April 15, 2005
The BlackBerry Evolution Continues If you put 20 executives in a room today, chances are more than half of them will have BlackBerry devices. The InformationWeek Spring Conference in Amelia Island, Fla., attracted a large number of CIOs and other IT executives. But they never really left their offices or stopped working because during breaks and in between sessions, scattered throughout the conference hall, they were vigorously engaged with their small blue handhelds. PDA shipments increased by 12% in the second quarter of 2004 to 2.75 million, and BlackBerrys powered the growth with shipments that gained 289%, according to Gartner. Research In Motion, the maker of the BlackBerry, is expected to become the leading PDA vendor in 2005. Now the newest 7100 Series BlackBerry is gaining popularity. It’s smaller than the other models, has a built-in speakerphone, Bluetooth technology, and SureType technology that integrates a phone keypad and QWERTY-style keyboard with intuitive software. The keyboard learns as you type, which makes it an intelligent and an efficient tool, said one conference attendee sporting the 7100t BlackBerry. For those who prefer smaller mobile devices like a lightweight cell phone, a BlackBerry can be hard to get used to, the attendee told me. Because of its QWERTY-style keyboard, the latest model offers a smaller handset design, which makes it appealing to such individuals. But as the BlackBerry gains ground across enterprises, it will become increasingly more than just an E-mail tool, says Avi Green, principal analyst for mobile devices at research firm Current Analysis. Many are already integrating BlackBerrys with CRM apps like Salesforce.com and soon additional services and tools will be available on BlackBerrys to develop wireless applications. The attendee I spoke to at the conference said his company recently deployed 40 7100t BlackBerrys, which are available for purchase from T-Mobile. The company is taking a step beyond E-mail as well and has connected the devices to the corporate portal and intranet data, which allows employees to literally take the office with them wherever they go. “Our salespeople are telling us that they no longer need laptops because they have BlackBerrys,” he said. But don’t leave your BlackBerry unattended, he warned. Although it comes with a number of security features, anyone can access your E-mail if they get hold of your device. The screen doesn’t lock and just goes black after a few minutes like most cell phones to conserve power. So with a press of a button the menu lights up and doesn’t require a security code or a PIN. I guess it's a well-known fact (for all of you who already have BlackBerrys), but it just goes to show that even the most advanced PDAs still need work. Posted by Elena Malykhina
at April 15, 2005 12:20 PM
Comments
This is a public forum. CMP Media and its affiliates are not responsible for and do not control what is posted herein. CMP Media makes no warranties or guarantees concerning any advice dispensed by its staff members or readers. Community standards in the message center do not permit hate language, excessive profanity, or other patently offensive language. Please be aware that all information posted to this forum becomes the property of CMP Media LLC and may be edited and republished in print or electronic format as outlined in CMP Media's Terms of Service. Important Note: The Message Center is NOT intended for commercial messages or solicitations of business.  
| |||
