I'm trying to find a web-browsing phone with a QWERTY keyboard, scroll key, speaker, and NO Windows OS; a phone that will let me add Telenav and Opera Mini. In other words, a BB, perhaps an 8700.

BUT is a BB TOO MUCH phone for me? I'm no techie and don't comprehend half the postings I've seen on this forum. The message I'm getting: owning a BB is easy IF you know how to cope with an alphabet soup of programs and functions, white screens, freezing, and installs and uninstalls. For two years I've used a Nokia 6620 smart phone and had the thing lock up on me once. I'd like something with similar ease of use and reliability. Can I get it with a BB?

Maybe it's not enough. I'd stick to Nokia myself. I have an E61i and it's awesome. I just upgraded myself to the E90 and that is one totally sick mobile! It's huge but it does everything imaginable and possibly some things you couldn't imagine. Yeah, I'm lovin' me some Nokia!

If it helps, I gave my 68 year old father my old 7100g a try and he loved it. Last week he just upgraded to an 8700c.

There is a little bit of a learning curve, but its not hard to overcome if your used to PDA phones.

I'm running all these apps on my 8703. Word of warning on Telenav, it drains your battery very quickly. I have to get an extended battery. (Keep in mind I'm a heavy user who drives ALOT.)

my wife doesnt even know how to work a computer and she picked the BB up in no time. Not all the phones have the flaws that you list. The flaws usually happen because of user error most of the time playing with this program or that program. If you are going to set it up outta the box and use it then it would be a great too for you.

I wouldn't say so. You can choose to get as involved as you want to or as comfortable as you feel doing so. We have plenty of non-techy BB users who only use their BB's for email and/or phone calls and they all pick it up pretty quickly. Whether you get into installing apps or editing the ALX files or other more "advanced" BB usage is up to you. Over the air installs are pretty simple if you want to take it easy with getting 3rd party apps on your BB.

I'd actually say that the BB is very stable -- much more so than other platforms. Keep in mind that when you're reading forum sites like this you're going to see a disporportionate number of issues posted. Very few people go through the hassle of finding a forum site, setting up an account and all that just to say "hey, everything works great and I'm having no problems".

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

My opinion: First, you can't draw an accurate picture of the BB from the board. Many if not the majority of topics center on problems because that is what brings many people here initially. It's like inviting public comment on a product or something like that--those who don't like something are more likely to respond than those who have nothing bad to say.

The BB is very user friendly, very stable, and a pleasure to use. If you plan to buy a used BB there are things to know, and there are sometimes issues when installing applications. However, all in all, the pluses of the blackberry far outweigh the minuses.

That said, the heart of the BB and the service is it's email system. On one hand I'd say stick with what you are used to if it does the limited things (web browsing and phone and navigation) that you want to do; but on the other, I'd say as takeshi did, that you can get only as deep into the BB as you want, but you will likely find that it gives you needed capabilties that you previously didn't recognize.

Good luck. And welcome to the group!