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RIM is obviously best known for making BlackBerry, but they’ve actually had a Smart Card reader available for government and high-security enterprise customers since 2005. The latest model, announced today, hosts a slimmer profile and a few new features. What does it do, exactly? Well, it plays nice with BlackBerry, for one (go figure). By pairing up via Bluetooth, the smartphone and an enabled PC can be locked when the Smart Card reader is out of range, ensuring that only the designated user has access. The reader can also provide security keys through a small LED screen on the back for encrypting e-mails sent via BlackBerry. Proximity detection combined with usual password precautions creates a two-factor authentication process that high-security companies, namely in the public sector, demand. BlackBerry Enterprise Server administrators, as usual, will have full control over Smart Card functions and security access.
The new model supports PIV , CAC, Safenet 330, and ISO 7816-compliant smart cards, although the reader alone can also be deployed without needing cards. This is all good stuff for tight-lipped enterprise, so for those interested, the new readers should be available in September. It’s interesting to note that the cardless feature will only be available for BlackBerrys with operating system 5.0, which is a device we have yet to see (officially) on the market. Maybe we’ll be seeing a new BlackBerry with a fresh OS next month…? 5.0 is a big one, so I find it hard to believe that they would release the software on its own – especially with the likes of the Onyx and Storm 2 looming. For more info on the new BlackBerry Smart Card Reader, check out RIM’s site.
[via MarketWire]
About The Author
Simon Sage
Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.
