When you see Nan Palmero punching out the air like a BlackBerry-enhanced Adonis, it can only mean one thing: OS 4.5 is available for your BlackBerry. Today it’s the BlackBerry Curve 8330 and BlackBerry Pearl 8130 on the Sprint network. We have a quick rundown of new features in OS 4.5, as well as download instructions for your BlackBerry enjoyment.
OS 4.5 Features and Improvements:
OTASL (Over The Air Software Loading) This enables all future versions of handheld software to be downloaded and installed wirelessly
MMS (Audio, pictures, text, or all three in the same message)
Docs to Go (device-side Word, Excel, and Powerpoint document editing capabilities)
Sounds pretty great, right? Download instructions for BIS and BES users are after the jump. We’ve also heard that OS 4.5 will be released for the BlackBerry 8830 in a few weeks, with an 8703(!) release coming at the end of Q1.
Here’s some more video goodness of our time at AIM Autosport for the Telus BlackBerry Curve 8350i launch event. I had a great time talking to Ian Willis, one of the founders of AIM, about a variety of things: why his company needs a PTT BlackBerry running on the Mike network, how cool his car is, and a special project he’s working on with RIM/Telus (it’s quite cool). Ian is actually a BlackBerry Cool reader and also gave us a nice shout out. If you want to learn more about AIM (they have a great team and wicked cars), you can check out another video about them after the jump, or a link to their website below.
While at Telus’ BlackBerry Curve 8350i launch event, I had the opportunity to speak with Mark Applebaum, Director of Strategy & Marketing, Mobility Solutions at Telus. You can think of Mark as the enterprise version of Judy Mellet, who we interviewed at the BlackBerry Storm launch party. Watch the video above to learn which industries should choose the 8350i over the BlackBerry Curve, why a PTT (push-to-talk) BlackBerry is better than a separate communications system, and more about iDEN’s superior voice quality and in-building penetration. We also give a shout out to the ancient BlackBerry 7100i.
As for the talk-time stats Mark mentions in the video, they can be found at the link below.
It’s Wednesday today, which means people around the world are sitting at their desks thinking about the weekend. To help you get by, we thought this photo of a tasty AT&T BlackBerry Curve cake would help numb the brain until Friday comes. If you’re into mixing and matching your smartphone flavors, there are iPhone and Helio Ocean cakes after the jump as well. A bunch more interesting cake designs can be found here.
Last week I had the pleasure of heading to Woodbridge, Ontario for Telus’ BlackBerry 8350i launch event at AIM Autosport. AIM is a customer on Telus’ Mike iDEN network, and they were kind enough to talk about how they use the push-to-talk Mike network and why they’re so juiced to be getting the BlackBerry 8350i. I was also able to sit in their wicked sweet race car, which was sadly without an engine, and thus unavailable for a test drive (next time!). You can see all the photos after the jump, and there’s video on the way.
As for impressions, it’s hard to get a sense for the value of the 8350i, because we haven’t done extensive testing of the Mike network to see how cool PTT really is. Telus is going to send us a bunch of 8350’s for everyone in the office, however, so we’ll be able to say more shortly (I expect a lot of PTT silliness will ensue). As for my impressions of the 8350i as a device, I think it’s a winner over the standard 8330. While the BlackBerry 8350i is a bit longer and thicker than its Curve counterpart, it has a much sturdier build quality. It honestly takes me back to the days of the BlackBery 8700: you could throw the 8350i through drywall and it would come out the other side unscathed (it’s a long story). Wi-Fi is also a major bonus, and something I miss on my BlackBerry Storm.
Oslo, Norway and Waterloo, ON, Canada – Trigcom and Research In Motion today launched the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone in Norway. In addition to its exceptional phone, email, messaging, organizer, web browser and multimedia applications, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone features global connectivity support, built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, a next generation 512Mhz processor and a stunning hi-resolution display.
“The BlackBerry Curve 8900 lets you stay easily connected with work, family, friends and the Internet using a beautifully designed phone that looks and feels great,” says Mark Guibert, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Research In Motion. “It is perfect for people who want the renowned functionality, performance and usability of a BlackBerry smartphone in a compact design with a full-QWERTY keyboard.”
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is available today from Trigcom for both business and personal customers. For more information, visit the Trigcom Business Centre at Kronprinsesse Märthas Plass 1 in Oslo, or go to the online shop at www.trigcom.no/no/nettbutikk for great offers.
Milan, Italy and Waterloo, Canada – Vodafone Italia and Research In Motion today announced the availability of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone in Italy. The new BlackBerry Curve 8900 makes keeping in touch with the office, family, and friends easy thanks to the smartphone’s extensive set of features, including: built-in Wi-Fi, a fast processor (512Mhz), GPS, and an astounding high resolution display.
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is available now from Vodafone Italia retail stores and online at www.vodafone.it for the price of 429€. Tariff information is available after the jump.
Big news for Canadians on the Mike network. Telus yesterday launched the BlackBerry Curve 8350i, the newest iDEN BlackBerry with Push to Talk service. Telus is selling the BlackBerry Curve 8350i for $249.99 on a three-year contract or $599.99 without a contract.
“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i combines the convenience of our Mike Direct Connect Push To Talk technology and the trusted BlackBerry solution,” said Jim Senko, vice-president of Mobility Solutions at TELUS. “It’s a fantastic new addition to our extensive selection of business-ready smartphones operating on our Mike or PCS networks.”
You can find the press release after the jump, or head to www.noordinaryphone.com for more info, but we’ll be at a Telus event today, so expect some hands-on goodness.
Paris, France and Waterloo, Canada – SFR and Research In Motion today announced that SFR will offer the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone. Customers will be able to purchase the BlackBerry Curve 8900 from the SFR online store starting January 31st 2009 and in SFR retail outlets in February 2009.
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet, and sports a sleek, refined design that is extremely comfortable in the hand. In addition, it has a dazzling high-resolution display (480 x 360) and a fast processor for snappy performance. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone is supported on BlackBerry Internet Service and BlackBerry Enterprise Server and will be available from €99 including taxes in conjunction with SFR’s Illimythics service plans and €109 excluding taxes with SFR Business Team Pro service plans.
Users will also be able to benefit from the Business Mail Illimité service plan and SFR Find & Go navigation services:
Business Mail special offer from SFR – available from January 21st to March 24 2009:
* Business Mail Illimité is available for €1/month for a 2-month period with the ‘Illimythics 3G+’ and ‘Pro’ service plans (then €4,90/month with the ‘Illimythics Pro 3 hours’ and ‘Illimythics Pro 4 hours’ service plans and €9 with ‘Illimythics 3G+’ service plan).
* Business Mail Illimité is also still available for free with the ‘Illimythics Pro 5 hours and more’ service plans
SFR Find & Go special offer:
* SFR Find & Go available at €1/month* for a 2-month period with the ‘Illimythics 3G+’ and ‘Pro’ service plans for 5€/month**
Business Mail and SFR Find & Go special offers are available from 21/01/09 to 24/03/09 for new subscribers of an Illimythics 3G+ or Pro service plan (on a 12 month minimum contract) with compatible mobile phones. More details are available at www.sfr.fr.
Bouygues Telecom and Research In Motion today launched the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone in France. The new BlackBerry Curve 8900 has an expansive feature set that keeps users easily connected with their office, friends and family. In addition to being an exceptional phone with powerful email, messaging, organizer, web browser and multimedia applications, the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 also features built-in Wi-Fi®, GPS, a fast processor (512Mhz) and a dazzling hi-resolution display, enabling customers to remain connected, productive and entertained while on the move.
Prices start from €149 including taxes (with a minimum 12 month subscription) on a Forfait Pro or Neo.2 three-hours or more voice plan. To mark its launch, between 26 January 2009 and 22 February 2009, customers will be able to purchase the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 for €79 including taxes (sales price of €129 in store with a €50 discount).
The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is available for corporate clients from €179 excluding taxes (with a 24 month minimum subscription). Details available at http://www.enterprises.bouyguestelecom.fr. To mark its launch, between 26 January 2009 and 31 March 2009, corporate customers will be able to purchase the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 for €59 including taxes (sales price of €109 in store with a €50 discount) in conjunction with the Neo Mail Entreprises data plan.
When you see Nan Palmero punching out the air like a BlackBerry-enhanced Adonis, it can only mean one thing: OS 4.5 is available for your BlackBerry. Today it’s the BlackBerry Curve 8330 and BlackBerry Pearl 8130 on the Sprint network. We have a quick rundown of new features in OS 4.5, as well as download instructions for your BlackBerry enjoyment.
Oslo, Norway and Waterloo, ON, Canada – Trigcom and Research In Motion today launched the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone in Norway. In addition to its exceptional phone, email, messaging, organizer, web browser and multimedia applications, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone features global connectivity support, built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, a next generation 512Mhz processor and a stunning hi-resolution display. 
