Blackberry or Crackberry?

Some new research came through yesterday from RIM, makers of the increasingly ubiquitous device the Blackberry. I wonder what the general consensus is on the findings and it's overtones.

In just a clip of the story the research indicates that:

• The average BlackBerry user converts 60 minutes of downtime to productive time each day.

• The average BlackBerry user increases team efficiency by 38%.

• The average BlackBerry user processes 2,500 time sensitive e-mails and 1,200 time sensitive phone calls per year

• The average user saves over US$5,000 per year, thanks to having immediate access to and acting on information delivered through their BlackBerry smartphone.

What's interesting, not to mention somewhat amusing, is that last Septmber on The Hub we also reported on several research efforts looking into the danger of being "always on" and becoming addicted to the damn things.

From my own experience, when in transition stage from the UK to Australia earlier this year and moving from friend's house to new flat, getting the internet set up etc. etc., I was using my Palm Treo (similar to a BB but not identical), for e-mail. The impulse to check it in the evening at every opportunity was pretty strong; In comes a text message from a friend, and then in come five e-mails from work. Add in to the mix the 10-hour time difference and a wont to reply in order to have a conversation (and not wait 24 hours for a reply), and the impulse grew stronger.

Inevitably, I was glad when I could once again stop using my phone for e-mail - and it was only for about a month that I was doing so. Some people can't seem to live without it, though.

So, what's the verdict on BlackBerries: money-saving, productivity-enhancing wonder devices, or addiction-fueling life/marriage/health/sanity wreckers?

(Image from www.aperfectworld.org)

Comments

[Sue Dewhurst]

I've resisted the temptation to buy one at all - does that make me a luddite?! I am enough of a workaholic already and I know I would find it even harder to switch off with a blackberry permanently at my side.

I've heard several people say they take their blackberries on holiday so they can keep up with the office emails and not have the stress of returning to 300 unread messages. Personally I'd rather have the scary inbox - my holidays are the one time when I totally leave work behind.

[Alex Manchester]

Definitely in agreement there, holidays should be holidays!

I've also read more and more cases about people just deleting huge chunks of e-mails post-holiday, with the motto that "if it's important they'll write again - or maybe even pick up the phone."

I think I'm right in saying that Neville Hobson is another surprising resister of the BlackBerry force.