Blackberry 850 Introduction Munich Germany 1999 Review

For the first time, a Munich executive could sit in a café in Schwabing, feel the device vibrate in a jacket pocket, and discreetly read – or even reply to – an email without pulling out a laptop.

The choice of Munich as the European launch city was deliberate, not accidental. In 1999, Munich was: blackberry 850 introduction munich germany 1999

RIM knew this. The Munich launch was a pilot – a test to see if European businesses would pay for mobile email. They did. For the first time, a Munich executive could

RIM had perfected "push" email technology. Unlike the cumbersome process of dialing into a server to "fetch" messages, the 850 pushed emails to the device the moment they were sent. For the business executives in Munich that autumn, it was a revelation. Suddenly, the office desk was portable. The tether of the landline was cut. The Munich launch was a pilot – a