BlackBerry
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Please improve this article if you can. (January 2008)
This article is about the wireless e-mail device. For the fruit, see Blackberry. For other uses, see Blackberry (disambiguation).
BlackBerry
BlackBerry
Screen 320x240 pixels (8300/8700/8800 Series')
240×260 pixels (7100/8100 Series')
65,000 colors
Ringtone Polyphonic, MP3, MIDI
Memory 64 MB
Networks GSM850/900/1800/1900
GPRS/EDGE/UMTS
CDMA/1xEV-DO
Connectivity microSD, USB, Bluetooth
Physical size 50 mm×106.7 mm×14.5 mm[1]
Weight 87.9 g
The BlackBerry is a wireless handheld device introduced in 1997 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 current 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 a 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. Newer models are now utilizing a trackball in the middle of the device as Research In Motion has moved from the trackwheel to the trackball. Some models (currently, those manufactured for use with iDEN networks such as Nextel and Telus) also incorporate a PTT (Push-To-Talk) feature, similar to 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] CDMA BlackBerry smartphones are based on Qualcomm MSM6x00 chipsets which also include the ARM 9-based processor and GSM 900/1800 roaming (as the case with the 8830).[3][4] 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.
On April 11, 2007, RIM announced the number of BlackBerry subscribers had reached 8 million.[5]
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Keyboard
* 2 Operating system
* 3 CPU
* 4 Database
* 5 Supporting software
* 6 Criticism
* 7 Name origin
* 8 Nicknames
* 9 Models
* 10 Phones with BlackBerry e-mail client
* 11 Certification
* 12 The BlackBerry Store
* 13 See also
* 14 External links
* 15 References and notes
[edit] Keyboard
Most BlackBerry devices come with a full 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,[6] 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.
[edit] Operating system
Main article: BlackBerry OS
BlackBerry 7250
BlackBerry 7250
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.
[edit] CPU
Early BlackBerry devices used Intel-80386-based processors.[7] Later BlackBerry smartphones, such as the 8700 and the Pearl, are based on the ARM XScale ARMv5TE PXA900.
[edit] Database
Data extracted from a BlackBerry to a host computer is stored in a single file in IPD format.[8]
[edit] Supporting software
BlackBerry handhelds are integrated into an organization's e-mail system through a software package called "BlackBerry Enterprise Server" (BES). Versions of BES are available for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise. While individual users may be able to use a wireless provider's e-mail services without having to install BES themselves, organizations with multiple users usually run BES on their own network. Some third-party companies provide hosted BES solutions. Every BlackBerry has a unique id called BlackBerry PIN which is used to identify the 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 e-mail," because all new e-mails, contacts and calendar entries are "pushed" out to the BlackBerry device automatically, as opposed to the user synchronizing the data by hand. 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 hand held is always up-to-date.
An included feature in the newer models of the BlackBerry is the ability for it to track your current location through Trilateration. One can view the online maps on the phone and see current location denoted by a flashing dot. However, accuracy of BlackBerry trilateration is less than that of GPS due to a number of factors, including cell tower blockage by large buildings, mountains, or distance.
BES also provides handhelds with TCP/IP connectivity accessed 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.
Most providers offer flat monthly pricing for unlimited data between BlackBerry units and BES. 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.
[edit] Criticism
RIM has been criticized for not including 3G/UMTS on any models other than the 8700 series. However, email delivery on 3G units is often slower than EDGE and even GPRS, as emails are broken down into very small packets, each with its own encryption key. The UMTS networks are more suited for streaming media, so for BES/BIS email delivery there is little or no advantage.[9] On the other hand, new multimedia features, like the ability to email large attachments such as camera-phone photos, as well as the ability to tether the BlackBerry as a modem for laptop, provide a compelling reason to add 3G support to future BlackBerry smartphones, provided they can keep EDGE support for times when 3G is not favourable.
The current generation of BlackBerry smartphones do not have a touch screen, which is often compared to several Windows Mobile based devices, as well as the iPhone, which do offer touch screens.
Furthermore, Blackberry devices have had connectivity issues regarding their email client and data reception. Services have been down in February of 2008 and April of 2007, causing frustration among businesses and others who are dependent upon Blackberrys.[10] However, this same statement could be argued for a criticism of AT&T's EDGE service as well.[11]
Recently the technology has been