UPDATE It looks like this outage is occurring in many more areas than previously reported. Please refer to the comments of this post. *

I’ve received numerous reports from @DavePeckens, @BRSDiddy and a few others, letting me know that BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) seems to be down for them. So far it looks like the areas being affected are California, Texas, Arkansas, Michigan and I can confirm that BIS is having trouble in New Jersey.

At first it seemed like only the BlackBerry Browser wasn’t working but it looks like third-party applications are also being affected, although some are having more luck connecting to the internet.

If you’re being affected by this data outage let me know what’s not working and where you are in the comments.

Today’s deal of the day is for RDM+ Remote Desktop for Mobiles by SHAPE Services. RDM+ allows you to remotely access your desktop or laptop computer right from your BlackBerry allowing you to send and receive emails, surf web, edit documents in word processor, copy, cut, paste files or folders and much more.

Features:

• All connection types are supported: BES, BIS, TCP/IP, Wi-Fi and HTTP connection are supported.
• Blackberry joystick and keyboard navigation.
• New Feature for Storm! Enlarging Glass:Touch and enlarge any fragment of the Desktop.
• User interface is available in two languages: English and German.
• Quick commands.You can use quick commands for starting/stopping system services and processes, viewing the list of desktop windows, checking system performance, displaying system information and rebooting or shutting down your computer.
• One-time fee. All further updates are free.
• All data, screen images, mouse movement and keys are encrypted for security reasons.
• You can create a password when starting up application. Without this password no one can access your client address book.
• Executing any console commands (like ping, netstat, ipconfig) is available.
• History feature allows to find and re-send stored commands.
• Full-screen view and zooming. In full-screen mode you can see the remote screen on the entire screen of your device. Zoomed mode lets you see enlarged fragment of the desktop in more detail. In zoomed mode you can also scroll the desktop up/down, right/left.
• Switch between different modes using the predefined and your own hotkeys and create device-specific keys for mouse click and open desktop menu.
• Navigational mini-map of your desktop which appears in the right upper corner while you scroll. Wi-Fi detection on your device.

RDM+ is normally $39.95 but until 12AM CST tonight you can get it at 50% off for $19.97. This app is compatible with all BlackBerry devices running OS 4.2 or higher and comes with a 7-day free trial, but if you want to get it at 50% off make sure you do so before 12AM CST tonight!

Vodafone and RIM have made the BlackBerry Storm2 official!

The second generation of RIM’s innovative and award-winning touch-screen smartphone, the BlackBerry Storm2 significantly improves the BlackBerry® touch-screen platform with new technology and new features to let customers stay easily connected to the people, places and things that matter most.

In the busy holiday gift buying period, customers in the UK and Ireland will be able to get the new smartphone first through Vodafone, and it will be offered exclusively by Vodafone in Germany, Netherlands and Spain. It will also be made available in France, Italy and South Africa in time for Christmas.

The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry OS 5 evolves the BlackBerry touch-screen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements.

Pricing will be announced by the individual in-country operating companies and so far Vodafone UK will be offering the Storm2 free from £35 per month on a 24-month contract. Since Vodafone has officially announced the Storm2, according to earlier rumors, Verizon should be announcing it within the next week or so.

For more info (including hardware and software features) check out the press release after the jump or head to blackberry.com/storm!

CONTINUE READING »

Earlier this morning RIM rolled out BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) version 2.8 to all North American carriers. This update includes some features and enhancements that many of us have been waiting for:

• Two-way wireless synchronization [every four hours] with Google Mail Contacts and the Address Book on the BlackBerry smart phone:
  • Synchronize Google Mail contacts quickly and easily to the BlackBerry smart phone
  • Add or edit Contacts and the Contacts are automatically updated, whether they are updated on the computer or BlackBerry smart phone
  • Note: Two-way wireless Contact synchronization with Google Mail Contacts requires BlackBerry® Device Software 5.0 and configuration through email settings on the BlackBerry smart phone.  Additional requirements and constraints may be found within the BlackBerry Internet Service 2.8 Documentation Kit. This feature is not supported on BlackBerry smart phones with BlackBerry® Connect™ software.
• Enhancements to email setup and settings:
  • Automatic Login now supports most billing identifiers, which allows new subscribers with wireless service providers that use PIN, IMEI, or ESN as a billing identifier to create BlackBerry Internet Service accounts from the BlackBerry smart phone, without having to create a login user name and password
  • Note: This feature will be available approximately one week after the BlackBerry Internet Service upgrade.
• Windows Live Hotmail revalidation:
  • With BlackBerry Internet Service 2.8, new Windows Live Hotmail mail integrations will be defaulted to a protocol that is designed so as not to require 90 day reauthorization.
  • Note: Existing BlackBerry smart phone users accessing Windows Live Hotmail using Microsoft MSP will still be required to revalidate their Windows Live Hotmail account every 90 days.

The roll out seems to have gone smoothly for the most part. Did you experience an outage in your area or had to re-add/validate your email accounts after the update? How about the features, are you satisfied with them or would you like to see some more enhancements in the future? Let me know in the comments!

via BGR

Yesterday BlackBerry data services were down/lagging (again) across North America and it looks like BlackBerry users in Europe will soon be able to share in the fun! (No, it’s not actually fun.)

The following notice was sent to Dataoutages News by a UK carrier:

“There is a planned outage within the European BlackBerry network scheduled for the 26th September within the time window of 0200 and 0600 BST.  RIM expect the duration of the outage to be no more than 2 hours.

This outage will result in the loss of BlackBerry data services, and end users may be unable to send and receive BlackBerry messages

If you have any queries relating to this fault, please contact the BlackBerry support team by replying to this email or calling on the usual telephone number, quoting Case Reference  5424003.”

The outage in North America lasted longer than two hours so consider yourselves lucky if it’s  “no more than 2 hours”.

If you’re a European BlackBerry user and experience an outage on September 26th feel free to leave your carrier and general location information in the comments.

I haven’t been getting my emails for a few hours now and according to chatter on Twitter lots of others are having trouble with their data and email as well.

Audit over at Data Outage News posted the following notice about the outage:

This e-mail is to inform you of a network problem that MAY affect your Mobile Service.

Trouble Ticket Number: TT000011677021

Severity: 2-Medium

Description of Issue: Degradation of RIM BlackBerry BIS service.

Location of Issue: All Regions ;All Markets and surrounding areas

Start Time: Sep 09 2009 12:06 PM PDT

Symptoms you MAY experience: RIM BlackBerry BIS customers may experience delays in sending/receiving email.

Estimated time of repair: Unknown

Technicians are working towards resolution as quickly as possible.

Are you having trouble getting your emails and browsing the web on your BlackBerry? Let me know in the comments and don’t forget to include where you are in the world!

Ronen got tipped off about the upcoming BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) 2.8 and its new features, right now rumored to be rolling out this September 10th with the two main upgrades and an auto-login feature coming soon after.

An exciting tidbit about this BIS upgrade is that BlackBerry OS 5.0 will be required in order to use the main feature, which means the release of OS 5.0 is definitely around the corner (hopefully).

What’s new in 2.8:

• Two-way wireless synchronization with Google Mail Contacts* and the Address Book on the BlackBerry smart phone:
  • Synchronize Google Mail contacts quickly and easily to the BlackBerry smart phone
  • Add or edit Contacts and the Contacts are automatically updated, whether they are updated on the computer or BlackBerry smart phone
  • The documentation says this is scheduled to sync every 4 hours and will not work on BlackBerry Connect devices. It also will obviously not work on BES contacts or even Google Mail Contact Groups whatever those are.
• Enhancements to email setup and settings:
  • Automatic Login now supports most billing identifiers, which allows new subscribers with wireless service providers that use PIN, IMEI, or ESN as a billing identifier to create BlackBerry Internet Service accounts from the BlackBerry smart phone, without having to create a login user name and password
  • Note: This feature will be available approximately one week after the BlackBerry Internet Service upgrade.
• Windows Live Hotmail revalidation:
  • With BlackBerry Internet Service 2.8, new Windows Live Hotmail mail integrations will be defaulted to a protocol that is designed so as not to require 90 day reauthorization.
  • Note: Existing BlackBerry smart phone users accessing Windows Live Hotmail using Microsoft MSP will still be required to revalidate their Windows Live Hotmail account every 90 days.

*Note: Two-way wireless Contact synchronization with Google Mail Contacts requires BlackBerry® Device Software 5.0 and configuration through email settings on the BlackBerry smart phone.  Additional requirements and constraints may be found within the BlackBerry Internet Service 2.8 Documentation Kit. This feature is not supported on BlackBerry smart phones with BlackBerry® Connect™ software.

Feel free to share your thoughts and any additional info in the comments!

RIM has announced via their BlackBerry Support Forums that the Enhanced Google Mail Plug-in for BlackBerry is now available!

The Enhanced Google Mail™ plug-in for BlackBerry® smartphones introduces an advanced level of email service integration for BlackBerry smartphones. It supports additional Google Mail™ features that provide BlackBerry® Internet Service subscribers with broader access to their Google Mail accounts while on the go.  The Enhanced Google Mail plug-in is optional. Existing and new Google Mail integrations will continue to function without it.

Features:

• Add and remove labels and stars on email messages
• Report spam email messages
• Perform local and remote searches
• Archive email messages
• View related email messages as a single conversation (threaded view)

Synchronization only happens from your BlackBerry to your Google Mail account, meaning some changes made through your Google Mail account won’t sync to your BlackBerry. Your BlackBerry must be running at least OS 4.5 (get your latest OS here) in order to download the Enhanced Google Mail plug-in, and your Google Mail account must be associated with BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) through your carrier.

Once you associate your Google Mail account you will receive a PIN with instructions on how to download the plug-in. If you already have your Google Mail accounts associated with your BIS you will need to re-associate them. In addition, your Google Mail account must have IMAP enabled, not POP. Detailed info available in the following RIM Knowledge Base articles:

• System requirements and installation of the Enhanced Google Mail plug-in
• Features of the Enhanced Google Mail plug-in
• Limitations of the Enhanced Google Mail plug-in
• How to associate email accounts with the BlackBerry Internet Service
• How to remove an integrated email address from the BlackBerry Internet Service

Let me know how this works for you in the comments!

It’s been a few weeks since the last WordPress for BlackBerry update but version 0.9.0.149 has just been released with support for BIS and a few other changes/fixes:

• Added support for the “more” tag in both pages and posts
• Tweaks to the UI based on user feedback
• Most error messages are now localized
• App now work even when the device memory is set to “encryption mode on”

To download the WordPress Beta app for BlackBerry go to blackberry.wordpress.org/install from your BlackBerry Browser or visit the WordPress for BlackBerry page for more info.

Be sure to submit feedback at the WordPress for BlackBerry Forums to help with the development.

The development of the WordPress for BlackBerry application is coming along nicely with regular updates and plenty of bug fixes. Today v0.9.0.140 was released with the following changes:

• Improving response time of the user interface (ticket #58 UI response time)
• Removingthe photo multimedia option in the app because photo settings are managed in the main BlackBerry camera app
• Fixing a bug with local drafts (ticket #57)
• Adding prompts to save post when clicking “Back” button (ticket #59)
• Fixing a bug involving categories (ticket #60)
• Fixing how private posts were not publishing correctly (ticket #61)

Along with this update the WordPress team is working with RIM to add BIS support! Right now there is no ETA for that feature.

To download the WordPress Beta app for BlackBerry go to blackberry.wordpress.org/install from your BlackBerry Browser or visit the WordPress for BlackBerry page for more info.

Don’t forget to leave your own questions and feedback at the WordPress for BlackBerry Forums.