New Features in Action – BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.1 SP5, OS 4.5.0
To say these are rather long awaited releases, both in the consumer and corporate environments, is an understatement. BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.1 SP5 will deliver more end-user enhancements than arguably any version of BES prior, possibly out-delivered only by the introduction of wireless PIM synchronization and wireless backup/restore functionality in BES 4.0, which was released just over 3 years ago in late 2004. BlackBerry OS 4.5.0, formerly known as OS 4.3.1, is set to introduce HTML support in it’s email parsing, a long-overdue feature. It will also enable consumer-oriented features such as an office document reader and editor and video recording (my girlfriend finds it fairly annoying, go figure), as well as corporate-oriented features such as calendar availability (Free/Busy Lookup) and over-the-air OS upgrades.
We have featured many of these enhancements in our pages in previous articles, but never have we actually tested them out…
…until now.
BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4.1 SP5 – Control New OS Features in BlackBerry Manager
Rich Content with Inline Images – Font Styles, Pictures and More:
Calendar – Free/Busy Availability Lookup:
Remote Search and Retrieval – AKA The "DOH?!" View
Jibi:
What’s the timeline on the carriers getting this out to their customers. The features described look awesome, but since we’ve waited 3 years to get to this point, how much longer will the carriers make us wait?
AJ you beat me to the punch I was just about to ask the same.
Have to ask it again, will these enhancements be available only to BES users, or will those of us on BIS be able to use the doc viewers and enhanced mail also?
RIM, just needs to put this out, everyone knows it’s ready to launch, it’s been all over every website..just release it already and stop all this madness lmao!!
@SLVR6:
Check some other sites about that, manyh of the features are BES and many are BIS. Crackberry has a complete breakdown by device.
Oooh soon, I hope.
In terms of carriers, I know the main UK carriers have not yet blessed BES v4.1.4 for Domino..
In terms of v4.1.5 – I’m guessing a *long* time…
Hence the reason I dont allow my carriers to touch *my* BES servers…
—* Bill
wait does that mean that BIS users wont get html email!?!?!
thats really upsetting
i hope that i misread that on crackberry David B.!!
yaaaaay makes my job easier
Hopefully these updates will come out soon. Word is that the earliest timeframe is the end of the month.
yeah yeah, its to the point now where ill believe it when i see it…
Took vzw like a year to get 4.2 so I doubt I’ll see this in my life time
@ zac
damn! 1 year to get the 4.2 upgrade!? fuck that! i was thinking about switching to VZ from AT&T in 4 months, but if there OS upgrade takes that long…idk…maybe i should get a N95?
sweet..cant wait
What the BlackBerry Update Means for You
PCMagazine.com
By Sascha Segan
Feb 1 2008
BlackBerry owners rejoice! The upcoming BlackBerry 4.5 software will vault your Pearls and Curves into the top ranks of multimedia devices. We got RIM to explain, model by model and server by server, what the new software will give existing BlackBerry owners. (Version 4.5 used to be called 4.3.1, if you’re really plumbed into the BlackBerry landscape.)
There’s a lot of awesome stuff here, with multimedia streaming support, Microsoft Office document editing and HTML e-mail support at the fore. We’re still waiting for RIM to tune up its Web browser, though—it’s falling behind the options available on Windows Mobile, Symbian, and the iPhone.
Some of the new features are handheld-only; some require server upgrades. If you’re on BlackBerry Enterprise Server, your IT department will need to upgrade; if you’re on BlackBerry Internet Service, you’ll need to wait a few months for your carrier to upgrade. I’ve marked server features with an (S), and handheld features with an (H) to show what you’ll be able to do immediately.
Verizon, T-Mobile, and Alltel all confirmed that you’ll be able to upgrade existing BlackBerries to the new software. We’re still waiting for word from T-Mobile and Sprint. The software will arrive within a few months, but the carriers and RIM aren’t being any more specific than that.
Here’s the scoop by model number.
If you have a BlackBerry Pearl 8100 or BlackBerry 8800, you’ll get:
• Spell check
• BlackBerry Maps with Points of Interest • Improved media player with playlist support and automatic playlist generation • Voice note recording • Streaming support for YouTube and Sling Player • Bluetooth stereo music (H) • Microsoft Office document editing with DocumentsToGo • Native format attachment downloading • HTML e-mails • Over-the-air device upgrades • Free/busy calendar lookup • Searching the server for old e-mail messages
If you have a BlackBerry Pearl 8130, you’ll get:
• Automatic playlist generation in the media player • Microsoft Office document editing with DocumentsToGo • Native format attachment downloading • HTML e-mails • Over-the-air device upgrades • Free/busy calendar lookup • Searching the server for old e-mail messages
If you have any BlackBerry Curve or the BlackBerry 8820 or 8830, you’ll get:
• BlackBerry Maps with Points of Interest • Improved media player with playlist support and automatic playlist generation • Voice note recording • Video recording on Curve models • Streaming support for YouTube and Sling Player • Microsoft Office document editing with DocumentsToGo • Native format attachment downloading • HTML e-mails • Over-the-air device upgrades • Free/busy calendar lookup • Searching the server for old e-mail messages
If you have a BlackBerry 8700 or 8703e, you’ll get:
• Spell check
• BlackBerry Maps with Points of Interest • New pictures and ringtones applications • Voice note recording • Microsoft Office document editing with DocumentsToGo • Native format attachment downloading • HTML e-mails • Over-the-air device upgrades • Free/busy calendar lookup • Searching the server for old e-mail messages
If you have an older BlackBerry, maybe it’s time to upgrade!
—————————————-
If we (meaning myself) have a Pearl 8130 from Verizon, how would I go about getting this update? Do I have to go into a store and have them update it for me? or can I use the Pearl’s browser to download the update?
Any word on threaded SMS? Shouldn’t be so hard and so many people are asking for that.
For those who are looking for device os upgrades.
http://na.blackberry.com/eng/support/downloads/download_sites.jsp
Verizon.
http://vzw.smithmicro.com/blackberry/
Well if Verizon releases the 8330 with 4.5, then hopefully the device updates for 8130/8830 will soon follow.
Nice UI improvements. That theme interests me, i can see &T(AT&) behind one of the menus, but the graphics and font for the clock look like T-Mobile’s.
horizontal were called gardening with a my dad Forest. a job the vast up to things. plants their names the wild a real names.