BlackBerry Technology

About Black Berry Technology :- :-

      

      A Blackberry is a personal communications device developed, distributed, and serviced by Research in Motion(RIM), a Canadian company headquartered in Waterloo, OntarioA .Blackberry can provide email, text messaging, web browsing, and telephone service. It is an example of a convergent device.

            A BlackBerry is an end-to-end wireless email solution that allows access to your Outlook Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks with full wireless synchronization. The BlackBerry Server constantly communicates with the campus Exchange server (that talks to Outlook, among other email clients).As soon as something comes into your Outlook for Exchange email, the BlackBerry server gets a copy and sends it to your device through the Internet. Your device receives that information through the Internet using your carrier's preferred network. The process works in reverse when you make changes on your BlackBerry device that need to be copied into your Outlook account, e.g., if you send a message that needs to be copied to your Sent items, or if you add a contact to your Contacts list. The Blackberry can be set up and operated wirelessly without ever being connected physically to a computer. RIM currently offers BlackBerry e-mail service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through the BlackBerry Connect software. The original BlackBerry device had a monochrome display, but all current models have color displays.

Research in Motion provides the native email system for the Blackberry. However, RIM has cooperated with Microsoft, IBM, and Novell to provide full two-way email integration with Outlook, Notes, and GroupWise, respectively. Standard features on a Blackberry include calendar, tasks, notes, alarm clock, calculator, and some games. Third party applications can be downloaded to extend its capability. Some models available from Nextel, Sprint, and maybe other carriers, provide GPS and cellular “walkie-talkie” service as well. Most Blackberry are Bluetooth capable, allowing for the use of wireless Bluetooth headsets to handle telephone calls. Because the Blackberry relies on the cellular telephone network, it is only available through cell phone carriers .And, like cell phones, each carrier has its own unique models. The typical cost of a Blackberry is $250-$300.

Operating System

        

            RIM provides a proprietary multi-tasking operating system (OS) for the BlackBerry. The operating system is designed for use of input devices such as the track wheel, track ball, and track pad. The OS provides support for MIDP 1.0 and WAP 1.2. Previous versions allowed wireless synchronization with Microsoft Exchange Server's e-mail and calendar, as well as with Lotus Domino's e-mail. The Blackberry Torch 9800 and Bold 9780 feature Blackberry OS 6, the Torch 9860 uses OS 7 (the latest as of October 2011).

 Third-party developers can write software using these APIs, and proprietary BlackBerry APIs as well, but any application that makes use of certain restricted functionality must be digitally signed so that it can be associated to a developer account at RIM. This signing procedure guarantees the authorship of an application, but does not guarantee the quality or security of the code. RIM provides tools for developing applications and themes for BlackBerry. Applications and themes can be loaded onto BlackBerry devices through BlackBerry App World, Over The Air (OTA) through the BlackBerry mobile browser, or through BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

Supporting Software

BlackBerry handhelds are integrated into an organization's e-mail system through a software package called  " BlackBerry Enterprise Server " (BES). Versions of BES are available for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise. While individual users may be able to use a wireless provider's e-mail services without having to install BES themselves, organizations with multiple users usually run BES on their own network. Some third-party companies provide hosted BES solutions. Every BlackBerry has a unique id called BlackBerry PIN which is used to identify the device to the BES.

BES can act as a sort of e-mail relay for corporate accounts so that users always have access to their e-mail. The software monitors the user's local "inbox", and when a new message comes in, it picks up the message and passes it to RIM's Network Operations Center (NOC). The messages are then relayed to the user's wireless provider, which in turn delivers them to the user's BlackBerry device. This is called "push e-mail," because all new e-mails, contacts and calendar entries are "pushed" out to the BlackBerry device automatically, as opposed to the user synchronizing the data by hand. Device storage also enables the mobile user to access all data offline in areas without wireless service. As soon as the user connects again, the BES sends the latest data.