TOY BOX: RIM offers its latest Berry good idea

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.

Any questions? Write us at toybox@rlmPR.com.

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'

Richard Laermer is CEO of RLM PR and author of Full Frontal PR, out in January