We're still quietly hoping that Research in Motion will react to the likes of WebOS, Android and Windows Phone 7 Series with a revamped operating system that breathes new life into its BlackBerry handsets, but whilst there's no sign of that, we've now the next best thing in the form of BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express.
Announced today at Mobile World Congress, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is a free server software solution that aims to offer small businesses with wireless synchronisation between BlackBerry smartphones and Microsoft Exchange or Windows Small Business Server.
Arriving as a lighter alternative to BlackBerry Enterprise Server, Enterprise Server Express hopes to provide businesses that don't require a complete set of advanced features with "enterprise-grade security and manageability".
Offering support for Microsoft Exchange 2003, 2007 and 2010 and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 and 2008, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express will offer push-based synchronisation for email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks, as well as the ability to manage email folders, set an out-of-office reply and access files behind a company firewall.
Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO of Research In Motion commented on the release by stating: "In a marketplace where smartphones are becoming ubiquitous, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express significantly raises the bar by providing a cost-effective solution that allows companies of all sizes to support enterprise-grade mobile connectivity for all employees without compromising security or manageability."
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express will be made available as a free download in March 2010.
