[Mark Rejhon]

This is an old thread.
BlackBerryOS already went beyond 4.0.0.185
Please see newer thread.

Observations of BlackberryOS 4.0.0.100 on my handheld (No, I did not get this version from this website from the post in General forum. No, I can't tell you where I got it, unfortunately. I can't even say if I downloaded or installed the OS myself. However, it should be out soon enough)

New Features from my testing:
- TCP/IP stack on all Blackberries including 7280! (no BES/MDS needed). (Carrier must be using new version of BWC, it still acts as a gateway, essentially MDS is now being built into BWC but RIM is now calling it a TCP/IP stack).
- New Blackberry corporate logo
- Themeable "Options -> Theme" Came only with one theme.
- New "Options -> TCP" with configurable APN/user/password.
- Configurable Browser Push capability "Options -> Browser Push"
- Slightly bigger font for carrier name (white on blue)
- According to the options I see in the Browser Configuration, Web Browswer supports JavaScript, animated GIF, background graphics, tables, and Embedded Media (Flash, SVG), and JavaScript popups. Carrier must be using recent BWC for extra browser features to work.
- Font size (and font) is now configurable in Web Browser separately of the rest of the handheld
- You can search the whole PIM. Calendar too. (select Search to search one or more of: Message, Calendar, Addressbook, Memopad, Tasks)
- Backlight timeout is configurable "Options -> Screen/Keyboard" to be up to 1 minute. (Sorry, no auto backlight power-on upon typing)
- Faster full duplex operation. Background transmissions no longer slow down the Blackberry nearly as much. You can chat more easily simultaneously with incoming chats without your typing pausing as much (like in telnet, IRC, instant messaging)
- Turning on/off checkboxes can be done by clicking thumbwheel now (less confusing)

New Apps that appears to have appeared:
- Blackberry Web Browser now shows up on all Blackberries without BES/MDS
- Password Keeper (a password wallet application)
- Picture application (Appears to be something to do with Screensaver Image, and Background Image in Main Screen)
- Brickbreaker now a full Arkanoid-like game with background graphics, ball-bounce animations, and a few more mini-special-effects

Fixed from what I can gather:
- Now works with Idokorro MobileSSH (4.0.0.77)
- Over-The-Air activation ("Enterprise Activation" icon)
- Three rows of icons back (rather than being reduced to two in 4.0.0.77), 4.0.0.100 main menu now looks similiar to my previous 3.7.1.41.
- Antialiasing greatly improved, doesn't make font blocky anymore.
- My favourite font MillibankTall / BBMillibankTall merged into a scalable font that looks exactly the same as the good old MillibankTall font. (I use 10-point Millibank Tall, just love that readable type). Thanks for bringing it back in 4.0.0.100, I guess RIM got complaints about 4.0.0.77

Bugs:
- Minor redraw bug: In the Main Menu, hold Alt+Thumbwheel to bring the Move Icon menu up, then click the Esc button. The background under the menu does not redraw. (To force it to rerdraw, just enter-and-exit a Blackberry application)
- Selecting "Messages -> Thumbwheel Click -> Options -> Email Reconcilation" displays error message "Uncaught exception: Field added to a manager while it is already parented."
- BES/MDS server still sends duplicate incoming packets in Idokorro MobileSSH, if you RIM employees are reading this, it's RIM Bug Tracking system RQST00000604486.

All in all, 4.0.0.100 is now stable enough with a few minor bugs, and is an OS that's going to stay on my Blackberry 7280 I now fully believe that RIM's estimate of September-November is an accurate milestone, based on the stability of my 4.0.0.100 in my own Blackberry.

[kirson]

Hey Mark,

Any details on the fields that can be mapped to a contact on the Blackberry? Did they add a bunch of fields? Did they correct the problem that prevented date fields from being able to sync to user defined fields?

Thanks!
Ian

[Mark Rejhon]

I have not tried. There seems to be new fields, but I don't remember what was already there. There are presently 2 address fields, 2 separate work numbers, 2 home numbers for each contact. And a "Categories" field.

While looking at this, I noticed there's a "Filter" by Category menu option, too. And you can add new categories too for the addressbook. I don't know if this feature existed before or not, but I think this is new. Only noticed it now.

[kirson]

Mark,

If you get the chance, could you try mapping the Birthday or Anniversary field to one of the user defined fields? You don't need to actually sync the device, save the changes, or anything...just see if the Desktop Manager ALLOWS you to drag a date field onto a user defined field -- in 3.7.1.41 you'd get an error message saying it cannot be mapped -- bugged the hell out of me

Thanks!
Ian

[Mark Rejhon]

kirson - I have never needed field mapping before on the Blackberry so I have not tried -- so I don't know how to and too busy to bother anyway.

However, if you can type up step-by-step instructions that allows me to test in less than 5 minutes, I'll be glad to do it for you.

[Mark Rejhon]

[Copying from HowardForums, with minor modifications]

Some people were concerned about the JavaScript popup feature. Don't worry, it is turned OFF by default. It's only there because some websites require it, like Hotmail. It is configurable. There are a lot of configurable options in the 4.0 browser now.

Browser -> Options -> General Properties

Prompt Before:
[_] Closing Browser on Escape
[X] Closing Modified Pages
[_] Running WML Scripts
Default Font Family ________
Default Font Size __
[_] Support HTML Tables
[X] Use Foreground And Background Colors
[_] Use Background Images
[_] Support Embedded Media (Flash, SVG)
[_] Support JavaScript
[_] Allow JavaScript Popups
[X] Support Style Sheets
Style sheets media type: ___________
Repeat Animations: ____ times

Some sites (like Hotmail, at least in the past) for example, requires the JavaScript popup during login.

Also, the new browser will behave like the old browser if your carrier is using the old BWC rather than the new BWC. i.e. no extra features. I like the extra options in the new 4.0 browser, too bad I can only get 3.7 rendering at the moment since the BWC must be upgraded too in order to support the new 4.0 rendering.

Browser also now supports "Forward" browsing, and now has "Clear Cache" and "Clear History" via Options. The browser is not faster than the old RIM browser (rendering slightly slower), but navigating back and forward is improved.

[LL]

Mark, out of all the improvements / changes to 4.0

what have you found the most useful?

[Mark Rejhon]

Full duplex transmission speed improvements. That's because I frequently do lots of splitscreen chatting.

Example 1: Typing something in WebMessenger and experiencing much shorter delays while incoming messages are being displayed while I am typing.

Example 2: Splitscreen chatting in UNIX/Linux software over Idokorro MobileSSH including a software program I use to call relay services for the deaf (As I am hearing impaired).

[kirson]

Mark,

I missed your response from earlier in the week -- sorry. I map fields around like crazy -- so it's become second nature and did not occur to me that it could be confusing. Not to worry -- I found out that the problem persists. You cannot map either Birthday or Anniversary (the only two date fields) to the User Defined Fields on the handheld. Not sure why this wasn't addressed -- it was a known issue, and the fix must be easy, since it was always possible before 3.7.1.41. I sent an email suggestion to Blackberry that they fix this. Perhaps if lots more people also send the suggestion, it will be taken seriously...

Ian

[ScOObydoo]

In the security options screen there is now a "wipe handheld" selection. You have to type "blackberry" and it does the same as entering your password incorrectly 10 times. Sort of like a "self destruct' option :D

It's a shame you can't have that option disabled, I'd hate to have kids of other find it and have a dying need to see what it does.

[Mark Rejhon]

In 4.0.0.100 noticed that all the major PIM apps have categories now, including Notes, Tasks -- they now have the "Filter" menu option. Just so you all know that the new Categories feature apply to more than just Addressbook!

[kirson]

I think I may have mentioned this elsewhere, but I noticed that in 4.0.0.100 if you opt for SELECT mode in the browser, and then try to select and copy text, the browser crashes/freezes. Only way to get out of it is to ALT-ESC, and then reset the device to get the Browser to work again (another workaround appears to be to use Reqwireless browser, then exit the Reqwireless browser, and try to restart the Blackberry Browser -- that seems to cause an error message to be generated, but the Browser now becomes available again).

Also, ALT-CAP-DEL does not reset the device, but rather causes a SIM Card Error, and you can't use the wireless features again until you do a hard reset (remove battery).

[ScOObydoo]

Way too many problems with it for me...

When I tried to change anything in a profile the device crashed... Back to good ole 3.7 :D

[Skive]

Originally Posted by kirson

Also, ALT-CAP-DEL does not reset the device, but rather causes a SIM Card Error, and you can't use the wireless features again until you do a hard reset (remove battery).

That type of reset doesn't always give a sim card error, I think they have implemented a quick reset that only does either the radio or the apps and when the other one has problems those problems will obviously still be there after the quick reset and thus you are forced to so the battery pull to force a full reset.

[kirson]

Interesting. It always gives me the SIM card error. I have my 7230 from T-Mobile, and I have it unlocked. I wonder if that is somehow causing a problem?

[BB Junkie]

Does 4.0 have the ability to open and view pictures in blackberry's email attachment?

[Mark Rejhon]

I think so with 4.0 servers (unconfirmed);

With Mailstreet BES 3.6 and Rogers' current BWC, I am still unable to open pictures attached to emails.

[Skive]

Originally Posted by BB Junkie

Does 4.0 have the ability to open and view pictures in blackberry's email attachment?

It does with a 4.0 bes, unconfirmed when bwc will get the same functionality though.

[adept]

Originally Posted by ScOObydoo

In the security options screen there is now a "wipe handheld" selection. You have to type "blackberry" and it does the same as entering your password incorrectly 10 times. Sort of like a "self destruct' option :D

It's a shame you can't have that option disabled, I'd hate to have kids of other find it and have a dying need to see what it does.

This must be custumizable using the BES policy settings, no?

[phalpern]

Mark, here is another question for you. We now have the 6230/7230 for our Enterprise and we are on 3.6. Am wondering if, with the new OS, you can do a PIN lookup. Have you tried that?

Thanks.

Paul