Sitting in the atrium on a typical Wednesday morning, staring out into the abyss of academia, I made a pivotal observation…an observation I was shocked I hadn’t made before. Every single table (and I mean every single table) had an iPhone on it. The distinct sporadic buzzing of the phones’ vibrations filled the cavernous room like Wait Chapel’s 5pm bells. I looked at my tattered plastic Blackberry Curve next to me and thought, am I really in the technological minority? In a world where faster, sleeker, lighter and newer is better, is it really possible that the Blackberry has lost the cell phone duel? From personal experience, I like to joke around with my multitude of iPhone-dependent friends, that I’m a “peasant” with my beaten-up blackberry. Now, however, I have changed my mind a bit. Blackberrys have a multitude of advantages that the iPhones just can’t seem to surpass:
1. Keys
This is huge. The Blackberry has raised and separate keys for typing which helps avoid those sloppy nights of gibberish texting to the posse (or the ex?).
2. Autocorrect
Blackberry has the option of turning off autocorrect. Halleluiah! No longer will you send text messages with random inserted words that make you look like a technological degenerate. Awkward!
3. Professional
Sure the iPhone is in vogue, and it looks neat with its bright white color option; however, does a female CEO of a fortune 500 corporation look as professional carrying a white iPhone as she does with a sleek Blackberry Bold? There’s just something about the ability to whip out a Blackberry at a meeting that says “I’m important”, as opposed to whipping out an iPhone which says “Let’s play Temple Run”.
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4. Updates
Blackberry is stepping it up its game! Most of the Fortune 500 corporate heads use Blackberries. That’s a proven fact. Also, the newer models of the ‘berry are sleeker and more stylish than ever. But thank goodness they didn’t get rid of its friendly red flash…total ‘betchy’ signature on their part. Oh wait…does the iPhone have a little flash that informs bystanders that they are spending time with a super popular collegiette? I think not.
5. Apps
Sure the iPhone has hundreds of Apps….they are pretty cool, after all. But if you keep them open long enough, you will drain out your battery faster than you drain out your collegiate bank account. Blackberry has caught on to the App trend, and has fun app games, Twitter, Facebook…all the usual suspects. However, nothing can top Blackberry’s BBM. Sorry, no. iPhone’s Haytell does not cut it.
6. Abroad
Last but not least. Almost every collegiate who is planning on crossing the seas or has spent a semester globe-trotting knows that an iPhone does not work abroad! And if you want it to….well good luck with paying off those phone bills. The Blackberry is the way to go when you’re off on your own. BBM is a life saver, and pay as you go SIM cards purchased in Europe are tailored just for the Blackberry. So why get an iPhone this summer if you’ll just need to get a Blackberry for your four month excursion as a European hipster?
And there ya have it…six key reasons why the Blackberry is not backing down anytime soon. Flaunt that ‘Berry, collegiettes!
*Photography by Katie Mahone