WorldMate today introduced ‘Connections,’ a new feature within the WorldMate Live application for BlackBerry users. Connections makes it easy for members to meet when they are on the road by notifying them when friends and colleagues are nearby.

Members can request to connect with each other as well as anyone else in their BlackBerry address book. Then, as long as the travelers’ itineraries are imported into the system, WorldMate Live will detect when their schedules overlap and will advise them when they arrive in the same location.

In this release, WorldMate Live also added automatic calendar sync capability. Previously, WorldMate Live synchronized members’ itineraries between its Web Site and the mobile application. Calendar sync completes the cycle by connecting the service directly to the BlackBerry calendar. All itinerary items, including flight and hotel reservations and scheduled meetings, are now instantly updated in all three locations whenever they are added or edited. As a result, people need to rely on only one calendar while traveling and can use any email program or scheduling system they wish.

WorldMate Live is offered as a ‘Freemium’ service, with most components and services provided to end users at no cost. Premium services, including flight alerts, flight status and schedules, travel directory and customer support, are available for a monthly or annual fee.