BlackBerry Cool is running a poll asking “What iPhone Apps would you like for BlackBerry?“   My answer is simple…

Most of them!

I am sure that even a lot of die-hard iPhone and iPod Touch users would agree that a good percentage of the apps available on App Store are pure, unadulterated, crap.  The rub for BlackBerry users, however, is that at least iPhone and iPod users have the option to download a ton of these apps.

The iPhone has a ridiculous advantage over the BlackBerry when it comes application support

Regular RIMarkable readers know that I am absolutely a BlackBerry fanatic, but, I have to be honest, the iPhone has a ridiculous advantage over the BlackBerry when it comes application support.  The iPhone handles memory better, has more memory, far superior graphics support, and a much better Software Development Kit than does the BlackBerry.

To make a long story short Apple makes it easy for developers to develop for the iPhone and the bar to iPhone development is relatively low.  RIM has simply got to catch up.

[Via BlackBerry Cool]

“What iPhone Apps Would You Like For BlackBerry” is a post from: RIMarkable

Because of the popularity of the iPhone security concerns with the device are oftenignored if not dismissed all together, especially when compared to the BlackBerry.   I’d be willing to bet, however,  that IT firms that allow users to access corporate email from their iPhones will listen intently to what researchers Collin Mulliner and Charlie Miller have to say about iPhone security going forward.

You see, these two gentlemen recently took complete control over the iPhone of Elinor Mills, senior technology writer for CNet, with an SMS message at the Black Hat Security Conference in Las Vegas.

Here’s what happened: While I was talking on the phone to Charlie Miller, his partner, Collin Mulliner, sent me a text message from his phone. One minute I’m talking to Miller and the next minute my phone is dead, and this time it’s not AT&T’s fault. After a few seconds it came back to life, but I was not able to make or receive calls until I rebooted.

My iPhone is not jailbroken and it is running iPhone OS 3.0.

The attack is enabled by a serious memory corruption bug in the way the iPhone handles SMS messages, said Miller, a senior security researcher at Independent Security Evaluators.

Apple was notified about the vulnerability which affects all versions of the iPhone OS about 6 weeks ago, however, no patch has been released to correct the issue as of yet.

[Read]

An update, iPhone OS 3.0.1, which address this issue, has been realeased…

Researchers Demonstrate How To Take iPhone Over With Malicious SMS Messages is a post from: RIMarkable

When we first heard that Apple was pulling third party Google Voice applications for the AppStore, we didn’t think that the ban would apply to the official Google Voice App created by Google.  As it turns out, Apple and AT&T are banning Google Voice period.

A Google representative told this to TechCrunch:

We work hard to bring Google applications to a number of mobile platforms, including the iPhone. Apple did not approve the Google Voice application we submitted six weeks ago to the Apple App Store. We will continue to work to bring our services to iPhone users — for example, by taking advantage of advances in mobile browsers.

To make a long story short, Google Voice gives SMS to users for free, something AT&T, and all the carriers, quite frankly, have been over charging customers for, for years.  A lot of iPhone users are questioning why BlackBerry users on AT&T still get to have the Google Voice App for BlackBerry.  I am going to go out on a limb and assume that this is because BlackBerry devices require a special type of data plan, BIS or BES, both which generally include unlimited SMS. Seeing how my previous assumption was completely untrue, I have no clue why Apple is anti GV.

I am sure that this is not the last that we will be hearing of this story…

More On Apple Removing Google Voice Applications From The AppStore is a post from: RIMarkable

Granted, RIMarkable is a BlackBerry blog, however, we aren’t such BlackBerry fanboys that we wouldn’t let you in on a great iPhone sale when we hear about it.

Through then end of the month, Best buy is offerring $50 to $100 off the purchase price of an iPhone 3G for Best Buy Reward zone members with a two-year contract.  Regular members get $50 off and Reward Zone Premium Silver members get $100 off.  This means that you could get yourself an 8 gig iPhone 3G for $99.

I love my BlackBerry, however, a sub-$100 dollar iPhone is a heck of a deal.

[Via Best Buy]

$99 iPhone Sale For Best Buy Reward Zone Members is a post from: RIMarkable

Regardless of if you are an iPhone / iPod fan or not, 500 million downloads in a year and a half half a year is impressive…

Apple App Store Tops 500 Million Downloads is a post from: RIMarkable

I can’t remember where I read this, but, Apple may actually sell more iPhones this quarter than RIM sells BlackBerrys.

Let’s think about that for a second. The BlackBerry is unquestionably the top smartphone out their right now, however, the iPhone may actually outsell the BlackBerry this quarter and Apple got to this point in less than two years. This is an impressive feat for even a company with Apple’s resources.

Knocking the price of the iPhone down to $200 was a brilliant move and had a bit of a Microsoft flavor to it if you ask me.

I don’t think that too many people that use both Macs and PCs would argue that the Mac has a superior OS, is more stable, and is easier to use than Windows, yet Windows still dominates in most homes where these very things would seem to matter most.

In the same vein, not many will argue that the BlackBerry, less web browsing, is far superior to the iPhone as far as everything messaging is concerned, simply just works all the time, and has changed how business users stay in touch and respond almost in real time to email.

I think that you could honestly say that the iPhone is to the BlackBerry what the PC was to the Mac 20 years ago in this sense. Apple isn’t going directly after corporate users just yet. They know trying to battle the BlackBerry on it’s home turf would be like bringing a knife to a gun fight. Apple is, however, going after everyone else, especially those that will become corporate users one day.

What Apple is doing is selling iPhone to consumers like mad and even though the iPhone is still little more than a novelty in most corporate IT environments, it will improve over time, especially when millions of new corporate users that already use iPhone personally are requesting it.

RIM seriously needs to look at lessons passed when setting their strategy over the next few years.

Is The iPhone To The BlackBerry What the PC Was To The Mac? is a post from: RIMarkable

We’ve been saying for a while that the AT&T BlackBerry Bold was being delayed becasue of the iPhone, however, we thought that it was becuase AT&T really wanted to sell a lot of iPhones.

According to the Globe and Mail, the reason, at least in part, that the AT&T BlackBerry Bold hasn’t been launched is becasue the iPhone 3G is such a 3G bandwidth hog it clogs AT&T’s network to the point of not having enough resources to effectively launch the Bold.

The iPhone utilizes a “ping-pong” technology which must constantly access AT&T’s network in order to receive data and e-mails, placing a great strain on the telecom company’s cellular infrastructure. “We believe that AT&T is now realizing that it can have up to 20 BlackBerrys for every iPhone on its network. AT&T will need to spend as much as $1-billion (U.S.) to repair its network.

The iPhone Is Blocking The AT&T BlackBerry Bold Launch… Literally is a post from: RIMarkable

 
I know that this post is not about BlackBerrys or even how the iPhone is related to the BlackBerry, but, I find it hilarious, so, here it goes.

In an effort to “drum up interest” around the release of the iPhone 3G in Poland, Orange has hired dozens of actors to stand in line at 20 stores around the country.

It’s kind of sad that Orange feels that they need to resort to faking buzz around the iPhone. What’s even worse is that on some level it will probably work.

I know that this post is not about BlackBerrys or even how the iPhone is related to the BlackBerry, but, I find it hilarious, so, here it goes.

In an effort to “drum up interest” around the release of the iPhone 3G in Poland, Orange has hired dozens of actors to stand in line at 20 stores around the country.

[Source]

Orange Paying Actors To Stand In Line For iPhone 3G In Poland is a post from: RIMarkable

Apple has decided to extend MobileMe access an additional 60 days on top of the 30 days that they previously extended it to everyone that shelled out $100 forcing you to use a service that doesn’t work for a full 15 months.

Personally, I would prefer that Apple keep their 90 days and just refund my $100, however, I don’t see that happening until a few class action suites have been settled.

I will say that Apple is very lucky that they are Apple. I don’t believe too many other service providers could withstand such an embarrassing launch.

[Source]

Apple Extends MobileMe Subscriptions An Additional 60 Days is a post from: RIMarkable

 
Best Buy will become the first U.S. 3rd party retailer to carry the iPhone in September. That’s right, starting on the 7th of next month you will be able to yourself an iPhone 3G in 970 Best Buy Stores and 18 dedicated Mobile locations.

[Source]

iPhone 3G Coming To Best Buy In September is a post from: RIMarkable