[PatrickBDunlap]

I would like to see the "push" technology of the BB used on a palm device instead of the modem hotsync that is required now. I have also heard that RIM signed a deal with Microsoft also for Pocket PC.

We had a meeting at my company with 3 RIM, one Verizon, and one Nextel reps a few weeks ago. One of the things that came up was the Blackberry Connect for other device other then the BB heldhelds and it was said that these device were less secure (BB handhelds use strong encryption to transmit data over wireless).

PalmSource and RIM Introduce BlackBerry Connect for Palm OS

PalmSource to Give Sneak Preview during Keynote

Wireless Enterprise Symposium, Chicago, Ill, May 18, 2004, Booth # 402 — PalmSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSRC) provider of Palm OS™, a leading operating system powering next generation mobile devices and smartphones, and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a leading developer of wireless solutions, have completed their distribution agreement to make BlackBerry Connect™ available to Palm OS licensees. Together, BlackBerry Connect and Palm OS will extend email and corporate data connectivity to Palm Powered™smart mobile devices, facilitating workforce productivity while away from the office. PalmSource™ President and CEO David Nagel will demonstrate the BlackBerry Connect offering for Palm OS during his keynote presentation at the Wireless Enterprise Symposium on Tuesday, May 18 at 9:00 am CDT.

The BlackBerry® Connect offering for Palm OS is the result of a joint development effort between PalmSource and RIM, announced in December 2003, to provide Palm OS licensees with access to the industry-leading, push-based, BlackBerry wireless infrastructure and to enable seamless connectivity between Palm Powered smart mobile devices and BlackBerry wireless services (including BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ and BlackBerry Web Client™), as well as global address list look-up and IT policy support. PalmSource is expected to make the Palm OS Mail Client that supports BlackBerry Connect available to Palm OS licensees in the second half of 2004, as previously announced.

"BlackBerry Connect on Palm Powered smart mobile devices will broaden the reach of our wireless platform into new markets and strengthen our presence in the Palm OS community," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO of Research In Motion. "BlackBerry Connect on Palm Powered smart mobile devices will enable users to stay connected with email and other data applications and allow IT departments and mobile operators to leverage their existing investments in the BlackBerry wireless platform."

"BlackBerry Connect broadens the choice of wireless messaging solutions for our Palm OS licensees to create mobile products that better meet the demands of today's mobile professionals," said David Nagel, president and CEO of PalmSource. "We believe BlackBerry Connect and Palm OS fulfills enterprise customer demand for a push-based, end-to-end secure access to corporate data and email, while maintaining flexibility, uncompromised power and ease of use, and software compatibility that are the hallmarks of Palm OS."

"Wireless data connectivity is fundamental to the continuing growth of mobile devices and services and a strong contributor to increased ROI in the enterprise;" said Kevin Burden, program manager of IDC's Mobile Devices research service. "Combined with the thousands of Palm OS applications, BlackBerry Connect on Palm OS will strengthen the presence of Palm Powered mobile devices in the enterprise and further solidify the Palm OS platform's value to this market."

"RIM is a recognized leader in enabling secure wireless email and data connectivity to mobile devices," said H. Woo Kim, vice president of Mobile Communication Division at Samsung Electronics. "Combining BlackBerry Connect with Palm OS and Samsung's world-leading Mobile Information Terminals (MITs) strengthens our offering to enterprise customers."

BlackBerry is the industry-leading wireless platform that keeps mobile professionals connected to their important information and communications while on the go. It is an award-winning solution that can provide users with integrated wireless access to a range of business applications, including email, phone, corporate data, web, SMS and organizer applications. For larger enterprises with an IT department, BlackBerry Enterprise Server software tightly integrates with Microsoft® Exchange or IBM Lotus® Domino™ and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based, wireless access to existing email and other corporate data. For individuals, BlackBerry Web Client provides an Internet-based email interface that allows users to access multiple corporate and/or personal email accounts without the need for server software (including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and popular ISP email accounts) from a single BlackBerry handheld.

[Tom]

I would like to see push technology on a device such a Tungston, but it has to have a keyboard and expansion capabilities. Thats the important part.. expansion capabilities, something Blackberries unfortunately lack.

[headtailgrep]

When is this due to be released? anyone know?

[Skive]

Originally Posted by PatrickBDunlap

We had a meeting at my company with 3 RIM, one Verizon, and one Nextel reps a few weeks ago. One of the things that came up was the Blackberry Connect for other device other then the BB heldhelds and it was said that these device were less secure (BB handhelds use strong encryption to transmit data over wireless).

The more cynical amongst us might think that they reason they made such claims is due to them not having any bb connect devices to sell you, rim will have supplied the bb connect partners more than enough to ensure that the blackberry support remains as secure as ever.