greg hughes - dot net

Maybe I should head to Chicago for a week.

According to Reuters, the Sheraton Chicago hotel's general manager, Rick Ueno, has devised a rather unique informal program for Crackberry addicts. Check in, hand your Blackberry over to Ueno, and detox for the rest of your time there.

Ueno... said the program which began Wednesday grew out of his own personal BlackBerry addiction. His one-step recovery was switching to a regular cell phone.

"I was really addicted to my BlackBerry. I had an obsession with e-mail," he told Reuters. "Morning and night. There came a time when I didn’t think it was healthy ... I quit cold turkey."

Ueno said he would take personal charge of any BlackBerrys or related devices guests want to surrender and place them in his office locked up until their return is requested. There is no charge.

"I run a hotel with over 900 employees and thousands of guests. I think I’m more effective. I feel better. I sleep better. My family likes it," he said of his post-BlackBerry life.

He might be onto something...