Blackberry and iPhone have been long-time competitors and in this article, we will go over the finer points of both! Both are considered to be cool cell phones and you probably already know several people that have either one. Some of the most important factors in deciding what is best for your lifestyle is the cost, the functionality, features, and plans.

The Blackberry has many different makes and models. For our purposes, we will use the Blackberry Curve 8530. The blackberry itself costs $359.99 at full retail price. However, with many carriers, the blackberry is discounted with the plan. At Verizon, the price of this blackberry is $129.99 with a 2-year contract and has an additional discount of $100 if ordered online, which would leave the phone cost at $29.99. Very low in comparison to many smartphones. However, this is just for Verizon.

The iPhone 8GB has a retail price of $99, with the 16GB being $199 and the 32GB being $299. The iPhone however is not available on Verizon, as it is not on many different carriers. The only carrier that is exclusive in AT&T. This greatly depletes what you can get with your plan and how much. When visiting AT&T’s website, the basic price for the 8GB (we’ll stick with that size for our purposes) is $99 but requires a 2-year contract, just as Verizon does for the Blackberry Curve.

Both phones have been said to work amazingly well. On the one hand, Blackberrys are legendary for being able to help that average business professional. It keeps track of your schedule, meetings, email, and so much more. On the other hand, iPhone has more apps so that you can create what you need out of your phone. Both have a lot to offer.

One problem that has been found with the iPhone is its durability. With a Blackberry, you can drop it many times, have the back panel open, and it will still work perfectly fine (I should know! I’ve done it…a lot!). On the other hand, the iPhone is much more delicate. Drop it can crack a screen or ruin in. For those of us who happen to be a little clumsy, this may be a very important factor.

Now, let’s talk about plans. You can also check out their cell phone family plans if your entire family will be having their own phone. The Verizon plan for the Blackberry Curve can start at $30 and go up to $230. It all depends on how much text, talk and international calls you will want to be covered for. On top of that is that data plan that, depending on where you are, costs around $29.99. For the iPhone, the plan can cost anywhere from $39.99 to $90.00 (approximately) with a data plan of $30.

The most important thing is to think of your budget – how much you are willing to spend – what you need, and to make an informed decision based upon that.

I’m a small business owner. I also like to think I at least have my eye on the latest technology and applications for that technology, particularly when it helps my business. One of the things that has helped my business the most is Google Voice.

If you didn’t know, Google Voice is, basically, Google version of a phone system. Except it’s free. And you can pick your number. And they have a lot of cool features. And it’s awesome. But, one of the things that was holding it back was its limited capability with the Iphone. If you didn’t know (or couldn’t guess), Apple didn’t exactly want Google putting an app on the phone that would allow people to bypass their phone system.

I’m a Seattle DUI lawyer. And I don’t have a large staff (I have no staff). So being mobile is important for me. I don’t want to give out my cell number, but I want to be able to access my clients whether I’m in the office or on the road going court. And if I’m not available, it’s hard to talk to potential clients, who aren’t particularly fond of leaving messages.

Up until recently the Iphone and Google Voice were two passing ships in the night. I could get to Google Voice if I absolutely had to through the internet browser, but it was cumbersome, took forever, and was too much a pain to really deal with. And then last week I stumbled upon the new addition to the Google suite on the Iphone. It allowed me to use Google Voice easily and quickly on the Iphone. It has now made the Iphone everything I want it to be in a business tool.

Whether you are a Seattle DUI attorney, a plumber, an electrician, or any other service professional that wants to keep one number for their clients but needs access to that number at all times, then Google Voice and the Iphone are the perfect tool for you.

In truth, the various ways that I run our multiple businesses from my iPhone cannot be totally cataloged in one post so this will be more like a series of posts on the different functions and apps that help me release the leash from my laptop and still get things done.

Because we run numerous web based businesses, apps related to every aspect of setting up and managing websites is of vital importance. Few things are more frustrating than having a web site down or needing to add or correct something while you are away from your laptop. Thankfully, the iPhone App Store has solved that problem.

As an example, recently GoDaddy upgraded their iPhone App to have much of the functionality that you get from their website. This is huge!

Sure, it was nice to have an app to easily search for new domain names to purchase, but this new upgrade solved many of the frustrations with their freshman offering. The ability to easily handle Domain Management from your iPhone in an easy and intuitive interface is truly incredible.

With the GoDaddy iPhone App, you can search domains, check your mobile mail, view their Product Catalog for new products and services to purchase, watch their upcoming (and BANNED!) Super Bowl 2010 commercials and handle virtually every aspect of domain management including DNS Management, Forwards, Nameserver management, locking, renewing domains, updating contact information, you name it.

For those of you who don’t have your own websites or domains (YOU SHOULD!) and don’t yet run Internet based businesses (WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!?!?!), some of this will sound like a foreign language. Those of you who do run Internet based businesses understand that you now have the ability to tune-up your Ferrari from your iPhone through one simple iPhone App.

This app, in conjunction with other apps that I will be discussing, reviewing and rating in future posts, helps me truly manage my Internet based businesses from my iPhone. GoDaddy did a phenomenal job in updating and improving this application for web developers and publishers beyond their initial offering which wasn’t much more than a domain search portal so they could sell you a new domain name.

If you don’t have or run Internet based businesses, it is time to get on board because the train is leaving the station. The Internet represents unparalleled opportunity to market to a global audience 24 hours a day. You don’t have to be a professionally trained programmer (I’m not). In the time you waste watching TV or mindlessly surfing the Internet, you could be developing your own websites, monetizing them and earning money doing something you love.

With an iPhone and apps like the GoDaddy app, you can truly run your entire business from your iPhone.

What’s On My iPhone:  The GoDaddy App

& Why?:  It works! It helps me run my websites from my iPhone with a seamless user interface and increases mobile efficiency without creating headaches and frustrations