I was tipped off this morning by Hector Gomez that RIM & Verizon released an update for the BlackBerry 8830 yesterday. Sure enough, the update brings the software up to version 4.2.2.148 and rings in at a whopping 70 MB. I applied it to my 8830 and I have to tell you the RIM phone update procedure is stellar, Microsoft should take a look at it and compare it to the Windows Mobile process. Of course if they do that they’ll cry in their lattes in Redmond.
The update procedure requires the installation of the BlackBerry Desktop Manager and the entire upgrade took a long 35 minutes to apply to my 8830. It was time well spent because the update first backs up all of the applications and data on the device, including third party applications that I have installed on my own, applies the update and then restores all of the applications and data, including third party applications. The phone came back just like it was before the update which does in fact perform a firmware (ROM) update. Sweet!
I am sorry to say that the GPS is still disabled, shame on you Verizon! Some of the new features that are installed with this new version:
- Ability to use an unlocked SIM on GSM networks
- Fix for louder ringtones
- Assorted fixes
- Better java and CSS handling in the browser (the browser seems much faster to me)
Verizon doesn’t give clear information regarding exactly what is update but you’ll find a complete list of features of the new version after the jump.
All customers who upgrade their BlackBerry Handheld software toversion 4.x will receive the following enhancements to their device:
- Internet Browser:Enjoy browsing Internet content on the HTML browser on the BlackBerryHandheld. (NOTE: While there is no additional charge to have thebrowser, your wireless data usage will be billed in kilobytes upon yourBlackBerry calling plan or feature.)
- Phone Enhancements: 26 speed-dial entries (A through Z) and an improved user interface.
- Pictures Application: Customers can now view JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG and TIFF files with basic image manipulation controls (pan, rotate & zoom).
- Global Search: When search, the Address Book, Calendar, MemoPad, Tasks and Messages applications will all be checked simultaneously.
- Address Book: Support for additional fields (phone numbers, home and work addresses and contact URL).
- Tasks Enhancement: Create recurring tasks and set reminders for tasks.
- Categories: Address Book, MemoPad and Tasks applications now support categories.
- User-Adjustable Backlight Timer: Now you can adjust your backlight timer from 10-60 seconds.
- Profiles: A context-sensitive icon is now displayed on your Home Screen showing you which profile is currently active.
- On Device Help: Application-specific information is available directly on the handheld. (Not available with the BlackBerry 6750.)
- Application Removal: Customers can now delete installed applications from the handheld without the PC Application Loader.
Corporate Customers in a BES 4.x Environment will also receive the following features:
- Complete two-way wireless synchronization and reconciliation of email and PIM data:This eliminates the need to cradle the device with a host PC tosynchronize PIM data: Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Memos. This alsoeliminates the need to cradle the device to reconcile email status,Sent Items and Filing of messages.
- Remote management of commonly used email settings directly from the handheld:Users can update their Out Of Office auto-reply, change email filtersand update their auto-signature without returning to their PC.
- Wireless Provisioning:IT Administrators can quickly and securely provision end user deviceswirelessly so users can start using their BlackBerry faster than ever.
- Enriched BlackBerry Browser: Users can now view even more sites than before from their handheld with JavaScript support (not available on the BlackBerry 6750), partial support for cascading sheet styles (CSS) and support for animated GIFs.
- Reconcile Now: Customers can initiate a wireless email reconciliation even if no changes have been make on the handheld device.
- Remote Address Lookup:Lookups will now also return the target individual’s BlackBerry devicePIN, which can be used to send PIN to PIN messages between BlackBerryhandheld users.

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