Easy As Pie
Author: Hunter Holcombe
January 2008
Technophiles
The BlackBerry Demystified
If dogs had not been domesticated 15,000 years ago, the BlackBerry would surely be a contender for “Man’s Best Friend.” Emerging on the market in 1999, the BlackBerry is today one of the most popular types of wireless handheld devices, allowing us to take our e-mail and phone on the road wherever there is cellular reception. This portable accessibility is crucial for meeting planners, where traveling for a site inspection or event can't put work and communication on hold for a few days.But while the 8 million BlackBerry subscribers out there primarily use these battery-powered secretaries for basic e-mail and phone functions, constant technological advances mean there are a lot more time-saving things we could be doing, if we only knew how. “So many people don’t know how to use the applications,” says Peter Hanley, CEO of PlanNet, a meetings, conferences and incentives management company. “But even the most expert users could get a lot more out of their BlackBerry.”
In addition to running PlanNet, Hanley also gives BlackBerry education seminars, one geared toward C-level groups, another for novices. Having just spoken at MPI in Montreal last year, he knows how much planners have to gain from becoming a BlackBerry whiz, and says a simple half-hour seminar can go a long way in demonstrating the most useful tips. “Most people don’t know how to do conference calls—that is critical in this industry,” he says.
While Hanley currently only gives courses on the BlackBerry, he is also well-versed in the other handheld devices on the market, like the Palm Treo and the iPhone. But, he says, “The BlackBerry server is by far the most secure, for online registration and keeping personal information safe.”
Many experts agree that it will not be long before all of our personal and work communication—personal e-mail, work e-mail, home phone, cell phone, work phone, instant messaging, voice mail—will be integrated into one portable device, and knowing how to use these devices to their full potential will be more important than ever. “By many estimates,” Hanley says, “this kind of technology can save us up to 40 minutes per day. In work hours, that is a lot of time.” yourmeeting.com
