Forget phones and faxes. E-mail rules, and Research In Motion (RIM) delivers. The BlackBerry service merges pager and PDA technology for an e-mail station unmatched, while variations link to corporate e-mail servers or select ISPs nationwide.
Using a keyboard, as opposed to Palm's stylus, is silly-faster, easier on airtime, and more natural. The RIM display screen is crisper than monochrome PDAs, and like a pager, the unit stays on until you turn off. The menu is navigated via a thumbwheel and escape button, allowing operation with a single hand. Cons? Tiny letters and numbers made some of us older guys break out reading glasses, while symbols and punctuation marks require an awkward menu sequence. No accessory devices. Memory is fixed. BlackBerry costs more than Palm, though its greater efficacy of data entry will quickly pay back the difference.Price: BlackBerry 6710 retails at about $500, while enterprise and web variations are about $300-$400 Specs: 6710 is a compact 4.7" x 2.9" x .71"; weighs 4.86 oz. Cool Factor: They're not called "Crack-Berries" for nothin'
