[galuple]

rimm is due some congratulations here. the PB can do email now.

When the iPad does Flash then we can have a big party.

[mookish]

seems like something to harvest email addies. I wouldn't trust it.

[1812dave]

You're starting to seriously annoy me.

Show me the rule where it says that when you find something that might possibly be interesting and you create a forum post about it you're REQUIRED to post additional information from other sources?

Seriously dude, get off my back. Pretty please. Go annoy someone else.

You have been the annoying one. I asked a simple question and you both vilify me AND stonewall. I think I'll go ahead and use the IGNORE feature--something I've done just four times in almost two years. Don't bother replying unless you feel the need to vent to others here. Stick a fork in me--I'm done!

[dunerzr]

When the iPad does Flash then we can have a big party.

Didn't they earn a party for the wonderful, quality cameras on the Ipad2??

[Gucci33]

Didn't they earn a party for the wonderful, quality cameras on the Ipad2??

lol

[TheMarco]

You have been the annoying one. I asked a simple question and you both vilify me AND stonewall. I think I'll go ahead and use the IGNORE feature--something I've done just four times in almost two years. Don't bother replying unless you feel the need to vent to others here. Stick a fork in me--I'm done!

Alright. Bye!

[peter9477]

My only real problem with an app like that, aside from wanting to know enough about the person or people behind it to trust it with anything, is that it mentions POP and SMTP but nothing about security...

With generic POP and SMTP, not only your email is sent in the clear, but your userid and password usually is too. At the least it needs to be capable of protecting the password I use to get my mail.

I actually use IMAPS (IMAP over TLS), and would be greatly bothered to be stuck with only POP, but as an interim measure it would be doable if there was any kind of attention to basic security.

[Gucci33]

My only real problem with an app like that, aside from wanting to know enough about the person or people behind it to trust it with anything, is that it mentions POP and SMTP but nothing about security...

With generic POP and SMTP, not only your email is sent in the clear, but your userid and password usually is too. At the least it needs to be capable of protecting the password I use to get my mail.

I actually use IMAPS (IMAP over TLS), and would be greatly bothered to be stuck with only POP, but as an interim measure it would be doable if there was any kind of attention to basic security.

All great points. Does Marco work for these guys?

[TheMarco]

All great points. Does Marco work for these guys?

Ehm. No. I saw it on some other site and figured it looks like something interesting enough to post.

Was I wrong?

[sleepngbear]

Ehm. No. I saw it on some other site and figured it looks like something interesting enough to post.

Was I wrong?

Yes. Nobody is allowed post anything good here without fear of retribution.

Actually, the concerns raised are legit, but jeez, why is the first thing anybody does when somebody finds something remotely positive is shoot it down. It is available on BlackBerry's own AppWorld ... does that not give anyone at least some sense of security? Guaranteed when RIM does publish a native email client, somebody will find countless things they don't like about. They'll complain that it email isn't pushed, or it's not sync'd with every other device on the planet. If it's separate from bridged email, they'll complain that they can't view it all in one place; if it's combined in one place, they'll complain that they can't keep them separated. If they have to do limit functionality for the sake of security, they'll complain that it doesn't have all the functionality they need. You get it.

I appreciate you posting it. I don't need it, but just the fact that there's already such a thing out there, secure or not, means more cannot be far behind for those that do need it. No matter what the app is, you're always buying and using at your own risk.

[Gucci33]

Ehm. No. I saw it on some other site and figured it looks like something interesting enough to post.

Was I wrong?

Not at all thanks for the link.

[Cozmik]

Marco, nice find.

Now, for most of us on here, do we really need a native email app?

I know for me, I don't. I am quite happy to use the bridge. That means that when my wife or daughter are watching a movie or surfing the net on my PB, my emails still go to my Torch. It also means that my emails remain private and are not able to be viewed by anyone who wants to see my PB.

Point is this: is the lack of a native email app at a launch aimed at BlackBerry users a really big issue, or is this just an issue the media wants us to believe is there?

Food for thought...

[1812dave]

Marco, nice find.

Now, for most of us on here, do we really need a native email app?

I know for me, I don't. I am quite happy to use the bridge. That means that when my wife or daughter are watching a movie or surfing the net on my PB, my emails still go to my Torch. It also means that my emails remain private and are not able to be viewed by anyone who wants to see my PB.

Point is this: is the lack of a native email app at a launch aimed at BlackBerry users a really big issue, or is this just an issue the media wants us to believe is there?

Food for thought...

Do you feel that Kevin M. is part of the media too?

Here's part of his review: "As a BlackBerry fan and somebody who wants to see RIM hit nothing but pure homeruns, I'm of course a little choked up over the PlayBook's first at bat performance. There's no doubt it has some raw talent and killer moves that are going to attract some fans and loud cheers from the crowd (including me of course), but to be a real superstar it's going to have to mature a little more and roundout its skill set. A little more practice time in the batting cage before stepping out on the field may have been the call to make on this one (as in waiting until native email and core app integration were complete before hitting the market). "

[TheMarco]

Marco, nice find.

Now, for most of us on here, do we really need a native email app?

I know for me, I don't. I am quite happy to use the bridge. That means that when my wife or daughter are watching a movie or surfing the net on my PB, my emails still go to my Torch. It also means that my emails remain private and are not able to be viewed by anyone who wants to see my PB.

Point is this: is the lack of a native email app at a launch aimed at BlackBerry users a really big issue, or is this just an issue the media wants us to believe is there?

Food for thought...

I bought a BlackBerry off Ebay this morning so I won't be needing a native email app either. However I'm sure a lot of people would like to have one.

Also, are you sure this launch is 'aimed at BlackBerry users'? I always thought it was aimed at pretty much everyone. If I'm wrong with that assumption then indeed, it's a non-issue. In fact if you have a BB phone the Bridge is completely awesome. At least I'm expecting it to be.

If you are however an iPhone, Android, Palm/HP user you're kind of out of luck at the moment. I can't imagine RIM not wanting these people as customers for the PlayBook though...

[Cozmik]

Do you feel that Kevin M. is part of the media too?

Here's part of his review: "As a BlackBerry fan and somebody who wants to see RIM hit nothing but pure homeruns, I'm of course a little choked up over the PlayBook's first at bat performance. There's no doubt it has some raw talent and killer moves that are going to attract some fans and loud cheers from the crowd (including me of course), but to be a real superstar it's going to have to mature a little more and roundout its skill set. A little more practice time in the batting cage before stepping out on the field may have been the call to make on this one (as in waiting until native email and core app integration were complete before hitting the market). "

As Kevin himself stated, he stepped back and wrote a subjective review of the PlayBook. Is it perfect? No. Was the iPad/iPad2/Xoom/Galaxy or whatever else perfect at launch? No.

As I mentioned, for most of here who have BlackBerry's this lack of native email at launch shouldn't be an issue. I know for me it isn't. I'd also like to point out that I'm stating my own opinion, not speaking for everyone on the board. You want/need native email? Thats fine, its coming. For me, I don't. That's all.

[Cozmik]

I bought a BlackBerry off Ebay this morning so I won't be needing a native email app either. However I'm sure a lot of people would like to have one.

Also, are you sure this launch is 'aimed at BlackBerry users'? I always thought it was aimed at pretty much everyone. If I'm wrong with that assumption then indeed, it's a non-issue. In fact if you have a BB phone the Bridge is completely awesome. At least I'm expecting it to be.

If you are however an iPhone, Android, Palm/HP user you're kind of out of luck at the moment. I can't imagine RIM not wanting these people as customers for the PlayBook though...

A launch aimed at everyone would have required some sort of marketing campaign. When's the last time you saw a PlayBook commercial? If you've seen 1, its 1 more than I've seen.

[TheMarco]

A launch aimed at everyone would have required some sort of marketing campaign. When's the last time you saw a PlayBook commercial? If you've seen 1, its 1 more than I've seen.

Ok this is indeed a very good point. Maybe this whole thing is some sort of 'soft launch' in anticipation of the PlayBook with a 4G radio in it? It does provide RIM with a few months of valuable feedback from real-world users.

[Cozmik]

Ok this is indeed a very good point. Maybe this whole thing is some sort of 'soft launch' in anticipation of the PlayBook with a 4G radio in it? It does provide RIM with a few months of valuable feedback from real-world users.

I'm not trying to start a fight with anyone. I just don't feel that the native email is the end all to be all. And I feel that if RIM was pushing this tablet en masse to the general 'consumer' there would have been some sort of advertising for it. For example, the Future Shop and Best Buy for this weekend/next week arrived today. Now the PlayBook launches on Tuesday and yet the Xoom is on the front page of the Future Shop flyer and the rear page of the Best Buy flyer. The PlayBook ISN'T in the flyer, yet Best Buy opens at 7am on Tuesday to sell it. Whats gives?

And here is an article with an interview from Jim Balsillie himself where he states its initially aimed at current BB users.

RIM Chiefs Defend PlayBook Tablet Against Critics as Debut Approaches - Bloomberg

[slbailey1]

I've viewed the app site. The app is a very basic and for me, unusable email app. It only supports pop email accounts and it ONLY does email. There is no support of IMAP and Exchange accounts. And I don't see where it will handle management of contacts.

[andrewmcwhirter]

There is a tab labeled 'Contacts' in the screen shot, so I assume it can store and mangage contacts. Looks like a nice little simple email client.

Pepper.pk makes a lot of apps for multiple mobile platforms, so they have some accountability. Perhaps it's not something to use for sensitive email, but for personal use I think it's a good alternative. I'm sure other app company's will be jumping all over the idea to make a native email app with so much demand for it also.

[mikeheinz]

I'm probably going to catch flack for this, but so be it...

.pk? I dunno about trusting sensitive email information with that. The last thing we need is sensitive emails from various companies floating away to somewhere else because there's neferious code burried in the app somewhere. Heck, even Apple is bad about letting stuff slip by... Google had the same issue with their apps, I'm sure RIM will too... espeically since I'm sure they didn't pay very much attention to all these new PB apps because they needed to just add them to AppWorld and have them ready for the release.

Just a thought... don't shoot me, but it is a valid concern. If you're as careful about installing 3rd party apps as I am from diverse sources, you'll understand where I'm coming from here, so don't blow it out of the confines of that viewpoint. OK?

There is no suggestion at all on the app website or elsewhere that the app uses any kind of proxy. So the password/uname is not being sent to anywhere but your email provider. RIM takes weeks to approve an application and unauthorized network access checks are standard to prevent information theft.

You can also test for security yourself if you are a security conscious user. Here's how: use Wifi and turn off cellular connectivity. You can view exactly where traffic is going to via your router logs (even most home WAP style routers have this feature).

Finally, you have to realize that in the era of globalization if your fundamental approach to trust is whether a company is a .us .ca or .pk company, then your options will become incredibly limited. Not to mention that anyone anywhere in the world can register a .com address. If they were located exactly where they're located but had a .com domain name, would you still be concerned??? Where do you think BlackBerry devices are manufactured? I'll give you a hint. Not in the US or Canada! iPads? The device that the President of the United States uses? That's right. The US President's iPad is manufactured in communist China. And he doesn't seem to have a problem with it. MSFT have a massive R&D center in Beijing and a lot of code comes from there.

So, concerns about security... fair enough. But trying to use a company's location or their TLD to generate FUD is a bit uncalled for.

Also, as someone else pointed out, if you've visited the vendor's website they have a large number of apps and appear to be a legitimate business. Three guys can't put out that kind of app portfolio. If you've looked around on Appworld you'll also see that a few of their apps are best sellers. Google them and you'll learn that two of their apps have been listed #1 on Appworld. I think it's unfair to discount all of this just because of their top-level domain.

Once again, if all you care about is security then I would recommend taking the steps I outlined above and you can satisfy yourself if you don't trust RIM's approval process. If, on the other hand, you have an aversion to certain top-level domains, then that's another matter altogether.

[urbanguy]

I have to admit that I'm at a loss about all this talk about a lack of apps, including an email app. All of my personal email is accessed via the browser (gmail & hotmail). If I didn't have a BlackBerry, then I would also access my corporate email via the browser.

When I first got my iPod Touch, I set up the email client, but in the end I abandoned it to access my email boxes via Safari.

I think that the "app market" has led to significant fragmentation and isolation. I believe in an open web, typified by strong coding standards. I'm waiting for the time when everything is coded using HTML5, and it won't matter if your browser supports flash or not. And it won't matter if there are apps for your tablet or not. You just need a solid browser.

[mikeheinz]

@urbanguy, I hear you but I think one of the core issues in the native app vs. HTML 5 debate is that with HTML 5 you will always have interpreted code one layer removed (and in practice, a couple of layers removed) from the OS. While this may be fine for a lot of apps, it will never be fine for every app. And while HTML5 apps may perform certain tasks well, they will never be as fast as a native app.

So I don't necessarily disagree with you or discount your wish, I just don't think it will happen. And there are technical reasons behind it.

[mandony]

Answer if you are a NON BB owner:
Why do we have to PAY for an app that RIM should default supply with the PB?

Answer if you are a BB owner:
No big deal!

[Foreverup]

@urbanguy and mikeheinz

I agree with both of you typically if i want email and i'm on the move i'm using my phone. going to websites i don't thinks a problem. For the reviews i actually think is simply explanation of people are just to used to receiving emails in an email client and don't want to do the extra step of going to the web particularly with a wifi only tablet where you might have limited access.

I for one am looking forward to bridge functions I truly think it is being underestimated in the reviews on what it can do.