Back at BlackBerry DEVCON 2011 RIM announced plans to introduce the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform, and as of today, it is now in beta form.  BlackBerry dev’s can now add social super app (RIM’s words, not ours) features to their existing 3rd party app’s.  The first beta release includes these features:

• access and update fields in the user’s profile such as status, avatar and personal message;
• create their own custom areas within the user’s profile for promoting recent application activity or storing trophies and achievements;
• initiate and embed chats with friends;
• initiate application-to-application background communication through BBM for sending and receiving application instructions, such as moves in a game or any other application state changes;
• initiate file transfers;
• the ability to share applications virally with friends in their contact list.

Simulators for OS5 and OS6 are included with the beta that allow for simulation of BBM communication between two instances of the simulator.  The next beta, expected in April 2011, will include even more features. (more…)

Dont you just love Monday mornings when a tip comes in and your able to share that tip with your users?  Thanks to one of our VZ informants we received a nice tip yesterday, actually, and waited until today to verify some of the information.

We know there are lots of you out there that use a BlackBerry, maybe because its company provided, but this should make all of you happy.  Verizon is looking to push out OS6 for not 1, but 3 devices, by the end of the year.  The Storm2 refresh (which we still dont have a final model number designation yet), the Bold 9650, and the Curve 9330.  From what we were told, the Storm2 refresh will drop in November, pretty much around the Black Friday time frame, while we are hearing the Curve 9330 will hit the market in December.  Both the Storm2 and Curve 8530 will hit end of life around October.

Whats nice is we are told the Bold 9650 SHOULD see an OS6 upgrade somewhere between the Storm2 refresh and the release of the Curve 9330.

Hopefully this all pans out for you BlackBerry folks!  We look forward to seeing what VZ has in store this holiday for everyone.

As we posted about HERE and HERE and HERE, to name just a few, we have a knack for getting some exclusive internal information to pass along to you guys.  Well, we have another, and this one should excite the BlackBerry Bold 9650 users out there.  Our VZ informant let us know just now that Verizon is currently testing OS builds well into 6.0.0.12X, with most failing Verizon’s testing, but a few making it to last minute test’s before failing as well.  This is normal, and means nothing, other then the fact they are actually testing it.  Excited Bold users??

(click for mobile link)

Before you get to excited, this is not a full blown OS build, but from the look of things its pretty darn close!  We normally would not post up a hybrid as thats not what GF is here to do, but it seems like a decent build to give you that OS6 feel, so we figured why not share it!

As always try so at your own risk.  GizmoFusion can not take responsibility if you brick your phone.  Enjoy!

LINK TO DOWNLOAD

Source: BBWorld

While yesterdays BlackBerry 9800 Torch announcement was exciting for those waiting on this device, even more exciting is the image you see there just sent to us.  ATT stores are already receiving dummy units, and we can only assume live shipments are very close behind, if not already there as well.  Will you line up to grab one?

Thanks to you know who!

Not in surprisingly shocking fashion, we just received word today from a reliable informant that Verizon, which did have some BlackBerry 6 builds in testing, has since stopped and will probably wait until either a Storm2 reboot and/or a Storm3 is revealed.  Reasoning?  You can bet the 256MB of RAM is one of them, as well as other factors.  As said its not a shocker, but its sad for Storm2 users that were hoping to get some OS6 goodness.  Lets hope this bit of info is wrong for those of you sticking it out with your Storm2′s.

UPDATE: For those that have emailed asking, we agree.  We hope this is not true.  Lets hope the testing stopped for other reasons, such as waiting on a specific build.  For now, this is the info that we have though.

For those of you out there on the Interweb’s that still rock a BlackBerry, things have been sorta “dry” when it comes to trying out new OS builds.  From the looks of it, even the latest official release’s from carriers sport only under the hood bug fixes (or create new ones at times).  Why is this?  Is RIM really getting ready for OS6?  What about business users that dont want or need anything to flashy?  Read on for some more thoughts… (more…)

Brace yourself. This one could potentially cause the earth to shatter up in Waterloo. I received not 1 but 3 emails from separate sources regarding this so we will run with it as rumor. You noticed RIM’s new devices all have 512 of RAM/ROM? Well we are hearing now that this will be the minimum going forward to run OS 6. If you have a Storm2 or 9700 your out of luck. Again, until RIM confirms this or outright says certain released devices will get it we will go with it as rumor for now.

UPDATE: Image of the update is now posted.

Thanks to one of our informants I received some concrete info this morning about the elusive BlackBerry Tour OS5 update for Verizon Wireless.  From what I am told it will be 5.0.0.591 and include the new PTT functionality, which will run an extra $5 bucks a month.  Sounds reasonable if you decide to try the new PTT feature!  We will see tomorrow if this is released.