No, not crippled - that would imply a loss of functionality, and that functionality has never been there. I would describe it as "impotent nearly to the point of uselessness."
Indeed it is. If RIM fails to include basic e-mail functionality that is taken for granted by the market, it is the market's prerogative to punish it. Severely.BlackBerries aren't for anyone. Same with Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm, Android, or any other platform. That's the beauty about having so many choices.