Turn your Windows Mobile phone into a Blackberry
Blackberry addicts are so helplessly hooked on the devices that RIM realizes they need to provide some way to get the Blackberry experience on other platforms. They have been working on the Blackberry Application Suite for months that is a virtual machine for the RIM OS that runs on the Windows Mobile platform. Details about the suite have surfaced along with some nice pictures and video of the BAS in action.
Why would RIM want to do this? I’m not sure I can answer that although in theory it’s always a good thing to get your product on as many devices as possible. It might be a good way to expose WinMo owners to the Blackberry way and create future Crackberries. Whatever the reason it is definitely cool to see the HTC Touch Pro turned into a Blackberry, complete with touch screen.
The Berry Review folks who’ve played with this claim that it is a near full implemtation of the Blackberry OS in a virtual machine which is quite a feat. The user can toggle between the native Windows Mobile and Blackberry OSes which is awfully nice. Here’s a complete feature list:
Features:
- BlackBerry Email including attachments
- RIM Instant Message clients work Gtalk, Yahoo IM, AIM, Windows Live
- Can send and receive PIN messages and BlackBerry Messenger
- Supports BES sync of calendar, tasks, address book, & memos
- PIM/Email databases, unlike BB Connect, are separate. Thus you can have two Exchange accounts (one via WM, one via BES) syncing fully.
- Browser works just like BlackBerry browser allowing or intranet access on BES
- Integrates with the phone so you can make calls and all even from links on websites
- Allows for caller ID in the phone application
- You can access your windows mobile files from the BlackBerry OS though the opposite is not possible
- You can easily switch between the BlackBerry and Windows Mobile OS
- Supports easy switching between landscape and portrait view
- It works with BIS 2.4+ or BES or both
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The real question is going to be, how is the performance?
It sounds useful for IT guys like me who may need to support both platforms at work. I might actually check this out this weekend.
I definitely agree on advertising the power specs more thoroughly and consistently.
I’m pretty tech savvy so I know what to look for when I buy a system, but I know that most consumers have no idea what to look at.
The MAH number is great, but only if you know what the device is supposed to draw given certain conditions.
I know Toshiba and Dell (among others I’m sure) offer Power Management software of their own, so I see no reason why those programs can’t be made to display that sort of diagnostic information on an “advanced” screen too.
For example, I’m on battery and I want to see just how much power is drawn with wifi on and display at 50% versus 80%… I should be able to get that info without booting to BIOS or finding some complicated tech program.
Uhh, this comment belongs on the other thread, lol… You can delete it and this one. (Oops. My bad.)