BlackBerry Application Suite for Windows Mobile spotted virtualizin' in the wild

It looks like RIM's virtualization software is getting close to materializing for end users on Windows Mobile, a bold statement by the company that it's not the least bit afraid that extending the BlackBerry ecosystem to WinMo devices in a far more rich, attractive, and useful way than BlackBerry Connect ever could won't risk cannibalizing sales of its own devices. Shots of the so-called BlackBerry Application Suite running on a Fuze have shown up, looking darn near as polished as a native RIM handset -- except you won't find anything like this form factor from RIM, now will you? All told, that makes it a good option not just for folks that are stuck to Windows Mobile, but also to anyone looking for their nonexistent QWERTY slide BlackBerry. Unfortunately, there's no telling when this thing is going live, but hey, at least it isn't vaporware.

[Thanks, Mark D.]

[Tonicboy @ Dec 17th 2008 2:07PM]

But will it support Blackberry Server for push email?

[kjb434 @ Dec 17th 2008 2:11PM]

That's the point!

If you wanted jut the look and feel of the Blackberry OS on a WinMo device, you could have gotten that long ago for free as a SPB Mobile Shell Skin.

[Raul @ Dec 17th 2008 2:49PM]

Of course it will! I just wish they had tsomething like this for an iPhone. With Messenger for Blackberry BBM

[Alexh @ Dec 18th 2008 8:22PM]

Of course it won't. BB Server requires a hardware level identification that the winsuck device won't have. You will have access to the exchange server however.

[shugg @ Dec 17th 2008 11:18PM]

kill this device already it blows hard .,ive used it numerous times. htc/blackberry go back to the lab u got some work to do.,.,see if apple will start making some phones n u can just slap ur logo on it.,,.people might give ur product a good rating/iphone clones knockoffs..

[Jason @ Dec 17th 2008 2:07PM]

Yeah, I'll get back to you when you re-write that first sentence.

(It looks like RIM's virtualization software is getting close to materializing for end users on Windows Mobile, a bold statement by the company that it's not the least bit afraid that extending the BlackBerry ecosystem to WinMo devices in a far more rich, attractive, and useful way than BlackBerry Connect ever could won't risk cannibalizing sales of its own devices.)

[cx1 @ Dec 17th 2008 2:13PM]

lol - seriously

[nerdtalker @ Dec 17th 2008 2:17PM]

I still can't understand it, but the picture tells me all I need to know. RIM Blackberry stuff running on *my* touch pro? It's more likely than you think!

[Mikeweezer @ Dec 17th 2008 5:45PM]

Not your Touch Pro, the 'Fuze'...
I know, I know, it looks like the Touch Pro, but wow - did AT&T screw up a good thing.
I was in their store the other day and did a side-by-side with my Sprint Touch Pro vs. the AT&T Fuse. I could slide through the Touch Flo on my Sprint with no hiccups, the Fuze kept stopping. Alot of lag in the Fuze vs. my TP.

I guess my point is - for me this news is interesting, for AT&T customers, this is EXCELLENT.

[Mobius_1 @ Dec 17th 2008 7:00PM]

A picture is worth a thousand words, and Engadget are really taking advantage of that.

[Sean @ Dec 17th 2008 8:23PM]

Comment of the year

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Dec 17th 2008 2:08PM]

Wow. Blackberries may outsell Windows Mobile, but this is still a ballsy move.

[digitallysick @ Dec 17th 2008 2:15PM]

wow thats the only way the htc touch pro /fuze would be worth using. win mo on that device is horrible

[MED @ Dec 17th 2008 4:15PM]

You just proved you've never used it.

[Jim @ Dec 17th 2008 2:18PM]

Probably more to do with countering the iPhone threat (these guys are worried, regardless of the shortcomings of the singleton Apple device). The more people become used to the Blackberry interface, the more likely they are to switch to Blackberry hardware. There again, RIM will probably make more from the software than the hardware.

[ralph @ Dec 17th 2008 2:52PM]

I hope they do make a lot on the software, I am willing to pay to have BBM but I want it on my iPhone

[TareX @ Dec 17th 2008 2:19PM]

there's also a video. it's super boring. i'm glad it's not included in the post.

[Jash Sayani @ Dec 17th 2008 2:26PM]

I DONT GET IT !!

RIM's Blackberry sells because of its corporate level cutting-edge applications.. And if they work on WinMo, then why would a person go for a Blackberry.... There are more choices when a person goes for Windows Mobile.

[Big GIANT Balls @ Dec 17th 2008 2:28PM]

Boring!!!!!! Where is the iPhone news? Why isn't this phone compared to the iPhone? Can these blackberry apps run on iPhone? Does it matter since all iPhone apps are way better than blackberry and winmo apps.

[spam_free @ Dec 17th 2008 2:50PM]

I hope you're being sarcastic. I have 5 email accounts on my iPhone and it's a major PITA to check each account separately (as forced by the iPhone UI). Not to mention the (beaten to death issue of) lack of copy-n-paste. And bluetooth stereo, etc. If WinMo/Android/BB finally decides to have a *painless* and free way to sync my data (address book, iCal, etc) on the Mac, I may very well look to switch when my contract expires.

[Level 5 @ Dec 17th 2008 3:00PM]

I'm in ur Vuze, Boldin' it up. Lulz.

[Ops @ Dec 17th 2008 3:28PM]

this is more than likey just someone with a cooked rom. its not worth the news it brings along.

[CDice @ Dec 17th 2008 3:53PM]

http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=1229

[marky-b @ Dec 17th 2008 3:31PM]

will this make my screen click?

[wud_e @ Dec 17th 2008 5:45PM]

LOL Good one. Man when I tried the Blackberry at Circuit City with the clickable screen it felt weird. I'm sure that takes some getting used to.

[marky-b @ Dec 17th 2008 7:25PM]

lol.. yea i tried it out too. it was just..different.

similar to how i felt when i first tried out the apple on-screen keyboard switching from a hardware keyboard.

[Jim @ Dec 17th 2008 3:32PM]

If I wanted my WinMo to look like a Black Berry then why don’t I just buy a freaking Black Berry. I wouldn’t put a dress on my son because I wanted a girl…. Come-on people stop developing useless products….

[sb @ Dec 17th 2008 3:56PM]

Unrelated:

That's the AT&T Fuze by the way, the only carrier (that i'm aware of) whose model lacks the 5th row of dedicated number and symbol keys, which effectively ruined the phone for me. That was the ONE saving grace of upgrading to a WinMo device for me. Why do carriers have to do horrible things like this to phones?

[fuzzyshoo @ Dec 17th 2008 4:02PM]

oh man i never noticed the horrible graphic on the top right either

god i hate that

[ryan @ Dec 17th 2008 4:46PM]

wait, so the Fuze slides to the right?! I've been wanting this phone since it came out, and this wont change that, but it's going to screw with me after my leftward sliding Tilt.

[Burgundy @ Dec 17th 2008 5:59PM]

Yep.... 8525 slid to the right..... Tilt slides left.... Now back to the f'ing right. STOP MESSING WITH US HTC!!!! DAMN YOU!!! Lolz...

[maddoghoek100 @ Dec 17th 2008 6:07PM]

IF this becomes real it is increasing revenue as an Email Service Provider. If RIM gets their cut of the email service fees for WinMo devices using their software and backend then this makes a lot of sense.

[Blackjack @ Dec 18th 2008 12:05AM]

Are you kidding? Windows Mobile (aka Windows CE) is dead based on latest data. So why bother!

[bandigolo @ Dec 18th 2008 10:34AM]

what data would that be?

this one: http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/12780/13804/microsoft-windows-mobile-phone-sales.phtml

or this one: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-10SonyMWCPR.mspx

?

[MikeWard1701 @ Dec 19th 2008 5:33AM]

Cool!

This serves to show that Windows Mobile (although its shortcomings) is a good all round platform.

With the various front-ends available like SPB mobile shell, Xperia panels, TouchFLO 3D, and Imate GO interfaces being ported and made available to other WinMo devices, it's certainly the best platform for choice.

Then there's the people attempting to port Android, which will prove interesting to say the least.