RIM Offers BlackBerry Service Without the BlackBerry

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."

Comments

iPhone Connection?

[Spencerian]

Apple's offering to the phone world, the iPhone, as well as competing smartphones, may be convincing RIM to make itself more of a wireless communications service than a PDA provider. Palm is an excellent example of what can happen if you hold on too long to your own OS and not extend yourself when competition (Windows CE/Mobile) arrived.

PDAs and phone functionality were blending fast before the iPhone was announced. Although it's still vaporware by definition, the iPhone's introduction is changing the competitive landscape. It's in RIM's interests if they can made any of their services with any phone, although the use of Berries would likely be preferable.

Re:This is in response to their previous offer.

[FlyingOrca]

You jest, but that's what I have, and it's great. The Blackberry Pearl is a nicely implemented smartphone, available through various cellular providers with or without data plans but independent of RIM's Blackberry service either way. I like it for handy access to my calendar and seamless integration with my notebook. I love it for the keyboard - I use SMS incessantly for keeping in touch with my band and with my partner when one of us is out of town (especially overseas).

I'm not really interested in email or web browsing on mine, so I don't have a data plan - but the Blackberry without Blackberry service is actually quite awesome. Just so you know. ;-)

Re:Yes it does...

[biglig2]

What's new is that BBConnect is a very limited subset of BB functions - basically it's just a way of making the current mail client in your PDA get mail dropped into it from the BES. For a lot of people this is of course enough, but I know that, for example, I'd miss the BBs OTA calendar syncing, for example. So a full BB emulation on the PDA may suit some people better. Of course, a lot depends on how much the other apps can access the BB features. For example, can you mail a photo you take with your Treo's camera using the BB?