RIM Blackberry 5810 and 5820 Smartphones
Dublin Core
Title
RIM Blackberry 5810 and 5820 Smartphones
Subject
hardware: smartphones
Description
Historical Context
In the last decade of the 20th century, rapidly developing wireless communications infrastructure introduced millions of users to wireless data and voice communications using pagers and cellular phones (cellphones). At that time, it was not unusual for a person to simultaneously carry a mobile phone, a pager, and personal digital assistant (PDA). The inconvenience of carrying all such devices to manage information and communication made the convergence of technologies and functionalities represented by these different devices into one communications package inevitable. The IBM Simon Personal Communicator (or IBM Simon) was the first such communications package -- the first "smartphone". Introduced in 1995, Simon handheld was a cellular phone, a pager and a PDA. However, its high price, short battery life, and far from convenient data entry led to poor sales.
By the turn of the century, several companies, including Research in Motion (RIM), introduced their first smartphones. The success of these devices spelled the end of pagers ad PDAs in the workplace.
The first two smartphones in what would become a long and successful line of RIM smartphones were the BlackBerry 5810 and 5820. The 5810 was introduced in the US on March 4, 2002 during Comdex in Chicago (the smartphone was offered in Canada on Rogers AT&T; Wireless in April 2002). The 5820 was introduced in UK a few months earlier and, eventually, was offered world wide. It was a variant of the 5810 that operated on different frequencies.
The 5810 and 5820 smartphones combined wireless phone capabilities with wireless data services offered by RIM's pagers, services such as email and anytime, anywhere access to the Internet. In its March 4, 2002 press release, RIM stressed that its 5810 smartphone "integrates the award-winning features of the secure BlackBerry wireless email solution with the convenience of built-in phone. This breakthrough in wireless convergence delivers email, phone, SMS, browser, and organizer features in a single, sleek handheld that is "Always On, Always Connected"." Both smartphones used the housing designed for the RIM 957 pager. They were equipped with an earpiece and a microphone for hands-free phone calls that allowed the simultaneous use of these devices as PDAs during such calls.
Software for all the pagers offered by RIM were written in C++. This changed with the arrival of the 5810 and 5820 smartphones whose software was written in Java. "RIM's decision to implement Java is opening BlackBerry to a community of more than three million application developers worldwide." stated RIM in its March 4, 2002 announcement. "Blackberry 5810 users will enjoy access to a substantially broader variety of applications that can be easily developed, deployed and managed within the [Blackberry] enterprise."
Much improved variants of the 58xx series smartphones--the Blackberry 6710 and 6720--were announced in November, 2002.
Technical Specifications:
External Design:
Software:
The museum has a BlackBerry 5820 with BlackBerry Wireless Handheld: Getting Started Guide and BlackBerry Desktop Software v. 3.6.0
In the last decade of the 20th century, rapidly developing wireless communications infrastructure introduced millions of users to wireless data and voice communications using pagers and cellular phones (cellphones). At that time, it was not unusual for a person to simultaneously carry a mobile phone, a pager, and personal digital assistant (PDA). The inconvenience of carrying all such devices to manage information and communication made the convergence of technologies and functionalities represented by these different devices into one communications package inevitable. The IBM Simon Personal Communicator (or IBM Simon) was the first such communications package -- the first "smartphone". Introduced in 1995, Simon handheld was a cellular phone, a pager and a PDA. However, its high price, short battery life, and far from convenient data entry led to poor sales.
By the turn of the century, several companies, including Research in Motion (RIM), introduced their first smartphones. The success of these devices spelled the end of pagers ad PDAs in the workplace.
The first two smartphones in what would become a long and successful line of RIM smartphones were the BlackBerry 5810 and 5820. The 5810 was introduced in the US on March 4, 2002 during Comdex in Chicago (the smartphone was offered in Canada on Rogers AT&T; Wireless in April 2002). The 5820 was introduced in UK a few months earlier and, eventually, was offered world wide. It was a variant of the 5810 that operated on different frequencies.
The 5810 and 5820 smartphones combined wireless phone capabilities with wireless data services offered by RIM's pagers, services such as email and anytime, anywhere access to the Internet. In its March 4, 2002 press release, RIM stressed that its 5810 smartphone "integrates the award-winning features of the secure BlackBerry wireless email solution with the convenience of built-in phone. This breakthrough in wireless convergence delivers email, phone, SMS, browser, and organizer features in a single, sleek handheld that is "Always On, Always Connected"." Both smartphones used the housing designed for the RIM 957 pager. They were equipped with an earpiece and a microphone for hands-free phone calls that allowed the simultaneous use of these devices as PDAs during such calls.
Software for all the pagers offered by RIM were written in C++. This changed with the arrival of the 5810 and 5820 smartphones whose software was written in Java. "RIM's decision to implement Java is opening BlackBerry to a community of more than three million application developers worldwide." stated RIM in its March 4, 2002 announcement. "Blackberry 5810 users will enjoy access to a substantially broader variety of applications that can be easily developed, deployed and managed within the [Blackberry] enterprise."
Much improved variants of the 58xx series smartphones--the Blackberry 6710 and 6720--were announced in November, 2002.
Technical Specifications:
- processor: ARM 7EJ-S, 32 bit
- memory: 1MB SRAM and 8MB flash memory
- display: full-graphic LCD (grey/monochrome), 160x160, 13, 16, or 20 line display (user-selectable)
- keyboard and controls: 34-key QWERTY-style (backlit), mouse-type scroll wheel
- ports: combined data/charging port; RS-232C-compliant serial port
- modem: embedded RIM modem
- cellular networks: 1900MHz GSM/GPRS (model 5810); 900MHz and 1800MHz GSM/GPRS (model 5820)
- SIM card slot: supports 3V/5V SIMs
- audio: earpiece and microphone (mono)
- battery: internal lithium-ion rechargeable
External Design:
- housing: palm-held, ruggedized, plastic
- size: 11.7cm(L) x 7.85cm(W) x 1.8cm(H)
- weight: 139g
- email integration options: integrates with existing enterprise, ISP, or a new handheld email account
- works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server
- icon and menu driven interface
- security: password protected
- wireless email
- wireless calendar
- wireless Internet
- voice and SMS
- address book
- task list
- memo pad
- calculator
- alarm
- notifications: tone, vibrate, on-screen, or LED indicator
- configurable options
- device lock and keyboard lock
Software:
- BlackBerry OS
- Blackberry Desktop Software (v. 3.2 or higher)
- The BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE) and simulation tool for building Java 2 Micro Edition applications for Java-based Blackberry handhelds third-party custom applications developed using JDE
The museum has a BlackBerry 5820 with BlackBerry Wireless Handheld: Getting Started Guide and BlackBerry Desktop Software v. 3.6.0
Source
Research in Motions
Date
2001-2002
Coverage
world, 2001 -
Files
Citation
“RIM Blackberry 5810 and 5820 Smartphones,” York University Computer Museum Canada, accessed December 22, 2024, https://museum.eecs.yorku.ca/items/show/214.