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As we learned on Saturday in the New York Times, President-elect Barack Obama faces the possibility of losing his BlackBerry privileges once he takes office on January 20. Obama has been pictured several times with Berry in hand, and it seems he’s as connected to the device as many in our BlackBerry community. You might even say that he’s addicted to it. Yet I don’t think he’ll have much trouble giving it up if he’s instructed to. Is there a person in this country who wouldn’t turn in a BlackBerry to become President of the United States? This got me thinking: Under what circumstances would you give up your BlackBerry?

A big promotion/new job

Normally, this won’t be a problem. Any time you’re moving up the corporate ladder, chances are you’ll have access to BlackBerry service, specifically on the company’s BES. However, what if the company doesn’t allow BlackBerry on their corporate network? What if, gasp, you’re stuck with a Palm or a Moto Q or a Samsung Blackjack? It might not be likely, but what if?

Clearly, career is more important than the device. Plus, in that situation, you would have the option of migrating your Berry to BIS if you are so inclined. Unless, of course, your old company issued the device and wants it back. Still, if it’s good enough a promotion you could just go out and buy a new one. So yes, I would certainly give mine up in such a scenario, but I’d probably have a Berry for personal use on the side.

You’ve had too many problems with your current BlackBerry

I know a few people who got so fed up with their BlackBerry that they ditched RIM altogether, opting for an inferior mobile device. I usually deliver a plea, letting them know that their situation is the exception, not the rule. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but in any case I certainly stand by that statement.

I have both an 8830 and an 8330, and have had few if any problems with the devices. For the most part, RIM has a high standard of manufacturing. If you have a device that doesn’t work optimally, chances are you either have a defective device, in which case you should exchange it, or you’re not using it properly, in which case you should read BBGeeks. In any case, these situations don’t seem to be common. Even if I experience problems with a BlackBerry, I wouldn’t ditch it.

Loved ones think you’re too addicted

Many of us compulsively check our BlackBerrys every three, four, five minutes. Hell, some probably check every one or two minutes. When exchanging emails with someone, this might be justified. When out in a social setting, though, and checking generally for new messages, it can be obnoxious. You’re supposed to be interacting with people, not looking at your backlit screen.

What if your habit got real bad, though? I’m talking to the point of an alcoholic, where you don’t think it’s much of a problem, but those around you do. What if someone who truly loved you — mother, father, wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, etc. — arranged an intervention? That’s a pretty strong sign that you’re using your Berry too much. If approached in that manner, yeah, I’d probably lay down the Berry. I may be a geek, but I’m certainly no fool.

Your contract is up

A new cell phone contact means a subsidy towards a new phone. This is a boon for consumers, as they can nab expensive devices for a fairly reasonable price. So say your contract with T-Mobile, on which you used the 8320, was up. Would you use the opportunity to switch to AT&T to get the iPhone?

Clearly, this is a situation in which I would not give up the Berry. If I was unhappy with T-Mobile, I’d switch to another service and get a BlackBerry through them. There are plenty of new options, too. There is, of course, the Storm through Verizon, which launches on Friday. There’s the Bold, which is now available through AT&T, and there is the Curve 8900, available in early 2009, likely through T-Mobile. So no, given the newly available devices, I would not switch phones because my contract is up.

You’re not as productive as you once were

We often talk about BlackBerry as a personal productivity tool. For many, it can help them accomplish more in a day than they could pre-Berry. For others, though, it just serves as a distraction. Instead of plugging away on an important project, they’re checking for new emails. Instead of writing up a proposal, they’re exchanging emails with a problem client.

This can lead to a severe decrease in actual productivity, despite the increase capability to process emails. Would I give up my Berry if I became like this? Probably not. I’d take a step back and try to rework my mode of operating, but I probably wouldn’t blame the device. As I’ve said before: “It seems we’re blaming the device a lot, when it might be a matter of the user.” If the device is not the cause, there is no reason to ditch it.

You’re sent to prison

Inmates, as you know, cannot have cell phones. So why are we even bringing up this scenario? Because some prisoners have smuggled cell phones into jail. True, this kind of operation probably doesn’t involve BlackBerrys very often — more likely prisoners smuggle prepaid cell phones, for the sake of anonymity. However, if one was so inclined, he or she could probably get a Berry into the State Pen.

Do you really want to serve extra time just because you’re addicted to your BlackBerry? I suppose it depends on your level of addiction. Personally, I’d just give it up. If I did something bad enough to be shut up in the pen, I likely don’t deserve to be using my Berry anyway. I’m sure others have a differing opinion on this one, though.

You move to a town which bans technology

So this one is a bit extreme, though it’s not without precedent. The Dutch village of Tinallinge doesn’t use any modern technology, and they plan to keep it that way. Of course, this article is from 1999 and things could have changed since now and then (it’s not like there’s a blog keeping tabson Tinallinge). Still, there is New Denver, British Columbia, which has repeatedly voted down measures to build cell towers in their town. They like to keep it free from the distraction.

Of course, there is little reason to move to such a town unless you got a job there, and presumably you wouldn’t need a BlackBerry to do so. Even so, why not move to an adjacent town that is more cell phone friendly? So no, even if I was forced to move to a town which bans technology or cell phone service, I’d keep the Berry. There are plenty of opportunities to travel, after all.

You can’t afford the data plan

D’oh! The economic crisis has hit you hard, and you can no longer afford your monthly data plan. In order to make ends meet, you’ve got to cut it, though you can keep your voice plan. Does this mean you’ll ditch your trusty BlackBerry in favor of one of those commonplace regular phones? Well, if you’re on Verizon you have little choice in the matter. Since you can’t have a Berry without a data plan on their network, you’re back to the ol’ trusty RAZR. On other carriers, though, the situation is different.

Personally, I’d hold onto the Berry and use it as my voice device. If you were fortunate enough to have the 8320, 8120, or Bold, you can still use the WiFi for a data connection. Even if not, the only disadvantage a BlackBerry has compared to a regular cell phone is the size. But if you’ve gotten used to carrying it around, that shouldn’t be much of an obstacle. Plus, it makes texting that much easier. Just make sure you can still afford a text messaging bundle.

What do you guys think of these scenarios? Can you think of some situations which might prompt you to ditch the BlackBerry?

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