BlackBerry's BIS 3 to pack Gmail, OpenOffice support
updated 12:30 pm EST, Sat February 6, 2010
BIS 3 getting significant updates soon
The next version of BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) should provide much more advanced support for Gmail, a leak shows. Internal documents note that it will not only let BlackBerry owners create and use labels with a plugin but that it will sync the read/unread status so that changes made on the BlackBerry are reflected properly elsewhere. More advanced syncing has normally been limited to services like Microsoft Exchange.
The BBLeaks source points to extra significant updates, such as support for the OpenDocument formats used in apps like OpenOffice as well as Windows Media Audio. It should also handle network problems more gracefully and will identify the carrier by name when the issue is on the provider's end and not Research in Motion's own servers.
It's not yet known when BIS 3.0 will ship, although this month's Mobile World Congress show, CTIA in late March, and the Wireless Enterprise Symposium in May are the most probably candidates for carefully timed releases.
