BlackBerry 8700c Outshines Its Predecessor ... But Channel Program Still Dim

RIM, Waterloo, Ontario, is in the midst of a federal lawsuit stemming from seven patent-infringement allegations lodged by patent-holding firm NTP. RIM, however, does claim to have alternate technology available if an injunction does occur.

Legal issues aside, RIM&'s introduction of the BlackBerry 8700c demonstrates an evolution of the BlackBerry product line. The 8700c will continue to offer most of the same features as previous versions, but with a significant enhancement: wireless broadband connectivity.

The 8700c will run on a quad-band GPRS/GSM as well as Cingular&'s new EDGE network protocol, which will provide users with a noticeably faster performance curve on all of its services. The availability of the new EDGE network will offer customers high-speed capabilities in 13,000 U.S. cities and 170 countries for voice and more than 90 countries for data worldwide.

The new BlackBerry platform incorporates an Intel PXA901 cellular processor, which does not compromise battery life yet offers the processing power needed to efficiently run a variety of business-critical applications. It includes 64 Mbytes of flash memory and 16 Mbytes of SRAM, a high-resolution 320-x-240 LCD that supports more than 65,000 colors for optimized viewing. The display also offers intelligent light-sensing technology that adjusts the LCD and keyboard lighting in darker environments when needed.

One of the most impressive features is the visual development tool that taps into the XML-based service-oriented architecture (SOA), enabling systems integrators and in-house corporate developers to create wireless applications for their field employees. BlackBerry&'s MDS (Mobile Data System) v4.0 upgrade pack provides support for wireless access of Web services from BlackBerry devices.

There is an enormous opportunity here for third-party software vendors that support application deployment, execution and upgrades on BlackBerry devices.

CRN Test Center engineers were able to create and publish a millimeter counting utility directly onto the device using the BlackBerry MDS Studio with support for Web Services, which automatically generates the prototype application. The entire process was automated and wizard-driven and took less than 10 minutes to complete. There was no development or coding needed to complete the hosted project. The MDS Studio and Runtime are currently available as free downloadable upgrades for MDS v4.0 and will be included in MDS v4.1.

One minor gripe the Test Center has about the new 8700c is that it does not include an integrated camera. Another is that the EDGE broadband modem, when plugged into a notebook computer, will not provide broadband wireless.

The new EDGE-enabled BlackBerry 8700c is only available through Cingular for $299.99 with a two-year contract and mail-in rebate. BlackBerry monthly data plans coupled with a voice service are $34.99 for 4 Mbytes of data and $44.99 for unlimited domestic data service; and $64.99 for unlimited domestic and international data usage.

Currently, RIM&'s and Cingular&'s commitment to the channel is unknown, as both companies stated that legal and competitive concerns prevented them from completing the CRN Test Center&'s channel survey. Without that information, it is impossible for the Test Center to rate a reviewed product highly, much less recommend it. If RIM is currently supporting its channel partners as it has in the past, the onus for partnership will fall on the carrier, in this case, Cingular.