Blackberry hears voices

Research In Motion (RIM) is turning its Blackberry email device into a phone using Motorola's iDEN technology and the network carrier Nextel Communications in the US.

The new device is due to be released in the fourth quarter of 2002 under a joint licencing agreement between the two companies.

Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) is Motorola's technology-based on TDMA and GSM that is used in the US to amalgamate mobile phone, pager and modem functions into one.

Nextel carries the Blackberry data communications on its iDEN network already so the deal to add voice function with iDEN is not a surprise, said SMS firm Peremon Technology's MD Nan Nadesan.

"Nextel wants to sell Blackberry and as the next step in the pager's evolution is voice capability, the technology has to be iDEN."

Nadesan added that the new device may have problems with battery life when voice is added.

"From the PDA manufacturers perspective, a user comes into the office and sticks the device into a charger so battery life isn't a big issue, unlike mobile phone battery developers. This is likely to be a problem for RIM."

RIM has no plans to push Blackberry in Europe into voice.