Blackberry-like device, MacOS X, and/or IMAP?

[bscott at ntisys.com]

On Fri, 17 Oct 2003, at 11:13am, p.lussier at comcast.net wrote:
> My understanding of how the Blackberry works is that mail gets sent to
> both your e-mail account and the Blackberry.  Then, some how, you can sync
> between the BlackBerry and your desktop mail client.

  (In the following, it will help to know that RIM == Research In Motion,
the company that provides the Blackberry devices and service.)

  There are four types of BlackBerry configurations.

  The first type uses what RIM calls "BlackBerry Web Client".  You access
mail on an ISP with the Blackberry gadget.  The Blackberry network connects
to your ISP using POP3.  They also support AOL, Hotmail, and MSN.

  The second type is the same as the first type, except RIM is your ISP.  
They give you an address <@blackberry.net>.  You can use that as your
primary, forward copies of all mail there, forward selected mail there, or
whatever else you want.

  The third option involves the use of particular software on a workstation.  
Basically, the idea is that you use MS Outlook for everything, and want your
Blackberry gadget to be able to access your Outlook stuff.  So you load
their software and keep the workstation on all the time.  Their software
maintains a link between the Blackberry network and your Outlook store.  
This doesn't work if you (1) don't use Outlook, (2) don't use MS-Windows, or
(3) can't leave your workstation on all the time (maybe because it's also
your laptop).

  The fourth option is basically the same as the third, except you use a big
honking server running MS-Windows, and it talks to a separate MS-Exchange
server.

-- 
Ben Scott <bscott at ntisys.com>
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