Blackberry browser Javascript Time DST issues

Question

We are targeting Blackberry OS 6 and 7 devices, and are having issues with Javascript and daylight saving time. The behaviour we're seeing for different devices/OS versions is either:

• keeps DST setting till end of month (so switches at 1-Nov instead of 28-Oct for Europe this year)
• uses the same DST setting/time zone offset for the whole year (so after 28-Oct the time zone will be CET (+100), and before 28-OCt it will be CEST (+200), for the whole year)

More specific for different devices/versions:

• 9800 - 6.0.0.246: uses same offset for all dates
• 9780 - 6.0.0.285: uses same offset for all dates
• 9780 - 6.0.0.668: switches at end of month
• 9700 - 6.0.0.668: switches at end of month
• 9360 - 7.0.0.530: switches at end of month

Is anyone aware of these issues and/or a workaround?

I have found this Blackberry issue, which explains the 'same offset for all dates' issue, and I think they fixed it in the wrong way: http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/Web-and-WebWorks-Development/Javscript-GMT-Offfset-not-working-in-BB6-0-Devices-Non-Torch/td-p/815883

We also developed a test page, which reveals the issue by executing some simple document.write(new Date(timestamp)) statements, available here: http://bit.ly/QhJOIC

Giffie

Answer 1

One option if the web page is for online use only: then you could make a ajax call back to the server to get proper offset for this user. This would then use a libary of your choice for providing the time zone and DST information. Just return user location infromation to the server.

Endamage

Yes, but we already retrieve the events from the server, so we could then simply do all date rendering server-side. We prefer to keep data server-side and presentation client-side though, and only exchange the timestamp. – Giffie