Motorola Ships MPx220 with Blackberry Connect for Vodacom

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail/0,,6014_5975_23,00.html' target='_blank'>http://motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail/0,,6014_5975_23,00.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Motorola today announced the availability of the Motorola MPx220 running Research In Motion’s BlackBerry® Connect™ software. The powerful mobile office capabilities and style of the MPx220 combined with the proven track record of Research In Motion’s Blackberry Connect Service delivers the ultimate productivity tool for professionals on the go. ... “BlackBerry® has revolutionised the way we communicate and do business in South Africa, by providing our customers with a secure data solution that combines the efficiency and features of a mobile phone with the benefits of being able to access email and attachments, as well as back-end business applications on the move. Vodacom realises that customers are constantly searching for products that offer convenience, flexibility, mobility and more importantly, secure data access,” said Pieter Uys, Chief Operator Officer, Vodacom."</i><br /><br />Motorola has done it again. This press release from Motorola has me fuming. :evil: What have they done this time? Well, BlackBerry Connect is a piece of software that enables us mortals to convert our Windows Mobile Smartphones into BlackBerry like devices. Which enables us to have best of both worlds - the power and flexibility of Windows Mobile, and the awesome push E-Mail technology of BlackBerry. Motorola was supposed to have released this software to existing MPx220 customers. Instead they have released it on the MPx220 to be sold on the Vodacom network in South Africa. I am glad that someone on this planet is getting to enjoy the benefits of BlackBerry Connect, but what about us? :( Is Motorola afraid that releasing this software <i>now</i> will affect the sales of its upcoming model, the Moto Q? Or is it this because of the RIM vs. NTP legal battle? Can someone please explain why Motorola is hurting its customers?

[Mike Temporale]

What the....

Motorola needs a good wake up call. Why not release this as a ROM upgrade or as a installable patch that would empower all of the MPx220 users and not just those in South Africa. :?

[Kris Kumar]

I am sure it can be a downloadable application. I have seen other applications like HTTPMail and Cingular's XPressMail that integrates with the Inbox. And applications can receive the SMS messages and act on it. May not be efficient like in WM 5.0 but it can be done.

[jimfee]

Wow, I'm shocked something could get Kris that fired up, he is usually the calm voice of knowledge and reason around here. Kind'a like a Smartphone Zen Master.

Anyway frustration is shipped with each and every unit of MPX220, ask Jerry (Jerry please respond with comical but biting satirical comment here)

The fact that someone is actively paring this hardware with software and offering it to customers is a positive thing in my book, until it re-launched with Cingular I thought this platform was dead and rotting. I am invested in this model for better or for worse, and I would like to see it have a life in the future.

[Kris Kumar]

Wow, I'm shocked something could get Kris that fired up, he is usually the calm voice of knowledge and reason around here. Kind'a like a Smartphone Zen Master.

I did hold back. I wish I had put a more anti-Moto title for the post.

Here is the reason. Check out this press release (http://www.blackberry.com/news/press/2004/pr-27_07_2004.shtml) from July 24 2004.

Here is an excerpt from the press release.

The BlackBerry Connect solution for the Motorola MPx and MPx220 is expected to be available separately via download in Q4. Further details will be available at a later date.

Quarter 4 2004 or 2005 or 2006? I guess that is the loop hole Moto is using. They never stated the year. :evil:

Quite frankly if I get the BB Connect for my MPx220. I will not only start using it again. But also not think about the i-mate SP5.

But I have a feeling this is about greed. Smartphone market is small. Every feature counts. Moto Q will have a tough time if MPx220 already has BB Connect. Somehow I have a feeling that Moto will release it with the Q. :twisted:

[Kris Kumar]

Putting on my rational thoughts hat. :-)

I believe someone had mentioned the reason why Connect is being released outside of the US (Europe and now South Africa) is because of the lawsuit against RIM. Can someone explain how RIM can still sell there devices? And didn't RIM settle the lawsuit?

[Kris Kumar]

And apparently HTC (http://www.blackberry.com/news/press/2005/pr-14_03_2005-03.shtml) and T-Mobile (http://www.blackberry.com/news/press/2004/pr-21_12_2004-02.shtml) are no good either, when it comes to releasing BB Connect for Smartphones. :evil:

Okay..I think I am going overboard. Somebody pull me out of this thread. Please....

[Mike Temporale]

I believe someone had mentioned the reason why Connect is being released outside of the US (Europe and now South Africa) is because of the lawsuit against RIM. Can someone explain how RIM can still sell there devices? And didn't RIM settle the lawsuit?

No, it's got nothing to do with the lawsuit - that I am aware. The judge has never told them they couldn't sell product. They looked at it for a while, but it didn't happen. At least that's my understanding. I might have missed something, but then how are they able to sell the devices?

[Kris Kumar]

I might have missed something, but then how are they able to sell the devices?

Absolutely... :evil:

[aristoBrat]

RIM did *not* settle its case with NTP. If you do a Google news on the two companies you'll see lots of recent news (last week or two) where it looks like RIM could potentially be hurting in the US in short order.

I'm sure it'd be a piece of cake for Moto to release BlackBerry Connect to every MPx220 owner, but ... who's going to support it after it's installed?

The way it currently works with most BlackBerry (BIS) customers today, if they have a problem, they call their carrier. i.e. Your Cingular BB is not getting email forwarded from your Cingular BIS account? Have some calendar events that won't delete? You call Cingular.

I don't see a way for Moto to easily release BlackBerry Connect without a carrier's blessing.

FWIW, our company's Cingular Global Account Manager did say that BlackBerry Connect devices were supposed to appear before the end of the year, but that was way before the recent lawsuit stuff resurfaced. :(

[Kris Kumar]

I don't see a way for Moto to easily release BlackBerry Connect without a carrier's blessing.

Oh..the carrier influence. Forgot that Moto needs to not only make up its mind but also convince the carrier. Good point.

I guess it makes sense. Cingular already has its own Xpressmail system that it is providing for the MPx220. So I guess we won't see BB Connect any time soon. :-(

[Mike Temporale]

FWIW, our company's Cingular Global Account Manager did say that BlackBerry Connect devices were supposed to appear before the end of the year, but that was way before the recent lawsuit stuff resurfaced. :(

Ha, so it's really become a kind of pipe dream. Nice. :roll: