The BlackBerry is a highly desirable wireless handheld that appeals to business people and SMS messaging aficionados alike. But at prices of $300 to $600 you might just decide to keep your separate laptop computer, PDA and cell phone till prices decline. They just have. What would you say if I told you that you can get a BlackBerry 7290 wireless handheld free after rebate? That's right. You can get a BlackBerry PDA phone with a list price of over $400 free when you order a Cingular wireless phone plan and data package. You'll need both. The Blackberry functions both in the telephone and computer realms.
I'll tell you how to take advantage of this limited time offer in a minute, but let's take a look at what this BlackBerry device is capable of.
First of all, the BlackBerry 7290 is a cellular phone. It uses a regular cellular phone voice plan, such as the Cingular Nation 450 w/ Rollover - 2YR. The earpiece and microphone are integrated into the front of the unit. You can also add on a Bluetooth hands-free headset. It looks like a PDA, but it works as a cell phone. The 7290 is quad-band cellular network ready. It works on GSM/GPRS networks on 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz. Those are the major worldwide GSM cellular bands.
With BlackBerry you can do two types of messaging using the PC-style 33 key QWERTY keyboard. There is SMS or simple text messaging that is popular on cell phones and honest to goodness email that lets you send, receive, forward and reply to regular email messages. BlackBerry uses a push technology that constantly monitors your email and lets you know when new messages arrive. It's similar to an always on broadband connection except that it's wireless and always with you. BlackBerry includes a filtering engine in its software to help you avoid the pain of spam.
The bright backlit 240 x 160 pixel color display supports over 65,000 colors. You navigate with a built-in trackwheel, graphics and menu interface plus the ESC key. The screen is essential to the wireless Internet browser and connected organizer functions. It also lets you view attachments to your email.
The organizer offers the typical PDA functions of calendar, address book, task list, memo pad and calculator. You can synchronize it with your desktop computer to avoid having to enter data twice. For corporate use, BlackBerry offers the BlackBerry Enterprise Server that connects company employees with the corporate infrastructure. Password protection and a keyboard lock offer handheld security.
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