Gmail for BES? Goolge App connector targets Gmail for the Enterprise

eWeek is reporting that Google is releasing software for BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) that will allow GMail to be routed to blackberry devices.  The software is in beta now, but will be available to users of Google Apps Premier when it is fully released in July.  Right now, the application syncs mail and contact information between the mobile device and the web application, but for calendar, information transfer is one way – from the web to the device.  Google says two way calendar sync will be an enhancement for later release.

According to Google’s release, Gmail will sync to the device in 60 seconds.  In field testing by eWeek, contact and calendar “do not get pushed to the device like e-mail does, but instead they piggyback with push mail.”  According to Google, this is to save on battery life.  Sounds like a nonsense explanation to me, but who am I to question.

I like the sound of this, but coming from a financial technology background, I don’t see it as being adopted by any finance firms because of the email retention and compliance rules.  Google Apps does have Postini for retention and compliance customization, and for legal searches, but I’d be surprised to see a finance firm releasing email control to any third party.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Gmail, and I think there are huge advantages to Gmail for the enterprise.  I have, in fact, recommended it to a client of mine.  That said, there is just no replacement for native MS Exchange.