Source: BBC NEWS BBC NEWS | Americas | US Elections 2008 | Obama allowed to keep BlackBerry Barack Obama is to keep his BlackBerry, becoming the first US president to have access to e-mail in the White House. Spokesman Robert Gibbs said a "compromise" would allow the president to stay in touch with senior staff and personal friends. There had been security concerns about who might be able to see the president's e-mails. But Mr Obama had repeatedly said he would have been reluctant to part with the device on becoming president. "The president has a BlackBerry through a compromise that allows him to stay in touch with senior staff and a small group of personal friends in a way that use will be limited," said Mr Gibbs. "The security is enhanced to ensure his ability to communicate, to do so effectively and to do so in a way that is protected." Presidential 'bubble' It is good news for President Obama, who was often seen thumbing the jog wheel on his BlackBerry to check his e-mail during the campaign, the BBC's Rajini Vaidyanathan reports from Washington. After winning the election he said that if officials wanted him to give it up they would have to "pry it out of my hands". "It's just one tool among a number of tools that I'm trying to use, to break out of the bubble, to make sure that people can still reach me," he told CNN. "If I'm doing something stupid, somebody in Chicago can send me an e-mail and say, 'What are you doing?'" Under the post-Watergate Presidential Records Act, most correspondence from the White House apart from that classed as "strictly personal" is recorded in the national archives. Neither George W Bush nor Bill Clinton used e-mail during their presidencies.
Reports in the last 2 days are conflicting on whether it is actually a BlackBerry or whether it's the General Dynamics device. I would tend to take the President's Press Secretary at his word, but does Mr. Gibbs know anything about wireless? SW
Here's another, more detailed, article that explains some of the technical and policy issues and disputes the earlier story from the Atlantic that Obama is going to use the Sectéra Edge. Obama gets to keep his BlackBerry And here's one from USA Today that admits that the reporters really don't know anything. Obama gets clearance to keep using his 'BarackBerry' While some people may use the term "BlackBerry" generically, I wouldn't expect the White House Press Secretary to do so. SW
Well, at least they bought American (designed). I agree the iPhone would have been more hip with some of his supporters Let's see if Obama goes for the Microsoft interface vs RIM
well the Blackberry uses a crapload of data making it easier to sniff packets.......Microsoft is buggy and easily prone to viruses.....the iPhone would actually be the best choice......idk maybe i'm totally off
I'm pretty sure he is using his 8700c with an enhanced super encryption developed for him by the NSA. "*** Updated Yet Again: OK, so after CNN reported to everyone that it's probably a Sectera Edge Obama would switch to, it looks like it's actually a standard BlackBerry (his trusty old 8700?!) with a super encryption package added to it... a government agency that the Obama administration -- but that is probably the National Security Agency -- added to a standard blackberry a super-encryption package.... and Obama WILL be able to use it ... still for routine and personal messages. * " -From CrackBerry.com
