In praise of the flavoursome BlackBerry I have finally succumbed to peer pressure and got myself a BlackBerry 7730 handheld. During my first 24 hours with it, I composed close to 100 text messages and a couple of dozen of e-mail messages. One does get addicted to the BlackBerry. No wonder it has got the nickname 'CrackBerries'. The BlackBerry service in Hong Kong was first introduced by Three Dualband (then Orange) in 2002. CSL joined the offering this March. They both offer the same two flavours of the BlackBerry service, namely enterprise and individual (this is called the web client service). The lack of both Chinese support (I heard this would be made available in a few months) and BlackBerry version of my favourite Pocket PC programs mean I still have to carry my Xda II as my primary personal digital assistant. I have compared the two devices to see which is the better 'smartphone'. Despite not spotting a touch screen, I find navigating the BlackBerry by using keyboard shortcuts, trackwheel and pop-up menus a breeze. It means you can do many non-inputting tasks with just one hand. On the Xda, performing the same tasks such as reading the calendar entries and managing a long list of mail messages would require holding it with one hand and using the other hand to navigate. The 7730's built-in QWERTY thumb keyboard also makes it the better of the two for inputting text. Although I am typing this letter on my Xda with its add-on thumb keyboard, the combined weight and form factor is just a bit too much. Under out-of-the-box conditions, the BlackBerry web client version is more suitable and efficient at performing traditional PDA tasks such as entering and looking up contacts, and managing calendar entries. This is probably the reason it was the third-biggest seller during the first quarter of this year. It became particularly popular after the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, when it proved to be the most reliable messaging service in the immediate aftermath of the tragic event. But beyond basic PIM functions and messaging, the BlackBerry is slightly inadequate. Except for the built-in MemoPad, it cannot create documents. It can, however, view popular business documents. But the ability to read is not quite up to that of create and edit. The Xda, like most Pocket PCs, comes with a stripped-down version of Microsoft Word and Excel. As I am determined to make my BlackBerry the replacement for my Xda once Chinese support is available, I have looked hard for third-party programs that would allow the BlackBerry to become 'office-enabled', and found Dynoplex ( www.dynoplex.com ) . Through a combination of its eOffice software and a subscription service, the company allows BlackBerry users to create, view and edit Excel and Word compatible documents. Users can even send them as attachments (that's the 'service' part of their offering) and edit attachments. I think operators should bundle such programs to increase the appeal of the BlackBerry service as a business tool. In the past few months, an increasing number of hardware and software vendors such as Nokia, Motorola, O2 and PalmSource have announced their upcoming support of the BlackBerry service on their devices under the BlackBerry Connect licence program. So, be prepared to see a proliferation of communication devices being offered other than RIM that are actually the BlackBerry in disguise. In addition to its messaging capability, a built-in camera and MMS are all that the BlackBerry needs to broaden its audience. After all, e-mails are probably just as much a way of life for individuals as they are for enterprises. Roderick Kar Loverlover.com We welcome all readers' comments on any issues affecting the technology sector. Have your say by e-mailing: techpost@scmp.com
