[hayden]

Here are answers from a Bayalink representative to some of the above questions:

Q: interesting. Does it work with MAC?
A: Not this release. Version 1.0 requires Windows 2000, XP or Vista

Q1.) So this enables me to control my BB from my desktop as far as email and exployer?
A1: Liberty transports the data back and forth between the handheld and the Laptop/PC. Data can be email data, webpage data, calendar data,or contact data

2.) The data sheet says "access to a virtual hot spot" what does that mean
A2: Assuming your BlackBerry has a data plan, you are essentially wearing an internet connection on your hip. Liberty allows you to launch IE or Firefox (shipped on the key) from your PC/Laptop and tunnel through the BlackBerry to the internet. Essentially your laptop/PC has a hotspot (meaning an internet connection)wherever you are if you have a radio signal on your BlackBerry.

3.) is this a way to use your BB as a teather modem then?
A3: No the Liberty architecture is completely different than a tethered modem. With Liberty your BlackBerry stays on and continues to function as a BlackBerry. For example your phone will ring and you can answer the phone while using Liberty. If you choose to tether your BlackBerry and use it as a modem it literally becomes a modem. Ie your phone will not ring while tethered.
Lastly using your BlackBerry as a tethered modem is costly. If you use tethered modem for email you are paying twice for every email. You are paying to have it come to your hip on your blackBerry and you are paying again to fetch the same email via vpn/outlook or webmail via tethered modem.

4.) there is a 99.00 yearly service fee. If the usb unit is the hardware what is the service fee for.
A4: The hardware is free and the software upgrades are free. The only charge is the $99.99 fee per year to use the service. After the end of the first years subscription you can choose to renew at the same price or discontinue the service.


Q:I like the the idea of the concept of typing long emails via my pc keyboard. In addition, I have to pay an additional 10.00 a month if I want to use my BB as a tether modem through Alltel. It sounds like this would be the same idea but wouldn't have to pay the fee.

I still don't understand though why there is a year fee when it is all ran through the usb device.

One would think if that if they are really going to sell this product and charge a yearly fee, they would offer a discount for the first year to help build a client base.

A: Our pricing model is designed to follow the carriers model. As the user here notes the carriers typically charge $10-$15 month. Liberty is about $8 per month. Also we plan 3-4 releases this year and with the subscription model all upgrades are no charge. I don’t want to be in a scenario where we sell a V1.0 and then 2 months later have a 1.1 and then charge the users for upgrades typically 15-25% of the purchase price. Liberty is targeted for people who consider the BlackBerry their primary email client (as opposed to outlook or webmail)

[floridadomer]

I still don't understand what the "service is"
Is it not all ran via the usb device. There is no service that is being used is there? Nothing is being transmitted to a server, etc.
I have emailed asking if they have a refund policy.

[sabregen]

So it basically allows you to use your PC screen and keyboard instead of the smaller QWERTY keypad and 320x240 native resolution screen. Fine, that's a plus for some people, I would imagine.

From question #3's answer: If you choose to tether your BlackBerry and use it as a modem it literally becomes a modem. Ie your phone will not ring while tethered.
Lastly using your BlackBerry as a tethered modem is costly. If you use tethered modem for email you are paying twice for every email.

Well that's a lot of FUD. It's not costly, either. Most people who have a BB have a data plan. In fact, I know more people with just an unlimited data plan than I know people with a voice plan, and more with unlimited data only than voice and data bundled. Paying twice for every e-mail, that's completely out the window.

For those of you that like to use a full size keyboard, you can, as of today, purchase a rechargeable Bluetooth laser keyboard that projects the keyboard image into any surface, and allow you to use it as a keyboard for any device that supports bluetooth. It's the size of a matchbook, it's rechargeable, it weighs less than 5ounces, and it's a one time $149.99. The only thing I lose in that is that I'm still using the native screen resolution of the blackberry, but I'm also only paying a one time fee. Also, if I need internet access I'm either going to do it from my BB Opera Mini browser, or on my laptop with the BB tethered, if I have to.

I'm sure some will find this product useful, and I wish the company the best of luck, but their licensing fees I don't know about, you still have to have a data plan, you need the USB key to make it work, which means one more thing to keep track of, and I think their target audience is likely to be very small.

You know what would be better than this? a VNC server for the Blackberry that could be access from a PC (laptop). That would be useful.

hayden, I thank you for posting the ansers everyone was waiting to read.

[floridadomer]

Lastly using your BlackBerry as a tethered modem is costly. If you use tethered modem for email you are paying twice for every email. You are paying to have it come to your hip on your blackBerry and you are paying again to fetch the same email via vpn/outlook or webmail via tethered modem.........

HUH??? paying twice for email? I though everyone has unlimited data plans when they have BB's?

[northfield]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~i have a laptop that's not on the internet, would I be able to use this and view everything on my laptop? This would be cool for me. Thanks

[thbassman]

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~i too only have web access thru my BB so Thu could be advantageous to use my laptop instead-am I to assume the speeds are the same since it uses the BB web service?

[sabregen]

i would venture to guess that that is a safe assumption to make

[ikasen]

To me, the email thing really doesn't matter. I have numerous computers at home and at work and use them all including my Blackberry. I really feel my Blackberry is as good as any of my computers for email. Internet access is a totally different thing. This sounds like it would be good for internet access for my laptop, and a hell of a lot cheaper than teathering with AT&T or a network card.
That's beside being able to access the Blackberry's calendar and other programs, which I don't need, but would have as an extra. Sounds interesting.

[criminala]

"Liberty allows you to launch IE or Firefox (shipped on the key) from your PC/Laptop and tunnel through the BlackBerry to the internet."

Does that mean there is 'special' version of IE/firefox on the stick which you have to use to go on the internet ? Do those browsers have citrix support , flash support etc ?

[crutcherk]

For me the one time purchase of an external keyboard and opera mini browser would serve the same function.
I don't see much value in the product.

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

[floridadomer]

What would be interesting for me is if IE gets launched from the key. I can not get to any sports sights at work and wonder if that would allow me to do so.

[floridadomer]

For me, I think it was worth looking into but because there obviously can not be any trial period, I wanted to know can it be returned and refunded. 100 bucks is something that I don't want to waste!! I emailed them and asked and here is the response:

Floridadomer:

thanks for the suggestion earlier, we did have the moderator post some answers to the questions on the forum (including yours)

The refund policy is actually an acceptance period of 20 days combined with a warranty period of 30 days. i have cut and paste part of the license agreement which goes into detail.

sorry for the cap lock..

THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN LICENSEE AND BAYALINK AND DEFINES WHAT LICENSEE MAY DO WITH THE SOFTWARE, AND WHAT LIMITATIONS EXIST ON WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES RELATED TO THE SOFTWARE. BY BREAKING THE SEAL ON THE PACKAGE CONTAINING THE USB FLASH DRIVE SOFTWARE OR INSTALLING THE HANDHELD SOFTWARE, LICENSEE BECOMES A PARTY TO, AND AGREES TO BE BOUND BY ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF, THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT. IF, AFTER READING THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT, LICENSEE DOES NOT ACCEPT OR AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTAINED IN THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT, LICENSEE SHALL NOT DOWNLOAD OR INSTALL THE [FONT='Times','serif']HANDHELD[/FONT] SOFTWARE, OR OPEN THE SEALED PACKAGE CONTAINING THE USB FLASH DRIVE SOFTWARE. If Licensee does not accept the terms and conditions of this License then Licensee shall immediately return the Software licensed hereunder to Bayalink or the authorized distributor from whom Licensee acquired the Software. IF LICENSEE RETURNS THE SOFTWARE WITHIN 20 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE EARLIER OF DOWNLOADING THE HANDHELD SOFTWARE OR BREAKING THE SEAL ON THE USB FLASH DRIVE SOFTWARE (THE “ACCEPTANCE PERIOD”) THEN LICENSEE SHALL RECEIVE A REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE. BAYALINK reserves the right to charge an administration fee on all refunds as may be set from time to time.


LIMITED WARRANTY.
Bayalink warrants that the physical media on which the USB Flash Drive Software is recorded is free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of thirty (30) days (the “Return Period”) from the date of delivery to Licensee. If such a defect exists within the Return Period, Licensee may return within 10 days following the expiry of the Return Period the entire package, including packaging, postage prepaid with a copy of the packing slip or email confirming the successful download of the Handheld Software, to Bayalink at the address below (or in the case of Handheld Software, permanently delete and destroy all copies of the Handheld Software and certify such deletion and destruction to Bayalink by written or electronic communication), and Bayalink, at its option, shall either (a) return the purchase price or (b) replace the media and permit the Licensee to again download the Handheld Software. If failure of the media has resulted from accident, abuse, or misapplication, Bayalink shall have no responsibility whatsoever to refund the purchase price or replace the media. In the event of replacement of the media, the replacement media will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or thirty (30) days, whichever is the longer. Except as set out in Section 15 hereof, this remedy is Licensee’s exclusive remedy for a breach of warranty, and is Bayalink’s (or any of its affiliated corporations and their respective directors, officers, employees or shareholders) entire liability and only warranty made with respect to the Software.

[floridadomer]

4.) there is a 99.00 yearly service fee. If the usb unit is the hardware what is the service fee for.

A4: The hardware is free and the software upgrades are free. The only charge is the $99.99 fee per year to use the service. After the end of the first years subscription you can choose to renew at the same price or discontinue the service.

Then can I get another key for free if I loose it? Can I get two, one for work and one for home?

[floridadomer]

Has anyone tried this yet?

[floridadomer]

I am getting ready to buy this but was curious if anybody has tried this out since it was posted?