Today turned out to be a pretty good day for many BlackBerry owners on T-Mobile, as the carrier has announced that updates to BlackBerry 7.1 have begun rolling out to both the Torch 9810 and the Bold 9900. The updates bring both Wi-Fi calling and mobile hotspot support to the two handsets as well as a handful of other new features and bug fixes. Here's the changelog for both devices as provided by T-Mobile:
New Features
The new BlackBerry OS 7.1 has the following features.
- Wi-Fi Calling: Allows you to make calls over a Wi-Fi network. Does not support handoffs to cell network, so calls will drop when you leave the Wi-Fi coverage.
- Mobile HotSpot/USB tethering: Allows you to connect up to five devices to the internet through your BlackBerry device.
- Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS): A personalized emergency alert system designed to alert people of nearby threats or emergencies.
- BBM Music: A new feature that lets you download 50 tracks when you sign up and up to 25 tracks per month.
- Bing search: Device searches also use Bing to provide additional search results.
- BlackBerry Device Analyzer: Lets you perform diagnostic tests to check for errors or issues, which can help you resolve device problems without having to call Customer Care. Check out the What is the BlackBerry Device Analyzer to learn more.
Key Improvements
The new BlackBerry OS 7.1 provides the following improvements.
- Helps resolve JVM error 517
- Resolves audio issues
- Resolves issues with devices not indicating or taking a charge
- Improves random reboots or powering down
- Improves freezing, slow, no response, or hourglass issues
Looks like a pretty worthwhile update, no? If you've got either the Torch 9810 or Bold 9900 on T-Mobile, you can try to download the update on your phone by going to Applications > All > Options > Device > Software Updates. You can also install the new software using your computer. If you'd like to go that route, hit up the T-Mobile links below for more information. Just try to remember to take a break from your Wi-Fi calling and hotspotting so that you can let us know how the updates are treating you in the comments below, k?
Via T-Mobile (Torch 9810), T-Mobile (Bold 9900)
