I have a BlackBerry 8900. Disclaimer: I did not buy it. It was a sweet gift from my girlfriend on my last birthday.
She tried very hard to get me an unlocked one and shelled out $4XX to buy one from BestBuy. The pain starts there. The shop assistant convinced her that it was an unlocked version although it had AT&T logos all over the box. Leaving everything out of the argument, the phone was very pretty. I could very safely say that it was prettiest and the best keyboarded phone (not the best emailing phone by any means). I used for a few months (and suffered from all the problems that an AT&T user has to go through). Now, when I am in the far east, using the phone is getting difficult by the day. I could not believe that BB doesn't support Chinese characters. Its like a Win 95 system where you need to download a million language packs to make it work. This bugger doesn't even have the ability to update its own software on a Mac. On a windows, the update only works on IE and not on any of the other browsers. While trying to update to OS 5 using IE, I still faced a zillion issues. The software wants to first update the desktop software and then the device software. But sadly, it updates neither and goes into a state of limbo. Have the engineers and architects at RIM forgotten the basics of writing software? Even a third rate development shack in the Indian hinterland can do a better job. I would seriously request the BB enthusiasts to try upgrading firmware on an iPhone. Just do it once! It will neither ask you to check for updates, nor will it keep hanging on several attempts to upgrade. Now my lovely little BB has drowned itself in the misery of an update. I just hope I can get it back to life before the night is over or my girlfriend starts calling! whichever happens later