Since my counterpart Anders Bylund brought up the "commodity" argument for the BlackBerry platform, let me explain why I think mobile email is a long way from being a commodity.

Sure, consumers and business folks alike can pick up a Nokia (NYSE:NOK) or Samsung phone on the cheap from AT&T (NYSE:T) or Verizon (NYSE:VZ) and opt for mobile email. Consumers can even get a direct mobile interface to their Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) email accounts that works well for a fraction of what a BlackBerry plan would cost.

But the white-labeled "mobile email" that carriers sell is like night and day compared to having a BlackBerry. Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) has nailed the user interface and application navigation features on their platform -- emailing on a phone is often clunky and outright irritating in comparison. Even newer smartphones with full QWERTY keyboards just don't stack up.

RIM is a clear leader in the space with a highly integrated software and hardware platform that has still only scratched the surface of the available market. Cookie-cutter solutions on the cheap are no great threat to this premium product.

You're not done yet! Read the other articles and then vote for the winner!

As Foolanthropy enters its second decade, join us in working to bring financial education to the world's children. Learn more about Foolanthropy's new direction.