BlackBerry

The BlackBerry is a wireless handheld device introduced in 1999 which supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless information services. Developed by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM), it delivers information over the wireless data networks of mobile phone service companies. BlackBerry first made headway in the marketplace by concentrating on e-mail. RIM currently offers BlackBerry e-mail service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through the BlackBerry Connect software. The original BlackBerry device had a monochrome display, but all current models have color displays.

While including the usual PDA applications (address book, calendar, to-do lists, etc.) as well as telephone capabilities on newer models, the BlackBerry is primarily known for its ability to send and receive e-mail wherever it can access an appropriate wireless network of certain cellular phone carriers. It has a built-in keyboard, optimized for "thumbing", the use of only the thumbs to type. System navigation is primarily accomplished by the trackwheel (or "thumbwheel"), a scrolling wheel with a "click" function, located on the right side of the device. Some models (currently, those manufactured for use with Nextel, TELUS, and other iDEN networks) also incorporate a two-way radio. BlackBerry devices still depend on mobile phone service coverage and are not Wi-Fi compatible unlike similar handheld devices that are on the marketplace.

Modern BlackBerry handhelds incorporate an ARM 7 or 9 processor, while older BlackBerry 950 and 957 handhelds used Intel 80386 processors. The latest GSM BlackBerry models (8100 and 8700 series) have an Intel PXA901 312 MHz processor, 64 MB flash memory and 16 MB SDRAM.

The devices are very popular with some businesses, where they are primarily used to provide e-mail access to roaming employees. To fully integrate the BlackBerry into a company's systems, the installation of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) is required.

In November 2004, RIM announced that the number of subscribers to the BlackBerry service had reached two million, having doubled within ten months. Continuing their growth, RIM announced an additional one million subscribers in May, 2005, only six months after reaching two million. On December 21, 2005, RIM announced that their subscriber base reached 4.3 million subscribers and has surpassed 5 million by March 2006, despite slowing sales. In October 2006, RIM announced that the number of subscribers had reached 6.2 million.

Keyboard
This is the latest BlackBerry device. Most BlackBerry devices come with a full, albeit tiny, QWERTY keyboard, using the "Alt" key to enter numbers and special characters. A self-configurable "AutoText" feature can be used for frequent words or easier input of special characters like umlauts (point 13 at , German). The Pearl (8100) features a reduced-key keyboard and uses a technology called 'SureType' to allow each key to represent multiple letters, numbers, and symbols. SureType uses a prediction dictionary to figure out which word a user will want, similar to Tegic's T9, used on many cellphones.

Operating system
RIM provides a proprietary multi-tasking operating system (OS) for the BlackBerry, which makes heavy use of the device's specialized input devices, particularly the thumbwheel. The OS provides support for MIDP 1.0 and WAP 1.2. Previous versions allowed wireless synchronization with Microsoft Exchange Server's e-mail and calendar, as well as with Lotus Domino's e-mail. The current OS 4 provides a subset of MIDP 2.0, and allows complete wireless activation and synchronization with Exchange's e-mail, calendar, tasks, notes and contacts, and adds support for Novell GroupWise and Lotus Notes.

Third-party developers can write software using these APIs, and proprietary BlackBerry APIs as well, but any application that makes use of certain restricted functionality must be digitally signed so that it can be associated to a developer account at RIM. This signing procedure guarantees the authorship of an application, but does not guarantee the quality or security of the code.

Supporting software
BlackBerry handheld integration into an organization's e-mail system is provided through a software package called "BlackBerry Enterprise Server" (BES). Versions of BES are available for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise.

Individual users can often use e-mail services provided by the wireless provider and therefore may not be required to install a BES server on their local network, but organizations that have multiple wireless users usually run BES on their own network. While it can be very expensive having an own BES, third party companies like GPXS provide hosted BES solutions. These are solutions with the advantages of an own BES, but without the costs. Every BlackBerry has a unique id called BlackBerry PIN which is used to identify your device to the BES.

BES can act as a sort of e-mail relay for corporate accounts so that users always have access to their e-mail. The software monitors the user's local "inbox", and when a new message comes in, it picks up the message and passes it to RIM's Network Operations Center (NOC). The messages are then relayed to the user's wireless provider, which in turn delivers them to the user's BlackBerry device. This is called Push procedure, where the mobile user doesn't have to synchronize the data by hand. All new e-mails, contacts and calendar entries are pushed to the BlackBerry device automatically. Device storage also enables the mobile user to access all data offline in areas without wireless service. As soon as the user connects again, the BES sends the latest data. This way the handheld is always up-to-date.

BES also provides handhelds with TCP/IP connectivity that is proxied through a component called "Mobile Data Service" (MDS). This allows for custom application development using data streams on BlackBerry devices based on the Sun Microsystems Java ME platform.

In addition, BES provides security, in the form of Triple DES or, more recently, AES encryption of all data (both e-mail and MDS traffic) that travels between the BlackBerry handheld and a BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

The universal and push-based connectivity of the BES/MDS infrastructure are among the most valuable aspects of Research In Motion's product. An organization can have devices on different carriers, and connected through different cellular network protocols, all functioning in an integrated fashion.

Most providers offer flat monthly pricing for unlimited data between BlackBerry units and BES, which also enhances the value of the MDS component. In addition to receiving e-mail, organizations can make intranets or custom internal applications with unmetered traffic.

With more recent versions of the BlackBerry platform, the MDS is no longer a requirement for wireless data access. Beginning with OS 3.8 or 4.0, BlackBerry handhelds can access the Internet (i.e. TCP/IP access) without an MDS - previously only e-mail and WAP access was possible without a BES/MDS. The BES/MDS is still required for secure e-mail, data access, and applications that require WAP from carriers that do not allow WAP access.

Third party software
Earlier BlackBerry models used C++ for software development, but all current models support MDS and universally supported Java (using the J2ME set of libraries). Software development for BlackBerry is also available through Visual Studio .NET via the AppForge Crossfire add-in which enables development in C# or VB.NET. A growing number of third party commercial applications are available for BlackBerry. These include applications in sales force automation, customer relationship management, and remote IT administration. There is also a wide selection of free 3rd party software available for the BlackBerry. The BlackBerry solution also has possibilities of having applications and software pushed to devices. Especially in large organization this offers both controlability as efficiency.

Social usage
Thanks to their gain in popularity, BlackBerry devices are also used in social scenarios for setting up dates or movie viewing times with friends and associates. The ease of keying in and sending not only e-mails, but mobile "short messages" (SMS) as well, is particularly practical, e.g. to quickly answer a mail message to a sender with a mobile phone, even if they do not have a BlackBerry.

RIM is increasingly integrating instant messaging into their new devices and software. RIM offers its own proprietary BlackBerry Instant Messenger, but also began offering a Yahoo Chat client in 2005 and introduced a Google Talk client in early 2006. There is speculation of an upcoming MSN Messenger client. Google now offers their free e-mail service Gmail for BlackBerries as a free download.

BlackBerry devices are also extremely popular in the Deaf community, allowing people to message each other very easily.

Name origin
RIM settled on the name "BlackBerry" only after weeks of work by Lexicon Branding Inc., the Sausalito, California-based firm that named Intel Corp.’s Pentium microprocessor and Apple’s PowerBook. One of the naming experts at Lexicon thought the miniature buttons on RIM’s product looked "like the tiny seeds in a strawberry," Lexicon founder David Placek says. "A linguist at the firm thought straw was too slow sounding. Someone else suggested blackberry. RIM went for it." (From a Bloomberg article by Anthony Effinger).

Nicknames
The ability to read e-mail that is received in realtime, anywhere, has made the BlackBerry devices infamously addictive, earning them the nickname "Crackberry". Smaller blue-coloured models of the BlackBerry are colloquially nicknamed "BlueBerrys". The devices were called RIMs by some early adopters after the abbreviated company name displayed prominently on early BlackBerry devices.

In Scotland, the members of the Scottish Parliament who are from the Scottish National Party apparently call their BlackBerry devices "Brambles", which is the Scottish word for a blackberry.

Within the company, various model families are named after subatomic particles; names used include Electron, Proton, Baryon, Quark and Charm.

Problems
A musculoskeletal disorder has arisen from repeated BlackBerry use. Dubbed BlackBerry Thumb, it causes pain and tenderness in the thumbs to a point where people have problems using them, thus minimizing dexterity.

A non-physical problem is the constant attachment to email. Most users get BlackBerry devices in order to increase their productivity, but they tend to encourage multi-tasking which can make it difficult for users to concentrate on other tasks when out of the office.

GPRS function in original GSM Blackberry phones will on most cases not work, without (monthly) Blackberry subscription. This means that an original GSM Blackberry phone is not a true GPRS device. For example, it is not possible to use WAP without the subscription. People wanting both options should look for third party phones that offer Blackberry functionality. However the limitations are not likely to be hardware based, but depends on the firmware in the phone and the network provider. In summary, without the suscription the device is a primitive phone with SMS and limited PDA functionality.

Popular culture
Terry Pratchett's 30th Discworld novel, Thud!, features a "Gooseberry model" imp, which is used by Samuel Vimes to transmit messages (through the clacks, a semaphore network) and to find (physical) files in his office.
In the video game of Over The Hedge, Hammy licks a realtor's PDA and says, "This doesn't taste like a blackberry!".
In the Control episode of Fox's medical drama House, workaholic businesswoman Carly uses a Treo 650, with BlackBerry-esque addiction.
In the 2005 romantic comedy Hitch, Albert Brennaman receives a warning on his BlackBerry from Alex Hitchens that his beloved Allegra Cole is on her way into his office.
Joshua Lyman (Bradley Whitford) of The West Wing can be seen using the BlackBerry in the episodes after winning the Santos-McGarry Election. Prior to this, he is frequently seen using a Palm Treo 650.
Shane Powers, a contestant on Survivor: Panama - Exile Island (Season twelve) found a piece of wood and was pretending it was his BlackBerry and he was sending messages to people back home.
In an episode of So NoTORIous, a VH1 show based upon the life of Tori Spelling, Tori loses her BlackBerry, on which pictures from a party are saved.
In Green Day's Bullet in a Bible there appears to be what looks like a BlackBerry next to Billie Joe Armstrong
In an episode of American Dad, Steve Smith and Roger the Alien find Dick Cheney's BlackBerry at a Secret Service party picnic, and for the rest of the episode prank call the United Nations.
In the reality show, Last Comic Standing, Gabriel Iglesias was kicked off of the show for using a BlackBerry after he had signed a contract that no outside communication was permitted during the show.
In Chappelle's Show, in a skit about Tupac Shakur rapping about modern things, the first line is about BlackBerry.
In the series premiere of Vanished, reporter Judy Nash uses what appears to be a BlackBerry shortly before meeting Sara Collins' parents.
An episode of CSI Miami finds Eric Delko "toothin" or hooking up with women in a club using a BlackBerry with bluetooth connectivity.
Throughout the Sci Fi Channel series, Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, contestants regularly used their "communicators", which were in reality 7200 Series BlackBerry devices. Videos (or live feeds) of Stan Lee contacting the contestants were shown, despite the BlackBerry's inability to display such media.
In the episode of "Kamikaze Bingo" on Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David deals with his wife's addiction to her BlackBerry, wherein she coins the term "suicide BlackBerry."
In the episode "Delaware's Rehoboth Lagoon" of Viva La Bam, Bam Margera throws his BlackBerry at Raab Himself and then falls into the river.
In an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show originally aired on September 22, 2006, a viewer asked Oprah Winfrey what she keeps inside of her purse. One of the items Oprah pulled out of her purse was a BlackBerry and its charger.
The BlackBerry is mentioned frequently in the 2001 Joel C. Rosenberg novel The Last Jihad, and during a combat scene a character's location is given away by the sound made by a BlackBerry receiving a message.
In a Dilbert comic strip from September 19, 2006, Dogbert teaches the employees how to look as if they were paying attention while using their BlackBerry.
In an episode of Peep Show, protagonist Mark Corrigan loses his BlackBerry to teenage muggers and later attempts to buy it back.
In Season 2 of The O.C. Julie Cooper threatened to take away Marissa Cooper's BlackBerry.