Webnames.ca has launched the alpha version of Hornet, a free .tel address book application for BlackBerry!

How It Works

Hornet is a free .TEL address book application that allows you to look up, store and use .TEL names quickly and easily from your Blackberry® Smartphone.

Enter a .tel name like smith.tel or webnames.tel and instantly download all of a contact’s information to your Blackberry®. Any updates or changes will be updated as soon as you refresh the entry, so you’ll never lose touch or need to update contact information again.

Hornet will work on any BlackBerry running OS 4.2 and higher and is available in the US, Canada and UK. There are two versions available, one for the BlackBerry Storm and one for every other BlackBerry.

Visit the Hornet download page for OTA and desktop downloads or check out HornetHub.com for more info.

Check out blackberryrocks.tel to see what a .TEL looks like. It’s still in development .

Full press release after the jump.

Press Release

Webnames.ca is pleased to announce the launch of the alpha version of Hornet, the .tel address book. Currently available for Blackberry® Smartphones, Hornet is designed to easily manage and use .tel names in an environment that will be very familiar to Blackberry address book users.

With .tel names, you simply the enter the contact’s .tel name and all the contact details are instantly downloaded. When contact information is updated or new contact information added, the updates are immediately propagated and can be seen when the .tel name is refreshed.

.TEL names are easily exchanged in conversation, included in email signatures, on business cards, and marketing collateral

A .TEL creates a single point of contact that quite simply makes it easier to connect. All forms of contact information can be stored including numbers, email addresses, web sites as well as newer technologies and contact points like blogs, Twitter and Facebook profiles, Instant Message ID’s and even location information.

Access to personal data can be limited by marking it as private and electing to share it only with people you authorize and is supported in the Hornet application.

Many of the Webnames.ca and Hornet team already have more than 100 .tel contacts that they use on a daily basis. “The ease and speed with which contact information can be added is quite amazing” says Webnames.ca CTO, Matthew Lane. “It’s instant, it’s complete and it’s always up to date. I now use Hornet as regularly as my address book. I’m looking forward to the day when everyone I meet has a .TEL!”