It’s been about five days since I ditched my iPhone (s aapl) and made the BlackBerry Curve 8900 (s rimm) my primary device. There are many things I miss about the iPhone, such as surfing the Internet with a full-blown browser. More importantly, I miss Facebook Mobile. And I am missing it even more on the road, since I’m trying to limit my computer usage while on this trip.
The Facebook for iPhone app allowed me to get through a whole lot of stuff really really fast. It was easy to click and upload photos, approve friends, respond to events and send short messages. I constantly changed my status and, most importantly, enjoyed checking out photos of my friends.
The Facebook for BlackBerry app allows me to do all of those things, too, just not nearly as easily. While one would think that a full keyboard would make things better, the app is challenging to use (other than, admittedly, answering messages, which is actually much faster — but that’s about it). It’s like driving around a sleek Aston Martin (Facebook Mobile on iPhone) for a year, only to have it replaced by a Honda (Facebook on BlackBerry).
Related Post: Why Facebook’s Future Is Mobile
That’s a good point Om. To be honest, I’m personally battling with the thought of moving to Blackberry Bold. I’m in the city and don’t have issues with AT&T coverage but the iPhone just doesn’t feel powerful, full featured especially when it comes to email. Once a week I load up cell phone sites and compare prices just moments away from clicking a “buy” button. IDK.
My suggestion: Get an iPod Touch and load the facebook app on there. I, like you Om, don’t want AT&T, but want all the apps and features of the iPhone platform.
So, I loaded Facebook onto the iPod Touch and can use the awesome Facebook app that way. Anywhere I can get online (which is easy with Boingo), I can get onto facebook via the iPod.
It isn’t that the Blackberry platform has failed, it is that Facebook needs to put more effort into the app for the Blackberry. They (FB) all carry Phones so of course it is going to be the best of the platforms.
I recently switched from BB Curve to iPhone. I miss my Curve for a number of reasons. Form factor, 1 handed use, messaging on a keyboard, etc.
They need a iPhone OS on a Blackberry Curve form factor.
Given that a Honda is a much better daily driver than an Aston Martin, I wonder at your analogy. Are you really just saying that your problem with the Bold is that it is not cool?
Do you really want to downgrade to Edge data?
If you are in the Facebook for BB application, Menu -> goto Mobile Site. It is actually pretty good on the BB. It is pretty much fully featured. It isn’t quite as slick as the iPhone but it is pretty usable.
As a non-iPhony Honda driver, I think I take offense…
I’m trying to keep my mind clear but are too many voices around against facebook, about their rights on the user uploaded pictures and so on…
iPhone = sleek & easy to use
Just today.:
OM Malik: “Aston Martin replaced by Honda”
Stacey Higginbotham: “Ferrari getting upstaged by an Acura”
You know, you people should sell the company already, buy your dream cars and be done with these car fantasies.
Depression, anyone?
i really don’t know how you can compare the two. I don’t do heavy emailing, and i have an orb server, which has a full featured iphone client, so the Blackberry is complete fail to me.
Having all my avi’s and mp4 video’s where-ever i have service is awesome, and i have a HD-TV card that streams basic cable (digital) to the iphone as well.
while at&t’s service took some time to get used to after verizon, I would never, ever go back to a Blackberry.
/am i the only one who types way faster on the iphone virtual keyboard?
The perfect combo would be a Blackberry Bold 2.0 using LTE on Verizon for email/IM’ing combined with a 32GB iPod Touch that had Bluetooth Dialup profile that could tap the Bold’s 3G signal.
Facebook was built for the iPhone, and FreeVoiceLine.com was built for Facebook – can you imagine being able to click a button and instantly call your friends, without having to remember phone numbers, and on Facebook? I think that would soooo rock out.
I agree the facebook app on the blackberry sucks even when it works. My notifications don’t work and it’s the opposite on the iPod Touch. It’s like night and day. I use the blackberry facebook app only when I have no wifi and even then will visit the mobile site instead using the blackberry browser which is so much better than the app itself. They really need to upgrade it.
Another vote for the iPod touch.
Yeah, but what about the ongoing integrity of the digital security. I’m curious just what the risks are with using social networking in this way.
I found some information on http://www.justaskgemalto.com, which was helpful but I was wondering what your perspective was and if you wouldn’t mind writing a piece about it. Thanks.
Hello sir…
So why you were looking busy at blackberry most of the time in WCI.
learning new features huhh? 🙂
hehehehehe……….
blackberry and other smart phones need to find a way to utilize real browsers and not silly mobile versions. The they will be able to compete with Apples mobile safari.