Bitter Blackberry Jam Continues

Backing up what I said about Blackberry users, this morning CNET columnist Jim Kerstetter tells RIM they are dead to him now.

I've stuck up for you for years. When the iPhone came out, I said, "Looks great, but what kind of security does it have?" When Google and its posse of handset makers started selling quite lovely smart phones, I said, "OK, sure, but what about network reliability?" And when Microsoft came out with its new Windows Phone stuff, I said--well, actually I didn't really say anything at all.

Here's the thing about BlackBerry users: We're people who, at least when it comes to our phones, appreciate function over form. We've stuck with our little, not terribly stylish bricks because they worked. They didn't drop calls at bad moments. The e-mail came in and was easy to access. The point was simplicity, lack of worry. It just worked.

But this may have put me over the edge. You broke my heart, RIM. You made me look all kinds of foolish. Saturday morning, I'll be looking for a new phone. I won't be visiting the BlackBerry section.

Blackberry users are fiercely loyal.  They are also learning there are more options than back when they committed themselves to the "bricks" that have  become commonplace.  RIM dominated when there was Blackberry and everyone else, they are floundering in a world full of competition and advancing technology. 

I had a Blackberry and went to a top performing Android. I never looked back, even to flip them off.  My blood pressure dropped at least 20 points and my ulcer retreated as soon as I was able to access my information without the spinning "I'm thinking" icon and the endless hoops one had to go through to take ownership of their device.

If you listen, you can hear the death rattle now.