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Hands-On with BlackBerry Balance on the BlackBerry PlayBook - Managing corporate and personal life in harmony on one device!

By Kevin Michaluk on 12 Jan 2012 02:41 pm
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We've heard a lot about BlackBerry Balance on and off in the last few months, but haven't had a chance to see it in action all that much. BlackBerry Balance is built in to PlayBook OS 2.0 and allows users to balance (obviously) their work and personal items on the BlackBerry PlayBook.

For BlackBerry PlayBooks that are running via the BES and BlackBerry Fusion A new Work folder is sent to the device that will house all the user's work applications, keeping them separate from other items the user has on the device. Company apps are integrated in BlackBerry App World where optional applications can be downloaded and users can view any mandatory apps are pushed down to the device. Balance also brings security to other apps like limiting the abilty to copy text from work emails and in turn paste into personal applications. Very cool stuff here and it's an example of Research In Motion building upon their experience in enterprise to deliver smart solutions that will make both companies and end users happy. Check out the video above for a great look at BlackBerry Balance!

Topics: BlackBerry Playbook BlackBerry Balance PlayBook 2.0 CES2012 News & Rumors PlayBook Apps

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Kevin Michaluk Kevin Michaluk 3706 (articles) 3034 (forum posts)
22 comments

q649

Kevin,

Did you get a chance to find out what version of 2.0 the RIM guys were running at CES?

sf49ers

features like this make the Blackberry indispensable from the enterprises - good play RIM

zoban

Hmm lock down copy/paste?

Isn't it already umm"locked down" lol

Joke aside can't wait to start playing with this and implementing Balance with my BES clients.

sk8er_tor

What do you mean? Copy and paste works fine unless you're in Bridge.

daves_25

And copy-and-paste from a Bridge app (if the phone is on BES) is the same as copy-and-paste from a Balance work app on the PB, it's blocked to prevent leaking company data out to the world.

rolltide78

Yes. Kevin, please ask them how is that Playbook connected to Mobile Fusion. Is it Activesync only or NOC?

BBPandy

If I lose my PB can I remote wipe both my Personal info & the work info? or do I have to call my IT dept and have them do it? Or do I have to wipe my personal stuff & the IT guy my work stuff?

scalemaster34

VMware Showed an Android-based Virtual Machines at CES this week. It is designed to all you to create a encrypted Virtual Android within you personal Android based phone. You could use the Virtual Phone for you Corporate accounts and allow your work IT department to control and if necessary wipe the Virtual Phone. While all your personal data remains.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/8xorw8y

Not sure which system would eventually work better, but I like the idea that if I use my personal phone to access my corporate network that I don't have to give up complete control.

gord888

the VMWare solution sounds significantly heavier than the PB solution - we'll have to wait and see.

BBPandy

btw who is that poor girl sitting on the floor?

Not only is she the only one without a chair, she's the only person Kevin didn't mention by name :( lol

XPEH

Very nice. Man, if Playbook had all these OS 2 features out of the gate, things may have been very different. It's an uphill climb for RIM now, but sounds like they are moving in the right direction. I'd really excited if they can easily port all these features to BB10 phones without costly redesign.

BBforAll

I know its VEGAS / CES and everyone is tired but RIM needs some PASSIONATE people presenting these demos for them. Hire actors if they need to. If its going out for the world to see, PUT SOME ENERGY into it. You have the best product on the market. Get **EXCITED** about it while showing it off so others watching can get excited about it. It's all about how you present yourself and your product.

scalemaster34

Hard to be excited when your not sure about the future of the company, and all those bonus that you got in stock options over the years are now almost worthless.

LoganSix

$0 debt, 75 million subscribers, $1+ billion plus every 3 months. Sure the stock price sucks, but sooner or later the market will correct what speculators and day traders have done.

rexrim

any preview for video call os 2.0 at CES kevin ?

BBPandy

CNET saw skype on a Playbook in the QNZ Porche......

LoganSix

I'm not liking that IT can't block the user from adding apps. Maybe that is handled through Fusion. One of the issues we have right now is people possibly loading apps that interfere with the company app.

I do like Fusion.

howl078

so much potential RIM needs to capitalize on