BlackBerry Forums Support Community

ejzohn · 12-01-2007, 05:18 PM

My wife and I have new (few months old) 8703e devices from Verizon, and we like them fine. They both have 4.1.

Questions:
1. Any [I]compelling[I] reasons to install 4.2? My wife is not as much as a geek as I, and she won't want to do anything to upset what she has now, but for the geek, what's in it for me, except for a few "improved" features?
2. Seemingly, from the Verizon website, I can download and install the device software without installing BB Desktop - which I have no reason to use otherwise. Is this true?
3. After an upgrade to 4.2, will I have to reactivate my BES connection? We are on a hosted Exchange/BES system, and I really don't want to reactivate the BES connection because I will lose all the current emails I have on my 8703.

Thanks, Ed.

visortgw · 12-01-2007, 10:00 PM

Third-party application compatibility, device stability, and new features (in that order)
Both the device software and the Desktop Manager must be installed in order to update to OS v4.2.1.106. BTW, you should be using the Desktop Manager for backups, etc.
The upgrade process save and restores data. BES was still active when it completed.

d_fisher · 12-01-2007, 10:37 PM

You do not have to have Desktop Manager installed to upgrade the OS. After the install of the handheld OS to your PC you will be prompted to run Application Loader. This is all you need, but it will not make any backup of your device.

You will need to reactivate with BES when done. If you have Desktop Manager installed and configured with your BES server this will happen automatically.

Personally, I never back up anything because its already backed up to the BES server. The only thing you will loose when you upgrade is the existing messages (email, PIN, SMS, etc.) on the device. If your not concerned with that then you have nothing to worry about. Get a new activation password from your BES admin before you upgrade so you can activate right away.

P.S. If you need to launch Applicaiton Loader manually go to "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\AppLoader\Loader.exe"

ezrunner · 12-01-2007, 10:37 PM

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8800/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Why not?

aiharkness · 12-02-2007, 11:10 AM

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

As far as 4.2, ejzohn, two things come to mind in my case:

The ability to send and receive vcards and calendar invites has been useful.

The new blackberry maps has a local search function which is very, very fast.

There are other features, but those are what have come in handy for me. But I would have done the upgrade just to do it, anyway.

haephaestus · 12-03-2007, 12:18 AM

One of the big pluses, for me, of 4.2 on the 8703e is the ability to have a usable local filesystem for images and ringtones. In 4.1, any images you saved off a website could only be saved in some non-addressable filesystem and accessed through the Photos app. The only way to get these messages out to anyone else was to send them through BB Messenger, not even via mail. No third party file managers were able to see the file system. Now you can.

Also, on the imaging front, the new Desktop Manager opens up the Verio media manager application so you can upload/download images from PC to BB.

If you are a user of Rove's Mobile File Manager, you can now ftp/sftp files to and from the local filesystem, too. Though it still doesn't work for Jivetalk when you want to do file transfer over IM-- it seems to only look for external media or something, and not the local filesystem. Anyone know of a workaround?

The Contacts app supports attaching a photo to a contact.

Another thing I've noticed is that now my mail menu has an attachment viewer option. I've never seen this before with 4.1. Also, as was previously mentioned, vCard and vCal handling!

For a point upgrade, it has breathed new life into my 8703e (not that it was on the verge of death, mind you). Hope this helps!

Cheers!
-h

bbkingrocks · 12-03-2007, 07:22 PM

I don't know if this is new to 4.2 but I discovered that I could once again dial by name without going to the address book.

kitmoni · 12-04-2007, 10:33 AM

Wirelessly posted (Thumpers 8700c: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0) BlackBerry8703e/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

I haven't seen blackberry maps on my VZW with the 4.2 upgrade. Is it supposed to be there?

The only disadvantage I've seen is that my 8703e is slightly slower with 4.2. Otherwise, the advantages have been the file system, media manager app, and the ability to send vCards.

zerog46 · 12-04-2007, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aiharkness

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

As far as 4.2, ejzohn, two things come to mind in my case:

The ability to send and receive vcards and calendar invites has been useful.

The new blackberry maps has a local search function which is very, very fast.

There are other features, but those are what have come in handy for me. But I would have done the upgrade just to do it, anyway.

How do you send and receive vcards I still can't and I have the 8130.

aiharkness · 12-04-2007, 11:08 AM

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

I've sent vcards to the blackberry the usual way from Outlook.

My memory fails me on sending to Outlook from the blackberry. I know I would compose an email and bring up menu, select attach address, then select a contact. I can't remember, however, exactly how this is received by Outlook, and can't test it right now. It may not be received by Outlook as a vcard.

EDIT: If you are sending vcards to blackberry and blackberry does not recognize vcard, resend service books to the blackberry.

zerog46 · 12-04-2007, 01:16 PM

Ok I will try it I can send "to" Outlook but not "to" BB.

aiharkness · 12-04-2007, 01:20 PM

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zerog46

Ok I will try it I can send "to" Outlook but not "to" BB.

On my version of Outlook, from the window that opens when I double-click on a contact, the send as vcard command is under either the tools or action menu (can't remember which).

buggle_96 · 12-05-2007, 12:20 AM

Honestly the biggest plus for me was being able to turn off the blue blinking light when you have bluetooth running. It was a real pain when using telenav at night and the thing would beam you in the eye.