The Competition Is Not Sitting Idle

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040909/ap_on_hi_te/smart_phones' target='_blank'>http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040909/ap_on_hi_te/smart_phones</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The smart phone market will grow more crowded Wednesday with the debut of two devices directed at opposite ends of the customer spectrum: a <a href="http://www.blackberry.com/blackberry7100/">BlackBerry</a> for consumers with a newfangled keyboard and a <a href="http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,60764,00.html">Nokia</a> phone-organizer for mobile business professionals. Both handsets, designed to feel more like a cell phone than a handheld computer, will compete with about two dozen other smart phones that run on advanced operating systems such as Windows Mobile, Symbian and Palm."</i><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/BBAndNokiaSP.JPG" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /> <br />I love competition. Competition motivates me to improve my skills and challenges me to exceed expectation. Microsoft Smartphone is being challenged by two worthy competitors; the redesigned, slimmer, lighter <a href="http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,60764,00.html">Nokia 9300</a> and <a href="http://www.blackberry.com/blackberry7100/">BlackBerry 7100.</a> During the last few days we have seen some awesome Microsoft Smartphones being announced. And now it is the competitors turn to show off. Good to see all these product announcements. <i>The winner in this product warfare will be the consumer.</i> We will not only get better choices but also good prices. Out of the three: BlackBerry, Microsoft and Nokia, who do you think will be the favourite?

[Kris Kumar]

BlackBerry's SureType is an innovative keypad design. They have combined the QWERTY and T9 elements together. I am a big QWERTY fan and a equally big T9 fan. But to this date I find it cumbersome to locate an alphabet on my phone's keypad. SureType is the answer to my dilemma.

And Nokia's not-a-brick-anymore 9300 supports EDGE. I feel EDGE support should be standard on all Smartphones. Hopefully all the 2005 Smartphones will have it.

[Ben]

BlackBerry's SureType is an innovative keypad design. They have combined the QWERTY and T9 elements together.

Has anyone actually used the SureType? It really looks great to me. I carry both a blackberry and a smartphone because I hate to email on the smartphone, but hate to talk on the blackberry. (Plus the blackberry is pretty bulky and doesn't play music or many games, not to mention books, videos, edit word, excel, powerpoint, pdf, and other documents). I have examined a number of different keyboard innovations and considered several different solutions of my own (including my own keyboard designs and sending all of my messages in hawaiian, since that language only needs 12 keys anyway). I have longed for a keyboard that intuitively allows me quickly draft emails and letters without being as bulky and cumbersome as most qwerty thumbpads. I had concluded that a detachable qwerty thumbpad would be the best I could ever hope for, but maybe SureType is the solution. Now if they will just combine all of the great features into one device (the push technology, SureType, mp3 and wma, mpeg and wmv, .NET and java games, speakerphones, expandable memory (one of blackberries greatest flaws), digital camera and GPS, bluetooth and Wi-Fi) all in a clamshell, we will finally have a perfect device!

8)

[Mike Temporale]

SureType does look interesting, however I want to reserve judgment until I can actually see and play with it. I want to see how well it handles words that it doesn't know.

Everyday I see more and more people carrying a BlackBerry. Microsoft has to get a move on if they have any hopes of catching up. The BlackBerry's only redeeming factor, IMHO, is the push email. Without push/always on email, Microsoft devices (PPC, PPCPE, or SP) will have a hard time competing with professionals. If Motorola could just manage to get the MPx220 out the door.... :(

[Philip Colmer]

Microsoft has to get a move on if they have any hopes of catching up. The BlackBerry's only redeeming factor, IMHO, is the push email. Without push/always on email, Microsoft devices (PPC, PPCPE, or SP) will have a hard time competing with professionals.
This might be something that I need to ask on PPCT instead of here, but doesn't a Smartphone or a PPCPE used in conjunction with Exchange 2003 have push email?

(Well, to be more precise, my understanding is that Exchange 2003 sends an SMS to the device telling it to synchronise, but then my understanding may be wrong).

Or to put it another way, if I want staff to be able to access email remotely, which is the best solution: Blackberry or SP/PPCPE?

Regards

Philip

[Mike Temporale]

Exchange 2003 can be setup to send a "specially formated" SMS message to a Windows Mobile based device that tells the device to connect and sync. So, it's not really push/always-on email. it's more of a backend hack, IMHO.

If you're interested, check out this post (http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/spt/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5448) for more information on how it works.

As for your question regarding the best method to have staff check email remotely; it all depends on what your current environment is, and what technology your company has already invested in.

[Philip Colmer]

As for your question regarding the best method to have staff check email remotely; it all depends on what your current environment is, and what technology your company has already invested in.
We've currently got Exchange 2003 but not a lot beyond that. I currently use a Pocket PC in conjunction with GPRS & Bluetooth on my mobile in order to allow me to sync via OMA, but that is a manual process.

Having read the explanation of AUTD, I think I might have trouble finding an appropriate SMTP to SMS gateway. Looks like BlackBerry might get another customer ...

--Philip

[Kris Kumar]

This might be something that I need to ask on PPCT instead of here, but doesn't a Smartphone or a PPCPE used in conjunction with Exchange 2003 have push email?

(Well, to be more precise, my understanding is that Exchange 2003 sends an SMS to the device telling it to synchronise, but then my understanding may be wrong).

Or to put it another way, if I want staff to be able to access email remotely, which is the best solution: Blackberry or SP/PPCPE?

Regards

Philip

Exchange does support the (push based) E-Mail sync. The way you described is how it works.

The issue is that most corporations have adopted the BB Enterprise Server, instead of enabling Exchange server for mobile access. The corporations trust BB to provide a more secure access to the corporate data than Exchange server.

And there is no way these companies will stop using BB Enterprise server.

My company has BB and I currently cannot sync my Smartphone. But if MPx220 launches with BB Connect software. Then I can tap into BB Enterprise server for sync operations.

Similarly other enterprise users can also switch from BB device to Microsoft Smartphone device. :-) This will open up the enterprise market for the Smartphone vendors and carriers. :-)

[Philip Colmer]

Exchange does support the (push based) E-Mail sync. The way you described is how it works.
OK, so assuming that I could find a means of getting the SMTP-SMS part to work (which appears to be easy in the US and not so easy elsewhere), we are back to trying to decide which platform is better.

(Desparately trying to not take this thread off-topic!)

Assuming the back-end works and you had a choice of a BlackBerry handset, a Smartphone or a Pocket PC Phone Edition, which one would you opt for and why?

--Philip

[Kris Kumar]

Must warn, I am not an expert on this topic...

Microsoft Exchange server Pros:
- One less server to manage / purchase (BES costs $5000)
- Exchange exposes all the contact, calendar and email information. BES (not sure if this is true with the latest service packs) exposes only the fields that are necessary from the RIM device perspective.

Cons:
- Security, BES offers better encryption.
- I am scared about exposing Exchange Server outside the firewall. Since it is known that MS is the favourite target for the hackers and that its current products are not bullet proof.
- Exchange uses a combination of Push and Pull. Blackberry uses Push to send the message itself. In case of Exchange an SMS notification is sent and the device upon receipt downloads the new mails using internet/data connection. (I have not tried Exchange but) It seems that the Exchange method will not provide the user with a superior experience. Exchange is heavily dependent on network quallity for email sync, whereas Blackberry with its push mechanism can send out mail on a one by one basis even when network is spotty/choppy. Not sure if I have explained this scenario. But think of it as having to download 10 mails vs downloading each mail individually. The individual may sound slow but works well in all kinds of network conditions. Whereas while downloading 10 mails if I drive out of the coverage area or enter a dead spot. The download may error out.

So for now Blackberry wins (provided you have the $$$ to deploy it). At least according to me. Otherwise Exchange offers good features at minimal expense.

[Mike Temporale]

BES costs $5000

Plus licensing costs. Check out this page (http://www.blackberry.com/purchasing/pricing/us/bes.shtml) for full pricing.

[Philip Colmer]

Thanks - this has been very useful.

--Philip

[Kris Kumar]

Oh, regarding the security. In the Exchange model, the device uses HTTPS for sync'ing data. So there is security. Which is good but geeks love to talk about BES security model.

And my final judgement was based on user experience. On a cell network with good data download speed (Verizon or future 3G networks) Exchange server should/would do well.

BES is not cheap but BlackBerry offers a Desktop Redirector (PC based solution), which does pretty much the same stuff, is aimed at small to medium sized corporations.

[Kris Kumar]

Now if they will just combine all of the great features into one device (the push technology, SureType, mp3 and wma, mpeg and wmv, .NET and java games, speakerphones, expandable memory (one of blackberries greatest flaws), digital camera and GPS, bluetooth and Wi-Fi) all in a clamshell, we will finally have a perfect device!

8)

:-)

My ideal Smartphone.

Body style - Nokia 6800 (http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/6800), I love the design!
OS - Windows Mobile 2003 SE for Smartphone or higher :-)
Sync - Blackberry & Exchange both should be supported by the device (let the user decide, just like POP3 vs IMAP).
Connectivity - GSM (GPRS/EDGE/3G), Bluetooth and WiFi

[Ben]

My ideal Smartphone.

Body style - Nokia 6800 (http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/6800), I love the design!
OS - Windows Mobile 2003 SE for Smartphone or higher :-)
Sync - Blackberry & Exchange both should be supported by the device (let the user decide, just like POP3 vs IMAP).
Connectivity - GSM (GPRS/EDGE/3G), Bluetooth and WiFi

Sounds nice, Kris. The 6800 is cool, but I prefer a real clamshell that protects the main screen, since I never keep my phones in a case (just carry them in a pocket). It is amazing to me, though, how reasonable our ideal phones really are. Is there any reason why "the powers that be" cannot satisfy all of our desires in one device? It's not like we are asking for the world here. I just want the companies to work together to reach the licencing agreements and deals that they need to reach to give me the best features from all of the different innovations, that clearly already exist, in one place. I want simple, standard connectors like mini-usb, irDA, bluetooth, wi-fi, and GPS, Quad GSM, and GPRS. I want a clamshell. I want to play my games, listen to my music, and get my work done. I want to be able to communicate with clients by voice or email with equal ease and efficiency. I believe that the perfect consumer device and the perfect business/enterprise device are the SAME device. After all, us businessmen are consumers, too, and kids at heart . . .
:)

[Kris Kumar]

I believe that the perfect consumer device and the perfect business/enterprise device are the SAME device. After all, us businessmen are consumers, too, and kids at heart . . .
:)

Well put...

[Mike Temporale]

It is amazing to me, though, how reasonable our ideal phones really are. Is there any reason why "the powers that be" cannot satisfy all of our desires in one device? It's not like we are asking for the world here. I just want the companies to work together to reach the licencing agreements and deals that they need to reach to give me the best features from all of the different innovations, that clearly already exist, in one place. I want simple, standard connectors like mini-usb, irDA, bluetooth, wi-fi, and GPS, Quad GSM, and GPRS. I want a clamshell. I want to play my games, listen to my music, and get my work done. I want to be able to communicate with clients by voice or email with equal ease and efficiency. I believe that the perfect consumer device and the perfect business/enterprise device are the SAME device. After all, us businessmen are consumers, too, and kids at heart . . .
:)

Here, Here! Well said. :) I will add that you should say "business-people". :wink: :lol:

[Ben]

Here, Here! Well said. :) I will add that you should say "business-people". :wink: :lol:

Right. Please forgive my political incorrectness. I sincerely meant to type business-people, but sometimes when ranting/typing too fast for my own good I make a mistake or two. Let me state that women are one of the fastest growing groups of successful entrepreneurs and active, early adopters of smartphone and other technology solutions. I would not want to offend so vital a segment of society and our global economy . . . Thanks for all business-people everywhere do to make our world a better place.

[Philip Colmer]

My ideal Smartphone.

Body style - Nokia 6800 (http://www.nokiausa.com/phones/6800), I love the design!
OS - Windows Mobile 2003 SE for Smartphone or higher :-)
Sync - Blackberry & Exchange both should be supported by the device (let the user decide, just like POP3 vs IMAP).
Connectivity - GSM (GPRS/EDGE/3G), Bluetooth and WiFi
It was the 6800 series (more precisely, the 6820 in the UK) that got my boss interested in what BlackBerry might do for the company. One of the biggest difficulties faced by users at the moment is how to handle the text. I'm not really a great fan of character recognition on the Pocket PC - I can do it, but I'm quite slow. In fact, I can generally type faster than I can write (legibly!).

So, if I'm to introduce a remote email solution that works with a small device (i.e. not a laptop), it needs to have a reasonable means of text input. Both the Nokia and the new BlackBerry handsets appear to tackle this in interesting ways. I haven't looked at a thumbboard on any of the new PPCs yet to decide whether or not they would work for me or, more importantly, the staff I have to provide a service to - they are very fussy :wink:.

There is also the form factor issue to take into account. I think that a device that is roughly the size of a mobile phone is more likely to be acceptable than a device the size of a Pocket PC from the perspective of something that needs to be carried around all of the time. Granted, you get less screen real-estate, but those are the compromises you make.

Shame really - synchronisation over GPRS with Exchange 2003 is actually very fast. I just don't think there is a device out there yet that would meet my needs from a PPCPE/SP perspective.

--Philip

[Kris Kumar]

I haven't looked at a thumbboard on any of the new PPCs yet to decide whether or not they would work for me or...

Thumb-board or keyboard attachments are great. But the problem is that they are attachments. You have to lug them around separately. :-(

When I was using SE T68i as my primary phone. I had bought "three" keyboard/thumb-board attachment for that phone. I kept one at work, one at home and one in the car. This way I "thought" that I will have it whenever I need it. But needless to say, I would still be without it when I really needed it.

[Mike Temporale]

They aren't all attachments any more. Check out this new PPCPE with a slide out keyboard. If they put something like this in a Smartphone or a BB..... :drool:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20040909-imatePDA2k-small.jpg

You can read more about it on PPCT here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=282963&sid=a5f692de1398f5113daab255f617759f)

[Philip Colmer]

They aren't all attachments any more. Check out this new PPCPE with a slide out keyboard. If they put something like this in a Smartphone or a BB..... :drool:
Very interesting ... and it looks as if Vodafone (the carrier we use) are going to be selling this in Germany - initially not much good to me, but hopefully they will push them out to the UK as well.

I've been giving some more thought to the pros &amp; cons of BlackBerry versus Exchange 2003 UTD.

Now, as I understand it, the BlackBerry device uses GPRS and "somehow" the BlackBerry server pushes the email out to the BB device. Presumably, this means that the GPRS connection needs to be live all of the time in order for that to work. No GPRS = no email.

On the other hand, UTD works by sending an SMS to your device (that you don't see - the device intercepts it) and your device then tries to connect to the Exchange server. I think that one of the benefits of this approach is that, for PPCPEs at least, this connection ought to be possible over WiFi as well as over GPRS (since I can synchronise my PPC over WiFi) but you might not have that level of flexibility. Even if you don't, it also occurs to me that an advantage is that you don't need the GPRS connection to be alive all of the time - you just need the phone hardware to be live.

Does that make sense?

On the feature side, Exchange allows full synchronisation of mail folders, calendar and contacts. It is easy to send an email to a contact but I haven't figure out how to use the Global Address Book on the Exchange server.

From what I've seen on the BB web site, it looks as if you only get Inbox email. Contacts appear to work in a similar manner to the PPC - the device has its own contacts but you can perform a lookup. It also synchronises the calendar.

So Exchange just wins on features by virtue of being able to synchronise more folders, but who wants that? I personally only synchronise my Inbox.

Choices, choices, choices :roll:

--Philip

[Philip Colmer]

I've just read the transcript (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=%2Fservicedesks%2Fwebcasts%2Fen%2Ftranscripts%2Fwct032504.asp) from a Microsoft Support WebCast about troubleshooting Exchange Server 2003 ActiveSync issues.

It makes it very clear in there that Exchange has to send the AUTD message via the mobile carrier so that it gets delivered correctly. The implication, therefore, is that if your carrier doesn't mention or advertise support for Exchange 2003 & AUTD, you aren't going to get it to work.

So I'm now back to looking at BlackBerry :twak:

--Philip

[Kris Kumar]

It makes it very clear in there that Exchange has to send the AUTD message via the mobile carrier so that it gets delivered correctly. The implication, therefore, is that if your carrier doesn't mention or advertise support for Exchange 2003 & AUTD, you aren't going to get it to work.

Have to use the carrier..that's bad. Or maybe this must be to prevent spamming or something.

Not sure if you know about this newsgroup. The folks out there I am sure would have more knowledge about the setup and initial configuration. And how to find a SMTP to SMS gateway, if one is required. BTW can't Exchange send an E-Mail like xxxxxxxxxx @ t-momail.net or xxxxxxxxxx @ mycarrier.com, which gets automatically converted to an SMS for the AUTD notification?

Microsoft.public.exchange.mobility (http://communities2.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.aspx?dg=Microsoft.public.exchange.mobility&cat=en_US_eb01aa42-2849-4dbf-af2b-46ffe4fa9d3c&lang=en&cr=US)

[Kris Kumar]

Now, as I understand it, the BlackBerry device uses GPRS and "somehow" the BlackBerry server pushes the email out to the BB device. Presumably, this means that the GPRS connection needs to be live all of the time in order for that to work. No GPRS = no email.

That is true. Wish a BlackBerry (and/or Exchange) expert could jump in on this thread to clarify some of the stuff. :-)

I believe it is something to do with the number of open connections. Not sure but Smartphones (at least the GSM ones) can do only Voice OR Data. Not both. BlackBerry devices may have a different approach. I remember reading about Verizon i600 supporting Voice AND Data after the WM2003 upgrade. Don't know what the deal is. Also GSM devices have various Classes - A, B, C. (http://www.gsmworld.com/technology/gprs/class.shtml) Class A does GSM - GPRS simultaneously. But here also I am sure both BlackBerry and MS Smartphones are Class B devices. Its just that BlackBerry is always on GPRS/Data and switches to Voice when I need to make a call or a call comes in. Whereas on Smartphones its the other way round. Data is on demand. Actually both Data and Voice are on demand.

Check this Doc (http://www.blackberry.com/knowledgecenterpublic/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/7979/278486/BlackBerry_Wireless_Solution_for_GSM_GPRS_Networks.pdf?nodeid=271442&amp;vernum=0) from the BB White Papers. Page 8, Advanced Wireless Networks talks about constant, always on connection.

(All this makes me really depressed. I used to be good with tech and how it works stuff. There is a lot to learn. :oops: )

On the other hand, UTD works by sending an SMS to your device (that you don't see - the device intercepts it) and your device then tries to connect to the Exchange server. I think that one of the benefits of this approach is that, for PPCPEs at least, this connection ought to be possible over WiFi as well as over GPRS (since I can synchronise my PPC over WiFi) but you might not have that level of flexibility. Even if you don't, it also occurs to me that an advantage is that you don't need the GPRS connection to be alive all of the time - you just need the phone hardware to be live.

The scenario you described could be used to justify the benefits of having WiFi (on top of GSM/CDMA) on mobile devices. The Connection Manager on the PPCPE I am sure would use the WiFi for sync. That would definitely mean faster sync.

So Exchange just wins on features by virtue of being able to synchronise more folders, but who wants that? I personally only synchronise my Inbox.

Choices, choices, choices :roll:

Choices are good...and bad. :-) They can make life miserable.

But I agree, in terms of data exposed Microsoft Exchange may outperform BlackBerry. But whatever little BlackBerry (BES and BB handheld) does, it does a good job. It does it well.

I feel in the future BB will face tough competition from Smartphones (and PPCPE). PPCPE and Smartphones are the only ones that support Exchange. And now that these devices are available in different shapes/sizes/forms. The enterprises are bound to pick them up. Especially the Smartphones. BBs and PPCPEs look so geeky when you are making a phone.

If your company is planning on enabling mobile access. Exchange may be the cost effective option. And I think you should evaluate the device options. Which device fits the target population the best. Especially when the target population is fussy. ;-)