I don't have this phone, so I can't comment on everything. But I can comment on your first 2 issues.

Instead of the stock email and SMS programs, why don't you just use third party? On my Thunderbolt I use K-9 for email and Chomp for SMS. And throw in the SwiftKey X Beta keyboard for good measure.

 

I understand where you are coming from, but I have the Thunderbolt and I still use 3rd party apps. And I think Sense is the best of the bunch, but I still use them. It's personal preference of course.

As far as I know K-9 pushes. I don't push my email so I can't confirm. Which email provider are you using?

As for SMS, you can't go wrong with Chomp, GoSMS Pro or Handcent. They all blow away stock SMS apps in my opinion.

 

I agree with WiseGuy, K-9 is a good alternative, it is programable for polling and pushing down to the folder level. I use the Gmail for personal mail, with Launcher Pro, it shows the unread message count and I use K-9 for my work email, it works great. There are a ton of keyboard apps, Hacker, Swift, Swype (Which is included), but the one you never hear of much anymore is Vlingo... Vlingo is not bad at all and it will allow accurate voice input, pretty good if you ask me. The SMS issue can be attributed to the Keyboard settings you have, change them up and see what results you have then, I use 4 letter prediction over 2-3, it seems to help tame my texts. I came back to the Charge from trying other phones.

I believe the Bionic may be stalled for a while... The one to watch for if you are waiting is the Samsung Galaxy S II-VZW has called this the Function... If it is a 4G phone, then there is no comparison, but IMO the Droid Charge is it's forerunner/little sister/etc... Plus it is Droid Branded, meaning it will get the love and attention it deserves. Food for thought.

 

K9 will push emails if you want. It does so by default. I turned it off and have it update every hour. you can also set how many emails it will show you or store. Sounds like you want that. I went to K9 since the stock email either pushed or didn't. You could not set a time value on the email retrieve. I don't want the email running all the time.

Better Keyboard is far more accurate for word prediction. I swype so I don't use either.

My GPS seems fine althogh I have only had the phone a couple of days. You just have to play around with it and see if you need can find apps to make it more to your liking. Every phone is different.


Do your self a favor and get Launcher Pro from the market, if you like it get the paid version that has the widgets ( you can get skins for those also). LPP is very smooth on this phone.
You may be waiting a long time for the Bionic

 

I use the Gmail App over the Stock Email App and when I delete off the Droid Charge, it deletes off the Gmail Server. It goes into trash like I have it set up to do in settings. I am using Gmail set up in IMAP, which IMO is the best way to go on a smartphone. I can select emails without opening and delete or archive on the spot, I love that functionality the Gmail App (Should be pre-installed on your Droid Charge) gives you. I know the phone pushes you to its Samsung native email app, just delete the account and add it to Gmail, that is assuming you use Gmail in this whole thread... If not, what I did was forward my other emails (MSN/Hotmail/Yahoo) to Gmail account and it was a lot easier that way, for me. K-9 does not care, it will do them all - WELL.

 

Your spell checking is built into most keyboard apps, I would try to tweak some of those settings. I really like Gmail's app best, but I am using Gmail as my main email account, are you? Are you using POP3/IMAP? Which keyboard are you using?

 

There is always something better coming. My plan is since I got the Chareg for $249 at Costco and will be going there this weekend to redeem the $120 coupon I suspect my final pricing on the DC is either $129 or $179, either way that is a great price. IF the BNionic does coem out in 3-4 months and is that much better (meaning much better battery life and better overall performance) then I may ETF the Charge and sell it recouping a substantial part of my money and get a discounted subsidized Bioinc, or if it is cheap enough, but it outright and sell the DC. Otherwise I like. I am a newbie and light user, but I already did LPP and Dolphin to make the phone a tad quicker and plan on rooting it and at least using Titanium Backup to freeze/delete most of the bloat and eventually when the ROMS settle down may try one of the custome ROMS, such as Altered Beast.

 

You can always return it and there will always be a better phone. I am coming from a rooted Droid X which I think is just about the best phone out there period (but no 4g). I tried the LG Revo and felt just like you do with the Charge. But even with the DX I was constantly improving my set up. It is just how it goes unless you get an iphone and just take what you are given.

As far as the charge goes I feel it is somewhat a step back in processor ability but the battery life for a 4g phone is pretty solid compared to the other 2 options. The screen is beautiful. The only things I don't like are the lack of led's and the slight hesitation on wake up. Other than that with launcher pro it runs along pretty darn good.

I went the route of ghost armor for the first time to keep this phone light and somewhat compact. The DX felt like a bnck in my pocket and this phone does not. Compact no, comfortable yes.

 

Within your Settings, go to Language & keyboard, select Samsung keypad (Or whatever keyboard you desire), it enters settings, XT9 advanced settings, make sure you have selected what you want... Word completion on or off, after xLetters->word completion point, spell correction, next word prediction, auto sub, auto append, you can edit your words, etc... The Spell Check responds with how you set this up. I would forward my Hotmail to Gmail and roll with the Gmail app set in IMAP, much easier to manage. You can still keep your old email account, just set up Gmail to reply as ...@hotmail.com. Set your Hotmail up to forward all email to Gmail, delete it off the server to save space and let the power of Google work for you.
Hope this helps...