*** Obama ditched BlackBerry, but his new device isn't exactly a 'smart' phone | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Obama ditched BlackBerry, but his new device isn't exactly a 'smart' phone

Washington : Once upon a time, BlackBerry devices were prized by government officials for their security features, but those days are long gone. Today, the once mighty device has fallen so far out of favor that even U.S., President Obama has been given the green light to ditch the BlackBerry. But there's a catch — his new "smartphone" has been severely dumbed down.

During an appearance on the Tonight Show, Obama told Jimmy Fallon that instead of a BlackBerry he now carries an unnamed smartphone that, for security reasons, can't take photos, play music, send texts or even make phone calls.

Obama even makes mention of watching enviously as his daughters and the first lady use modern smartphones while he's forced to use a feature-poor device. But the commander-in-chief can take heart, in just a matter of months his term in the White House will be over and he can get back to being the "high tech guy" he once was.