RIM’s mighty BlackBerry Thunder is already being hailed as the smartest of the smartphones, but exactly how does is stack up against the cleverest handsets that Nokia and Apple have to offer? Blackberry Thunder takes on Apple iPhone 3G and the Nokia Tube in a three way tech crunch.
Capacity
BlackBerry is likely to either win the memory game, or draw with Nokia as the iPhone is limited to its 8GB and 16GB internal memory options. The Nokia Tube betters Apple by adding a MicroSD card slot on top of its flash memory. BlackBerries generally pack a fair amount of internal flash and the Thunder comes with a MicroSD slot as well.
Winner: Probably BlackBerry Thunder although the Nokia Tube also expands on its internal flash memory with a MicroSD slot.
Internet
Now that Apple has a 3G iPhone with push e-mail support, it’s going head to head with BlackBerry, not to mention Nokia’s own free push email app. It’s a dead heat in the e-mail stakes, but when it comes to the web, the iPhone’s super-fast mobile Safari just nixes what BlackBerry and Nokia have shown off so far. Of course, that could all change when the Tube and Thunder hit the streets, but for now Apple’s still in the lead.
Winner: iPhone 3G
Screen
Nokia’s Tube will have a slightly high 360 x 640 resultion than the iPhone’s 320 x 480 display, but the BlackBerry Thunder could still be bigger than both of them. From the early images we have seen it looks larger, and we’ve heard it’ll pack a high resolution too.
Winner: BlackBerry Thunder
Connectivity
Blackberry Thunder will use Bluetooth, USB, HSDPA and Wi-Fi to communicate with other devices, just like the iPhone 3G and Nokia Tube, so it’s a draw in anyone’s book.
Winner: Draw
Navigation
Nokia, Apple and BlackBerry have all packed GPS into their new handsets, and all allow you to pin down your current location. But this is Nokia’s territory and the Tube is sure to be the only one pre-loaded with proper satnav software in the shape of Nokia Maps.
iPhone 3G meanwhile, packs Google maps, which lacks voice guidance and relies on search results to find locations from Google search results.
We don’t yet know what navigation software RIM will stuff inside the BlackBerry Thunder, but it’s unlikely to pack voice prompts.
Winner: Nokia Tube: Nok’s satnav software trumps Google maps for proper navigation – and it’s free.
Multimedia abilities
This is iPhone 3G’s forte. Just like the world-changing iPod, it’s simply the best music player out there with Cover Flow album artwork putting icing on the cake, while video and photos look lush on the 3.5 inch display.
Video on the Tube could look even better, however, thanks to its higher-resolution screen. The BlackBerry Thunder could take this even further for the same reasons, but it’s hard to imagine a better user interface than the mighty iPhone 3G.
Winner: iPhone 3G: It’ll be tough to topple what is essentially an iPod, but Thunder’s expandable memory is certainly an advantage.
Camera
Apple has taken a lot of stick for its mediocre 2MP camera on the iPhone 3G and both Nokia and BlackBerry have used higher resolution cameras to date. Nokia takes some pride in this area, whereas BlackBerry tends to focus on business features, so the Tube will be the one to beat.
Winner: Nokia Tube: Apple’s camera is its Achiles heel and BlackBerry tends not to compete on MegaPixels, so Nok will almost certainly win this category.
Added extras
iPhone 3G has its App Store and lots of potential for great new software. Nokia offers even more potential by allowing third party apps to run on its S60 operating system without authorising them first.
We’ve already seen some awesome apps for the Symbian platform including using phones as mini-projectors. RIM doesn’t have an App Store as such, but it does offer tons of business-focused software from 3rd parties. That said, it’s unlikely to challenge either Nokia or Apple.
Winner: Nokia Tube thanks to its 3rd party app potential
