Blackberry & Exchange Email

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Hi all,

I've only just found out that you can install Blackberry Connect onto a Windows Mobile handset, and it will "pretend" that it is a blackberry. I don't have much info on this, and have a few questions for those that use it, if that is ok.

Currently my device is configured to sync my email, contacts and calendar with my own personal hosted exchange service.

If I install blackberry connect and link it to the work mailservers:

1) Will it synchronise my work email, calendar and contacts too?

2) Does it keep them seperate from my personal stuff?

I know it seems daft installing work's email and calendar onto a personally funded phone ... and I agree ... but it also means I can still be "remote" whilst actioning emails!

Cheers

[Guest hotphil]

Make sure your work pays your line rental if you do! ;-)

[Guest chucky.egg]

My guess is that, if it lets you do both, it will merge them into one - which will result in all your calendar entries (for example) being copied to both your calendars.

There is only one Calendar etc on the device, and I can't imagine Blackberry Connect creating a new one just for itself.

Also look out for Blackberry rules which can be used to stop you sync'ing with anything else. You might find that, if you turn it on you can't turn it off. Check with your local IT first

[Guest dunc]

My guess is that, if it lets you do both, it will merge them into one - which will result in all your calendar entries (for example) being copied to both your calendars.

There is only one Calendar etc on the device, and I can't imagine Blackberry Connect creating a new one just for itself.

Also look out for Blackberry rules which can be used to stop you sync'ing with anything else. You might find that, if you turn it on you can't turn it off. Check with your local IT first

Blackberry connect will still require the RIM software to be installed on the mailservers at work... Does anyone have a crackberry at work?

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Yeah there are plenty of users with Crackberries ... however it's one of those "you must get CIO and God's approval before getting one". Yet I think they will let you use it, if you have your own personal blackberry.

At present I have the T-Mobile 3Gb a month web'n'walk, so the extra traffic wouldn't be a problem. I just want to be able to segregate my data from work data. Otherwise I might just get an off contract crackberry, and put my work sim into it and request crackberry access!

[Guest andrewkeith5]

i don't know entirely on this, but i guess the calendar, contacts, and tasks would be aggregated into the same place...which can't realy be a bad thing, surely? Take the calendar for example - surely it would be better to have both work and personal appointments on the same calendar so you don't accidentally screw up and let everybody down

I can't see any reason why the blackberry e-mail should not have a seperate account to exchange in messaging though...you can differentiate between and number of POP and IMAP accounts (although you can only have one exchange account)

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

I had a look on the crackberry forums and there was one post where the guy alluded to the fact that if you wanted blackberry connect to work, then you had to turn off activesync.

Thus Id only be able to view home email via imap.

[Guest dunc]

I have a Touch Dual for my personal email and calls and a crackberry for work. It makes me feel less shackled to work because when I am not at work I simply leave the work phone in the car or at home or whatever....the danger of having everything in one is a sort of information overload and you will find yourself sitting staring at the screen of your phone all day every day with no respite. Just a thought.

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

At present I carry two phones, and I'm starting to think that two handsets will still be a good idea. It means if I'm "meant to be working" and out and about, I can still check emails and respond.