From Greg's Head

I just heard from a co-worker that the day they issue her a Blackberry, she's going to quit.

Really? Is this the case?

In a recent article, the Orange Future Enterprise Coalition made public its distaste for "everything-Blackberry" by urging the corporate marketplace to "turn them off" and learn more about virtual networking.

What do you think? Are you addicted to the Blackberry? Should we turn them off? Send in your comments.

Having had a Blackberry for several years now I would have to say that they are an indispensable tool of business and I would find it difficult to live without one. The main reason for this belief is that so many times a small problem can balloon into a large one simply because a solution was not applied in a timely manner. I cannot began to say how many times I have been unable to access my office email until late in the evening and by then it was to late to respond.

I personally believe that all of us would find this simple tool a welcome addition to our business life and that it would more then off-set the added expense. I know that many people believe that we are already too connected and much too accessible but "Knowledge is power and service is the name of the game". If you are able to respond quickly to your clients needs and resolve small problems before they become big then you will win the game.

I must, however, say that although I am a big believer in the Blackberry I have started looking at other devices such as the Trio. Like the Blackberry, I would still be able to have instant access to my email, but would also be able to run basic MS Office products as well. There have been times when I needed to review an Excel spreadsheet or Word document, make some adjustments and send it back. With the Blackberry I can only review attachments, but with the Trio I would be able to edit them as well.

The Trio is based on the Microsoft CE platform and allows you to run a whole host of basic office productivity applications. The Trio would allow you to work almost anywhere you wish without the need for your computer. This small benefit frees you from the confinds of the office or the local wall plug.

Thanks Gene for your post. I can see how this benefits you in your business. How about others?
Any other thoughts about being too connected to the net?

How appropriate, Greg, that you next topic would be on work/life balance! Gene brought up some very relevant points, particularly from a service perspective. But they don't call them "crackberry" for nothing. One wonders about making every medium an "urgent" medium.

Will Blackberry survive? With Microsoft's Mobile 5 and the functionality of pocket pcs not to mention the ease and lower cost why would you choose a Blackberry? We just implemented pocket pcs and it was relatively painless and a lot less costly than Blackberry.

I think they're a great tool (Blackberry or otherwise) but certainly people should certainly be intelligent enough to know when it's necessary and when you should shut it off and live your life.

thanks
Bob