Gb iPod with me, which has all the movies and TV shows I could ever want. I don't want to be restricted by just 8Gb of storage.

The media aspect of the Blackberry has improved a lot over the past years. For example, the Sprint devices support Sprint TV, which is something the iPod doesn't do. The Blackberry also does streaming media (like Youtube) just fine.

If media is your number 1 wish, then the iPhone is the pick, if you need a really sold phone with excellent messaging, then the Blackberry wins.

It doesn't look too compelling. He says "besides the menus and the browser, the blackberry bold is just like any other blackberry, one that kinda looks like an iPhone"

For starters, it's the first GSM Blackberry with 3G
It's also the first device to run the 4.6 version of their OS
Improved display
More memory
Hot swappable memory slot

The current generation Blackberry smartphone was already great, the addition of 3G only makes that better.

To me, those improvements are enough to want this phone badly

While BlackBerry has had more time to practice with getting the e-mail right, Apple is catching on quickly. I just can't stand to pay AT&T for 3G data on the iPhone 3G when I live 65 miles from 3G coverage, and won't be getting coverage any time soon. The first gen iPhone will do fine for now.

Why do people keep saying that like it is true? The 8707 blackberry is 3G/GSM and has been out for ages. It's even older than the pearl so it is not a recent model. It's the only Blackberry you can use in Japan.

I stand corrected, thanks! I think the limited 3G support on it (only 2100) is the reason I had never paid attention to it...

If you're getting this message, it's because the computer doesn't have the Blackberry software installed. Once you install this it will provide your USB port with enough power to charge a BB.

I'll be making my choice between these two and the Nokia E71, I suspect. Still don't know which way I'm going to go.

There was a rumour when the 2nd or 3rd iphone SDK came out about an HID or BT keyboard interface. Not sure if that went anywhere, but for flights, obscure travel and the like I would certainly take one of my small BT keyboards and just use the iphone.

An odd bit that came out of the last SDK, was that ROUTING for GPS applications was going to be disabled? Meaning, only the resident (ala google) GPS would allow routing and real time directions. That would be quite lame in my opinion.

It truly is a form v. function issue.

I'll want to use BB messenger, and the email/calendaring/address books ... And I appreciate having a physical keyboard

But the iPhone has a bigger screen, and unless the BB browser is of iPhone quality, that becomes a PITA.

I guess it also depends on what each phone plan looks like as well (as AT&T has jacked up the iPhone base data plan cost by ~$20 /mo)

I suspect it's because they are going to give Google first dibs on a turn by turn package, or perhaps Apple will even release their own package. The whole thing does make TomTom look bad, because the same day the iPhone was announced, they claimed they had their package working for the iPhone.

I just realized what the BB Bold killer is:

Crappy web surfing experience. The iPhone visuals of surfing websites (can it do Flash now?) is much much better than the 'improved' BIS.

So iPhone for me!

Actually, surfing on the Blackberry is pretty damn good with the latest OS version. I wouldn't compare it to the iPhone, but it's at least a full browser (with things like cut/paste).