Lenovo users offered BlackBerry integration

Lenovo is partnering with RIM to offer more flexible email on the move

A new partnership between Lenovo and Research In Motion will allow laptop users to receive email whenever their BlackBerry smartphone can access the internet, even if the laptop is turned off.

The integration will be available to US-based Lenovo ThinkPad laptop users from the second quarter of 2009, and will be rolled out to the rest of the world later in the year. The offering will be called Lenovo Constant Connect.

"With more and more mobile professionals relying on both their BlackBerry smartphone and ThinkPad laptop PC, we view better integration between the two devices as a necessity," said Lenovo chief executive Yang Yuanqing.

In order to receive the new integration, a user will need to purchase a Constant Connect ExpressCard for around $150 (£105), which is inserted into the laptop. A series of installation steps will pair the laptop and the smartphone using the Bluetooth radio in the phone, laptop and the ExpressCard.

All emails will be automatically transferred to the laptop, even when it is turned off, via the low power, always-on ExpressCard. Users will also be able to write and send emails from their laptop when they do not have internet access via the BlackBerry's 3G network service.

An additional benefit of Constant Connect is that it reduces the need for laptop users to pay for fee-based Wi-Fi networks, said the firms.

"By leveraging the industry-leading push-based connectivity of the BlackBerry solution, Lenovo Constant Connect will simplify email synchronisation on the laptop, and provide mobile professionals with greater flexibility to manage their email on the move," said Jim Balsillie, Research In Motion chief executive.