BlackBerry or Handcuffs? What's the Difference

Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:46PM EST

See Comments (8)

Who doesn't know that devices like the BlackBerry and other "email everywhere" devices can lead to dangerous obsession with being connected at all times? Well, now here comes the science: In a major survey of gadget users, a third of users felt the device "chain you to work more than they liberate you." A third disagreed, and the final third had no opinion, apparently having had their wills erased completely by overuse of the BlackBerry.

Ars Technica has the full story.

More interesting facts include results that show that if you happen to own a BlackBerry, you're probably getting paid quite a bit (the average household income of a BlackBerry owner is a whopping $94,000, vs. the national average of about $46,000). Want to get paid more? Get on the smartphone bandwagon today!

Naturally, that extra income comes at a personal price. 19 percent of BlackBerry owners work more than 50 hours a week and the majority feel they don't have enough time for personal endeavors. Understandable, I guess. Gotta take care of business.

(Make sure you read the full story, linked above. The quote in the final paragraph is priceless.) 

Comments on BlackBerry or Handcuffs? What's the Difference

Post a Comment

Join in the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.

  • 2 Posted by michael_w_anderson on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    I make over $100k a year, work 40 hrs a week and don't own a Blackberry, don't want one, and never will. Being e-connected is for losers. Get a life, you schmucks...

  • 3 Posted by badermadoukh on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    The Blackberry is just as addictive as the computer from the aspect of emails, surfing the web, and what not. If Blackberries did not exist, the corporate worker would be obsessed with staying connected via email on the computer. It's just the same. The difference is with a Blackberry, you carry your obsession, and with a computer, the access to staying connected is a bit heavier, so to speak.

  • 4 Posted by nickdc1960 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    Take a look at the graveyard of modern business failures and you will see that all this technology that keep us connected merely wastes our time. Not to geeze here, but 15 years ago, I recall being able to call someone at their office and either speak with them directly or speak to their assitant, who would take a message. Now I have to leave a message on their voicemail, and only a fraction of my calls are ever returned. (I speak from experience here when I say that yes, I too have accidentally pressed the "delete" key for a voicemail, only to realize my mistake a nano-second later = "Oh no! I didn't want to delete THAT message! How do I get it back?!" Opps! Technology strikes again! As for emails, they are even worse than voicemails. The faction that get answered are even smaller. But again, even in my own business, I have found that some important emails have been inadvertantly blocked by my "spam blocker". What's that? Uncle Freddy died and left me his investment holdings in the old Standard Oil Company? And all I have to do is contact his attorney by 5 PM on Friday to claim my inheritance? Opps...there's that lovely email, in my spam folder. Guess I'll still be clipping coupons from the Pennysaver instead of coupons from those bearer bonds. I know it's getting better, but how many times have YOU lost or misplaced a computer file with important information (e.g., taxes, names, phone numbers, important notes). And ah...how exactly am I supposed to retrieve those old Quatro spreadsheets from my five-and-a-half inch, 1988 vintage, floppy disks to review my investment purchases to calculate my capital gains on AT&T stock that was bought-out by SBC in 2006? Nick http://www.CreditManagementWorld.com

  • 5 Posted by rogueist on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    The blackberry is a horrible device in that it limits the use and productivity of the device - but those that make billions probably do not care one whit about flexibility and would rather have something that barely does what 90% of the other cellphones and PDAs out there do out of the box. It's a shame that the entire blackberry system is so flawed and outdated. This device would really take off with consumers at all levels if it had a more open useage attitude with it.

  • 6 Posted by tjbruetsch on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:12PM EDT Report Abuse

    I own a Blackberry and find it to be a useful, well designed device. I earn a high salary, work 40 hours a week, and don't use it obsessively. The difference is, I have it as a personal device to keep in touch with family and close friends. I only give my address to those at work who need to get in touch with me. And it is a wonderful way to stay close to my son who is away at school. The challenge is to set limits, manage the alerts to notify you only when you want to be notified, and know where the off button is. I sync up to my work PC only to download my schedule and don't connect to the corporate intranet for email. As far as the device itself, it far exceeds any other product on the market. I own a Blackberry 7250 and I love its features, ease of use, and reliability. The software is solid, and I no longer get the aggrevation I used to experience with other Windows Mobile type devices. Blackberry messaging is flawless and a great way to chat with my son who also owns a Blackberry. I have owned a lot of PDAs but this one is by far the best I have ever owned.

  • 7 Posted by cwhrx on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:33PM EDT Report Abuse

    I guess I am greatful that my company can't "afford" the enterprize activation fee. It was very easy to access the office e, although I don't feel tied down or otherwise, threatened. I am glad to have it. Other than having a lousy carrier [I don't have reception at home and work.] My pearl has all the features I would like, except video and streaming TV, etc. The device formats info. on the web perfectly making reading very easy on the great screen. Would like a switch to change to landscape mode, however. I, basicly object to the intrusion of modern media, so my Blackberry is a oneway [out] device.

More Posts: First Prev 1 2 Next Last

Post a Comment

Sign In to Post a Comment