If You Have A Blackberry

If you have a blackberry, do you pay for it or does your company? Do you like having it or do you hate being so reachable? Your thoughts are appreciated. TIA!

ETA: If your company pays for it, did you ASK for it or did they just give it to you?

Message edited 4/30/2007 10:56:19 AM.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

DH has one. We currently pay for it, but since it's used for work most of the time, we are asking for the company to pay for it.

I love that I can reach him via email or phone all in one place, HOWEVER, I do feel like he's constantly doing work now that he has it.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

I have one- they company pays for it.

Its a blessing and curse.

I get to keep up on emails away from the office and since I work with different time zones i'ts better than phone calls at insane hours. BUT it does set the expectation that you are always available 24/7

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

company pays...actually the state does but they never bother me after hours.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

FH and I both have blackberries and our respective companies pay for them.

For me, it's a necessary evil. I'm an attorney for a large firm in Manhattan. My blackberry gives me more flexibility and freedom than I'd otherwise have, but it also comes with this idea that we (those employees who have them) should always be reachable. It's normally very help, though.

I set it to automatically turn on / off at certain times so it's not on all night. I have colleagues who keep theirs on 24/7 and even keep it in their bedroom at night and will wake up to receive emails. (Seriously, can you say "workaholic") Mine turns off at 10pm and turns back on at 6am. I check it once or twice after I come home from work. Unless I know someone needs to reach me, I check it 2 or 3 times a day on the weekends. If I'm going out, I don't take it (weeknights, sometimes - weekends not unless I know I'll need it)

If you don't set limits, it will be awful!

Message edited 4/30/2007 10:18:59 AM.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

My berry has saved my azz many a time. I look at it on the way home and then once or twice on the weekends. My job doesn't dicate that I'm on call so it's really not that bad.

My firm pays for it.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

I have one that the company pays for. Even though they can reach u all the time, it pays off so you dont have to be in front of a computer all day long.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

Firm pays for it. . .


Blessing and a curse, because if I have it, I have the need to LOOK at it, even if I'm off. However, I'd be miserable without it. It's my crackberry.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

My Compnay pays for the use of the blackberry and my job is an "on Call" type of job.

I don't mind it because it does actually give me more freedom then if i had to wait by the computer.


p.s. My Husband hates the thing.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

I have two - one the co pays for, and I don't bring it home at night. The other is my personal one that I run my business from - it's my life bread.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

My company pays for it and no I didn't have to ask. It depends on job function here though.

Having one is both good and bad. Good because I am not tied to the computer off hours and I am waiting for important info. And its bad just because I am always reachable. (Not that I ever carry it on weekends. )

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

The blackberry I have is from my employer, because I have to troubleshoot other people's blackberry problems as a part of my job.

Unfortunately, that is one of no less than five ways I can be in touch with work & the issues when I'm not here.

Fortunately, Friday is my last day and my new employer will not be expecting me to work all nights and weekends.

Re: If You Have A Blackberry

It depends on your job and whether they need or want to reach you when you are out of the office or not at your desk. My husband has one and the company pays. He didn't ask. It was automatic for everyone in his department. He definitely needs it for his work. I am not crazy about it but I deal with it.