A BlackBerry can do everything that a cell phone can do, including sending text messages via SMS. It's also an organizer, a calendar, an e-mail client, a Web browser, a two-way pager and a palm-top computer. Although it can do some of the same things a computer can, it doesn't have to be in a WiFi hot spot to work -- it uses the cell phone network as well as 802.11b WLAN. To do all this, it combines the components of a cell phone and a PDA.

Some BlackBerry models have the same form factor and components as a smart phone. Others look more like PDAs or palmtop computers. Specific components can vary from one model to another, but in general the visible parts of a BlackBerry are:

LCD display
QWERTY keyboard
Click wheel
On/off, escape and other keys
Headset jack
USB charger connection
Antenna (interior on some models)
Indicator light to advise users of new messages or data

From the outside of the unit, you can also see where the microphone and speaker are located as well as where to access the rechargeable lithium ion battery.

The BlackBerry rechargeable battery.

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A printed circuit board connects everything inside the case, including:

Light source for the LCD screen
32-bit microprocessor
Memory (usually flash and RAM)
Bluetooth transmitter (in some models)
Wireless modem (in some models)

The internal parts of the BlackBerry.

Unlike many earlier PDAs, which used touch screens as a user interface, the BlackBerry has a keyboard designed for use with the thumbs. This keyboard operates much like the keyboard of your computer, with one notable difference. Most computer keyboards use dome switches, and each key lies over one switch. Pressing the key activates the switch. In a BlackBerry, however, rows of dome switches lie between the rows of keys. Each key has actuators that press one or more of the switches adjacent to it.

The underside of the BlackBerry keyboard.

The BlackBerry's software uses a lookup table to match each letter with a specific combination of dome switches. This layout uses fewer switches, allowing a smaller keyboard.

BlackBerry smart phones have even less space for a keyboard, so each key corresponds to more than one letter. Predictive text software called SureType lets a person type normally and determines the right word as the person types. People can also use multiple taps on each key to select different letters as most people currently do to send text messages on their cell phones.

Next, we'll look at the software that drives the BlackBerry.

Alternatives to BlackBerry The BlackBerry isn't the only handheld unit that can deliver e-mail straight to users. Other options include:

Palm Treo

T-Mobile Sidekick/Danger Hiptop

Windows Mobile Pocket PC

Companies like Visto and Intellisync also provide cross-platform push e-mail services.

So why don't users just switch to another option? First, many are accustomed to the devices and services they're already using. Second, the BlackBerry's popularity has led to a wide range of third-party applications, some of which are critical to certain businesses and are not available through other devices and services.