8. Converged, portable digital technology - Blackberry Curve

http://www.blackberry.com/

Technology used and the Media being used
The technology present in the Blackberry Curve consists of wireless email/internet, instant messaging, text messaging, phone calls, video recording, a camera and a media player for music and videos. The phone also has the ability to navigate through website, stream mobile media including music and news clips. The Blackberry Curve also contains a calendar, address book, a GPS system and ‘Blackberry Maps’ which allows you to get maps and directions whilst on the road. There is also Bluetooth for hands free capabilities.

Audience
The main target audience are business people who need to check their emails regularly and make conference calls etc. The point of the Blackberry is to converge the technologies which allow them to check their emails, search the internet, call people, put them on hands free etc which provides the customer with one piece of equipment for all their needs. This increases customer loyalty to their brand because they can gain everything they want from one company.

A secondary audience of teenagers and adults who enjoy socialising occurs because of the availability of the technology and all that it is able to offer them. They can have everything in one place and don't need to purchase or carry the seperate software.

Institutions
There are many industries with an interest in the Blackberry including the film industry and the music industry. This is because it provides a platform for their product to be played on. The Blackberry helps companies and businesses in their work.

Key concepts
The key concepts of the Blackberry are immediacy, portability and convergence.

Immediacy
With many products being found in the Blackberry the consumer is provided with immediacy in being able to access their emails or search the web using a wireless connection. If they need to check their emails they don’t have to wait to get to the office or back home, they can immediately use the function on their phone, whilst still being on the phone to a customer or their boss.

Portability
The variety of functions available in one product mean that the consumer can travel anywhere and still reach their emails, call their friends, organise their diary and many more things. They don’t need to have a variety of products around them to achieve this, they can do it all on the move, resulting in a better experience for them as they only have to carry one item.

Convergence
The Blackberry Curve is the coming together of many different types of media. The consumer is given more products rolled into one, giving them instant access to their email, music, videos, phone calls, whatever it is that they need at that particular time. Convergence provides the consumer with a simpler way of consuming their desired media, resulting in an better experience.