RIM has just announced that the latest build of Blackberry Messenger version 5.0  will be available tomorrow, October 7th! BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 will feature enhanced SMS, avatars, large media file transfers, a  bar-code identity feature, and more. 

Stay in tuned for more information.. are you already using the new BB mesenger 5.0?

BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 is the latest release.

Features:

• 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.

Via Crackberry

Earlier this week, CPS told you about the “Crazy Idea” of Deutsche Telekom to buy Sprint-Nextel with a bid of $10.6 Bn  Apparently, the plan was to acquire the company, then somehow integrate 3 different Networks (GSM, CDMA and iDEN) creating after the merge, a bigger, stronger, super carrier.

If T-Mobile costumers were excited about that, you can apparently release your fingers. According to Reuters, multiple sources seem to believe the deal isn’t happening. Sprint certainly briefly benefited from the re-hashing of the eighteen-month old rumor, which drove the company’s stock up ten percent on Monday.

Seams we are gonna be the 4th National carrier for a long time. I personally believe that T-Mobile needs to improve rapidly its 3G or maybe 4G network before start thinking of buying a different carrier, in this case, Sprint.

Share your comments with us.

Android 1.6 SDK is available for download. Android 1.6, which is based on the donut branch from the Android Open Source Project, introduces a number of new features and technologies.

The new Android 1.6 will support CDMA ( ready for the Sprint Hero and Verizon Sholes ) and GSM ( Motorola Cliq just recently announced )and additional screen sizes, your apps can be deployed on even more mobile networks and devices. You will have access to new technologies, including framework-level support for additional screen resolutions, like QVGA and WVGA, new telephony APIs to support CDMA.

Check the video

What’s new?

New User Features

Quick Search Box for Android

Android 1.6 includes a redesigned search framework that provides a quick, effective, and consistent way for users to search across multiple sources—such as browser bookmarks & history, contacts, and the web—directly from the home screen.

The system constantly learns which search results are more relevant based on what is clicked. So popular contacts or apps that have previously been picked will bubble up to the top when a user types the first few letters of a relevant query.

The search framework also provides developers a way to easily expose relevant content from their applications in Quick Search Box.

Camera, Camcorder, and Gallery

An updated user interface provides an integrated camera, camcorder, and gallery experience. Users can quickly toggle between still and video capture modes. Additionally, the gallery enables users to select multiple photos for deletion.

Android 1.6 also provides a much faster camera experience. Compared to the previous release, launching the camera is now 39% faster, and there is a 28% improvement in the time from completing one shot to the next.

VPN, 802.1x

A new Virtual Private Network (VPN) control panel in Settings allows users to configure and connect to the following types of VPNs:

• L2TP/IPSEC pre-shared key based VPN
• L2TP/IPsec certificate based VPN
• L2TP only VPN
• PPTP only VPN

Battery usage indicator

A new battery usage screen lets users see which apps and services are consuming battery power. If the user determines that a particular service or application is using too much power, they can take action to save the battery by adjusting settings, stopping the application, or uninstalling the application.

Accessibility

Users will be able to download new accessibility services built on the new accessibility framework and enable them in Settings.

Android Market Updates

New Android Market UI

For devices with Android Market, the latest version improves the overall user experience and makes it easier for users to discover great apps and games from developers.

• At the homescreen, users can choose among Apps, Games, and Downloads.
• Inside a category, users can explore titles that are Top paid, Top free, and Just in.
• For each title, users can now see screenshots submitted by developers in addition to reviews from other users.

New Platform Technologies

Expanded Search Framework

The Android search framework has been redesigned and expanded to provide third-party applications the opportunity to surface content from their applications in Quick Search Box, the global search tool. To do this, developers will need to make their app “searchable” and provide suggestions in response to user queries. To enable application search suggestions, users simply select each application from which they’d like to receive suggestions, under Searchable items in the Search settings.

Text-to-speech engine

Android 1.6 features a multi-lingual speech synthesis engine called Pico. It allows any Android application to “speak” a string of text with an accent that matches the language. The engine supports the following languages: English (American and British accents), French, Italian, German and Spanish. If you’re using a T-Mobile G1 or Dream device, you’ll need to download the SpeechSynthesis Data Installer from Android Market, which includes the “voices” needed by the text-to-speech engine.

Gestures

A new gestures framework provides application developers with a framework for creating, storing, loading, and recognizing gestures and associating them with specific actions.

Developers can use the new GestureBuilder tool included in the Android 1.6 SDK to generate libraries of gestures to include with their application.

Accessibility

Android 1.6 provides a new accessibility framework. With this framework, developers can create accessibility plugins that respond to user input, such as making a sound when a new window is shown, vibrating when navigating to the top of a list, and providing spoken feedback.

Expanded support for screen densities and resolutions

Android 1.6 adds screen support that enables applications to be rendered properly on different display resolutions and densities. Developers can also specify the types of screens supported by their application.

Telephony support for CDMA

Android 1.6 includes support for CDMA in the telephony stack.

New version of OpenCore

Android 1.6 includes the updated OpenCore 2 media engine, which has:

• Support for OpenMAX encoders
• Support for additional audio codecs in AuthorEngine
• Improved buffering model supports shared buffers allocated in the decoder

2.6.29 Linux kernel

Android 1.6 upgrades the Linux kernel from 2.6.27 to 2.6.29.

New Framework APIs

For a detailed overview of new APIs, see the Version Notes. For a complete report of all API changes, see the API Differences Report.

Source

Motorola is in talks with large U.S. operators other than initial partner T-Mobile USA to sell its Cliq smartphone, but wouldn’t elaborate on key elements about the new product, including pricing.

Motorola is “in talks with all large operators in U.S.” and is “fairly hopeful we will begin to engage with all the U.S. operators.” Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha’s comments, made at financial analyst conference, come only a few days after Motorola unveiled the Cliq, its first mobile phone powered by Android. The device stands out from the other Android devices on the market because Motorola has embedded its MotoBlur software into the operating system, and this new service aggregates photos, contacts, news streams, and other information from various online sources like Twitter, Outlook, Gmail, Facebook, and MySpace. The smartphone is slated to be released by the holiday season as an exclusive for T-Mobile.

Motorola is betting that its Android devices will help it mount a comeback, as the company recorded a net loss of $4.2 billion in 2008 primarily due to the struggles of its handset division.

More information soon.

Deutsche Telekom has called in banking advisers to study a possible multi-billion dollar bid for Sprint Nextel, the third-largest mobile phone operator in the US.

The company’s decision to call in Deutsche Bank comes hot on the heels of the agreed tie-up of its struggling T-Mobile UK business with Orange to create Britain’s biggest mobile phone firm.

Last month, Mr Obermann reiterated his warning about the poor performance of T-Mobile US, which reported a 1.7pc fall in underlying customer revenue in its second quarter.

The US operation is struggling to compete against larger rivals AT&T and Vodafone’s 50pc-owned joint venture Verizon Wireless, which have more advanced 3G networks. T-Mobile US is also losing customers to small operators offering cheap deals.  Sources said Deutsche Telekom (DT) could submit a bid for Sprint, which has a market valuation of $10.6bn , within the next few weeks.

Combined, T-Mobile, the fourth-placed operator, and Sprint, the third biggest player, would closely challenge AT&T’s second-place spot with 78.2m customers.

DT has been investing $1bn a year in improving its US network, but will need to spend far more to integrate Sprint, which runs on a different type of network. However, it could be easier to integrate the networks when they are upgraded to fourth generation status.

DT will probably need to call on a cash injection from shareholders, including the German government, which holds a 32pc stake, in order to fund an acquisition of Sprint.

Back in March, thanks to BGR, we could see the Road Map Q1-Q3 for Sprint. We saw many new phones coming like the Palm Pre, Samsung Reclaim and more. But this time we have more information about the 2nd Generation of the Instinct, the new Samsung Dash or SPH-M850.

The new Samsung M850 aka Dash just passed FCC and we have found really good information about this beauty.

Here some features:

850-1900 CDMA/EVDO

Bluetooth + EDR

WiFi

Full Touch screen

MP3 player

3.5 mm Jack

Camara, unknown for now

HDTV out ? maybe HDMI connection?

Looks like the new Samsung Dash M850 has some good cards to play.

Stay tuned for more information

FCC

The test have been made by Wired, measuring the 3G performance of the four largest U.S. carriers – AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile involving more than 15,000 users, with about 12,000 of all who signed up found to have taken a valid participation.

Verizon subscribers are enjoying the fastest network service at the time being, with an average download speed of about 1,940 Kbps. T-Mobile’s network came out second with an average rate of 1,793 Kbps,( really? ) Sprint was third with 1,598 Kbps,  while the 8,153 АТ&Т testers enjoyed an average speed of 901 Kbps, and they claimed to be the fastest 3G internet in USA.

Wired

We know tha the new Blackberry Tour 9630 is coming for Verizon on July 12th  for 199 and Sprint on July 20th. Now just FCC passed the new Blackberry. It features quadband GSM/EDGE, 2100 UMTS and 850/1900 CDMA/ EVDO.

Here some specifications:

• World Phone Capabilities
• 3G Network
• Camera (3.2 MP)
• 256 MB Built-in Memory
• Enhanced Media Player
• Supports BlackBerry App World™
• Built-in GPS
• BlackBerry® Maps
• Wireless Email
• Organizer
• Browser
• Phone
• Corporate Data Access
• SMS/MMS

FCC