I’m posting from my blackberry right now!
OK, I’m not really – I can read the SDMB on it but it gives me an error message when I try to post. Anyway, I think it’s somewhat plain – using the bb makes Dilbert look like he’s either masturbating or, at the least, clutching his crotch. I don’t know that people who don’t have bb’s would get the joke, but this is something I’ve seen a million times since my firm got them some years ago.
–Cliffy
Okay… something of a side jaunt, why would you use the blackberry under the table anyway?? I’ve never used mine in a meeting, but I’ve used my tungsten palmpilot, keeping it up in my hands, in plain view… it’s very easy to look like you’re just taking notes. (Sometimes I even am, lol.)
PS: Actually, I’ve taken a blackberry into a meeting once, but that was to receive a particular email I was expecting… had rigged up the server to notify me when our one millionth order came in. Everybody got a kick out of that, including the company CEO. Yes, I’m a database geek.
Count me among the Legions of the Obtuse. Of course, the problem was that I had no clue what they meant by “Blackberry.” I saw that and all I thought was, “they’re not in season.” Most humor relies at least a little bit on the recipient having some idea what you’re talking about. It’s a little esoteric to make jokes that hinge on yet another stupid techno toy (which apparently most of us don’t own ourselves).
It’s pretty obvious that he is working his Blackberry under the table so as to to appear like he isn’t paying attention. The constant movement of his arm makes him look like he is masterbating.
A Blackberry is a hand-held wireless email device, like a PDA for those who are unfamiliar.
On an unrelated side-note, the Blackberry issued to me by my company sure does me a lot of good permenantly locked in my drawer.
Two questions that I feel stupid asking…
(regarding the first of your posts.) Is it obvious that he’s trying to look like he’s not paying attention to the meeting, not paying attention to the blackberry, or neither??
why is it permanently locked in your drawer??
WOOHOOO!!! I’M KEYING INTO MY BLACKBERRY LIKE A MOTHERFU–
*What’s that?
Cafe Society?
Are you sure?*
Uhh, never mind.
I got it right away. But then, I’m a Blackberry user.
If I didn’t have my blackberry, I don’t know how I could make it through so many meetings. Besides, masturbation jokes crack me up. (And, yes, I can easily picture it being used that way). Now, I have an excuse to mastur-…I mean, blackberry during my meetings. [Eeewww…]
Wow, that haven’t fixed that bug yet? I reported it to the developers in 2002 when I couldn’t post to the SDMB from a Blackberry when I worked for a company that developed a web application for it. It was very useful for keeping up on the board while looking busy, though.
Except this is all assuming he got a Blackberry. But isn’t it pretty well established in Dilbert that if you ask the Pointy-Haired Boss for anything, you won’t get it?
User? Or…Abuser? :dubious:
Dilbert can be funny, but this one was just weak.
Thank you, Chronos! That was exactly why I was confused!
Way too obscure and subtle.
I’ve never heard of Blackberries before today, but I gathered that it was some sort of e-mail device. I noticed Dilbert’s arms, but like Left Hand of Dorkness I thought that he needed to take a leak. All I could think of was that the approval process involved a meeting that was really, really long.
We do sometimes see the boss display a degree a competance, even cleverness. I remember one classic Dilbert strip where the boss types out an e-mail message to the company: “Due to the worsening storm conditions, all non-essential personnel may leave early.” Then he takes out a pair of binoculars and looks out at the parking lot.
“This is going to be the easiest round of layoffs ever.”
ps: so much for the notion that today (friday)'s strip would have a continuation that puts a twist on the same meeting situation. 
I think it depends on if you’re using WAP or BES for surfing as well as your telecomm provider.
I love my Crackberry.
It is, on the other hand, yet another masturbation joke. Metaphorically, anyway …
Is Scott having problems with his girlfriend? (Oh yeah, that’s how to get the rumor mill started!)
I guess it’s obvious to me as a professional consultant. There are just these meetings that are so boring you are looking for any distraction to take your mind off being there - fiddleing with your cell phone settings, checking your email
I guess because I never need it. I’m always at my laptop, I’m not traveling, I don’t want to be contacted by the office when I go home and I can remotely connect to email from any computer anyhow. So basically, I just leave it locked in my drawer. Plus I enjoy the mental image of my manager sending me emails and saying “hmmm…I hope he gets this” while my Blackberry beeps away in my drawer.