Life after the CrackBerry

Colin Dunstan · 01-26-2006, 04:47 AM

It doesn't look good for Research In Motion. On monday the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in their messy patent dispute with NTP, making it more likely that the popular wireless e-mail and voice service could be shut down. While RIM has argued that an "exceptional public interest" is at stake in keeping its business functioning, I like to disagree. There're plenty of alternatives, which includes Palm whose line of Treo smartphones has always been a favorite among hard-core users. While the Palm Treo 700w doesn't deliver true "push" e-mail yet in the sense where the server notifies the device upon incoming e-mails, it offers all the other bells and whistles, such as a comprehensive productivity suite, direct access to Microsoft Exchange Server, one-handed context operations, and fast EVDO for high-speed data transfers. Palm shares were up 3.5 cents at the close of trading on NASDAQ yesterday.

If you are a BlackBerry user, how fast would you be willing to make the switch?

rmeister0 · 01-26-2006, 10:22 AM

The senior executive team at my company are all on Blackberry devices. At the president's insistence we also installed Blackberry Enterprise, which "integrates" (in a somewhat procrustean manner) with our Exchange server, so that their corporate e-mails are available to them on their Blackberry devices.

So for us, switching to another platform will be a major pain.

It has to be said that the Treo has a larger form factor than the Blackberrys we currently have deployed, and that will not make my customers happy. "Push" e-mail from the Exchange server was the "killer app" - if any competing product does not have it, than it is not a competing product.

There's a sick part of me that really wants to see RIM get shut down. If enough business and government customers get seriously inconvenienced by this, perhaps someone in authority will finally notice that the patent system is screwed up and try to do something about it. I doubt it, but hey - dreaming is free.

sUnShInE · 01-26-2006, 01:46 PM

Yea, my workplace is in the same spot with the BES. While we haven't solidified our backup plan should RIM bite it, we'll probably move to a roll your fave flave PPC phone or Treo combo since 99% of our crackberry users have the phone models.

One of the articles I read recently on the Sundance Film Festival detailed how Hollyweirdos were running around town lamenting about how their lives will change if RIM goes down. Sad and funny, but true.

Idiots.

Alexander Turcic · 01-26-2006, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sUnShInE

Sad and funny, but true.

Idiots.

Hehehe! Love it

Alexander Turcic · 01-26-2006, 02:41 PM

PalmAddicts links to a CNet article that lists various BlackBerry alternatives. Sure enough, the Treo is among them.

cis4life · 01-26-2006, 09:12 PM

I hope that this don't go through, no blackberry... I shudder at the thought

01-26-2006, 04:47 AM	#1
Colin Dunstan Is papyrophobic! Posts: 1,926 Karma: 1009999 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: USA Device: Dell Axim	Life after the CrackBerry It doesn't look good for Research In Motion. On monday the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in their messy patent dispute with NTP, making it more likely that the popular wireless e-mail and voice service could be shut down. While RIM has argued that an "exceptional public interest" is at stake in keeping its business functioning, I like to disagree. There're plenty of alternatives, which includes Palm whose line of Treo smartphones has always been a favorite among hard-core users. While the Palm Treo 700w doesn't deliver true "push" e-mail yet in the sense where the server notifies the device upon incoming e-mails, it offers all the other bells and whistles, such as a comprehensive productivity suite, direct access to Microsoft Exchange Server, one-handed context operations, and fast EVDO for high-speed data transfers. Palm shares were up 3.5 cents at the close of trading on NASDAQ yesterday. If you are a BlackBerry user, how fast would you be willing to make the switch?

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01-26-2006, 10:22 AM	#2
rmeister0 Addict Posts: 270 Karma: 298 Join Date: Mar 2005	The senior executive team at my company are all on Blackberry devices. At the president's insistence we also installed Blackberry Enterprise, which "integrates" (in a somewhat procrustean manner) with our Exchange server, so that their corporate e-mails are available to them on their Blackberry devices. So for us, switching to another platform will be a major pain. It has to be said that the Treo has a larger form factor than the Blackberrys we currently have deployed, and that will not make my customers happy. "Push" e-mail from the Exchange server was the "killer app" - if any competing product does not have it, than it is not a competing product. There's a sick part of me that really wants to see RIM get shut down. If enough business and government customers get seriously inconvenienced by this, perhaps someone in authority will finally notice that the patent system is screwed up and try to do something about it. I doubt it, but hey - dreaming is free.

01-26-2006, 01:46 PM	#3
sUnShInE Drama Queen Posts: 784 Karma: 11712 Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: United States Device: Palm Tungsten T\|T3	Yea, my workplace is in the same spot with the BES. While we haven't solidified our backup plan should RIM bite it, we'll probably move to a roll your fave flave PPC phone or Treo combo since 99% of our crackberry users have the phone models. One of the articles I read recently on the Sundance Film Festival detailed how Hollyweirdos were running around town lamenting about how their lives will change if RIM goes down. Sad and funny, but true. Idiots.

01-26-2006, 02:41 PM	#5
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	PalmAddicts links to a CNet article that lists various BlackBerry alternatives. Sure enough, the Treo is among them.

01-26-2006, 09:12 PM	#6
cis4life Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2006	I hope that this don't go through, no blackberry... I shudder at the thought

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