Penny Mobiles – Mobile phone news, reviews & information

Yes, you heard that right; Research in Motion will now add emphasis to media playback.

The phone manufacturer has established the BlackBerry brand as a very no-nonsense smart phone that allowed users to type and chat with ease thanks to the impressive physical keyboards that are used on the smart phones. However, the number of users who are keen on having a QWERTY keyboard is lessening as more and more people are typing less and are generally getting used to onscreen virtual keyboards.

While writing long emails are still best on a BlackBerry, updating a Facebook status or sending a tweet only takes a few characters. This is why RIM has decided to take a new approach with the OS –by showing the world that the BlackBerry can do more than just type.

So what is exactly new with the BlackBerry OS 6? The media playback controls and layout. As one would expect, BlackBerry smart phones are able to play music and video files, they always have been able to. However, there has been little emphasis on this feature as not a lot of people who love media would take smart phone with a smaller screen. The BB has always been the device of choice for heavy typists and professionals.

The upgrades have been divided into three main categories: music, videos and images. Each menu will show BlackBerry’s specialized controls for each media format.

The screen is still small (it is a hardware thing after all) but the controls have been completely revamped. Touch controls are now a major focus of the handset as it uses swipe, pinch and other gestures that make navigation and viewing a whole lot easier for users. The OS also incorporates full data access on media content, which means that users will get to see assigned album art to specific files.

Research in Motion, the company behind the BlackBerry smart phone just announced that they have entered the beta testing stage for the BlackBerry Protect service.

For those unfamiliar with the new product from RIM, it is an online based security system that users will have in order to gain remote access to their BlackBerry smart phones. Of course, each handset will have to be tied up to a specific account online (though no word has been given as to how the process actually works) and using that specific user account, a BlackBerry handset owner will be able to access several commands and functions for their mobile phones.

The most basic function is the lock down. This will lock up the handset in question until the owner allows it to be unlocked. This helps protect the device from being accessed by other people in the vicinity (should there ever be a need to ever leave the phone in such a situation) or when it is believed that it might have been taken purposely.

Of course, to fully secure data, there is also the memory wipe function. This will completely wipe out everything on the handset and should only be done when retrieval is no longer an option. This helps keep any private and professional data secure and away from the hands of malicious individuals.

The BlackBerry Protect service also offers less severe commands as well. Take the GPS function for example, which would help any user identify which friends house the handset has been left behind in. If a user has misplaced the phone at home or in the office, BB Protect will allow them to have the phone ring or alarm loudly in order to be found.

Of course, a system such as this will certainly be targeted by unscrupulous individuals –which is why RIM s currently putting BlackBerry Protect under a very strict testing period.