2007 19
Blackberry and Microsoft both on the way out…
Published by MartinVarsavsky.net in Internet & Technology with No Comments
Now that I abandoned Microsoft for Ubuntu and Mac I am about to drop my Blackberry as well. Blackberry for Mac sync is very bad and there´s nothing for Linux. Plus on Microsoft it only syncronizes with Outlook which is the source of most problems with Microsoft. Even in Parallels where I still have Microsoft I don´t have Microsoft Office nor do I use Outlook. And now that there´s Gmail for mobile devices the benefit of Blackberry has decreased. Yes on one hand the interface is quick and easy to use but on the other with Blackberry you only have the e mails of the last 3 days while with Gmail you have the whole year and it´s searcheable. Moreover the Blackberry I have comes with only 25MB from Vodafone and it invariably fills up and this forces me to go to the web site to erase the messages something I hate to do. And Vodafone has made a horrible web site for Blackberry that ONLY works with Internet Explorer. Nobody I know still uses Internet Explorer. Firefox rules. So long Blackberry after so many years? Well I dumped Microsoft so Blackberry may indeed be next.
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Ansgar on May 19, 2007 ·
Hello Martin. Thanks for your post. Although I can understand your reasons for abandoning your Blackberry I have some points on this I would like to share:
Yes, Blackberry services are a closed system providing push mail services based upon (usually) Microsoft Exchange services. So its functions are basically built on semi “industry standards”.
But as Microsoft infrastructure (i.e. Exchange) are widely spread it is hard to provide something different with less comfort.
Microsoft and Blackberry have done a great job integrating all of their stuff and providing a seamless handling, I think. This starts at the server platform and ends at the mobile devices, may it be a Blackberry or a Windows Mobile handset.
So this is where we are today.
The open source community has slept for a long time and it will be hard work to catch up.
Don’t get me wrong. I am in favour of open standards. And there is some movement right now. Yahoo is going to provide IMAP with push capabilities together with the market introduction of the iPhone later this year.
I would like to see more competition on the mobile mail and collaboration market as Microsoft faces today.
But Blackberrys are usually used by CEOs or other members of the management. Those people want simple to use devices. I don’t think the mobile Gmail application is as easy to use as the Messaging application of Windows Mobile is.
Facit: I am sceptic Gmail and other services will be as easy to use as Blackberry or Windows Mobile Mail applications and open services will gain marketshare of todays market leaders within the next two years.
What do you say?
Ken Berger on May 19, 2007 ·
I was excited to see this title and premise, especially as I’ve long found Blacberry as a platform and product to be over-rated.
However, your reasoning here doesn’t hold up to public experience at all– every blackberry I’ve had (at least in the last 5 years) has been free of all of the issues you mention. And the latest devices include microsd memory extension. The Vodaphone website may suffer from the same problem that RIM corporate does– it’s possible you could contact them and have them point you to an alternative site that works w/ Firefox.
You couldn’t have had these problems w/ the 8800 you recently reviewed, right?
I know I’m missing your point, and have no reason to defend Bberry, but let’s come up w/ args based on facts :).
rafa on May 19, 2007 ·
Now that Apple has entered into the mobile phone industry, we could expect more user friendly experience. Not only with the phone itself but with the service you get.
One example of this is the new “Visual Voicemail”. If you want to listen the third voice message that someone left you, you don’t want to hear a computer machine, and then press “#”, and “3” and whatever.
So we could expect a better integration between the phone and the service that provide.
Anil on May 20, 2007 ·
Martin! have you tried http://www.markspace.com/missingsync_blackberry.php to sync ur Blackberry?
pacopalmas on May 20, 2007 ·
Just ask your cell provider for a Nokia E61/61i (it won’t be difficult for you). It works natively with isync for ical and address book (MAC OS X). And setup up your gmail with the embeded mail soft in the cell. Add a profile to download your mails through WIFI when at the office/home, 3G elsewhere.
Not to mention, fring and fon for Symbian a must have.
I think it’s the best transition to open-systems.
If you need any help, just drop me a line.
dani on May 20, 2007 ·
I find that blackberry is a very closed solution although it’s quick and very intuitive.
With nokia last phones you will find programs for linux (like opensync, but not so easy to setup), but MacOS makes it very easy with nokia last phones I think.
When you see a Nokia with TomTom Navigator, camera, loads of programs to choose, WiFi,… I don’t see so much in a blackberry although I appreciate it.
Nokia is more friendly with non Windows operative systems than BB is, a little bit at least.
miblackberry.com on May 20, 2007 ·
BlackBerry and Linux exist a project:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/barry/
Best regards,
Antoin O Lachtnain on May 21, 2007 ·
Martin, what about ‘push’ email, where you get the email automatically forwarded to your phone as you receive it? Is that not ‘compelling’ for you? (Personally I have a feeling that push email is a serious distraction-causer and time waster, but I’ve never really used it myself.)
Blackberry will inevitably have to open up or die though. That’s just the way with these things.
Luis E. on May 21, 2007 ·
Martín,
Have you seen this?
http://fon.gs/mac-os-x-and-windows-xp-on-ubuntu/
You can post it in your spanish blog as a show what ubuntu can do.
Regards,
P.D. I use fon get simple for first time
Maria Korpala on May 21, 2007 ·
Hi Martin.
I met you in Poland last September when you visited a hotel near the Airport to drop a speech before your flight to Sweden.Also, I saw you at EVCA meetings couple of years ago.I subscribed to your Blog and follow your Gmail enthusiasm.
Knowing you better by the above, I believe you are the most right person to ask for an opinion about the product: à http://www.cipherme.net
I am helping the guys to get seed funding and also a wider recognition.Perhaps their data access model will be usefull to Google.
When you are ready, please contact me with questions.
Best regards,
Martin Varsavsky on May 21, 2007 ·
Ken,
My problems derive from the fact that I stopped using Microsoft and that Vodafone in Spain at least has a very poor Blackberry interface with only 25MB of memory.
Martin Varsavsky on May 21, 2007 ·
Thanks Anil and Mathieu. Ok, will fork out the $40 and try it out.
Martin Varsavsky on May 21, 2007 ·
Thank you Paco. Indeed that´s what I am also using now and it´s working quite well.
miblackberry.com on May 21, 2007 ·
For dissapear the limit of 25 MB in your account,
please Martin call to your provider Vodafone Spain,
Telephone Number: 0155 or 155
After option 2
and option 1
Now your are talking with “Servicios de Datos de Vodafone Spain”
You only have to say that wants to migrate your BIS account 1.8 (limited in 25 Mb) to BIS 2.3
BIS 2.3 don’t have any limit of MB.
Best regards.
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Mathieu Nouzareth on May 19, 2007 ·
Martin
Have you tried the Missing Sync for Mac/Blackberry ? It is MUCH better than the built in sync tool for mac that comes with blackberries. It even sync music and photos.
http://www.markspace.com/