RIM BlackBerry 5820

As GPRS is an always-on technology, emails are delivered via push rather than pull, so they arrive without user intervention. The BlackBerry can be set up to ring, vibrate or do nothing when an email or SMS arrives, in a similar way to a mobile phone. Unlike most other integrated wireless data PDAs, however, the BlackBerry isn't just a diary device with mobile phone functionality bolted on. In fact, the device itself is only half the story. While in the US there are versions that can be used standalone by a desktop user, with RIM managing the email, in Europe it's currently only available in tandem with BlackBerry's own back-end software.

The latest BlackBerry Enterprise Server 2.1 integrates with Lotus Domino 4.6 or 5 and Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 SP 4 or 2000. This essentially makes the BlackBerry an extension of your corporate desktop email. Copies of all email correspondence are kept both on the desktop and on the BlackBerry, and any mail from the latter is as if sent from the desktop. RIM has also considered the issue of security, and Triple DES encryption ensures mail is kept secure as it travels from desktop to handheld.

While the 5820 is already a powerful business tool just as an emailer, more capabilities are available via software upgrades. A phone jack is installed for a hands-free telephony upgrade, implementation of which depends on the cellular carrier. An Internet browser is in the works, too, although this is likely to be limited in functionality by the low screen resolution and low-level backlight. An over-the-air calendar comes as standard with the Enterprise Server setup and promises to be another killer app, making it much simpler to manage appointments while out of the office. Our test setup didn't have this feature, though, as our BlackBerry wasn't tied in with a local corporate mail server, so we couldn't try out its capabilities. In theory, the over-the-air calendar behaves in a similar fashion to BlackBerry email, with calendar entries pushed automatically between desktop and mobile device, so both diaries are permanently in sync. And if these features aren't sufficient, it's possible to program your own. The OS is Java-based and third-party apps are already available from companies like Hewlett-Packard.

Unlike the latest Pocket PC 2002 devices, which mainly use third-party add-ins for wireless connectivity, the BlackBerry isn't a gadget you'll need to struggle with to get wireless applications working properly. That said, it's not a toy but a serious business tool. The device itself exudes functional design rather than brushed metallic chic. For example, a hidden sensor turns the screen off automatically when the BlackBerry is slotted into its clip-on holster - a simple battery saver that doesn't rely on an easily broken micro switch. The only annoyances I came across were the lack of US network support and that the underscore isn't directly available on a key, but instead requires the invocation of a menu containing additional symbols. Seeing as many email addresses use this key, it would have made sense to have made it more readily accessible.

Other than this, the BlackBerry delivers completely on its promise. If it's as successful in Europe as it has been in the US, it will make email an even more ubiquitous and essential business tool. Any company whose employees spend a large amount of time away from the office should seriously consider the BlackBerry. At least where email and diary are concerned, it brings the mobile worker that bit closer to the office.