RIM has fallen behind in the smart phone wars.  They can’t compete with Apple and Google and whoever else is launching a handset, so they’re concentrating on their core business of professional users while trying to appeal to the average buyer whenever possible.  Here’s one thing you can say for the Blackberry:  They certainly are tough.  An Ohio woman found this out the hard way when her Blackberry saved her from a bullet.

The 22-year-old woman was in a bar with her boyfriend, who had a gun.  While handling the gun, it discharged and he shot her in the leg.  Or thought he did:  as it turns out, the Blackberry gave up its life to protect its user.  Try finding that kind of loyalty in an iPhone!

Of course, the device wasn’t alone.  It was aided by the denim and a neoprene or plastic-looking protective case.  Either way, that’s pretty impressive that the handset was able to deflect, or at least slow down, a bullet to the point where the person getting shot wasn’t hurt.

Image: Engadget