Earlier this week we told you about the 10 best journalistic apps on the BlackBerry and iPhone, now it’s time to examine which is the better device for journalists.
As you might expect, the answer really depends on the nature of your job. And with so many new smartphones being released, the BlackBerry and iPhone aren’t your only options.
The Palm Pre is a nice choice, and Google’s Android operating system, which runs on T-Mobile phones and will soon run on a Sprint phone, has a lot of potential for journalists. It is similar to the iPhone but comes with a much more open app store for developers. And there are Android phones that feature both a keyboard and a touch screen.
To help gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the iPhone and BlackBerry, I posted a survey on my blog. I asked journalists which device they used, its most useful apps or features and which phone they thought was better for journalists.
About 20 journalists responded, and they were pretty evenly split between iPhone and BlackBerry owners. The majority of iPhone owners bought the phone themselves, while many BlackBerry owners were issued the device by their employer. The iPhone was more popular among freelancers, and some people had both devices — a work-issued BlackBerry and a personal iPhone.
I fall into that last group, as I use both an iPhone 3G, which I bought myself, and a BlackBerry Curve 8330 from my employer.
The fact that most organizations are issuing BlackBerrys to staffers is likely because the devices and monthly service are generally less expensive than iPhones.
However, since many journalists are already using smart phones in their personal lives, more news organizations should consider allowing employees to choose between using a work-issued smartphone, or being reimbursed for part of the cost of the monthly service. That will allow journalists to choose the phone that best fits their needs.
What are the BlackBerry’s best features? What are the iPhone’s?
The BlackBerry’s best features are its keyboard and e-mail service, which make it better for mobile communication and writing stories, notes or scripts. The iPhone’s best features are its multimedia capabilities and its ability to run more than 85,000 apps, which make it a more versatile gadget that can eliminate the need to carry other devices.
Zakiya Lathan, a freelance writer and former TV Web producer, and Gus Sentementes, a Baltimore Sun technology reporter and former crime reporter, provide a good look at the pros and cons of each smartphone.
Lathan, who is on her third BlackBerry, uses the phone to take notes during meetings and will often start writing stories while she is out in the field. She uses a program called DataViz’s Documents To Go and says she has written entire articles on her BlackBerry.
“I love the fact that my current Blackberry has a QWERTY keyboard,” Lathan said. “I can actually type faster on my BlackBerry than I can on a full-sized keyboard.”
Sentementes owns an iPhone 3GS, which he said combines the functions of multiple reporting devices.
“I used to carry a video camera, digital camera, audio recorder and GPS receiver to all my interviews,” Sentementes said. “Now I just bring my iPhone and leave my gear bag in the car.”
But Lathan doesn’t shoot many photos or videos on her BlackBerry, and Sentementes rarely writes an entire article on his iPhone.
It’s clear that with its large touchscreen, the recent additions of an improved camera that also shoots video, and the ability to send photos and videos as messages, the iPhone is the better device for producing and viewing multimedia.
“iPhones have enabled us to take and send images at a pace never before possible,” said Ryan Mercer, the photo and multimedia editor of The Burlington (Vt.) Free Press.
Mercer’s paper actually purchased an iPhone for its photographers.
“It is a very powerful tool, small, portable, and the video and still quality is fantastic,” Mercer said.
Although the BlackBerry can also shoot photos and videos, the quality isn’t typically as good as the iPhone. John Cutter, the digital media manager for WESH-TV in Orlando, Fla., said in addition to BlackBerrys, his station’s reporters carry Flip cameras because he doesn’t think the BlackBerry video resolution is good enough to post online.
While both phones can download and run useful applications, very few BlackBerry owners mentioned this, while nearly every iPhone owner did. Both phones got high marks for being able to quickly look up information on the Web.
For journalists who get frustrated by technology, the iPhone is the better device because it sports an intuitive interface and it’s much easier to use without opening the manual or searching for help. I frequently get asked questions by the BlackBerry owners in my newsroom, but very rarely do I hear from iPhone owners needing help.
But as an all-day communications tool, the BlackBerry beats the iPhone. There are many different ways to stay in touch with colleagues and sources (including the super useful BlackBerry Messenger), its battery lasts longer and you can remove and replace it with a spare when it runs out.
Since applications can run in the background, you can have instant messaging programs running at all times so you never miss a message. And with a physical keyboard, many people can post stories and write e-mails, text messages and instant messages much faster than on the iPhone’s virtual keyboard.
“The BlackBerry’s full keyboard is just better for e-mail and for longer-typed messages,” said Chris Krewson, the executive online editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Krewson said he uses his BlackBerry primarily for e-mail, to keep track of problems with the Web site, to monitor news and to communicate with colleagues.
Gabe Travers, executive producer at WSAV-TV in Savannah, Ga., said the station’s employees use their BlackBerrys to post text directly to the Web site from the field.
“This cuts out the steps needed to get information to the audience and cuts down on the time it takes to break news on the Web,” Travers said. “This feature is something we specifically developed for our [content management system]. We’ve used it to post updates from the courtroom, update breaking news stories and much more.”
Is the iPhone eclipsing the BlackBerry in the field?
In the days when producing content mainly happened from a laptop or the office, the BlackBerry made a lot of sense. It is a perfect tool for communicating quickly by e-mail or text and looking up information online. But now that many journalists are expected to post stories, blog posts, photos and videos from the field, the iPhone is a better option.
As a profession, journalism is still struggling to find its footing in the digital age. Since most of the innovative mobile applications are being developed for the iPhone, using an iPhone will help journalists stay current with technology and get them excited about its potential for news.
Don’t believe me? Just give an iPhone to one of the old-school types in your newsroom and see how they react after a few days of use. They’re likely to tell you the device changed their life. You won’t get the same response by giving someone a BlackBerry.
But that doesn’t mean the iPhone is best for all journalists. Editors, Web producers and others who don’t report from the field but frequently communicate with a team will probably be better served by a BlackBerry. And the fact that BlackBerrys cost less, run on multiple carriers and have removable batteries and memory cards are also valid considerations.
Whichever phone you decide to get, learn as many of its features as you can, download applications and use it to its full potential. Just as consuming news has shifted from a print, radio and TV-dominated world to an online one for many people, it’s shifting again from online to mobile. Being comfortable with a BlackBerry, iPhone or other smart phone will help prepare you and your news organization for that future.
Which smart phone do you prefer and why? We discussed this question and the 20 best apps with Etan, asking him related questions and sharing your own suggestions and ideas.
You can revisit this link at any time to replay the chat after it has ended.
<a href=”http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=aa815b66ea” >How can iPhone and Blackberry Apps Help You Do Better Journalism?</a>
