Upgrading to 8300 or 8800 series

I have an 8703e from verizon. I am considering upgrading. I need to stay with Verizon as it is a comany provided account.

Here is my concerns:

Media Card: Can I use this to install Applications or is it for Media only. I have a MP3 player and see no need to have my phone do that.

Does the media card allow contacts from my address book to be stored there. I have a large address book and this would be a plus. Having had a Treo, I know that you cannot do this on that device.

WiFi Connection, currently verizon does not offer this on any BB's. Rumors that they will be releasing a 8300 series shortly, are they true?

I have considered purchasing they BB elsewhere and going to verizon for activation. The verizon people confirm they will activate a non-verizon phone. If I do this will the wifi connectivity remain or will thier activation "nuke" it.

Will I gain any other features besides those listed above. I kwon about the camera/video, voice notes, and recording features.

Thanks!

Verizon is a CDMA carrier, like Sprint. You cannot activate GSM phones with Verizon.

The Curve (8330) is supposed to be released from Verizon in May. No definitive date yet.

I have seen some software that will allow installing apps from the media card. Check the CrackBerry.com homepage.

Aerize Lets You load Apps From A Memory Card | CrackBerry.com

Thanks, althogh the verizon rep at the local store assures me that they will activate a non-verizon supplied BB for a $10.00 fee. Should I believe him.?

I'm pretty sure that in order for a phone to work on Verizon it needs to be a Verizon CDMA phone. Maybe he meant you could purchase the phone elsewhere and they would still activate it.. but it would still need to be a Verizon phone. There are other CDMA carriers that offer BB, such as Sprint, but I've read that they don't work on Verizon anyway. You can completely forget about the idea to activate a GSM phone on a CDMA network.. the technologies are totally incompatible.

As far as WiFi is concerned.. the only BB I know of that have WiFi are GSM phones. The 8330 will NOT be WiFi.. sucks yes.. It WILL have GPS on Sprint.. not sure on Verizon, but I'd imagine so.

If I made any incorrect statements, feel free to correct me.. but I'm pretty sure this is this case