Five reasons to choose… BlackBerry

Confused about the ever-expanding number of smartphone platforms? Unsure which is the right one for you? Our Five Reasons to Choose series gives you an instant guide to the things you need to know about every mobile OS.

Part five: BlackBerry

1. Business integration
Like Windows Mobile 6.5, the BlackBerry platform is well-suited to business users with push e-mail from Microsoft Exchange, sent directly to the device without having to click send/receive. While most phones offer this feature now, BlackBerry devices have supported business e-mail almost from the beginning so there is long legacy of business support.

2. Speed of the OS
While the iPhone and Palm Pre platforms certainly get all the attention for look and feel, plenty of apps, and a touch interface, one benefit to using a BlackBerry device such as the Bold is the speed of the more textual interface. In tests, most apps – even games and the Web browser – appear on screen instantaneously, compared to a second or two on other platforms.

3. Reliable Wi-Fi
Many BlackBerry devices – including the upcoming Storm 2 models – provide a Wi-Fi connection that tends to be more reliable than the wireless connection on other phones. In tests of the BlackBerry Bold, the device maintained a consistent connection at a public Wi-Fi location for hours, while other phones would lose the connection.

4. GPS Navigation
Other than some Nokia models, BlackBerry devices were the first to offer GPS built-in on the device with route navigation thanks to apps such as TeleNav GPS Navigator. Most importantly, the GPS apps on BlackBerry devices work reliably and are easy to use.

5. Multi-tasking
Interestingly, while many BlackBerry models support multi-tasking for running multiple apps at the same time, many users don’t actually know about this feature or use it. Even on older BlackBerry models, you can press ALT-ESC to see open apps and switch between them.

See also:
Five reasons to choose… iPhone
Five reasons to choose… Nokia & Symbian
Five reasons to choose… WebOS
Five reasons to choose… Windows Mobile

Series written by John Brandon. Originally published in Smartphone Essentials magazine.

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