BlackBerry Mobiles Technology and Usage Essay

This paper is about BlackBerry mobiles technology and usage. Technology can be defined as a way of knowledge that shows ways and means of producing goods and services. It is also defined a process of applying the knowledge to meet the needs of the market. Sometimes it so happens that individuals mix up the concept of technology and engineering. Engineering is a goal oriented process which means that it makes and designs tools and systems for practical human use and means. Whereas technology is a consequence of engineering, which means that the engineers use the information that already exists to make new tools and designs. Black Berry is a wireless handle device, by that it means is that, BlackBerry is a PDA smart phone. PDAs contain fast processors and software that recognizes and digitizes handwriting, hand printing and hand drawings. They have pressure sensitive layer like graphics pad under their slate – like liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. So instead of writing on a piece of paper form fastened to a clipboard or using a keyboard device, you use a pen to make a selection or selections like send an e-mail and enter hand written data directly into a computer. This paper is going to explain in detail the technology that is used in the mobile and that how does this technology works. This paper is going to explain in detail the benefits and the limitations of the technology along with the costs of this technology. This paper is divided into six parts, they are as follows:- †¢ Introduction †¢ Methodology †¢ Benefits of the technology †¢ Limitation of the technology †¢ Cost of the technology †¢ Conclusion Introduction: BlackBerry is mostly known for its sending and receiving electronic mails, where ever it can intercept a wireless network of a cell phone carrier. As we know that BlackBerry is a hand held device, the mobile is also wireless. BlackBerry was introduced in the industry as a two – way pager in the year 1999. In 2002 the smart phone commonly known as the BlackBerry was released in the market, this mobile phone is supported by features like push e-mail i. e. sending and receiving e-mails around the globe, mobile telephone for making calls, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and as well as other wireless based information service. The mobile is the best example of a convergent device because it has a multi – touch interface and it easy to use as well. A survey was conducted in 2008 and it was found that the BlackBerry mobile phone is being used by approximately 21 million people around the globe. (BlackBerry, 2009) BlackBerry was introduced in the market by a Canadian company called Research in Motion (RIM), the phone became such a success due to its e-mail sending and receiving option. The company also provides BlackBerry e-mail service; this can be done through the BlackBerry Connect software, to those devices which are not related to the BlackBerry mobile for example, the Palm Treo. There are different models of BlackBerry mobile phones that have been introduced in the market, some of them are as follows:- †¢ Early Pager Models: 850, 857, 950, 957 †¢ Monochrome Java-based Models: 5000-series and 6000-series †¢ First Color Models: 7200-series, 7500-series and 7700-series †¢ First Sure Type Phone Models: 7100-series †¢ Modern BlackBerry Models (2006 – 2008): 8000-series including BlackBerry 8800. BlackBerry Pearl and BlackBerry Curve †¢ Latest BlackBerry Models (2008 – 2009): Bold (9000), BlackBerry 8220, BlackBerry Curve 8900, Storm (9500/9530) (BlackBerry, 2009) Methodology: BlackBerry Operating System (OS): The most important system software for any technological device is the operating system (OS). An operating system is the combination of different programs that manage and control the operation of the CPU; it also controls the input and the output along with storage and let’s not forgets the activities of the device and lastly it also provides different support services and the device performs the application programs for the user. The important activity of the operating system is to maximize the productivity of the device by operating in the most efficient manner. And it must be remembered that the operating system reduces the amount of human intervention that is required in the actual processing. The operating system helps the device like BlackBerry perform basic operations like entering data, saving and retrieving files, accessing a network or even displaying output of the screen. As it is a known fact that the operating systems are considered to be the most indispensible components of the software interface between the users and the hardware of their device systems. (Mihale, 2009) The operating system of any device actually performs five basic functions in the operations of a device. These functions are as follows; providing a user interface, resource management, task management, file management and utilities and support service. BlackBerry operating system is considered to be a platform of proprietary software, which was introduced in the cellular phone industry and market by the Canadian company called Research In Motion (RIM) for their product the BlackBerry, which as we know is a hand held device which comes in handy for individuals who are in the line of business. The software allows the users to do multi – tasking with the help of the phone, and the software also uses a great deal of input devices like the thumbwheel in the cellular phone. The operating system of the phone provides a great deal of support to Mobile Information Device Profile (in our case especially to MIDP1. 0) and as well to Wireless Application Protocol (especially to WAP1. 2 as well). The last versions of the BlackBerry made sure that there was a wireless synchronization between Microsoft Exchange Server’s e-mail and calendar and along with the Lotus Domino’s e-mail as well. OS 4 is being used these days in the BlackBerry which provides a subset of MIDP 2. 0 to the users of the phone, and the OS 4 makes sure that there is wireless activation and synchronization completely between the Microsoft Exchange Server’s e-mail, calendar, tasks, notes and contacts, and the OS 4 also supports the Novell GroupWise and Lotus Notes additionally as well. (Hoffman, 2007) Software can be written using the APIs by the third – party software, when creating and developing the proprietary software of the BlackBerry the developers can write the software using APIs as well. When doing so the developer must remember that the any kind of an application can create a certain number of restricted functionality when using the software, therefore it must be signed digitally by the developer and that it can be associated with the developer account at Research In Motion (RIM) Company in the future. Another that must be kept in the mind of the developer that the authorship of the software can provide guarantee but it does not provide guarantee for security or the quality of the code. (Mihale, 2009) Central Processing Unit (CPU): Central processing unit (CPU) is the main processing component of a device that is it is the main microprocessor. When talking about it conceptually, the circuitry of a central processing unit can be divided into two major units, i. e. the arithmetic logic unit and the control unit. It is the electronic circuits which are also commonly known as the registers of the arithmetic logic unit, that performs the arithmetic and logical functions which are needed by the software to execute the different software instruction. The previous models of the BlackBerry devices were based on processors called the Intel – 80386 processors. The latest series of BlackBerry’s, which are called the BlackBerry 9000 series, are based on the microprocessors called the Intel XScale 624MHz CPU. The Intel XScale 624MHz CPU makes the BlackBerry the fastest device in today’s time and age. The smart phones of the previous editions of the BlackBerry 8000 series, for example, the 8700 and the Pearl were based on the processors called the 312MHz ARM XScale and ARMv5TE PXA900. But the BlackBerry 8707 was an exception because this phone used the processor bases on the 80MHz Qualcomm 3250 chipset; that is this processor is not supporting the 3G networks and this was all due to the processor of the ARM XScale ARMv5TE PXA900. The 80MHz Processor in the BlackBerry 8707 created a series of problems like the speed of downloading (which had become slow) and it also rendered the web pages that were over 3G rather than over EDGE networks. Database: The database management approach affects the storage and processing of data. IPD is the database in the BlackBerry in a specific format, which helps to extract data from the BlackBerry to host a personal computer. The IPD format is used in BlackBerry to deal with the bulk load of data, it the most effective and efficient way of transferring the data into a device may it be the BlackBerry or a computer. With the help of the IPD format the end user can create a file programmatically, which can then be used by the desktop manager of the BlackBerry to restore the operations of the cellular device. (BlackBerry, 2009) Supporting Software – BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES): With the help of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), which is a software package, the devices can be joined with an individual’s organization’s e-mail system. There are different kinds of versions available for products like Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino etc. The end users of the BlackBerry might be able to use an e-mail service without BES installed by themselves in their devices but the different organizations that have multiple users, they need to have a BES installed in their network before hand if they need to communicate. It must be remembered by the users that every BlackBerry has an id called BlackBerry PIN within the device, which helps to identify the device to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server of the company. BES acts as a relay for the e-mail service for the corporate accounts that are used by the users so that they have an access to their inbox at anytime of the day. The software of the device keeps a check on the incoming messages, when a new message arrives at the individuals inbox it passes it through the RIM’s Network Operations Center (NOC), after passing it through the NOC the message is then given to the wireless provider of the user and the provider then deliver the message to the BlackBerry device of the user. This process is called the push e-mail, because all the incoming emails along with the users’ contacts and entries are pushed out of the device automatically. BlackBerry is now also supporting the polling email this is how it is supporting the POP. (Mihale, 2009) Trilateration is a new feature which is included in the newer models of the BlackBerry, this feature has the ability to track down the user’s current location, this feature is similar to a GPS but it does not have a clear and precise accuracy as yet due to long distances or the blockages caused by tall buildings or even mountains. TCP/IP connectivity is available to the BlackBerry devices with the help of BES. The BES provides this service with the help of an element called the Mobile Data Service (MDS), it uses the different platforms like Java ME or the Sun Microsystems. The BES also provides security to the BlackBerry device to protect it against viruses etc. The security is provided to all kinds of data in the form of Triple DES or AES, which is some sort of an encryption. As we know that the technology of the BlackBerry keeps on improving the use if MDS is no longer needed in the new models of the BlackBerry device for wireless data access as it was needed before. If we look back with the using of BlackBerry’s software OS 3. 8 or 4. 0, the phone was able to access the Internet without the help of an MDS. BES/MDS are still needed for the protection of data in the phone. (Mihale, 2009) Supported Software – BlackBerry Messenger: The BlackBerry device is now sending and receiving text messages with the help of the software of BlackBerry Messenger through the BlackBerry PIN. The PIN of the device is an eight character hexadecimal identification number, which is assigned to the BlackBerry once and it must be remembered that it cannot be changed. With the help of this the users are able to text to each other or access the internet. Benefits of BlackBerry: The benefits of the BlackBerry technology in the business or corporate environment are as follows:- †¢ The technology has helped with reducing the information processing costs, along with that it has help to reduce the loss of data i. e. for example, the elimination of unnecessary documents that are used in the business environment. And the data is always stored on flash ROM, even the e-mail drafts are written on the flash ROM as well. †¢ The technology has helped with the increase in the operational efficiency of the employees with the organizations that is for example, the employees not waste little lime, there is little waste etc. (Hoffman, 2007) †¢ The technology has improved the information availability, it has made it convenient for the employees to exchange information with each other quickly and efficiently, for example, the information has become accurate and timely, it reach the decision makers on time to make decisions. †¢ It is user friendly and it can be used by any individual, whether it is a teenager or an adult. It is so easy that anyone can teach themselves how to operate this device. †¢ The technology has helped to improve the business image, for example, it provides a very progressive image to the supplier along with the investors and customers. †¢ The device provides a longer battery life than other cellular devices, for example, an individual can run the messenger software for approximately 100 hours, and this can help the employees to stay in touch with each other. †¢ It provides the best security from all the other technological devices for example, if a BlackBerry is stolen, to access the phone requires cryptographic signing by RIM, before viewing the information in the phone. (Hoffman, 2007) †¢ Another benefit of a BlackBerry Technology is that an individual does not need to connect their BlackBerry to a computer so that it can synchronize itself, it can do it with the help of physically attached to a computer, because it operates on a wireless network. Limitation of BlackBerry: The limitations of the BlackBerry technology in the business or corporate environment are as follows:- †¢ The biggest disadvantage of BlackBerry device is that one individual cannot send an instant text message to another unless he or she doesn’t knew their PIN number or code which is assigned to the other device. This can create a hindrance for the employees when they want to exchange quick information with each other. †¢ Another limitation of technology is that, if an individual cannot use the BlackBerry messenger until or unless the person doesn’t have BlackBerry internet plan with them. This finishes of the chance of exchanging quick information from one individual to another. (Hoffman, 2007) †¢ The challenge of working with devices like BlackBerry is the need for speed, sometimes it so happens that the speed of the device is slow, it will create a problem for the employees of the company, because you need a great deal of speed to transfer large amount of information over the wireless network, which in return causes the employees to waste their time and it also becomes costly as well.