LinkedIn March 29 released LinkedIn for BlackBerry 1.0, an application that brings the leading professional social network to users of the leading smartphone for corporate workers who need to access their contacts from the road.
LinkedIn for BlackBerry lets BlackBerry Tour, Bold and Curve users do on their smartphones most of what they can already do from the full desktop version of LinkedIn.
The application lets LinkedIn users search among the network’s 60 million members; send invitations to and accept invitations from prospective contacts; receive suggestions for new contacts; access connections and send messages; and view network updates.
The application also includes tight integration between LinkedIn BlackBerry mail, contacts and calendar, said Chad Whitney, the product manager for mobile products at LinkedIn, in a blog post.
Specifically, users can sync LinkedIn connections with their BlackBerry address book and view the profile of any contact on their BlackBerry by selecting the “View LinkedIn Profile” option from a drop-down menu.
LinkedIn invitations and messages will appear in the BlackBerry Inbox as regular e-mail. Messages sent from members will include their LinkedIn profiles. Moreover, users may view the LinkedIn profile of any attendee of a meeting on the BlackBerry calendar.
LinkedIn first seriously entered the mobile application realm in 2008 with an application allowing users tap into the professional network from any Web-enabled mobile device.
That mobile application focused on Apple’s popular iPhone, which has sold millions of units since its launch in 2007. LinkedIn for iPhone is a popular application and the company two weeks ago launched LinkedIn for iPhone 3.1, promising greater speed and accessibility of contacts.
LinkedIn for BlackBerry should satisfy the millions of users whose companies issue them BlackBerry smartphones for communications with fellow colleagues, partners, customers and other contacts.
“Now, you can walk into any interview, any customer engagement or client meeting with the ability to look up the details on over 60 million professionals worldwide, in real time,” Whitney said.
The LinkedIn for BlackBerry application is available for download from LinkedIn here and is also available from the BlackBerry App World application on the BlackBerry Tour, Curve and Bold running BlackBerry OS Version 4.3.0 or later.
Calling the BlackBerry platform “a top priority for the LinkedIn mobile team,” Whitney said users can expect regular enhancements to the LinkedIn for Mobile application through 2010.