BlackBerry commands a 20.8% share of worldwide smartphone sales, making it the second most popular platform after Nokia‘s Symbian OS. The consumer BlackBerry Internet Service is available in 91 countries worldwide on over 500 mobile service operators using various mobile technologies.

The first BlackBerry device was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager. In 2002, the more commonly known smartphoneBlackBerry was released, which supportspush e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, Internet faxing, Web browsing and other wireless information services. It is an example of a convergent device.

BlackBerry first made headway in the marketplace by concentrating on e-mail. RIM currently offers BlackBerry e-mail service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through its BlackBerry Connect software.

BlackBerry functions as a personal digital assistant with address book, calendar and to-do list capabilities. It also functions as a portable media player with support for music and video playback and camera picture and video capabilities. BlackBerry is primarily known for its ability to send and receive (push) Internet e-mail wherever mobile network service coverage is present, or through Wi-Fi connectivity. BlackBerry is mainly a messaging phone with the largest array of messaging features in a smartphone today. This includes auto-text, auto-correct, text prediction, support for many languages, keyboard shortcuts, text emoticons, push email, push Facebook and Myspace notifications, push Ebay notifications, push instant messaging with BlackBerry Messenger, Google Messenger, ICQ, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger; threaded text messaging and a customizable indicator light near the top right of all Blackberry devices. All notifications and conversations from applications are shown in a unified messaging application which third party applications can access also. Many of these applications would have to be running in the background of other phones to be used. BlackBerry’s push gives BlackBerry devices their renowned battery life. All data on the phone is compressed through BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS). BlackBerry has about two thirds less data transfer than any other smartphone[2], while supplying the same information.

BlackBerry commands a 20.8% share of worldwide smartphone sales, making it the second most popular platform after Nokia’s Symbian OS.[3][4] The consumer BlackBerry Internet Service is available in 91 countries worldwide on over 500 mobile service operators using various mobile technologies.[5]

The first BlackBerry device was introduced in 1999 as a two-way pager. In 2002, the more commonly known smartphone BlackBerry was released, which supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, Internet faxing, Web browsing and other wireless information services. It is an example of a convergent device.

Brilliantly simple email is just the start. The latest BlackBerry smartphones handle maps, music, movies and a whole lot more. Whether you want to stay connected or simply take it easy, put your life in your BlackBerry.

Hook up your BlackBerry with us and we’ll keep you in touch from the Scottish Highlands to the Isles of Scilly. Vodafone and BlackBerry – the perfect partnership when you absolutely have to stay connected.

BlackBerry first made headway in the marketplace by concentrating on e-mail. RIM currently offers BlackBerry e-mail service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through its BlackBerry Connect software.

Available is the Qwerty keyboard and 2-megapixel camera sporting entry-level Blackberry Curve 8520 for £12 a month, or £10 per month if you’re an existing Virgin Media customer with a TV package. Students with an NUS Extra cards, can get an extra 15% off.

You’ll get 50 inclusive minutes and 250 free texts a month. But as is the case with this type of price-dropping deal, there are a few catches. First of all you have to sign up for a 24-month contract, so it’s worth thinking to yourself whether you would want to tie yourself up for that long.

If you decide to take up the Virgin offer, you’ll be getting a phone we reviewed last year and does all the things you expect that a BlackBerry should do well, such as email and text messaging.

But you won’t be getting a totally up-to-date handset, especially as the more up-to-date Blackberry Curve 3G 9300 has just come out with the added bonus of 3G and camera with flash. You can pick up the handset for free with a £20 per month contract.

T-Mobile this morning announced it will offer the BlackBerry Curve 3G starting on Sept. 8 for just $80 with a new two year contract, making T-Mobile the first and only U.S. carrier for the new BlackBerry.

While the phone runs BlackBerry OS5, T-Mobile says it is “OS 6 ready” but no word from the provider when the upgrade will be available. The BlackBerry Curve has both 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, essential for users who want to conserve their data use. T-Mobile offers plans with unlimited minutes, texts and data for individuals and for families.

The Curve 3G offers standard BlackBerry fare with a modest 2-megapixel camera, 5.5 hours of talk time, full Qwerty keyboard, expandable memory and standard display. Apps include BlackBerry’s proprietary instant messaging service and GPS with maps.

BlackBerry App World may have to grow into its name, but last week’s acquisition of app software firm Cellmania by RIM indicates that BlackBerry aims to increase its selection from the current 10,000, which is less than one-tenth of Apple’s offerings.

Big name apps such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Bloomberg Mobile are already available for free from the integrated App World app on the device.

When it rains in Canada it pours, apparently, as three separate carriers from up North have joined Rogers in announcing a September 24th release date for the OS 6-powered BlackBerry Torch 9800. Telus, Bell, and Virgin Mobile will all release the touchscreen slider simultaneously with Rogers, although none have joined Rogers in announcing a release price (which is $199 on a three-year contract from Canada’s second largest network).
Adorned by a 3.2” touchscreen displaying resolutions of 480 x 360p, the handset operates on a 624 MHz processor and has 4GB memory. It is basically a vertical slider fitted with a QWERTY keypad for comfortable typing. The Torch features a 5 megapixel camera with auto focus and flash for dilettante photographers to snap up those memories. Additionally, the camera is equipped with functions like auto focus, image stabilization, scene modes, geo-tagging and zoom.
While four carriers may be adding the native son Torch to their lineups, there’s little any of them can do to combat the largely negative reviews that the handset has been earning. Theoretically offering the best of both worlds with a Storm-like touchscreen plus keyboard, the Torch has been dinged for numerous flaws, although the most glaring problem simply seems to be its lack of a truly modern spec sheet.

The Swiss, who won the Flushing Meadows tournament five times in a row between 2004 and 2008, is yet to drop a set at the New York event.

Federer Last year’s beaten finalist took just one hour and 41 minutes to defeat Beck and will face France’s unseeded Paul-Henri Mathieu in the third round, who carded a 7-6 6-4 6-3 victory over compatriot Guillaume Rufin.

Number three seed Novak Djokovic had to contend with crowd trouble on center court to overcome Philipp Petzschner, taking the match 7-5 6-3 7-6.

The incident occurred in the eighth game of the opening set, when there was a disturbance in the stands as Djokovic was set to claim the first service break of the match.

According to the New York Times, a fight broke our between a male fan and two spectators, a woman in her 40′s and an elderly man.

The row culminated with both men falling over two rows of seats before the three individuals involved were handcuffed and taken to a local police station.

The 23-year-old Djokovic noticed the incident and told the newspaper: “It was far away from the court; we couldn’t really see what was going on. I hope it was no Serbian up there.”

Petzschner recovered to hold his serve, but Serbia’s Djokovic got his break in the final game of the set to claim a straight-sets victory.

Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko was stunned by Richard Gasquet, losing 6-3 6-4 6-2 to the Frenchman, who is ranked 38 in the world.

The fifth seed is the highest placed player to be eliminated so far in New York, and he was joined by fellow seed Marin Cilic, who also tasted defeat on day four.

Number 11 seed Cilic was undone by Kei Nishikori of Japan, eventually losing a five-set epic 5-7 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-1.

In a match lasting just under five hours, Croatia’s Cilic took the opening set before Nishikori leveled the match courtesy of a second-set tie break.

It was a similar story for the next two sets, with Cilic claiming a comfortable win in the third, only for world number 147 Nishikori to pick up another tie break success in the fourth before crushing his higher-ranked opponent in the final set.

There were no such problems for Robin Soderling, who swept aside home crowd favorite Taylor Dent in a 6-2 6-2 6-4 win.

The fifth seed was a man in a hurry, defeating the unseeded American in one hour and 32 minutes.

There was reason to cheer for the home crowd, with New York native James Blake advancing to the third round at the expense of Canada’s Peter Polansky.

The former world number four took the match in four sets, recovering from one set down to seal a 6-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 triumph.

By Road
Most long distance buses come into the huge bus station, around 8km northeast of the city centre, and there are public buses and taxis to and from the city. Izmir is connected to every part of the country, with major destinations having a service at least every hour. These include: Istanbul (10 hours), Ankara (9 hours), Antalya (9 hours), Bursa (7 hours), Marmaris (6 hours), Bodrum (4 hours) and Konya (8 hours).
From Uckuyular bus station, 7km southwest of Konak, there are regular services to Cesme (90 mins) and Seferihisar (1 hour).

Main Bus Station
Tel: (0232) 472 1010. Fax: 472 0418

Uckuyuklar Bus Station
Tel: (0232) 259 8862

By Rail
Izmir has two railway stations: Basmane in the city centre is the major terminal for intercity trains, and Alsancak in the north is mainly a commuter and local route.

The main intercity services include: Ankara (Mavi Tren is the fastest at 14 hours), Denizli (3 express trains daily, 5-6 hours) and Isparta (9 hours). Trains for Istanbul connect with a ferry at Bandirma.

Basmane Station
Tel: (0232) 484 8638

Alsancak Station
Tel: (0232) 458 3131

By Sea
There is a weekly ferry from Istanbul-Izmir (19 hours), operating at weekends, and one or two weekly ferries between Izmir and Venice (67 hours). All ferries dock at the Alsancak Ferry Terminal, 2km from north of the city centre.

Alsansak Yeni Liman (terminal)
Tel: (0232) 464 8864 / 89. Fax: 464 7834.

By Air
Adnan Menderes Airport, 16km south of the city centre, it has several daily flights to Istanbul, Ankara and Antalya. There are also regular flights from many European cities. Airport buses go to and from the city centre, and there are hourly trains to Alsancak Station.

Turkish Airlines: www.turkishairlines.com
Airport
Tel : (0232) 274 2187
Fax: 274 2071