• BlackBerry smartphones allow access to telephone service, maps, organizers, applications, games and the Internet. Functioning as a mini PC, the BlackBerry keeps many employees and employers connected on the go. The BlackBerry has social and technological setbacks, however, that have led some users to downgrade to a basic cell phone or advance to a smartphone with more features.
  
  

Loud Camera

• It's been a long day at work and you miss your kids. Getting in after their bedtimes, you sneak into their rooms to see them sleeping angelically in the chaos that is their bedroom. Your spouse is passed out on the couch from the ritualistic war that breaks out at bedtime each night. This is not a time to take a photo of their cute little faces with your BlackBerry unless you aim to awaken the troops to another round of battle. With each flash comes a loud click that could wake up even the heaviest sleeper.
  
  

Browser Limitations

• Browser limitations make the BlackBerry not an ideal smartphone for mobile banking. In order to bank online, some users will have to browse through Opera Mini, which is slightly slower than the BlackBerry browser and not very user-friendly.
  
  

Erases Text Messages

• The BlackBerry erases text messages occasionally to clear memory. If you text frequently and like to save information in your text messages, this could be an inconvenience.
  
  

Bulkiness

• The most commonly used BlackBerry smartphones, the Blackberry Curve and Blackberry Bold, are not slim. They do not fit comfortably in the pocket of a pair of jeans or in a clutch purse. If you don't like wearing a cell phone holder on your hip, you will probably end up holding the phone in your hand or keeping it in a coat pocket.
  
  

Additional Considerations

• A major setback to the BlackBerry when used for business is constant access to work. At first, receiving and sending work-related emails seems convenient and efficient in communicating with your boss, customers or co-workers. However, when you begin the habit of quick replies on vacations or weekends, the BlackBerry may become your ball and chain. Your boss and co-workers will acclimate to constant communication, and suddenly ignoring company emails can have negative effects. This is especially true if your BlackBerry is provided by an employer with demanding deadlines.