GwNotifier for Windows 7 is a free utility for GroupWise which uses some of the new, Aero Theme related, UI features of the Windows 7 Taskbar to show you and give access to new messages in your GroupWise mailbox.

More information here.

"Andre Charland just bought an iPhone 3G, the phone from Apple (AAPL) that hit the market on July 11. But the Canadian software executive isn't giving up his BlackBerry Pearl. He says that the BlackBerry is a "workhorse" for e-mail and phone calls, while the iPhone isn't as reliable. "I’ve just had dropped calls and issues like that," says Charland. "I have the iPhone mostly for fun," like watching video or browsing the Web."

More here.

Following up on 'Change the GroupWise API connection mode of your BlackBerry Server' I just got hold of this useful KB article after reading a thread on the NGWlist. KB04164 talks about updating the GroupWise client in detail.

Now, check the release notes of the GroupWise 7.03 client which states:

"Email archiving is a key IT responsibility these days, thanks to increased use of data in corporate litigation. Now, instant messages from corporate BlackBerries are getting the same scrutiny. And more suppliers are looking to help companies make sure they're covered.

"Many IT managers have not been able to monitor or archive workers' text messages, leaving financial institutions and other organizations vulnerable to compliances issues and fines, as well as loss of intellectual property," said Don Montgomery, VP of marketing at Akonix, an IM policy management software vendor based in San Diego, in a statement.

A year after revealing a major upgrade of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server was under way, Research in Motion this week, at the WES finally fleshed out what the new version will do, and put a delivery date on it.

The upcoming release of BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0, codenamed Argon, is a critical piece in RIM's effort to make its software and smartphones a foundation for next-generation mobile applications. For that to happen, enterprise BlackBerry administrators need to move visibility into the BES. They also need tools to simplify and automate deploying and managing scores of mobile applications, including line-of-business programs. Finally, they need improvements in BES to make it more reliable and scaleable if it's to be the linchpin for mission-critical mobile business and communications.

Every now and then I have to help some GroupWise administrators with knowledgebase article KB12624 regarding 'enabling embedded messages' on your BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

When an email message is forwarded as an attachment by the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to the BlackBerry device, the email message may include an unrelated embedded object (for example, an embedded email message from the Novell GroupWise server). When the same email message is delivered to the BlackBerry device user’s email application, the message includes only the correct attachments. This issue does not occur if the message is forwarded as text and not as an attachment.

In the latest 'Network World Unified Communications Alert' Michael Osterman talks about his visit to Brainshare and his view on GroupWise:

"My annual visit to Novell BrainShare last week was, as always, enjoyable and informative. While the vendors with whom I spoke weren't all that pleased with the level of traffic on the exhibits floor, the event seemed well attended and fairly busy. Novell has some very good messaging and collaboration technology. GroupWise is a solid offering that is used by very large companies like TRW and Wyeth. Interface changes in Bonsai will improve the GroupWise user experience significantly. Novell Teaming + Conferencing is a solid offering. The company’s acquisition of SiteScape will bolster the company’s abilities in collaboration and unified communications. Add to all of this Novell’s strong position in the Linux market, it technology-sharing agreement with Microsoft, its focus on virtualization, and its many other technical strengths. That said, many (including me) talk about Novell’s lagging position in the messaging and collaboration market behind Microsoft and IBM, the defection of GroupWise customers to other platforms, etc. If Novell is lagging behind its competitors, why is that the case?

In the latest Network World Unified Communications Alert Michael Osterman reports:

"Novell has certainly had its problems with GroupWise in terms of losing market share to rivals like Microsoft and IBM. Whatever has caused those problems, however, is due far less to the company's technology than to other factors. The company has developed some very interesting technology, has an impressive track record in terms of the efficiency of administration for the system, and is working on some interesting new user interface developments in the new Bonsai release of GroupWise schedule for general availability later this year.