The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of BlackBerry putting 24/7 connectivity to telephone, email, and the web in the palm of your hand

The Bad

Setting the Stage – Attitude

The heaviest weight removed from my shoulders when I retired after 38 years of Federal Government Service was when I turned in the 5 oz. BlackBerry! While it was critically important that I should be available by phone or email to US Army aviation units everywhere from Ft. Campbell, KY., to Iraq and Korea, my boss had learned I was on duty 24/7. Martha Stewart only had to wear an ankle bracelet, the powers that be could not only provide advice and direction by phone, they could put it in writing! My family and friends had gotten used to saying, “your BlackBerry’s buzzing,” at all the most inopportune times.

Hitting fast forward on my life’s remote control, nine months later and I was now a Program Manager for a Defense contractor, on travel 350 miles away from the office. Not being inclined trade off clothes and other travel necessities for the bulk of my laptop computer, I was left failing at managing a bunch of related issues because I was not able to effectively stay in constant touch with an email flame war in another program. As old aviators say, “I had lost the bubble” (the original aircraft attitude indicator that tells aviators if they are tipping to one side or another in flight was an almost filled water bottle – like a carpenter’s level, if you watched the bubble you knew if you were flying level, if you lost the bubble in your vision you were likely not in control of the aircraft). Our customer moaned that I was hard to get in touch with, and others had to carry my load. This was not just bad, it was very bad!

The Good

Transition - Contact!

Luckily for me, my new boss was a recently retired Army Colonel who I had once worked for when he was the Project Manager for the Apache Attack Helicopter program, and he understood my aversion to BlackBerry re-addiction. He knew I would come back around to the “dark side” of business telecommunications. I realized that the honeymoon was over and upon my return I was on the T-Mobile website checking prices.

The Ugly

In Your Face

Well, maybe it is not ugly, but talking to what looks like a pocket calculator is not pretty. Looking at the device you feel exactly the same. The 7290 is very much like the original units from a few years ago, with only a slight change in color from black to sort-of blue. That same QWERTY keypad has not changed, and visually the only difference is the addition of a color screen (much easier on the eyes). Other BlackBerry units and their competitors have more fashionable style, so if that is what you need then this is not the right choice.

The Nitty Gritty

Since I am usually referred to as a closet “Ludite” (unenlightened in the thrills and details of electronic technology) by most IT folks, please indulge me as I try to pass on what I understand in inside this device. With more of a mechanical background, I still firmly believe that all modern electronic devices were designed by Harry Potter. So, in a nutshell, the BlackBerry 7290 includes: phone; email capability; quad band GMS: SMS; a web browser; an integrated address book, calendar, memo pad, task list; Bluetooth® capability; integrated attachment viewing; a voice recorder; compatibility with popular Personal Information Management (PIM) software; backlit QWERTY-style keyboard; high-resolution 240 X 160 backlit display, supporting over 65,000 colors; a removable lithium-ion battery; and 32 MB memory. Included accessories are a USB synchronization cable, a travel charger (with international plug adaptors, a swivel belt holster, and desk holder. The BlackBerry 7290 has a one year warranty.

What You Really Want To Know

Basically the BlackBerry 7290 delivers what it promises. Telephone calls come and go, email comes and goes, and it is easy to carry. On to the details:

I was once a real typist. Yep, I used a manual Royal typewriter and hammered keys all day long. That background makes using the QWERTY style keyboard a familiar transition. OK, using only the thumbs took a bit of getting used to, but soon I was up to a consistent 35 word per minute. I do not like a lot of the multiple keys found on cell phones and some other units, so this is a big plus on my list.

Reception continues to be somewhat better than that experienced on my prior cell phone, and the clarity of voice is more than adequate for my needs. The Bluetooth® and plug in wired headset work about as well as those things usually do, even if I do shy away from them (I am not a fan of combining cell phone or BlackBerry use while operating a motor vehicle, so those features do not get much use). The web browser works, but when I really do need to surf the net I find it much easier to find a real desktop computer.

The thumbwheel and other controls fall easily to my hand, and their simplicity eases most operations. Features such as ring tone control and vibrate modes are easily changed. Under my normal use the lithium-ion battery needs recharging every three or four days, with charging time easily handled either overnight or while pluged in to my desktop computer for PIM updates with Outlook during the workday. The swivle belt holster can be easily adjusted for whatever activity you are involved in and transmits the vibrate signal very well. As an aside, during more than four years of BlackBerry use I have “broken” only one of the plastic holsters, and that was while trying to fit my 140 pound frame into the middle seat of an overbooked airliner.

Duribility

With only a couple of months experience using the BlackBerry 7290, I will only say that it feels and performs much the same as my 2002 “they come in any color you want as long as it’s black” orginal model. So far I have dropped it two or three times and worn it for a little over a thousand motorcycle miles with no ill effects. That little evidence leads me to believe that this one should stand up as well as the early one. Oh, that one lasted over three years with only a couple of times needed the battery contacts cleaned.

Setup

Setup is much easier that I had expected. Having a toll free customer assistance service available from my service provider (T-Mobile), and one from RIM BlackBerry made all the difference in the world. An assistance tech led me step-by-step through changing the SIM card (so that I could retain my existing telephone number and contact telephone book) and setting up access to my employer’s email account. Adding access to other POP server email accounts was even easier, once I had been led through the process. Altogether it took less than a half an hour to complete.

Price

Inexpensive. Style and features are important issues in this market. Only needing the basics of electronic communications, I can live with basic equipment. Thus, I was able to find mine for about $100 delivered to my door, and basic BlackBerry email access costs about $20 per month (tax deductable for my business use, could be reimbursed by some employers). With technology improving at today’s pace your own costs could be even lower. The payback in critical business communications easily outweighs that cost to me.

Was the BlackBerry 7290 a good choice for me? I believe it was, and that it still is. Basic business communications in the palm of my hand will make my continued employment more of a sure thing.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 100.00