Sprint to Deploy RIM Software for the Treo 600?

A new article claims that Spring may is considering a new licensing deal with RIM that could potentially bring a BlackBerry client to the Treo 600.

The article published on Eweek talks about RIM's licensing efforts with Sprint PCS. According to officials from Sprint, the deal is contingent on BlackBerry support for the Treo 600 smartphone.

Just recently a palmOne CEO Todd Bradley said, a BlackBerry Client will not be integrated or included with a palmOne branded device anytime soon. This doesn't stop Sprint from adding it to their software offerings with the device, as palmOne allows wireless carriers to bundle different applications and solutions for their respective networks.

PalmSource previously announced a relationship with RIM to make the BlackBerry Connect solution available to Palm OS licensees. That deal leaves the decision to offer the software up to the individual Palm OS hardware companies to add this to their product offerings.

Thanks to Gaurav for the tip.

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Massive Coup for Sprint (and Palm) if true ...

talos4 @ 3/30/2004 10:07:50 PM #
Business users would flock to this device .... 99% of Blackberry users also have a business cellphone. The cost savings of an integrated device that is actually a USABLE cellphone (unlike the current lame offering from RIM) would be compelling.

Not to mention that the Treo 600 is probably the most sought-after status symbol of the business users today ....

Score.

RE: Massive Coup for Sprint (and Palm) if true ...
zire71man @ 3/30/2004 11:04:51 PM #
Hey,

Lame offering from rim? To my knowledge there are two devices with blackberry functionality. One of them is a nextel version which I have seen all over New York City where I live. It seems as if the nextel version of the blackberry is popular. Palm has to jump on the blackberry bandwagon. It is a very good technology for those of us who work for a company that can afford a BES and also it is possible to have service through blackberry if a BES is not available. $59.95 is not a bad price for unlimited internet, email and included phone minutes (from what I understand). The point is some people do not want to have to use up their phone minutes in order to browse the web, do IM's and check email. Well that is unless they want to watch the clock and wait for their free minutes :-). Well enough rambling. Good day to one and all.

Cheers :-P

Used to be visoredgeman then visorprismman, now zire71man!

RE: Massive Coup for Sprint (and Palm) if true ...
talos4 @ 3/30/2004 11:18:19 PM #
You just proved my point.

The RIM converged devices are BB first, phones as an afterthought. The ones you see I'm sure were forced on the business users to replace two devices as a cost reduction.

Several of the large corporations that I deal with (NJ) did this to their employees. They are not happy. So unhappy that the company had to go out and buy them new cells anyways.

Imagine if it was actually a usable phone .... like the 600.


Nuff said.

RE: Massive Coup for Sprint (and Palm) if true ...
SteveNYC @ 3/31/2004 8:52:56 AM #
I would agree that the Blackberry devices available now represent pretty poor phones. They work, but they are cumbersome. Many NYC government agencies have them and many of the users use it only for data. The phones side is either wasted or altogether deactivated. It's not uncommon to see these workers with their BB and another cellphone.

Bringing the BB to the Treo would be a huge benefit. My personal opinion is that if they simple made the existing RIM devices with touchscreens, they'd be pretty impressive devices. But right now, they're essentially used only for e-mail.

RE: Massive Coup for Sprint (and Palm) if true ...
hkklife @ 3/31/2004 9:43:21 AM #
I don't know a ton of Blackberry owners, but all of the ones I do know that try to use its phone implementation are left pretty unsatisfied, especially if it's a company-provided unit that is their sole means of cell phoning on their employer's dime. Most of them either badgered their bosses into giving them another phone or just continued to carry a personal phone. Let's face it--99% of people prefer to hold a candybar or a flip style phone up to the side of their head. Any other implementation (speakerphone, earpiece w/ mic etc) makes them look silly or proves to be more of a distraction than anything else. There's just no real discrete way of hiding a cord dangling out of your ear.

The Treo 600 is the first phone's that really "gotten" it right. I'd also argue that there's still a decent demand for a cellular-enabled data-centric model like the Tungsten W. Palm should never have tried to integrate voice into the T|W and should have sat on it a few months longer and released it with OS 5 as a sort of color RIM-killer data-only device.

A T|C with GPRS & Wi-fi built in would be a killer unit IMHO

RE: Massive Coup for Sprint (and Palm) if true ...
anjrober1 @ 4/1/2004 9:20:07 AM #
As a long time palm, phone and RIM user, I have to agree with the previous post. I would still rather have my normal RIM and a phone then any of the RIM combo device to date. We have a number of Treo 600 users in the office who are drooling for BES integration with their treos. This might finally be a device that offers all three (palm, phone and RIM).

Newsflash: Verizon to Deploy Nothing

Foo Fighter @ 3/30/2004 10:38:30 PM #
Curse you Verizon! :-|

-------------------------------
Contributing Editor, Digitalmediathoughts.com
Editor, Pocketfactory.com
RE: Newsflash: Verizon to Deploy Nothing
abosco @ 3/30/2004 10:57:31 PM #
Hahaha! Why must you stick with Verizon? I'm basking in IR/BT wireless glory with Cingular GPRS and SE.

Oh that's right Cingular, marinate me with more coverage because you're swallowing AT&T Wireless! And I have how many options of phones with Bluetooth? And that many smartphones? What's that? More data? No, I couldn't possi- well OK if you say so.

-Bosco
NX80v + Wifi + BT + T616

RE: Newsflash: Verizon to Deploy Nothing
talos4 @ 3/30/2004 11:31:40 PM #
Supposedly they are going to release a BT phone this summer, the Motorola T710

http://www.motorola.com/mot/doc/1/1111_MotDoc.pdf

The FCC docs had a Verizon logo.

Due in May or June, supposedly.

Verizon is now a M$ Kool-aid drinker now, so don't ever expect a Treo to ever be sold.

-R

Verizon to deploy Treo600 this year!!!
gfunkmagic @ 3/31/2004 2:00:53 AM #
>>>>Verizon is now a M$ Kool-aid drinker now, so >>don't ever expect a Treo to ever be sold.

Accoring to Palmone's last conference call, the Treo600 will be launched on 4 new carriers this year with Verizon being one of them.

http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/311-1.htm

Furthermore, you can already activate a Treo600 on Verizon right NOW! Just chekcout the following thread for a how-to:

http://discuss.treocentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48493

I support http://Tapland.com/

--------------------
GNM

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