I think the topic title is pretty self explanatory.
I've always wanted people's opinions on this, though.
Do you judge them, or not care at all?
Do you think to yourself, "they're too young to be carrying dataplans"
or do you not mind ?

Personally, I think that's a big phone bill to pay @ such a young age (which their parents are actually paying for most likely) and I once heard BB's were orginially for business? Well clearly that changed, but I'm not here to judge; I'm asking this because I, myself, am pretty young and was wondering if it's just better to stick with a texting regular phone rather than a smartphone?

Thanks!

actually i think about that all the time when I see kids in middle school with smartphones and young kids in high school carrying around blackberries. if it were sidekicks then i would understand since i believe sidekicks are aimed towards high schoolers and such but i'm just like wow these kids must be spoiled. why on earth would they need a bberry? theyre probaly just going to go on the internet during class or go on twitter >_<

maybe young ones should stay away from smartphones that are meant for other things, and just go for a basic QWERTY phone with an internet plan that would be cheaper.

There are actually cheaper student plans for the smartphones that are designed exclusively for students. Though, I agree that there really is no point in a younger kid getting such a phone but hey, it's 2009.

Senior year of high school this year. I have a blackberry. xD
I really actually didn't want one, nor did I beg my parents for one.
My mom got a special plan for buy one blackberry and gets the other free, also the data plan we have is relatively cheap compared to the original. So my dad gets one blackberry and since my mom didn't want to waste the opportunity she got the another.
When she got the phones I was with her, and since she said she doesn't really need the internet, let alone does she have an email account and such so she made me get the other one ( as odd as that seems). She wanted to have my phone, which I really really liked. >____> ( as odd as that seems again)

Though I do text a lot on my blackberry. I do have 2 emails linked with it. One for casual use, and the other one is for College Apps... etc. I do mark out events and refer to it when I don't have my planner at hand.

But I see kids who are younger than me, and all they use it for is for texting, that is a complete waste of a perfectly useful phone. =T

im amazed that the parents are willing to pay for them
i know my mom wouldnt pay the internet for me lol
but im getting a blackberry soon =D for college ^^
my contract is ending soon so yehh =]

i don't, and probably won't, understand why 11-12 year olds at my sister's middle school have Blackberry's.

i did not even know middle schoolers were into blackberries now? i feel so old lmao. but whats the use of a blackberry when youre busy being on it rather than listening in class? i even feel ''err'' when i see a jhs kid holding a sidekick. hs students i understand w/ the sidekicks but blackberries are kinda over.

i nvr even had the THOUGHT of asking my parents for a blackberry or even a sidekick. so for the kids who asked their parents to get it for them, are SPOILED. learn to make money first! i wuld not even let my little sister get a phone until jhs, and just a simple cellphone too. shes not touching any of those blackberries and whatnot till she earns her own money.


i'm ranting i shuld just stop now

I don't understand the problem.
I was 17 or so when I got my first Sidekick. It just made more sense for me to get something that I could text on, and not have to worry about going over the limit (T-Mo had no unlimited texting plan outside of the Sidekick plan back then). I kept going over minutes from talking on my other phones, parents complained, I told them if they got me a Sidekick it wouldn't happen anymore, they got me a Sidekick, and go figure, they never had to deal with me going over anything ever again.

Now that I have a normal phone (Softbank 707SC II), I still keep the Sidekick plan so that I can text as much as I want, and have 1000 minutes -- plus, who knows, I might go back to a Sidekick someday.

i don't know whether i could fall into the category, or maybe not because i'm a senior in high school.
but i actually don't have the data plan for my bb, i have unlimited text and use wi-fi for the internet.

and rather than for business, bb's are great for texting, thus my reason for owning one.

overall, young middle-schoolers should start with simple phones if they end up having one.
my first phone in sixth grade, didn't have a camera, no games, no nothing.

well theres nothing wrong with this since it was a Sidekick that you got and you were 17 since when I was in HS alot of kids had Sidekicks anyway when they first came out. but it does raises eyebrows when i see 15 yr olds with Blackberries and to be honest Sidekick is nowhere near being a Blackberry but im not gonna go into that lol off-topic.

I also recall a time when one of my 11 yr old cousin's friend who came to our family event had a T-mobile Wing...which is odd to me because first of all she was 11, and the Wing is considered a business PDA much like the Blackberry. And also the fact that the 11 yr old girl was chatting on AIM with it. I guess these days you can't expect kids to stay kids for that long.

i've also noticed plenty of middle school and younger high school kids with blackberries
and honestly its just a trend, i highly doubt many of them are actually buying these
phones for their features and such.

but i guess who cares if they're carrying around a blackberry if they (or rather their parents) can
afford to keep up with the bills then whatever floats their boat right?

They don't all use data plans~ Here in canada where cellular plans are astronomically high, most of the people in high school carry blackberries without any sort of data plan and they just use it to text + organize. My tech-noob friend thinks being able to sync outlook with blackberry is the coolest thing but I told him most phones can do that :S

I think kids in general shouldn't have a phone at all. Its pretty ridiculous how some of them are 10-14 year olds with cell phones.

They're probably just trying to be cool.
I survived without a phone and I;m going to GR.7 (. . . maybe because I have no friends... WAAAH)
Anyways, it's like the new trend is when you're young, you try to look older , hence the tote bags/phones/&aero/abercrombie whatever else.
It's all about looking cool >:3

To me, Blackberries are BUSINESS phones yet lot of middle/high schoolers use them. For me though, I never used the data plan when I was in high school when I had a blackberry since there's always a way for you to not use a data plan at all College student (including me) might need a data plan for always checking your college email account. I for one, pay for my plan so its not that my parents are paying for it. So if you are in college and you are paying for it, I think its fine to have a blackberry or a smartphone; that includes an iPhone

Neh... I don't really care because it's their parent's money haha and not mines. But it is surprising when elementary kids have phones and always talk about texting... and they sometimes abuse their phones just so they can get new ones.

I know a girl that is 7 and she changes her cellphone like every month like really expensive ones too ....

With how things are today, I wouldn't be surprised if an elementary kid had a BB.

My cousin is about 14 and she has the bb curve.. I really don't understand why.. but i'm sure it's because it's easy to text with .. but yeah.. shes spoiled like crazy soo..

>.>

It is only natural that when we have our own kids we want to give them things that we never had, for a lot of people that means superficial things that our immigrants parents could only dream of having at a young age. Of course, this comes with a negative side affect. I just hope that these kids would some how learn what hard work means so that they won't be spoiled in attitude their whole lives. A lot of people don't know what hard work means and you can evidently see that our own society is breaking down due to the misplacing of what is really important and considered a need versus wants in our daily lives.

I don't think kids need to have a blackberry or even a cellphone, but then again I would want my kids to have a cellphone in case of emergencies. With that being said, they don't need expensive data plans and whatnot. I mean why? In our modern age, if a teen needs to have a cell phone he/she should have the standard talk plan or even pay as you go so he/she can learn to fill up their own minutes [teaching independence + responsibility] versus mom and dad paying for the bills.

A 14 year old with a blackberry with a data plan is just ridiculous.

I don't get how anyone could be too young for a phone.

These kids aren't spoiled because blackberries are only like US$100 with a plan.
Also, alot of people have Blackberries without data plans.
If you think about it, it's a pretty practical phone.
Keyboard, not overly expensive, mp3/video, decent camera, free games....
The list goes on.

Just because Blackberries were originally invented for business users,
they brand doesn't necessarily have to stay for business users.

Alot of people mentioned Sidekicks in this thread, well Sidekicks were
originally for deaf people... should everyone that can hear get rid of them....

^^

and the kids who have blackberries without a plan must've spent an arm and a leg on it. or their parents did. blackberries are 300+

those with a plan get discount on the phone but if you think about it every month you get charged for that plan and it all adds up.

basically young kids only need a phone they can call with, so why Blackberry? if they want a phone to text faster with than just get a regular QWERTY phone. there are plenty of those that aren't pricey.

i mean i guess if they or their parents can afford it then w/e but think of what else that money could go to.

i didnt know sidekicks were initially made for deaf people, but sidekicks dont even compare to Blackberry so theyre not on the same level, hence it's okay for young kids to have sidekicks.

yeah but with a sidekick, don't you need a data plan as well? its about the same price as a blackberry data plan... might be wrong ;;

nah you can get a sidekick without a plan as well. but sidekicks dont have wifi and no free apps. cant use your own ringtones.

Don't you get a special deal when you buy more than 2 of the same phone? Something like that... I could be completely wrong. Anyway, I don't mind seeing kids with Blackberries.

What if you need it for EMERGENCIES?
there are some areas that are really dangerous and there are plenty of kids walking home alone from school..

& i think you older people are just jealous. LOL
XD;

thats why you get basic cellphones for them! getting them a blackberry is just enabling them to text/IM in class more. lol bad parenting?

as part of the older people group, I myself own a blackberry and tmobile g1.

i think kids are just spoiled and want things that they don't need. i bet they'd be fine with just a flip phone or something or a regular qwerty but theyre probably pouting and nagging their parents to get them blackberries or advanced smartphones that they dont deserve/need. Unless they pay for it themselves then that's fine.

I don't see a problem.

As long as I never ever touch a blackberry phone or any American phone, I'm good.

actually Blackberry is a Canadian company. The only American phone company i know of is Motorola.

im always thinking "seriously?!" when i see a "kid" with a blackberry. but who doesnt have a blackberry (in canada?) now... its getting boring cos everyone holds on to one... and is it just me or does most of the girls have a pink skin too?

do they even need a blackberry? i thought they were business phones... with functions that are almost useless to students? the data plans each are pretty pricey too..

i rather see everyone hold onto an iphone instead cos at least those have fun apps suitable for everyone!

I don't see the point of high school aged or younger kids having a Blackberry. Yes, I think they should have cell phones because it's much more convenient and safer in case of emergencies. I remember when I didn't have a cell phone back in middle school and had to call collect on a payphone if I were running late or needed to go home earlier than intended. BUT I think they should just get regular phones. Blackberries are meant to be business phones; that's why they come with apps like Word/Slideshow/Excel To-Go and I just don't think kids need the functions BBs carry.

I currently have a Blackberry Bold and I didn't get one until my 3rd year of college when my job/org position required me to be accessible and responsive via email around the clock. And of course, the organizational apps really helped me out. Before that, I managed fine with a LG Chocolate.

I personally would not buy my kids smartphones while they're still in grade school. Furthermore, for something as pricey as a smartphone (price of the phone + data plan), I'd probably wait until they can afford it themselves to get it, like what I did.

when i was i high skool.. i had blackberry.. coz it was on sale.. at really cheap price at tht time..
when getting the phone.. i didn't knew tht i had to Pay extra 30 bucks for the internet every month.. (Verzion Wireless).. although i never used the internet at all..... later my dad cancelled my phone. ....
I went on without any cellphone during my first year in college...

If you haven't noticed, the younger generations are catching up a lot faster than the ones before, and it has always been that way. I'm 15 and many people like my parents who are a good many years older than me always talk about how they didn't have this, that when they were my age. We have more access to computers than they did when they were our age. And the younger generations have more access to more technology now, than we did when we were that age.

Sooo, yea. I'm not surprised small children have iPhones and Blackberries already. I have a Blackberry Pearl that I got for $30 at Costco. I don't have a data plan, but I do wish I did because it would be WAYYY convenient, especially for looking things up like addresses to stores, restaurants, and whatnot.

i have a blackberry and im not using it for business specifically.
its a really good organization tool, i have all my appointments/deadlines listed on there, and i love the QWERTY keyboard. I think if you were maybe... 16 or below, you probably wont be needing a blackberry, but after that, i think students have a lot more responsibilities.
and really though, the blackberries that have come out recently are more aimed towards the younger generations such as the Storm and the 8900.

my friend has a blackberry curve.. o.o & going into 8th grade. but it was since it was her parent`s old phone and they thought that they might as well give it to her.
but i find it crazy how half my school has them..
gahh, i`m jealous. but i`m happy that i just got my first phone. it`s a new model that came out 2 months ago! ^^

After reading this entire thread, I still don't understand the problem. Younger people have taste and things they like, too, and how do you know that they don't work for it? Sure, some kids just get gifts of what they want, but I know plenty of people that when we were younger, we had to WORK for things we wanted, maybe not legitimate jobs, but things around the house, chores, etc etc.

I just think there's a lot of complaining for no real reason in this thread. You say kids are spoiled and want things they don't need, well I hate to break it to you, but so are you. So am I. So is everyone else that posted in this thread I bet. So what? Unless the Blackberry magically sprouts arms and legs and tries to murder me, I couldn't care less.

I still don't see the major difference between Sidekicks and Blackberrys, especially since Sidekicks pretty much invented the trend of a phone with a keyboard, and all of those crazy apps. I remember when no one but celebrities were rocking the Sidekick ONE, and I had a friend who actually had one, and he was the hottest mini cooper around. In theory, Sidekicks were for celebrities and now everyone has one, Blackberries were for business men and everyone has one. In my opinion, it's the exact same thing. Just because now Sidekicks are more main stream, and have been more main stream for longer, they appear to be more "childish."

My friend has a blackberry and it's only because her father got a new phone. -___-; It was just a hand me down.. Plus, some of us really have to work for it. My same friend worked all through out summer break to buy a laptop with her own money. I'm getting an iTouch because I've gotten straight A's + school awards, so it's not like it's a freebie..

oh man, im 17, and i havent even got a smartphones.
kids in the 7th grade in my viet school are running around carrying pda's.
wth. o-o

yeah we all want things we don't need only because we like it but certain people work for it and use their own money to get those things not like some high schooleror even middle schooler who doesn't work or anything and gets nice things from mommy and daddy. kudos to those who do work and pay for their own stuff cus you deserve those nice things. and if parents want to reward their children for their hard work at school then that's acceptable but kids should be trying hard and doing well in school anyway without it being the reason that they get cool stuff out of it. most of the ones i see with smartphones and bberries are the ones who don't excel in school or do anything deserving of it theyre just kids who think they are all that, want to look cool and be cool who spends their parents' money like it grows on trees. i think that's called spoiled. just sucks cus the ones who work hard get rewarded but the ones who don't do anything gets what they want.

the reason why i don't like sidekicks or never did and dont think they are as good as bberries is because to me they are more like toys than something you use for the features. no free apps, no wifi, can't use your own ringtones, doesn't have document viewer, and more stuff that I can't remember. sidekicks were and are a trend while blackberries and other pda's are made for business use and the use of features provided to those who need them. but to each his own.

i suppose now there are easier access to smartphones & such for young kids so to some people it's not a "big deal" but i'm just saying from my own experience it's what i think when i see kids with blackberries.

My 13 year old cousin has it and it's her first phone 0_0 My aunt wanted her to get the Blackberry because they didn't have the phone she wanted (a QWERTY phone) with Fido. She uses it to text and it's also her mp3 player since she doesn't have one lol

My 14 year old cousin has a Blackberry... but it's actually a hand me down because his aunt got a new company Blackberry. There's no data plan on it so it's pretty much a basic phone. A free blackberry that his aunt isn't using anymore made more sense than buying him a new basic phone because it's more 'age approperiate'. Some younger people I know with Blackberries are the same case, they're either hand me downs with: no data, parents pay for a certain amount of data and they have to pay if they go over it (allowance or job) or they have a job. So I don't really judge too much simply when they only have a Blackberry, it's when they're acting like snobby, spoiled you know whats that gets me mad.

I had a blackberry back in 9th grade (which was last year), but I didn't go on the internet with it. I think I liked the blackberry look better than the phones that slid out with a QWERTY keyboard so I got the blackberry (for a really good price), but then I've gone through 4 phones since then and I'm going for an HTC Dream now.

It's just, there's so many new phones it's hard to keep up and you just keep wanting new ones.

Yea in high school I used to think like wth I'm surrounded by a sea of blackberries. I see 13 year olds with blackberries and seriously... they don't need it.

I am 15 and i have a blackberry. And i don't think it's "stupid" or "ridiculous". It's just another phone i use for texting and internet. No big deal, so i don't see the problem that 97% of the people have on here.

lol here in waterloo everyone has a blackberry. For gawd sakes, the ceo and founder of the blackberry lives like less then 5 mins from me.

im my school EVERONE has a blackberry and those that have sidekicks are really ghetto black/spanish ppl. i can never go to school without having seeing 10-15 ppl with blackberry texting lol
i have one too xD
btw its an awesome way to cheat with your friends on a test cuz of bbm hahahahaha
and if your taking past regents test, you can just download that answer key from the internet
blackberry FTW

that's interesting because when i think of sidekicks i always associate them with that type of demographics haha no offense to anyone but that's from what I see.

Seriously I don't get why you're complaining. It's a phone, and blackberries are getting cheaper and cheaper these days. It's a simple, easy to use phone, easy to text on, and it's over all a good phone. Blackberries are always known for reliability. I had one when I was 16 (and I think I might go back) and although I didn't have a data plan I could read books, text, customize, and use it for what it is, a phone. Right now it seems like you guys are kinda of whining about it. The blackberry is no long just a business phone and it's current features reflect that. I don't get whats the difference between a kid getting a blackberry and a kid getting an iphone. It happens all the time and all in all it's the parent's decision to pay for it, not the kids. So don't blame it on them. Jeez. Forgive me if some kids are into cellphones these days. TAT''

Its one thing if the parent(s) is carefree and/or have the money for it.
Its another if a kid is demanding a blackberry because its the "in" thing and yet the parent(s) want to get them a phone that is cheaper or they'll have a hard time affording it. On top of that, I find it funny that a baby (below teenage years) is running around with a expensive phone lol.

The phone is really not the 'issue'. I believe its the 'materialism'.

very well put.