In the event you missed it, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 launched today and most of the world in rejoicing. I say most, because in the security conscious corporate world new shiny products and updates are approached cautiously.

When a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) in engaged the IT department is less guarded to new devices since the BES is a rock solid security solution. With PlayBook OS 2.0 there is cause for some concern now that your PlayBook can connect directly to the corporate mail server using Exchange Active Sync and bypassing the traditional BES.

Good news today from RIM, they have made Mobile Fusion for PlayBook Administration available for a free 90-trial download today! Look for a more deeper look at how the Mobile Fusion sausage is made a little later, but for now hit the RIM site to signup for the 90 trial.

More information and download Mobile Fusion Trial

Earlier today we posted the RIM press release announcing BlackBerry Mobile Fusion. They just wrapped up a webinar which gave more details about this coming service, but the question many have is just what is BlackBerry Mobile Fusion?

The simplest answer is that Mobile Fusion is a Mobile Device Management(MDM) platform that fuses the deployment and management of multiple device platforms to on console. It should be said that this is nothing new and there are many MDM options out there, but for my it's exciting because with the Fusion announcement we have a better look at how the PlayBook and BBX devices will be handled at the corporate enterprise level.

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Always welcome news for me and the Enterprise BlackBerry faithful, late last week Google updated the Google Apps Connector for BES. It's great to see that this is a product Google plans to keep up-to-date and shows that BlackBerry and BES is critical to the business user.

In addition to supporting BES 5.0 service pack 3, version 4.0 of the Google Apps connector brings some of my favorite business features. Theses new features are Free/Busy look-up and support for read receipt.

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We knew it wouldn't be long after the official press release announcement that we'd see the release of BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express for all. For those waiting, you can now hit up the Research In Motion software site to get started. The new software for Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server looks to fill the small and medium business section of BlackBerry smartphone software offering while not giving up the security and manageability offered by the BlackBerry Enterprise Server solution that people have come to know.

Visit the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express download page and fill in the requested information. You will then be given an order number an an email sent to the email you provided. Shortly after, you will then recieve your download link via email to grab your version of BESX along with some great information and support articles to get you started.

• For More Information And Downloads Visit The BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express Site >>

Back at WES we got a look at the Google Connector for BES and along with the enhanced gmail plugin, Google Connector has been released after missing their initial launch target date of July. The application which comes free to Google Apps Premier and Education users, allows for integration with BlackBerry Enterprise Servers without any need for an Exchange server. Seems as though the reason Google missed their launch date was due to new features being added, here is a break down:

• Messages sent to your Gmail inbox are pushed to your BlackBerry within 60 seconds.
• Emails read/deleted on your BlackBerry are marked as read/deleted in Gmail, and vice-versa.
• Emails archived/starred on your BlackBerry are archived/starred in Gmail, and vice-versa.
• BlackBerry folders are synchronized with labels in Gmail.
• You can search for contact information of coworkers from the global address list on your BlackBerry.
• Contacts in Gmail are automatically synchronized with your BlackBerry address book.
• You can view your Google Calendar schedule with the native
  BlackBerry application, with one-way synchronization from Google
  Calendar to your BlackBerry device. Two-way calendar sync with the
  ability to accept, decline and schedule meetings from your BlackBerry
  device is not available with this release but we are working on it.
• Administrators can use the management and security tools that are part of BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Google has set up some great information on their blog to further assist those interested, be sure to check it out. This may be great for some, but the lack of two way synch is still an issue within this application as it is with the enhanced gmail plugin, so if you have an exchange server now ya might wanna make sure the switch is the right choice should you be looking towards google connecter.

• For More Information And Downloads Head Over The Google Mobile Page>>