Storming Blackberry girl

Somewhere in 2007 I switched from Sony Ericssons (who had the first real smart phones, like the awesome but fragile P800 and P900) to Blackberry and never looked back. Right from the start, Blackberry was perceived as the most reliable device to access your work emails and calendar items on the road. So it's no surprise that the image of Blackberry users was one of "guys in a suit". I don't care if iOS devices have cooler apps: I'm just happy with the way Blackberries handle connectivity and data input. And to be honest, Blackberry Messenger is one of the best messaging solutions I've used... It's just a shame that the amount of people who are on this network is an incredibly shrinking crowd.

Last Tuesday I got to play with Blackberry's latest Bold smartphone (they kept the keyboard but turned the screen into a touch screen), their Porsche P9981 Design smartphone (yours for 1,500 euros), and the PlayBook (made to fit in your suit's inside pocket or in your handbag). Most news apps (Facebook for Playbook, BBM Music, Angry Birds etc) suggest a Mullet Strategy: business upfront, party in the back. I'm not so sure if this will turn the tide. If you look at Amplicate scores for Blackberry, it's between 67% en 85% hate. Only the Blackberry PlayBook gets 65% love, but sales are low.
But if my current Bold would were out or get stolen, would I pick a Bold again? Definitely, yes.
I don't buy iPhones or Androids because I'm afraid I'd just fall in love with their apps and play Angry Birds, Tiny Towers and Word Feud all day. I choose Blackberry to police myself, just like in that Tori Amos song:

Loaded, full of winter you are
Storming Blackberry girl
Will you strike before he's
Loaded, full of winter you are storming
Blackberry girl will you strike
Before he's loaded
Full of winter you are

I use other stuff, like my iPad and the Wii, for playing around and relaxing.
Not every mobile device has to be a "one device to rule them all". Just like you don't have to "suit up" every day.