Blackberry Pearl 8100 Latest Software (December 2009)

Yes, RIM is still care for us that they still release the upgrade for this first Pearl generation. Here's a how-to if you are too lazy to google :

1. Download the software from Blackberry site.
   
2. Choose the one described below because this howto is based on it :)
   Package Version: 4.5.0.304 :
   * Applications: 4.5.0.181
   * Software Platform: 2.7.0.108
   * 8100M_PBr4.5.0_rel304_PL2.7.0.108_A4.5.0.181_Globul.exe
   * File size: 93.65MB
   
3. Install the files to your computer.
   
4. Delete the "vendor.xml" from c:\program files\common files\research in motion\apploader
5. Connect your BlackBerry to Desktop using USB Cable.
6. Run the Loader.exe which located in the same folder with the vendor.xml previously.
7. As usual follow the steps, wait and pray.
8. After an hour waiting (my case) the update is installed to your phone.

Since actually I didn't notice what are the upgrades, so I'll just give you a quick user's opinion from crackberry forum : 

• It's a new radio code and all the java files are updated. Seems fine so far. Only been about 2 hours running. The browser and BBM are quick, faster than 180, eh who knows. It's getting so speedy as it is, there's just no way to judge. I'll run some data speed tests, and see if there's any difference that's apparent. 
• Well I must say, as hard as it is for me to believe, the browser is remarkably faster than 180. Possibly as much as twice the speed loading youtube. Today will tell how good the radio is.
• It's an improvement over the 205 platform for sure. Even in the elevator of a building with mostly no signal at all, I was at 105-110 and switched to GPRS. Bloody amazing, a couple more platform upgrades and I may have full EDGE everywhere. 
• The memory management is amazing. I noticed an increase over 174. I'm amazed. 
• I have to say that i'm very impressed with this SW update, im actually able to multitask with my pearl now, as we are speaking i am running Pandora, BBM, and a web session, and still have 10MB free memory. I have yet to see the hourglass other than when browsing the web either. This is definitely an improvement as with the old 4.5 i could barely do one thing at a time without it giving me an hourglass forever.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Okay, now what are  you waiting for? Go save your Precious! :D

Yahoo PingBox Trouble

Hi,

If any of you were trying to contact me via the Y! PingBox, I just noticed that my replies couldn't reach to your side. I've tested it with my friends. I still don't know what went wrong. Is it because of I am using Pidgin or because of the PingBox itself.

Anyway, feel free to contact me thru the new shoutbox from shoutmix.

Thanks.

Why Blackberry?

That line is quite famous nowadays. I also keep wondering why should I use Blackberry while I found that PalmOS, Windows Mobile and the mass produced OS -Symbiote, eh Symbian- also could handle the Emails perfectly. I don't need the push mail technology while the pull mail is enough for me while other phones are also packed with touch screen, 3Gs and Wi-Fi not to mention some of them also have GPS inside. So what will we get by using these most-socialite-OS knowned as Blackberry OS and its handheld (note: the Blackberry is very famous OS knowned by celebrities and socialites, so they deserve that nick rite, the socialite OS? *grin*)

Well, after using Blackberry Pearl 8100 for a while, I notice the difference between pull and push mail and also what it meant by blackberrying or not to blackberrying. I like QWERTY phones because there almost no delay in typing something something not like in traditional phone keypad. The reason why I choose Pearl 8100 is because of its Suretype system which I found interesting. So, here I go with Pearl and enjoy the SureType technology. If you forgot how Pearl 8100 looked like, see image below.

Image source is courtesy of blackberry.com

SureType itself is surely a new thing for me. I've never used any of T9 system in my previous phones before but I know how it works and in my opinion, they both almost the same. But the half qwerty layout in Pearl gives the system predicts your typing more accurately and faster. If you don't believe it, buy one and try for yourself. :p It will take a time for you to get used with it but you could also used the boring multitap if you want it that way.

I am using Blackberry Service by Worry-Free-Axis-Blackberry and FYI, this is the cheapest unlimited BIS package you could get in Indonesia at this moment. It cost me IDR 4,000 / day. But I don't know if I would like to continue using this BIS as yesterday when I went to two biggest shopping mal in Jakarta (Plaza Indonesia and Kelapa Gading Mal), I found that my Pearl encountered a blank spot inside the building! I can't imagine if it happens at the critical moment. But as long as I'm in good signal reception area, I always connected thru EDGE and never GPRS. In other words, "its EDGE or never".

Back to topic, why I'm using blackberry? Here are my reasons :

1. Because I wanted to.
2. Because I need a QWERTY phone.
3. Because I need the BIS - unlimited internet for many things -
   
4. Because I need a new thing to play with. Palm is good, but it's so yesterday (hikz). WM is good, but their new products is kinda expensive (even the 2nd one is expensive here), never try Android, but for I think I'm gonna leave the Sym'bye'an for now.
   

Okay that's all for now. Must got to work... *yawn*