Top 5 BlackBerry alternatives

One of the key things about BlackBerry devices is the QWERTY keyboard. Even with scaled-down ones like the Pearl series, there will still be a QWERTY layout with physical keys. That's why it can be difficult for some people to switch from a BlackBerry to another device. Of course, there's a lot more to RIM's products than just the keypad. The simplicity of its pushmail service as presented to the user is one of its biggest draws. But if you really need to switch to another device, here are five possible alternatives, each of which comes with the requisite physical keypad you've grown to be dependent on. And with a bit of work, you can get pushmail on each one of them, too. So don't worry about having to wean off having anytime, anywhere email.

Click here for a feature comparison table.

	1.	Nokia E71       CNET Asia rating: 8.7 out of 10 The good: Slim and stylish design; solid build quality; full range of wireless features; works right out of the box; snappy performance; excellent battery life. The bad: Counter-intuitive camera autofocus; media browser could do with a little upgrade; Easy Dial feature not available. The bottom line: The Nokia E71 is easily one of the best QWERTY smart phones that combine strong features as well as a good balance between business and entertainment, at a competitive price. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Samsung SGH-i780   CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: Attractive price; good QWERTY keyboard; convenient shortcuts; slim design; extra battery included. The bad: Square screen may not work well with third-party programs; optical joystick not as fast as regular directional pad; bundled GPS app not optimized. The bottom line: Though not perfect, the i780 is an excellent choice for those who want the most features in a sub-S$1,000 PDA-phone with a QWERTY keypad. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	i-mate Ultimate 8502   CNET Asia rating: 7.5 out of 10 The good: Compact form factor; likeable design; full set of connectivity options; TV-out for presentations. The bad: Lacks user available RAM; no bundled GPS software; lower screen resolution compared to rest of its product line. The bottom line: The QWERTY-enabled 8502 does what it's supposed to do and is easy on the eyes though we did wish for more in its software package and customizations. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Asus M530w   First take The thing about QWERTY handhelds is they can be anal to use sometimes especially when the keys are not comfortably spaced apart or they don't provide tactile feedback for prolonged typing. Fortunately, Asus did that right for its first Windows Mobile 6 smart phone--the M530w. First take | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	HP iPaq 912 Business Messenger   First take Touchscreen PDA-phones with exposed QWERTY keyboards have a tiny problem--they have square screens. This applies to the popular Treo series from Palm and also the hw-series of devices from HP. We have nothing against geometrical constructs with sides of equal lengths, but compared to the more common rectangular QVGA displays, the square ones lack screen real estate. BenQ's P50 and P51 did come with QVGA displays, but we suspect if there will be any more such products from the company after the purchase of Siemens Mobile turned out to be a flop. First take | See full specs | Rate this