[gbadude]

I think its pointless for a 14 year old to get a BB without a data plan. Especially a Bold. Thats what makes the blackberry so useful...that data. E-mail, interenet, MMS and the like make blackberry what it is.
Might as well just get a regular phone. There's a reason why most carriers require people to get a data plan with smartphones

Also what it comes down to is that the kid is comming to US for oppinions, so obviously we are going to say what we think. If the kid doesn't want oppinions, then they shouldn't have asked.

Well I mean, if it's pointless for a 14 year old to get a BB without a data plan, then it's definitely more pointless for someone who's older to get a BB without a data plan. Granted, the biggest upside of smartphones is the data plan, to be connected to the internet wherever you go. But not everyone really needs it, especially for a phone that has wifi. I live in a college town, and am pretty much connected to wifi 24/7. Personally for me, my favorite part of my Bold is the physical keyboard. I could see a teenager who texts like crazy LOVE BBs since it has really the best keyboard out there (IMO).

[Telus Toronto]

hahaha, well i just moved here myself 4 years ago from South Africa.
So im kinda one of a kind in Canada, but if you ever do decide to move here, ill be more than happy to be your tour guide

[Telus Toronto]

Well I mean, if it's pointless for a 14 year old to get a BB without a data plan, then it's definitely more pointless for someone who's older to get a BB without a data plan. Granted, the biggest upside of smartphones is the data plan, to be connected to the internet wherever you go. But not everyone really needs it, especially for a phone that has wifi. I live in a college town, and am pretty much connected to wifi 24/7. Personally for me, my favorite part of my Bold is the physical keyboard. I could see a teenager who texts like crazy LOVE BBs since it has really the best keyboard out there (IMO).

What do you use your blackberry for? Just internet?

[thinkamp]

hahaha, well i just moved here myself 4 years ago from South Africa.
So im kinda one of a kind in Canada, but if you ever do decide to move here, ill be more than happy to be your tour guide

haha good deal!! I might just have to take a trip up there.


Personally I use my bb for:
SMS
Phone
MMS
Email
Internet
BBM
Pictures
Yahoo Messagner
AIM
Calender
&Password keeper

+All the fun apps you can use on it.

[flea620]

I still think a 14yo does NOT need a blackberry. go outside and play!

[gbadude]

What do you use your blackberry for? Just internet?

Honestly, I use my BB mostly for texting. I carry around my laptop most of the time, and since I'm in college, there's wifi pretty much everywhere. I prefer to do stuff on my laptop over my BB, it's just easier and faster for me. Of course, it's nice to have the internet and access my emails when I'm out doing stuff, but I got by 20 years without having internet wherever I went, so I definitely don't NEED it.

You know what though, having a data plan when you're at the airport is GODSEND! I hate being teased with wifi access at airport, but you have to pay $10 a day. It's those times when I'm waiting at the airport, and I can go online to pass time that has really kept me on the data plan.

[Norsk]

I'm hearing a whole lot of "I want...." and not "I need....."

If you don't get a data plan, you are limited to using Wifi for internet connectivity. If you are using it at school, stop. You are there to learn, not surf the web. If you are using it at home, what's wrong with a computer?

My opinion, that you asked for, is get a normal phone with SMS/MMS and maybe email (though I can't fathom a 14 year old getting emails that are of any significance). The point of a Blackberry is to not be tethered to specific locations.

[gettat2d]

lets face it fellow 30+ crackberryians were getting old and this younger spoiled generation is getting things we would have never dreamed of getting... i remember begging parents to let me run a land line phone jack in my room! we remember 14.4 modems and better yet 8 track tapes where you had to listen to all the songs! it has became a point click and whine your way into everything world out here now. as much as it makes me sick i think we are just going to have to accept it.

get the berry it will make you way cooler dude and your friends will like you even more!

[spampeg]

i still do not see a reason for someone under the age of 18 to have one of these phones. period point blank.

I'm almost 30 and have no real reason to have one. I'm sure a good number of people on CB are the same way. Would I give it up? Absolutely not, but do I need it? Nope. Business user or not, there aren't a lot of people I know that absolutely have to have their email on-hand at all times.

And so as long as the kid is responsible, which isn't for you or I to decide, what would the problem be with them having a Berry?

[thinkamp]

I'm almost 30 and have no real reason to have one. I'm sure a good number of people on CB are the same way. Would I give it up? Absolutely not, but do I need it? Nope. Business user or not, there aren't a lot of people I know that absolutely have to have their email on-hand at all times.

And so as long as the kid is responsible, which isn't for you or I to decide, what would the problem be with them having a Berry?

Yep you are right but you said the key word there. Any 14 yr old I have ever seen is outside running around like a crazy child having fun. Just don't see why a child needs to be on a bb and not on the playground?

[pkcable]

I still think a 14yo does NOT need a blackberry. go outside and play!

I'm with Flea on this one! But to each his own! My 16 year old niece has a Centro, but her grandfather bought and pays for it, the parents objected, but he got it for her anyways.

[dervari]

All I did was state my thoughts about it! There was no reason for you to flip your s**t about my opinion! And honey you don't know me and you don't what I had the luxury of having when I was a kid so I suggest you high tail it out of here and hush your little mouth.

Really? I thought you were a kid based on the fact you won't BBM anyone without a pic and will stop talking to people who are "ugly a$$" (a direct quote from you) in your opinion regardless of how they've talked to you or treated you on BBM.

[pkcable]

Settle down people! Shesh! It's just a phone!

[thinkamp]

Really? I thought you were a kid based on the fact you won't BBM anyone without a pic and will stop talking to people who are "ugly a$$" (a direct quote from you) in your opinion regardless of how they've talked to you or treated you on BBM.

Well you aren't me and you don't know how these creepy ugly a$$ people have came on to me. yea i did say that...do you have to talk to me? no! so again gtfo!

[cybercam]

well to the users saying teens dont get emails most teens i know get a TON of emails

[spampeg]

Yep you are right but you said the key word there. Any 14 yr old I have ever seen is outside running around like a crazy child having fun. Just don't see why a child needs to be on a bb and not on the playground?

That's why a 14 year old with a Berry isn't your average 14 year old. Sure, many of them might be spoiled because mommy and daddy felt their child needs one to be popular... but IMHO, it's more of a parenting problem. Although I fear deeply for the future of America when I see these kids flock to MySpace like lemmings, every so often I'll be surprised when one holds a door for me. There really are good kids out there still, and I hope to raise mine to be one of those.

When I was 8, did I need a brand new super expensive Nintendo game console? Did I need that second phoneline for me to use while I sit on BBS's all night? What in the world did a (9?) year old need having their very own 386DX/33 computer with a 300MB HD. That was just crazy. We never had money growing up, but I was a very responsible kid. I mowed a lot of yards and shovelled a lot of driveways for my toys. Well, usually.

I didn't realize this was getting so long, oops. I guess it all just depends on the kid. My 7 year old wants a BB Storm, but is perfectly happy with his hand-me-down LG enV. If over the next few years I see that he doesn't lose, abuse, break it or gets in any major trouble with it, he might just get my "old" Storm or my wifes Curve.

[Blue Shift]

...My 7 year old wants a BB Storm, but is perfectly happy with his hand-me-down LG enV.....

Wow!

Out of genuine curiosity, why would you give your 7 year old a cell phone of any kind? I can't fathom having needed one at that age personally. That's just fresh out of Kindergarten... at that age, way back when, I was either with my friends during the day or playing with them at night or tending to our dinosaurs and carving out our homework in stone. Is it something typical to where you are, that all kids have one?

[stuaw11]

Really? I thought you were a kid based on the fact you won't BBM anyone without a pic and will stop talking to people who are "ugly a$$" (a direct quote from you) in your opinion regardless of how they've talked to you or treated you on BBM.

buddy she's real and a very beautiful ADULT female, dont be jealous because shes hotter than any girl you could get and denied you. Try not insulting, ladies it goes far, because she's actually a very cool girl

[dervari]

buddy she's real and a very beautiful ADULT female, dont be jealous because shes hotter than any girl you could get and denied you. Try not insulting, ladies it goes far, because she's actually a very cool girl

I'd never want a girl with her attitude, buddy.

[gbadude]

Wow!

Out of genuine curiosity, why would you give your 7 year old a cell phone of any kind? I can't fathom having needed one at that age personally. That's just fresh out of Kindergarten... at that age, way back when, I was either with my friends during the day or playing with them at night or tending to our dinosaurs and carving out our homework in stone. Is it something typical to where you are, that all kids have one?

Hmm...well my little sister has had a cell phone since she was 7 or 8, she's 9 now. She goes to/from school by herself, so it's nice that she has a cell phone on her in case she needs anything. Of course, she only uses it to call mom and dad if she needs something.

[stuaw11]

I'd never want a girl with her attitude, buddy.

ooooooooooooooook BUDDY, shes only got an attitude cause youre acting like a jacka** but w/e BUDDY. I could only imagine what its like to be annoyed by idiots all day. Again go cry in the corner or something cause you got rejected and MOVE ON.

[Blue Shift]

Hmm...well my little sister has had a cell phone since she was 7 or 8, she's 9 now. She goes to/from school by herself, so it's nice that she has a cell phone on her in case she needs anything. Of course, she only uses it to call mom and dad if she needs something.

Makes sense. I had visions of little Johnny sitting in the cafeteria texting friends two tables away But from a security point of view it makes a lot of sense.

[Crackberrykills]

So, let's get back on topic here. Some of this stuff is way off base and should be taken to the PMs.

[Blue Shift]

I could only imagine what its like to be annoyed by idiots all day.

Really? I get annoyed by idiots all day too, and I'm not even a beautiful real adult woman.

[HIGHLANDER]

IMO As has been stated prior in this thread most people dont need a berry but are drawn to it for different things ie the keyboard,quality of screen or the storage capacity with a micro card for music/video.I dont think age comes into it,why do you have one "Cause I Can" comes to mind,most people want to purchase,the best that they can afford and will live to their means whether they are 14 or 45,if you"ve got it, spend it is bread into us in todays society and marketing.
On another note why would a 14 yr old need a berry some keep asking but are slow to ask the same thing about a tv or a games console which are just accepted items for kids 14 and younger and bred inactivity and recluses in the hours outside of school.In my eyes atleast with a berry they can be outside on the go with their friends and is a safety line to their parents in a world that has every increasing dangers for our kids when we are not around.
If a youngster can buy and maintain a berry due to hard work and work ethic let em go for it I say,It"s hardly going to be the most expensive thing they have to buy and maintain in their consumer lifetime.

Highlander