Mobile Solutions – Blackberry vs Microsoft Windows Mobile
The latest report from Wipro Technologies reviews Mobile Device Platforms, comparing
Blackberry and Microsoft Windows Mobile.
It’s a ‘must read’ for any IT Manager experiencing the constant stream of requests for
mobile access to corporate email, business applications and other critical network
resources. The report unveils some surprising findings and highlights definite
improvements to the Microsoft Windows Mobile solution.
Wipro Technologies is a leader in the IT services and consulting industry. They
recently conducted a comparative lab-based study of mobile platforms benchmarking
Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) coupled with
Exchange Server 2003 SP2 against the RIM Blackberry Handheld 4.0 and Blackberry Enterprise
Server 4.0.
There is no doubt the RIM Blackberry 4.0 solution took an early lead in mobile email
technology. It offered a full set of functions and controls with functionality and
manageability.
However, test lab and primary research data in the report indicate that the RIM
Blackberry 4.0 and Windows Mobile 5.0 MSFP solutions are similar in terms of both features
and functionality.
The results of the study bring to our attention a number of distinct advantages of the
Microsoft Windows Mobile solution:
- Lower TCO: The TCO of the Windows Mobile platform is 15-24% lower than that
of an equivalent RIM Blackberry platform over a three-year period.
- Less Infrastructure: There is a significant difference in fixed cost
between the Windows Mobile and the Blackberry environment, due to the additional
infrastructure required for the BES Servers as well as the supporting database.
- Lower Support Costs: The additional infrastructure necessary for the RIM
Blackberry environment requires additional support and IT management effort.
- Tighter Integration: Windows Mobile takes advantage of Exchange 2003’s
mobile support technology providing IT administrators a single environment to manage.
- Larger Application Selection: Numerous 3rd Party application vendors and a
familiar .Net development environment provide Windows Mobile customers with a wide
variety of choices when expanding the mobile platform to support line-of-business
functions.
The report concludes that Microsoft has successfully addressed the major shortcomings
of previous versions of their mobile solution, including – synchronisation, security and
infrastructure.
Click here for a full copy of the report | 
