The RIM 957 is a unique wireless handheld.  It features a small keyboard and allows you to send and receive e-mail in real-time and synchronizes with the Microsoft Outlook desktop client. You won't find any multimedia capabilities on the 957 because it is meant strictly for business.

Contents
I found the following items inside the box:

Design
The RIM 957 is roughly the size of an average PDA. It's as thin as a Compaq iPaq, as tall as the Palm V and can fit nicely in a pocket or on your belt. It features a nifty scroll/toggle button on the side for easy one-handed operation, and a small keyboard. The following pictures show the RIM 957 in comparison to the Compaq iPaq and Palm V PDA:

Figure 1: RIM 957, Compaq iPaq and Palm V


Figure 2 (from top to bottom): RIM 957, Palm V and Compaq iPaq

I'm left-handed, but I quickly grew comfortable using the scroll button on the right side of unit for quick and easy navigation (as shown in figure 3):


Figure 3: The Scroll button on the side allows easy menu navigation

Simple Setup
I found it surprisingly quick and easy to setup and synchronize the 957 with Microsoft Outlook on my desktop PC. Within minutes of taking the 957 out of the box, plugging the charger base into the serial port of my PC and installing the software, I was up and running in no time with all of my Outlook e-mail, contacts, calendar and tasks data.

I do have to admit one thing; being that I don't read instructions anymore, the 957 unit made me think twice. I had the hardest time locating where the AC adaptor plugs in so I could charge the unit, until after calling RIM tech support and learning that it plugs into the serial plug on the end of the serial cable. I felt a little silly afterwards, but next time I'll look!

Display
The 957's 2 color display was very crisp and clear, better than most non-color PDAs on the market today. I found it very easy to read in full sunlight and half-lit conditions, but in complete darkness, the display was hard to read due to the weak backlight. I'm not sure why the backlight was so dim, but it clearly needs improvement.

Applications
If you're looking for multimedia capabilities including the ability to play music and games, you won't find it here. The RIM 957 includes the most basic applications for business use, which includes an e-mail application, calendar, address book, alarm, notepad, calculator, to-do list, and Web access. Beyond that, there are no additional applications.

Easy E-Mail Management
The RIM 957's greatest strength over most PDAs is its ability to work with corporate e-mail accounts easily. I found it a snap to configure e-mail accounts quickly, and I was receiving new messages within minutes of setting it up. If you get large amounts of e-mail, the 957 can easily be configured to forward only the important messages you specify. All e-mail sent from the 957 is returned to your desktop PC, and then sent through your Outlook e-mail account(s) by the redirector, which makes it appear as if the message was sent from your desktop PC. 

Battery
Another strength of the 957 is its long battery life. When I received the 957 from GoAmerica, it was fully charged and ready for use. I never charged the unit until I got a low-battery warning, but I was able to use it for a week, turned on, without charging.

Summary
Overall, the RIM 957 Blackberry provides just enough basic features to stay on top of your e-mail, calendar and tasks. It may not be a Palm or Pocket PC, and doesn't allow you to work with Microsoft Word and Excel files, but if you need a convenient way to access your PIM data with an "always on" connection to the Internet, the RIM 957 Blackberry will do just fine.

Quick Specs
Product:	RIM 957 Blackberry
Rating:
Price:	$499 / $40 mo.
Features:	Wireless e-mail, calendar, contacts, task list applications
Size (H X D X W):	3.5 in x 2.5 in X 0.9 in
Weight:	5 ounces
Accessories & Characteristics	Intel 32-bit processor, RIM wireless modem
Company:	GoAmerica
Source:	MobileBiz Solutions
Reviewer:	Eriq E. Cook
Date of Review:	July 19, 2001