Software developer Bayalink Solutions recently announced the general availability of Bayalink Liberty, a virtualization solution for BlackBerry smartphones from Research In Motion (RIM). Liberty is a Bluetooth-enabled USB key enabling you to view RIM smartphone applications and documents on a PC screen and type with a full-size keyboard.
Once the necessary software is installed, Liberty allows you to access your BlackBerry mailbox and other applications like contacts and calendar information—in their native formats—and both Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers on a much larger screen, as well as type messages or commands using a normal sized keyboard. The Liberty key uses the BlackBerry data connection to access e-mail and the Web, so users can connect via most Windows-based PCs with USB ports, regardless of whether or not they’re in range of a LAN or Wi-Fi network. That means enterprise BlackBerry users who access the Internet through BES servers and connect to corporate systems via Virtual Private Networks don’t need to mess with any special VPN software when connecting with their laptops.
You can watch a demo here.
The hardware + software kit doesn’t exactly come cheap: ordering makes you $ 99 lighter, renewable at the same price every year, although the relatively high pricing isn’t likely to stop enterprise users from purchasing the handy utility. Unfortunately, Bayalink Liberty only works with PCs running Windows 2000/XP/Vista, so Mac or Linux users are out of luck for the time being. Furthermore, the software is only available for BlackBerry 8700 series devices with OS 4.2.1.101 or higher; BlackBerry Pearls; BlackBerry Curves; and BlackBerry 8830 World Edition smartphones.
[Source: Advice CIO]