blackberry without bes?

March 18, 2009 9:14 AM

How usable is a Blackberry without BES?

I've had a Blackberry for a couple of years now, and find it great. The time has come to switch contracts and get a new phone.

I'd like to stay with a Blackberry since I like the keyboard, battery life and the ability to resume an app (like Google maps, Opera) when the phone rings.

Deal breakers (these must work!):
* pick up my e-mail via imap over ssl with push or imap idle.
* remote wipe the phone if it gets stolen

Would be nice:
* syncing by some method (syncml/usb) under Linux would be good

Until now I've always used the phone with a Blackberry Enterprise Server.

How do people with BES-less Blackberries find using the phone?
Are there any functions missing which aren't immediately obvious?
Does imap over ssl and remote wipe work well?

And off at a tangent: how does it compare to the E71?

Thanks very much.

posted by devnull to Technology (6 answers total)

Best answer: Had both, they work the same, but you don't have the ability to remote wipe the phone, I don't think. You also have to physically synch your calendar and tasks, because it won't do it automatically over the air.

But the emails are pushed just fine, if not quicker, because it goes straight to the phone instead of to the server and then to the phone.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:58 AM on March 18, 2009

Best answer: I had a pearl with BES, now I have a pearl with BIS.

I can't comment on remote wipe except to say I know it works over BES, and don't know if it works on BIS (but like ironmouth, suspect it doesn't).

Everything else works fine with BIS -- I get email via BIS and also direct through the gmail client. I sync using Google Sync (calendar and contacts) which happens over the air.

Aside from the fact I no longer get my company email pushed (I just get personal email now, and a different company email via imap) and the old BES administrator can't see my device, I've noticed no real differences.
posted by devbrain at 10:01 AM on March 18, 2009

Response by poster: Thanks for the info!

I can stay with a Blackberry then, just need to look at remote wipe with an external app.
posted by devnull at 10:43 AM on March 18, 2009

It's fine without BES, you can get the exact same effect with IMAP and GoogleSync for Blackberry (if you use Google products, or want to sync your calendar/contacts with Google)

The most important thing is your data plan. Some service providers include BES/Email access as part of the package, but going to IMAP is usually extra for the data.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:06 AM on March 18, 2009

You may also want to just get in the habit of using a password to unlock it. Even a 4 character numerical code is tough to crack manually. If its stolen then its at least locked. Im not sure how much I trust the BES wipe, let alone a third-party app. The fact that either solution depends on an active service connection is worrisome. With a password lock it doesnt matter.
posted by damn dirty ape at 11:09 AM on March 18, 2009

Response by poster: @blue_beetle Data plan is not a problem, would prefer something not google centric if possible. Maybe Zimbra have something..

@damn dirty ape Yikes! That would quickly add up! I suppose I could set it on auto-lock after a long period, that way they cannot disable it or change the pin, but I still get a lockdown of some kind. Thanks.
posted by devnull at 2:37 PM on March 18, 2009