I'm writing this post not out of some grand revelation, but because this common question has surfaced on the forums again.

This time it is the BlackBerry section of the Howard Forums.

"Can I have Desktop Manager (shown above) on two computers and use the same BB 7103e on each (not at the same time)," asks ScottPV. "I currently use the BB as a EVDO modem and data sync on one laptop and want to also use it on my Samsung Q1 (XP handtop)."

ScottPV then clarifies that he really only wants to use the 7130e on the Q1 as a modem.

"I have never been able to get the 7103e to work as a modem on my laptop without Desktop Manager and I assume the same will be true for the Q."

Well, ScottPV, you are in good luck.

Just this morning, India telecom provider Hutchinson Essar announced that it would be carrying BlackBerry for its more than 22 million customers.

Initially, Hutch- which the name it does business under- will be offering the BlackBerry 8700g, BlackBerry 7130g and BlackBerry 7290. The emphasis will be on Hutch's enterprise customers, a press rlease issued by Hutch and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion said.

A Pearl launch is expected soon, but the Hutch gave no date for that.

Pugwal, who is one of Robb's readers at RIMarkable has dug up a comparison chart on the Business section of the Cingular site that compares the features and specs of the "BlackBerry Pearl" vs. the BlackBerry 8700c and BlackBerry 7130c.

Follow along and I will show you most of the chart, and the specs:

I was bounding around Flickr earlier today when I happened upon some pickin's on Dave Peckens Flickr photostream.

Lots of shots of family and friends, but that's not the type of photos I was looking for.

I found a real clear photo of Peckens Sprint BlackBerry 7130e.

Clear and vivid enough that you'll get a better idea of the BlackBerry 71303's screen in this shot than on most brochureware shots of the device I have seen on the BlackBerry Sprint sites.

So let me show it to you now.

Alltel Wireless and mobile software developer and distributor Handmark say that Pocket Express services are now available on Alltel Wireless BlackBerrys.

Pocket Express delivers an assortment of content news, weather stock quotes, sports, weather, movie reviews, directory services and the New Oxford American Dictionary.

Alltel, which has more than 11 million wireless customers, sells the BlackBerry 7130e for $199.99 following a $300 instant rebate, and the BlackBerry 7250, for $149.99 also after a $300 instant rebate.

Because I have been darting about the country, I haven't yet had time to try the QuickPlay Media Player for BlackBerry, which was released earlier this week.

But here in a Seattle airport restaurant, munching a tuna sandwich with one hand and busy typing this with the other, I can tell you that this software offers five-minute clips from : ABC News, AccuWeather.com, Clear Channel, Gaiam, MarketWatch.com, The Wall Street Journal and Westwood One.

It's compatible with the BlackBerry 8700 series, BlackBerry 7130- and what was that multimedia BlackBerry released earlier this week? The Pearl, yes, that's it.

Update: I'm home now. And I see that BlackBerry Cool's own Steve St. Pierre has given QuickPlay a whirl.

Yes, you read that right.

We're talking a Cingular BlackBerry 7130c offer on Amazon.com.

I do the math for you now:

List $499.99 but only a penny when you sign up with Cingular for a two-year service plan.

Maintain the account in good standing for 181 days.

Send in for a $25.00 rebate.

You get your $25.00 rebate just before the sun goes nova.

Sorry. Several weeks later.

You know what? That's not $25.00!

That's $24.99! Oh well what's a penny.

This morning, participants in the CanWest MediaWorks VideoPlayer for BlackBerry beta received emails confirming that as the beta ends, CanWest is preparing to unveil a "new commercial product called bbTV."

Compatible with BlackBerry 8700 and 7130 series devices, the new service will allow users to select daily updated news coverage with their choice of 30, 60 and 90 second TV clips of International, Canadian, Finance and Sports news.

The letter to beta testers (I've been one) also noted that the content would feature an archive function to enable users to access and download broadcast clips from the preceding week.

Addenda to American readers:don't judge the guy in this pix by his name. Most "Scott Petersons" are good folks.

BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion and Dutch telecommunications carrier KPN have announced the debut of the BlackBerry 7130g for their customers in the Netherlands.

"The BlackBerry 7130g gives users access to popular BlackBerry features in an innovatively designed handset, providing corporate and individual customers with an optimal mobile experience," said KPN Mobile business market manager Albert Vergeer.

No info on pricing yet, none that I can find, anyway.

In a confirmation of something just about everyone has known as fact, Vodafone Australia and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion have announced the launching of the BlackBerry 8707v and the BlackBerry 7130v.

Obligatory partner happy talk:

"The launch of the two new BlackBerry handsets reinforces over-arching vision of delivering true mobility to Australian businesses and their employees, Vodafone Australia Business Markets general manager Edward Goff said.

Goff actually did add something newsworthy: broadband-modem enabling dashboard software in the BlackBerry 8707v will launch in September.

Actually, we knew that as well.

Australian site mobilised (jingoistic American spell checker always catches those British Commonwealth "s" for "z", mate) offers a of the $699 AU (that'd be $53.50 U.S.)Vodafone BlackBerry 7130v.

Most of the review is a rundown of the specs, as opposed to an assessment of the functionality indicated by these specs.

But I am able to glean at least some opinion from the last graf of this review.

The unbylined reviewer does not think the BlackBerry 7130v is "the prettiest," but he/she/they seems pretty juiced about the exceptional battery performance (432 hours of standby time), push email, instant messaging support and GPRS capabilities.

On the BlackBerry area of Experts-Exchange, the #10 most read current solutions document is now, "Problem with assigning to user and enterprise activation for a 7130e.

Question is posted by Vardata.

"I've been trying to sync a brand new 7130e with our BlackBerry server and I keep getting errors," writes Vardata, whose real first name is Josh (uh, actually prolly Joshua but who am I to say).

"When I try to assign the handheld to a user, the PIN number will get associated with the user (sometimes), but no other information can be obtained from the handheld," adds Vardata. "I keep getting a 'Capability information could not be retrieved from the handheld (2)' message."

Chris Cobbs is the technology writer for the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel.

Today, Chris writes that he has tested what he calls the non-folding "candybar" Blackberrys from "the three" major cellular providers (Verizon,Cingular and T-Mobile),but he says that than all of them.

"Internet pages seem to load more quickly (on Sprint's 7130e),especially Sprint's set of wireless web links for news, finance, travel, sports, entertainment and all," he writes. "The device also has very good audio quality when used as a phone."

OK, I am interested in hearing from readers who may have comparison tested all the 7130 "candybar" BlackBerrys that Chris is referring to. Is he right? Is Sprint's 7130e faster than all the rest?

AIRCHARGE (not shouting, for that's the way they want to spell their name) credit card devices are now able to be used by mobile merchants to accept credit card payments over BlackBerry devices.

Typical scenarios could be for furniture delivery, limo rides (fu-fu, woo-hoo) trade show tickets sold on-site, and even flea market booths.

The central functionality of te Pipeline Data product is the AIRCHARGE JavaME software for wireless payment processin. It is certified to run on the Sprint network that services the BlackBerry 7130e and BlackBerry 7520.

The AIRCHARGE payment processing software can be loaded onto the via BlackBerry over-the-air (OTA) and is compatible with virtually any merchant processing account.

Vodafone Italia and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion introduced the BlackBerry 7130v in (you only get one guess where) Italy today.

As with the other BlackBerry 7130 models, the BlackBerry 7130v has 64 MB of flash memory and light sensing technology that sets screen and keyboard lighting levels based on the surrounding environment.