Do you prefer to keep your BlackBerry hidden?

(Credit: CNET)

Has the BlackBerry become the tech equivalent of a pimple?

That was the suggestion in a New York Times article this week quoting a few BlackBerry owners who say their old RIM smartphones have become a point of shame in their daily lives.

Rachel Crosby, a Los Angeles sales rep, told the paper that she goes as far as to hide her BlackBerry from view at parties and conferences for fear clients will judge her for it.

This got us wondering if most BlackBerry users actually feel the same way.

With so many Android phones, and now even the iPhone 4 available for free with a new carrier contract, it should be easy for any individual or small company to make the switch if RIM's old-school bricks are truly that bad.

BlackBerry's share of the smartphone market has plummeted from 50 percent to just 5 percent in the past few years. It's undeniable that RIM attrition is a very real thing, but is BlackBerry shame just as real a phenomenon?

What do you think? If you're a BlackBerry user, do you ever find yourself embarrassed by your device? If you're not, do you look down on friends and colleagues who still thumb away on a RIM phone? Cast your vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments.