I'M NO LONGER willing to clip two or three devices to my belt: Ultra-nerd is not the look I'm going for. Yet I have to do
that today, not only because each device is only good at certain things, but because their services are neither unified nor
business-grade.
My BlackBerry 5810 is connected to T-Mobile's network. Typically, the BlackBerry connects to a remote Exchange server, but
I have mine linked to Research In Motion's own mail server. I selectively forward my e-mail to that server. Forwarding lets
me filter and prioritize messages, and RIM's server maintains a Web-accessible cache of the last 500 messages sent to my device.
Understandably, RIM doesn't make a fuss about its Internet-based service. It doesn't want to get stuck being an e-mail service
provider, so the majority of BlackBerry users rely on RIM's Exchange server plug-in. But as convergence takes hold, mobile
services will get to be more than most companies can host themselves. Hosted business-grade messaging and collaboration services
are an essential part of the convergence puzzle. Instead of waving it off as being too much trouble or too removed from their
core business, carriers, providers, and device-makers should seize this opportunity.
The services picture isn't that encouraging at the moment. Sprint's PCS Vision service has huge convergence potential, but
Sprint left big gaps in its services lineup, which makes these sexy devices less appealing. If I carry a phone/PDA/Internet
device, I expect out-of-the-box e-mail, wireless sync, and backup/restore services.
If you want to see what a proper converged services lineup looks like, check out Apple Computer's .Mac (
www.mac.com
). It's a standards-based mail service with a Web front end. It's a collaborative calendar (iCal) that uses publish/subscribe
technology to provide immediate synchronization across a workgroup. If you're not on a Mac, iCal has a full-featured Web interface.
.Mac also gives users 100MB of remote storage (iDisk) that mounts as a drive on Mac and Windows systems and is accessible
through any Web browser.
Apple humbly characterizes .Mac as a convenience service for Macintosh desktop and notebook users, but I have no doubt that
it will be the services back-end for Apple's convergence device. There are missing pieces, like a publish/subscribe address
book and open instant messaging, but obviously Apple knows how to build them and it is not afraid to host the service. When
Apple's convergence device appears and no matter what form it takes, I believe it will have a complete services back-end out
of the box. If you choose to use somebody else's services, fine -- but finally you won't have to go shopping around if you
don't want to.
I'm not calling the convergence devices race for Apple; I haven't seen or been told anything about its potential device.
I've got plenty to say about Microsoft's mobile services infrastructure, too. But I can see that Apple's got the right idea
with .Mac. That's what I want on the other end of my Internet-enabled handheld.
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