My BlackBerry is my favorite gadget of all time. I don’t even have a fancy one, just a 7250. The ability to check email at any time is wonderful (to me).
Of course BlackBerry etiquette is something I have to constantly keep in mind. It is probably not a good idea to pull out my device and check my email in the middle of interviewing a candidate. Nor is it a good idea to do so when my mother-in-law is talking to me. In fact, I have found there are all kinds of less obvious siutations where it isn’t appropriate to use my BlackBerry. Luckily, my wife is often there to provide me guidance.
I have had a lot of devices including Palms and iPaqs. But the BlackBerry is far superior. Firstly, the devices can be remotely managed using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES). Secondly, wireless email access over the wireless carrier network is a must (but now available in the other device flavors). Lastly, I have found the BlackBerry to be robust, but very reliable. While it isn’t quite bulletproof, it is much more reliable than the other platforms. My iPaq was not acceptable.
One of our executives is quick to point out that a BlackBerry only makes you more productive if you are the only one that has one. If everyone has one then you are only keeping up with the additional emails that everyone else is cranking out on their BlackBerries.
I highly recommend one if you have the means (Ferris Beuller reference).
Candid CIO 
I have a lot of friends and colleagues with both BlackBerries and Treos. I opted for something that supplies me with a look into the near future … in other words, something that “kids” 20 years younger than myself may be using today for texting, videos AND emails. By walking a mile in their shoes, I’m getting a feel for the technology they’re want when they join the workforce. My choice for a more “sporty” smartphone experience? The exceptional LG 9800 (a newer version is out now called the NV). The only downside of carrying and using my Palm Tungsten C and this device is that I can’t receive email in real time unless I’m near WiFi. But I can use the LG to get on Verizon’s digital broadband and check the Gmail account I use as a catch-all for my personal and business emails.
Oh, and there’s one other drawback. The ridicule I get for having not one, but two, QWERTY keyboards on me at all time. Oh well!
After being a long-time BB user, I switched over to the Cingular 8125 pocket PC earlier this year with much anticipated concern: the wheel is much easier to use while driving than the pull-out keyboard! 🙂
well, I have to say I love the device; my talking minutes have gone down – more friendly device for emails, and no need for a BES…with Windows Mobile 5 OS, our exchange server connects everything to my mobile device seemlessly; email, contacts, tasks, calendar, etc with no issues…I also find that my blue tooth headset I use has a much better connection to the device (less background noise while driving). Can also view word and Xcel docs quite easily, if in need and no PC available, as well as pdf’s, etc…I know, also available via BB…
I consider myself a power user (3,000-4,000 min/month, plus a lot of email) so I need a device that will work well, reliable and user friendly…I have to say that I am a convert…try it, you’ll like it!!!
The BB is good but it lacks voice-recognition and dialing capabilities. The biggest problem I have is avoiding the “crackberry” during meetings and focusing on the task at hand rather than multi-tasking which seems to equate to doing both the meeting and e-mail poorly.
i believe it was…if you have the means i highly recommend picking one up.
Black Berry is one ofthe most useful handy gadget these days.
I am learning more and more about it day by day.
Using the Pocket PC phones with Phraze-It makes them a better choice than Blackberry.
Phraze-It provides full size keys for typing directly on the screen of Pocket PC phones with your index fingers. You can also hold and thumb easily with the same hand using Phraze-It.
Phraze-It provides a full computer keyboard on a fraction of the screen of the Pocket PC PDA phone and also ample screen space for reading and editing the lines of text you have typed.
You should get an iPhone 🙂