Besides the standard email uses, the BlackBerry is good for reading news and doing light web browsing when there is some downtime (e.g. waiting in line).

Of course, you do need to be aware of the expectation that you have constant access to email--see how others in your organization feel about the device. If you are fortunate enough for others to be understanding about evenings, weekends and/or holidays, then I would definitely recommend the Blackberry. It frees you of the need to log in to check your email or setting up a connection with your laptop.

I'm not a big fan of the larger (non 7100-series) Blackberry for use as a phone, but the new 8700 series may show more promise because of its smaller size and dedicated phone buttons.