Blackberry Enterprise Server for the Rest of Us?

[Nerd]

Apple has done a good job of somewhat influencing RIM on their feature-set (see the "Bold" with iTunes syncing, metal features, better screen, etc.)..

So now that Apple has introduced "MobileMe (http://www.apple.com/mobileme)", an over-the-air push service a la BIS/BES that consumers can subsribe to and operate, always in-sync, via Outlook, a website, their iPhone, etc.. (using the slogan, "Exchange for the Rest of Us") will RIM now give us this joy?

I know many people just waiting for a small-time over-the-air solution for their Blackberries. With their relatively recent push for the everyday user, they must realize that this feature, that has made Blackberry famous, is missing from their new consumer admirers.

Is Blackberry listening?

[ma077146]

I hope they're listening; there's nothing like a bit of competition to get new features developed and drop prices.

[oakie]

why not just sign up for BIS?

for me, BIS costs $19.95/mo.

if i wanted an alternative data plan, it would still cost me $19.95/mo. but if i wanted to go that route with exchange style "push" info, it will cost more on top of it.

the "MobileMe" exchange system costs $99/yr on top of the AT&T data plan at $30/mo... a benefit that can be had for free from Google Gears with an iPhone. in the case of BB users, simply getting a BIS plan is nearly half the price.

i use Google Gears with my laptop and BB. maybe i'm missing something?

[kwsmithphoto]

I think they'll have no choice but to respond with something like it at a comparable price.

BIS is enough for me except for one thing: remote wiping. I'm self employed and don't need my work computers to be wirelessly updated with contact and schedule changes. But remote wipe, which Apple's upcoming MobileMe software supports, would would really be nice to have.

Yes I know there are 3rd party BES providers I can use but the cheapest I've found (that I trust) is $20 a month, plus I'd have to upgrade my Verizon plan at $10-14 a month to use it. Way too much but I understand why:

I talked to my web hosting provider, where all of my business email goes through. They've been struggling to find a way to make it happen but RIM makes it impossible since they use Apache (that's a good thing). They tell me they'd have literally rebuild their entire email infrastructure around MS Exchange and raise their rates because it's a nightmare to setup and support.

But I don't need CIA-grade security. RIM could implement this through BIS if they wanted to but it wouldn't be as secure as BES. Which is fine; they could do both: continue to offer BES for those who need it, and enable BIS to do what MobileMe does.

And like I said, they probably will.

[kwsmithphoto]

Replying because I forgot to subscribe to the thread. Sorry.

[CanuckBB]

I think they'll have no choice but to respond with something like it at a comparable price.

BIS is enough for me except for one thing: remote wiping. I'm self employed and don't need my work computers to be wirelessly updated with contact and schedule changes. But remote wipe, which Apple's upcoming MobileMe software supports, would would really be nice to have.

Yes I know there are 3rd party BES providers I can use but the cheapest I've found (that I trust) is $20 a month, plus I'd have to upgrade my Verizon plan at $10-14 a month to use it. Way too much but I understand why:

I talked to my web hosting provider, where all of my business email goes through. They've been struggling to find a way to make it happen but RIM makes it impossible since they use Apache (that's a good thing). They tell me they'd have literally rebuild their entire email infrastructure around MS Exchange and raise their rates because it's a nightmare to setup and support.

But I don't need CIA-grade security. RIM could implement this through BIS if they wanted to but it wouldn't be as secure as BES. Which is fine; they could do both: continue to offer BES for those who need it, and enable BIS to do what MobileMe does.

And like I said, they probably will.

You do realize that if you set a password on your device, it will wipe itself after 10 wrong attempts right?

[Sith_Apprentice]

Blackberry Unite! ring a bell anyone? there is a forum dedicated to this, and it doesnt store your info on a remote site either, its your home PC

[Dawg]

and best of all sith its free and stored on your own personal PC

[Serpentine009]

Isn't Blackberry Unite supposed to turn your desktop into a server that can host files, and images and more importantly full Otlook Sync over the air? That would probably be the answer to Apple's mobile me. If the new touch BB is even half cool, they could put a dent into Apple's strangle on the market.

Overall its widely agreed that there should be some sort of full OTA sync program for the non-corporate user. It can't be that hard to develop.

[Nerd]

why not just sign up for BIS?

for me, BIS costs $19.95/mo.

if i wanted an alternative data plan, it would still cost me $19.95/mo. but if i wanted to go that route with exchange style "push" info, it will cost more on top of it.

the "MobileMe" exchange system costs $99/yr on top of the AT&T data plan at $30/mo... a benefit that can be had for free from Google Gears with an iPhone. in the case of BB users, simply getting a BIS plan is nearly half the price.

i use Google Gears with my laptop and BB. maybe i'm missing something?

I have BIS, that's the problem... BIS doesn't offer over the air syncing of calendar, contacts, etc.. the way BES does. When I make a change in Outlook or on my device, I'd like the other to recognize it immediately. MobileMe seems to solve this for the average user (although they leave out note syncing... :???:)

[PabloTX]

I have BIS, that's the problem... BIS doesn't offer over the air syncing of calendar, contacts, etc.. the way BES does. When I make a change in Outlook or on my device, I'd like the other to recognize it immediately.

You can get OTA syncing of the Calendar and Outlook (albeit in a roundabout way) by using the Google Sync for Mobile on your BB (to sync to a Google calendar) then using the Google Calendar Sync on your desktop to sync that Google calendar with your Outlook calendar. You can set it up to work bidirectionally or one way (whichever way you prefer). Works with Outlook 2003 and 2007.

So with Google Calendar and Gmail, you get push email and wireless calendar sync, two of the big advantages of BES.

Though I agree that a "personal" BES type of app would be ideal. But this is free and available now.

[Nerd]

You can get OTA syncing of the Calendar and Outlook (albeit in a roundabout way) by using the Google Sync for Mobile on your BB (to sync to a Google calendar) then using the Google Calendar Sync on your desktop to sync that Google calendar with your Outlook calendar. You can set it up to work bidirectionally or one way (whichever way you prefer). Works with Outlook 2003 and 2007.

So with Google Calendar and Gmail, you get push email and wireless calendar sync, two of the big advantages of BES.

Though I agree that a "personal" BES type of app would be ideal. But this is free and available now.

Yep, I do use the Google syncing apps that are out there, but its just too unreliable and too many hoops to jump through.. plus having to install another app just for syncing is just a pain.

[dualsub2006]

the "MobileMe" exchange system costs $99/yr on top of the AT&T data plan at $30/mo... a benefit that can be had for free from Google Gears with an iPhone. in the case of BB users, simply getting a BIS plan is nearly half the price.

i use Google Gears with my laptop and BB. maybe i'm missing something?

And hosted BES will cost $30 more than MobileMe. That is what you have to compare it to because MobileMe has OTA mail, contact and calendar sync. Not all of these are available with BIS.

Yes you can use Google Gears for some of it, but not all of it.

[dualsub2006]

Yep, I do use the Google syncing apps that are out there, but its just too unreliable and too many hoops to jump through.. plus having to install another app just for syncing is just a pain.

I'm kind of lost on this one here. I have Google Sync on my BB and on all four of my computers that have Outlook on them. It is perfectly reliable for me, I have no hoops to jump through because it does it's thing without intervention and the download was not painful to me.

Given the fact that Google provides calendar sync for free and without it I would have to to a wired sync with Outlook I find it to be a dream. That's just me though.

[test54]

and best of all sith its free and stored on your own personal PC

I agree that free is always better but on your own PC is not always good. See all the people that struggle with their computer everyday.
To put the info in the "cloud" can be great as you can check things out from any PC through the website and you don't have to worry about losing it from your PC. Its apple's take on the BIS only they added wireless sync to it.
I was hoping the price would come down but I will be using the 60 trial when it comes out and see how it works with my iphone. First reports were pretty good coming from the bloggers yesterday.

[Dawg]

I didnt expect any less of an answer from you. Yes and see all the people who complain about their BBS and their cars and everything else. People will complain no matter what. I am concerned with security and online storage isnt secure if you ask me.

I would rather be responsible for my own information I dont want anything stored on someone elses servers. If their servers crash iuts gone too and you are paying them an extra 100 bucks a year. to boot you have no idea how secure it is. I know how secure my PC and my BB are.

[Nerd]

I'm kind of lost on this one here. I have Google Sync on my BB and on all four of my computers that have Outlook on them. It is perfectly reliable for me, I have no hoops to jump through because it does it's thing without intervention and the download was not painful to me.

Given the fact that Google provides calendar sync for free and without it I would have to to a wired sync with Outlook I find it to be a dream. That's just me though.

I'm going to give Google Sync another shot on my pc and device tonight. When I first tried it it kept giving me duplicates or missing events entirely.

Maybe "jumping through hoops" wasn't accurate.. but the fact that I need to add an application to wirelessly sync my calendar meanwhile I'd still have to sync my device to my pc for my notes and contacts defeats the purpose for me.