Reminder: take the battery out

by Volker Weber

The agency who sent the BlackBerry 8800 wanted to do me a big favor. They charged the battery before shipping the device, so I would be able to use it right of the box. However, they did not take out the battery before shipping.

And this is a very bad idea with either the Pearl or the 8800.

Here is what happened: the device gets bumped inside the box. The left button is pressed which activates Voice Dialing: "Say a command" Beep "Say the name or number" Beep "Please repeat" Beep "Sorry, no match found" Beep.

The mailman was very worried. It was his first talking box. Ever.

Comments

Lucky he didn't call the bomb squad ;-)

Jan-Piet Mens, 2007-02-13

We are not im McMerica. ;-)

Volker Weber, 2007-02-13

Yeah, no kidding. That box would have been blown up over here.

I wonder if we're going to have another incedent like Boston a couple weeks ago with Blackberry boxes. Sigh.

Scott Gentzen, 2007-02-13

Bin Laden has been put out of business. The country terrorizes itself.

Volker Weber, 2007-02-13

Wasn't that the initial goal? To put Mr. Bin Laden out of business? Yey, mission accomplished!!! ;-) Go, tell Mr. Bush!

Ragnar Schierholz, 2007-02-13

Actually with McMerica terrorizing itself, Bin Laden has not been put out of business, but retired...

Tony S Lee, 2007-02-13

Or another analogy: His monopoly was broken into, he now has a competitor. And boy, what a strong competitor that is!

Ragnar Schierholz, 2007-02-13

vowe....8800, schmeighty eight hundred! When are you going to tell us more about the Nokia E90 - that's the one we all wanna hear about!!! Unless there's an 8800 with 3G!

John Ash, 2007-02-13

I'll keep an eye out for talking boxes Volker. It sounds like an opportunity to get some free long distance calls if you don't mind walking around with a UPS box against your head.

Ken Porter, 2007-02-13

Agreed on the E90. That seems to be the fulfillment of the promises made by the 9300.

Scott Gentzen, 2007-02-13

Funnily enough, I stumbled across an antique carriage clock this way when I was a kid. It was about a nine inch box, taller than wide, covered with flaking leather. On top was a rounded, worn leather button. I pressed it, and the thing began bonging and chiming, scaring the daylights out of me (I wasn't supposed to be rummaging around in this particular spot). I frantically tried to bury it in other items, but it was loud, very loud.

Later I found out its origins. The clock was designed to bong once for each hour, chime once for each five minutes. It must've been on 12:55 when I touched the darned thing (12 bongs, 11 chimes). Designed so those riding in carriages at night could tell the exact time without having to light a candle.

Removed from the case, it's a lovely thing. Worth about $20k now, I'd imagine.

Thanks for dredging up a fond memory.

Garret P Vreeland, 2007-02-13

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