[chino843]

I am new to the blackberry stuff I have an 8100 pearl and love it! What is all the os update about. what does it do? Does it help do anything important? what do I have to do to make it happen on my BB. I do not understand what all of it means any helpwould be awsome thanks..

[jimmers]

OS is an abbreviation for Operating System. It is what makes your phone do what it does Just like the Windows OS makes your PC do what it does. The updated OS will hopefully have some new features. I'm not exactly sure what the new features are or how to install them since I personally have not had to do it yet but there are many posts in here that explain the process.

[uncheels23]

supposedly the new os will be an ota download from your service provider it will enable the pearl to record video and play videos (flash support) there is supposed to be better web browsing with it but we'll see

[garbagefairy1967]

Welcome to CB chino843!!!

[DearFloyd]

I am new to the blackberry stuff I have an 8100 pearl and love it! What is all the os update about.

You were better off not knowing. As long as your device is working properly, you don't need the new OS, considering it wont be available til its available anyway. All the hype is about features that you have to wait on so whats the point?

[raemax08]

Welcome to CB!!!

[Pete6]

Welcome chino. You joined 2 days after me.

As other replies have said, the OS is the operating system provided on your phone.

The OS is provided by BB usually in conjunction with your network operator (AT&T, Rogers, Vodafone, etc.). This means that if you wish to upgrade, you need to make sure that you have the correct vendor version for your phone because AT&T software will not work with Vodafone and vice versa.

OS's are continually updated by vendors (your MS Windows software is almost daily updated auomatically via Windows Update - the little yellow shield in your system tray). Vendors update OS's for a number of reasons. Security, bugs, enhancements, newer hardware (early OS's on the 8100 only supported 2Gb memory cards, the later versions allow 4Gb and, simply to stay ahead of the game.

Ususally the newer the product, the more bugs and ehancements the OS needs and the updats come thick and fast. For instance there was a terrible memory leak problem on the 8100 that caused some people to lose emails. This has been pretty much fixed by an OS update.

OS updating on the 8100 is fairly starightforward but a little nerve racking since if the process fails you end up with a non-working phone.

Look at blackberry.com/Downloads/entry.do?code=A8BAA56554F96369AB93E4F3BB068C22 for BB's explanation of this.

If you don't feel like doing this yourself but nonetheless want the latest revision of OS on your phone then perhaps you should ask your network provider's helpline if they can do this for you BUT BACK UP YOUR PHONE before you let them have it.

I hope that this has helped somewhat. This forum has helped me a lot.

Pete

[JazzeeJEF]

Welcome Newbie

=]

[yogi]

Hi and welcome.

[chino843]

thanks for all the help. I will prob just wait to update when they come out with the os that does video and stuff thanks.

[Timewalk]

Most important thing is to backup your BB before even considering doing an OS upgrade...

[Pete6]

Most important thing is to backup your BB before even considering doing an OS upgrade...

Bang on. First rule of IT "Make a backup."

Second rule "Make another one."

Pete

P.S. You are probably right to wait. At least until you have stumbled around in here for a while longer. This is a good forum and people are very helpful.

[chino843]

How do you back up your blackberry because now my speaker is buzzing so i am going to take it back but I don't want to lose all my text messages?

[Pete6]

You backup using the Blackberry Desktop Manager on your PC. There is an icon that says 'Backup and Restore'. If you do not have Desktop Manager installed then you can either load it from the CD that came with your phone or download it from https://www.blackberry.com/Downloads...93E4F3BB068C22 and then download 'Blackberry Desktop Software v.4.3'.

Pete

[Rhon228]

Welcome to crackberry and enjoy your BB.