MyMobiSafe.com Official Mobile Security Antivirus Solutions Blog
This blog is managed/edited by Eric Everson, Founder of MyMobiSafe.com. The purpose of this blog is to discuss common threats and solutions that exist within the mobile community.
Thank you for taking the time to review my blog, I am Eric Everson and I am a mobile application developer and self-proclaimed mobile threat hunter. I also manage a blog at MySpace which serves as a journal regarding my startup venture of MyMobiSafe.com available at http://blog.myspace.com/mymobisafe.
Sunday 29 July 2007, 2:13 AM
New RIM BlackBerry Better Than iPhone?
New RIM BlackBerry Better Than iPhone?
By Eric Everson, Founder – MyMobiSafe.com
If you keep a watchful eye on the wireless industry you may have seen a blip on your radar screen somewhere mixed-up in all of that iPhone frenzy. The new RIM BlackBerry has made it’s debut and some may agree that it kicks the iPhone’s *** right out of the box.
For those who have come to rely on the beautiful world of multifunction handsets like the BlackBerry, you’ll likely agree that the iPhone is no trade-in for the reliable ole’ BlackBerry. The new BlackBerry (which is no longer a “blue”Berry for those who remember the earlier models) supports some pretty hot technology such as UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access).
UMA is what I think has the ability to become the new industry standard as it enables handsets to use a multi-mode access protocol. In other words, it can seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks giving you as a customer much better overall reception and call quality. The new BlackBerry has not generated the frenzy of the iPhone, but it is arguably the better of the two handsets (even blindfolded with its imaginary hands behind its back).
Unlike the iPhone the BlackBerry doesn’t have an unfamiliar user interface that you have to learn, it uses a familiar environment that is easy to navigate and has years of improvement behind it already. I like the iPhone as much as the next techy, but let’s face it the user interface has never been an Apple strength… (yes, that was a Microsoft jab). Additionally the new BlackBerry still has a host of over 20,000+ available software applications and the iPhone still has nil. From a mobile security perspective, the new BlackBerry is the safest bet. The iPhone is the hottest hacker magnet the industry has seen in years; its arrival has brought some hackers to the forefront that even I thought had “retired” from the hack.
Every major mobile security firm (including MyMobiSafe.com) supports the security needs of the BlackBerry while hackers are putting axes through the doors of the iPhone with every passing day. If security is a concern for you (which is should be if you have a cell phone) then the BlackBerry is the safest bet hands down. If you enjoy figuring out unfamiliar user interfaces, being targeted by hackers, and enjoy limited functionality, the iPhone is perfect for you. I’m not saying which is better, but I know which one I’d rather trust my information with from a security standpoint – the BlackBerry any day of the year.
If you are in the market for a new handset you can avoid the “marketing hyped” waiting lines of the iPhone and make your way over to the sleek new RIM BlackBerry. If you happen to pick one up, be sure that you do take my advice and get a mobile security solution right away.
***Sorry for the “book” I just figured that this new handset deserved a little more credit than what it’s been given so far.
By: Eric Everson, Founder - MyMobiSafe.com
PreviousComments on this post
This article appears to be an attempt to generate web-traffic by being controversial. The Blackberry may be a great phone but we have no means of knowing why.
User interfaces have never been Apple's strength? Really? You're having a laugh: Apple invented the modern PC user interface - as a result we have proportionate fonts. Windows is based on the mac os. That fact has been settled in and out of court. The modern desktop, icon driven OS and use of the mouse were all introduced for mac desktops and mainstreamed by Apple. Vista is heavily influenced by Mac OSX Tiger. Then there's the iPod, the success of which is widely credited to it's ease of use - that's non-techie language for, you guessed it, the user interface.
Oh, and security - the iPhone might get hacked. Yes it might - so might the Blackberry. However, the iPhone OS is not unknown it is running OSX: the seven year old OS that, to date, has no viruses or malware to speak of in the wild. It does have vulnerabilities - every modern OS does, but these are patched quickly when discovered and, so far, before being exploited. And just because the iPhone interface is newer doesn't make it more complex and it doesn't follow that it will be difficult to "learn". in fact the term "intuitive" seem be being bandied about quite a bit in relation to use of the iPhone.
You are comparing a 1.0 product with a mature platform - yet the limitations that are acknowledged for the iPhone are not the ones you discuss.
Finally, the one specific example you give for why the Blackberry is better doesn't take account of the fact that the iPhone too switches between Edge and Wifi seamlessly. At the end of the day your preference for the Blackberry is fine by me but acknowledge it's a preference because your arguments, as you've laid them out, do not stack-up as a coherent, logical, evidence-based analysis.
I had to laugh after reading the last line of this post 'rubbishing' the iPhone - you sign-off by saying 'I am not saying which is better'!!
Your view of the Blackberry is blinkered. ALL multi-function devices, by their nature, involve some form of compromise and the Blackberry is no exception. Your appraisal does not look at battery life? keyboard and camera quality? screen size and quality? and your view of user interfaces does not take into consideration the limitations of the BB UI... it is hardly perfect....
Mr. Everson is more interested in touting his own company than dealing with any facts.
He does not even bother to hide the fact that he is a Blackberry user who has never even seen an iPhone.
He is just like the worst of the PC users I have encountered, who poo poo Apple products without ever having actually used them and form opinions by reading web articles and listening to other Kool-Aid drinkers who do exactly the same.
The BB interface is very PC, a reprehensible clunky DOS-inspired joke. Once users have mastered the thing they wear a smug 'I Figured Out the Blackberry" badge and scoff at devices that are actually easy to use.
Here is a sample of the BB interface:
To view sent messages, in the messages list, press
the Alt key + O.
To view received messages, in the messages list,
press the Alt key + I.
To view SMS messages, in the messages list, press
the Alt key + S.
To view phone call logs, in the messages list, press
the Alt key + P.
To view voice mail messages, in the messages list,
press the Alt key + V.
To move to the next unopened item, press U.
To move to the next related message, press J.
To move to the previous related message, press K.
To mark a message as opened or unopened, press
the Alt key + U.
Got all that?
We're in iPhone month one. It will only get better.
The Eric Eversons of this world can stay in 1984, I for one am not interested.
Wow! Do we actually have a debate brewing in the ZDNet forum? It seems a few “Apple-loyals” have been offended by my lack of excitement for the new family addition. I guess nobody likes to hear that they have an ugly baby. These replies have raised a few interesting issues that I’m glad to further explore.
Let’s start first with the comment “…the iPhone OS is not unknown it is running OSX: the seven year old OS that, to date, has no viruses or malware to speak of in the wild. It does have vulnerabilities - every modern OS does, but these are patched quickly when discovered and, so far, before being exploited.” How exactly does this statement differ from the similarities found in the BlackBerry? Don’t neglect that the OS of the BlackBerry requires cryptographic signing by RIM, further making malware less threatening than if it had a commercial OS. This is just a thought, but doesn’t it follow that virus development typically follows mass market OS penetration? As the OS X represents but a fraction of the computer OS in the market, there has been little reason to target the software maliciously. Why throw a firecracker when you could be throwing a grenade? There should be no doubt that the iPhone is under attack; the BlackBerry has clearly not attracted the same hacker attention making it a much safer choice.
Second, “ALL multi-function devices, by their nature, involve some form of compromise and the Blackberry is no exception.” Who could argue this point? The day that we all have “ALL” of the features and functionality we dream of in a single device - no further product comparisons will be required. As for the feature to feature suggestions - that is an opportunity that I could further explore. The original blog entry read like a book already, so I had to cut content somewhere.
As for James B - “Mr. Everson is more interested in touting his own company than dealing with any facts. He does not even bother to hide the fact that he is a Blackberry user who has never even seen an iPhone.” Speaking of “facts”… it looks like yours are wrong again! We had iPhones on day one. As a mobile security guru, I’m much more interested in field testing for myself than taking the “Kool-aid kid’s” word for it. Despite your allegations, I’m not an Apple hater at all. I see great opportunity for the iPhone to push the collective industry into the future with its advanced web capabilities. It seems that you might be looking in the mirror as you attempt to group me - don’t just assume that because I’m not as excited as you that I don’t respect the technical advances that the product has brought to industry.
One final thing before I close what is becoming yet another blog book, I wanted say thank you all for replying with your opinions. All too often blogs go unchallenged and I’m glad that this struck a chord with so many of my fellow ZDNet.co.uk members. What makes bloging in a technical community so great is the diversity of opinion that comes through fellow blogers. Keep the comments coming! I have a passion for the mobile security industry and I’m always interested to review the thoughts of fellow wireless users. I can’t help but wonder how many here actually went and dished out the $400+ for the iPhone - hopefully you’ve not just jumped in simply to defend an “ugly baby” just because it is wearing the Apple badge.
Thanks for all the info....now let's take off the gloves! With a company the size as ours (11,000 employees) ...and over 4,000 mobile devices from just about EVERY service provider available that is put in the hands of our employees, I can tell ya....they all get hacked, compromised....wiped out..over and over! What we need is a good security provider(s) that is honest with the info they are putting out to the consumers (business/private) ...so Mymobisafe.....keep touting your company, no body else is putting out the importance of mobile device SECURITY first...at least none of our providers. Our Communication Dept/IT is looking into all info they can gather to protect our company information. Thumbs up to you MYMOBISAFE!
Mr Everson - your enthusiasm to respond seems to have hindered your ability to attribute postings correctly to their author. You personally attribute comments to me when they were not even part of my posting - they followed later - I suggest you re-read the original postings.
When you DO address one of my comments you argument appears flawed: "The day that we all have “ALL” of the features and functionality we dream of in a single device - no further product comparisons will be required" - The majority of users I meet compare their multi-function devices with the functionality and performance they can access through individual devices performing the same function. So what is to stop a user with an all-in-one device comparing this to the alternative which is to carry multiple devices? Plenty of people I know carry an MP3 player despite the fact that their phone can play music, likewise with cameras, sound recorders, etc...
Agreed - It is good to see some healthy debate on the blog. However, I would be cautious about labelling the iPhone and its users as supporters of an 'ugly baby' and then later in your posting 'quoting' this label as if you have picked it up from an external source (it's like referencing your own site to gain traffic).
Finally, am I alone in thinking that the last posting on this blog seems rather over enthusiastic (to the point of blind faith) about the merits of this particular solution? especially given that opinion is clearly divided on the real threat posed by mobile viruses. I still think that the risk of information being compromised as devices are lost or stolen is equally if not more important than the potential risk of mobile viruses.
James B
Sorry for the misquote – that was intended for user Nigel2112. You bring up a wonderful topic however regarding mobile viruses. I think that you are spot on when you said, “… opinion is clearly divided on the real threat posed by mobile viruses.” Despite my leadership position at MyMobiSafe, I’m actually one of the last to say that viruses are the primary threat to cell phones. It’s a reality that mobile viruses exist, but mobile handsets are far less universal than computers making them much less of a target for viruses (back to my firecrackers to hand grenades reference).
I think that the greatest misconception about mobile security is that viruses are the biggest threat that a cell phone own might face. At MyMobiSafe.com we’ve seen significant growth in the use of mobile snoopware and keyloggers that are far more threatening than about any mobile virus I’ve worked with. Mobile snoopware and keylogger software for cell phones is readily available to anyone with a shred of technical knowledge. Snoopware for cell phones already supports the capability of remotely activating the camera/microphone features which makes any handset an advanced spying mechanism. Likely one of the greatest threats though has been the surge of mobile keyloggers throughout the global wireless industry.
As so many of us have ditched our landline phones in favor of a mobile, tasks such as calling our credit card company put us in harms way. Nearly all mobile keyloggers make mining for specific data metrics easy. Considering this, think about the last time you called your credit card company and had to provide your card number while waiting in the queue for the representative. Every credit card has a first four digit card identification sequence suggesting the card type (Visa, Discover, MasterCard). Instantly ones credit card information can fall into the wrong hands as a sixteen digit data miner can pick up the card identifier and following card digits.
At MyMobiSafe.com, we keep a close eye on the mobile community so that our subscribers can have peace of mind regarding the growing number of vulnerabilities they face. We worry about these things so that our customers don’t have to. So back to mobile viruses, do they exist and are they out there? The answer is yes. Are they likely to wipe out every mobile in London/New York/Dubai tomorrow, I can say with some degree of certainty no. Mobile viruses exist, but they are far from the greatest threat that cell phone users face. Losing ones cell phone is a risk and there are many services that will disable a cell phone in this case making it impossible for someone else to look through your stored data.
As for the “ugly baby” comment I do have to admit that the iPhone is actually one of the most visually appealing handsets on the market today. Naturally I like the BlackBerry more for now as it has years of development behind it, tens of thousands of titles available for it, and is one of the safer multifunction handsets on the market. Thanks again for your reply; I am genuinely glad to see such debate arise through the ZDNet.co.uk blogs.
Cheers,
Eric E.
