Blackberry Versus Windows Mobile

Came across Susan's post on her blog http://www.sbsdiva.com
http://msmvps.com/bradley/archive/2005/09/04/65168.aspx.

Have to say I agree, the Blackberry concept and the various handsets are attractive to the end user and to say the marketing is slick is an understatement.

However without the Blackberry Enterprise Software the functionality is very limited.
Basically without the BES installed on or near your internal Exchange Server you only have access to email not wireless synced calendaring and contacts you also do not have the famous push email instead you have a 15 minute pop3 polling action only.

Now I would be the first to agree that a full Installation of BES and a proper configuration is very appealing as we then get true push email, in the windows world we are almost there but not quite until Windows Mobile 2005 hits the shelves.

But as Susan makes the point the handset cost is not the problem as a blackberry device or a windows mobile Smartphone can be bought for roughly the same money.

The big cost at the moment is the BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) software which must communicate with your Exchange Server, in Europe this software up to recently has cost € 1500 to € 1700 Euros just for a five user licence.

Also remember with the Windows Mobile devices we get a much richer application set
MSN Messenger - Works great to keep in touch much cheaper to run then texting
Internet Explorer - Can browse actual websites unlike the cut down browser on Blackberries
Media Player - Business and easy listening
Built in Camera - On most Smartphones
Huge number of third party applications to expand what you can do on your Windows Smartphone or Pocket PC.

Just my two (euro) cent

Mark