I had a Blackberry long before they became socially acceptable. Back in '03, I was forced into adopting the burgeoning technology. My parents had decided that being able to email me from the office all day long was a good way to keep me out of trouble. Blackberry #1 was about as cool as my TI-83 calculator from high school. It had a black and white screen and no built-in phone. I kept it undercover, stashed in my backpack. Emailing on the go was an exciting but covert operation.
After returning from my semester abroad, I was shocked to find that the Blackberry had suddenly become popular. All of sudden a rash of Blackberries had appeared on campus. If the trend continues, I think that the stop and chat might eventually become the stop and email. It was a great relief to be able to bring my Blackberry out into the open. Now I can strap on my holster and walk with pride.
But I'm not sure if I have good vibes about my Blackberry, even when it's on silent. Frankly, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with Blackberry ownership. I'm just a college student -- I shouldn't be saddled with the responsibilities of corporate America, compelled to respond to any given email at any given time. Nevertheless, you have to admire the Blackberry. Staying in touch becomes so easy when all you need are opposable thumbs.
