MAGIC THAT WORKS
Sometimes, technology products induce the greatest wonder and loyalty amongst users when they JUST, SIMPLY work, as they theoretically should.
Preferably without much fussing and mussing by the users.
Apple has long done that with it's products over the years, resulting in a cult-like loyalty amongst growing legions of users. And the company has been justly rewarded, as evidenced by a quarter very well received by investors yesterday (via GigaOm).
But yesterday I had such a "wondrous" experience with a non-Apple product. And it made me think about what Apple may need to do to make sure it's upcoming iPhone can do just as well, if not better. Above and beyond it's many anticipated software enhancements,
I talked a few days ago about how I plan to replace my primary cell phone, which long has been a Verizon Wireless Blackberry 7130, with the upcoming Blackberry 8830. And that's primarily because it'll be the first Verizon Blackberry with both CDMA and GSM technologies, enabling the phone to be used pretty much around the world.
(While this has long been possible with phones from AT&T/Cingular and T-Mobile, given their GSM support, it's been lacking in phones from Verizon Wireless and Sprint, both of which use CDMA technologies.)
Maybe my 7130 Blackberry read my post while downloading it as an RSS feed, because in a almost vengeful way, it promptly ceased working reliably. The device provided only intermittent voice and data/email service despite much technical fiddling and fussing. It was almost as if it had decided to systematically wage a random work stoppage.
The Verizon Wireless service people, after much examination and discussion diagnosed it as some sort of hardware failure, and offered to replace it with another 7130.
It was a good alternative, while I waited for the 8830 to be released by the end of May, or early June.
I instead decided to tempt the tech Gods and opted to transfer my email service to a backup Blackberry 8100 Pearl I've had for some time from T-Mobile, while having my voice service temporarily forwarded to that phone as well. The Pearl has been my primary overseas phone, because Verizon Wireless phones, as mentioned before, do not travel well outside the US, given their non-GSM technology.
I dreaded making the switch however, fearing that the process would be drawn out, very technical, and involve multiple calls with my hosted email provider, and tech support at Verizon Wireless.
Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. I had a quick email dialog with my Blackberry/Outlook email service provider, who's long provided me with Blackberry Enterprise Server and Microsoft Exchange based email. Within a few minutes, they were able to wirelessly transfer and sync everything that made my 7130, MY PHONE, into the 8100 Pearl.
By everything, I mean, all my contacts, my calendar information, my memos, my emails, past and present (Thanks, Jack!).
The only additional thing I had to do was to install additional mobile apps I use like Google and Yahoo! mobile services.
The whole thing was much less painful and time-consuming than expected.
Now that's what I call technology magic. And explains why the Blackberry service is so special and a Thriller for email geeks everywhere.
Now, Apple's iPhone is unquestionably going to provide some meaningful innovation in hardware and software-driven user interface design. In addition, the iPhone is expected to be enhanced going forward with software upgrades, as outlined by AppleInsider today.
But after yesterday's experience, I really wish Apple would do what Microsoft has done with RIM, the makers of the Blackberry.
And that was to make the Blackberry experience available on phones running Windows Mobile 6.0. This is obviously coming from a Blackberry user with a personal ax to grind. But there are a few million of us, who would love to have our cake and eat it too...with an iPhoneBerry.
Or whatever you want to call the thing. I'm not particular, as long as I get both the Blackberry and iPhone magic.
DISCLOSURE: I own shares in Apple, RIM, and Microsoft.
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