Just saw the latest episode of Chuck - and there’s nothing more exciting (for this techie, at least) than Spy Gadgets.

And what’s the top CIA-Approved Gadget for 2009? Gotta be the new ObamaBerry. According to the Washington Times, Obama’s new high-security Blackberry is almost ready to be released by the NSA. It’s reported to be an upgraded (and in some respects, downgraded) version of the BlackBerry 8830.

According to The Washington Times, Obama will be able to send text and e-mail messages and make phone calls on his new BlackBerry, but only a pre-approved list of VIPs with the secure software also loaded on their phones. The new BlackBerry is made secure by Genesis Key’s SecureVoice technology, turning any BlackBerry Curve or 8830 into a hack-resistant smartphone. The software can be used to access Top Secret-level classified information.

The Feds are getting in on the secure BlackBerry action as well. According to an article in networkworld, AT&T will soon be providing federal department FEMA with BlackBerry 8820 smartphones.

If the government really wants to save your tax dollars and get a good deal, it’s no secret that they’d save money buying phones from an independent retailer instead. If security is their concern, ThriftyComputer offers a 30 day money back warranty on all items, plus five star reviews from EBay. Maybe FEMA is in a hurry? After all, they are the Federal Emergency Management agency. Not a problem - ThriftyComputer offers super fast priority shipping.

If the 8830 is what your after - get your BlackBerry 8830 smartphone even before the President gets his - Brand New World Edition 8830 BlackBerries are on sale for only $174.95 at ThriftyComputer.com. just don’t tell Obama - it’’s not nice to make the President jealous.

Gotta love the Blackberry. Even Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak uses one on the road, and President Obama’s affection for his Blackberry is infamous.

Who can blame them? Of all the sleep-deprived, over-caffeinated developers working on cell phone software, an amazing amount of that effort is devoted to the Blackberry.

Blackberry has the very best user inferfaces for Facebook. With a new download and install, Facebook v1.5 for the Blackberry is available today,

With Twitter soon becoming the social network of choice for both business and pleasure, BlackBerry boasts some of the best new phone software for Twitter.

Right now, the two most popular applications for Twitter on the Blackberry are the TwitterBerry and Tiny Twitter. You can read more about the differences between the two applications at Twitip.com

And you can read more about different unlocked Blackberry smartphones at ThriftyComputer.com. The Blackberry 8120 Pearl Silver Unlocked is on sale for only $246.95.

Okay, so the Blackberry RIM Curve 8300 is curved instead of pointy. This makes it feel much better when it’s in your hands, in your pocket, or being run up and down your belly. We can tell that from the word “Curve”. But what does RIM stand for? Here are some guesses:

Radio In Mouth: This quadband phone operates on various GSM networks so you could talk to anyone all over the world with it. It’s like having a personal radio right in your mouth! RIM!

Riting Intellijence Makker: Speling gud when typing fast can be hard, but RIM will automagically spel-chek your emails for you. We didntt spel-chek this paragraf, beecause how often does anywon maek speling mistaks? (Actually, the BlackBerry SureType technology will ensure that your typing never looks like this last paragraph!)

Robot Infiltration Method: Robots are going to take over the earth inevitably, and will communicate only with computers. That’s why it’s essential that you have a device with USB 2.0 connectivity, BlackBerry Enterprise compatibility, and support for Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, and other email servers the robots will use to communicate. This BlackBerry RIM will allow you to blend in with our robot overlords and figure out what they’re up to.

Random Image Magnate: With a 2.0 Megapixel camera and 5x digital zoom, you’ll be able to take pictures of all sorts of random stuff, even really tiny stuff! And the SIM and Micro SD memory card slots ensure that you’ll be able to collect lots and lots of random images. Take pictures of everything around you; just don’t show the robots!

Whatever your interpretation of RIM (we suspect it is the very powerful Research in Motion software) that makes the BlackBerry RIM so special) we’re sure that you’ll find the very best deal on the BlackBerry RIM Curve 8300 at ThriftyComputer.com. ThriftyComputer is offering BRAND NEW RETAIL PACKAGES of the unlocked BlackBerry Curve 8300 for only $269.95. You won’t find a better deal.

Remaining Itemized Mentions: Listed below for your convenience.

* Automatic delivery of enterprise or personal email
* Easy-to-use intuitive trackball navigation; integrated spell checker with user-customizable dictionary
* Full PIM organization capabilities, including calendar, tasks, address book, and memo pad
* Connect to instant messaging networks using a variety of applications
* Speakerphone, conference calling, and voice dialing
* Noise-cancellation technology to offset background noise
* 2.5-inch TFT display with 320 x 240-pixel resolution
* 2.0 Megapixel camera with flash and 5x digital zoom
* Bluetooth 2.0 with stereo headset support; USB 2.0 connectivity
* Micro SD memory card slot
* This quadband phone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks.

Some people have “smartphones”, but the Blackberry Pearl 8100 is more like a Pearl of Wisdom. For example, you shouldn’t cast it in front of swine. The pigs will just try to eat your phone, and since the design is much slimmer and more phonelike than other blackberries, it might fit all too easily.

And stop looking in oysters for the Blackberry Pearl. Yes, it does have a 4-way trackball instead of a trackwheel. The trackball is not an actual pearl, it’s just part of the sleek design, and is not found inside of a mollusc. It will just help you use the sleek design better. Heck, you could even consider the trackball a crystal ball, as new SureType technology will predict what word you are typing before you finish it, allowing two letters to be placed on each key.

Regardless, if you’re going to be ordering a phone called the Pearl, you’d be crazy to get it in any other color than white. Would you buy a phone called the Red Ruby that was actually black and blue? The Pearl was clearly meant to be purchased in white, and that’s the tooth. You can show off your pearly whites by taking pictures with the 1.3 megapixel camera on the Pearl white, and sending them off to your friend Pearl White. She’s a little short, but that’s because her mother Snow preferred short men.

Editors Note: We think the BlackBerry Pearl is quite pearly lovely in BlackBerry Pearl Red, Blue, Pink, and the many other pearly-shiny colors available for sale at ThriftyComputer.com.

The Blackberry has been the darling of hot shot execs for several years running. Since I didn’t have a BlackBerry, I always wondered what all the fuss was about. So I did a little research into the BlackBerry Curve 8900, one of BlackBerry’s latest models featured on ThriftyComputer.com.

Even sleeker than previous versions, the Blackberry Curve 8900 is less than 4.3 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.6 inches, meaning that it fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, presuming that you aren’t also holding a cactus at the same time, in which case nothing is going to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, because you shouldn’t be picking up a cactus without some serious gloves on.

Anyway, the 8900 features a full QWERTY keyboard, although you’ll probably only type with one or two thumbs at a time, maybe three thumbs at most. There is also a large HVGA+ 480×360-pixel display with images so crisp you’ll swear that you were looking at an actual picture, because you are. The key thing is that text is clean instead of blurry, so you can read important messages with ease, presuming you are the type of person who actually receives important messages.

The 8900 is a small blackberry, but if you prefer a medium, you’re in luck. There’s not just one medium, but a whole multi-media suite on this device. A 3.2 megapixels camera allows you to take print-quality pictures with auto focus, auto flash, and auto mobile — if you take a picture of a car. Video recording is available, as well as an enhanced media player to play your favorite songs. Or if you are a masochist, your least favorite songs.

There’s also a built in GPS, as well as Blackberry Maps support, for those of you who tend to get lost. The Wi-Fi support ensures that just because you are traveling, you don’t have to be disconnected. With the Blackberry 8900, you’ve got everything well in hand.

Now put down that cactus.

Now here are the specification. (If you buy from Thrifty Computer, you can get it unlocked and for 33% off retail.)

* Camera (3.2 MP)
* Wi-Fi® Support
* Built-in GPS
* Enhanced Media Player
* Video Recording
* BlackBerry® Maps
* Wireless Email
* Organizer
* Browser
* Phone
* Corporate Data Access
* SMS/MMS

The moment you hear Bluetooth Headset you realize you want the kind of technology that will seamlessly connect to the MP3 on your cell phone and stream it without missing a beat and stop as a call comes in and deliver top-notch sound quality when you talk.

Bluetooth headsets have two main functions for us. The first is to allow you to make and receive calls with ease the second is to make sure it doesn’t fall out of your ear at the first sign of any movement. Jabra Bluetooth headsets have become legendary for combining style with quality without increasing the price.
The Jabra BT2040 Bluetooth Headset is the perfect case in point. Not only is it stylish and combines the classic Jabra Bluetooth Headset design of lightweight, robust construction and assurance in performance but, when purchased from Thriftycomputer, it also comes at an astounding price.

There are few Bluetooth Headsets to be had at less than $5 and at this price you get the kind of bargain that you have to pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming.

Do you talk on a mobile phone? Of course you do! And if you’re going to be talking on a mobile phone for long periods of time, your mouth is going to get tired. All that flapping your jaw might be dangerous if your jaw does not have proper support. That’s why you’ll want to look into the Jaw-bra BT-8040, the first bra designed specifically to support your jaw.

The Jaw-bra is compact. How compact? 1.5 inches by 0.7 inches by 0.5 inches. The Jaw-bra is so tiny, they had to remove the w-, and just call it the Jabra. And it weighs less than half an ounce, so little that if you decided to wear two dozen Jabra BT-8040 headsets at once, they still wouldn’t even weigh a pound.

Not that you need to wear two dozen at once, since the MultiPoint technology allows this headset to programmed to connect to up to 8 different devices, and even be connected to two at the exact same time. Wearing a pound of these headsets would let you have a separate conversation with a person in each of the 50 states, at once.

Of course, talking to so many people requires the latest audio technology. The Active Noise Reduction improves the quality of sound for you and everyone you talk to. Intelligent Volume Equalization automatically adjusts incoming audio volume to ampify quiet voices and keep noisy voices down to a reasonable level. This comes in handy if you’re on a conference call with Johnny Whispers and Bob Screamington.

When you want support for your flapping jaw, consider this jaw-bra — I mean, Jabra. Get yours for just $18.95 - that’s 73% off the regular retail price of $69.95 - only at ThriftyComputer.com. ThriftyComputer.com, Lingerie for Your Mouth and All Your Electronic Needs.

* Talk time: 6 hours
* Standby time: 200 hours
* Weight: 0.35 oz (< 10 grams)
* DSP (Digital signal processing) technology
* Active noise reduction
* Intelligent volume equalization
* MultiPoint connects up to 8 devices - 2 at any one time
* Less than 10 grams in weight
* Bluetooth 2.0 supporting headset - up to a 33 foot range

Skype has 450 million users worldwide and a devoted following of fans who routinely use the service to place free or low-cost global calls from their PCs and laptops. The thing was that unless you were at home and had your PC or laptop switched on you were unlikely to be able to take advantage of Skype’s ability to talk to other Skype users for free.

In a landmark deal Skype will, from May, make available Skype software for Blackberry users enabling those who feel they cannot be far from their laptops or PCs to use their Blackberry Bold or BlackBerry 8800 or a Blackberry 8900 or indeed any of the Blackberry smartphone range to make calls using Skype.

The service is currently available from Shape Services where the software can be downloaded on a free 7-day trial and then unlocked for just $19.99  It is called IM+ Skype and readily downloadable from Shape Services. You can see the Skype download for your Blackberry here.

In May Skype will obviously make this available free. The Skype-Blackberry link up is a major step by the Canadian company RIM (who market the Blackberrys) to widen the appeal of what used to be business-orientated products squarely aimed at road warriors. The new Blackberry range is not just funky in terms of looks but it is also great in terms of functionality and it is in this respect that Blackberry wins hands down on just about every phone out there. Sure the iPhone may have the name when it comes to fun but take it out of the night club and it is a phone made for playing more than work.

A Blackberry does both delivering style, quality and sophistication with an under-the-bonnet power which comes with the serious Blackberry processors that power the latest smartphones. This way when you pull out your Blackberry to listen to music, answer a call or send an email you are the one who impresses hands down.

To learn more about how you can assign customized ringtones to your Blackberry see our hot new feature about it.

Find low-cost, unlocked Blackberry cell phones here on our Blackberry pages.