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Enhanced Gmail Plug-in for BlackBerrys arrives, but only syncs one way

by Paul Miller posted Aug 22nd 2009 @ 3:29PM

Lackluster Gmail support has been a real pain point for BlackBerry users, and we've really been hoping that this new "Enhanced Gmail Plug-in" would solve all that. It's out as of today, and we've certainly gotten some improvements, like support for archiving messages, marking spam and managing labels / stars. Unfortunately, these new management features are only live synced one way, from the phone to the Gmail server, so many of the actions that take place desktop side won't be reflected on the phone once that particular message has been picked up by the BlackBerry Internet Service. There's also the small problem of installing the thing: we haven't been successful so far on two different BlackBerries, and you have to make sure to uninstall the existing Gmail Plug-in. Meanwhile, in BlackBerry Enterprise Server land, the Google Apps Connector has now gone live, which means Google Apps users get push Gmail and what seems to be much tighter Exchange-style syncing. Let us know if you get either of these things working with your particular setup.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Read - Enhanced Gmail Plug-in now available
Read - Google Apps Connector for BES now available

Google Voice apps now live on Android and BlackBerry, iPhone en route

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 15th 2009 @ 11:29AM

There have been pretty decent unofficial hacks to get Google Voice fully functional on a variety of mobile devices for a while now, but Google's finally taking the next logical step in its world domination strategy by releasing totally 100-percent legit first-party apps for a couple key platforms today -- BlackBerry and, of course, its own Android. As you might expect, the app lets you make calls and send texts through your Google Voice number (great for taking advantage of its mega-low international rates) and integrates with the service's excellent visual voicemail and voice transcription service. iPhone is on the way, but for now, the BlackBerry build should be hitting a pretty wide, interested demographic -- now about those Google Voice invites, eh?

Google CEO Schmidt avoids the dog food, captures memories with BlackBerry

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 9th 2009 @ 7:47PM

Investment firm Allen & Co's Sun Valley, Idaho media summit is a place for the world's wealthiest and most influential decision-makers to chill out, enjoy a couple double Macallans on the rocks, and talk shop. It might even be a rare opportunity to escape to the comfort of a competitor's product -- a guilty pleasure you wouldn't dream of indulging in more buttoned-up environments. Google CEO Eric Schmidt was caught snapping a candid shot from a BlackBerry (we're pretty sure it's a Curve 8900) at the event -- and yes, granted, Google makes apps for BlackBerrys, but when there's a phone that bears your company's own name, it feels just a little bit like cheating, doesn't it? We guess the big, ratty Google sticker adds back a sliver of street cred, but it's not like this thing's packing some furiously awesome camera that a Magic, Dream, or Hero doesn't. How's Gmail treatin' you there, Eric? You're using that, at least, right?

[Via CNN]

Gmail gets pushed to select BlackBerries

by Tim Stevens posted May 5th 2009 @ 8:19AM

There's a new push purveyor on the mobile scene, come to show the competition what's what -- despite being completely dependent on that competition, at least for the moment. Hot on the heels of RIM adding a push API, Google is enabling some BlackBerry users to get their Gmail and Google Calendar goodies shoved straight to their handsets. However, there are a number of shortcomings here that make this addition somewhat limited in usefulness. For one thing users have to be connecting to BlackBerry Enterprise Server instances, and furthermore those instances have to be backed by Microsoft Exchange. Additionally, only 250 users per Enterprise Server instance can get their mobile Gmail on, changes made to appointments on a handsets cannot be pushed back to Google Calendar, and to top it all off searching for Gmail messages still requires a separate app. Updates and improvements are coming, but until then it's caveat emailor.

Google Maps update allows Verizon BlackBerry Storm to access integrated GPS

by Jacob Schulman posted Feb 20th 2009 @ 2:48AM

We were skeptical when Verizon said it was going to start unlocking the GPS in its phones, and then Pearl and Curve users saw support in BlackBerry Maps. Now Google Maps for the Storm has been updated to allow access to the internal GPS -- something that probably couldn't be done without Big Red's blessing. Oddly, Pearl and Curve users are still forced to rely on triangulation to get their Latitude on, but at this point, we'll really take whatever we can get. Either way, this sure looks like progress, and as long as this continues we'll go ahead and cut the carrier some slack. Storm users feel free to hit the read link and stick it to the man while making the most of your device as the BlackBerry gods intended.

[Thanks, Ryan]

Google Latitude coming to other devices, iPhone included

by Nilay Patel posted Feb 4th 2009 @ 3:18PM

T-Mobile's decision to bundle Google's Latitude location-tracking service into the RC33 G1 update may have gotten all the attention this morning, but if you've got a BlackBerry, Window Mobile or S60 device, you can start oversharing right away -- Latitude is built into the newest version of the Google Maps app. Not only that, but it looks like iPhone owners will be able to get in on the fun soon -- Google says it's working on a Latitude app that will "hopefully" be available shortly. We're guessing that means El Goog is tied up in App Store approval shenanigans -- it's certainly been naughty before -- but what we're really wondering is if the next rev of Apple's Maps app will include Latitude, since it's basically just a really nice Gmaps implementation. We're guessing the developers of Loopt and Whrrl are equally eager to find out -- "duplication of functionality," anyone?

Mobile Gmail goes 2.0 for J2ME and BlackBerry phones

by Darren Murph posted Oct 23rd 2008 @ 11:48PM

Right about this time last year, Google updated its mobile Gmail client to be leaner, meaner and altogether more awesome. Now, we're looking at version 2.0 of the app for use with J2ME-supported and BlackBerry phones. The team behind it rethought how mobile users interacted with Gmail, and they attempted to provide solutions for each instance in which your connection may be spotty. Furthermore, the entire client was made to operate faster and be more reliable than ever, and there's even support for keypad shortcuts, multiple drafts, undo, 35 languages and background mail sending. Hop on past the break for a demo vid, or better yet, just point your handset to m.google.com/mail and have a look for yourself.

Continue reading Mobile Gmail goes 2.0 for J2ME and BlackBerry phones