Testing Blackberry OS 4.2 Beta On 8700c

[MarcoGenovese]

Hey guys I have been testing the 4.2 beta on my 8700c and was going to point out a couple of new features to look forward to.

1. There is a new Maps program that is not Google or like Google in anyway. It can sync to a bluetooth GPS as well and is very clean looking.

2. A new Media Player app for MP3. This is used on the 8700 for downloading and listening to online clips and ringtones. There is no video support yet as far as I can see.

3. A new push to talk option for cingular that does not work. It says to contact Cingular for activation of push to talk.

4. A new Media Folder Icon for Pictures and MP3's.

5.There is also a bluetooth setup wizard that is usefull if your not used to bluetooth pairing.

Anyways thought I would say a little bit to let you know what to look forward to.

[dan1431]

Hey guys I have been testing the 4.2 beta on my 8700c and was going to point out a couple of new features to look forward to.

1. There is a new Maps program that is not Google or like Google in anyway. It can sync to a bluetooth GPS as well and is very clean looking.

2. A new Media Player app for MP3. This is used on the 8700 for downloading and listening to online clips and ringtones. There is no video support yet as far as I can see.

3. A new push to talk option for cingular that does not work. It says to contact Cingular for activation of push to talk.

4. A new Media Folder Icon for Pictures and MP3's.

5.There is also a bluetooth setup wizard that is usefull if your not used to bluetooth pairing.

Anyways thought I would say a little bit to let you know what to look forward to.

I cannot wait for Cingular to release a software update for the 8700c, it has been too long but, it is worth it adds the things that you have said and also brings stability to the unit which the initial relased lacked.

Dan

[MarcoGenovese]

I would agree with the stepping upto the plate on RIM's end. It is very stable! It also comes standard with the ZEN theme for Cingular which is nice!

[TDOERR]

Can you play a wav file forwarded to your 4.2 beta os via email?

[MarcoGenovese]

Unfortunately no you cannot.

[JeremyD]

Any word on whether Cingular OS 4.2 will offer voice dialing?

[MarcoGenovese]

Any word on whether Cingular OS 4.2 will offer voice dialing?

They are on the 8100 but I haven't seen any offering on the Beta 4.2 for 8700. I am thinking it may yet be released for 8700. :smile:

[thuggin]

Can you play a wav file forwarded to your 4.2 beta os via email?


But you can play and save MP3's forwarded via email, right?
Or do they have to be downloaded?

[MarcoGenovese]

Well you have to have a link sent to you so you can play it or download it.

[BBAdmin]

The mapping program really hacks me off.....apparently the world ends at the corners of the USA! Buy one of these 4.2 devices on a European carrier and you don't get this. :-(

[bjchantry]

Try living in South Africa. At least you guys have got a GPS option, both in NA and in the UK, but here we only got Garmin this year so I am not holding my breath for a BB solution soon!! I use Google Maps when I travel to the US but here in SA, SOL!!

[MarcoGenovese]

Really? Thats so odd... Ya Europe isn't around on the US verison that sucks!

[jibi]

Any word on whether Cingular OS 4.2 will offer voice dialing?
VAD will only be available in the 8100, for now. I don't believe there are any plans on offering it with the 8700 in the future (likely technical reasons).

[MarcoGenovese]

I wonder what it would be since both the 8700 and 8100 sport the same Intel Xscale processor. Wierd...

[snowskier79]

I'm ready for the update from Cingular. I'm excited they are offering the Zen theme as well. I currently have Bharti however I prefer to keep the carrier specific OS. Call me traditional (don't really but you get the point).

[neilr]

Any sense of timeframe before an official release takes place? Will it be available from RIM, or do we have to wait for the carriers to get onboard?

[MarcoGenovese]

Like always you will have to wait for the carrier or go download it from a carrier who switched already. :)

[bmw000]

How is the speed of this os compared to 4.1? Does it feel slower, or no difference?

[calkenneth]

Any Bluetooth reception improvement, as far as you can tell?

[tsac]

That map you gave is the google map. Did you say it will sync to a BT gps? I hope it will like Palm does. And what mapping software is used. Tom Tom would be great

[nightwolf]

Will this ever come out for the 7100t?

[jibi]

That map you gave is the google map. Did you say it will sync to a BT gps? I hope it will like Palm does. And what mapping software is used. Tom Tom would be great
the map he gave was for the maps application used for BlackBerry Maps. if it's using the Google API, then so be it - it's open-source, if I'm not mistaken. it will have the ability to connect to a paired GPS device over BT and interact with that device.

Will this ever come out for the 7100t?not likely. seems this will be the new generation only (7130c/g, 7130e, 8700, 8707 and beyond).

[Golga]

Well you have to have a link sent to you so you can play it or download it.


Geez, i need .wav attachment support NOW, NOW I say!

/grumbles

[MarcoGenovese]

How is the speed of this os compared to 4.1? Does it feel slower, or no difference?

About the same! If not quicker!

[MarcoGenovese]

Any Bluetooth reception improvement, as far as you can tell?

The same as far as I can tell. I have a crappy motorola headset though sooo. I don't think a new OS would change that though, more of a hardware thing.

[MarcoGenovese]

That map you gave is the google map. Did you say it will sync to a BT gps? I hope it will like Palm does. And what mapping software is used. Tom Tom would be great

It is not Google Maps it is called Maps and it is version 1.0.48 by Tele Atlas.

Look at photo at top of Blue Tooth GPS Setup!

[kctech88]

What is really needed is the ability to assign different ringtones to people in your addressbook, so you know instantly who it is calling. Anyway, just a thought. that and stability. The 8700c sometimes hacks me off as I find it dropping out of EDGE and all the way down to GSM. Only fix? Reboot the thing (pull battery/re-insert battery) even turing off/on radio doesn't always fix it. What a *****.

[tonydrone]

What is really needed is the ability to assign different ringtones to people in your addressbook, so you know instantly who it is calling.

This is already available.

[bradhs]

You can have a different ringtone for each person ... Just use the Use Active Profile Except For: options in Profiles.. Only issue is that u would have to uncheck them all if you want to select a silent profile for example..


What is really needed is the ability to assign different ringtones to people in your addressbook, so you know instantly who it is calling. Anyway, just a thought. that and stability. The 8700c sometimes hacks me off as I find it dropping out of EDGE and all the way down to GSM. Only fix? Reboot the thing (pull battery/re-insert battery) even turing off/on radio doesn't always fix it. What a *****.

[mdaoudi]

hi
i found this on tmobile http://206.252.133.77/bbupdate/8100_Pearl_4.2.0.42.exe which is the 4.2 software for the 8100... can it work on the 8700?

[toddz]

It is not Google Maps it is called Maps and it is version 1.0.48 by Tele Atlas.

Interesting, that is the same exact version as the Maps application from the 8100 Pearl. However, when you load the 8100 version onto the 8700g all is well until you try and start the application and it fails to start with the following message: "Error starting net_rim_bb_lbs: Class 'net.rim.device.api.ui.Trackball' not found". I would have thought there would have been a different version for the 8700 but I guess not.

toddz

[koleary19067]

hi
i found this on tmobile http://206.252.133.77/bbupdate/8100_Pearl_4.2.0.42.exe which is the 4.2 software for the 8100... can it work on the 8700?

I believe that this will only work for 8100 series only and not any others.

[bjallen2880]

I believe that this will only work for 8100 series only and not any others.

That's correct as I just tried it but also using the 4.1 radio file for the 8700. It no workie.

Need patience (or MarcoGenovese's beta radio file {rim8700g.sfi}!).

Also just tried loading the Maps program from the 8100 when I re-installed my 4.1 but it will not load because that version is designed to run with a trackball so the program crashed.

Also found this in the Platform.alx file -
<os radio="GPRS" series="8800" Colour="True" Theme="Normal" JVMLevel="1.0" VoiceNotes="True" pttApp="True" Memory="Large" KeyboardType="Qwerty" Sound="Tunes8700g" SystemSize="normal" Bluetooth="True" MMS="True" ThemeSupport="Enhanced">GPRS/rimGammaRay.sfi</os>

New Handheld?

[nef]

I'm guessing that the side key will be the trigger for the PTT. Yes?

[jeremy]

You can assign the side key to be PTT, yes.

I'm guessing that the side key will be the trigger for the PTT. Yes?

[tsac]

Thanks for the MP3 ringers TonyDrone. wish it was this easy to get others

[acris24]

Same here. Someone please share, if you are not under NDA.



T-Mobile has it on their site when you go to the 8100 and then select setup under..(y) hope this works..i can't post the url because i do not have 10 post yet :)

[calkenneth]

The same as far as I can tell. I have a crappy motorola headset though sooo. I don't think a new OS would change that though, more of a hardware thing.

Agreed, but many times software is used to control signal strength so an updated driver may add benefits. I have a Motorola H700 and it's pretty bad if the headset is on my right ear and the phone is in my left pants pocket. That's pretty sad if you ask me!

[MarcoGenovese]

Interesting, that is the same exact version as the Maps application from the 8100 Pearl. However, when you load the 8100 version onto the 8700g all is well until you try and start the application and it fails to start with the following message: "Error starting net_rim_bb_lbs: Class 'net.rim.device.api.ui.Trackball' not found". I would have thought there would have been a different version for the 8700 but I guess not.

toddz


There is a different version for the 8700C(y) :smile:

[headtailgrep]

The mapping program really hacks me off.....apparently the world ends at the corners of the USA! Buy one of these 4.2 devices on a European carrier and you don't get this. :-(

You know what? I bet you this is because they will release a DIFFERENT version with DIFFERENT maps for europe. Remember, someone owns that map data and it has to be licensed to RIM, per user...

[jrsmooth]

T-Mobile has it on their site when you go to the 8100 and then select setup under..(y) hope this works..i can't post the url because i do not have 10 post yet :)

Sorry newbie, that's only for the 8100, can't be installed in a 8700, I tried but failed.

[Seltzer]

3. A new push to talk option for cingular that does not work. It says to contact Cingular for activation of push to talk.


Coming soon to a Cingular BB near you...

[BBAdmin]

I bet you this is because they will release a DIFFERENT version with DIFFERENT maps for europe

I hope you're right mate. From what I've seen we're not getting maps at all, but here's hoping!

[takeshi]

Agreed, but many times software is used to control signal strength so an updated driver may add benefits. I have a Motorola H700 and it's pretty bad if the headset is on my right ear and the phone is in my left pants pocket. That's pretty sad if you ask me!
It really depends on the situation. Motorla's HS810 and HS850 were just poor headsets in the callers had trouble hearing me regardless of what device the headset was paired to, indicating to me that the limitation was the headset itself and not my 8700 or the 8700's OS. Otherwise, I really liked those headsets.

In your case it sounds like once again the headset is the culprit. I've used Plantronics headsets with my 8700 across a good distance in my house without any problems.




3. A new push to talk option for cingular that does not work. It says to contact Cingular for activation of push to talk.
Coming soon to a Cingular BB near you...
Awesome. Cuz you know that hearing people's Nextel DC conversations wasn't enough. :P

[jshawnl]

I'm really curious to see if I can play WAV attachments on the 8700c as well... This is a BIG step up for Cisco VOIP users like myself... :)

So just be clear, 4.2 does play WAV attachments in BBerry email?

[atisvt99]

IT does on my Pearl... Which is AWESOME since we've been waiting for this feature for years now with our Cisco VOIP messages all being forwarded to e-mail in the form of a WAV attachment... I've got a bunch of managers that want this ability on their 8700 ASAP! :-P

[jibi]

Guys, please stop requesting the beta OS on a public forum in public - it's stupid. I do hope you understand why Marco didn't respond to a single person with a reply in this thread requesting the OS (I've removed all of those requests, mind you).

jshawnl, OS 4.2 has support for WAV file attachments provided your BES has the WAV/Audio distiller. This was only present in BES 4.1 and some later service packs of BES 4.0 (I believe SP4 and SP5). Eventually, there will be another distiller to add support for MP3 and AMR attachments, as well.

[jshawnl]

jshawnl, OS 4.2 has support for WAV file attachments provided your BES has the WAV/Audio distiller. This was only present in BES 4.1 and some later service packs of BES 4.0 (I believe SP4 and SP5). Eventually, there will be another distiller to add support for MP3 and AMR attachments, as well.

Thanks, jibi, but what about non-BES BBerries? Are we out of luck again?

Just for the record - I don't want the beta - I want the official release!

[jibi]

Thanks, jibi, but what about non-BES BBerries? Are we out of luck again?

Just for the record - I don't want the beta - I want the official release!
haha. no prob, wasn't directed at you.

as for the non-BES users, it is my understanding that BIS users will have this functionality in a future upgrade of the BIS services, although it is not currently enabled or working.

[bmw000]

My voice mail for my 800 number uses wma files. Wish they would use wav, but they don't. So naturally I would like to see wma audio support.

Brian Weber

[kachuw]

hey where can i download that beta version?

[jibi]

you won't ever see WMA support. it's propietary and smells of DRM. on a WM5 device, yep; on a blackberry, never.

[bmw000]

I had a feeling there would never be wma.

Luckily I can call in to my 800 number and go to the voice mail and listen to them. It does cost me min against my plan for the 800 number. I get caller id with it too, so if I know the person or think it is an emergency then I can call in and listen, otherwise I just wait until I am at the office or home to login and listen on my pc.

You will never see me on a windows modbile device. I am hooked on blackberry. I was holding out to see if the Q was going to be good and on Cingular. Bad reviews and no Cingular turned me off, plus I had been a bb user in the past so I didn't think hard about making the decsion to go with the 8700c. I love it!!

On an off the topic note: I did get my replacement bb directly from rim. It is a refurb. In another thread I did explain about what happened. It got launched from the launcher and got all scratched up. Rim replaced it with a refurb. I noticed I do get some dust underneath the screen area. I haven't opened it and probably won't. I am wondering if I go back to rim and explain the problem with the refurb, if they will replace that with another? Or maybe I do something to seal it better to keep the dust out? Any ideas?

[fourtheye28]

Wait I'm confused. Is 4.2 out yet? Or when is it available for d/l?

[paulbblc]

It's out for the 8100. The author of this post has a beta version for 8700. No word on a release date yet for any other model than the 8100.

[fourtheye28]

Ahh, I see. Well, thats no fun. :D

[bjchantry]

YOu guys need to read the whole thread, most of the issues are covered. I have to laugh that Jibi said to stop asking about the beta in a public forum and exactly 9 minutes later someone asked where they can download it?

[fourtheye28]

Well I can't help it if I'm just stupid. No need to get all pissed that I asked a harmless question that was answered. Considering this IS a forum, as in asking questions.

[jsuen]

you won't ever see WMA support. it's propietary and smells of DRM. on a WM5 device, yep; on a blackberry, never.

Not an issue... RIM will have to pay Microsoft a licensing fee, but per unit, that's 1/7 of the cost of what they currently pay for MP3... 1/7 what they pay for AMR... 2/5 of the fees for the MPEG-4 AAC for MMS. WMA DRM is optional, they don't have to use it if they don't want to.

[jbrannan]

I'd just like to be able to monitor a WMA-based internet stream for work. Anyone seeing this as being possible on one of the future "media-enabled" BB's? The Windows Mobile devices still don't impress me at all - I love my 7250.

[illest]

O this 4.2 bullshit. They need to just drop it. I blame BoyGenius for gassing everybody.

[tsac]

RIM Blackberry Maps works well on the 8700c