Our company has invested in the BES Server + 22 8700 units, originally just for the standard access to email on the move.

A new project for the end of Q1 has identified several companies who provide a handheld data collection tool on Ipaqs, Symbols and the like - but obviously as we've invested in Blackberry, we don't really want to get new expensive units in addition our existing ones, our guys would end up having 2 units!

Is there a Blackberry unit which runs Mobile 5, is touch screen and can run a mobile forms/data capture tool for quality monitoring ? (Also with a decent viewing screen like the standard 3.5" PDAs)

Secondly, are there any UK based Software Houses which provide the actual software for the BB's, should my first question prove fruitful !

Thanks in advance.

I'd appreciate it if anyone has any thoughts or could help.

There are no BlackBerrys that run WM 5. You may find some WM devices which run an application called "BlackBerry Connect" which gives you some of the BB functions on a non BlackBerry device. Check out the BlackBerry on Non Rim Hardware Forum - http://www.blackberryforums.com/blac...-rim-hardware/

There are no BBs with touch screens or WM5. That's kind of the point...

Flowfinity has a very nice suite of BlackBerry products that may help you.

www.Flowfinity.com

I work for a small local phone company which has about 20 field techs that we push work order forms to and from, works great. Saves time and lots of headaches we had before.
It even has a bar code scanner device that is compatible with the blackberry and their software for ouy warehouse techs.

Good luck.

Take a look at AirMobility as well - AIRMobility.net.

They support wireless field forms, barcoding, job dispatching, etc.