{"id":23507,"date":"2026-02-14T22:33:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-15T03:33:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=23507"},"modified":"2026-06-19T15:11:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T19:11:54","slug":"vin163","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin163\/","title":{"rendered":"BlackBerry 857"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        BlackBerry 857\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"blackberry-857\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">BlackBerry 857<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>[vin163]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada-400x400.jpg\" alt=\"canada logo\" class=\"wp-image-20437\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada-160x160.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada-240x240.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada-200x200.jpg 200w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada-360x360.jpg 360w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/canada.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-240x320.jpg\" alt=\"BlackBerry 857\" class=\"wp-image-23510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-240x320.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-160x213.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-400x533.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20260215_034530454-360x479.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The BlackBerry R857D, developed by Canada\u2019s Research In Motion (later BlackBerry Limited) in Waterloo, represents the transition from one-way pagers to interactive mobile computing by combining two-way wireless data with secure messaging. Its claim to fame was enabling reliable, encrypted, push-based communications for professionals and government users, helping establish Canada as a global leader in mobile communications and laying groundwork for the smartphone era. It highlights a major Canadian innovation success story and the widespread adoption of BlackBerry devices across North American business, healthcare, and public sector networks in the late 1990&#8217;s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Research In Motion, the tech firm based in Waterloo, Ontario, that later became BlackBerry Limited.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Two-way pager<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release Date<\/strong>: 2000<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: ~$800 (adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 3-7 MIPS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n        \n    \n    <dl class=\"cu-description cu-component-updated\">\n        \n    <div class=\"grid pt-4 pb-3 border-b accordion border-cu-black-100 md:pt-6 md:pb-5 first:border-t\">\n        <dt class=\"font-semibold not-prose\">\n            <button class=\"flex items-center justify-between w-full text-left accordion__button\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-hardware-specs\">\n                <span class=\"flex-1 ml-auto text-left break-words whitespace-normal cu-icon\">\n                    Hardware Specs\n                <\/span>\n                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-slot=\"icon\" class=\"w-5 h-5 ml-auto transition-transform rotate-0 accordion__icon text-cu-black-500\">\n                    <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M8.25 4.5l7.5 7.5-7.5 7.5\"><\/path>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/dt>\n        <dd class=\"p-0 mt-0 cu-prose cu-prose-first-last accordion__content md:p-0 md:mt-0\" hidden=\"\" id=\"accordion-hardware-specs\">\n            \n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Intel 386EX 32\u2011bit embedded CPU<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memory<\/strong>: 512\u202fKB to 1\u202fMB RAM (depending on model\/configuration)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: 512\u202fKB to 1\u202fMB Flash memory for email and applications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Display<\/strong>: Monochrome LCD, 132 \u00d7 65 pixels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyboard<\/strong>: Full QWERTY thumb keyboard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Connectivity<\/strong>: Two-way wireless pager network (Mobitex or DataTAC, depending on carrier)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Battery<\/strong>: Rechargeable NiMH battery, ~8\u201310 hours active use<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>I\/O Ports<\/strong>: Serial sync connector for PC connection and charging<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: ~200 grams (0.44 lbs)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n        <\/dd>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"grid pt-4 pb-3 border-b accordion border-cu-black-100 md:pt-6 md:pb-5 first:border-t\">\n        <dt class=\"font-semibold not-prose\">\n            <button class=\"flex items-center justify-between w-full text-left accordion__button\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-operating-system-programming-languages\">\n                <span class=\"flex-1 ml-auto text-left break-words whitespace-normal cu-icon\">\n                    Operating System &amp; Programming Languages \n                <\/span>\n                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-slot=\"icon\" class=\"w-5 h-5 ml-auto transition-transform rotate-0 accordion__icon text-cu-black-500\">\n                    <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M8.25 4.5l7.5 7.5-7.5 7.5\"><\/path>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/dt>\n        <dd class=\"p-0 mt-0 cu-prose cu-prose-first-last accordion__content md:p-0 md:mt-0\" hidden=\"\" id=\"accordion-operating-system-programming-languages\">\n            \n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Operating System<\/strong>: The BlackBerry R857D ran a proprietary BlackBerry OS (often referred to internally as RIM OS at the time), designed specifically for secure, push\u2011email and messaging functionality. This OS was embedded and highly optimized for the 386EX processor, with a lightweight kernel focused on event-driven communication and low-power operation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supported Languages<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Developers could write applications using C or C++ compiled for the embedded 386EX environment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early BlackBerry devices also supported proprietary scripting and Java-like APIs for simple messaging extensions and enterprise applications, but there was no general-purpose programming environment like on a desktop PC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The device did not run typical desktop languages like BASIC, Python, or Java directly; all code had to be cross-compiled to the 386EX architecture and work within the OS\u2019s secure sandbox.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n        <\/dd>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"grid pt-4 pb-3 border-b accordion border-cu-black-100 md:pt-6 md:pb-5 first:border-t\">\n        <dt class=\"font-semibold not-prose\">\n            <button class=\"flex items-center justify-between w-full text-left accordion__button\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-notables\">\n                <span class=\"flex-1 ml-auto text-left break-words whitespace-normal cu-icon\">\n                    Notables\n                <\/span>\n                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-slot=\"icon\" class=\"w-5 h-5 ml-auto transition-transform rotate-0 accordion__icon text-cu-black-500\">\n                    <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M8.25 4.5l7.5 7.5-7.5 7.5\"><\/path>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/dt>\n        <dd class=\"p-0 mt-0 cu-prose cu-prose-first-last accordion__content md:p-0 md:mt-0\" hidden=\"\" id=\"accordion-notables\">\n            \n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One of the first commercially successful two-way wireless pagers with secure, push-based email; laid groundwork for the modern smartphone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developed by Research In Motion (RIM) in Waterloo, Ontario, making it a key Canadian tech export.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Early users sometimes called it the \u201cCrackBerry\u201d precursor due to its addictive messaging capability (nickname became popular with later models).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Famous for end-to-end encrypted messaging, widely adopted by businesses, governments, and the medical sector in North America.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Helped establish the concept of always-connected mobile professionals, transforming workplace communication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lightweight (~200\u202fg) but offered full QWERTY input, which was rare for a handheld device at the time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bridge device between pagers and smartphones, critical in the evolution of mobile computing, secure messaging, and enterprise wireless solutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n        <\/dd>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"grid pt-4 pb-3 border-b accordion border-cu-black-100 md:pt-6 md:pb-5 first:border-t\">\n        <dt class=\"font-semibold not-prose\">\n            <button class=\"flex items-center justify-between w-full text-left accordion__button\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-donated-by\">\n                <span class=\"flex-1 ml-auto text-left break-words whitespace-normal cu-icon\">\n                    Donated by\n                <\/span>\n                <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke-width=\"1.5\" stroke=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-slot=\"icon\" class=\"w-5 h-5 ml-auto transition-transform rotate-0 accordion__icon text-cu-black-500\">\n                    <path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M8.25 4.5l7.5 7.5-7.5 7.5\"><\/path>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/dt>\n        <dd class=\"p-0 mt-0 cu-prose cu-prose-first-last accordion__content md:p-0 md:mt-0\" hidden=\"\" id=\"accordion-donated-by\">\n            \n\n<p>Andrew Miles<\/p>\n\n\n        <\/dd>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/dl>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>BlackBerry 857 [vin163] The BlackBerry R857D, developed by Canada\u2019s Research In Motion (later BlackBerry Limited) in Waterloo, represents the transition from one-way pagers to interactive mobile computing by combining two-way wireless data with secure messaging. Its claim to fame was enabling reliable, encrypted, push-based communications for professionals and government users, helping establish Canada as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[90,123],"class_list":["post-23507","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23507","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23507"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23507\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24931,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23507\/revisions\/24931"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23507"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=23507"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}