Traveler Has Arrived; Lotus Notes Gets Handheld Mobility

Published: December 1, 2008

by Dan Burger

It's been a long journey, but the Traveler has finally arrived. IBM's Lotus Notes users--particularly those who count on mobile access and have been wishing upon star after star that an option to Windows mobile devices would be available--know what I'm talking about. Nokia S60 smartphones, which already support Microssoft Exchange, are about to deliver Lotus Notes collaboration functionality that includes e-mail, calendaring, and other applications such as an address book, journal, and to-do lists. Mobility options for Notes users had been limited to laptops.

According to IBM, there are more than 140 million licensed users of Lotus Notes. Nokia has some pretty big numbers to throw around, too. It says it has shipped 80 million S60 smartphones, which are in a heated battle with the Apple iPhone and the RIM Blackberry, plus the challenge of the Google Android. Blackberry dominates the enterprise market in the United States.

The Nokia S60 series is powered by the Symbian platform. Access to the Lotus collaboration applications comes via the Domino server version 8.9.1 or later.

Nokia had its own enterprise mobility software until just a few months ago. It now has close partnership arrangements with companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Cisco Systems, as well as its operator and retail channel partners.

"This collaboration means nearly 90 percent of business email can be mobilized with Nokia devices, without needing to purchase additional servers, middleware, or licenses. With the presence, position, and technology that IBM have in the corporate email market, they are an essential partner for us in enterprise," said Soren Petersen, senior vice president at Nokia.

A specific availability date has not been mentioned, but the support will arrive before the first of the year.

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