RIM Inter@ctive Pager 900 (1996-1998)

RIM Inter@ctive Pager 900

🥇First Two-Way Pager to Feature a Full QWERTY Keyboard 

The RIM Inter@ctive Pager 900, launched in 1996, was the very first major hardware success for the company that would later create the BlackBerry. Nicknamed the "Bullfrog" because of its thick, bulky plastic body, it featured a flip-open lid that revealed a tiny keyboard and a small text screen. Unlike old-fashioned beepers that could only receive short numeric codes, the 900 allowed users to actually type out and reply to emails, send text messages, and even send faxes wirelessly. Running for weeks on just two standard AA batteries, this pocket machine proved to the tech industry that a portable, always-connected wireless office was actually possible.

Source: John Babina III