BlackBerry Jam

Four years ago, the only image conjured by the word "blackberry" was a small fruit. Then, suddenly, it took on a whole new meaning as the name of the little gadget that allowed cutting-edge technophiles to stay in e-mail contact from virtually anywhere.

Now BlackBerry addicts are so obsessive about the device that they've given it a new name-CrackBerry-for the person who can't imagine functioning without his or her pocket-size portal to the world.

And many federal agencies, which are not always perceived as being at the forefront of the technological revolution, are jumping on the BlackBerry bandwagon with gusto.

"I personally couldn't live without one," says Kim Nelson, chief information officer for the Environmental Protection Agency. "I think it's the greatest technical innovation. A lot of people complain about new systems, but BlackBerrys are almost universally raved about."

In the Nov. 1 issue of Government Executive, Alina Tugend explores the reasons for the growth and development of the BlackBerry culture--and cautions managers and executives against letting the devices take over their lives. To read the full story, click here.