Change Agent

I’m an email junkie, receiving 150 a day, and sending half that many.  Yet there are a number of reasons why I’ve not bought a Blackberry.  But when the Peek came out in August, I realized it was the perfect device for anyone like me who does most emailing from our desk but sometimes needs access when away, whether in a meeting or on the road.

The Peek has enjoyed incredible success, winning multiple “Product of The Year” type awards.  The story of the Peek is so compelling yet simple, it can told on one page.

So Why Not A Blackberry?

1.    Tiny Mobile Phone: I want a mobile phone that is tiny enough to fit easily in my pocket yet capable of holding a charge for days.  Only a single-purpose mobile can achieve this.

2.    Not a Slave to Email: Frankly I do not want people to simply assume they can reach me 7 X 24 on email.  I’ve a life.  If someone needs to have a ‘conversation’ with me at, say, 10 PM at home, they better feel the subject is important enough to……use the traditional 7 X 24 device, a telephone!  They should call – or better yet, text – my mobile.

3.    Cost: Frankly, why should I pay large monthly charges so that someone else can reach me at a time and in a manner I don’t want?

So Why A Peek?

4.    For Those Special Times: I like the Peek for those times when I should be at my desk but I’m not and I really want / need email; like when I sneak off to my son’s afternoon high school soccer game; like when I’m heading into work later than normal and I’m stuck in traffic and I just want to see if the boss has sent an urgent (in his mind, at least!) email; like when I’m in the waiting room for a personal appointment (doctor; kid’s teacher, lunch with a friend, etc.) during business hours and I want to quickly scan the incoming emails, responding – either via email or text on the Peek or via a voice call – only to those emails that I decide can’t wait until I’m back at my desk.

For me, the value of handling just one such critical email a month more than pays for the Peek!

5.    Cost: The cost — of both the Peek and the monthly service — is peanuts when compared with a Blackberry or iPhone.  When I compared the price of the Peek with the value, the decision to buy was a no-brainer!

6.    No Commitment: You sign no contracts.  You can end the service at any time.  You have no risk!

7.    Simplicity: It literally took me 45 seconds to get the device up and running; and I’m slow at this type of thing!  Just key in your email address and password and you are done.   It is so simple because (a) it is well designed and (b) it’s not trying to do too much.

8.    Always On; Always Up To Date: I never shut the Peek off.  It sits on my desk or in my briefcase and it is always “up to date” with all my emails.  (I like how I don’t even know how it’s doing this; I don’t even know which wireless company Peek is using, which is great!)  I plug the Peek in every few days for a charge.   So at any time as I’m leaving my desk, I can grab the Peek and I instantly have all my email at hand!

9.    Now Has Texting: I like how I can now send texts from the Peek.  Texting is the only universal non-voice method of communication; every mobile phone can receive a text, yet less than 20% of mobile phones can receive an email!  And texting is, frankly, the best way to communicate with my children during the day (middle school, high school, and college.)

10.    Design: Frosting on the cake, but since both my wife and my son are trained in Industrial Design, I’ve learned to appreciate good product design.  The Peek is beautiful and slim. It is a device I’m proud to put out on the conference room table.

11.  Internet Down: How could I have forgotten this reason?  If you’ve ever had the Internet go down at home when you really needed access to an email, the Peek will save your butt.  Again, the monthly cost is so low compared with the value.

So if email is important to you, and if you have decided to not buy a Blackberry, the Peek may be just the ticket.  Give it a peek!  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.)