Yup, one more for the Otter cases. We got those too. Very hard shells, seem very durable.

And some extra info too for you too. I've just installed the Samsung Kies Windows software to connect and manage the phone content via USB. Essentially to add music to the Mrs' phone's new external memory. The compatible format types are quite impressive, including FLAC!

After an initial problem running the setup - DO NOT connect the phone before completely installing anything - it's good, fairly easy to use software.

I rather assumed that connecting via USB the first time would properly install the right drivers and such. It didn't. In fact, it was a bit of frustrating disaster. Leave the USB cable alone and install the Kies package. Then all will be well in the end.

I work for a Telco. so I won't get into brands or preferred carriers because someone may think I'm biased. The only advice I will give you is to not sacrifice coverage just to get a specific model. Missing out on a feature on the hottest new phone is one thing but being totally disconnected from all the features because you are in a poorly service area is another. Nothing is more frustrating.

Also, I'm like you. I want my own personal smartphone but I already carry around a corporate issued Blackberry. One would think that would be great, free phone. However, nothing is free in the corperate level. We are not locked down but without getting too wordy, our data plans are part of departmental our budgets so there is still a perceived cost and our data usage is monitored.

If your IT dept. has things locked down, it is unlikely that they will allow a non authorized app to have direct access to the mail server. The best you could do is turn on an auto-forwarding rule on your laptop and leave it on all the time or set up an auto forwarding rule on your Blackberry, assuming they haven't locked out that option.

There is a reason why RIM has survived, to date, their lack of recent innovation. They were the first to build a large scale, secure tool for email to personal devices and they are well embedded in many corporations for this reason. Will this save them? Who knows? I don't think I would be amiss in saying that they have a lot of work to do.

If you worked for MTS (Manitoba Telecom) we would be having words.
Our MTS based iPhone barely had good coverage in downtown Mississauga which is outright sad.
Telus (not based out of Manitoba) has better coverage for cells in northern Manitoba than MTS!!
I know because our old work cell (MTS) was junk in the field while a colleague had his Telus cell phone receiving signals constantly in most locations.

Telus is pretty good with cell coverage out in the uninhabited areas. They had a good headstart in Alberta with the oil business.

I ran around and fondled some phones yesterday.. The Samsung S3 is freekin HUGE. No way would I ever carry a phone that big. It must be for women with purses. The S2 was still a bit bigger than I'd like, but doable. The IPhone 5 seamed to fit my hands the best of any of them. Motorola had a phone that looks indestructible. I really did not / do not want to like the IPhone, dammit. I might just cave and buy one outright, then get the service plan from the provider I want. IPone 5 or Samsung S2, choices, choices...

Or you could wait for the Samsung S3 Mini. Nope, not joking.
A more 'phone like' 4" screen but lighter on specs.

Well I caved and went for the Samsung S2. Friggin thing is huge. It is a cool phone though. I'm still trying to figure it out, which I suspect might take me a while.

I feel like I'd be better off with a dumb phone.

You think the Galaxy S II is huge, have you seen the S III? I have a Galaxy Nexus (love it!) and it's only a hair smaller than the S III. I'm already used to the size after 2 weeks, and now my previous phone (Motorola Atrix 4G) looks tiny.