Windows Live services coming to BlackBerry
Microsoft and Research In Motion (RIM) may compete in the mobile handset market when it comes to Windows Mobile and the BlackBerry, but the two companies have teamed up to allow blackberry owners the ability to have greater integration with Windows Live online services. The two services to be integrated first on the BlackBerry will be Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger. To utilize the services a user need only to have a free Windows Live email address and password. Once entered, both services will be available to the user through their BlackBerry.
Windows Live Hotmail for BlackBerry will utilize push technology. So, Windows Live Hotmail users will be able to enjoy automatic message delivery and synchronization with their online account. A dedicated Inbox for Windows Live Hotmail messages will be provided. HTML emails will also be able to be viewed which will include the ability the view graphics, links and contact photos. Since you can receive emails from other e-mail accounts within Hotmail this means that those emails can be pushed to your BlackBerry device as well.
For more immediate communication you can utilize Windows Live Messenger for BlackBerry. The software will allow you to send messages and join group chats and you’ll also be able to set your status and see whether others within your contacts are online. Customization of status messages is supported in addition to the ability to send and receive pictures and files. What’s Windows Live Messenger without emoticons? It looks like RIM and Microsoft don’t want to find out so emoticons are supported as well.
Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Hotmail for the BlackBerry are expected to be released this summer.
Read more from the joint press release.
Brian’s Opinion
The move by Microsoft to team up with Research In Motion is all about market share. They want their online services on as many mobile handhelds as possible. Working with RIM to develop a couple of applications compatible with the BlackBerry is a great way to do that when you considering the millions of BlackBerry users. It’s a win for RIM as well since it is yet one more thing the BlackBerry handhelds are capable of.
Major kudos to Microsoft for being smart enough to put push email into the Windows Live Hotmail client for the BlackBerry. People forget that’s what BlackBerry users love about the device. It’s all about getting email on the handheld when it is received.
I have to say that I am most looking forward to Windows Live Messenger for BlackBerry. I’m a user of the service and I welcome the ability to be able to initiate and respond to instant messages via my BlackBerry. The fact you can use emoticons is also a huge plus. That’s probably because I personally am a big user of them.
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