The Wallstrip Blackberry Shoot-Out (RIMM): Total Humiliation!

Some of you may have seen the intense Blackberry Competition show immortalized on Wallstrip today. It was myself, Fred Wilson (Union Square Ventures/NY), Bijan Sabet (Spark Capital/Boston) and Howard (from Phoenix by way of Canada and possibly Mars), thumbs a thumbs in a type-and-scroll to the death. Suffice it to say, I was schooled. I let down all those people who have sent me emails over the years that I responded to within nanoseconds via my “thumbs of lightining,” and provided the training that I felt would serve me well in the heat of battle. Unfortunately, and clearly visible on the show, I was having a bad hair day. I hadn’t stretched properly. I was too tight. Almost as bad as Howard’s “phantom pinkie” issue.

So the ringer from Boston swoops in and takes the crown. I have to say Bijan clearly outclassed the three of us. He has thrown down the gauntlet for a rematch. All I know is that I need to work hard on my rapid scrolling. I know a bunch of you cocky Blackberry users are saying “Hey, I could kick those guy’s a**es.” Let me tell you, try this test. Take four painfully long sentences with capitals, punctuation, etc., send yourself an email, and reply to that email. While being timed. Where mistakes count. And you’re being heckled (or whistled at, as I did to Howard with my rendition of O Canada). It’s not the typing, smart guy. It’s the scrolling that’s hard. Back and forth and back and forth. Speed typing is another type of contest - this was the Blackberry Olympics: all scrolling, all the time. Try it. It’s f&cking hard.

Thanks to Wallstrip and Bijan for taking me down a few pegs. I certainly won’t be talking smack about my Blackberry exploits - until next time.