Good-bye BlackBerry

The BlackBerry, once cutting-edge technology that allowed executives and world leaders to send emails from the palm of their hand for the first time, has died.

First launched as a text pager in 1996 by Canadian company Research In Motion Ltd., a BlackBerry phone came a couple of years later. It started to look outdated in 2007, when Apple released the touch-screen iPhone.

Former President Barack Obama, who used a BlackBerry while campaigning, kept using it until at least 2016, his last year in office.

Andrew Balfour long dreaded January 4, 2022, the day when he had to say goodbye to his beloved BlackBerry Classic forever. Even though Mr. Balfour’s BlackBerry couldn’t summon an Uber or stream a Netflix show, it could last days without needing a charge. And typing emails on its keyboard was a breeze.

When everything fades out to the distant past, BlackBerry's legendary keyboard will continue to shine in our precious memories.

 

Naperville, IL

January 4, 2022