RIM has finally released the public beta of BlackBerry Protect after years in development. The service is something I have been waiting for RIM to do for ages by giving regular consumers a viable wireless backup solution for free. The Protect service does not work if you are on a BES but if you are most of this stuff and more are already backed up. Hopefully with BES 5.0.3 it will also support BES enabled devices.
Here is why you need to install BlackBerry Protect. It will backup your:
- Contacts
- Calendars
- Tasks
- Memos
- Browser Bookmarks
- Text Messages
If you upgrade to a new phone then BlackBerry Protect will move the backed up information to the new phone. It will also let help you locate a lost BlackBerry along with remotely locking or wiping a stolen device.
RIM has posted a great guide for getting you started on BlackBerry Protect and I highly recommend reading it. Head on over to the BlackBerry Protect website to get started. There are some limits on the countries where it is available in App World and it requires OS 4.6+.
chestr ( View Profile) - Posts: 341
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 6:31 PM EST
I have been really impressed by this app. its incredibly simple and easy to use. I had paid for smrtguard ways back but found it wasnt great and just deleted off my phone. felt it was taking up useless memory for nothing.
mkconnors2008 ( View Profile) - Posts: 530
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 6:36 PM EST
Same here….I have been through countless apps and never liked any of them. I read this and gave it a shot. Wireless packup in less than a minute. Not bad at all..
DavidB ( View Profile) - Posts: 1791
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 6:45 PM EST
Sure hope once 6.1 hits the street, Protect comes as part of the basic device load. It’s very nice and (knock on wood) I haven’t really needed it yet, but the peace of mind that my BIS device is now backed up regularly sure helps since I’m constantly forgetting to plug in a back up with Desktop Manager.
BarracudaBob ( View Profile) - Posts: 1020
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 7:15 PM EST
Definitely worth the download!
Amir Saad Not Registered
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 8:01 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9700
Awesome application
GOD Not Registered
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 9:27 PM EST
I love the app, I have to say though since I use DM I wasn’t too interested in the backup feature but the locate and wipe feature is definitely something I wanted.
altaera ( View Profile) - Posts: 154
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 11:41 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9800 | OS 6.0.0.448
True! If been waiting for that kind of (free) service since they pull the plug from BB Unite.
BarracudaBob ( View Profile) - Posts: 1020
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 10:12 PM EST
Locate and wipe are the features I like best. The backup is cool so if I lose my phone for good I at least have a current backup to restore from on the new one.
Terrence T ( View Profile) - Posts: 1824
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 11:10 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9800 | OS 6.0.0.450
This app is really solid imo. Faster than other paid solutions too!
Jay Harker ( View Profile) - Posts: 1365
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 11:39 PM EST
My favorite feature is ‘Display a Message’. Imagine this: You let a friend use your BB to do something. Then you quickly fire up the BB Protect website on a laptop, login, and click ‘display a message’. You send something like, “ERROR! Incorrect fingerprints detected! Return device to Jay immediately!” You could even throw their name in there somewhere to make them think your BB knows who they are.
When they show it to you in disbelief, you can say, “Oh ya, I forgot I still had fingerprint security enabled. Let me fix that…(swipe thumb over trackpad while clicking dismiss) There we go.”
celticboi ( View Profile) - Posts: 47
Posted: March 8, 2011 at 11:50 PM EST
I have been telling everyone about this and it really is a great app. Someone mention BBM back up and I think that is a good idea as well. But overall its a well done app and should be additional selling point cause RIM has been lacking a service like this.
DavidB ( View Profile) - Posts: 1791
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 12:25 AM EST from my BlackBerry 9630
BBM backup? BlackBerry Messenger already backs itself up. How old a version are you using? http://www.BlackBerry.com/messenger and upgrade, backup is built in and has been for quite some time now.
eponcedeleon ( View Profile) - Posts: 71
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 10:41 AM EST
How does this work if you have a GSM blackberry and they switch your SIM Card and the new card does not have a data plan. i wont be able to locate nor wipe my device right
DavidB ( View Profile) - Posts: 1791
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 12:46 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9630
That’s a very good question! Wouldn’t the first step any thief took be remove the SIM? Then what?
fubaz ( View Profile) - Posts: 845
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 10:57 AM EST
Very true Eponcedeleon.
I just put my Telus SIM in my Bell Unlocked 9700 and went into BB Protect and it wouldnt do anything.
Looks like you have to be fast with the remote lock and wipe.
jbeek ( View Profile) - Posts: 30
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 3:21 PM EST
It would be nice if one could simply send an sms or email with a special code to get the BB’s location instead of having to login to the BB Protect website.
fubaz ( View Profile) - Posts: 845
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 5:08 PM EST
Jbeak, so you want it to send you the GPS co ords from the satellite, and then you would still have to punch them in to something to get the actual location.
The BB doesnt know if you are the corner of 2 streets or at a physical address.
jbeek ( View Profile) - Posts: 30
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 5:21 PM EST
No, I want it to do what it does already, which is to show your BB’s location on a map, but I want to be able to activate/access that map via SMS or email without logging in the the BB Protect web site. Other apps do this already (e-gps, buddyguard, smartguard).
bahandi ( View Profile) - Posts: 102
Posted: March 9, 2011 at 5:28 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9800 | OS 6.0.0.450
I was so happy when I realized I could load all my old info from my 9700 onto my Torch.
I read about how Protect only does a fraction of what BES offers, but it’s still a welcome addition to my most used apps.
RIM needs to push this out to all Blackberry phones. Too bad most carriers won’t approve.