BlackBerry OS

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BlackBerry OS
BlackBerry 7250
Company/ developer	Research In Motion
OS family	Mobile operating systems
Source model	Closedware Closed source
Supported platforms	BlackBerry line of mobile devices
Default user interface	Graphical user interface
Working state	Current

List of Mobile Operating Systems

Symbian OS m n s

Windows Mobile m n

iPhone OS n

Palm OS n

Openmoko Linux l n

Access Linux Platform l n s

Qtopia l m n

Internet Tablet OS l n

BlackBerry OS m

Android l m

LiMo Platform l m n MotoMagx

l = Linux based m = Managed code support n = Native code permitted s = Capability-based security

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BlackBerry OS is the proprietary software platform made by Research In Motion for their BlackBerry line of handhelds. It provides multi-tasking, and makes heavy use of the device's specialized input devices, particularly the thumbwheel. The OS provides support for MIDP 1.0 and WAP 1.2. Previous versions allowed wireless synchronization with Microsoft Exchange Server's e-mail and calendar, as well as with Lotus Domino's e-mail. The current OS 4 provides a subset of MIDP 2.0, and allows complete wireless activation and synchronization with Exchange's e-mail, calendar, tasks, notes and contacts, and adds support for Novell GroupWise and Lotus Notes.

Third-party developers can write software using these APIs, and proprietary BlackBerry APIs as well, but any application that makes use of certain restricted functionality must be digitally signed so that it can be associated to a developer account at RIM. This signing procedure guarantees the authorship of an application, but does not guarantee the quality or security of the code.