Research In Motion, in an attempt to bring Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Office functionalities to BlackBerry smartphones, announced the launch of BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365, a new RIM-hosted online service for midsized businesses and enterprises that extends Microsoft Exchange Online to BlackBerry smartphones, and allows organizations to self-manage their BlackBerry deployments in the cloud. With the help of this service small and medium sized organizations will be able to manage and provide MS powered content to BlackBerry devices right from the cloud.
“BlackBerry Business Cloud Services will help accelerate how BlackBerry customers can realize the full benefits of the best productivity experience across the PC, Browser and phone with Microsoft Office 365,” said Julia White, senior director at Microsoft’s Exchange product management group. She further added that, “This new service delivers valuable enhancements to Office 365 while preserving the cost and business agility benefits the cloud offers to organizations of all sizes.”
Some of the key features of this service for end users are that they can access Microsoft Exchange Online email, calendar and organizer data right from their BlackBerry smartphones without being connected to a computer. Along with that the service gives administrators in organizations better control over devices and the ability to secure them from anywhere or through a web based console as well.
For end users not only does this service bring the inclusion of Microsoft Office-like functionality but it gives them the option to control their device remotely and in case of emergency they will also be able to wipe or secure the device, adding another level of security for confidential data.
This service is available free of cost to all Microsoft Office 365 subscribers. New users can visit the BlackBerry help page at www.blackberry.com/cloudservices.