Good Technology Partners With Pocket PCs

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=581&e=2&u=/nm/20040204/tc_nm/tech_goodtechnology_dc' target='_blank'>http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...odtechnology_dc</a><br /><br /></div>"Good Technology Inc., a developer of mobile corporate data and messaging systems, on Tuesday said its software will now work on handheld devices powered by Microsoft Corp.'s Pocket PC platform, potentially allowing millions more people to use the technology...Closely-held Good on Tuesday unveiled GoodLink 3.0, an updated version of its system, which now will work with devices driven by Microsoft's Pocket PC software, such as those made by Hewlett-Packard and Dell Inc."<br /><br />I'm assuming this means that Good's always-on email technology has been ported to Pocket PCs, and I'm curious how it works. Nevertheless, between RIM and Good competing over platforms, I think we're edging closer to the day that Pocket PCs can become true replacement for Blackberry-style devices. 8)

[that_kid]

Oh this should be good....pun intended. I've been waiting for them to do something like this, I remember seeing news that they was going to provide their technology to ppc users but it's been a while. I'm looking forward to seeing how well it works.

[Jason Dunn]

This is GREAT news for the platform, but I'm holding my breath waiting to see how the hardware will be integrated, because that's what really matters.

[Mike Temporale]

Good's technology was always second fiddle to RIM. It's good, but that's about it. Hopefully version 3 will be amazing.

Anyone remember Good's first product? It was a MP3 player for the Handspring Visor Springboard slot. That was a really good player.

[Busdriver]

Make this simple for this geek wannabee-I went to the Good website and it's not clear to me-Is this software, hardware, or a combination thereof? I don't see the significance of this.

[bdegroodt]

Make this simple for this geek wannabee-I went to the Good website and it's not clear to me-Is this software, hardware, or a combination thereof? I don't see the significance of this.

Mostly software that sits on a server in conjunction with the core email/calendar application and provides over the air real time email and calendar functionality. Think of a Blackberry/RIM and you have 80% of Good's story.

[Cipr0]

Blue Rocket --
Good's technology was always second fiddle to RIM. It's good, but that's about it. Hopefully version 3 will be amazing---


Are you on crack? I have been using goodlink for a year this week, its far better than RIM, that I left. Cradel free everyting......rock solid, not one down day in over a year.


Now I am using the Treo 600 with goodlink and its awesome!!

I am looking forward to a Treo 600 type device running PocketPC OS with goodlink.

[fmcpherson]

From reading on Good Technology's web site, it requires PPC Phone Edition 2003, and doesn't PE 2003 support the ability to maintain GPRS connections? That will be a requirement in order to get the push email functionality that GoodLink is supposed to provide.

[bdegroodt]

From reading on Good Technology's web site, it requires PPC Phone Edition 2003, and doesn't PE 2003 support the ability to maintain GPRS connections? That will be a requirement in order to get the push email functionality that GoodLink is supposed to provide.

I could be wrong, but if I recall correctly, the way Good and RIM work for GPRS is to send an SMS-like message that wakes the unit and causes it to fetch the entire email (or header if configured this way). Janak could probably tell us for sure...but I think that's what I recall.

[Janak Parekh]

Janak could probably tell us for sure...but I think that's what I recall.
Whoa. 8O Why do you think I could? I have no clue. ;) My guess is it's either SMS-based push, or polling with always-on GPRS. I'm curious what the RIM GPRS/1xRTT devices do...

--janak

[bdegroodt]

Janak could probably tell us for sure...but I think that's what I recall.
Whoa. 8O Why do you think I could? I have no clue. ;) My guess is it's either SMS-based push, or polling with always-on GPRS. I'm curious what the RIM GPRS/1xRTT devices do...

--janak

Because when I think of mobile data protocol, I think Janak! :D

[Jeff Rutledge]

I think the biggest issue they're going to have is dealing with RIM's current penetration in the market. I don't know the number, but my distinct impression (which may not be right) is that RIM has a much greater number of devices in the enterprise space. I don't see companies moving to Good if they already have an infrastructure that supports RIM devices.

[Janak Parekh]

Because when I think of mobile data protocol, I think Janak! :D
:oops: Well, I've deployed RIM devices, but never actually studied their underlying protocols. I've deployed exactly one 1xRTT unit (a Verizon one) and it was pretty darn solid, but I can't say more than that. Sorry. :|

--janak

[bdegroodt]

I think the biggest issue they're going to have is dealing with RIM's current penetration in the market. I don't know the number, but my distinct impression (which may not be right) is that RIM has a much greater number of devices in the enterprise space. I don't see companies moving to Good if they already have an infrastructure that supports RIM devices.

Actually, this one of Good's advantages. Thay can use existing RIM hardware on their platform. So it becomes an issue of replacing BES, not hardware. In addition, as this post points out, Good has the ability to work with other devices (Treo 600, Good's own devices, PPC soon, Palm announced).

[Jeff Rutledge]

I think the biggest issue they're going to have is dealing with RIM's current penetration in the market. I don't know the number, but my distinct impression (which may not be right) is that RIM has a much greater number of devices in the enterprise space. I don't see companies moving to Good if they already have an infrastructure that supports RIM devices.

Actually, this one of Good's advantages. Thay can use existing RIM hardware on their platform. So it becomes an issue of replacing BES, not hardware. In addition, as this post points out, Good has the ability to work with other devices (Treo 600, Good's own devices, PPC soon, Palm announced).

Interesting. I didn't realize that their backend worked with RIM devices. Still, I could see a lot of companies unwilling to go through the hassle of change management for this. But it's nowhere near as great an issue as I thought. Either way, it's good for mobile technology.

[JonnoB]

Interesting. I didn't realize that their backend worked with RIM devices. Still, I could see a lot of companies unwilling to go through the hassle of change management for this. But it's nowhere near as great an issue as I thought. Either way, it's good for mobile technology.

I am not so sure they are worried about making it work with the installed base. Market penetration for these devices is still extremely low and many years away from being saturated.