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Treo and BlackBerry
lead the mobile pack

In our last segment, I talked about converged mobile devices (CMDs) that combine phone, e-mail, Web access, access to the corporate network, and personal productivity applications.

Such devices have come a long way and in many cases, are functional enough to replace laptop computers.

The two market leaders came about their products from separate directions. The BlackBerry, a product of Research In Motion (www.rim.com), started out as a glorified pager that allowed people to send and receive e-mail from just about anywhere. Benefiting from its status as the "first to market," the BlackBerry quickly became a favorite of techno-geeks and e-mail dependents nationwide. Soon, phone capabilities were added, and finally, Web and PDA applications were added.

BlackBerry's strongest competitor is the Treo SmartPhone, a product of palmOne Inc. (www.palmone.com). The Treo's roots can be found in the original personal digital assistant, the Palm Pilot. The original Palm boasted a host of personal productivity applications. As the Pilot matured, phone, e-mail, and Web capabilities were added and, voila, the Treo was born.

The current versions of the BlackBerry support speakerphone, e-mail, Web access and corporate data network access. Standard PDA-type applications, including an address book, calendar, and Bluetooth wireless capabilities are also built-in. Keyboards, display resolution and other preference items vary widely among the dozen or so models available, so check out www.blackberry.com for detailed specs and costs. Virtually all of the major wireless carriers in the U.S. support one or more BlackBerry device.

There are two Treo models available -- the 600, which will cost you about $250, and the Treo 650, which goes for about $400.

Both models support the functions we've talked about above, and also come with a camera and video recorder. Treo carrier's include Sprint, Verizon, and Cingular.

The ancestry of both products defines their strengths. BlackBerry e-mail can be configured to work in "real time," although this requires the installation of a separate server into the corporate network. The Treo must go through a "sync" process to receive messages. While the sync process can be scheduled to happen as often as once every 5 minutes, I like the immediacy of the BlackBerry solution.

I liked the time-tested PDA applications on the Treo, which I find easier to use and more stable. Further, third-party applications are more readily available for the Treo/Palm platforms.

One thing I don't like about the BlackBerry is its new SureType keyboard, which combines two letters (Q and W) onto a single key. Sound confusing? Well, for us, it is. So until a better method comes out, I'd prefer sticking with the old fashioned QWERTY layout, which is still available on some BlackBerry models and all Treo's.

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