Who cares about LeBron James? Help me find a new cellphone!

Casualhoya needs a new cellphone.  This is a very big deal for me, even bigger than referring to myself in the third person.  I love my current Blackberry Bold 9000, but as my mobile device needs have developed, my Bold simply can no longer keep up.  Loading websites like mobile.casualhoya.com and opening applications like TMZ are taking too long, and too many times of late I have been forced to remove the battery to jumpstart my precious Bold back to life.  The battery itself isn't performing as well as it used to, and I can no longer last a full day without having to charge the Bold and give it more precious moments to work for me.  Sadly, I have come to accept that the time has come to move on.  

As one of the editors for the biggest Georgetown hoops blog on the entire planet, I have some very specific needs for my new mobile device.  In what will surely be my biggest decision of 2010 and perhaps beyond, I am taking my pursuit to the internets to ask you, loyal reader, to help me choose one.  I AM THE LEBRON JAMES OF MOBILE DEVICE FREE AGENCY.  After digesting all of your input, I will be announcing my mobile device decision at 9pm tomorrow on this site when I will have your complete and total attention.

Help me after The Jump:

My current contract with AT&T is up at the end of the month, and while I am due for a casual upgrade, I am pondering making the move to Verizon and opening its doors to a slew of new mobile device selections. Improved signal strength isn't really an issue for me down here in New Orleans since I'm not fighting through skyscrapers, so assuming the service provider is not in play, what I am looking for is the best mobile device out there that will provide connectivity and bandwidth.  I freely admit I have no idea what that means - I just want a phone that will make me feel cool. 

Below I have listed my needs and a few options that I am considering.  

NEEDS: 

1) I need to be able to type fast. 
I love my blackberry's keypad and will challenge anyone to a blackberry duel to see who can type a sentence faster than I can.  I hesitate to move to a device with a touch screen because I know that my speed will drop precipitously as I hunt and peck for the keys and have to delete the numerous spelling mistakes I will inevitably make as my 'j' becomes a 'k', an 'a' becomes a 'q' etc.  I don't buy the whole "Oh, but the iphone helps you correct those mistakes by giving you the word you're looking for" argument since by the time I look up and actually select the word I could have already typed it on my casual keypad.  I AM THAT FAST.

2) I need to be able to take pics.
Documentation is all that matters.  My new mobile device must have the ability to take casual pictures with excellent clarity and subtle artistry.  Moreover, I must be able to then send these pics via text to various recipients around the globe in a matter of nanoseconds.

3) I need to be able to communicate with my inner circle swiftly and via various modes.
My Bold gives me the ability to swiftly communicate via Gmail, Google Talk, SMS/texting, and the ultra-casual Blackberry Instant Messenger.  BBIM is the greatest, and with nearly two dozen contacts on BBIM with which I communicate with on nearly a daily basis, I'm not sure I can live without it.  The ability to document and send the pic to contacts via BBIM is something that I am not sure i can do without.

4) I need to surf the internet.
Whether it be looking up casual scores or getting a refresher on the laws of physics, I need my info fast.  There's nothing I hate more than the sign of that damn clock in the middle of my frozen screen while 'Requesting Script...' appears on the bottom of the screen for A FULL TWO MINUTES.

OPTIONS:

1) Stick with what I know:
I have been a Blackberry guy for years, and the thought of losing BBIM and a casual keypad is both sad and frightening.  The Research in Motion (RIM) technology that blackberries use is decent enough, and the new Bold 9700 appears to offer a better camera and has gotten rid of the often troublesome trackball.  But is that enough?  Can I live with myself for opting for a juiced up version of the status quo for the duration of my next service contract? 

2) The iPhone 4:
The thought of whipping it out at parties (the phone dammit) to show off is appealing, but what's with this antenna problem that people are complaining about?  Apple says it has been using an incorrect formula for calculating the numbers of bars that determine signal strength from the very beginning?  Does that instill confidence?  Will the iPhone throttle AT&T's bandwidth and render all of its 4G upside virtually useless?  Regardless, this phone appears to be able to do everything except cook me breakfast, and IT'S JUST SO PRETTY.  But will I miss BBIM?  Can I get used to the touch screen?  How long will it take me to adapt?  If teenagers can use the touch screen to communicate effectively with their drug dealers, why can't I?

3) The HTC Droid Incredible:

via www.new-cell-phones.org

8 GBs of memory! 8 megapixel camera! Full google integration!  Jeepers creepers!  Can I get used to the odd-sounding "Android" operating system? Is it cool enough?  Will people think that I couldn't afford the iPhone so I opted to go with a knock-off?  Is this a knock-off?  Often when i see people with smartphones that aren't a Bold, Tour, Curve or an iPhone I think they got it as part of a buy one, get one free family pack deal.  Does that make me a bad person?

Which mobile device do you have?  Is it working for you?  Do you secretely long for another one?  Have you moved from a keypad to a touch screen or vice versa?  

I need your input.  I need your help. 

Help me.  Help me help you.