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In honor of our recent re-launch from StudentBerry to StudentDocket, we’ve decided to start a new series here at StudentDocket.com titled “Back to School”. We know this time of year is pretty stressful for all you students out there (we know, because we’ll be right behind you in the registrations lines!), so we thought we’d do all we can to make a few of your decisions just a little bit more simple.

Should I own a BlackBerry? – Is it really worth it for students?

The short answer – Yes!

I understand a lot of the hesitation students seem to feel when trying to make this decision. After all, the Blackberry is largely advertised as a “business only” kind of device. While it is undoubtedly true that the Blackberry makes for sound corporate performance, what you need to remember is WHY this is the case. The answer is stability, long battery life, and a solid e-mail and communications system, and it makes each and every Blackberry device a suitable phone for students to own as well. Furthermore, with the recent additions to the Blackberry device lineup, the phones have lost their “corporate feel”, and adopted a much more main-stream and media focus. To break this down even further, we’ve gone ahead and created a quick list of reasons why Blackberry phones make a great addition to any student’s arsenal.

1. It’s all about the e-mail. This one should always be at the top of every Blackberry feature list. E-mail management on the Blackberry is e-mail management at its finest. True push e-mail means you’re always on top of your e-mail inbox. I used to have problems keeping up with my e-mails, particularly time critical ones like class cancelations, group meeting changes, etc… But no more, I haven’t opened up an inbox on my computer in months, nor do I plan to. It just isn’t necessary any longer – Checking your e-mail is a thing of the past as all your messages are delivered directly to your phone!
2. Battery Life: This one is a big one for me, and the Blackberry really performs well in this category. I’ve never owned a phone that lasted longer than my Blackberry, which is really saying something seeing as I’ve never owned a phone that did as much as my Blackberry either. At first glance, the screen on these things looks like a real battery drain. To put it simply, they’re gorgeous, rich looking screens that must suck up a ton of power. Even so, I’ve taken this thing on extended-weekend camping trips and had it last the entire time!
3. BlackBerry Messenger: The more friends you have with blackberry’s, the more awesome this little application becomes. It’s not SMS messaging, it’s so much more. Utilizing your device’s data plan, the Blackberry messenger allows you to maintain extended IM conversations with any of your friends. I’m constantly using blackberry messenger to send interesting photos or voice notes, ask simple questions, or just check in on how someone’s life is going. For those friends without Blackberry’s (for shame!), simply install any number of the free IM clients (gtalk, yahoo, msn, etc…) to keep in contact with them as well!
4. FaceBook: I haven’t logged into facebook in months! Not since installing the BlackBerry facebook application that is. The interface is sleek and smooth, and allows access to all of my commonly used facebook tools. There really isn’t much more to say about this application, it does exactly what you’d expect it to do. Best of all, It’s mobile, allowing me to check in on my friends during downtimes (and the occasional class), and not when I should be writing that final essay!
5. Productivity: There’s a reason Blackberry’s have become so popular in spite of the fact that, until recently, they’ve been just short of remarkably ugly. While most “smart phones” allow you to schedule productivity to some degree of success, the Blackberry is the first device that actually allows you to BE productive. Whether I’m scheduling assignments into StudentDocket, shooting out e-mails to professors, friends, and classmates, browsing the internet while riding the bus, or viewing my work schedule in the BlackBerry Calendar, Blackberry phones really ARE all about productivity.
6. Third Party Applications: While the Blackberry device itself is a great addition to any book bag, it’s really the addition of any number of great third party applications that makes the device shine. I can personally recommend viigo, google maps, and beyond 411. While you’re at it, go ahead and give StudentDocket a whirl with our FREE 15-Day Trial!
7. The “Crack” factor: we’ve all heard it before, the crackberry, it’s an addiction. Well I’m here to tell you first hand, it’s true. From the minute you pick this thing up you’re going to understand. No other phone has created as loyal a community as the Blackberry crowd without spending insane amounts on advertising. My 8830 has become an extension of my own arm, and I’m perfectly ok with that.
8. Community: This one’s a little bit of a bonus, as it has nothing to do with the phone itself. From the day you bring home your new Blackberry phone, you become a member of one of the most amazing groups of people on the planet. From quality blogs like BlackBerryCool, BerryReview, RIMarkable, and Crackberry to amazing forums like pinstack and again the Crackberry forums, Blackberry owners really are just a great group of people. I’ve never had a question unanswered or a problem unsolved.

With an ever-increasing lineup of sleek, impressive looking Blackberry devices, there isn’t really a reason I can think of not to give one of these things a shot. Though well known and often considered a no-brainer amongst professionals and career types, this thing seems to be the education markets best kept secret. This is quickly changing, however, as more and more students begin to realize the full potential packed into these little devices. So before you lock yourself into another sadly lacking 2-year engagement with any other device, do yourself a favor and head on over to the Blackberry section.