Blackberry 1998 Annual Report Download - page 14

The form factor of the new pager is unmatched.
The new device weighs only 4.1 ounces and incor-
porates a backlit display which accommodates eight
lines of easy-to-read text with a minimum of 22
characters per line. This compares to the 8 ounce
weight and maximum 4 lines of type of the product’s
previous generation. Furthermore, the pager runs
on a standard AA alkaline battery that lasts for
approximately 500 hours under normal usage,
meaning it is possible to stay connected around the
clock for almost three weeks. It leads the market in
power efficiency, dynamically adjusting power output
when the unit is close to a network base station.
The new Inter@ctive Pager delivers breakthroughs
in critical areas to give users more access, more
freedom, and more control. By the end of the first
quarter of 1998, RIM already had advance orders for
the new pager totaling $90 million.
OEM Radio Modem
RIM’s OEM radio modems are a family of high-
performance radio frequency transceivers designed
for integration into products by value-added resellers,
system integrators, and original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs).
Radio modems are ideally suited for applications
such as in-vehicle communications, handheld devices,
ruggedized terminals, laptops, point-of-sale terminals,
wireless telemetry, vending machines, and alarming
systems. Generally, RIM works in partnership with
OEMs to integrate its radio modem into a particular
product. Once RIM’s design is accepted, an ongoing
“pull-through” sales channel is established. OEM
customers select RIM’s products on the basis of
objective technical performance criteria, combined
with engineering support during integration and
ongoing technical support.
12