Lots of news coming out of the BlackBerry Developer Conference today!

RIM has announced the BlackBerry Academic Program which provides colleges and universities content to help learn about developing for the BlackBerry platform. Course content is currently available for mobile application development, administration of BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry support.

• Mobile Application Development Courses – Students can learn about the tools and techniques for developing applications for BlackBerry smartphones. Courses cover topics such as BlackBerry smartphone features and functionality, user interface design, multimedia application development, mobile web application development and Java® application development.
• Administration Courses – Mobile communication and collaboration tools continue to play a large role in boosting the productivity of enterprise workforces, and the need for trained professionals to administer and support mobile solutions has grown with it. There are over 200,000 BlackBerry® Enterprise Server installations globally and trained professionals are needed to maintain and support these deployments.
• Support Courses – Students are trained to work in technical call centers or IT support environments in support of the BlackBerry solution. The Support courses also include information that can help prepare students for the corresponding BlackBerry Certification exam.

Over 500 students have already taken courses in the program and universities in Canada and the US are beginning to offer courses and course content from the program in their curriculum. For more info visit blackberry.com/academic or check out the press release after the jump.

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Google has just officially announced that the Google Apps Connector for BlackBerry Enterprise Server is now available!

A weeks ago I mentioned that Google had updated the ETA for the Google Apps Connector and it looks like they just made it. Here’s an updated feature list:

• Messages sent to your Gmail inbox are pushed to your BlackBerry within 60 seconds.
• Emails read/deleted on your BlackBerry are marked as read/deleted in Gmail, and vice-versa.
• Emails archived/starred on your BlackBerry are archived/starred in Gmail, and vice-versa.
• BlackBerry folders are synchronized with labels in Gmail.
• You can search for contact information of coworkers from the global address list on your BlackBerry.
• Contacts in Gmail are automatically synchronized with your BlackBerry address book.
• You can view your Google Calendar schedule with the native BlackBerry application, with one-way synchronization from Google Calendar to your BlackBerry device. Two-way calendar sync with the ability to accept, decline and schedule meetings from your BlackBerry device is not available with this release but we are working on it.
• Administrators can use the management and security tools that are part of BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

Google Apps Premier and Education Edition customers worldwide can get this feature free of charge by downloading  the Google Apps Connector for BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

For more info about the mobile options for Google Apps visit www.google.com/apps/mobile.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) v5.0 Maintenance Release 2 for Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Domino have been officially  released by RIM.

BES v5.0 info pages:

• Microsoft Exchange
• Lotus Domino

BES v5.0 Maintenance Release 2 Release Notes:

• Microsoft Exchange
• Lotus Domino

You can get a 60-day trial, upgrade or purchase BES 5.0 from the main info page, or go directly to each download below:

• BES v5.0 Maintenance Release 2 for Microsoft Exchange
• BES v5.0 Maintenance Release 2 for IBM Lotus Domino

via Port3101

Hdawg over at Port3101 found out that RIM has updated the documentation for the upcoming BlackBerry Enterprise Server v5.0 Maintenance Release 2, and thanks to Bla1ze we also have the documentation for Service Pack 1.

• BES v5.0 Service Pack 1 Release Notes
  • Microsoft Exchange
    
  • Lotus Domino
    
• BES v5.0 Maintenance Release 2 Release Notes
  • Microsoft Exchange
    
  • Lotus Domino
    

WhatsApp has been released for BlackBerry!

• What is WhatsApp?
  WhatsApp is a status indicator for your iPhone and BlackBerry phones. This application allows users to share their availability status with each other. WhatsApp revolutionizes the way we communicate by eliminating poorly timed calls.

WhatsApp is available for all BlackBerry devices with a data connection running OS 4.2.1 and higher. In order for WhatsApp to work both parties must have it installed on their BlackBerry.

You can download it by visiting whatsapp.com/bb from your BlackBerry Browser, or visit whatsapp.com for more info.

Well the announced July 2009 launch date for the Google Apps Connector for BlackBerry Enterprise Server has already passed and it looks like Google has updated the ETA for August 2009, less than a month away!

A recap on the features:

• Messages sent to your Gmail inbox are pushed to your BlackBerry within 60 seconds.
• Emails read/deleted on your BlackBerry are marked as read/deleted in Gmail, and vice-versa.
• Synchronize BlackBerry folders with labels in Gmail.
• Search for email addresses and phone numbers of other users on your company domain.
• View your Google Calendar schedule on your native BlackBerry application, with one-way synchronization from Google Calendar to your BlackBerry device.
• Contacts in Gmail are automatically synchronized with your BlackBerry address book.

So far it looks like the only thing that was changed at the product page was the ETA date, everything else looks pretty much the same.

If you are interested you can contact an Apps sales rep, or visit the Google Apps Connector page for more info and screenshots.

If I missed something or you know more about the development of the Google Apps Connector feel free to mention it in the comments!

Made Simple Learning let me know that they have just launched their BlackBerry Tour 9600 Series Training Center.

If you have a brand new BlackBerry Tour and are looking for a way to maximize your experience with it, using the Made Simple Learning Training Centeris definitely a good way to go.

• Dozens of hidden or little-known time-saving tips and tricks.
• Save hundreds of dollars using our International Travel checklist.
• Using the GPS Features of the Tour™ 9630
• Using the new “BlackBerry App World.”
• Synchronizing your BlackBerry with your Windows™ or Mac™ computer.
• How to squeeze every ounce of power from the Address Book, Calendar, Tasks and MemoPad.
• How to become “Master of Your BlackBerry Email”
• How to use Google Sync for true “Wireless Sync” without an Enterprise Server
• Support for both BlackBerry Internet Service and Corporate BlackBerry Enterprise Server users.
• Tips and tricks to unlock the rich Media Features of the BlackBerry Tour™.
• How to turn your 9630  into something that could replace a video and audio “iPod™”
• How to use your 9630 for Mapping (including Google Maps.)
• Learn how to go Online as well as update your Facebook and Myspace pages – right from your BlackBerry

The Complete Training Center is available for $29.99.  The Videos can be purchased separately for $19.99 and the EBook can also be purchased separately for $20.

In the store, Made Simple Learning offers Ebooks and training for various BlackBerry devices on sending email and typing basics, learning about your BlackBerry’s camera, tips for watching videos and much more.

Visit the Made Simple Learning BlackBerry Tour 9600 Series Training Center for more info, or check out the full press release after the jump.

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Verizon has officially announced that the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 will be available for purchase this June 19th. The Pearl Flip 8230 will be $129.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a new two-year agreement.

Key features:

• Two high-resolution color displays; the external LCD lets customers preview incoming messages without opening the handset
• 2.0 megapixel camera with zoom, flash and video recording capabilities; video recording requires a microSD(TM) card, which can be purchased separately
• Large SureType(R) QWERTY keyboard for easy typing and dialing
• Advanced media player for music, videos and pictures
• microSD/SDHC card slot with support for up to 16 GB of memory per card
• BlackBerry(R) Internet Service and BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server support
• Voice-activated dialing and speakerphone capabilities

Is anyone planning on getting the Pearl Flip 8230, or will you wait for the Tour?

Read the full press release after the jump.

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Thomson Reuters now has a BlackBerry application that allows you to check world news on the go!

Features:

• News stories from a variety of categories including world, sports, politics, environment, health, and business
• Full story articles and photos optimized for easy reading on a mobile device
• Ability to select region – US, Canada, UK, or India – for localized content
• Up-to-the-minute market data including indices, commodities and currencies by region
• Designed to support offline use when users don’t have service or an Internet connection
• Personalized stocks tab so users can track only the stocks that they want
• Keywords and My Feeds tab that allows users to customized news feeds that are of special interest

The Thomson Reuters application seems to be compatible with any BlackBerry OS 4.0+ with ZIP downloads available for each OS at the Reuters download page. The ZIP installation files don’t show a 4.6 version but after going to the download page with my CUrve 8900 it recognized it and gave me a specific version to download.

You can download it from the BlackBerry App World once it’s available or from Reuters.com/bb now. There is also a version available for those on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) with Mobile Data Services (MDS).

• How To:
  • Install applications and themes via OTA with or without using data
  • Install Applications and Themes via Desktop Manager

For more details check out the press release after the jump.

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Some highlights from the press release:

• Get more for your money, be more productive and be ready for the future with AT&T. AT&T* today announced support for BlackBerry® Enterprise Server 5.0, the next-generation of Research In Motion’s (RIM) market-leading push-based wireless platform for secure mobile access to email, calendar, contacts, corporate instant messaging, browser, and enterprise applications.
• BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 enhances access to administrative tools that simplify management and centralize control of BlackBerry® smartphones.
• AT&T offers a broad portfolio of smartphones, all of which are enabled for international voice and data usage, including the BlackBerry® Bold™, BlackBerry® Curve™ series including the recently announced BlackBerry Curve 8900, BlackBerry® Pearl™ series, and BlackBerry® 8820 smartphones.
• AT&T enterprise customers can contact their account representative today for more information regarding upgrading or purchasing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.
• For more information on AT&T’s enterprise mobility offerings, please visit http://www.business.att.com/enterprise/Portfolio/eb_mobility/.

Read the full press release after the jump.

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