Contests

BlackBerry 9700 and BlackBerry Storm2 Review from an iPhone Perspective -- Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Saturday, Dec 26, 2009 a 5:00 pm

RIM has one of the oldest OS platforms in the 2009 Smartphone Round Robin, but unlike Nokia's S60 (reviewed here last week), and Microsoft which is busy rebuilding, CrackBerry.com's signature BlackBerry Bold 9700 and BlackBerry Storm2 enjoy huge popularity in North America, a seemingly unbreakable hold on the Enterprise market, and an ever-increasing focus on consumers.

Last year, Dieter likened the previous BlackBerry Bold 9000 to the Treo 650 -- perhaps the ultimate representation of a platform at its peek of perfection... yet raising the question of where that platform had left to go. On the other hand, the original Storm1 never failed to disappoint, a hit in numbers but not hearts of BlackBerry lovers. Now it's a year later. Does the BlackBerry Bold 9700 take the roll of Treo 680, a slimmer, more polished perfection, still not hinting at platform futures to come? And does the Storm2 get right what the Storm2 done so wrong?

To try and answer that, the SPE editors did a Round Table with Mickey for the Cell Phone Junkie podcast, and I got plenty of help from CrackBerry Kevin and a stupefying amount of information from the CrackBerry Forums. Huge thanks to everyone -- I needed it!

(And just a reminder, every day you post on my CrackBerry.com thread, or any of the official Round Robin threads, is another day you're entered to win one of six (6!) new smartphones!)

Okay, time to bring the BlackBerry rain... after the break!

iPhone from a Windows Phone User's Perspective -- Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Dec 23, 2009 a 8:41 am

I'm an iPhone. Phil's a Windows Phone. But this week our good buddy from WMExperts is taking a look at TiPb's signature device, and to he's asking TiPb iPhone Forum members for their help in understanding Apple's integrated, iTunes-bound universe dent'er. And remember, every day you reply to that thread, you're entered for a chance to WIN AN iPHONE 3GS! (smartphoneroundrobin.com has all your details!)

TiPb/TeleNav Giveaway -- One Year of AT&T Navigator, Accessories, TiPb Store Gift Certificate and More!

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Dec 22, 2009 a 12:23 pm

The holidays are upon us soon the new year will be here, and to celebrate TiPb is teaming up with TeleNav to offer TiPb's TeleNav AT&T Navigator Give Away! And since we're already running the huge Round Robin contest in the forums, we figured this one would be perfect for the social networks.

BlackBerry Bold 9700, Storm2 Hands-on Video, Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Dec 21, 2009 a 11:11 am

Week 2 of the 2009 Smartphone Round Robin sees me take on TiPb's Public Frenemy #1, the almost-diametrically opposed BlackBerry -- or is it? This year in addition to the new flagship BlackBerry Bold 9700, we officially have an actual touch-screen 'Berry in the 'Robin -- the Storm2. What's an iPhone blogger to do? Well, first go on the Cell Phone Junkie podcast with Mickey and all the SPE editors to discuss RIM's platform, that's a given.

Next, of course, I hit up the world's foremost BlackBerry lover , CrackBerry Kevin Michaluk himself, and as if that weren't enough, I enlisted the million-strong CrackBerry Nation to help me out as well!

Remember, every day you post on my CrackBerry Forums thread, you're entered for a chance to win the BlackBerry of your choice. (And there's a total of 6 smartphones up for grabs -- one per SPE site -- so check them all out!)

Now grab your hotdogs, popcorn, and spicy drink, because after the break CrackBerry Kevin gives me a guided tour of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and Storm 2, and everything new in hardware and BlackBerry OS 5.0.

iPhone Review from PreCentral.net's Dieter, Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Saturday, Dec 19, 2009 a 10:15 am

Nokia S60 N97 mini and Maemo N900 Review -- Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Friday, Dec 18, 2009 a 11:05 am

How does the iPhone compare to sibling site NokiaExperts.com's two platforms, trusty Symbian S60 OS as seen in the N97 mini and the next generation Maemo OS of the N900? That's the question I'm looking to answer in TiPb's first week of the 3rd annual Smartphone Round Robin

I’ll confess from the start that I wasn't terribly familiar with Nokia’s platforms coming into this review. They dominate the rest of the world, of course, but for a variety of reasons they haven’t made much of a dent here in North America yet. Lucky for me, the SPE network has reached across the pond to Seattle (hey, there must be ponds between Montreal and Seattle!) to bring Matthew Miller to the table this year. His tremendous knowledge and enthusiasm -- along with the incredible help I received from the NokiaExperts community -- are the only reason this review was able to happen. So to him and to them; thanks.

(Speaking of the NokiaExperts community, remember you can still jump on that thread and each day you reply, you're entered to win your choice of Nokia smartphones, including the two reviewed below!)

Now let's get it on... after the break!

TiPb Invades PalmCast #88 -- Smartphone Round Robin!

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 a 10:41 am

Derek, and Keith were gracious enough to invite me on to this week's PalmCast live to help Dieter figure out why he couldn't find a physical keyboard on the iPhone 3GS, and how to get to all the amazing games and apps in the App Store amid tens of thousands of $0.99 farty flashlights. He did fine. Hopefully we all did, and it's live on the web and in iTunes now for one and all to enjoy... or to give us what for in the comments.

iPhone from a webOS User's Perspective, Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Wednesday, Dec 16, 2009 a 12:41 pm

TiPb Invades PalmCast Live Tonight for Round Robin -- 8pm ET/5pm PT (1am GMT)

By Rene Ritchie, Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009 a 2:18 pm

Okay so the PreCentral.net PalmCast called again (I'd changed my number, but that darn Synergy just yanked the new one right off of Facebook. Thanks Zuck!) and they're like:

"Hey, iPhony, we have your precious little slab in the Round Robin this week, why don't you come on and watch us torture it with multitasking?"

"Sorry," I said. "I just received the script via email while I was on this call and now I'm tapping through the web-links without having to hang up on you, what were you saying?"

"How great this Google Voice connection is."

Nokia N900, N97-mini Hands-on Video, Smartphone Round Robin

By Rene Ritchie, Monday, Dec 14, 2009 a 9:16 am

TiPb-verse, the 2009 Smartphone Round Robin starts NOW! And for me, it starts with what's likely the biggest challenge -- Nokia and its dual platforms of Symbian S60 and Maemo as represented by the N97-mini and the netbook-that-thinks-its-a-smartphone, N900. Hugely popular everywhere that's not North America, it wasn't in last year's Round Robin, and truth-be-told, I've barely ever seen it before.

To get some extra help, I've got a post up at NokiaExperts.com, where I'm really hoping to get my understanding expanded a notch (or ten).

Dieter Bohn, on duty for Palm webOS has likewise triumphantly returned to TiPb's iPhone forums, and you folks really need to get in there an get him up to date on all things iPhone 3GS and 3.x.

(As extra incentive, remember that every day you post a reply on those threads (or the other Round Robin threads) you get another chance to win on of six (6!) smartphones -- one per site!)

To get things kicked off right, we've got a video after the break where likely the best man on earth for the job, Matt Miller gives me a guided tour of the N97-mini and N900, helps me with the interface, and reveals the awesome power of the platforms.

Next up, I spend the week figuring out what Symbian S60 and Maemo mean in relation to the iPhone, the smartphone space in general, and to new users considering their first platform, or veterans considering making the switch. That'll all be summed up right here on Friday. Can't. Wait.