Totally agree -- I want to see this on BB, as the gmail for blackberry app kind of sucks.

I would advise getting a used body (and used lenses for that matter). Go for a body that is a couple generations old. While it is fun to get whatever new technology is sexy, it's going to be outdated in a year anyway, so unless you want to blow $1000 on a body every year, you're never going to have the latest tech over the long haul. So spend your money on lenses. Those will last you through multiple camera bodies.

Don't buy the low-level cameras (Canon Rebel series, Nikon 40d, etc.) They feel cheap, and more importantly it is difficult to exert any kind of manual control over them. They are fine for shooting in program mode, but if that's all you're going to do, you might as well buy a nice point and shoot. If you are really serious about photography, you will outgrow the (convenient) capabilities of the low-level cameras in six to twelve months.

I personally am a fan of Canon, because I prefer their controls and I like how they feel in my hands. I also think that the low-end of Canon's pro glass is more accessible than glass in the Nikon line. I managed to pick up a 70-400 f/4 and 18-40 f/4, both used, both in mint condition, for around $1000. Those two lenses do almost everything I need (I also have the 50mm f/1.8 II for low-light situations), although I would like to get something with good macro capabilities.

At the end of the day though, choosing between Canon and Nikon is like choosing between Honda and Toyota. Both do pretty much the same things, and do those things really well. People get obsessed with which one is "better" than the other, but it's really just a matter of preference.