Digital Age Creating PDA Addicts

March 20, 2005 — -- Kevin Fisher is a partner in a high-powered San Francisco law firm who considers himself a Blackberry addict.

"The Blackberry is always with me, and I'm almost always conscious of the Blackberry and thinking about the Blackberry," Fisher said.

Like many people in the digital age, Fisher is finding that his personal digital assistant, or PDA, which includes a computer, text messenger and cell phone all in one, is becoming more than another convenient office tool -- it's becoming an obsession.

For busy professionals, the Blackberry and other PDAs have become indispensable, the secretary who never takes a day off.

"There's a reason they call them crackberries," said Matt Bean, an associate editor at Men's Health magazine. "I mean, once you get your hands on one of these things it's impossible to put it down. People want to stay in touch with what's going on back in the office, so I've seen guys carrying them into bathrooms, gym locker rooms, everywhere."

But many people are finding there may be a fine line between staying in touch with the office and being out of touch at home.