All BlackBerry IM Clients Updated To v2.5 – Adds Dedicated Icons, Avatars And More!

Earlier this morning (practically yesterday) I mentioned the BlackBerry IM clients got updated to possibly work with OS 5.0, but at the time there was no official changelog or new feature list. Today RIM has officially announced the update with some details.

Here’s the product overview:

BlackBerry® Internet Service Instant Messaging applications are designed to provide BlackBerry smartphone users with access to existing instant messaging communities. The applications provide customers with the interface of their favourite instant messaging applications and the features of the BlackBerry smartphone. BlackBerry Internet Service Instant Messaging applications provide functionality for picture messaging, display pictures, and real-time conversations.

BlackBerry Internet Service Instant Messaging for BlackBerry smartphones version 2.5 is the latest application update. It encompasses some of the more popular instant messaging applications, such as Windows Live™ Messenger for BlackBerry® smartphones, Yahoo!® Messenger for BlackBerry® smartphones, ICQ® for BlackBerry® smartphones, Google Talk™ for BlackBerry® smartphones, and AOL® Instant Messenger™ service (AIM® service) for BlackBerry® smartphones.

Features:

• Add dedicated icons to the Home Screen for one-click access to conversation boxes of specific contacts. The icon appears as the contact’s display picture or avatar.
• Add contacts and display pictures or avatars to the address book to easily instant message, email, SMS, or call right from the address book or conversation box.
• Search through saved conversations
• Add dedicated emoticon icons in the conversation box

The specific version still seems to be 2.5.27. To grab these updates go to mobile.blackberry.com from your BlackBerry Browser, or click here to go directly to the IM client downloads.

Let me know how you like this update in the comments!