Choosing the right blackberry is very much an individual choice, and there are a number of different models to choose from in the Alberta market.

I have trained busy executives daily on different models of blackberries for the last year and a half, and I have seen the excitement and the struggles with the three different types that are popular today, based on nothing more than the fact that the men and women that use them have different needs and desires. I am going to break down the advantages and disadvantages of the three popular models, so that you can hopefully make an informed decision for yourself.

This model is my personal favorite (but is not the favorite of everyone). The advantage of this model is that it has the easiest keyboard to type on. The keys are raised a bit more, and there is also a really good contrast in color with the keys that are used for the telephone. This is the unit of choice in my opinion if you do a lot of SMS text messaging and emailing. The disadvantage with this unit is that it does not have GPS, or some of the cool features of the newer units. The other obvious disadvantage, is that it is the oldest unit of the three, so even though it has plenty of life left, it will be the first one on the chopping block to expire.

This model is very sleek and sexy. It is very thin, and it has a lot of the new, cool features like GPS, Voice Dialing, Voice Notes, and it has the track ball on the front instead of on the side. The wheel also works more like a mouse, so you do not have to navigate your software one row at a time. Very sharp looking unit, and its thin, light design make it easy to carry. The disadvantage is that the keyboard is harder to type on. Not impossible, but most people I have trained that have upgraded from the 87 series to this series had to move slower when typing, compared to the previous model.

The advantage of the pearl, is that it is the smallest of the units. For busy executives that mostly use their blackberry as a phone and view your email, and do minimal replying to email love this blackberry. If you need a PDA for the purpose of "responding" to email and typing, this from what I’ve seen is not a good choice, unless you are a proficient SMS texter on a cell phone. Each key has 3 letters on it, so typing on this phone can be a harsh lesson in dexterity.

Carrie Paxson

Accredentials Inc.