ThinkPad Constant Connect: Sync and Send Email w/Blackberry’s 3G Connection

Constant Connect is a new tool that will make life a little easier for business travelers who write email while flying. Constant Connect consists of an expansion card and software that’s installed on both a ThinkPad and Blackberry.

For most notebook users, when you write emails while flying they just sit in your draft folder. But with Constant Connect you would hit send as if you’re online and they’re stored in your Constant Connect Card, which can be stowed in your notebook’s expansion slot. Once you land, there’s no need to stop in the terminal to turn on your computer and find a wireless connection to send the emails. With your ThinkPad still in your briefcase, Constant Connect will automatically synchronize your email through a Bluetooth connection to your Blackberry and your Blackberry will send the emails.

I have yet to see Constant Connect in person, but the concept is awesome. Your company’s already paying for your Blackberry’s 3G connection so it’s a waste for you to pay $10 or more at an airport for a WiFi day-pass just to fire off an email or two.

Here’s a quick video explanation that Lenovo’s put together explaining Constant Connect in more detail:

Full press release from Lenovo:

Research Triangle Park, NC and Waterloo, ON February 16, 2009 Lenovo and Research In Motion (RIM) today announced that the two companies will work together to promote new Lenovo mobile solutions that will help on-the-go business users enhance their mobile computing and communications experience through tighter integration between Lenovo ThinkPad laptop computers and BlackBerry® smartphones.

Leveraging Lenovo’s extensive global R&D capabilities and engineering prowess in laptop computers together with RIM’s expertise in smartphones and wireless solutions, Lenovo plans to develop and deliver a range of industry-leading solutions and technologies that can help professionals conduct business more effectively on the go.

Lenovo Constant Connect, the first solution developed by Lenovo, will leverage the strengths of the BlackBerry® solution and Lenovo ThinkPad laptops to deliver an unparalleled user experience for flexible, real-time access to enterprise-based email. Lenovo Constant Connect will allow enterprise email received on a user’s BlackBerry smartphone to be automatically synchronized via Bluetooth® onto the user’s ThinkPad laptop even if the ThinkPad laptop is off without the user having to take any additional steps.

This level of integration and availability dramatically improves access to email on the Lenovo ThinkPad laptop from wherever a BlackBerry smartphone can access a connection. In addition to greater flexibility and convenience, it can also reduce the need to use the laptop with fee-based Wi-Fi® networks. Lenovo Constant Connect is expected to be available from Lenovo and its business partners in the second quarter of 2009 in the U.S, and to be rolled out in markets around the world later in 2009.

“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. Today’s announcement is the first step in combining these best-in-class solutions to deliver a more useful and powerful mobile work experience,” said Lenovo CEO Yang Yuanqing.

“Lenovo is adding significant value for our mutual customers by developing tighter and more seamless integration between Lenovo ThinkPad laptops and BlackBerry smartphones,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “By leveraging the industry-leading, push-based connectivity of the BlackBerry solution, Lenovo Constant Connect will simplify email synchronization on the laptop and provide mobile professionals with greater flexibility to manage their email on the move.”