[Foreverup]

...

Now assuming that all smartphones do the basics; meaning email, web browsing, text/instant messaging, etc.

So as the title says suggests for your needs what feature or features do absolutely need from your BB, Android, or Iphone?

Personally, I must have a phone with a removable battery. I travel internationally so after a 12 hour plane ride then maybe a 3 to 4 hour car ride I have to carry at least 2 batteries and I won't ever consider a phone I can't swap batteries. This is one of the reasons I keep choosing BB.

If this thread goes well I'll edit it to make a poll with the most popular suggestions.

[blue81to]

For me, price and unlimited internet is most important. Even though I probably wouldn't need unlimited internet. I still want it just in case. I don't talk much on cell phones. Virgin Mobile has a nice $25/month plan with unlimited text and internet with 300 minutes. But it'll be $35/month with BIS.

[coffee-turtle]

Yup, smartphones all do the basics...email, web browsing, text/intant messaging, calendaring...etc. So I don't get why my friends keep pushing i(stuff) and Android on me. Love my BB...it does what it does quite well. It's a phone/communication device first. Games? Not a deal breaker for me.

My absolute must is a real always accessible keyboard. No virtual keyboards. No sliding out keyboards. Bold Baby!

[Foreverup]

Yup, smartphones all do the basics...email, web browsing, text/intant messaging, calendaring...etc. So I don't get why my friends keep pushing i(stuff) and Android on me. Love my BB...it does what it does quite well. It's a phone/communication device first. Games? Not a deal breaker for me.

My absolute must is a real always accessible keyboard. No virtual keyboards. No sliding out keyboards. Bold Baby!

I would of added keyboard too but thinking about it, if I had to I could get by with a virtual keyboard. I would ***** and moan every time I used it but I could suffer through it.

[paolomusic]

Bbm, sms, email and web browsing are what I use my phone for mostly. I use the voicenote and music player alot too with the odd app like shazam and bloomberg but I could live without the apps, basics are all I need and I feel BB does them best (web browsing should be great with OS7, I find it quick on 6). I can't imagine no keyboard, typing on my ipod touch was just nasty. That 9850 looks sexy though..

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[mcg3745]

I switch between my Bold and Torch frequently. 1. Battery,sim,mem card all removable. 2. Keyboard(prefer the 9700) 3.Battery life while actually doing the things that smartphones do. Standby times need not apply IMO.

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[reeneebob]

For me a removable battery was always a requirement - I don't know what Apple did but the iPhone 4 is killer on battery. I am going on hour 37 off charger and I have 65% left, and that's with moderate to heavy use. A good screen is important as well, since I need to go get new glasses and am waiting for my new coverage at my new job to kick in so my extreme nearsightedness is a bit of an issue right now. Fast browsing is also a must and reliable email as well. All of which my iPhone is doing, hands down. My Galaxy S was too, but I do find the iOS more stable (and that stupid Gingerbread bug with the battery drain that out of nowhere drained your battery, that was the last straw. I took my phone out of my purse to find it hot, bone dry, and when I checked the Android OS mysteriously started using 72% of the processor and battery. Nice bug, Google).

Keyboard is a non issue - I am as fast if not faster on my iPhone and Swype on the SGS was a dream.

[ethylove]

i need OTA sync with my calendar and contacts. an easy way to sync music. and a battery life that gets me through the entire day while constantly listening to music with push notifications on. I find myself using my Samsung Focus (over my torch, however, I've been unlucky with the hardware) much more these days as my outlook is synced to hotmail which makes all this pretty easy.

[blueyestm]

Removable battery, SIM and SD card as well as a keyboard that's not touch or slide out is a must for me. If syncing more than 1 calendar is ever possible a bonus.

[belfastdispatcher]

i need OTA sync with my calendar and contacts. an easy way to sync music. and a battery life that gets me through the entire day while constantly listening to music with push notifications on. I find myself using my Samsung Focus (over my torch, however, I've been unlucky with the hardware) much more these days as my outlook is synced to hotmail which makes all this pretty easy.

I recently noticed that hotmail on bb got contacts sync, you might have to delete and set the email account again for the option to appear. No calendar sync yet though, only yahoo and google get both.

[belfastdispatcher]

Out of a smartphone I need it to make me feel connected, I need the reassurance that my emails come in in seconds and that bbm and other IM clients are always on. In my work I can't take chances with slow emails.

What I really appreciate from my bb is how every communication app is so well integrated with the os and other communication apps, I can easily forward a twit to facebook or a sms to a direct twitter contact or yahoo messenger contact.

If I could sum it up in one word it would have to be "effortless", that's what I'm looking for in a smartphone.

[Wirelessdude]

Long battery life, easy to use keyboard, and most important...RELIABILITY. These are where every BB I have owned really shines, and also why I have such loyalty.

[sleepngbear]

#1 premise: my phone is not my computer, it is not a replacement for my computer, I do not want it to replace my computer, but rather be an extension of it. There are too many things that simply are not suited for a device that can fit in your pocket. That being said:

1 - It has to be able to make and receive phone calls. That's the primary function of a phone, smart, dumb, super, whatever. If it cannot do that first and foremost, it's useless to me.
2 - Basic messaging. Simple, intuitive email and SMS are all I need. Unlike many other users, I actually prefer that my phone is not cluttered or hampered with downloading huge attachments. I do not want huge files taking up space, and I do not want the thing saddled with downloading for who knows how long over varying - and usually slow - wireless data speeds.
3 - Easy synching with my personal calendar. I'd like to sync with my business calendar, but I hate how my personal phone gets locked down and nearly crippled by BES rules (at least with the companies I've worked for), so that's a tradeoff I'm not willing to make. Unless or until my company allows Balance, which I haven't looked into yet.
4 - A decent browser. OS6 is almost there, but not quite. PlayBook's is aces; if they can get close to that on a handheld, I'll be a very happy user.
5 - Basic apps. Don't need an app to wipe my backside. Things like weather and simple document creation and editing are a must. Mapping and navigation are close behind. I'm more than content with the selection of apps available for my Torch.
6 - Since all I require is basic functionality, I also require that it performs it quickly, smoothly, and efficiently. The Torch has been pretty good, but it could be better.

Anything else my phone can do is gravy, but I don't need much more than that. This is all I want, and I'm pretty confident it's what the OS7 phones are going to deliver.

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[Branta]

...

Now assuming that all smartphones do the basics; meaning email, web browsing, text/instant messaging, etc.

So as the title says suggests for your needs what feature or features do absolutely need from your BB, Android, or Iphone?

Personally, I must have a phone with a removable battery. I travel internationally so after a 12 hour plane ride then maybe a 3 to 4 hour car ride I have to carry at least 2 batteries and I won't ever consider a phone I can't swap batteries. This is one of the reasons I keep choosing BB.

12 hour flight... that's 2 hours feeding, 6 hours sleep catch-up, and time to relax without gadgets and pressure.

For me the phone has to "just work" for the core functions (phone, email, messaging, calendar). Efficiency without drama or problems. And it has to be as efficient as possible with compressed data for international travel. Camera and other apps are a rarely used bonus I could live without. Browser gets used but the only area I *really* need it is for online flight checkins.

[HeezyBear]

1. Something that works like the first day I got it on day 525 of use.
2. Good battery life, but removable isn't a necessity.
3. Good screen real estate with a glass screen.
4. A great app selection.
5. A great camera.
6. A beautifully intuitive interface.

[Crude Berry]

Convenience, a physical keyboard, and good battery life.

[Foreverup]

12 hour flight... that's 2 hours feeding, 6 hours sleep catch-up, and time to relax without gadgets and pressure.

For me the phone has to "just work" for the core functions (phone, email, messaging, calendar). Efficiency without drama or problems. And it has to be as efficient as possible with compressed data for international travel. Camera and other apps are a rarely used bonus I could live without. Browser gets used but the only area I *really* need it is for online flight checkins.

It's not really the flight time that kills my battery, but I do like getting everything sorted out and prepare emails to be sent out when I land, so I do use a little bit of battery on the plane. But what kills the battery is landing getting the phone connected to the international carrier then begins the nightmare of receiving emails. If my phone is off for 12 hours I'm easily going to get over a hundred emails and not to mention bbms, facebook messages, news feeds, etc. Let just say that battery goes quick and depending on where I'm traveling to after I land in a country I might not have access to a power outlet for the rest of the day.

[Branta]

Personally I couldn't care less whether the screen is glass or plastic as long as it does the job. Both have advantages, plastic has better resistance to cracking and glass has better resistance to scratches.

[FuzzyB]

As a business owner I absolutely have to have a unit that handles multiple email accounts, has a strong battery, sync's my calendar, ability to not drop phone calls, sms, bbm and light web browsing ability....sounds like blackberry to me!

[pmccartney]

- a good phone
- email
- ph keyboard
- LED notification

I could probably go back to my 8830WE and it wouldn't bother me in the slightest. I would miss having a camera even though I don't use it often. You may have guessed, I use it for work as opposed to games and when I want to talk to family/friends I call or visit them.

[CGI]

#1 premise: my phone is not my computer, it is not a replacement for my computer, I do not want it to replace my computer, but rather be an extension of it. There are too many things that simply are not suited for a device that can fit in your pocket. That being said:

1 - It has to be able to make and receive phone calls. That's the primary function of a phone, smart, dumb, super, whatever. If it cannot do that first and foremost, it's useless to me.
2 - Basic messaging. Simple, intuitive email and SMS are all I need. Unlike many other users, I actually prefer that my phone is not cluttered or hampered with downloading huge attachments. I do not want huge files taking up space, and I do not want the thing saddled with downloading for who knows how long over varying - and usually slow - wireless data speeds.
3 - Easy synching with my personal calendar. I'd like to sync with my business calendar, but I hate how my personal phone gets locked down and nearly crippled by BES rules (at least with the companies I've worked for), so that's a tradeoff I'm not willing to make. Unless or until my company allows Balance, which I haven't looked into yet.
4 - A decent browser. OS6 is almost there, but not quite. PlayBook's is aces; if they can get close to that on a handheld, I'll be a very happy user.
5 - Basic apps. Don't need an app to wipe my backside. Things like weather and simple document creation and editing are a must. Mapping and navigation are close behind. I'm more than content with the selection of apps available for my Torch.
6 - Since all I require is basic functionality, I also require that it performs it quickly, smoothly, and efficiently. The Torch has been pretty good, but it could be better.

Anything else my phone can do is gravy, but I don't need much more than that. This is all I want, and I'm pretty confident it's what the OS7 phones are going to deliver.

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This pretty much hit my list.

If I had to choose one; fast and easy messaging.

If I could choose 2 more; calendar and contact sync.

[BergerKing]

The same as what I'm using, only faster and an optional extended battery. I don't carry a computer on the road, because it would add costs I don't need.

BlackBerry has gotten it done in the ways I need. I've operated using it exclusively for over 2� years, and I've found very few things I can't do with it.

And that pleases me.

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[Xopher]

Since I run my own businesses, I look to be able to do a lot of things from my smart phone. I still need my laptop and computer for editing, app development, and other things for work, but I'm on the road a lot and don't always have time to pull my laptop out and fire it up. The things I look for from my smart phone:

- Phone calls. The business line gets forwarded to the cell number, plus I use Skype (on my SGS) while travelling.

- Web access. I need to be able to access my ordering system online. On my BlackBerry, I need to use OperaMini as the native web browser on my Tour has formatting issues. No problems on the SGS.

- Process credit card payments. I'm on the road, meeting a client, and they hand me a credit card to charge their account. I have a mobile merchant app on my BlackBerry (still have to hand-key) and Square on my SGS. I probably use Square more now, since the fees are much less and I get the money faster. The erchant account may be going away if I can switch everything over to Square.

- Printing. I get order forms via email. I can usually process orders while on the road (usually via laptop), but I can still print things right from my SGS to the office when my assistant can process things while I'm on the road. I hadn't found a printing app that would always work with my Tour, but I do have an app on my SGS that works well.

- Remote access to my office computer. On the BlackBerry, RDM+ gives me access to the computer at the office. If I need to access a file, run an application that is only available on the server, or print things that I can't access from my phone, having that capability is a great feature. On the SGS, Splashtop Remote does similar, although I really wish RDM+ had an Android version.

- Removable battery is something that I need as well. When my Tour was my daily driver, it would barely make it through one day on a full charge. If I had a very busy day, I would definitely need two batteries. My SGS lasts about 12 hours of moderate use, and about 6-8 hours of my typical use (about the same as my BB). Having a removable battery means I keep on going throughout the entire day.

- Edit Word and Excel documents on the go. Both of my devices can do this. My Tour is probably used more since it has the keyboard.

- Email. I probably use the SGS more now for email. Truncated emails became a problem on my Tour, especially with order forms. Those message go to the SGS now - no more truncated email.

- Communication. I use BBM, AIM, YM, MSN, LiveProfile, Kik, and Facebook to stay in touch with clients, family, friends, and work contacts. I'm a chat-a-holic.

[BoldtotheMax]

My 9700 does plenty for me. I get by fine browsing on os6...heck I didn't even complain about os5 speed.

Gets great battery life, awesome physical keyboard, screen looks perfectly fine for my eyes and IMO looks dam good! Even in a slew of Androids and iPhones.

9900 FTW....one day, lol!

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[justineporter]

I need a physical keyboard, the option between the touch and the physical is nice for making quick texts. Also i like it to be user friendly, the removable battery is another one for me, although I do not use that option as often. Overall I mainly need something that I can do a lot of communicating on, I do not need games, and apps.