What are Blackberry devices?

When the BlackBerry debuted in 1999, carrying onecalendar updates, documents and other data straight
was a hallmark of powerful executives and savvyto the user over the Internet and the cell phone
technophiles. People who purchased one eithernetwork.
needed or wanted constant access to e-mail, aFirst, the software senses that a new message has
calendar and a phone. The BlackBerry's manufacturer,arrived or the data has changed. Then, it compresses,
Research in Motion (RIM), reported only 25,000packages and redirects the information to the
subscribers in that first year. But since then, itshandheld unit. The server uses hypertext transfer
popularity has skyrocketed.protocol (HTTP) and transmission control protocol
In September 2005, RIM reported 3.65 million(TCP) to communicate with the handhelds. It also
subscribers, and users describe being addicted to theencrypts the data with triple data encryption standard
devices. The BlackBerry has even brought new slang(DES) or advanced encryption standard (AES).
to the English language. There are words for flirting viaImage courtesy RIM
BlackBerry (blirting), repetitive motion injuries from tooA person can send and receive messages and phone
much BlackBerry use (BlackBerry thumb) and unwiselycalls on a BlackBerry from virtually any location.
using one's BlackBerry while intoxicatedThe software determines the capabilities of the
(drunk-Berrying). While some people credit theBlackBerry and lets people establish criteria for the
BlackBerry with letting them get out of the office andinformation they want to have delivered. The criteria
spend time with friends and family, others accusecan include message type and size, specific senders
them of allowing work to infiltrate every moment ofand updates to specific programs or databases.
free time.Once all of the parameters have been set, the
In this article, we'll examine the "push" technology at thesoftware waits for updated content. When a new
center of the device's popularity, RIM's former disputemessage or other data arrives, the software formats
with patent holder NTP Incorporated and its currentthe information for transmission to and display on the
dispute with Visto Corporation. We'll also exploreBlackBerry. It packages e-mail messages into a kind of
BlackBerry hardware and software.electronic envelope so the user can decide whether to
"Push" Technologyopen or retrieve the rest of the message.
A PDA does a lot of the same things a BlackBerryBlackBerrys in the United States
does, and the PDA made its debut several years70 percent of BlackBerry subscribers live in the United
before the BlackBerry. But until recently, the only wayStates. Source: Washington Post
to make the information on most PDAs match theThe BlackBerry listens for new information and notifies
information on a person's computer was tothe user when it arrives by vibrating, changing an icon
automatically or manually sync the PDA. This could beon the screen or turning on a light. The BlackBerry
time-consuming and inconvenient. It could also lead todoes not poll the server to look for updates. It simply
exactly the conflicts that having a PDA is supposed towaits for the update to arrive and notifies the user
prevent. For example, a manager might schedule awhen it does. With e-mail, a copy of each message
meeting on the PDA, not knowing that an assistantalso goes to the user's inbox on the computer, but the
had just scheduled a meeting for the same time on ae-mail client can mark the message as read once the
networked calendar.user reads it on the BlackBerry.
A BlackBerry, on the other hand, does everything aPeople describe BlackBerry use as an addiction, and
PDA can do, and it syncs itself continually through pushthis is why. Not only do they give people constant
technology. BlackBerry Enterprise Server or Desktopaccess to their phones, they also provide continual
Redirector software "pushes," or redirects, new e-mail,updates to e-mail, calendars and other tools.