When I think of software development for mobile devices, the most convenient way is to do it with MS Visual Studio. But that means to pick Windows Mobile as a target platform for developed applications and used devices. That is a developer point of view.
But what says the infrastructure operations department? Windows Mobile has some serious unsolved security issues. Microsoft provides no antivirus, no firewall software and references 3d party products at this point. What is with the user role concept? There is no other user under Windows Mobile as administrator. It makes life hard for enterprise infrastructure operation.
What is about Blackberry? Communication channel is encrypted. Mandatory server side policies are pushed to devices, that allow very fine rights tuning as to e.g. which user groups may launch wich applications or may use which device features. Administration is complex, but the devices are managable in that environment. There is no need for firewall on the Blackberry, as the device communicates through mobile services provider directly with the company Blackberry Enterprise Server. Bluetooth may be the only potential security threat, but it also can be disabled with a server policy.
Seems an ideal development platform for mobile applications. But then comes the developer and the ideal is vanished. Blackberry development environment has no forms designer. The IDE is by far not so comfortable and stable as MS Visual Studio. I would be glad to know about your experience in this issue.
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