I'm a new hire here so don't want to annoy people.

With that in mind, before I go ask the BES admins about either google maps or MS live search, are there any security reasons you guys can think of for keeping them off of a blackberry? I understand a generic "no applications installed" by users policy is probably a good idea. But I can't think of any reason, compliance, insider trading, logging of messages, etc, that would be valid for keeping gmaps off of here.

Basically if the BES admins on here can think of a good reason they would want to keep it off, I'm not going to go bother them. (well yet. Once I've been lost traveling for work a few times, and been here a while, I might still ask for an exception.)
If you can't I'm going to offer them a lunch for a good mapping program. (Hopefully google. I've had better luck with it around here)


Cheers

No, many BES Admins actually allow Google Maps as an exception to their rules about 3rd party apps. Live Search is new so they may not be familiar with that one. If they won't allow it, you should have BBMaps on your device.

Yea, I do have BB Maps. But it really annoys me. Wrong roads, roads ending where they haven't for ~15 years. My road isn't even on the map, and it's been around for 20+ years.
I don't care which, I just would prefer google maps or search live. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some huge risk for corporate data kind of thing before I asked him about it.

Thanks

It also comes down to support and time.

All devices running the same software is easy to make sure some 3rd party isn't doing something wonky with the device. If i get a call that a user's battery is no longer lasting through the day, I'll give the user a new battery. I don't have to worry about some app in the background draining the battery.

Time is related to testing apps. If I let you load Google Maps, then Fred will ask for something else, then I have to load it up on a test BB, and evaluate it for security risks.

I'm also responsible for the BB budget. I have to justify how come a user requires a higher price data plan. Or get blind sided by data overage charges.

Remember that admins just don't put on restrictions 'just because'.

Fortunatly, us US users have unlimited data plans so that isn't an issue. The other issues are valid. It's up to your individual BES Admin and corporate policy.

If you have a quota on data, that is one big reason to not allow google maps. gmaps is data intensive.

Couple of things to point out. I've never run into any BES capable data plans that didn't have unlimited data. Just don't pipe the BB traffic through your gateway. And why not just test the "popular" apps yourself ahead of time as part of your job as BES admin? That way when a user asks you can give them a "through" explanation on a perticular app as apposed to "It's just not allowed right now due to..."

I'm not saying you may not or don't do this already, just going by what you said in your post. (A test BB would indicate that you consider trying out new apps as "a hassle".) I dunno man, I test out new apps all the time (not all of them, but ones I know would be beneficial to my users). So far I've surprised a LOT of users who come up to me to ask about needing an app to do whatever and I have the answer for them or for those that come up with questions on why something doesn't work, etc. It's just part of the regular leg work we have to do as admin. Like I said, if you already do this then it's good, but if you don't it might be something to think about. I'm sure your users would appreciate it.

I never ran into a Canadian data plan that did not have limits. Roaming charges are also an issue.

I'm like a lot of other admins. I'm the IT manager here, with one staff. We support HO and 50 locations. If the device seems to be technology related, it's ours. I also do development.

I just don't have the time to just play around with apps. I'd love to, but just can't afford the time.