1 As President Elect in January, Barack Obama’s first declaration of intent was to hang on to his beloved PDA. “I’m still clinging to my BlackBerry,” he told CNBC. “They’re going to pry it out of my hands.” Now, according to reports in the US, the President is at last going to take receipt of a high-security, hacker-blocking presidential BlackBerry

2 While Mr Obama has been waiting for his new machine, he has been using this Windows-based Sectéra Edge Smartphone, a virtually indestructible $3,500 (£2,400) mobile device that was developed for the National Security Agency’s Secure Mobile Environment Portable Electronic Device programme

3 The Sectéra Edge is certified to protect wireless voice communications classified Top Secret and below as well as access e-mail and websites classified Secret and below. The user can switch between secure and nonsecure communications by pushing a button.

4 The dot-matrix display below the main screen provides information on the security status of his or her current communication

5 For maximum connectivity, the Sectéra Edge comes with classified ports, on the right hand side of the device, for serial and USB connection. On the rear, the wireless module is interchangeable, and can be swapped for different phone regions or WiFi internet communication

6 The President’s new BlackBerry is the 8830 international model. Introduced two years ago, in standard form it is capable of connecting to mobile networks worldwide, but has no camera. It’s a lot less bulky than a Sectéra, (the BlackBerry 8830 weighs 132g (4.6oz), the Sectera 340g but not as likely to withstand being dropped 6ft on concrete. It also costs a lot less – $550 without a contract

7 The “BarackBerry”, as it has been christened, will feature a host of security and encryption software, written especially to National Security Association standards. The special software is called SecurVoice, and was developed by Genesis Key Inc

8 The White House is tight-lipped about the precise workings of the new machine, but the President may have to put up with a delay of up to 50 minutes before receiving e-mails, so that each one can be scanned for viruses. Close family members will also be issued with BarackBerrys

9 White House staff have been working on how to archive the messages because the Presidential Records Act requires the National Archives to preserve e-mails and other records, although exceptions are certain to be made. Messages from the President to his wife about what time he will be home for dinner will not be kept

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