Long asked for by Small to Medium Businesses currently running BlackBerry Enterprise Server (Enterprise and Express Editions) Version 10.1 for BlackBerry Enterprise Service will finally allow the installation of all the BES10 components onto the same server as each other and this can also be the same server currently managing your older BlackBerry Devices (you must be running BES or BES Express 5.0.4).

Administrators should be cautioned in reviewing the system requirements for BES 10.1.

E.g. for 1 - 500 users

All BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 components, Microsoft SQL Server Express, and BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 SP4

• One Processor 2.53 GHz Intel Xeon 5500 Series (Quad core)
• 12 GB of available memory
• 40 GB of disk space
• Note if the BlackBerry Enterprise Server is installed on the computer add 2GB to the memory requirement

I am still considering if its more fitting to run the BES 5 on one server and create a new server (or use an existing one which meets the requirements) for the BES 10 software. This would avoid conflicts and interruption to existing users as you evaluate and provides greater resilience long term.

The BlackBerry Management Studio will give you one single console to administer BES 10 and the BES 5 even if they are on separate servers.

Besides the option to allow installing all components onto one server this update to BES 10 will give administrators further control over BlackBerry 10 handsets. If required the administrator can enforce policies to all devices and all applications installed onto the handset will be forced to use the secure corporate channel.

Administrators will also enjoy a new dashboard for the BlackBerry Management Studio which will detail the users and their devices along with further (see below).

Device management

Manage BlackBerry 10 devices with a work space only:

To enable compliance for secure, government, and regulated environments, you can designate all information on BlackBerry 10 devices as work information. The work space only activation option gives your organization full control over devices. There are additional IT policies that you can use to control how a BlackBerry 10 device accesses network resources

Control which BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry PlayBook devices can access Microsoft ActiveSync:

Gatekeeping allows you to block unauthorized devices from configuring Microsoft ActiveSync to connect to your organization's infrastructure and access work email. You can configure Microsoft Exchange to block devices from using Microsoft ActiveSync unless the devices are explicitly added to an allowed list in Microsoft Exchange. Using gatekeeping in BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 lets you control which devices are added to the allowed list. When a device is added to the allowed list, a user can access work email and other information on the device

Administration consoles

Reporting dashboard:

Reporting dashboards allow you to have a high-level overview of your user and device information. For example, you can see a breakdown of the number of devices in your organization by carrier. You can hover over or click on specific data points in a dashboard to see more detailed information, and you can export the information to a .csv file for further analysis

Single sign-on:

You can configure BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 to allow you to automatically log in to BlackBerry Management Studio, the BlackBerry Device Service, the Universal Device Service, and BlackBerry Web Desktop Manager without needing to re-enter your username and password

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 licensing:

Organisations must purchase new licenses before they can activate users in the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. In BlackBerry Management Studio you can manage licenses and view detailed information for each license type, such as usage and expiration. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 uses the following new license types:

• EMM – Corporate - You can activate BlackBerry 10 devices, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, Android devices, and iOS devices.
• EMM - Corporate for BlackBerry - You can activate BlackBerry 10 devices and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

Contact Intercity for installation services and licensing purchase.

BlackBerry threw a cat amongst the pigeons in January when they launched BlackBerry 10 and announced their flagship model - the Z10.  And with the recent release of the Q10 they’re out to show that  they still have what it takes to compete at the top of the business smartphone market.

Now with the announcement of the Q5 they’re preparing to build on the positive response to the high end devices to give you the BlackBerry 10 experience without the premium price tag.

The Q5 will appeal to anyone looking to update their legacy BlackBerry devices without raiding the local bank for funds. It will be interesting to see how the new operating system works on a smaller keyboard device  but the interest and demand shown in the Q10 has shown that many still desire a physical keyboard for entering text.

What’s Black, White and Red all over? The BlackBerry Q5

Take a look at some of the basic specifications of the BlackBerry Q5

• 3.1-inch touch screen display, 720 x 720 resolution
• 5MP rear camera, front camera
• Support to shoot up to 2560 x 1920 resolution photos
• 2GB of RAM
• 8GB internal storage
• 2180 mAh non-removable battery
• BlackBerry 10 OS

The BlackBerry 10 offering

The BlackBerry 10 OS gives smartphones the highest level of corporate functionality and security and has given a new lease of life to the BlackBerry handset range. Enhanced browsing and a rapidly growing app marketplace all add to the appeal.

With the launch of BES 10, BlackBerry has ensured IT administrators retain corporate control of the newer OS alongside the older BlackBerry range. This also includes the ability to bring the Android and iOS devices into this secure family too.

BBM (no longer just on BlackBerry smartphones)

At last… this summer will see BlackBerry open their BBM doors to iOS and Android.

Once approved in the Google Play and Apple App Store current BBM users will be able to extend their conversations beyond their BlackBerry Groups.

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) currently allows group conversations and also voice note sharing (with the newer OS 10 handsets). BlackBerry has also introduced BBM Voice and BBM Video for WiFi voice and video calls which has also been scheduled for iOS and Android later this year.

BBM fact time

• More than 60 million monthly active users
• More than 51 million daily active users who are connecting with friends or colleagues an average of one and a half hours every day.
• BBM users send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps
• Almost half of BBM messages are read within 20 seconds of being received; indicating how truly engaged BBM customers are

BBM Channels

Also announced is a new BBM Channels service using the power of social media you will be able to connect with businesses, brands and if you must - celebs too!

Look out for the BlackBerry BBM app in an app store near you.

I’ve mentioned MiFi a couple of times already in our blog and for good reason too. These matchbox sized devices become your best friend if you’re constantly out of the office like I am. With their ability to connect anything which uses WiFi to the Internet. They are fast making USB dongles a thing of the past as there’s no driver or software to install. All you have to do is switch it on, connect to the Internet and voila!

So what about ditching your best friend for a brand new one – the Huawei E5220 or E5151?

Both the E5220 and the E5151 gives you a portable WiFi hotspot allowing you to connect to one network and attach up to 10 devices.

A few examples of using these MiFi devices

• Single user with multiple devices - laptop, tablet, gaming device
• Multiple business users  - connecting multiple laptops, tablets, mobile phones such as employees at an exhibition stand or temporary office
• Multiple office users – connecting laptops, tablets, mobile phones at a single place of work

The E5151 additionally allows you to connect a computer or other device via an Ethernet cable and also allows WiFi uplink should you need this as an extension to an existing network.

What do they look like?

Huawei E5220		Huawei E5151
Supports up to 10 devices, Supports 3G up to 21mbps download 5.76 upload		Supports up to 10 devices, Supports 3G up to 21mbps download 5.76 upload, Ethernet, Wi-fi uplink connection
Excellent simple connection with a slim and sleek design		Excellent simple connection, robust and modern design with advanced connection options

The Huawei MiFi devices are easy to use. Just insert a live data-enabled SIM card and the device will automatically configure your mobile network. You also get simple graphics showing you signal strength, WiFi output, battery and any received SMS messages.

What about security?

You can use the existing WiFi security options.  Should you need to change these or want to look further into your data usage you can enter the management site when you are connected.

Huawei E5220 – http://192.168.1.1  default login admin/admin as username/password

Huawei E5151 – http://192.168.8.1 default login admin/admin as username/password

This will initially give you a dashboard view of your connection showing the current network signal strength, battery, internet connection etc along with usage stats such as data amounts sent or received.

It will also show how many devices are currently connected to your MiFi (e.g. 1/10).

My article last month highlighted some of the great new features of the new BlackBerry Z10. But how does it compare to the iPhone? They’re both amazing devices but today, we’re talking business.

iPhones in the office

To begin with, the office wasn’t seen as the natural habitat for an iPhone, which is mainly focussed on being king of consumer desire. But since launching in 2007 it has worked its way into the workplace. When it comes to practicality though, how does the iPhone fare as a business tool?  In most users hands the iPhone is an excellent business tool allowing full email, calendar and browsing plus a wealth of application driven productivity.

Tech-savvy companies have made the most of this and created their own apps, or picked one out from the app store to suit whatever function helps their business.

So why don’t we see more iPhones at work?  The reason is simple: security. IT managers are understandably reluctant to let employees exchange sensitive company or client information in a device that could share it with other installed apps. By far the biggest fear in the IT office is the risk of sensitive data being shared over cloud-based apps including DropBox or Apple’s own iCloud. IT departments worldwide have searched for a secure solution – but have they overlooked BlackBerry’s long legacy on this front?

BlackBerry Z10 gets to work

Out the box, the Z10 is pretty similar to the iPhone in terms of functionality. You can easily setup your emails using POP3 /IMAP for public accounts and ActiveSync for corporate email. This is the first time BlackBerry has let you use ActiveSync, showing their willingness to remove any barriers to ease of use.

Social media integration is a big part of the Z10, as it has always been with the iPhone. As well as FaceBook and Twitter, the Z10 plays to BlackBerry’s business mentality by including LinkedIn in the setup process. BlackBerry Messaging (BBM) has had a revamp with its new BBM Voice service which is not only available in the Z10 but also to any previous devices running operating system version 6 or higher. So you can make long distance calls for free over Wifi, which businesses have been crying out for some time now in the face of high international call costs.  If that wasn’t enough, the Z10 includes its own enhanced version of Apple’s FaceTime. Not only does the BBM Video service allow you to make free face-to-face video calls across WiFi, but you can even use the clever Screen-Share tool to go through work together, including documents, spreadsheets, websites or apps.

There are other great out-the-box services on the Z10.

- Doc to Go – This allows the user to create and edit Word, Excel and to view and edit PowerPoint files. If you’re presenting, you can use micro-HDMI to plug directly into a TV or projector.

- Print to BlackBerry – A new feature for the Z10 and BlackBerry PlayBook. It allows you to virtually print anything to your BlackBerry. You just install an application onto a PC and you can then print from any office application directly to your Z10,.

- DLNA – This makes streaming of videos, pictures and music easy across your network. So you can playback your BlackBerry content on your TV. I tried this out successfully on my LG TV and Samsung Blu-Ray player, with no lag and great resolution. Ok, so it’s not strictly a business application, but it could come in handy for sharing corporate videos or slide-shows if you don’t have compatible cables handy.

Has BlackBerry cracked the app market?

BlackBerry is pushing aggressively on the app store front as well with the newly rebranded BlackBerry World including 70,000 apps ready for the Z10. While this isn’t as many as in the matured Apple Store, it’s a strong initial launch number, with many more apps on the way thanks to the open-source app development system. This not only allows a more straight forward development program but allows for a quick port of existing applications. BlackBerry has really removed barriers here, and will even help you get an app up and running in just a few hours. I managed to create a simple one in 10 minutes. – Check it out here.

Where is your data safest?

So far there’s little difference between the iPhone and Z10. But in most businesses, there will probably be existing systems and handsets already in place. Although it would be nice to switch everyone to a nice new smartphone, this isn’t usually practical. So, while a few senior people might take on a top-level smartphone, they still need to communicate with all other employees but often require greater and more secure access to corporate data. This is where the BlackBerry Z10 takes itself above the other smartphone offerings with connection to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10).

Not only will IT managers be able to ensure continuing corporate security with the Z10, they can do this within the same infrastructure as their existing user base. This gives you the same access to corporate data without having to employ a separate management service or additional VPN (BES10 will be the secure gateway for intranet and other internal web-based services). Corporate file-shares mean users won’t have to rely on cloud-based systems outside IT management control – Users will be able to continue communicating within corporate or private BBM groups, only with the enhanced BBM Voice and BBM Video features.

Why BlackBerry?

So which device is better for business? I’ve always seen each BlackBerry handset iteration as an evolution rather than revolution. Looking at the Z10 though, you have to say this is more revolutionary for BlackBerry. However, it retains enough BlackBerry DNA to be able to communicate with the older members of the family, so will sit well among your existing BlackBerry base.

With BES10 though, you don’t have to choose which you prefer. As it’s open to other devices, your company directors can still have their iPhones (although after playing with the BlackBerry Z10 they might not want to) and your IT manager can make sure they’re managed through a robust system. In fact, BES 10 lets you securely manage pretty much any mobile device including older BlackBerrys, Android phones and tablets. BES 10 is also free of charge, requiring only a one-off license fee for each connected device (whether it’s BlackBerry 10, iOS or Android).

So, while the Z10 has been designed from the ground up with businesses and connectivity in mind, BES 10 gives you more choice.