Blackberry Phones

Earlier today, Research In Motion announced its intentions to bring its BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) its mobile device security and administration services to both Android and iOS. Through its acquisition of ubitexx, the Canadian company is looking to expand the portfolio of mobile devices its BES solution supports. “The single web-based console is being designed to provide IT administrators with a simple and efficient way to distribute software and manage policies, inventory, security and services for BlackBerry devices, as well as other mobile devices,” reads the press release.

“IT administrators will be able to manage devices over-the-air, including activating devices, distributing software and applications, locking or wiping devices, enforcing and resetting device passwords, setting IT policies, and managing optional mobile applications for end users. Certain features are expected to remain exclusive to BlackBerry devices because such capabilities are built into the design of a device’s operating system.” The new solution should be available “later this year.” Hit the jump for the full release.

RIM Announces Multi-Platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution for Smartphones and Tablets

Device Management Solution to Provide Security, Management, and Control of BlackBerry Devices, Plus Secure Management for Other Mobile Devices

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM, TSX: RIM) is announcing today plans for a multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution for managing and securing mobile devices for enterprises and government organizations. The solution will make available the market-leading management, security and controls of BlackBerry® Enterprise Server and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express for BlackBerry® devices plus, through RIM’s pending acquisition of ubitexx (creator of the ubi-Suite device management solution), the solution is expected to incorporate secure device management for Android and iOS based devices and tablets, all managed from a single web-based console.

“The multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is designed to address a growing market and respond to requests from enterprise customers who want a secure multi-platform device management solution from a company that already delivers the gold standard for enterprise mobility,” said Peter Devenyi, Vice President, Communications Platform Group at Research In Motion. “We recognize the opportunity to continue leading in the enterprise market by providing customers with a common platform to help simplify the management of a variety of mobile devices.”

The single web-based console is being designed to provide IT administrators with a simple and efficient way to distribute software and manage policies, inventory, security and services for BlackBerry devices, as well as other mobile devices. IT administrators will be able to manage devices over-the-air, including activating devices, distributing software and applications, locking or wiping devices, enforcing and resetting device passwords, setting IT policies, and managing optional mobile applications for end users. Certain features are expected to remain exclusive to BlackBerry devices because such capabilities are built into the design of a device’s operating system. Examples include RIM’s industry-leading push technology, network and data usage efficiency, behind-the-firewall access to enterprise applications and systems, and many of the over 550 IT policies available through BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The recently-released BlackBerry® BalanceTM technology (see separate press release issued today), which supports the use of a single smartphone for both work and personal purposes without compromising thesecurity of corporate content or the privacy of personal content, will also remain exclusive to BlackBerry devices.

Overall, as is largely understood in the enterprise market today, organizations can expect a range of security, manageability and controls depending on different device platform capabilities, with some devices further limited by the design of their operating system.

The multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution will be comprised of optional architectural components based on the configuration of an organization’s mobile deployment and their operational needs. Optional components will include BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express for BlackBerry devices, and a separate, secure device management server for Android and iOS devices (based on the foundation of ubi-Suite from ubitexx). It will be possible to deploy multiple components in a virtualized environment on a single server.

Note: Registration for a product preview of the ubitexx solution is open today at www.ubitexx.com/preview.

The multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is planned for general availability later this year.

Over the past year or so it’s become clear that there is a cure for the CrackBerry addict. For many it’s called the iPhone, for others it’s Android, while still others are getting their kicks from other platforms. IT departments worldwide are relaxing their rules and getting a little smartphone agnostic and now it sounds like RIM is thinking about finding a way to reel those newly straight-edged users back into their former habits. RIM Vice President Pete Devenyi had this to say on the subject:

BlackBerry is and will continue to be dominant in most corporations, [but] it’s not going to be the only device given the fact that consumers have the choice to bring in their own devices and IT departments are often letting them in. So there’s a question there. Do those corporations have to manage those devices differently or is there the possibility that RIM might extend capabilities to make it easier for those corporations to manage those devices as well? … If the right thing to do is to extend a subset of those [BlackBerry] capabilities to be able to manage other devices, it’s worthy of a conversation

Right now he’s just talking about device management, but if this goes forward it could be a sign of a willingness for RIM to move some of its proprietary services to other devices. BBM on Android and iPhone? We know a few people getting positively giddy at that (highly speculative) prospect.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that in the last 18 months, Apple has hired at least five employees of the RIM enterprise team. They also speculate that there are many more employees that have, or are considering, jumping ship. Some of the employees that left RIM includes the Head of Strategy Sales who is now Head of Enterprise iPhone Sales at Apple. With over 80% of Fortune 500 companies trialling or using iPhones, there’s little doubt that Apple is gearing for a huge battle in the enterprise sector. The latest release of iOS 4.2 is the best version yet for corporate integration, and with the iPad finally getting the popular iPhone OS 4 features, we can only imagine things will be heating up even more in the coming months.

These days, the talk surrounding mobile devices is really heating up. With the explosion of Android devices and the ongoing substantial growth of the iPhone  showing no signs of slowing down, many folks are constantly looking at their options. Be it, switching from Android to iPhone, iPhone from BlackBerry to webOS or however else you really want to look at it, people are making choices and changes on what they want from their mobile devices.

This area is certainly going to expand as well. Windows Phone 7 devices are soon to arrive and many are waiting to see what is in store for them as consumers there. One thing that has really been a focus of some media outlets is the supposed influx of people deciding to leave BlackBerry in an effort to seek out more. While it is true that many users appear to be heading away from BlackBerry devices, one often forgets to look at the information about how many of those users once gone, actually come back to BlackBerry devices after spending time on other platforms.

Each day, the CrackBerry forums fills up with users proclaiming they are either leaving BlackBerry for another platform or, they have just arrived back from another platform and are proclaiming what they missed about their BlackBerry devices. Now, being a multi platform user myself, I can easily say the grass is not exactly always greener on the side of the fence. For some though it is and that’s quite alright as people SHOULD be buying devices based on their needs rather then what they think is cool. But often times this isn’t the case. Often times, people will buy what they think they need or want rather then face then reality being that they really do not need all the bells and whistles that some other devices offer.

So how about you all, anyone tried another platform yet returned back to BlackBerry for whatever reason? If so, tell us why in the comments it’s always cool to see the variation of users. In the meantime, check out the forum thread posted below and see some reasons others have chosen to return back to their BlackBerry devices having spent time on other platforms

According to Research In Motion, the company now has over 10,000 applications in their application store, App World. While 10,000 is not a number to be scoffed at, BlackBerry pales in comparison to Apple’s 250,000 apps and Android’s estimated 100,000 figure.

RIM also has the challenge of fighting Google and Apple in the application quality department; BlackBerry apps are probably the most unpolished at this point. Let’s hope RIM’s developer conference — DevCon — will kick things into the next gear.

I hoped this was coming. Here it is. A joint statement from RIM Co-CEOs in response to misleading comments from Apple made Friday by Steve Jobs at the iPhone 4 press conference:

“Apple’s attempt to draw RIM into Apple’s self-made debacle is unacceptable. Apple’s claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public’s understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple’s difficult situation. RIM is a global leader in antenna design and has been successfully designing industry-leading wireless data products with efficient and effective radio performance for over 20 years. During that time, RIM has avoided designs like the one Apple used in the iPhone 4 and instead has used innovative designs which reduce the risk for dropped calls, especially in areas of lower coverage. One thing is for certain, RIM’s customers don’t need to use a case for their BlackBerry smartphone to maintain proper connectivity. Apple clearly made certain design decisions and it should take responsibility for these decisions rather than trying to draw RIM and others into a situation that relates specifically to Apple.”

- Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie

Well said guys, well said. I know it can be easier to take the path of least resistance and just let things slide sometimes, but on some occasions you just can’t go that route. You called this one as it is… BS. And hey, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 owners themselves have also voiced their opinions and done the tests to back it up with real life evidence. No Bold 9700 antenna issues, thank you very much.

Apple and Research In Motion reportedly tried to buy Palm before Hewlett-Packard (HP) won the rights to the smartphone pioneer, according to a report.

We had previously known that there were other bidders for Palm but sources definitively told Business Insider that Apple and RIM were major suitors. The report said that Apple offered up to $600 million and could have been willing to fund Palm in a potential bid to hurt RIM in the enterprise market. Apple reportedly also wanted Palm’s wealth of mobile patents, probably to give it more ammunition against companies like HTC.

As for RIM, I thought there were a ton of natural synergies for a Palm purchase. Even though the company has BlackBerry 6 on the horizon, I don’t think this is enough to be compelling in a world with the Apple iPhone and Google Android. RIM could have taken the beauty of webOS and marry that with its back-end expertise and strong hardware skills to offer products that appeal to the mainstream while still keeping the corporate crowd happy.

Google also reportedly sniffed around Palm, mainly as a way to one-up Apple. Nokia was also nowhere to be found in a Palm deal, as it apparently thinks MeeGo and Symbian are enough.

The IntoMobile team also thought HTC would be a good purchaser for multiple reasons. This would give it the patents necessary to go toe-to-toe with Apple and I would have loved to see what the Sense UI team could have done with its own full-fledged operating system. Additionally, you wouldn’t have had the hardware issues we saw with the clunky Pre is HTC was pumping out webOS phones.

In the end, the $1.2 billion that HP offered was too much to pass up and I do think it will be a great fit down the line. Now, let’s see some new webOS phones and tablets, HP.

I still think of CrackBerry.com as a relatively young website, having only launched in February 2007. Of course RIM/BlackBerry have been around a lot longer than that, but as young as I like to *think* we are, we definitely have more grey hairs than Apple when it comes to the smartphone game.  We’ve always considered the iPhone to be BlackBerry’s #1 frenemy since the original iPhone was announced, and that friendly rivalry has continued over the years as we’ve seen the iPhone’s annual update get released to the public. With both BlackBerry and the iPhone excelling somewhat at opposite ends of the spectrum of smartphone needs/capabilities (remember our Smartphone Hierarchy of Needs?), every new iPhone and BlackBerry releases brings the two closer, addressing more of the gaps that each has had.

I haven’t had a chance to go hands-on with the iPhone 4 yet (will pick one up when it hits Canada to see just how I personally like it), but it definitely appears to be the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone. The hardware design is pretty industrial (looks good to me), the display and cameras look solid and just as BlackBerry users always have their heads down while walking and typing in public, I can already see the Apple addicts who are going to be walking around with their outreached arms in front of their heads facetime chatting (watch out!).

CrackBerry iPhone 4 Sound Off: So where do you stand on Apple’s iPhone 4? If you’re a BlackBerry user and haven’t been enticed by the any of the previous iPhones, does the iPhone 4 now have something that grabs your attention? Are you a BlackBerry person no matter what? Is there anything you wish your BlackBerry had that the iPhone now offers? Or is there something about your BlackBerry that would make you think about the iPhone more if Apple had it? Or maybe you’re now a BlackBerry + iPad person… is there even a draw towards having a BlackBerry + iPhone/iPod touch anymore when you could have a BlackBerry + iPad?  Sound off in the comments and let us know where you’re at on Apple’s current mobile offerings.

Apple iPhone 4 Review: Rene has reviewed the heck out of the iPhone 4 over at our sibling site TiPB.com (with some of Dieter’s help on the video!). Be sure to check out their iPhone 4 Review if you want the skinny on Apple’s  latest creation.