Comments on: Should RIM Allow BlackBerrys To Run Applications From microSD?

By: Arlington condos Jay

Arlington condos Jay — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:08:50 +0000

Yeah, I’m new to the BB game and loving my Storm and SureType. It’s great after you master–takes a couple of weeks I’d say.

I’m disappointed at lack of apps and memory though that I thought was the norm after having been with palm for so long. I’d put all my new apps on my memory card knowing there was no limit….

By: aurora

aurora — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:48:40 +0000

As a recent ex-pat from the Palm world, I was surprised at the BB’s lack of functionality. My old Clie NX80-V has a 3P app called Powerun that lets you run apps from the mem stick, making the number of apps on the device limitless. The problem? My Clie is 6 yrs old! RIM cdn’t figure this out in all this time? Thought Aerize Cardloader wd do it, but no.And that “browser” – “requesting scripts” isn’t browsing. Yes I also use Opera Mini. I have an 8830. What’s the pt of an app mktplace if the device can’t store/use them? I’ve already triaged some apps I liked bec of limitations.
There IS lots to like about the BB; I just thought there wd be more to it. Great site, Robb – a real svc to those of us new to the game.

By: BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 12/8/2008 | BB Geeks

BlackBerry News From The Wire for the Week of 12/8/2008 | BB Geeks — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:59:16 +0000

[...] applications form microSD Robb at RIMarkable wonders if BlackBerrys should run applications from a microSD card. This makes a world of sense for older BlackBerry models. Most only have 64 MB of flash memory, [...]

By: JoeS

JoeS — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:00:07 +0000

Blackberry 8900 Javelin Curve 2 whatever has 1 gb built in like Bold and Storm but unlike its brother actually allocates 256 mb for OS and Application use. Im told its in the software and an update can allow this on bold and storm

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 02:37:39 +0000

Yep… This whole security excuse is a freaking joke! Come on one simple BES policy that states the device can’t use the external memory card for apps. Done! Another BES policy for not allowing contacts, email, etc. on the external memory card… Done!

Like I said in a previous post. I don’t think this has to do with Security. I think RIM knows this is one of the most mission critical issues to their survival.

But I think they are backed into a corner. Their OS must be having massive scalability issues. This may be a massive undertaking! Perhaps it’s like the difference between Windows 3.1 and 95… It took them years to overhaul all of Windows Memory management to even make it somewhat usable.

RIM is probably rushing to rewrite all of the Memory management. It’s clear to me they have intentions. Maybe in my previous post I was not clear enough. The 128 MB of FLASH on the Storm and Bold and the 1GB flash internal memory in those respective devices come from the exact same memory chip. The 128 MB vs the almost 1GB memory allocation is meerly a software setting that they could flip…

If only… If only they could fix their OS!

If people remember the Palm OS it took them years to figure out how to over haul their OS to allow programs to run on eternal memory cards.

As a Software Engineer OS programming is some of the hardest things to debug and work with in the world of SE. I understand how hard it is to rewrite something and still maintain compatibility. The problem is if they can’t do it RIM will fail. It’s about as black and white as it gets.

RIM will get it done I believe!

By: bluehorseshoe

bluehorseshoe — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:59:28 +0000

Thanks Robb, but for myself I run a remote office and site and simply run my BB via BIS. I’m not a fan of the infrastructure set up in my NY office .

By: Robb Dunewood

Robb Dunewood — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:47:47 +0000

Just lock down flash executables from BES similar to what desktop admins do on PCs…

By: bluehorseshoe

bluehorseshoe — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:06:16 +0000

While that would be great for most, one of the concerns would be security. The ability to run an application ‘with’ data and is removable would be a concern for many IT managers who have their employees running perhaps confidential information. For the Storm, sure, companies can refrain from rolling out those particular devices to their employees since it’s geared towards the consumer market, but for the Curve let’s say (a popular corporate device), it would be difficult. Perhaps a ‘corporate edition’ BB would solve this issue for those concerned with security.

I’d like to see more memory so the damn memory leaks don’t render my email gone and cause me to pull the battery every day or so to replenish the volume. Even with the Storm…

By: Richard Ward

Richard Ward — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:18:15 +0000

They’re (RIM) still learning. Come on, guys. It wasn’t too long ago that they came out with their first multimedia targeted BlackBerry. They’re a bit behind but not in the corporate world.

By: Normarn R.

Normarn R. — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:59:25 +0000

@DES… Yes, this is the case…

Believe it or not I have a fully functioning Gateway 100 MHz 486DX4 with 128MB of RAM and two 750 MB hard drives running Windows NT 4.0 Workstation

That was the top of the line back in 96. It is amazing where things have come. 10 or 12 years from now we may be talking about BlackBerrys with 8Gigs of Flash and a terabyte of RAM being under powered.