BlackBerry OS 5.0 previewed on video, don't expect a revolution

by Chris Ziegler posted Apr 9th 2009 at 4:18AM

When a key feature of a new platform version is said to be its awesome startup screen, we question the importance of said version -- but when that new startup screen is nothing more than a logo and a progress bar, we're really starting to lose hope. Don't get us wrong, BlackBerry OS 5.0 is shaping up to be a nice little upgrade for folks currently on 4.6 or 4.7, but from what we can tell in the preview video posted over on CrackBerry, it's certainly not worthy of a major version bump; indeed, it seems that it's only being called 5.0 to bring it in sync with the imminent launch of BES 5.0. There's a new memory details screen (pictured), trackball "flicking" through photos, some minor improvements to email and folder management, browser updates (thank goodness), and a handful of other trinkets scattered through the platform -- not exactly the scorched-earth rewrite you might expect going to a number as grand as 5.0. Then again, why mess with a good thing, right?

Filed under: BlackBerry OS

Tags: blackberry, blackberry os, blackberry os 5.0, BlackberryOs, BlackberryOs5.0, rim

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

rudolphe @ Apr 9th 2009 8:22AM

Hope it kills the memory leaks on my storm.

Neutral

Margin @ Apr 9th 2009 9:07AM

Hm. Still no IM-style true threaded text. Every other major smartphone OS has it, QWERTY dumbphones now have it, yet Blackberry still limps on with its sort-of implementation.

Neutral

zephxiii @ Apr 9th 2009 9:24AM

How about a real email client?? Or native exchange support?? Or is that too complicated?!

Neutral

EV-D'OH! @ Apr 9th 2009 10:51AM

You'll probably never see Exchange/OWA support from BB. They make too much bank on BES. Astrasync makes Exchange support software for BBs, but it's buggy and poorly integrated with the phone's OS.

Neutral

Jim95 @ Apr 9th 2009 10:51AM

If what we've been seeing is close to what OS 5.0 is going to be like, then I have to say I'm disappointed. I was hoping for a complete revamp of the calendar program. Compared to some of the other options out there, it leaves a lot to be desired. The bells and whistles that they've thrown in are a nice touch, and I understand that they don't want to change things too much, but in its current form I consider the calendar unusable.

Neutral

aeon1974 @ Apr 9th 2009 1:24PM

I like RIM and this BB device looks great but I am not sure of the OS anymore.
I mean they need someting more modern, they need to update the OS and go more than skin deep.
This is 2009 and people do not want to scroll between menus upon menus in order to find a setting that
is burried somewhere within there.

If RIM wants to target the regular consumer market and not just the business users they definitely need
to look into this. It's getting a little bit long in the tooth. RIM needs to make it not just look but also behave
like a contemporaty OS