[JinFocker]

RIM to Update BlackBerry Features

Today, 10:30 AM by Eric M. Zeman

Today Research In Motion announced that it will upgrade the features on its BlackBerry smartphones. Rather than receiving an entirely new platform, RIM will roll out the following software upgrades during the first half of the year. The inbox will get HTML and Rich Text support, so emails can be seen in their original format, including graphics, fonts, and colors. Users also will be able to search their remote email servers for old emails, see the availability of contacts prior to sending meeting invites, and use presence features to see when IM contacts are available for chats or phone calls. Lastly, RIM is adding Documents To Go from DataViz so users can download and edit Microsoft Office documents.

[paulbblc]

Intersting - all of these things were seen in OS 4.3.

[John Clark]

HTML will require BIS 2.5.

[JinFocker]

^john---how do i know what version BIS i have?

[paulbblc]

Check your BIS page it should tell you.

[Dubdub]

Originally Posted by paulbblc

Check your BIS page it should tell you.

Couldn't find it on the ATT BIS site.

[JinFocker]

^are you talking about the BIS page i go to when i want to change my sig or add an email account?

[paulbblc]

Yes.

When I go to cingular.com/blackberrystart it informs me that I'm using 2.4 before logging in.

I apologize, I guess it might not be the same for all carriers.

[JinFocker]

^where does it say it? im in the page now and cant find it.

[John Clark]

I know on TMo is hidden deep in a bunch of fine print. Most everyone is on 2.4.

[JinFocker]

Originally Posted by John Clark

I know on TMo is hidden deep in a bunch of fine print. Most everyone is on 2.4.

how do i find out for verizon?

[Dawg]

Originally Posted by JinFocker

how do i find out for verizon?

I have searched everything on VZW BIS site and I cant find it anywhere but I assume its 2.4 which is the latest and greatest thats been announced for us.

[Redflea]

Originally Posted by paulbblc

Intersting - all of these things were seen in OS 4.3.

You mean the 8100 GSM Pearl beta that's been floating around?

None of that is in the 4.3 CDMA releases on the 8120/8130 CDMA Pearls.

[Sith_Apprentice]

RIM Showcases BlackBerry Platform Enhancements at Lotusphere 2008



Orlando, FL xxx8211; Lotusphere 2008, Booth 516 xxx8211; January 22, 2008 - Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced a series of updates for its market-leading BlackBerry® platform that include enhanced messaging and collaboration, simpler management, enhanced security and expanded application development support. These updates will benefit users, IT groups and developers and will enable organizations to increase mobility, productivity and return on investment.



"RIM continues to expand the capabilities of the multifaceted BlackBerry platform to allow an increasingly rich and productive mobile experience for our customers," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM. "The software enhancements demonstrated today will make BlackBerry smartphones more powerful than ever and even easier to manage."



Enhanced Messaging and Collaboration

The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution is a complete, end-to-end wireless platform that extends the benefits of an organization's messaging and collaboration environment to mobile users. Updates to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry device software1 will enable customers to further enhance usability and increase end-user productivity.

Document Downloading and Editing xxx8211; As a result of the integration of the xxx8216;Documents To Go® by DataViz®xxx8217; software with the BlackBerry platform, users will be able to edit Microsoft® Office Word, PowerPoint® and Excel® files2 directly on their BlackBerry smartphone.
· Remote Search for Messages xxx8211; Users will be able to search for and retrieve email messages from their email server even if the message is no longer stored on their BlackBerry smartphone.

· Free-Busy Calendar Lookup xxx8211; Users on the go will be able to check the availability of colleagues before sending a meeting request.

· HTML and Rich Text Email Rendering xxx8211; BlackBerry smartphone users will be able to view HTML and rich text email messages with original formatting preserved including font colors and styles, embedded images, hyperlinks, tables, bullets and other formatting.

· Advanced Enterprise Instant Messaging and Presence xxx8211; New features for users running IBM Lotus Sametime® and Microsoft Live Communications Server will include improved address book integration, IM contact xxx8220;click to callxxx8221;, IM session xxx8220;convert to callxxx8221; and advanced emoticon support, allowing co-workers to collaborate and communicate more effectively using their BlackBerry smartphones.



Simpler Management and Support

BlackBerry Enterprise Server provides IT groups with industry-leading management and support capabilities. New features will further improve and simplify the administration of BlackBerry deployments.

BlackBerry Monitoring Service xxx8211; A new software component of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server will help organizations maintain high availability and high performance of their BlackBerry infrastructure by providing administrators with enhanced monitoring, alerting, troubleshooting and reporting capabilities. BlackBerry Monitoring Service will be included in the next release of BlackBerry Enterprise Server3.
BlackBerry Web Desktop Manager xxx8211; A web-based device management console has been designed to increase deployment flexibility and simplify software upgrades by reducing the number of BlackBerry software components installed on end-user workstations. BlackBerry Web Desktop Manager enables users to install software and manage their BlackBerry smartphone from any browser-enabled computer. The software is available now as a free download from: BlackBerry - BlackBerry | BlackBerry Web Desktop Manager.
Over-the-Air Device Software Upgrades4 xxx8211; Organizations will be able to update a user's BlackBerry device software wirelessly, delivering a fast, cost-effective method for remotely supporting users and managing BlackBerry device software lifecycles.
Expanded Systems Compatibility xxx8211; BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1.5 is certified with Microsoft® Exchange 2007 SP1 and supports IBM® Lotus® Domino® versions 7.03 and 8.0.


Enhanced Security

Security is a cornerstone of the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution and today there are over 400 IT policy settings and controls that an administrator can set to centrally manage and enforce security policies. Newly introduced IT policies further enhance the security and control of a BlackBerry deployment5.

Encrypted Attachment Viewing xxx8211; Users will be able view attachments within encrypted PGP and S/MIME messages.
Increased Control over GPS xxx8211; Administrators will have the ability to control which applications access GPS functionality on BlackBerry smartphones.
Increased Bluetooth® Controls xxx8211; Administrators will have the ability to enable or disable certain Bluetooth profiles as well as set the allowable 'discoverable time'.


Expanded Application Development Support

RIM continues to expand the opportunities for software developers to create innovative and powerful wireless applications that leverage the inherent security, network efficiency, reliability and push capabilities of the BlackBerry platform and take advantage of new BlackBerry smartphone features. With the recent release of the BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE) v4.3.0, new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) have been added to the thousands previously available, enabling developers to offer even more robust and exciting business and lifestyle applications to the more than 12 million BlackBerry subscribers around the world. In addition, support for the following Java Micro Edition APIs is also now available:

JSR 205: Wireless Messaging 2.0 (MMS Support) xxx8211; provides the ability to send and receive messages that include images, sound and video via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).
JSR 211: Content Handler API (CHAPI) xxx8211; allows applications to invoke other applications, including native BlackBerry applications, to handle specific content types.
JSR 238: Internationalization xxx8211; allows developers to easily create a single application for multiple languages and regions across the globe with proper location-specific language, time conventions, currencies, and number formats.
JSR 172: Web Services xxx8211; enables developers to quickly develop and deploy applications that act as web services clients.


These new BlackBerry platform enhancements are scheduled to be phased in to new software releases during the first half of 2008 and will be showcased at Lotusphere this week. For more information please visit BlackBerry - What's New with BlackBerry Enterprise Solution v4.1 Updated with Service Pack 5.



1) Requires BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1.5 and BlackBerry device software v4.3.1 or above.

2) Microsoft Office Word and PowerPoint files will be supported in conjunction with BlackBerry device software v4.3.1 and Microsoft Excel files will be supported in conjunction with a subsequent software release expected later in the year.

3) Included in BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1.5 for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino, and included in BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1.4 for GroupWise.

4) Requires BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1.4 and BlackBerry device software v4.3.1 or above.

5) Requires BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1.5 and BlackBerry device software v4.3.1 or above.

[Sith_Apprentice]

that is the full list of upgrades coming. Its more than just Word Documents and was announced by RIM today

[Sith_Apprentice]

Originally Posted by Redflea

You mean the 8100 GSM Pearl beta that's been floating around?

None of that is in the 4.3 CDMA releases on the 8120/8130 CDMA Pearls.

its a feature of 4.3.1 (which is different than the CDMA devices, and not included in that beta that has been spoken about around here) and above and BIS 2.5 which hasnt been released.

[Dawg]

anyone tried the web desktop?

[JinFocker]

bump...anyone hear anything about upgrading?

[ej25]

yeah whats goin on?

[TroyDBrown]

Like the 45 other threads say, it could come out anytime from while I post this til 2010. Keep an eye on the sticky at the top of your devices forum and you will know within an hour of a release.

Your carrier will also have to complete an upgrade which with some carriers that could be 2012