I’ve been a big fan of TetherBerry.  I have used the application quite frequently with my BlackBerry while on the go and, frankly, pre-MiFi it saved me from having to duck into a crowded coffee shop for WiFi.  I find that I still use the application when — on those rare occasions where I don’t happen to have the MiFi on me (whereas I always have my smartphone with me) and need to tether my laptop to meet a deadline.

Well today the TetherBerry team hit us up with the announcement that they will be branching out to other smartphone platforms, including Windows Mobile, iPhone and Android, and will be immediately rebranded simply as Tether. The announcement comes with a new & improved user interface, beta testing for a soon-to-be-released Android version , and a newly  enhanced version of Tether that improves support for both USB and Bluetooth tethering. That’s not all:  through January 10th you can purchase Tether 50% Off ($19.99)  from the Gear Diary Software Store or BlackBerry App World.

OK, with other methods of tethering available, why would you want to consider this particular application? Take a look at this screen shot showing 147% faster on the download speeds and 294% faster on the upload speed, using a BlackBerry 9700 versus RIM’s IP Modem.  While this result may not be typical across all networks (that example was taken on Bell’s network), the need for real speed is certainly a very compelling reason to get and use Tether!

Tim Burke, Tether’s Director of Development detailed the rebranding, along with Tether’s official availability in BlackBerry App World:

“More than 60,000 customers in 114 countries use Tether to connect their laptops to their smartphones, ensuring a fast and affordable tethering option anywhere they have cellphone coverage…Now that we’re available at AppWorld, it will be easier than ever for BlackBerry users to access our service.”

Update! I just got an email from the Tether team confirming that existing customers (who purchased the original TetherBerry app) can upgrade at no additional cost! If you’ve upgraded your device since you originally purchased Tether(Berry), you’ll be happy to know the app’s registration is no longer tied to the BlackBerry device PIN.  Existing customer can download the new version and access their registration codes.  If you’re wary of commitment and wanna test drive Tether, there’s a free 7-day trial available.

The official announcement follows.  We’ll have more updates and reviews as Tether becomes available for Android, iPhone and Windows Mobile.

TetherBerry – Major Announcement
January 8th, 2010

TetherBerry, which has been installed on over 60,000 BlackBerries in the past 9 months, will be re-branding to Tether.  Our intention is to launch into new smartphones.   We are happy to announce that we are now accepting beta testers for our Android version.  In addition to our rebrand, our software is now easier to use, includes Bluetooth and has been accepted into the BlackBerry AppWorld store.Fundamentally this is a step in the right direction, as Smartphone users should have the choice to which applications they use on their phones and use their data plans as they choose.  Unlike Apple & ATT, which has banned this type of application from their store. The past 9 months have been quite amazing for us and we owe it to you!

Our sales are still growing on a monthly basis, despite announcements like RIM launching IP Modem.  Though RIM’s IP Modem solution now exists and previous solutions have existed, we still maintain that we’re easier to use, have faster speeds and use your existing data plan. Just a few hours ago I completed a speed test on my 9700 on the Bell network of Tether versus IP Modem.  Tether  performed 147% faster on the download speeds and 294% faster on the upload speeds.  Here’s the screenshot:

[Tether]