BlackBerry push e-mail in Treo style

[Alexander Turcic]

It's been a long time coming, but Palm and Research In Motion have finally produced the missing software that Treo worshippers have been anticipating for months. Singapore-based SingTel will be the first carrier to provide the BlackBerry Connect service to existing and new Treo 650 customers. New customers can take advantage of a special promotion price of S$299 if they subscribe to SingTel's unlimited data plan at $61.95 per month (valid from April 12 to May 12, 2006).

According to the press release, BlackBerry Connect for the Treo 650 supports the following features:

• Push Corporate Email: delivers messages automatically and wirelessly to the Treo 650.
• Wireless Calendar Synchronization: keeps the Treo 650 built-in Calendar up to date remotely.
• Attachment Viewing: lets users view Excel, Word, PowerPoint and PDF documents while on the road.
• Remote Address Lookup (RAL): allows users to search their corporate directory wirelessly for email addresses without the need to download every name to the Treo 650.
• Centralized device management: IT policies, such as over-the-air device disablement and password device lock; and Triple DES encryption, supporting end-to-end security.

It remains to be seen whether Research In Motion will benefit from licensing their software to other phone manufacturer in the long run or whether this is the surest way to cannibalize the sale of their BlackBerry phones.

[via Palm Addicts]

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by Alexander

It remains to be seen whether Research In Motion will benefit from licensing their software to other phone manufacturer in the long run or whether this is the surest way to cannibalize the sale of their BlackBerry phones.

Looks like some bank analyst caught my line and sent a note to his clients to express his worries:

With nearly 70 percent of RIM's revenue stemming from sales of its BlackBerry wireless e-mail device, the company must ensure customers keep buying its new models if its business is to expand, Citigroup analyst Daryl Armstrong said in a note. That is particularly important now as RIM subscriber growth appears to be stabilizing at about 650,000 to 700,000 per quarter, he said.

More at Reuters.