Super-secure BlackBerry on way to Obama

WASHINGTON, April 23 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama will soon be receiving his long-sought, super-secure BlackBerry, sources told The Washington Times.

Obama had been forced to give up his beloved but insufficiently secured BlackBerry after his inauguration and in the interim has been made to attach it to a cumbersome handheld device known as a Sectera Edge, supplied by the National Security Agency, the newspaper reported Thursday.

The added device is necessary to ensure that the president's e-mail, instant messages and phone calls on the BlackBerry cannot be intercepted by spies.

However, sources told the Times a sleek and ultra-secure new BlackBerry is on its way to Obama, who could be using it within a few months. The Times said it will use a software called SecureVoice, developed by Genesis Key Inc. of Washington.

Genesis Key Chairman Steven Garrett said he couldn't discuss the details of his work on Obama's new device, but he did say, "We're going to put his BlackBerry back in his hand."