I receive lots of mail each day, most of which are press release notices and product pitches.

But when I opened one box that arrived just before the holidays, all that was enclosed was a one giant yellow rubber wading boot (somehow, compressed and folded up to fit inside this tiny space) and a postcard that read: "Prepare for the Storm."

Both ominous and intriguing, I have to admit, it did capture my attention.

The package was indeed a pitch, from Verizon Wireless, which is also my longtime cell phone provider for the past decade, since way back during the days when it was still called Ameritech.

Verizon struck a deal with BlackBerry, the makers of those original small, hand-held personal planners that now have evolved into minicomputer, camera and telephone combo, to create a flat touch-screen version of its popular devices.

I've only become part of the world of BlackBerry since this summer.

Since there's not any Internet or computers at the family farm, the BlackBerry Curve I have now with my Verizon account has been very handy.

But just a few months earlier, blackberries were just what grew along the lane and mailbox of our farm to make into wine and jam. (The symbol used by BlackBerry and its company is a swirl of dots which resembles an actual "from the vine" blackberry.)

It's amazing how quickly Verizon and BlackBerry have not only taken this technology to a new level, but also fine-tuned and made improvements while masterfully handling the marketing factor, besides just "giving me the boot."

Last semester, while teaching my Purdue classes at Westville Correctional Center, I was amazed to find a number of offenders had been incarcerated so long that they had never heard of a BlackBerry. And even in my small town, one day while at the tiny local grocery store, the checkout clerk commented about "my calculator," even though it was the BlackBerry she had actually spotted when I took out my checkbook. (It does look like a calculator.)

The new BlackBerry Storm has some impressive weight, a sleek design, and despite its delicate look, is actually built tough as a tank. (Well, pretty close at least.)

It has a large screen for watching movies, displaying GPS directions, and it downloads information quickly. During my testing time I had recently at the local Verizon store in Valparaiso with a rep, I was impressed at how quickly I could pull up the online edition of The Times, and even photos popped up with ease.

Speaking of our local Verizon stores, the company is offering some free night workshops for users of PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and smartphones (such as BlackBerry phones) at both the Valparaiso and Merrillville stores.

* Verizon Wireless in Valparaiso, 2505 LaPorte Ave. 8 tonight, (219) 531-9029

* Verizon Wireless in Merrillville, 401 W. 81st St., 8 p.m. Wednesday, (219) 736-8400

These in-store workshops are geared to help customers get the most from their devices, many of which might have been holiday gifts. Topics covered will be text messaging, Internet browsing, using e-mail, the camera, changing ringtones, pairing Bluetooth ear piece accessories, setting up voice commands, speed-dialing and address-book features.

These free workshops are open to Verizon customers and any other individuals interested in learning about these devices. Reservations are required by going to workshop.wds.vzw.com.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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