diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d300ed082..65ea21e1e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
 PROJECT(BULLET_PHYSICS)
 
+IF (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
+ SET(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "Release")
+ENDIF (NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE) 
+
 SUBDIRS(src Demos Extras)
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index d93b78385..eee54fb80 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-Bullet Collision Detection and Physics Library version 2.43
+Bullet Collision Detection and Physics Library version 2.44
 http://bullet.sourceforge.net
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 26ae25e02..835130576 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ AC_PREREQ([2.54])
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 AC_INIT(
     [bullet],
-    [2.41],
+    [2.44],
     [bullet@erwincoumans.com])
 CS_PACKAGEINFO(
     [Bullet Continuous Collision Detection and Physics Library],
-    [Copyright (c) 2005-2006 Erwin Coumans],
+    [Copyright (c) 2005-2007  Erwin Coumans],
     [http://www.continuousphysics.com/Bullet/])
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([mk/jam/build.jam])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([mk/autoconf])