The roll-outs of RIM’s new software trifecta is upon us. Last Friday we se the release of Desktop Manager for Mac. You can click on that link right now and download it. That leaves us with just two left: BlackBerry OS 5.0 and the new BlackBerry Messenger. We heard about the new BBM back in June, and ever since have been salivating over its new features. There was a leaked version, but there were some issues with that. Now, thanks to a letter leaked to CrackBerry, we have a tentative release date: October 7.
Despite the name hoopla, it appears the new software will be called BlackBerry Messenger 5.0. This takes a leap over versions 2.5, 3, and 4 and right into some new territory. It’s likely just a nominal thing, though: the release should line up well with OS 5.0. Plus there are many features on BBM 5.0 that are only available for OS 5.0 users — though that makes the October 7 release a bit suspicious.
From the leaked email, here are the new features of BBM 5.0:
- Enhanced SMS -Allows for a conversational chat-like user experience with a single contact list for the most personal mobile-to-mobile communications
- Note: BlackBerry® Device Software 5.0 and later is required for the SMS functionality.
- Avatars - Users can choose a picture from the BlackBerry Smartphone gallery and save it as their personal avatar, which will be seen by their contacts. They can also view other avatars in the contact list and zoom in on the avatars of contacts participating in a conversation by selecting “View participants.”
- Large Media File Transfer - Users can send/receive large file transfers up to 6 megabytes for pictures, files and audio.
- Note: BlackBerry Device Software 5.0 is required to receive large media files.
- Enhanced Group Functionality - Allows for the ability to update, share & communicate with a subset community.
- Bar-code Identity - A user can add a contact to the BlackBerry Messenger contact list by displaying a 2-dimensional bar code that invitees can capture with their device cameras.
- Reliable Contact Backup and Restore - Contacts are backed-up on a server and do not require the need for BlackBerry® Desktop Manager.
It’s pretty much just how BGR laid it out back in June. If anyone has been enjoying the leaked BlackBerry Messenger 5.0, let us know what you think of it in the comments. Otherwise, we’ll keep you updated on this release as we get closer. Make sure to check the BBGeeks Twitter feed, where we provide updates on matters like this. If it is released, surely you’ll see it in News From The Wire for Thursday.
