View Full Version : Blackberries, anyone?
Have Blackberries caught on in FLE? They were about to be issued to management in the OIG I interned for last summer, but I haven't heard anything else. It seems like a very useful tool, and I am aware of the fact that government orders are high (congress, especially).
Just curious, as corporate America loves these things...Thanks!
J.
I have not heard of any agencies issuing them to agents but I have a buddy in the USAO who uses one which I believe he bought himself. I think their usefulness would depend on what you do with it. It may be tough to get your agencies blessing on hooking it up to your computer if you have alot of secret squirell type stuff flowing through your email.
They are widely used, but generally most agencies limit it to senior management types. A lot depends on the agency and its computer system, and whether wireless devices meet their security requirements. Personally, they are more a pain in the ass than anything, and just one more way for work to intrude on your personal life. And anyone who uses their blackberry during a training class because they think they are so important that it cannot wait until the next break needs a swift kick in the ass. Just my opinion though.
Personally, they are more a pain in the ass than anything, and just one more way for work to intrude on your personal life. And anyone who uses their blackberry during a training class because they think they are so important that it cannot wait until the next break needs a swift kick in the ass. Just my opinion though.
Ditto. My boss has one and echoed the same. He actually asked if I'd rather have one than a regular cell phone - nope. I spend enough time returning e-mails as it is. Plus it's not exactly cost-friendly for many agencies that don't have the money right now.
k
I think they are annoying. First, work started intruding on everyone's lives with pagers. Pagers you could ignore. Then the cell phone. Cell phone are harder to ignore, but it can still be done. Blackberries are the worst. Just another device to tie you to work. I know some people that swear by them, but personally if you can't be without email for a period of time - then you need to rethink your life. As far as security goes, they are only as secure as the system that they transmit over. With the varying degrees of breaches that wireless providers have had I would seriously doubt their use for criminal investigations. In addition, the technology is only one aspect of the insecurity of these devices. Imagine an agent losing one, or some shoulder surfing going on in a public place. The same can be said for cell phones and eavesdropping on conversations.
Geronimo509
02-09-2005, 10:17
Our management has them at my company (civilian, not LE) and we refer to them as "Crackelberries" because everyone is now addicted to them and just has to check them everytime the inbox vibrates. ;)
No one should be that tied to email.
Our management has them at my company (civilian, not LE) and we refer to them as "Crackelberries" because everyone is now addicted to them and just has to check them everytime the inbox vibrates. ;)
No one should be that tied to email.
They would if they are 'internet dating' and can't get to their chat room. :rolleyes:
No One Special
02-09-2005, 10:35
Or if they are a member here ...
Hmmmmmmmmmm..........
Do you have one PEACE???
LOL
No One Special
02-09-2005, 10:41
We use them where I work, production environment. They do take up your personal time!, but then again we run 24/7. They are useful if you NEED questions answered ASAP or need to get a hold of people ASAP, who might be to busy to answer their phone/cell phone. We do get the problem of EVERYONE wanting updates on a situation.
No One Special
02-09-2005, 10:54
They do make it easier to micro manage. If you are a supervisor that wants the latest on a situation, they are great. If you are the guy who has to sit there and type on a "Barbie Laptop", instead of doing your job(fixing the problem) it can be a pain. But I have found them useful where I work, since we are a 24/7 production facility. We are in a large building too, so instead of tracking someone down for a simple question, or waiting for an e-mail, text paging is very useful.
All Federal Security Directors at TSA get Blackberry or Blueberry issues. (Blueberry is NEXTEL push-to-talk). My wife calls it my House Arrest Device. No ankle bracelet, but I'm tied 24/7 to it. DM
Geronimo509
02-09-2005, 22:41
Hhahaha - no, I'm 'old school' - laptop style :)
Ahh...
Yes I remember just back to several months ago when I had just joined this forum and PEACE had only a 100 or so posts and just one little green lonely light for a reputation.
I think he works the laptop like in that one commercial for DELL, with the 6 fingered office worker. "Little busy 6 fingered bee." Ha, ha, ha...
When he becomes a Moderator, we can all say we knew him when...
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