BlackBerry vs. iPhone: Who wins?

Design features and target audiences begin to blur as Research In Motion and Apple fight for market share.
By BusinessWeek

Consider it a battle less for hearts and minds than for thumbs and ears. That's what may ensue between Apple (AAPL, news, msgs) and Research In Motion (RIMM, news, msgs), judging from recent Wall Street analyses and the performance of the companies' shares and marquee products.

Apple is expected to sell 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008. Meanwhile, Research In Motion has 12 million subscribers, and its iconic BlackBerry is selling at a clip of about 4 million units a quarter.

Shares in Apple have been trading near a record $200, while Research In Motion reached a split-adjusted record of $137 a share in November.

Target markets for the iPhone and BlackBerry are starting to overlap as well. The iPhone is a media consumer's dream, playing movies and music with ease. But it's not as finely tuned for the corporate user; large companies have resisted letting employees use iPhones on corporate networks, and information-technology consultant Gartner has advised its corporate clients to avoid the iPhone for now.

Still, analysts speculate that Apple is working on a corporate-friendly version of its e-mail software or that Apple will announce it's working with a third party to handle the job.

Meanwhile, BlackBerrys are taking on more iPhone-like trappings all the time.

The BlackBerry has long been the staple of corporate users who focused mostly on e-mail and calendar features, but Research In Motion has recently been aiming for high-end consumers who might buy the device for play as much as for work.

BlackBerrys now boast cameras that shoot both still and video images. They also play music.
Now, Research In Motion is rumored by analysts and gadget blogs to be working on a new device, the BlackBerry 9000, that sports a touch-sensitive screen –- making it look an awful lot like an iPhone. The company declines to comment on future products.

So are Apple and Research In Motion on a collision course? Opinions vary.

Scrapping over the same customers
Blogger Henry Blodget of Silicon Alley Insider has argued that war between the two tech titans is already under way. Research In Motion still sells most of its devices to corporate users, although in the most recent quarter about 1.3 million units, or 34% of the total, went to what the company calls "non-enterprise" customers -- small businesses or consumers buying BlackBerrys for themselves.

That alone amounts to more BlackBerrys than the 1.1 million iPhones Apple sold in the same period. Like it or not, Blodget says, the companies are scrapping over the same customers.

Other analysts see it differently.

They see the battle as less iPhone vs. BlackBerry and more of a contest pitting Apple and Research In Motion against established phone vendors like Nokia (NOK, news, msgs), Samsung and Motorola (MOT, news, msgs).

Smart phones, which combine such features as e-mail, navigation and Web access, will grab an ever-growing slice of the billion-unit-plus handset market in 2008. "I don't think Apple and RIM are heading for a showdown in 2008," says Andy Hargreaves, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities in Portland, Ore. "I think the market for smart phones is growing fast enough, and smart-phone adoption is low enough, so far that both will be huge share gainers. Apple and RIM are two companies that get it right now, and they're both going to do well."

In a research note published Dec. 21, after Research In Motion's most recent earnings report, Bear Stearns analyst Andy Neff wrote: "The battle is not RIM vs. Apple, but smart phones versus conventional handsets."

If that's the case, Motorola will need to watch its back.

Having tied its smart-phone strategy to Microsoft (MSFT, news, msgs) with its Q phone line, Motorola hasn't generated much traction, while the popularity of its once red-hot Razr line of conventional handsets has cooled. (Microsoft owns and publishes MSN Money.) Once No. 2 in the world handset market behind Nokia, Motorola has recently slipped into third place behind Samsung.

Nokia is getting ready for the fight, too. In December the company announced a tie-in with Universal Music Group that will put a music-download service on many high-end Nokia phones.
Other labels, eager for negotiating leverage against Apple, which operates the hugely popular iTunes Store, are expected to follow suit.

Handset makers will get an assist in any battle with Apple and Research In Motion from Android, Google's (GOOG, news, msgs) free smart-phone operating system. Long thought to have been working on a phone of its own, Google instead said it's creating operating-system software that it will share, for free, with mobile-phone vendors.

The first handsets to use Android aren't expected to ship before the second half of the year. That means Apple and Research In Motion, both with high-profile device launches planned for roughly the same time, will have to share the stage with Google and its many hardware partners, which include Motorola, LG Electronics and HTC.

So whether the main competition is between Apple and Research In Motion or more generally between smart phones and traditional cell phones, consumers -- and their thumbs and ears -- will take note.

This article was reported and written by Arik Hesseldahl for BusinessWeek.

Blackberry 8100 Unlock Code Input - How To Unlock Blackberry 8100 Pearl by Remote Code

By Alex Karim

Blackberry 8100 is another super device in the Research In Motion's Blackberry arsenal. It is a device with a great IM client, a 1.3 Megapixel camera, thin form factor, and comes with one of my favorites, Suretype and EDGE.

Given below are the unlock code input instructions to unlock a Blackberry 8100 device so it can be used on any network. I am assuming that you have already obtained the unlock code for this device.

The first step to inputting the unlock code is to insert a sIM into the device. After doing that, power up the device and turn off the radio. It's very important that the wireless option should be turned off, otherwise the unlock code will not work.

On your device menu, select 'options'. Then select 'Advanced Options'. In advanced options scroll down and select 'SIM Card'. At this point, type "MEPPD". Please note that while typing MEPPD, you will not see what you type on the screen therefore make sure to type in the correct keys.

Type MEPPD, then press the Alt button, and then the numeral 2. Again the screen will NOT display what you are typing, therefore be sure to type in the correct entry.

Now enter the unlock code. After typing the unlock code, 'press Enter'. Once you have pressed Enter, reboot your device. Your device should now be unlocked.

Now that your phone is unlocked, you can use the phone on any network. There are times when a partial unlock may occur. In a partial unlock the device gets unlocked for certain networks, but does not get unlocked for others. In that case try performing the unlock procedure using a USB cable and a good unlocking software.

I have found that http://UnlockAcell.com provides remote unlock by code services at great prices. On the other hand if you are interested in unlocking phone by software, the website http://UnlockSoftwares.com has effective and late model phone unlocking softwares at reasonable prices. You could have an unlocked phone within minutes of visiting that website. For cellular phone ringtones, wallpapers, or for simply wapping to other mobile phones I found http://WapDaddy.com to be a great resource.

The Evolution of the Blackberry

By Rita Lambros-Segur, M.H.

In the world of mobile communication, there are plenty of ways that the public approaches their methods of contact with family, friends, and co-workers. Today, it is now becoming increasingly popular to utilize gadgets and items that go beyond allowing one to make a simple phone call. This is especially seen with the current line of Blackberry products on the market.

While companies race to make the slimmest design, highest-end multimedia capabilities, and present the latest creations, Blackberry technology has a reputation for being one of the best in the business.

The latest technology associated with the Blackberry line of products involves a Research in Motion (RIM) brainchild that pushes the envelope in wireless email capabilities by providing the ability to easily communicate worldwide. A full QWERTY keyboard and trackball navigation located in the center of the device moves beyond the Blackberry Pearl design. One of newest features associated with the Blackberry name is the enhanced built-in GPS technology. Now, driving direction services are offered through TeleNav. A satisfying multimedia player is also included.

Another addition to the many great features a Blackberry delivers is the light sensor-sensitivity that allows automatic screen, keyboard, and trackball adjustment that accommodates varying levels of lighting conditions. This comes in handy when a user wishes to send or receive emails in dark locations. The built-in GPS allows consumers to reach their intended destinations without using a separate device.

Additional features associated with the BlackBerry line of products include an Intel PXA901 312 MHz processor, 64 MB flash memory, and 16 MB SDRAM. Some BlackBerry gadgets can be fully integrated into a company's system through the installation of a BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The new 8800 model has also helped to push the number of BlackBerry subscribers to 8 million.

Brief Evolution of the Blackberry
When the wireless handheld device known as the BlackBerry was released to the public in 1999, consumers were met with a variety of capabilities, including text messaging, Internet faxing, mobile telephone, email, and web browsing. The Canadian company, Research in Motion (also known as RIM) tapped into a market that thrived on innovative communication advancements.

The first Blackberry models presented a small monochrome screen with the 800-series, which worked on a network that only allowed consumers the use of email and WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) services, followed by the capability to engage in AOL instant messaging.
The "Quark" 6000-model line soon trailed, offering a medium 160 x 100 pixel monochrome screen. This would later become the first examples of an integrated Blackberry phone that would showcase integrated two-way radio abilities in the 6510.

With the production of the 7250, the screen provided 240 x 160 pixel color capabilities and now allowed consumers to benefit from Bluetooth technology. The phone would highlight integrated two-way radio power in the 7510 with the introduction of GPS in the 7520. The increase in Blackberry speed became a reality as the "Pearl" 8100 showcased a new trackball interface with a 1.3 MP camera, speakerphone, GPS, Bluetooth, and polyphonic ringtones.

The model also provided an enhanced media player. The latest – "Gamma Ray" 8800 was the first Blackberry to offer screen capabilities of 320 x 240 @ 65K. The 8000-line also produced the 8300 model, which upped the camera potential with 2.0 MP features.

Learn about blackberry's latest perks and software features at: http://www.blackberry-software.biz Blackberry Software.