back to article BlackBerry users get free remote wipe, backup and location

BlackBerry users without an IT department behind them can now locate, back up and remotely wipe their handsets for free, as RIM bulks out its consumer offering. The free BlackBerry Protect service is now in open beta, providing a host of functionality previously restricted to enterprise users but now available direct from RIM …

COMMENTS

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  1. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    Smart move

    The Blackberrys have had this functionality (and well-tested in the field) for years. It seems to me the primary cost is implementation, that is already sunk cost. So this has very little cost to RIM, but provides new functionatity for (non-corporate) customers, keeping RIM and Blackberries more relevant against the onslaught of Android phones and fruity-phone.

  2. b-a-r-k-i-n-g-m-a-d
    Stop

    iPhone has done this for how long?

    iPhone has done this for how long?

    RIM should just stick to providing software / email services - should just do a Blackberry client for Android, iOS etc.

    1. stefan 5

      are you blind?

      yes iphone done it for a long time but not for FREE. goddam facepalm

    2. Bear Features

      what?

      Who cares how long Apple have been doing whatever. Since when has anything been based on who did what first? If that were the case half of Apple's products weren't the first either.

      Getoveryourself.com

      Good on RIM!

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Down

      You think??

      I've just bought myself a new Blackberry Pearl. It's FAB. It does everything I want it too, it doesn't have an interface that swirls and bounces and looks like a cartoon, but it DOES work - and it runs for easily THREE days on a fully charged battery, yes that's with wifi and BT enabled too.

      So you Androidtards can just go and play games or surf Failbook or Twit or root your phone or whatever... oh but make sure you know where the nearest charge socket is ;-)

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Troll

      title

      BBs have been able to do this for a while, just not officially. Lookout has an app which allows you to remote backup, locate your phone etc. all free.

      Troll, 'cause... Well yea...

    5. Richard 120

      By that logic

      Apple should have not bothered changing the iPhone to allow third party applications to run and instead gone back to selling overpriced PC hardware.

    6. Daniel B.
      FAIL

      Missing the point, dude?

      "iPhone has done this for how long?"

      Dunno, but BlackBerry has been doing this for longer. In fact, it has always been one of its key features. The catch was that it was only available if you had a BES, but it is now being rolled out for free.

      Oh wait, there was that other "family BES" thingy that also had Remote Wipe a couple of years ago. It seems that BB Protect is simply extending on this!

  3. dotdavid
    Thumb Up

    Android needs this

    Android needs this. There is an app for Google Apps users which can do some of it, but having it available to all would be great.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Protect or Encryption

    I've just tried it and it works quite nicely.

    Not surprisingly, perhaps, but it doesn't work if you have encryption turned on. Since security and encryption were one of the reasons why I like the BlackBerry, this isn't ideal.

    What to go for? Encryption so your data is safe, or Protect so you can find your phone again?

  5. John Stirling

    blackberry for android? that would be barking mad

    Wouldn't that just be a not very good email client? Like all the others on Android and ios?

    I've moved from blackberry to android with my last change, and in so many ways I love my new phone, sorry palm size computing platform with phone capability, but blackberry email rules, and rules really really hard. The reason for that is because they control the platform, so all the little design compromises that slip in are there to improve email, whereas on android/ios it's all about the 'user experience' and screen, and multi touch, and market place, and multimedia and and and. With the result that there are no good email clients. Not the way blackberry is a good email client.

    You can see the difference by adding a 'imap to a normal server' email to a blackberry - it's also crap.

    The magic is the combination of knowing the hardware inside out, controlling the server software, and writing the client.

    If Blackberry want to play in the wider space they need to get better at the 'everything else', but email (and messaging, bb messenger is cool too), they have sorted. I miss the email, and it might on it's own be enough to push me back, even though in every other way my new galaxy s is worlds better.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      K-9 Mail

      You may want to try K-9 Mail, an opensource email app for Android. Much better than email on a Blackberry, in my opinion.

  6. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    Just a thought

    Has RIM tested this new functionality in unfriendly waters ? Such as a hacker convention ? Because if not, I sure hope they really, rreeeeaalllllyy did the use case and security profile correctly, else there will be blood when some high-profile CEO gets his little toy wiped without his consent.

  7. Select * From Handle
    Go

    This App is really good and straight forward.

    Brilliant App for home users, the ability to view where your phone works great, problem is if your other half gets hold of your BB ID, they will be able to find out where you are hahah. i got it on Monday, it is about time that they have released something like this for BB users. but unfortunately for my friend who got mugged two weeks ago and his blackberry stolen is no help to his lost BB.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Well done RIM

    A bit overdue but very welcome. Its almost cured my case of Blackberry envy induced by my other half's BES administered device. The 'set off a loud ring' function will hopefully put an end to the post piss-up 'why did I leave it on vibrate and forget where I put it' routine.

    Now if they could just give the calendar, todo's and address book a bit more of the functionality you could get on the Palm/Handspring 10 years ago, and improve the sync with a Mac I'd be most grateful.

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