Google Revamps BlackBerry Mobile App

Today Google announced a new version of the Google Mobile Application for BlackBerries. Why upgrade? Well, the new version can now search both the device and the network for wayward email messages and contact information.Being able to search the contents of your smartphone is an amazingly useful feature. I do this all the time on my iPhone and Android devices. Most of the time I am searching for a contact or an email that I know is buried in the silicon somewhere. Now, Google is making that easier for BlackBerries.

The revised application -- which is a free download -- is a snap to use. Open the app, type in a few letters or words (or speak a query), and hit send. The application will then rifle through your device to find what you need. Once it finds some answers, users will be able to email, call or SMS contacts that are discovered with a button next to the result.

Google says, "Google Mobile App will suggest contacts as you type and you can scroll down to select one. Google Mobile App will promote the people you contact frequently to the top of the suggestions list."

Users can also choose to skip the device-side search and go straight to their online Gmail account and contact database.

It's worth noting that RIM already offers these search services on BlackBerries. Without a BlackBerry in hand to test it out, I'm afraid I can't say if the Google Mobile App for BlackBerries does a better job of finding emails and/or contacts than RIM's own software. Maybe it's faster?

According to Google, these search features can be turned off, and the updated app has other new benefits as well. Worried about privacy? Google notes, "Google Mobile App does not send information about your contacts or content from your emails to Google. This data is only accessed on your device."

Email search requires BlackBerry OS 4.5 and up, and Contacts search requires BlackBerry OS 4.2 and up.