This is fabulous information, and I thank you very much for taking the time to give me your input. A friend of mine works for the law firm that represents the plaintiff in the RIM patent suit, and he assured me that the deal is just about done, which is why I’m not especially worried about the possibility of a shutdown.

The issue for me now is whether Verizon carries the model of Blackberry that I want. If they do, it’s probably a done deal.

Thanks again.

Eric

LOL. Point taken.

Eric

There’s actually more to this than meets the eye.

The issue is this: I have to pay $150 to get the thing, and then there’s a $150 rebate. So, I’m still out of pocket.

The bigger issue is that it requires a two-year service contract with a different provider from my normal cell phone coverage. So, if I do this, I’m then paying for TWO cell phones. That’s the hesitation.

I’m actually leaning toward the Treo phone, made by Palm. It does the same thing, and Verizon, my carrier, has them. So I wouldn’t have to have a second account.

Eric

I’m leaning that way. However, I’m also looking into the Treo, which is offered by Verizon. I’ve been a Verizon customer for many years. The freebie is through Cingular, and I’ve not heard a lot of good things about Cingular over the years.

Eric