Founded in 1984 by Mike Lazaridis, president and co-CEO, and Douglas Fregin, vice president of operations, the company designs, manufactures, and markets mobile communications products. The unit remains always on and connected, so email is sent from and delivered to wherever you are. It s a pretty straightforward, uncomplicated product, says David Werezak, RIM s vice president of marketing. It s also spreading in popularity, beyond RIM recent licensing agreements have allowed other providers to offer BlackBerry units to business and consumer markets. Either now or in the near future, you can get a BlackBerry unit from AOL , Compaq , Motient , and others.
Users can send and receive email, use instant messaging, and more.
AOL s service is similar, letting users take advantage of the Instant Messenger, as well as use email. AOL alliances will easily help bring new business and home users to the power of the BlackBerry. The BlackBerry is the kind of appliance that can sit in the kitchen, says Werezak. Or it can go with you when you go to a friend s house, or when you re waiting to pick up somebody. In fact, since the units are small and sleek, they practically beg a user to compose or read email.