UPDATE 12/21: I returned my blackberry. Here’s why.

I got a new phone this week. After 2+ years of loving my Sidekick, when it started to fritz out on me, I did a little research and decided to trade up to a Blackberry.

Why not another SKIII?
No video, proprietary ringtones and applications, big ‘n’ clunky.

Why not an iPhone?
I don’t like touchscreen keypads. I need tactile keys. Also, too expensive, would have had to change service providers, and is still on v1. I’d gamble on a touchscreen keypad for $200. Not for $400.

Why a Blackberry?
Everything the Sidekick isn’t, established product line, lots of third-party applications, better dialing, wifi, well reviewed. Plus, offered by T-Mobile so I didn’t have to switch providers, and got an upgrade discount.

Other phone I considered:
Helio Ocean, but would have had to switch service providers which is a big deal since Dre and I are on a family plan that we’re happy with.

What’s it like switching?
Sad, at first. There is simply no denying that as clunky and behind the times as it may be, the Sidekick OS is easy and fun. Yes, the Blackberry is more powerful, but it’s simply not easy or fun to use. The Sidekick lists the keyboard shortcuts for every menu item — the Blackberry doesn’t. The keyboard for the Sidekick is always bigger and rubbery — but you can’t type one handed, which you can with the Blackberry.

My biggest complaint about the Blackberry? I’m sorry, but the operating system is butt ugly and feels like something from 1999. The system fonts are heinous. The animated icons are laughably old school. The menus are ugly. So, so ugly.

All this said, the Blackberry is starting to win me over. The fact that I can install third party apps is massive — and the Google Maps app blew my mind by triangulating my approximate location based on cell phone towers. (The iPhone can’t do that yet last I heard.)

As I get used to the features, it’s definitely more powerful than my Sidekick and I’m already getting my little productive shortcuts down. My email is way better integrated. On my Sidekick I had to set gmail to forward to my tmail address. Now it’s seamless.

And having total power over my ringtones is awesome.

I’m happy with the switch, but not overjoyed. Seriously: WHY IS THE BLACKBERRY OS SO FREAKING UGLY!? In the era of the iPhone, how can anyone get away with making such an ugly OS? The Sidekick may be old, but it’s not ugly.