BlackBerry OS 6 to power up Pearl and beef up Bold

BlackBerry's latest interface is coming to a lucky few existing customers. The brand-new BlackBerry 6 operating system, first seen on the new BlackBerry Torch 9800 handset, will also be rolled out to the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9105.

BlackBerry 6 offers a newly design homepage with customisable icons. A new Webkit-based, multi-touch browser and multi-touch media player include Cover Flow-style swiping through files.

The new OS will also appear on all future BlackBerry handsets from manufacturer Research in Motion. BlackBerry 6 may even power RIM's rumoured BlackPad tablet.

Operating systems have been in the headlines lately with the news that Windows Phone 7 is going to save Microsoft, Apple's iOS 4 has FaceTime video calling, and Google's Android is taking over the world. And all heck breaks loose if some phone owners are left behind when new features arrive.

Do you have a Pearl in your pocket or a Bold in your bag? Check with your operator or visit the BlackBerry device software update page to find the latest update -- as yet, RIM hasn't announced when OS 6 will come to these phones. In the meantime, check out our hands-on first go on the new OS.