Blackberry or Windows Mobile: Which is right for me?

Which mobile email solution is best for you depends on a lot of factors.  As you would expect, there are advantages to both systems.

Blackberry has been around for a few years now, and practically invented the concept of email on the move.  With a lot of experience in push email, the Blackberry system is highly polished and because it is a proprietary system, it is very secure and manageable.  Configuring a device is as simple as typing in an email address and password.

On the flip side though, Blackberry requires a monthly subscription, and for proper integration with Exchange, an additional piece of software, the Blackberry Enterprise Server, is required.  This has a cost per user, and if you have more than 10 or so users, you will need to run it on its own computer.

The Microsoft solution, by contrast, is based on open standards, and requires no additional software or subscriptions.  All you need is Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2, and a compatible mobile device, be it one of the many Windows Mobile devices such as O2’s XDA range, or any phone with a suitable Microsoft ActiveSync  client.

With Microsoft’s solution, you don’t pay a monthly subscription.  Instead you pay for whatever data is used based on your mobile phone operators data tariff.  Generally, this works out cheaper than the monthly Blackberry subscription, but if you go over your data allowance (either because your system is not properly optimised or you just receive a lot of email), or you are travelling abroad, the data use could get expensive.  Obviously some people prefer to know they are paying a fixed price each month, and others like to pay as they go.

Device setup is slightly less slick on the Microsoft devices, but by no means a chore.  While a Blackberry user can literally take a device out of the box and have the configuration zapped to it, the Windows Mobile user must type in the server address, their username and password.  Not too arduous.

Both systems provide for remotely wiping a device should it be lost.

Then there is the devices.  Windows Mobile devices, such as O2’s XDA range, come in all shapes and sizes.  There are data-centric devices with keyboards and touch screens, or there are phone-centric devices which look and feel like a regular mars-bar shaped phone, but receive email, albeit they may not be great for replying.  Windows mobile devices can also run a wealth of software applications, from SatNav to stock lookups and signature capture.

Alternatively, 3rd party ActiveSync clients are available for some of the recent Nokia, Motorola and Sony Eriksson phones that are popular.  Talk to your Raven representative to find out if one is available for your preferred phone.

In the Blackberry corner, the choice is narrower.  All of the devices are designed as email devices first and foremost, so they have full keyboards, and large screens.  They don’t have the same variety of software available as Windows Mobile, but from a support perspective, this can be less to go wrong.  Some applications are starting to emerge for Blackberry devices though.

At the end of the day, the choice comes down to personal preferences.  Do you prefer an established, manageable, but proprietary system like Blackberry, or the Johnny-come-lately open Microsoft system?  Do you prefer fixed monthly tariffs or pay as you go?  Is providing a gateway server an overhead you could live without?  Do you want to run other applications on your mobile device, or do you prefer something designed specifically for email.  You pay your money and take your choice.

For more information on Windows Mobile Devices and Blackberrys you can download the datasheets on the right hand side of this page