Finally, the world just maybe has seen the introduction of a GPRS mobile communications device that is actually a usable blend of voice and messaging. The device, the Blackberry 7100v, developed by Canadian vendor RIM (Research in Motion), was launched around the world today by mobile carrier Vodafone.

Having been an early adopter of mobile telephony, the internet and email, you might think I would have lapped up the plethora of hybrid camera phones, PDA phones and 3G phones conveying real-time video chats. The fact is, however, the quality of the cameras in phones stinks, I've had two PDAs clap out on me, both times losing valuable data, and the thought of carrying around a monstrous brick just so I can see the face of someone else I'm talking to who's stupid enough to carry around another brick has me at a loss.

In addition, I've never been a fan of SMS messaging. Besides being damned expensive, using the tiny cryptic keyboard of my pocket-sized mobile phone makes the whole exercise a plain nuisance as far as I'm concerned. No doubt all those youngsters sending thousands of SMS messages and, in the process, sending themselves into early bankruptcy would probably disagree.

Regardless of all that negative blather, as a communicator, I would be at a loss without my mobile voice services and my desktop and notebook email system. The problem is I could never find a device that put all of that functionality together into a neat affordable mobile package that literally fits into my pocket. Well, at first glance, the Blackberry 7100v seems to fit the bill. Vodafone certainly seems to think so because it's pouring (undisclosed) millions into promoting the new device.

The 7100v has the almost rectangular form factor of the sleek, newer types of mobile phones on the market and is a comfortable pocket sized device. It, thankfully, doesn't have that annoying protruding antenna, unlike its main hybrid competitor the Treo. What makes the 7100v particularly attractive, however, are its brightly illuminated, very friendly user interface and powerful easy to use navigation tools, including a thumb-operated track wheel, dedicated End and Send keys for messages, and a QWERTY keyboard, which together with an intelligent keyboard message composition technology called SureType, are designed to make email composition easy.

A respectable 32MB of memory, enables the 7100v to provide reasonably powerful email features, including the ability to open and forward email attachments in formats such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat. In addition, email is delivered directly to the handset without the need to dial up in order to download it. Users can configure the 7100v to receive emails to any portable email address, such as a Hotmail or Yahoo account.

Vodafone is pulling out all stops to gain consumer take-up of the email services of the Blackberry 7100v, offering users bundled monthly packages. For $29.95 a month, users can send up 500 emails with a total 1 MB of data, while $49.95 a month buys you the right to send unlimited emails.

Finally, regardless of its email capabilities, the Blackberry 7100v appears to be a pretty decent sort phone. At $799 (which can be paid off over two years), the 7100v offers quad-band international coverage, in-built speakerphone and Bluetooth support. All-in-all a pretty impressive package. However, there is one caveat. We expect to get a trial model for testing shortly and, as they say, the proof is in the pudding