It’s a crowded field out there – not just in smartphones, but increasingly in the Android environment, as well. And, with AT&T still the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the U.S., it looks like Dell has taken on a Hurculean challenge. Not only must it rise above the noise in Androidville, but it will also need to stand out as something really special in AT&T stores.

Dell doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to entering an established product category late – the Dell DJ Ditty, after all, was a train wreck. But Apple already dominated the music player market with the iPod by that time – and very few have been able to gain any sort of traction next to the iPod.

But don’t count Dell out of the game just yet. Yes, competition is stiff but, in the smartphone game, design and aesthetics go a long way with consumers who understand that Android is Android is Android, regardless of the device. And, consumers seem to be a bit fickle when it comes to smartphones – in love with one device today and excited about the coming of the next one tomorrow.

But what about BlackBerry’s large installed base? Are BlackBerry users sticking with the smartphone giant or looking to jump to one of the newer platforms? That’s the topic of the latest TechRepublic poll.

BlackBerry 6 is RIM’s answer to the touchscreen momentum of iPhone and Android devices, and the BlackBerry Torch 9800  is the first smartphone powered by BlackBerry 6 to hit the market. It features a revamped multitouch interface that represents an important step forward.

Is it enough to keep BlackBerry users in the fold? Many of them won’t have a choice because their IT departments will stick with BlackBerry — especially the devices like the Curve, which IT department can get in large quantities for free or next-to-nothing from wireless carriers if they sign big contracts.

However, more corporate environments are beginning to experiment with iPhone deployments, or are at least giving their users a choice of devices. And, beyond that, more users are starting to simply choose their own smartphones and connect them to the corporate network.

We’d like to hear from BlackBerry users on their smartphone plans for the near future.

For those who still prefer a hardware keyboard on their smartphone, here are comparison photos of three great devices: Motorola Droid 2, Samsung Epic 4G, and BlackBerry Torch 9800.

Check out the close-up photos at the end of the gallery for a description and critique of each of the three keyboards.