RIM BlackBerry Storm vs. Apple iPhone 3G

• The Contenders
• Sexiness
• Navigation
• Features
• Web browsing and multimedia
• Call quality and performance
• The winner is...

Round 2: Navigation

Do you need the manual to turn it on?

Apple iPhone 3G

Sexiness is one thing, but are the devices easy to use? In round 2, we examine the design and usability of the devices' navigation controls and keypad buttons.

Player	Kent	Bonnie	Brian	Total
RIM BlackBerry Storm	4 The Storm's display isn't quite as large as the iPhone's, but is bright and vibrant. Also, the physical controls are intuitive. But on the downside, the menu design isn't as intuitive and the virtual keyboard feels cramped. I'm a little wary of the SurePress technology, as well.	2 I applaud RIM for trying something new with the SurePress technology, and I understand what it was trying to achieve with the tactile feedback. However, there's a bit of a learning curve and composing messages is difficult. In all, using the smartphone is frustrating, not because it's difficult, but because of the sluggish performance.	2 Don't believe the ads; this phone is SLOW. The menus have graphical bugs, and switching between functions is slow. Some functions use the click screen, others just require the touch screen--it's very confusing. The click screen slows down your typing to single clicks. It's bad. Icons are too similar looking. I almost want to give it a 1.	2.7
Apple iPhone 3G	5 Like so many other Apple devices, the iPhone is so intuitive it doesn't need a manual. You know how to use it from the second you pick it up and the display is large and lovely.	4 Again, I have to give props to the iPhone in this round. We're not talking rocket science here. Apple made a smartphone that's easy to understand and easy to use right out of the box.	5 If you like a physical keyboard, the iPhone may not be for you, but the interface, ease of use, and speed of the iPhone OS can't be matched. The Storm shows how hard it is to match its speed.	4.7

Winner: Apple iPhone 3G