Have O2 taken their eye off the BlackBerry ball?
Tags: BlackBerry O2
I've just been chatting to Mike Smith of the Turtle Partnership about the iPhone generally, and the release of the BES 4.1.6 server in particular with it's HTML and Rich-content mail etc (Mike will, I think be posting about the new features on NotesBerry.org shortly). As were discussing the new features I found myself typing something like "that's nice but they're all redundant aren't they?" You see I'm on O2 and the last device OS update for the Curve was 4.2.2.181. The relevant page at O2.co.uk is http://blackberry.o2.co.uk/blackberry_handheld_software.asp and it states that future software updates are expected in April 08 - it's nearly August. According to the BES 4.1.6 release notes I can't take advantage of all the new features in the server release until I'm able to run at least OS 4.5. So RIM might as well say that BES 4.1.6 can predict the lottery numbers or prove the existence of the imaginary being of your choice, because at this rate, I'll never be able to find out.
When I called O2 to ask when the next update might really be available I was bombarded by iPhone messages before talking to a support person who eventually came to the conclusion "O2 has no idea when the next OS will be available".
Whilst I'm having a rant I continue to be disappointed with the limitations of the BlackBerry UI I'm not really expecting to be able to produce anything as sexy as apps running under the iPhone/iPod touch OS but come on RIM! Of course when the next version of the BlackBerry JDE and API does arrive with new UI components I won't be able to deploy them because O2 will still be QA'ing it long after the iPhone has assimilated all of the Earths' BlackBerry users.... Of course I'm half kidding.
On the upside I hear iPhone portability is severely impacted by the need to carry around large lead acid batteries as a backup during the brief periods when real 3g is available
I think I've had too much sugar and coffee today, I'm off for a lie down.....
TTFN
I've just been chatting to Mike Smith of the Turtle Partnership about the iPhone generally, and the release of the BES 4.1.6 server in particular with it's HTML and Rich-content mail etc (Mike will, I think be posting about the new features on NotesBerry.org shortly). As were discussing the new features I found myself typing something like "that's nice but they're all redundant aren't they?" You see I'm on O2 and the last device OS update for the Curve was 4.2.2.181. The relevant page at O2.co.uk is http://blackberry.o2.co.uk/blackberry_handheld_software.asp and it states that future software updates are expected in April 08 - it's nearly August. According to the BES 4.1.6 release notes I can't take advantage of all the new features in the server release until I'm able to run at least OS 4.5. So RIM might as well say that BES 4.1.6 can predict the lottery numbers or prove the existence of the imaginary being of your choice, because at this rate, I'll never be able to find out.
When I called O2 to ask when the next update might really be available I was bombarded by iPhone messages before talking to a support person who eventually came to the conclusion "O2 has no idea when the next OS will be available".
Whilst I'm having a rant I continue to be disappointed with the limitations of the BlackBerry UI I'm not really expecting to be able to produce anything as sexy as apps running under the iPhone/iPod touch OS but come on RIM! Of course when the next version of the BlackBerry JDE and API does arrive with new UI components I won't be able to deploy them because O2 will still be QA'ing it long after the iPhone has assimilated all of the Earths' BlackBerry users.... Of course I'm half kidding.
On the upside I hear iPhone portability is severely impacted by the need to carry around large lead acid batteries as a backup during the brief periods when real 3g is available
I think I've had too much sugar and coffee today, I'm off for a lie down.....
TTFN
