RIM Releases BlackBerry Service for Office 365 -- Redmondmag.com

RIM Releases BlackBerry Service for Office 365

By Scott Bekker
01/30/2012

Business smartphone maker Research In Motion has rolled out its cloud-based service for BlackBerry devices that works with the Microsoft Office 365 suite of services.

RIM's BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365 enables synchronization and management, using Microsoft ActiveSync to connect a BlackBerry device with hosted Microsoft Exchange. Contacts, e-mail and calendar application data can be synched up via Microsoft's cloud. Another key end user feature is self-service security access that allows employees to reset their passwords and remotely lock or wipe their devices in case of loss or theft.

The main administrative feature is a Web-based console for provisioning, managing and securing BlackBerry devices. Some other features of the service should present opportunities to channel companies.

"Managed service providers, systems integrators, carriers, resellers and other partners can also use the cloud service to manage BlackBerry deployments on behalf of their customers," RIM said in a statement.

An element aimed at both the end user and IT pro audiences is BlackBerry Balance. RIM describes this feature as presenting a unified view of work and personal content on a BlackBerry, while keeping the content separate and secure.

RIM released a beta of the service in October and indicated that it would be available in January. A similar BlackBerry service for Office 365's precursor, the Business Productivity Online Suite, originally cost $10, but RIM made the service free a year ago, promising to do the same for Office 365.

In an interview with RCP last month, Tom Rizzo called BlackBerry support one of the most common customer requests for Office 365.

About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Featured

What's Inside Microsoft 365's Security Toolbox?

Microsoft provides plenty of native tools to secure Microsoft 365. IT pros just have to know where to look.
Microsoft Kills 30-Day Data Retention Policy for Copilot in Fabric

Microsoft this week announced several usability improvements coming to Copilot in Fabric in preparation of its general availability release later this year.
Using Microsoft Office to Build a Network Diagram 2

Now that we've set up our process, let's dig in with the actual execution.
Microsoft Graph 'Activity Logs' Feature Goes Live

Microsoft announced the general availability of the "activity logs" capability in Microsoft Graph, giving administrators more options to track user activity and identify patterns of potential misuse.
Fallout from Microsoft's 'Midnight Blizzard' Saga Hits Feds

When the Russian attack group Midnight Blizzard successfully breached Microsoft corporate e-mail accounts late last year, it apparently managed to steal U.S. government agency e-mails, too.