Blackberry Bold versus iPhone for Real Estate
REtechy chooses post topics from the many emails we get from readers like you. Here is a question we received yesterday from Brandon Harris.
I have AT&T wireless service and I am about to purchase a new phone. Until I came to this site I was set on purchasing the Blackberry bold for it’s push through email and it’s ability to edit Microsoft documents. Now after seeing the plethora of real estate related applications for the iPhone, I am once again confused as to which phone would serve me better. I would like to know if the Blackberry Bold will have some similar real estate related applications or if the I phone would be able to edit documents like word, excel etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. – Thanks Brandon Harris
Advances in technology make using a smartphone a requisite for any real estate agent worth her/his weight. Many options are available, but two phones have risen to the top of the smartphone food-chain.
Is the Blackberry Bold or iPhone better for business?
How the heck can I answer that without subjecting myself to hostility? I can tell you this though – the Blackberry Bold is the best Blackberry ever created. The Bold was designed for business use and boasts features the iPhone does not have including: ability to edit documents & video recording.
The Blackberry Bold’s security also makes a compelling argument. The Blackberry is a preferred phone for Supra eKEY (GE Security); BlackBerry users can now join the thousands of real estate professionals already enjoying the timesaving benefits of eKEY service on their Palm and Windows smartphones.
Before you go buying a Blackberry Bold let’s talk about the iPhone. Apple’s iPhone is the 2nd sexiest thing I have ever held (1st is you honey). The UI is beautiful, the web browser blows Blackberry out of the water, and did I mention it was sexy? Apple’s App store for the iPhone holds many great real estate related applications, with new ones churned out all the time.
Let’s remember the iPhone is designed for the consumer; you can hail cabs, order groceries, make fart sounds all from your iPhone. The developer community supporting iPhone applications is large and active. If you fall in love with an application, or two, the iPhone may prove to be the best phone for your needs.
Here is the best online comparison for the Blackberry Bold & iPhone > The iPhone Blog
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fl7cqFQatP4[/youtube]
PinStack.com put together the great comparison chart below. Click on image below to enlarge.
The iPhone is hands down a better product over the Blackberry for business and personal use. The only reason for not getting an iPhone would be if for some reason you couldn’t get AT&T’s service.
Even if you are familiar with the iPhone and it’s offerings, it isn’t until you experience the App store until you realize the iPhone’s real power!
PS You making the statement that the Blackberry Bold is better than the Blackberry Storm?
Ive used BBs since they looked like pagers. Love em, everything on them is great and WORKS…except the crappy web browser, which has always been weak.
Never owned a iPhone but played with them a lot and the browsers are awesome.
I would have to own a iPhone for a year or so before I could do a good head to head.
But if you have ANY Qs about the BB, let me know!
RM
The answer is what I have done. Get them both.
The phone and the ease of tying are far superior on the BB, but all the “cool” stuff and the ability for an e-signature are on the iPhone.
But, since it is mid-2010, the other idea is to get the BB and then get an iPad.
I believe you will be able to do everything you are now doing on the iPad to facilitate the entire transaction on the iPad.
The only glitch I have found so far is that my MLS does not support it and I can’t scroll on it, but other than that, I can do a contract on the browser through ZipForms and do the digital signature on Docusign and then email it from the iPad.
@Fred – Thanks for the great INFORMATIVE comment. As a Blackberry user, and avid text’r, I couldn’t be happier with the form function of the BB. Although I do succumb to moments of “apple envy” as I watch my mac friends proudly display the latest iphone app.
The NWMLS, serving the greater Seattle, area doesn’t support many of the latest production tools being offered including ZipForms.