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RIM Offers BlackBerry Service Without the BlackBerry

Posted by Zonk on from the spreading-the-crack-around dept.

TheCybernator writes "RIM has announced that they're essentially planning to offer BlackBerry service ... without the BlackBerry. The company plans an app suite that will turn its push e-mail technology into a platform for Windows Mobile 6 devices. Less than a week after a network outage crippled BlackBerry users across North America, Research In Motion announced an application pack for Windows Mobile 6 devices that Canadian software developers said will intensify the competition for push e-mail. The firm has said that the BlackBerry Application suite will appear as an icon on the screen of the Mobile Windows device and load BlackBerry applications such as e-mail, phone, calendar, address book, tasks, memos, browser, and instant messaging. RIM said users will easily be able toggle between the two platforms, one of which would have a BlackBerry-style interface."

6 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Already Available by asphaltjesus · · Score: 2, Informative

    on my Nokia 9300. I don't use it, but the client is definitely installed.

    This phone doesn't appear to be very popular in the U.S., but it's the most useful phone I've ever owned.

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    1. Re:Already Available by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's been available on Symbian devices for years.

      http://www.blackberry.com/news/press/2004/pr-23_02 _2004-01.shtml
      http://www.blackberry.com/ap/products/connect/sony ericsson_p910.shtml
      http://www.blackberry.com/uk/products/connect/sony ericssonP990.shtml

  2. Yes it does... by Ron+Harwood · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.palm.com/us/software/blackberryconnect/

    Blackberry Connect...

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  3. Re:What is "push email"? by Sonic+McTails · · Score: 4, Informative

    Pull email is also traditional email. A client polls the server and checks to see if any email is available. If it is, its downloaded. New messages are checked every few minutes but you don't instantly get the message unless your holding an open connection. Push email has the server tell the device that the email is now available, and sends it to the phone (or part of it; I use Microsoft's version with my MDA which only sends the first kilobyte until I request the rest). This saves battery life because the phone doesn't constantly have to poll, and the email is delivered within seconds of it arriving in the server. It's similar to IMAP IDLE expect that the phone doesn't need to keep a connection open.

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  4. Wiki article was weak... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2, Informative

    I read the Wiki article - it's pretty weak. (For example, it generally seems that messages are not really pushed out to clients, but the notifications are.)

    I think I found a white paper that explains at least the standard-based IMAP implementation better...
    http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=232039&cid= 18854827

  5. IMAP IDLE by nanosquid · · Score: 2, Informative

    I don't see why you need anything from Blackberry; many E-mail clients and servers support IMAP IDLE, which gives you the equivalent of push email.