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Research In Motion's (RIM) newest BlackBerry devices, the Pearl and 8800, run on BlackBerry OS 4.2. An upgrade to this platform from version 4.1 is ready to go for the older 8700 and 7310 models, according to an unnamed RIM executive who leaked this and some additional information The Boy Genius.

Now it is up to the mobile operators as to when they'll make the platform update available to customers.

BlackBerry OS 4.2 will add a number of new features to the 8700 and 7310, including support for push-to-talk (for Cingular/AT&T), GPS, Bluetooth file transfers, an MP3 player, a file explorer, voice notes, a mapping application, a Media folder to hold music and pictures, the ability to play .WAV files, etc.

The RIM insider also said BlackBerry OS 5.0 should ship later this year or early next and BlackBerry Enterprise Server Service Pack 4 will arrive this June, along with new devices (the BlackBerry 9xxx series).