Today we are introducing a series of articles on the Mobile Lifestyle. Jas Banwait is a fashion and technology entrepreneur, and, having her foot in both doors, wants to explore the ways we interact with our devices, and why we choose the ones we do. In this first in a series of articles, Jas looks at the not-so-friendly rivalry between the iPhone and Blackberry. Let the battle begin!

iPhone vs. Blackberry – Clashing of Mobile Personalities

Have you ever thought of your phone as being an extension of yourself and a dictator of your relationships? Is it not the first thing that you look at before you go to bed and when you wake up? It sits dutifully beside you at work and forgetfully calls those lost loves as it jiggles in your pocket/purse while at play. Your life literally revolves around the small device that carries personal messages, business contacts, and incriminating photos.

Some of us are fiercely loyal towards our brand of phone – namely iPhone or Blackberry. But we still befriend one another. Yet, much of our conversations will ensue through these clashing mobile personalities – how can we stand it!?

What, with the ability of an iPhone to send text messages in the wrong order to Blackberries is enough to make someone question their mobile sanity. (Okay fine, older versions of Blackberry do this too).

Every day, we see more and more iPhone applications with no matching Blackberry one. I am left having to find an iPhone user to download said app for me to explore. How sad and pathetic. But alas, I am still loyal to my Blackberry (with a bit of wavering after the hype of iPhone 4).

Here are some helpful tips on how to defend yourself when faced with a clashing mobile personality:

  1. Being friends is okay, but dating someone with a phone of the opposite kind is a ticket into miscommunication hood. Be careful.
  2. Your strongest argument for the Blackberry is its amazing email/messaging capabilities – milk this for all its worth when confronted with an arrogant iPhone user.
  3. Your lifeline is your charger – do not leave home without it, otherwise you will be left with actually making conversation face to face; there is no app for that.
  4. Create an amazingly cool application for the Blackberry just to spite iPhone users. (Ed. I’ll believe it when I see it).
  5. Ensure your phone has a skin, you don’t want to be caught naked – who knows your iPhone may be mistaken for a Blackberry or visa versa. This will help avoid discriminatory conversations.

The mobile lifestyle is all about choices in mobile fashion. It’s sometimes hard to decide what camp you want to commit to; it’s hard enough with all the choice out there. But when it comes down to Blackberry or iPhone, it’s about priorities: messaging or apps. Practicality or hotness.

In the long term, it doesn’t really matter. It’s just a phone. Right?