Although I strongly get the sense that most of you BBHub readers already own a BlackBerry and/or are thinking about buying a specific model, I also understand that more than a few of you are new to BlackBerry and would like a basic introduction to what BlackBerry is, and does.
For that , I'd refer you to a newly posted Gorog's Guide article entitled "Berry Nice!."
Writer Danny Gorog, who reports on technology for the Melbourne, Australia Herald Sun and can be heard weekly on Radio Australia as well, concentrates on the basics of several BlackBerry models currently available in that nation.
Danny, who emailed me last night to tell me a bit about his work, talks about the features and differentiating capabilities of the BlackBerry 7100, 7200 and 7250.
In a more recent review, Danny took a look at the BlackBerry 8707v from Vodafone. I would imagine his Pearl review isn't too far off in the future.
Solution Technology said it will debut an all-in-one integrated ArmorPlus for BlackBerry 7200 utility.
To be rolled out at the upcoming Emergency Technology Business Showcase in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a week from today, the application will include functionalities for for Barcode Scanning, GPS, Touch Screens with eSiguature and Secure Data Memory Card capability.
Specific components include:
Class 2 laser barcode scanner from Symbol Technologies;
ArmorPlus for BlackBerry GPS, with off-road and off-net capabilitiesm abd
Touch Screen Window option with signature capture capabilities and a touch-sensitive window;
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.
Alltel Wireless is implementing a solution in which field salespeople and service personnel can use their BlackBerrys to accept credit cards.
The solution includes a point-of-sale solution called MobileCharge from wireless applications developer Mobile Vision, along with a magnetic stripe reader and printer from mobile hardware and ecommerce solutios provider Infinite Peripherals.
The Alltel solution works on the BlackBerry 7130e and the BlackBerry 7250 (and on the Palm Treo as well, should you happen to care).
CNET.com has published a compilation of cell phone radiation levels, as cited by the FCC.
The levels are expressed in SAR, or Specific Absorption Rate. SAR is a way of measuring the quantity of radio frequency energy that passes through the body.
If a cell phone has rate higher than 1.6 watts per kilogram, it won't pass FCC muster.
The Motorola Slvr L6 barely makes the grade at 1.58, watts per kilogram, the worst ranking.
Last weekend, I journeyed up to Bellingham, Washington for what I had hoped would be a whale watching expedition.
The evening before I left my hotel for the journey home, I plugged my BlackBerry charger into a wall outlet.
On the morning of my departure I took the BlackBerry out and packed it away.
Two days later (Wednesday) I notice my BlackBerry juice is down to two bars. I get nervous when that happens.
"Uh, dude, where's my charger..."
I call the hotel (225 miles north of my home) and they have it waiting for me. They agree to snail mail it back.
But with two bars remaining, see, I just can't wait a couple of days.
So I fork over $39.99 for a new charger. Which was ready and waiting for me courtesy of the helpful staff at the SprintNextel Store at 897 Ne 25th Avenue Hillsboro, OR.
And no, I didn't tell them of my toils here. Just good people, delivering good service.
As I do with most of these specific model guide manuals, I've shown you the Table of Contents. This one, which fits on one screen, is of course, at the top of this post.
NTELOS is a telecommunications service provider that serves customers in six states from its base in Waynesboro,
Va.
The company now says that they are starting to offer the BlackBerry 7250 to its customers in
parts of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and North Carolina.
Boris Boege of Skylab Mobile Systems writes to tell me that their
GPS mapping tool "Spot for Blackberry" now supports all Bluetooth enabled Blackberry devices in combination
with a Bluetooth GPS receiver.
Former versions were only compatible with BlackBerry 7520 and BlackBerry 7100i. Both of those
models have an integrated GPS receiver.
Now, Spot for BlackBerry has been rev'd to support the BlackBerry 7100 Series, the BlackBerry 8700 Series as well
as the BlackBerry 7250 and BlackBerry 7290.
"Spot for Blackberry" costs $49. A time limited demo version is available free for download.
The Wall Street Journal
reports that cellular and wireline carrier Alltel is urging BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion to settle its
differences with patent-holding company NTP.
According to the newspaper, Little Rock, Ark.-based Alltel has
expressed concern to RIM execs about the effects of a possible BlackBerry service suspension could have on Alltel's
100,000 or so BlackBerry users.
The BlackBerry 7250 is Alltel's only BlackBerry model. The carrier sells it
for $299.9, after a $200 instant rebate.
The newspaper's Amol Sharma says that sources have told him other
large U.S. cellular carriers have expressed similar concern to RIM about the effects of such a service interruption.
Greg Gebhardt, who is a very active poster to several wireless forums, kicks off the thread by noting that "dust is already under my screen and it is only days old." (I guess Greg means the BlackBerry 8700, not the dust).
But then HoFo Member jlsb adds that although he can confirm small dust particles under his BlackBerry 7250 screen, but they are only detectable if you turn off the backlight and look read hard.
IMHO jlsb puts this whole matter in perspective when he writes, "in any case fellas, please remember that this is just a communication TOOL," he comments about BlackBerry. "It's not a status symbol, not a piece of jewelry and certainly not an investment."
I don't think every BlackBerry user would agree with jlsb's "not an investment" remark. I know my BlackBerry is just that for me.
U.S. Cellular - the sixth largest cell carrier in the U.S. with some 5.2 million customers- today started offering the BlackBerry 7250 with support for both BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Internet Service.
BlackBerry from U.S. Cellular is available for $44.95 per month (email and web services only) or $39.95 per month (when combined with an eligible U.S. Cellular voice plan).
Now, I give RIMarkable their due props. Today, they've posted news of a promotion being run by BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion thru the end of this month. Buy any Bluetooth-enabled BlackBerry and you receive a free Motorola headset.
Bluetooth-enabled BlackBerry models include the 7100g, 7100i, 7100t, 7105t, as well as the 8700c, 7520, 7290 and 7250.
Here's how it works. Purchase your BlackBerry from your nearest BlackBerry retailer, go to http://www.blackberryfreeheadset.com, download the free headset coupon, and complete the form. Then, send in the form the old fashioned way- via the mail.
According to research firm Gartner, BlackBerry PDA shipments grew by 52.6 percent in the third quarter of 2005.
Insofar as what Garnter terms a "PDA," they set the standard as a data-centric handheld computer designed for use with both hands, equipped with instant on-off capability and a variety of third-party applications.
That covers the BlackBerry 7200 series (like the 7270 you see over there) but not the 7100, which is more like a cellphone.
Insofar as leading operating system vendors, Microsoft leads with 49.2 percent of worldwide shipments. BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion is second with 25 percent, followed by Palm OS with 14.9. Symbian and Linux brought up the rear.
Although I strongly get the sense that most of you BBHub readers already own a BlackBerry and/or are thinking about buying a specific model, I also understand that more than a few of you are new to BlackBerry and would like a basic introduction to what BlackBerry is, and does.
Alltel Wireless and mobile software developer and distributor Handmark say that Pocket Express services are 
The Wall Street Journal
reports
Over on the 
According to research firm Gartner, BlackBerry PDA shipments grew by 52.6 percent in the third quarter of 2005.
