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BlackBerry

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BlackBerry
File:BlackBerry 8700c.jpg
Compatible networksGSM850/900/1800/1900
GPRS/EDGE/UMTS
CDMA/1xEV-DO
Dimensions50 mm×106.7 mm×14.5 mm[1]
Mass87.9 g
Memory64 MB
Display320x240 pixels (8700/8800 Series)
240×260 pixels (7100/8100 Series)
65,000 colors
ConnectivitymicroSD, USB

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 prevalent 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 atmosphere 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. Some BlackBerry devices don't depend on mobile phone service coverage and are Wi-Fi compatible like 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.[2]

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.[3] Continuing their growth, RIM announced an additional one million subscribers in May, 2005, only six months after reaching two million.[4] On December 21, 2005, RIM announced that their subscriber base reached 4.3 million subscribers[5] and had surpassed 5 million by March 2006, despite slowing sales.[6] In October 2006, RIM announced that the number of subscribers had reached 6.2 million. On April 11 2007, RIM announced a jump up to 8 million BlackBerry subscribers, partially due to their new 8800 model.[7]

Keyboard

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[8], The 7100 series and Pearl (8100) devices feature a reduced-key keyboard and use a technology called 'SureType.' SureType allows each key to represent multiple letters, numbers, and symbols and uses a prediction dictionary to figure out which word a user will want, similar to Tegic's T9, used on many cellphones.

Operating system

File:Blackberry7250.jpg
BlackBerry 7250, offered by Verizon Wireless. An identical model is offered by Sprint. This model offered tethering capability, allowing connection of the BlackBerry to a laptop for use as a high speed internet connection.

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.

Database

Data extracted from a BlackBerry to a host computer is stored in a single file of IPD format.[9]

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 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.

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" or text 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 (PIN Messages), PinStack has the largest collection (100,000+) of registered BlackBerry PINs for social use. RIM also began offering a Yahoo Messenger client in 2005 and introduced a Google Talk client in early 2006[10] (There are also several third-party integrated IM clients that allows connectivity with AIM, MSN, ICQ, and Yahoo! Messenger, but these are not released or supported by RIM). Google now offers their free e-mail service Gmail, as well as other applications such as Google Maps, for BlackBerrys as a free download.

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

It's not uncommon in a business setting to attend meetings where most BlackBerry owners are using the devices and oblivious to the proceedings. This activity has coined the term "BlackBerry Prayer" and is defined as the act of staring intently at your Blackberry while furiously flicking the thumbwheel in search of information.[11]

Teenagers have even been seen pecking away at there BlackBerry's. Buisness men are no the only ones that have a use for these. The quick text messaging, calender (for the busy person) and phone feature can attract anyone.

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". Use of the term CrackBerry became so wide spread that in November 2006 Webster's dictionary named "crackberry" the "New Word of the Year". The devices were called RIMs by some early adopters after the abbreviated company name displayed prominently on early BlackBerry devices.[citation needed]

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

Within the company, various model families are named after subatomic particles; names used include Tachyon (BlackBerry 5810), Tachyon 2 (BlackBerry 6700), Electron, Proton, Baryon, Quark (BlackBerry 7200) and Charm.

Models

Generation Model Screen Network Notes Providers Date Introduced
Early models 850 small monochrome DataTAC e-mail and WAP services only
850 small monochrome DataTAC e-mail and AOL instant messanging America Online
857 large monochrome DataTAC e-mail and WAP services only
950 small monochrome Mobitex e-mail and WAP services only
957 "Proton" large monochrome Mobitex e-mail and WAP services only
Early Java-based 5790 large 160x160 pixel monochrome 900 MHz Mobitex e-mail services only
5810 large monochrome screen 1900 MHz GSM/GPRS phone but headset required
"Quark" 6210 medium 160x100 pixel monochrome 900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
6230BlackBerry 6230 medium 160x100 pixel monochrome 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone (blue case)
6280 medium 160x100 pixel monochrome 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
6500 6510 medium monochrome iDEN integrated phone, integrated two-way radio
6700 6710 large monochrome 900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
6750 large monochrome 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000 1xRTT integrated phone
7200 7210 medium 240x160 pixel colour 900/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
7230BlackBerry 7230 medium 240x160 pixel colour 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
7250BlackBerry 7250 medium 240x160 pixel colour 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000 1x (EVDO-capable w/firmware update) integrated phone, Bluetooth
7270 medium 240x160 pixel colour corporate Wi-Fi 802.11b networks for data and VOIP
7280 medium 240x160 pixel colour 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
7290 medium 240x160 pixel colour 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone with Bluetooth
7500 7510 medium 240x160 pixel colour iDEN integrated phone with speakerphone, integrated two-way radio
7520 integrated phone with speakerphone, integrated two-way radio, GPS and Bluetooth
7700 7730 large 240x240 pixel colour 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS integrated phone
7750 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000 1x
7780 850/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS
"Charm" 7100t large 240x260 colour 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS with integrated phone with speakerphone, Bluetooth T-Mobile
7105t Updated T-Mobile
7100r Rogers
7100v Vodafone
7100g Many GSM providers including Hong Kong and Cingular
7100x O2
7100i 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000 1x iDEN with integrated phone with speakerphone, Bluetooth, Push-to-talk, GPS, 64MB Nextel and Telus and SouthernLINC
7130 7130e large 240x260 colour 800/1900 MHz CDMA2000 1x and EV-DO with integrated phone with speakerphone, Bluetooth Verizon, Sprint, Telus and Bell Mobility Providers
7130c 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE Cingular
7130g Many GSM providers including Rogers and 02
7130v Vodafone
"Electron" 8700cBlackBerry 8700c large 320x240 pixels and 65K colour depth 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE integrated phone with speakerphone, Bluetooth Cingular
8700r Rogers
8700f Orange
8700g Many GSM providers including T-Mobile and Telefonica Moviles
8703eBlackBerry 8703e 800/1900 MHz CDMA, CDMA2000 1X and EVDO Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, Bell Mobility Providers
8707v 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS
2100 MHz UMTS		 Vodafone UK[12], Vodafone Smartone (Hong Kong), Vodafone (Italy).
8707h 2100 MHz W-CDMA
850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS		 NTT Docomo (Japan)
"Pearl" 8100BlackBerry 8100 240x260 @ 65K 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE new trackball interface, 1.3 MP camera, speakerphone, Bluetooth, MicroSD, polyphonic ringtones, media player Rogers Wireless (Canada),Cincinnati Bell, T-Mobile, Cingular, Vodafone (UK), Cingular, T-Mobile (US), O2 and Vodafone (Ireland), Vodafone and TIM (Italy), Airtel and Hutch (India).
"Gamma Ray" 8800BlackBerry 8800 320x240 pixels @ 65K 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE trackball interface, GPS receiver, speakerphone, Bluetooth, MicroSD, polyphonic ringtones, media player Cingular, T-Mobile, Rogers Wireless (Canada), T-Mobile (EU), Vodafone (EU), TIM (Italy)
8830 800/1900 MHz CDMA, CDMA2000 1X and EVDO, 900/1800 MHz GSM/GPRS Verizon, Sprint
"Curve" 8300 320x240 pixels @ 65K 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE trackball interface, 2.0 MP camera, speakerphone, Bluetooth, MicroSD, polyphonic ringtones, media player AT&T, Rogers Wireless.

Phones with BlackBerry

Several ordinary mobile phones have been released featuring the BlackBerry e-mail client which connects to BlackBerry servers. All these phones have full QWERTY keyboards (except the Motorola MPx220, Nokia E50 and Samsung t719).

  • HTC TyTN Operates on 3G/HSDPA/850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 240x320 pixel touch screen, QWERTY keyboard
  • Motorola MPx220 (selected models only), Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 176x220 pixel screen
  • Nokia 6810 Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 128x128 pixel screen
  • Nokia 6820 Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, American variant on 850/1800/1900 GSM network, 128x128 pixel screen
  • Nokia 9300 Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 128x128 and 640x200 pixel screen
  • Nokia 9300i Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 128x128 and 640x200 pixel screen
  • Nokia 9500 Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 128x128 and 640x200 pixel screen
  • Nokia E50 Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 320x240 pixel screen
  • Nokia E60 Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 416x352 pixel screen
  • Nokia E61 Operates on 3G-UMTS/850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 320x240 pixel screen
  • Nokia E61i Operates on 3G-UMTS/850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 320x240 pixel screen
  • Nokia E62 Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 320x240 pixel screen
  • Nokia E70 Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 416x352 pixel screen
  • Qtek 9100 Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 240x320 pixel touch screen and QWERTY keyboard
  • Qtek 9000 Operates on 3G-UMTS/850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 640x480 pixel touch screen, QWERTY keyboard
  • Samsung t719 Operates on 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 176x220 pixel screen
  • Siemens SK65, Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, 132x176 pixel screen
  • Sony Ericsson P910 Operates on 900/1800/1900 MHz GSM network, American and Chinese variants on 850/1800/1900, 208x320 pixel screen

Popular culture

Due to the popularity and ubiquity of the BlackBerry, such devices often appear on television, in movies and in literature.

Celebrities such as Hilary Duff, are often seen with there BlackBerry's.

References and notes

  1. ^ "BlackBerry Pearl". Research In Motion. 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-18.
  2. ^ See BlackBerry 8700c Technical Specifications
  3. ^ BlackBerry Subscribers Pass The Two Million Mark
  4. ^ BlackBerry Subscribers Surge to Over Three Million
  5. ^ Research In Motion Reports Third Quarter Results
  6. ^ Blackberry reaches 5 million subscriber mark
  7. ^ RIM to Announce Preliminary Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year End Results on April 11
  8. ^ [1]
  9. ^ [2]
  10. ^ Google Talk for Blackberry Devices
  11. ^ Blackberry or Crackberry? A PDA Culture War
  12. ^ RIM's 3G Blackberry launch imminent

External links

See also

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