STREET WISE

Sweet excess: do i really need a BlackBerry?

By Achara Deboonme

The Nation

What is Research In Motion?

Shh! Not too loud! Just asking that question shows how backward you are in this sophisticated telecommunications world. Research In Motion, as many now know, are the makers of the BlackBerry, the smart phone that's right up there with Steve Jobs's iPhone in terms of flashy functions.

Once owned only by top executives for whom an e-mail unanswered could mean billions of baht lost, the BlackBerry has now become a big hit with middle-income earners addicted to social networks like Facebook, MSN Messenger or Twitter.

Given their growing need to network and make friends online, I kind of understand why the BlackBerry is a must-have toy for middle-income earners. But is it a necessity for everyone?

Walking past a Bangkok eatery on Monday, I noticed a poster in the window offering diners the chance of entering a lucky draw to win a BlackBerry. One question popped up in my mind: would those lucky winners know how to make full use of this smartest of smart phones?

To my surprise, many companies are also using the BlackBerry as a prize in promotions linked to the World Cup, which has half of soccer-mad Thailand glued to TV screens.

For instance, Daily News is giving away 25 BB Curve 8520s, each worth Bt13,900. Its rival, Khao Sod, has 10 of the same models waiting for lucky readers. Meanwhile Cerebos (Thailand) is handing out one BlackBerry every day for the duration of the tournament in South Africa.

Tyre-maker Michelin has bounced aboard the bandwagon, offering the phones free to buyers of its Energy Saver tyres, while last year, Crystal drinking water served up 100 BlackBerry Bolds (Bt22,900 each) as prizes. Given that Crystal customers come from all walks of life, it left me wondering how much use the phones could be to a street vendor.

By contrast, when Standard Chartered Bank (Thai) launched a similar promotion in May last year, it targeted potential online banking users. For these tech-acquainted clients, the BlackBerry was probably a useful tool worth owning.

Now, most of Thailand seems to want one, and we are willing to pay for the expensive Internet package that starts from Bt350 per month. People seem to have forgotten that ordinary phone calls cost just Bt1-Bt1.50 per minute - and don't require wearing your fingers to the bone typing.

What on earth could be so urgent that it can't wait till we return from school or work?

But more and more people are plucking these shiny Berries, then trying desperately to justify the purchase through online chatting. So, how long before we hear of a farmer going to see his doctor about fatigue - and being diagnosed with a severe case of "BlackBerryitis"?

-- The Nation 2010-07-02

BBM

Pretty amazing that a reporter couldn't figure this out - it's not even mentioned in the article. Then again - it's The Nation. Go figure.

Going off on a slight tangent, are there any authorised Blackberry dealers in Bangkok? I would rather not go to MBK to purchase a new Blackberry.

Thanks.

Since when did buying gadgets have anything to do with what you need

Doesn't the Nation have some SMS instant news thing they want people to subscribe to?

To quote the author of this article "What on earth could be so urgent that it can't wait till we return from school or work?"

Betcha K. Achara is one of those apple fanatics

As the business editor I believe she might have a need for such a tool?