The entire Blackberry/RIM service is down because of a failure at Blackberry.

Such a centralized point of failure is prima facie a bad idea, and is almost never acceptable in Information Technology, but it’s how Blackberrys work. Your mail goes from your server to THEIR server, and only then over the air to the device. There’s an extra step there that makes no sense.

The Heathen preferred wireless email plan involves a smarter device (a Treo, but Windows Mobile devices are also capable) and a smarter connection (such that the device can just reach over the Internet to the right mail server), so that for us email goes directly from our server to our handheld with no middleman. Simpler is better, and is also CLEARLY more robust.