iTouch vs. Blackberry

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Specializes in ED,ICU.

I am an FNP student getting ready to start clinicals in Jan. Am currently shopping for a handheld device and would be interested on others' opinions and experiences. I'm hesitant to spend money on a blackberry/droid/iPhone out of concerns that certain clinics won't want the camera/phone component. Sort of gravitate to a 32GB iTouch instead, bundled with ePocrates. Any comments or suggestions?

Thanks!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I change phones every 2years (sometimes more often - lol). Personally, I like my blackberry. Believe me, it is much easier than carrying a PDA, a phone and the ever present papers plus a pager (once you get out of school).

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Specializes in Emergency, MCCU, Surgical/ENT, Hep Trans.

Touch, true, apple has been "upgrading" their hardware, but the software is running fine on the original 8Gb touch, which I have. I plan to keep it until it falls apart, or cannot run Skyscape software. One TOUGH piece of hardware. Good luck!

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Just get the iphone; it's awesome. I'll never go back. Every blackberry user I've ever met is so-so on how they feel about it, but I've never met an iphone owner who doesn't love it to death.

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Specializes in CVICU, Education Dept., FNP Student.

Have to agree- LOVE my iPhone. I have Epocrates on it and take it to all my clinical days. Plus, we have to enter hours spent with our preceptor on a website...And I can easily go from one thing to another.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Orthopedics, Hospitalists.

get the iphone. I have a blackberry, and it crashes with epocrates and has very little free memory available for programs / apps, even with my xD card. I'm going to get an iphone as soon as I graduate. :)

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get the iphone. I have a blackberry, and it crashes with epocrates and has very little free memory available for programs / apps, even with my xD card. I'm going to get an iphone as soon as I graduate. :)

My problems with epocrates cleared up as soon as I put a memory card in it. There is a known problem with a memory leak. I had to reload epocrates after I put in the card but then it worked fine. Trying to get up the nerve to install essentials.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

My blackberry has crashed for the last time - I heading over to AT&T tomorrow for an iphone!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Orthopedics, Hospitalists.

the first time epocrates screwed up my blackberry, i had to literally take the OS off and reinstall it. it was the only program on the device that wasn't factory, so to speak. it made my alarms not ring, my ringer not ring / vibrate, my internet stopped working. I was having to do a battery pull like every few days to restart everything. the next time I installed epocrates, I put it on the card - it's better, but occasionally my alarm doesn't go off and my ringer doesn't work or my internet won't work. oh, and I'd get fatal errors every few weeks. it's silly.

The headache this program's caused me isn't worth it, and it's not like I can put anything else on the device anyway. I love my crackberry, but it's not a good device for holding multiple apps. maybe the Storm will be better, but my Pearl and my hubby's Curve...nah.

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Specializes in ED,ICU.

Thanks everybody for the input. Can't get an iPhone because I'm not on AT&T, but think I'll get the itouch (32 GB) and just carry my old phone. Judging from what you're all saying, I won't be happy with the blackberry if I get it specifically to use epocrates. This is very helpful- would hate to spend money on a device that won't serve the purpose for which I buy it :)

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