BlackBerry Storm2 with OS 5 - What's New for Developers?

BlackBerry OS 5.0 is the first smartphone operating system from RIM to support Gears and SQLite for BlackBerry Widgets (see press release - http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=2586). Developers interested in building BlackBerry Widgets can download a beta release of the BlackBerry Widget SDK at www.blackberry.com/developers/widget.

BlackBerry OS 5.0 is expected to be available in the coming months for the BlackBerry(r) Storm(tm), BlackBerry(r) Bold(tm) 9000, BlackBerry(r) Tour(tm) 9630, BlackBerry(r) Curve(tm) 8900, BlackBerry(r) Curve(tm) 8350i, and BlackBerry(r) Curve(tm) 8520 smartphones – creating great market potential for mobile applications built for BlackBerry OS 5.0.

An update to the beta release of the BlackBerry Java Development Environment 5.0 (BlackBerry JDE 5.0) for building Java-based applications for smartphones running BlackBerry Device Software 5.0 is available today at http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/devbetasoftware/javasdk5.jsp. BlackBerry JDE 5.0 includes new application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to create feature-rich applications with deep integration with BlackBerry OS 5.0. Key features of BlackBerry JDE 5.0 include:

-- APIs for deeper integration with BlackBerry smartphone applications, including access to multiple phone lines and multiple Contact lists, links to BlackBerry Contacts, and customizable phone screens with text and images, embedded video capture and streaming, advanced camera features such as zoom and focus, and the use of media keys for third party media players that work even when an application is running in the background.

-- New user interface (UI) APIs for easier UI creation and advanced customization. New features include date/time picker, file picker, and location picker and layout utility managers. New customization APIs include the ability to install and use custom fonts, apply screen transitions, customize menu look and feel, and add submenus.

-- Networking APIs, such as network API and hotspot API, enable making network connections much easier than before.

-- A new SQLite API provides Java developers with a familiar way to manage their application data in a persistent database. Together with support for SQLite with the enhanced BlackBerry(r) Browser, developers can create applications that enable access and management of data stored on the smartphone both in and out of network coverage.

BlackBerry OS 5.0 includes further enhancements to the BlackBerry(r) Browser that improve web site rendering and deliver faster JavaScript and CSS for a crisp, responsive web application experience.

Developers interested in learning more about the latest developer tools and resources for building applications for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone and BlackBerry OS 5.0 are encouraged to attend the 2009 BlackBerry Developer Conference (www.blackberrydeveloperconference.com), November 9-12 in San Francisco.