What is it about the Blackberry, I-phone, I-pad, Android, etc. , that has us feeling naked without it? Why are we so addicted to a handheld device?
This is a fairly new phenomenon for me. I have never been one to care about a telephone, carrying around an old motorola while the two men in my life, husband and son, drooled over the newest offering and were constantly using my renewal to get another phone for themselves. And, as they racked up hundreds of minutes per month, I used so few that it was often in single digits; four minutes, eight minutes. Our service provider laughed at my lack of usage.
Oh my, how things have changed!
In September, I was introduced to the Blackberry. By October, I was addicted to it. I’ve heard it referred to as ‘crackberry’, and I know why.
Yesterday, I managed to leave home without it. As soon as I arrived at work I called my husband to check on it. He was waiting for my call, having seen it on the table after I departed. Luckily, he was planning on taking care of errands early yesterday and brought it to me. The panic was over as soon as I held it in my hot little hands. Crisis diverted!
While some of the other employees laughed at me, the ones with blackberries patted me on the back, saying encouraging words of solidarity. They are crackberry addicts too, and could feel my pain.
This is the first device I sent a text from, used as a camera, or checked e-mail from. I use it to compose blog ideas, keep up with obligations, and to stay connected to friends who live far away from me. It is like a pocket-sized personal assistant.
I can google, yahoo, and translate! I can get maps, weather, the white pages. Anything is possible.
A fellow worker asked what I did when my battery went dead. As if I would let that happen! “Would you let the battery run down on someone’s life support system?” I asked, tongue-in-cheek. But then had to admit that I have a backup battery and car charger.
Then there are all of the cool applications available. I have the weather app, and wordpress of course.
And I’m looking into the weight loss apps. (Would love feedback from some of you who have a favorite app for the blackberry.)
Yes, it is official. My heart flutters as the little flashing light indicates an incoming message. I had to turn the message alert ping off, as it was too much to resist. At least I can put it in its case and remain oblivious to the new communications until I have a break and can safely check them.
My message light is blinking so I have to close this app. It could be important!
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Writingfeemail's Blog 
Oh, oh. You have to close an app to look at email? It doesn’t multitask?
I just finished reading — on my Kindle — “Hamlet’s Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building A Good Life in the Digital Age,” by William Powers, which is about this very phenomenon, and not in a judgmental way, by the way.
I wish I could just get a good replacement for my PDA. I had and adored my Sony Clié, but it got so its battery ran down every day or two and it lost its memory (i.e., all its data) when it did. But I could write so fast in Graffiti (or is that two t’s and one f) … it was extremely forgiving. I have a Palm T/I now, whose battery lasts for a week or two but the Graffiti is endlessly frustrating. It seems they (such as Sony) don’t make PDAs anymore. I’d have to use a Smartphone. I hate the idea of paying every month for my address book and calendar!