Advice, how to decide, general questions...

As I have been a member of various other forums and know there are constant posts such as mine which get repetitive, I will give the short and sweet question for those that dont want to read it all and my detailed OS question after for those that do...

I am finally deciding to break into the smartphone world and while I am still considering larger Blackberry models (8700/8800) as well as the Samsung Blackjack II, for the most part I am going to go with a Treo.

The short and sweet, I want a phone that:

will withstand the daily grind
provides solid texting capabilities
offers simple navigation to key choice programs/apps
touch screen (a given with the Treos)
easy to use contact organization (name, phone, email, address, etc)
easy to use calendar functions
memos
friendly use of email and web-browsing
capable of viewing and modifying Word and Excel documents
the larger the keyboard the better
camera functionality is a plus
has a screen that wont fade with bright lights
has a good battery life (if that is even possible)
has the ability to be a decent phone on a stand alone basis

I'm PalmOS raised but can adapt, especially since it would appear the PalmOS is on its way out.

Which Treo would best suit my needs???

The nitty-gritty...

The OS...
I have always used a PalmOS in the PDAs I have carried throughout the years, but I mainly only have used the datebook and memo features. I have always had my phone with me and my addresses stored on my computer. Being on a tight college budget I never had the top of the line PDAs, just enough to keep me organized through school and work.

In the reviews and research I have done Palm typically wins every category by small margins, and it is often noted in summaries that the PalmOS is simply quicker and more fluid in operation than WM. Beyond that, my understanding of the difference between PalmOS and WM is something to the extent of:

PalmOS:
amazingly intuitive and easy to use
for the most part less steps to navigate the menus
better standard and 3rd party applications
runs smoother than WM
hasnt seen a real update in a while and probably wont

WM:
ability to multi-task
decent navigation
PC compatible without problem (home and office friendly)
will continue to be upgraded
has the tendency to crash and need a restart like a desktop would (typical windows issues ... this is my big problem)

I am pretty sure either would do what I would be asking (especially as an first time smartphone owner), but that doesnt mean it is any easier. I plan on using whatever phone I buy for at least 2-3 years before upgrading. I dont want to buy Palm and get comfortable and then have a hard time making the change when my next phone doesnt have it; however, I also dont want to spend the next 3 years pounding my head against the wall dealing with the same problems I have on my desktop, on my phone as well.

I thought about simply breaking into the game by picking up a Treo 650 which I have seen for as little as $150 (680s for $200), but the above stated concern is present.

So that my friends is my quandary in somewhat of a rather large nutshell. If anyone could offer advice I would greatly appreciate it. Likewise, if anyone has direct knowledge of Blackberries or the Blackjack II I would appreciate those comparisons as well.