Today's highlights: AIM Terms of Service; Good Technology Licenses from NTP; RIM and HTC on BlackBerry Connect; RIM Partners with Yahoo/AOL for Wireless IM; JP Mobile SureWave Mobile Connect for Service Providers;
- AOL's Terms of Service were updated to give joint ownership of any data or content passing through the AIM network to AOL. Users "waive any right to privacy ... any right to inspect or approve uses of the content or to be compensated for any such uses". Comment: Ouch. This is a fair compelling reason to dump AIM, especially for any work-related IM uses. Get a corporate platform ASAP. eWeek
- Good Technology licensed five wireless email patents from NTP. NTP is waging a high-profile patents infringement case against Research In Motion. London Free Press
- Research In Motion announced that HTC will include BlackBerry capabilities on a greater range of its Windows-based PDAs and smartphones. RIM
- Research In Motion announced two new partnerships, with AOL and Yahoo, for the inclusion of instant messaging clients on RIM devices. The IM clients will be made available depending on what specific carrier wants to do. Comment: Given RIM's greater push into the consumer market, this makes sense, but it will need to ensure that business and corporate customers can turn off the capabilities. The ideal scenario is that RIM partners with Microsoft (for Live Communications Server integration) and IBM (for Sametime integration) to enable a true enterprise approach. I hope these developments are forthcoming. RIM (with AOL), RIM (with Yahoo)
- JP Mobile launched SureWave Mobile Connect for Service Providers, a subscription-based wireless email and PIM solution for carriers to offer to subscribers. Includes carrier-branding, and works with hosted Exchange customers. Comment: JP Mobile has been traditionally focused on the corporate market. This is a natural additional step for them. prnewswire.com
This Briefing was written by Michael Sampson, of Shared Spaces Research & Consulting Ltd. Email or IM Michael to discuss any of these items further.
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