Funambol introduced a new version of its open source BlackBerry push email and personal information management (PIM) sync software. Funambol's BlackBerry software consists of two components. The push email component enables BlackBerries to work with consumer email services such as Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, Hotmail and Gmail, as well as any POP or IMAP server. The PIM sync component enables BlackBerry users to wirelessly sync PIM data with a Funambol server, which in turn can sync with a wide range of backend email and PIM systems as well as email clients such as Outlook. The free open source Funambol BlackBerry software performs push email and over-the-air (OTA) sync of contacts, calendars, tasks and notes with consumer email systems as well as groupware systems beyond Exchange, Domino and GroupWise that are supported by BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

The PIM sync component was developed in conjunction with the Funambol community. This follows on the heels of other Funambol community projects to support the iPhone and Google Android. Funambol rapidly supports the broadest range of mobile devices for push email and PIM sync.

"Many BlackBerry users access email systems other than Exchange, Domino and GroupWise, but there hasn't been a way to wirelessly sync their PIM data," said Fabrizio Capobianco, Funambol CEO. "With our new BlackBerry software, users can easily sync contacts, calendars, tasks and notes over-the-air, and get push email, with a wide variety of email and PIM systems. This innovation is a testament to our mobile open source community, which helped build this software. Mass market BlackBerry users are really going to love it."

Funambol's new BlackBerry software is available for newer devices, including the Pearl, Curve, Bold, 87xx and 88xx models. End users can try it on the free myFUNAMBOL portal, at http://my.funambol.com. The software and its source code can also be downloaded from Funambol's new community forge, at https://www.forge.funambol.org/download/.

Funambol's new BlackBerry release is accompanied by two additional software enhancements. Funambol has updated its open source Exchange connector to work with Funambol v6.5 and to support Exchange 2003 and Exchange 2007. The software is supported by the Funambol community and can be downloaded from the forge. The company is also introducing a new portal API (PAPI) that makes it easy for customers to integrate Funambol Carrier Edition capabilities, such as OTA provisioning and configuration of handsets, into their own portals.