Review, tips and triks Phone Black Berry

Leaks: New Blackberry Device Leaks, Possibly a Strom3?

2010-03-14T05:13:00.002-07:00

A new Blackberry device has leaked!

Blackberry is the only manufacturer that allows this type of leak, most of the companies succeed in keeping the secret (at least partially) until the announcement date. With Blackberry is different, videos, complete specs and pics are leaked months before Blackberry announces the device. Anyway, like with the Storm2 which was leaked long before RIM made it official, the Blackberry (doesn’t have a name so lets call it Blackberry X) has leaked. The pictures pretty much reveal it in its entirety. However, that is all we know about this BB. It is not clear if it will be a Blackberry Storm3 or a Bold, it looks like it will be both. Seems like the screen will have touchscreen capabilities, that together with the D-Pad and the full keyboard could provide a Storm-Bold experience. Nothing is known about the device as far as specifications are concerned, we will let you know more about this possible Blackberry Storm3 when more info becomes available.

Original Blackberry Storm To Be Discontinued? About Time!

2010-03-14T05:13:00.001-07:00

Looks like the Original Blackberry Storm will be discontinued. If the rumors are correct, and they usually are in the Blackberry world, the Original Storm won’t be offered any more by the North American Carrier Verizon. The rumors started last week when Mobile and Wireless reported that investors and analysts were speculating that the Storm 9530 might be dropped from Verizon’s line-up. We think that it is very likely that Verizon will be discontinuing the Storm 9530 in the next few weeks, even more, we think that the Storm 9530 should have been discontinued as soon as the Storm2 came out. What was the point in keep selling a device that was so badly received by customers? The Storm should have left the stage when the Storm2 came out, then the Storm2 should have taken the stage silently avoiding any more problems with frustrated customers.

Shazam ID For Storm2 Lets You Know The Name Of That Song! Free Storm2 Apps

2010-03-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of those apps that amazes everyone, it is almost like magic.

Never happened to you that you keep hearing a song in the radio, the you wait for the station to name the song but they don’t? Or you are just listening to a song you are enjoying and would like to know the name? Well, that horrible feeling of not knowing the name of that cool song can be prevented with Shazam ID! Shazam is a really cool app, it will tell you exactly everything about the song you are currently listening to, and it will even show you a YouTube video of the song! But that is not all, you can tweet your discovery, or you could buy the song over the air with 7Digital.

You might say that this app is one of those ”theoretical” apps that don’t really work in the real life. Well, Shazam is not like that. Shazam was able to recognize even the most unknown songs you could imagine, it has a really high rate of accuracy. Shazam is not free, well, not really. You can use it for 5 songs a month without paying, if you will tag more than 5 songs a month then you will have to buy the app. You can download Shazam here: Get Shazam

Popularity: 1% [?]

”Blackberry Super App” Will Bring Super Homescreen to the Storm?

2010-03-14T05:04:00.004-07:00

I always thought that the homescreen from the Blackberry Storm could be more useful, it could have something more than the app shortcuts. And when looking at other platforms, Blackberry does need to do something, other manufacturers offer cool desktop screens with several screens and widgets.

Looks like RIM is working towards this, they are thinking about a better homescreen for different devices. A new image showing a Blackberry Storm with a whole new homescreen has been floating around the internet after it was used at the ”Super App” Blackberry-official webinar where developers were given a conference on how to make their Blackberry App, a Blackberry Super App. The pic shows a different homescreen where the user can access SMS, Calendar, Events and different social networks all from the homescreen. The image might have been used as an example for developers on how create better apps, but it also means that in fact RIM is looking forward to a new homescreen. Anyway, in whatever way a new homescreen might come, either in an app or an update, the Storm will surely thank for it.

Have You Thought Of Making Your Own BB Themes? You Can With Theme Studio!

2010-03-14T05:04:00.003-07:00

Some people just can’t find a theme that suits their personality. Other times, you would like to have a specific theme that no one has come up with, or you just have a great idea to improve one specific aspect of the UI. Whichever the reason is, the truth is, some of you would like to do your own themes. Well you can! I know a few people that started creating themes because they had a great idea that no one had thought about. You don’t need to be an expert, you don’t even have to know how it works, just patience is necessary, really. The magic about the internet and computer related stuff is that if you have patience, you can pretty much learn whatever you want: hey, I didn’t have the most remote idea how to set up a website, and here you are, hopefully I did a good job creating the Storm blog.

There are two excellent tutorials on how to start theming for your Blackberry. You can check part 1 and then part2. Remember you will need the Theme Studio, and probably Photoshop or GIMP if Photoshop is too expensive (it is).

Super Apps Webinar Thursday February 25th

2010-03-14T05:04:00.002-07:00

Last week during Mobile World Congress 2010, Mike Lazaridis, President and co-CEO of Research In Motion, introduced the concept of a “Super App”, representing a new class of mobile applications that make you wonder how you ever lived without them. I discussed this concept briefly in a BlackBerry Developer’s Blog post last week. I’m pleased to announce that tomorrow I will be hosting a developer webinar exclusively on the subject. You can find all the relevant details below. We hope to see you there!

Overview:
Learn how to make your application worthy of the title “Super App” by leveraging the unique capabilities of the BlackBerry platform.

In this webcast, we will introduce the concept of Super Apps for BlackBerry and show you how they offer a seamless, integrated and efficient experience. You’ll learn how to design Super Apps that BlackBerry smartphone users will not be able to live without.

Date: Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Time: 2:00 PM USA, CANADA (EST)

Presenter: Mike Kirkup, Director, Developer Relations

Webcast Registration Page

MWC 2010 Follow Up: Interview with Adobe’s Serge Jespers

2010-03-14T05:04:00.001-07:00

Last week in Barcelona, Spain, Adobe took part in the Mobile World Congress 2010 BlackBerry Developer Day keynote, demoing new tools to aid BlackBerry application development. I had a chance to sit down with Adobe Evangelist Serge Jespers, who took part in the keynote demos, for a brief chat. You can find our discussion about the partnership between Research In Motion and Adobe below. Enjoy!

Who are you and what is your role at Adobe?

I am an Adobe® Platform Evangelist and longtime Flash enthusiast. For more than 10 years I’ve been working with Flash to develop award-winning online experiences, including projects for Belgium’s largest media company in support of numerous TV shows such as Idols, Big Brother, and Miss Belgium. I became an Adobe certified freelance Flash designer/developer in 2004 and joined Adobe in 2007.

I believe you can do virtually anything with Adobe Flash®, and I’m eager to prove it. Born and raised in Belgium, I currently live near Antwerp when I’m not traveling all over Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) to spread the word about AIR, Flash, and Flex.

Tell us a little about what you previewed at the App Planet BlackBerry Developer Day keynote…

At App Planet we demoed some of the new workflows between Adobe’s creative tools and both the BlackBerry® and Adobe development environments. With the new BlackBerry plug-in for Adobe Illustrator® version X, it’s incredibly easy to create assets for different screen sizes. It also simplifies the designer’s communication with the developer as he only needs to import one file in to the BlackBerry application development environment he’s comfortable with. We’ve also demoed how you can soon build Flash based applications for BlackBerry® smartphones. With Flash Player support coming to BlackBerry smartphones later this year, this opens up a whole new world for Flash Developers and for BlackBerry users. With Adobe Device Central, developers can emulate their Flash based applications without even owning all the different BlackBerry smartphones. They can also use Adobe Device Central to test and tweak different screen resolutions and test the application as if it was running on the smartphone. A future version of Adobe Device Central will even allow you to test features like the accelerometer and multi-touch.

Tell us why this exciting for developers and designers. How will it make their lives easier?

Designers speak in pixels and developers speak in code. By providing tools like the ones we showed at App Planet, designers and developer almost speak the same language. The tools also make it easier for the designer to create graphic assets that look great on all BlackBerry smartphones and make it easier for developers to use those creative assets in the environments they feel most comfortable in. I’m also really excited to see the Flash Player coming to BlackBerry smartphones later this year. This is going to open up a whole new market for Flash Developers.

New BlackBerry Smartphone Simulators Available!

2010-03-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

We had so many BlackBerry® Smartphone Simulators added to the BlackBerry Developer Zone last week, that the news was too much to be contained within our weekly BlackBerry Developer Resource Fridays post – they’ve busted out into their own post. We have the different simulators listed by BlackBerry Device Software and model type for reference, but you can find them all at the link below:

BlackBerry Developer Zone BlackBerry Smartphone Simulator Page

BlackBerry Device Software v5.0.0

Model	Theme	Language	Java Apps Version
9700	Generic	Multi-Lang	5.0.0.442
9700	Generic	East Asia	5.0.0.442
9700	ATT	Multi-Lang	5.0.0.405

BlackBerry Device Software v4.6.1

Model	Theme	Language	Java Apps Version
8520	Generic	Multi-Lang	4.6.1.318

BlackBerry Device Software v4.6.0

Model	Theme	Language	Java Apps Version
9000	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.6.0.303

BlackBerry Device Software v4.5.0

Model	Theme	Language	Java Apps Version
8820	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8320	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8310	ATT	East Asia	4.5.0.182
8310	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8110	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8110	ATT	East Asia	4.5.0.182
8100	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8120	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8300	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8700	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8800	ATT	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.182
8130	Verizon	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.175
8330	Verizon	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.175
8830	Verizon	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.175
8100	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8120	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8300	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8310	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8700	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8800	TIM	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8800	Rogers	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8820	Rogers	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.174
8830	Generic	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.173
8130	Generic	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.173
8330	Generic	Multi-Lang	4.5.0.173

Foursquare For Storm: Foursquare Now Supports The BB Strom!

2010-03-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

Those Foursquare users with a Blackberry Storm are going to rejoice! The Foursquare-Blackberry app now supports the Blackberry Storm and Blackberry Storm2!

If you have been searching for a cool Foursquare app for the Blackberry Storm, you probably found the official Foursquare app, only to know later that the Blackberry Storm was not supported. But now Foursquare has been updated and fully supports both the Storm and Storm2. If you didn’t know, Foursquare is a new service that allows you to ”play” in your city, for example, every time you ”check-in” to a place, (let’s say your local Starbucks) Foursquare adds visits to your account, then the person with more visits to that place earns a ”Mayor” badge. You can unlock different badges. You can SignUp for Foursquare here: http://foursquare.com/ Anyway, the best way to use Foursquare is with a GPS enabled smartphone like the Storm, which now supports Foursquare. The new app brings lots of improvements:

BlackBerry Developer Day at Game Developers Conference 2010

2010-03-14T05:00:00.003-07:00

Here’s a fun fact: we are going to be at the 2010 Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California! Similar to our participation at Mobile World Conference 2010, Research In Motion (RIM) is sponsoring a full developer day at GDC on Tuesday, March 9th. The day will feature an exhibitor stand, developer sessions, and all the key people you’ll want to talk to if you’re thinking about developing mobile games for BlackBerry® smartphones.

Game Developers Conference attendees will have the opportunity to hear presentations on both the business and technical side of BlackBerry smartphone gaming. After a full day of sessions on Tuesday, be sure to stop by our exhibitor stand – it’s a sure fire way to make business contacts and get the answers to your burning technical questions. Whether you’re a hobbyist, an indie game developer, or a big time publisher, if you’re into mobile gaming, we want to see you at GDC!

Visit the official Game Developers Conference website for more information on the conference and BlackBerry Developer Day.

Verizon Wireless V CAST Apps: Coming Soon!

2010-03-14T05:00:00.002-07:00

In addition to BlackBerry App World™, our direct-to-consumer application store, our strong partnerships with operators and third party application stores mean that you have more choice, and more opportunity to commercialize your efforts.

Through our partnership with the Verizon Developer Community, we’re happy to tell you that the V CAST Apps store will soon be available on five BlackBerry smartphones: the BlackBerry® Storm™ smartphone, the BlackBerry® Storm2™ smartphone, the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8330 smartphone, the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8530 smartphone and the BlackBerry® Tour™ 9630.

The V CAST Apps store provides a great opportunity for BlackBerry developers to put applications in the hands of Verizon Wireless customers.

To submit an application to the V CAST Apps storefront, go to developer.verizon.com and create a free account by clicking ‘Register’ in the top right-hand corner. If you already have an account, click ‘Sign In’. Once you’ve signed in, click ‘Go-To-Market’ on the top navigation bar. Click ‘Submit App’ on the Smartphones pod, and then click ‘Submit V CAST Apps Concept’.

Need more information on V CAST Apps? Here are some resources:

V CAST Apps Quick Reference Guides
V CAST Apps Forum
To email the V CAST Apps team, contact VCAST-Apps@verizonwireless.com

Happy Selling!

BlackBerry Web Plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio – Setting the default browser

2010-03-14T05:00:00.001-07:00

One of the questions I’m seeing coming across my desk more frequently is “How do I set my default browser to be the BlackBerry® Browser in Microsoft® Visual Studio®?”

The beauty of using the BlackBerry Web Plug-In for Microsoft Visual Studio is that it integrates seamlessly in with the development environment. What that means is that you would switch over to the BlackBerry simulator as your default browser the same way you would switch browsers if you were debugging a desktop site.

Before we get into the specific steps, I’d like to quickly go over what the Browse With button actually does and how it differs from debugging a website. When you set a browser using the Browse With functionality, and select to Browse the page immediately, you are actually using the preview version of the website so you won’t be hitting any of the breakpoints that you normally would. That’s an important concept to remember when using this feature, and something that I’m sure most web developers have done at some point before. In the Browse With window, there’s also an option to set the browser as your default browser. If you hit cancel after setting a default browser, that browser selection is still your default browser so you’re now able to debug using that browser.

Some more documentation and further details can be found on Microsoft’s website and blog.

So now let’s get into how you can set the BlackBerry Browser to be the default browser to debug your web application in. Assuming you already have a web application ready to debug, right click on the web application in the Solution Explorer and select “Browse With…”

Now select the BlackBerry Browser and click “Set as Default” (as shown in the first picture above). Next click on “Cancel” since we want to debug the site instead of run it in release mode. Now you should be back in the base Microsoft Visual Studio window. Since you’ve hit cancel on the Browse With window, your default browser will be set to the BlackBerry Browser however you won’t have any other browsers running, and you’ll be in coding mode in Microsoft Visual Studio.

To begin debugging, either push “F5” or from the debug menu, select “Start Debugging”.

This will launch the BlackBerry Smartphone Simulator, and you’ll be able to begin debugging your website.

I hope that answers some of the questions around the Browse With functionality and how to set the BlackBerry Browser to be the default browser when using Microsoft Visual Studio. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below.

How To Find That Memory Leak (Part Three): Why An Object is Leaking Into Memory

2010-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

This is the third of a three-part series on how to detect a memory leak. In part one, I explained the most common cases for a memory leak in a Java® development environment, and how that can affect your application. In part two, I discussed how to detect potential leaks. Today, we’re going to investigate why an object is leaking into memory in the first place.

Leak investigation

Once you’ve identified the class name of the object that is leaking, open the object’s view – View/Objects. This view allows viewing all class instances currently on the BlackBerry® smartphone. Before proceeding, press the “GC” button to clean any unreferenced instances (you may have done this already in the Object Statistics view, but doing it again doesn’t hurt). Starting with the BlackBerry® Java® Development Environment (BlackBerry JDE) v4.6, you can take advantage of a convenient functionality that lets you show all recursive references to an instance. So if you’re using BlackBerry JDE 4.6 or newer, follow the set of instructions below; otherwise look at the second set of instructions.

In the “Type:” field, enter the name of the class you’re after – e.g. “TestMemoryLeaks” – and press enter. You will get a list of instances – these are the actual “leaks”.
Pick one of those instances in the objects view, right-click and choose “Show Recursive References”. This will yield a very large list of objects (everything that references your object, directly or indirectly).
In the “Location” dropdown, select “Root Objects”. This will restrict the view to root references only (static variable, persistent root, app registry, local variables, etc).
One of the instances in the list will be of a class called ApplicationRegistryHashtable. Right click on it and choose “Show paths from @xxxxxx to @yyyyy”.
Now you have the reference chain that causes the leak.

If you have a version of the BlackBerry JDE older than 4.6, use the following steps:

In the “Type:” field, enter the name of the class you’re after – e.g. “TestMemoryLeaks” – and press enter. You will get a list of instances – these are the actual “leaks”.
Pick one of those instances in the objects view, right-click and choose “Show References to @xxxxxxx”. This will give you a list of immediate references.
Check if one of the instances in the list is not ApplicationRegistryHashtable. If it is then go to step 6.
Right-click on any item in the new list and select “Show References To This Object List”. This will give you another list.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you reach an instance of ApplicationRegistryHashtable.
Right-click on ApplicationRegistryHashtable and choose “Show paths from @xxxxxx to @yyyyy”.
Now you have the reference chain that causes the leak.

Having the reference chain to the leaked object instance should provide you with enough information about what caused the problem, and to avoid it.

So enough reading, hunters – minimize this browser and go back to your BlackBerry JDE to start the memory leak hunt! After that, come back and share your experience with everyone by posting a comment. Have you found any leaks? What were the core reasons for having the leaks on the first place? Let us all know.

BlackBerry Community Programs – New England BlackBerry Developers Group!

2010-03-14T04:53:00.004-07:00

At the Mobile World Congress 2010 App Planet event we announced the introduction of a new program supporting local, community-led BlackBerry Developer Groups.

Now, we are sending an open call to all BlackBerry developers in the Boston area who are thinking about developing for BlackBerry smartphones and would like more information. The New England BlackBerry Developer Group is now online and will have its first meeting on March 16th in Cambridge, MA! You can find out more about the New England BlackBerry Developers Group here: http://www.meetup.com/New-England-BlackBerry-Developers

To help kick off this new group, Mike Kirkup, Director, Developer Relations at Research In Motion will be on hand as a guest speaker to talk about programs and services available to you as a BlackBerry Developer, and how you can make your app into a Super App!

Members of BlackBerry Developer Groups will benefit from participation in a local community with shared interests in learning, networking and support, will receive regular platform and program updates from RIM, and have access to exclusive discounts for developer certification exams and select BlackBerry developer events and conferences.

More information about BlackBerry Developer Community Programs can be found on Developer Zone – www.blackberry.com/developers/community

Stay tuned – we will continue to keep you updated about news and events from the BlackBerry Developer Community Programs here on the BlackBerry Developer’s Blog!

Announcing the BlackBerry Developer Day at CTIA Wireless

2010-03-14T04:53:00.003-07:00

With the success of the Mobile World Congress Developer Day and the event this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I am pleased to announce that RIM will be hosting a two-day BlackBerry® Developer Day event for attendees of CTIA Wireless on March 23rd and 24th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Located in the North Hall Booth #6775, we will be leading 10 sessions covering the basics of the BlackBerry Development Platform, including Java apps, Web apps, Widgets, Themes, BlackBerry App World and of course, how to be successful at creating Super Apps. We will also have experts on hand to answer any of your platform questions.

We look forward to meeting everyone at the event. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about the potential of the BlackBerry platform from the experts!

MyBlackBerry – New Features, New Look

2010-03-14T04:53:00.002-07:00

When we launched MyBlackBerry™, my friends at Inside BlackBerry asked me, “What’s in store for MyBlackBerry in the future”? My response was that “our intention is to start small and then work with the community to build what they want in a true web 2.0 fashion. It’s onward and upward from here.” For the past six months, this is exactly what we’ve been doing.

We took all of the feedback from the “MyBlackBerry Feature Request” thread, suggestions from some of the other smaller threads that members had started, and a wish list that I had tucked into my drawer, and then we started phase 2 of MyBlackBerry.

There was a lot to consider, and we needed to make sure that we remained true to our promise: that the site is connected to our other communities in Facebook®, MySpace®, and iGoogle™ (with more community connections to come in the future) and that it’s a place about YOU and YOUR BlackBerry® smartphone. Click the link below to read about some of the requests and how we addressed them.

More Countries!

We heard this request loud and clear, and MyBlackBerry is opening up to the world. Currently MyBlackBerry is still English only, but the registration form has opened up. We will continue to notify the community as more languages and carriers are added.

Device-specific areas

A pretty self-explanatory request that we addressed in two ways:

1) Quick links for your specific BlackBerry smartphone along the right-hand nav (including a link to check for BlackBerry® Device Software upgrades);

2) Ability to add your BlackBerry smartphone to “My Topics”. In one click you can see all of the recent discussions related to your smartphone.

Marking Posts as Faves

The request here was to make the more vibrant discussions (”Post your BBM 5.0 Barcode”, for example) really easy to find every time you visit the site. All you need to do is click “Follow Topic” in any discussion and it will be one click away each time you visit. Plus, this is how the site becomes unique to you.

Make the site easier to use

There were a bunch of small tweaks that needed to be made so that people could easily navigate their way through the site. One of the biggest improvements here is staying in the discussion window when you are replying; the previous version of MyBlackBerry took you to a whole new window, so replying to messages is now much more efficient!

And we’re not even done yet! Here are some other things we’re working on:

An app/mobile friendly version (yes, it is coming)
Ability to display your BlackBerry smartphone PIN in your profile
Badges for our super friends who make the site spectacular
Easier ways to make friends

I also want to give a big shout-out to James from the MyBlackBerry community – his dedication to helping us make the site better is truly phenomenal. (Just search for his name in the site, and you will see the lists of suggestions he posted.) Thanks, James!

Hope to see you there! And as always, feedback is welcome.

Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc. iGoogle is a trademark of Google Inc. MySpace is a trademark of News Corporation.

Inside Twitter for BlackBerry (Application Preview)

2010-03-14T04:53:00.001-07:00

I’m excited to introduce you to the first version of Twitter® for BlackBerry® smartphones today. We’re launching Twitter for Blackberry smartphones in a limited preview through invite codes. If you didn’t receive a download code, DON’T WORRY! Head to www.blackberry.com/twitter and sign up to receive notification when Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones is available to all via open public beta later this year. To hold you over until that happens, I’ve put together this application preview of Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones. Let’s get started!

Integrating with the BlackBerry Platform:

The Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones application has been designed to take advantage of the BlackBerry platform to create a user experience that will be familiar to both Twitter and BlackBerry smartphone users. Some of the areas that we have focused on are:

Push technology and Message List integration to notify you of your direct messages as soon as they arrive.
Send/Share BlackBerry menu integration along with bit.ly URL shortening so that you can share your favorite BlackBerry App World™ applications, interesting websites or a random picture from your camera with your Twitter followers.

Here’s what it looks like to recommend an application to your Twitter followers from within BlackBerry App World.

Here’s what it looks like to share a website via Twitter using automatic bit.ly URL shortening from within the BlackBerry® Browser.

You can also capture what’s happening around you with your BlackBerry camera and send the shot straight to TwitPic!

Key Twitter for BlackBerry Smartphone features:

The Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones home page contains navigation icons for @mentions, user profile, direct messages, people search, topic search and trending topics.

Want to see who is following you, or manage who you are following? Access your profile to see and manage both lists.

If you need to talk to your followers directly, you can send a direct message from your Twitter inbox or through your BlackBerry message List.

Use the people search feature to find and follow new people.

Find out what is being said around you using a GPS-enabled BlackBerry smartphone to filter Twitter topic searches based on how close they are to your position.

Check out the current or recent popular Twitter topics to make sure you’re among the first to know what’s being talked about on Twitter.

Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones supports the official Twitter Re-Tweet feature, making it easy to share interesting tweets with your followers.

As I mentioned above, Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones is available right now only through beta invite, but it will soon be available to everyone through Test Center in BlackBerry App World. We would love to hear your thoughts on what additional Twitter features you’d like to see in the application. Some examples we have in mind are: Geo-Tagging; Lists; Profile Editing and Multi-Account login. Make sure to sign up for notification, and stay tuned to Inside BlackBerry, MyBlackBerry and our official Twitter accounts for more details.

Twitter is a trademark of Twitter, Inc.

Inside the BlackBerry Stand at Mobile World Congress!

2010-03-14T04:53:00.000-07:00

We’re just a few hours into Mobile World Congress 2010 (in beautiful Barcelona, Spain), and already the BlackBerry stand in Hall 8 of Fira Barcelona is teeming with people. We have lots of great content planned throughout the week (our sister blog, the BlackBerry Developer’s Blog, will be a hotspot of information tomorrow), we wanted to take the time to publish a few photos and these important reminders:

Follow us! We’ll be active on our Flickr, YouTube and Twitter accounts all week, so make sure to check them out.
Our dedicate Inside BlackBerry Mobile World Congress blog is live and contains important event information, key contact and scheduling links, and the latest posts, tweets and pictures from the show. Check back often!
If you’re attending Mobile World Congress, come see us! This handy map will help you reach the BlackBerry stand.

Post a comment and let us know what you’d like to see us cover at Mobile World Congress this week!

View more photos at the official BlackBerry Flickr account.

Introducing BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express

2010-03-14T04:52:00.000-07:00

We’re excited to introduce BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express today, a new server software offering that enables businesses of any size to quickly and easily get started with the BlackBerry solution. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express works with Microsoft email servers, including Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 and 2003 and Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2007 and 2003, to provide users with secure, push-based, wireless access to email, calendar, contacts, notes, tasks, and more.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is also free: the software requires no additional user license fees, and works with any Internet-enabled or enterprise data plan.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express benefits both the BlackBerry smartphone end user and IT administrators. Click the links below to learn more about the end user, IT management and security features of BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express end user features
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express IT management and support features
BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express security features

Don’t forget to also register for BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express availability updates. In the coming weeks, the Inside BlackBerry blog team will be talking more about BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server in general (a topic that might be quite new to many of our readers), so stay tuned!

Just How Thick Is The BlackBerry Slider?

2010-03-06T07:59:00.003-08:00

So, photos of the BlackBerry Slider have been making their way around the web for 24 hours or so and there a lot of questions being asked about the device. What OS will the BlackBerry Slider run? What kind of touchscreen does it have? Will it be called Storm or Bold? I’ve got just one question that I am most concerned about.

Just how thick is the BlackBerry Slider?

There is no question that the BlackBerry Slider is going to be thicker than its fixed keyboard and toucscreen only counterparts. The question is how much thicker will it be? BBLeaks has some higher quality pics of the BlackBerry slider up and the one you are looking has the slider right next to a BlackBerry Curve 8900. The Slider, clearly, is thicker than the 8900, however, the angle just doesn’t really allow you to see how much.

7 Free BlackBerry Applications To Help You Find Something To Eat.

2010-03-06T07:59:00.001-08:00

True story… A friend of mine in town on business just sent me a PIN message asking if I knew of any good places to get something for lunch near the office building he is in downtown. I haven’t worked downtown for 10 years so I told him to tell me what he was in the mood for and I would look something up. He said that is what he was going to do but he was already on the street and didn’t have his laptop.

To make a long story short, I told him that there are like a gazillion (a few dozen or more) BlackBerry applications designed to do exactly what he was asking me to do. Here is a list of 7 of them that you absolutely can’t beat the price.

GoodFoodNearYou — GoodFoodNearYou helps you find the best food options at twenty restaurants near you. In one simple search, you get free and instant access to the menus and nutrition information for popular casual dining restaurants, fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores near your location.
```
Download GoodFoodNearYou
```
Urbanspoon — Can’t decide where to eat? Urbanspoon can help. Spin the Urbanspoon slot machine and it will pick a good restaurant for you to try. Keep spinning until you find a restaurant you are happy with.The app uses GPS and Urbanspoon’s ratings to find a good restaurant near you. You can filter by neighborhood, cuisine, or price. Search and browse, or see a list of all nearby restaurants. Urbanspoon also shows ratings and reviews from newspapers, bloggers and fellow eaters.
```
Download Urbanspoon
```
OpenTable — With OpenTable for BlackBerry® you can make free restaurant reservations at over 11,000 OpenTable network restaurants in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. Plus, OpenTable members earn valuable Dining Rewards Points redeemable for Dining Cheques good at any OpenTable restaurant.
```
Download OpenTable
```
Yelp — Looking for a burrito joint open now? An Irish pub nearby? A gas station you can drive to before your tank hits empty? Yelp for your BlackBerry® is here to help. Use us to search for places to eat, shop, drink, relax and play then read reviews from an active community of locals in the know.
```
Download Yelp
```
Good Food — GoodFood is the best way to find great places to eat! See restaurants near you on an interactive map and filter by cuisine or price to find the perfect one. Browse recommendations from users like you.
```
Download GoodFood
```
Poynt — Use Poynt to find people, businesses, movie theatres, retailers and restaurants near you. Poynt uses GPS or cell-site locations to pinpoint you and quickly deliver the information you need whenever and wherever you need it.
```
Download Poynt
```
Where — Looking for somewhere new to eat tonight? Want to know what movies are playing at the local theater or somewhere else close by? Traveling and want to find the cheapest gas or closest cup of coffee? Everywhere you go, this app will help you find just about anything local – restaurants, news, weather, cheap gas, movies, friends and more!
```
Download Where
```

Simple Mobile Review Podcast #9: We Interview Patrick Hankinson From Tether (FKA) TetherBerry

2010-03-06T07:58:00.005-08:00

In episode #9 of the Simple Mobile Review Podcast we interview Patrick Hankinson, one of the founders of Tether, formerly TetherBerry.

You don’t want to miss this episode… Patrick has a little something for listeners.

Manage Your AT&T Account With myWireless Mobile For BlackBerry

2010-03-06T07:58:00.003-08:00

AT&T today announced the availability of myWireless Mobile for BlackBerry, a free app that allows AT&T wireless subscribers to easily manage family and individual accounts directly from their handset.

myWireless Mobile for BlackBerry features include:

Bill Payment – Pay your bill directly from your phone
Voice and Data Usage – View usage for minutes, data and messaging
Features – Add or remove features, including new texting plans and more, directly from your handset

AT&T subscribers can download myWireless Mobile for BlackBerry by pointing their devices browserto http://www.att.com/mybb. myWireless Mobile runs on the following AT&T BlackBerry devices. BlackBerry 9700, 900o, 8900, 8520, 8320, and 8310.

Deal Of The Day: Tether For BlackBerry 50% Off

2010-03-06T07:58:00.001-08:00

It’s been a while since we’ve posted our last BlackBerry Deal of the Day, however, we’ve got a good one for. Tether for BlackBerry, formerly known as TetherBerry, is $24.97, 50% off the regular price of $49.95.

It just so happens that in episode #9 of the Simple Mobile Review Podcast we interviewed Patrick Hankinson, one of the founders of Tether and he answers a lot of questions that we have about using your BlackBerry as a modem for your laptop.

If you don’t already know, Tether for BlackBerry is an application that allows you to tether your device to your Mac or Windows laptop via the USB cable or Bluetooth allowing you to use your BlackBerry device’s wireless connection to access the internet. Instead of paying a monthly fee to your wireless provider, you can pay 50% of the regular one time price of Tether for BlackBerry,$24.99.

The Deal of the Day Tether for BlackBerry 50% Off Sale is only for Friday, March 6th, so act fast. Tether is definitely worth the price…

Guest Post: The Curse Of New Every Two

2010-03-06T07:57:00.004-08:00

The wireless industry in America runs on a two-year system. When customers sign up, they typically agree to a two-year contract, with penalties of up to $200 for early termination. In exchange for this commitment, customers receive a discount, sometimes steep, on a mobile phone. Carriers base this format on the theory that a customer’s monthly payments will eventually cover the cost of the phone.

For years the system worked well enough. Customers would sign a new contract every two years, trading in their flip or candybar phones for newer models. Sure, some phones were a bit cooler looking than others, but there wasn’t a huge difference among them. Smartphones, however, changed the environment. Why, then, haven’t carriers changed the way they sell phones and plans?

The first major issue we encounter is selection. Again, with flip and candybar phones there might have been minor differences, but for the most part they performed similarly. This is not the case with smartphones. Different smartphones have different form factors, different operating systems, different email delivery methods, and different application selections. While that can mean more functionality, it can also mean a greater chance of picking a phone that you end up not liking.

Lately, the two-year contract has presented an even greater conundrum for smartphone users. Like many manufacturers, Research In Motion has apparently adopted the one-a-year strategy for its smartphone releases. The BlackBerry Bold 9700, released in November 2009, came a year after the Bold 9000. The Storm2, released in late October 2009, came just less than a year after the BlackBerry Storm 9530. It appears the Tour, released in July 2009, will get an update sometime in March, just eight months after the original’s release. Even the Curve 8900 will get a quick update, as the 8910 appears headed for at least one U.S. carrier.

The problem with this scheme is immediately apparent. Customers who bought the original Storm in November 2008 still had a year left on their contracts when RIM and Verizon released the Storm2. Tour users might be even more upset, as they will still have 16 months on their contracts when the Tour 9650 hits CDMA carriers. This raises the question of why we still operate on the two-year contract system when the gadgets are released far more frequently?

When we look at the retail price of these devices, the answer becomes apparent. If you bought the Tour back in July, accepting Verizon’s subsidy, you can still upgrade to the 9650 when it is released. Verizon will not offer you another subsidy, though. Instead they’ll charge full retail price for the device, which can run between $400 and $600, and probably sitting on the higher end for a device like the 9650. This is more representative of the price the carrier would charge if it did not offer the exchange of a two-year commitment. Who, then, would pay $400 to $600 per year to upgrade devices?

Apple seems to have realized this. They sold the original iPhone in the above-mentioned price range, but when it came time, a year later, to release the iPhone 3G, they worked with AT&T to offer a subsidy. There might have been other reasons behind this, but one issue had to have been the ability of customers to pay this much for a gadget as it receives yearly upgrades. By cutting the price to $200 they’ve made the upgrades more affordable, though they’ve made it more difficult by having a contract in the equation.

Companies like Apple and RIM wouldn’t continue this practice if it didn’t work, so we can assume that the device-every-year scheme will continue for the time being. It might annoy customers who bought the device one year and miss out on the follow-up the next. Considering the alternative, purchasing the device at full-price, it might be the best format we have. That won’t stop my annoyance, though, at having a Tour for the next 15 or 16 months, while others tote around the 9650.

BlackBerry OS 5.0.0.536 Leaked For The Bold 9700

2010-03-06T07:57:00.003-08:00

OS 5.0.0.536 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 has been leaked. If you are feeling adventurous you can pick it up via the following link…

Download BlackBerry OS 5.0.0.536 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700

Get A Free 30 Day Trial Of PrivacyStar: Reverse Call Lookup And Call Blocker For BlackBerry

2010-03-06T07:57:00.001-08:00

PrivacyStar gives you ultimate control of your phone! From your call log you can add any number to your PrivacyList which will stop that caller from calling you again! Don’t know whose number that is? Use the PrivacyStar™ lookup feature to determine the caller’s name and decide to add them to your PrivacyList or to your Contacts so the next time they call you’ll know who’s calling! Additionally, any number you create a complaint for is made available to regulatory agencies on your behalf. You have complete visibility into all numbers blocked and all complaints filed at all times! To allow a caller to call you again is just as easy – simply delete the number from your PrivacyList.

PrivacyStar features include:

Report offenders to authorities directly using PrivacyStar
Block unwanted callers from your call log menu or enter numbers manually
Block private or unknown callers
Block Exchanges
On demand PrivacyStar caller identification
Fully integrated with your PrivacyStar.com portal
Keep track of how many PrivacyStar calls you’re receiving

To get your free 30 day trial of PrivacyStar, follow the link below then enter your email address. An OTA link will be sent directly to your BlackBerry.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express: Frequently Asked Questions

2010-03-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

When we announced BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express at Mobile World Congress 2010 we received lots of interest from you in finding out more about it. Now that BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is officially available we wanted to answer some of your questions. So with the help of my more technically savvy coworkers, I’ve compiled a list of FAQs about BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express.

Q: So what does BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express mean for me (aka: the BlackBerry smartphone user)?

A: It means you can have what you want: access to your work email, calendar, contacts and more from your personal BlackBerry smartphone – and your IT department also gets what they want: a BlackBerry wireless sync solution that is highly secure and manageable.

Plus, the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software is available at a great price (no charge!). And since you’re already paying for your internet-enabled BlackBerry service plan from your wireless service provider, there are no additional software licensing costs for your organization to provide you with access to your work email from your BlackBerry smartphone.

Q: Am I going to have to pay an extra fee per month to use this?

A: BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is free to all businesses – there is no software licensing cost and no client access license fees. For you, the end user, the only cost is the internet-enabled BlackBerry service plan from your wireless service provider. (This means if you can browse the Internet from your BlackBerry smartphone today you are already on a service plan that can be used with BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express).

Q: Which applications are supported by BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express?

A: It’s actually easier to tell you what applications BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express doesn’t support =D. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express does not support certain premium solutions supported by the full version of BlackBerry® Enterprise Server. These are things like Enterprise Instant Messaging Clients, Enterprise Social Networking Solutions, Chalk® Pushcast Software, and BlackBerry® Mobile Voice System. Outside of that, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express users will be able to enjoy the thousands of applications available on BlackBerry App World™ and will also be able to tap into behind the firewall applications when assisted by their IT departments (e.g. CRM applications).

Q: What do I need to have/do to use BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express?

A: It’s fairly simple to get started with BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express – here is what you and your company needs:

End-user Requirements:

A BlackBerry smartphone
Subscription to an internet-enabled BlackBerry service plan from your wireless service provider

Company Requirements:

Microsoft® Exchange 2010, 2007, 2003 OR Windows® Small Business Server 2008, 2003
Download and install the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software (at no charge!) on your existing Microsoft Exchange or Windows Small Business Server
Those looking for more info can read the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express full system requirements (.PDF)

Your IT admin will then simply need to add you and your BlackBerry smartphone into the system and you will be ready and set to go.

Q: What are the end-user features that are available with the BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express?

A: Below is a list of a few key BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express features. Please note some of these features require BlackBerry® Device Software version 5.0.

Advanced business email features

Highly secure push-based HTML corporate email – connected to your work email account
Synced inboxes (i.e., email deleted from work Outlook account are also deleted from your BlackBerry smartphone – no need to manage 2 inboxes)
Ability to flag emails for follow-up from your BlackBerry smartphone
Search your desktop inbox for messages from your BlackBerry smartphone
Set up out of office replies from your BlackBerry smartphone
Access and update important notes and tasks
Edit Microsoft® Word, Microsoft® Excel® and Microsoft® PowerPoint® files on your BlackBerry smartphone using Documents To Go®

A calendar that’s always up-to-date

Access to an up-to-date calendar that is synched wirelessly (No need to tether to your desktop!)
See coworkers’ free/busy status (this should make setting up meetings easy)
View, download and forward calendar attachments

Advanced contact features

Wireless address lookup (changes to your corporate address book are reflected almost immediately on your BlackBerry smartphone)
Synchronization between your desktop address book and your BlackBerry smartphone address book (that means when you add a contact to one, it is automatically updated in the other)

Behind the firewall access

Access to your corporate intranet
Remote file access – access your corporate documents and network drives from your BlackBerry smartphone

Check Out Boost Mobile’s Unlimited Monthly BlackBerry Curve 8330 Plan

2010-02-02T04:25:00.006-08:00

Boost Mobile is now offering a monthly unlimited plan on the BlackBerry Curve 8330. The device costs $249.99 and the plan is $60 per month for, pretty much, unlimited everything.

This is the ultimate option if you want all the features the BlackBerry^® Curve™ 8330 smartphone has to offer without being tied down by a contract. With unlimited talk, text, web and email on the BlackBerry Monthly Unlimited plan, you stay connected when you’re on the go. The BlackBerry smartphone strikes the perfect balance between functionality, design and usability by offering phone, personal email, contacts, calendar, expandable memory, GPS Navigation and enhanced web browsing as well as allowing you to enjoy your music, videos and pictures along the way.

BlackBerry Monthly Unlimited plan features and highlights:

Available with the BlackBerry Curve 8330 smartphone from Boost Mobile
- - Email & Enhanced Web Browsing (voice and data powered by the Nationwide SprintNetwork)
- - Access up to 10 additional email addresses (Yahoo!, Google, Hotmail, AOL, Microsoft OutlookWeb Mail, IMAP, & POP Email Accounts)
- - Connect to IM portals (BlackBerry^® Messenger, Google Talk, AIM^® , Yahoo!^® Messenger)
- - Social networks & Internet access (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter)
- - Access to BlackBerry App World™
Unlimited talk
Unlimited text, including multi-media messaging
Unlimited web with high-speed 3G data connection on the Sprint mobile broadband network
Unlimited email (up to 10 personal email accounts)
Voicemail and call waiting included
Long distance and nationwide network included
No contracts
International Connect for an additional $10/month:
- – Unlimited calling to Mexico (select cities)
  *Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey (to landlines only)
- – Unlimited calling to Canada
  *Excludes the Northern Territories (area code/city code 867)
- – Unlimited international text messages worldwide from the U.S.
- – Unlimited international text messages from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (CDMA Series phones)
- – Add International Connect for $10/month

$249.99 for a BlackBerry Curve 8330 is a bit pricey compared to other phones offered by Boost Mobile, but, $60 per month for unlimited useage is a pretty darn good deal, especially when you don’t have to sign up to multi-year contract.

I suspect that that this will become a fairly popular item for Boost Mobile…

[Source]

All Fabian Heuwieser BlackBerry Software 30% Off Until Feb. 1st

2010-02-02T04:25:00.005-08:00

BlackBerry Developer extraordinaire , Fabian Heuwieser, creator of some of the top selling BlackBerry applications, like LaterDude Pro and VibeandRing, is offering all his BlackBerryapplications for 30% off the regular price.

All you have to do is enter in promotion code newyear123 when checking out. We should not that Fabian has some pretty cool free applications in addition to his premium ones and you can check them all out in the RIMarkable BlackBerry App Store via the link below.

RIM Said On Facebook That The BlackBerry Tour 9650 Is Coming Soon… Then They Deleted It

2010-02-02T04:25:00.003-08:00

Earlier today, Research in Motion said on the official BlackBerry Facebook page, “BlackBerry Tour 9650 coming soon. The update was promptly pulled from the site, but, not before at least 189 people “Liked” the comment and 72 people replied to it.

It doesn’t look like the 9650 will be called the BlackBerry Tour2 after all…

[Source]

Mobile Heist: Get 50% Off Our 10 Best Selling BlackBerry Games

2010-02-02T04:25:00.001-08:00

Save 50% Off Our 10 Best Selling BlackBerry Games

Git Your Game On BlackBerry Users! Jan. 28th (today) through Jan. 30th save 50% off our 10 best selling BlackBerry games.

Check Out this months Mobile Heist on your desktop, or, via your BlackBerry…

Here is a list of the games you can get 50% off…

Aces Traffic Pack – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Addictive Tower Defense – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Air Traffic Control – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Bubble Defense – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Druglord Wars – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Fierce Towers – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Labyrinth – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Memory Checker – retail price $6.99 $3.49
Solitaire Buddy Gold – retail price $6.95 3.47
SwooshSudoku – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Wrath – retail price $4.99 $2.49
Aces Texas Hold’em – retail price $4.99 $2.49

Simple Mobile Review Podcast #4… iPad, iFlop, iKnow

2010-02-02T04:24:00.004-08:00

The 4th episode of the Simple Mobile Review Podcast is up. Needless to say, we do a lot of talking about the iPad…

T-Mobile Laucnhing Free BlackBerry Trackball Replacement Program

2010-02-02T04:24:00.003-08:00

Beginning Feb. 15th, T0Mobile is launching a Free BlackBerry Trackball Replacement program where any BlackBerry Pearl 8100/8120 or BlackBerry Curve 8320users experience issues with their trackball on devices purchase from T-Mobile can take their device into a T-Mobile store and have their trackball replaced for free.

As many of you older trackball bearing BlackBerry users know, these things get gummed up over time, especially if you tend to carry your device around in your pocket or purse. Our hats go off to T-Mobile for offering this service.

[Via TmoNews]

There Is A New Version of Loopt For BlackBerry Out

2010-02-02T04:24:00.001-08:00

There is a new version of Loopt for the BlackBerry out with some pretty cool new features… My favorite being the ability to launch Loopt directly from your contacts. The map is also its own tab now, making it easier to locate your friends.

For those of you not familiar with Loopt, it is basically a Location Based Service / Social Networkingapplication all wrapped up into one…

Loopt shows users where friends are located and what they are doing via detailed, interactive maps on their mobile phones. Loopt helps friends connect on the fly and navigate their social lives by orienting them to people, places and events. Users can also share location updates, geo-tagged photos and comments with friends in their mobile address book or on online social networks, communities and blogs. Loopt was designed with user privacy at its core and offers a variety of effective and intuitive privacy controls.

Loopt is a free BlackBerry download that you can pick up on BlackBerry App World or by downloading it directly to your BlackBerry via the link below.

10 Reasons Why The iPad Is An iMiss

2010-02-02T04:23:00.005-08:00

I’ll be honest with you… Although the iPhone is not the smartphone for me, I’m a huge fan of Apple. I love the Mac. There are at least 7 iPods in my house at the moment. I’m even seriously contemplating making my next laptop a MacBook. That being said, I was really hoping that the iPad would have been a device that I would just have to go out and get day one. Needless to say, I was sadly disappointed.

The iPad is nothing more than an iMiss

In my opinion, the iPad is nothing more than an iMiss. There are so many reasons why the iPad misses the mark, but, for the sake of brevity, I am going to just rattle off 10…

The iPad is a big frigging iPod Touch — no explanation really need here other than the iPad is a big frigging iPod Touch.

No Multitasking — Apple must know that only being able to do one thing at a time on an iPhone sucks. What in the world would make them think it wouldn’t suck to the tenth power on a tablet.

The iPad solves no problem — Less accessing proprietary content offered only on the iPad, what do you do with this thing that you can’t do more effectively on other devices that are generally less expensive?

Ebooks are ridiculously overpriced — Why the 33% premium on eBooks that will cause me way more eyestrain while reading them than on real eReaders… Seriously Apple, what were you thinking on this one?

The iPad is a big frigging iPod Touch — This point was worth mentioning twice, as the iPad isn’t even as cool as the iPod Touch.

No Flash Support – Jobs says that the iPad offers the best web browsing experience available yet his little fight with Adobe keeps the iPad from accessing much of the content available to you on the web. #FAIL

4:3 Screen Format – Watching movies on the iPad might be cool only if the thing were WideScreen.

No USB Port — You need an adapter for USB? You need an adapter for just about anyting that you would like to plugin to the iPad, but, no USB? Are you frigging kidding me?

No Camera – A device like this really should have a front facing camera. Apple knows this. They just want to nickle and dime your by making you buy an accessory, or, upgrading to next years iPad which undoubtedly will have a camera.

Only Runs Apps From The App Store — Controlling what Apps go into your App Store is one thing. Only allowing Apps from your App Store to run on your hardware is completely another. You get away with this on the iPhone because you were first, the market is still catching up, and people don’t think of iPhones as computers, but, more of an appliance. The iPad, on the other hand, won’t have this luxury. Android is coming for you hard on this point, but, I will leave that for another post…

The list of reasons that the iPad is an iMiss goes on and on, and, even with all that has been said, Apple made the price point low enough that a lot of people will buy it without much thought to whether it sucks or not. The iPad will probably do fairly well, but not nearly as well as they hype machine that is Apple is hoping for.

How Will RIM Handle Memory In The Next BlackBerry OS?

2010-02-02T04:23:00.003-08:00

One of the big complaints about the BlackBerry when compared to other smartphones is that a lot of the applications that run on the BlackBerry seem outdated and less sophisticated when compared those that run on devices like the iPhone and those running WebOS or Android. To make a long story short, the complaints are fairly valid and much of the issue is because of the way that the BlackBerry utilizes memory.

Without getting too technical, BlackBerry devices, no matter how much memory they have, whether it be internal device memory or on removable memory cards, utilize a small fraction of of the memory available to them for running and storing applications. The latest BlackBerrys use 256 MB of internal device memory in which they store all built in core applications as well as any add-on or third party applications. This isn’t a problem so long as you want to run only a few BlackBerry apps that don’t take up a lot of space.

Pretty Graphics Take Up A Lot Of Space

There are games that you can buy for the iPhone that take up as much space by themselves as the available application memory free space on many BlackBerry devices with no third party applications installed. Because of the way BlackBerry devices handle memory, developers are handcuffed from creating applications with a lot of rich textures, extensive 3D graphics, recorded audio, and many of the “next gen” application features the consumers think BlackBerry apps lack.

How will RIM handle memory in the next BlackBerry OS?

We know that some newer BlackBerry devices now support 3D graphics acceleration. Rumor has it that the next BlackBerry Browser will be the baddest WebKit browser available once released. We’ve even heard the RIM is going to finally release a BlackBerry with a full touch screen and slide-out keyboard. The question, however, that I have for RIM, is how are they going to address there memory problem? If they don’t figure this out soon, all the other enhancements may be for not.

OS 5.0.0.463 Leaked For The BlackBerry Curve 8530

2010-02-02T04:23:00.001-08:00

BlackBerry OS 5.0.0.463 hasn’t been officially released for the BlackBerry Curve 8530, however, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get it.

Download OS 5.0.0.463 for the BlackBerry Curve

Microsoft Tag: Basically QR Code Type Mobile Tags, But, All Microsoftish

2010-02-02T04:22:00.000-08:00

Many BlackBerry users, especially those using BlackBerry Messenger 5, are already familiar with Mobile Tags, or, QR Codes, as they are properly referred to. QR codes are a type of 2D barcode that can be scanned by most smartphones and even many feature phones allowing the user to access a website , contact information, product information, pretty much anything. QR Codes are widely popular in Japan, and, pretty much has become a global standard.

Microsoft has never let global standardization get in the way of “progress”, so, they have introduced their own Mobile Tag technology called Microsoft Tag.

Now, I should say that Microsoft Tag wasn’t just released. It has actually been around for a while. It does, however, seem to be catching on lately. At least here in America…

WES Wireless Leadership Awards – Apply Now!

2010-02-02T04:21:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again where we want to help you show off your successes. We’re now taking applications for our Wireless Leadership Awards at our annual Wireless Enterprise Symposium.

Every year we present the Wireless Leadership Awards to BlackBerry customers who’ve deployed innovative solutions and are using wireless technology to make big improvements – whether it’s to help their customers, drive social networking for their employees or to impact the bottom line.

Prizes for the winning customers include:

Finalists will also receive WES registration passes, access to the reception, a BlackBerry smartphone and BlackBerry Solutions Services package.

Just make sure you enter by the deadline: March 7, 2010.

For more information, including the Terms and Conditions, visit: www.attendwes.com/wla

And if you have questions about the 2010 Wireless Leadership Awards, contact leadershipawards@rim.com (or post a comment below). We look forward to all the entries!

BlackBerry. The Number One Selling Smartphone Brand In America

2010-01-22T18:18:00.001-08:00

21tweets retweet

I am not quite sure how long this banner has been in rotation on the BlackBerry website, but, RIM appears to be quietly letting people know that the BlackBerry is top dog when it comes to smartphones in America.

Many have made a big to do about the BlackBerry Curve 8300, losing it’s number one status to the the iPhone last year, but, failed to realize, or care, that RIM cannibalized it’sbest seller a bit when they introduced its successor, the BlackBerry Curve 8500.

All is well with the BlackBerry brand and at Research in Motion

. Even though the Curve 8300 may not have been the number one seller last year, the BlackBerry brand is still clearly number one. As a matter of fact, RIM actually increased their lead over the iPhone as far as total market share is concerned .

It looks like the iPhone is just not the BlackBerry killer everyone thought it would be…

RIMarkable Does The Simple Mobile Review Podcast

2010-01-22T18:17:00.006-08:00

8tweets retweet

Hey folks,

In case you are interested, I just did my first podcast over onSimpleMobileReview.com. To make a long story short, I absolutely had a blast and it will be something that I do weekly for the foreseeable future.

If you want to hear three guys with way too much time on their hands and a ridiculous obsession for gadgets talk about tech, news, mobile phones, and the more than occasional rant, check out the Simple Mobile Review Podcast.

Deal Of The Day: Tether For BlackBerry 50% Off

2010-01-22T18:17:00.005-08:00

9tweets retweet

So, if you missed the deal on Tether for BlackBerry that ended Wednesday, we’ve got some great news for you. Our Friday BlackBerry Deal of the Day is Tether for BlackBerry and you will be able to get it for 50% of the regular price of$49.95, costing you only $24.98. This will, however, be the last Tether for BlackBerry sale for a while, so, you have to act today.

Google Mobile For BlackBerry Adds Local Contact And Email Search

2010-01-22T18:17:00.003-08:00

8tweets retweet

Last week on the Google Mobile Blog a new version of Google Mobile App for BlackBerry was introduced and cool new features have been added including the ability to do email and contact searches locally on your device. Additionally, the ability to access the internet in Google Mobile App via your devices Wi-Fi connection has been added.

Google Mobile App is a free BlackBerry download and you can download it directly to your device via the link below…

Pandora Internet Radio For BlackBerry Updated

2010-01-22T18:17:00.001-08:00

8tweets retweet

We just heard that Pandora Internet Radio for BlackBerry has been updated from version 1.1.3 to version 1.1.3.1. This update seems to be more of a patch / bug update as no significant new functionality was added.

According to the change log, 1.1.3.1 …

Fixed hanging on startup for some listeners (with no error message popping up even after waiting several minutes)
Fixed problem with tracks occasionally ending early (in the last 30 seconds of the track)

Pandora for BlackBerry is a free BlackBerry download and you can pick it up on BlackBerry App World, or via the link below directly from your BlackBerry browser.

RIM Launches BlackBerry Clients For Lotus Quickr And Lotus Connections

2010-01-22T18:16:00.006-08:00

10tweets retweet

Today at Lotusphere 2010 Research in Motion launched two new BlackBerry applications, one for IBM Lotus Quickr and one for IBM Lotus Connections, that will allow secure mobile collaboration and social networking on the BlackBerry platform. The new BlackBerry clients are respectively called BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Quickr and BlackBerry Client for for IBM Lotus Connections.

RIM Further Mobilizes IBM Lotus Software on the BlackBerry Platform

New BlackBerry Apps for IBM Lotus Quickr and Lotus Connections Allow Secure Mobile Collaboration and Social Networking on BlackBerry Smartphones

ORLANDO, FL – Lotusphere – To support the growing interest by enterprises for mobile collaboration and social networking, Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that it is further mobilizing IBM (NYSE: IBM) Lotus® Software on the BlackBerry® platform.

RIM is launching today the new BlackBerry® Client for IBM Lotus® Quickr®, enabling secure mobile access to IBM’s document-based collaboration software from BlackBerry® smartphones. RIM is also releasing a new version of the BlackBerry® Client for IBM Lotus® Connections® for enterprise social networking. These applications, along with the BlackBerry® Client for IBM Lotus® Sametime® for unified communications and collaboration, deliver secure, deeply integrated and intuitive mobile experiences for enterprise customers on the BlackBerry platform.

“Just as RIM securely and efficiently mobilized Lotus Domino email on the BlackBerry platform, we are mobilizing collaboration and social networking for businesses,” said David Yach, CTO for Software at Research In Motion. “We have built these powerful BlackBerry applications for Lotus Software in order to make it very easy for mobile workers to tap into their enterprise knowledge-bases and stay connected with colleagues; and, equally important, we have made it easy for IT departments to align with corporate policies and efficiently deliver these capabilities in a protected and manageable environment.”

The BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Quickr makes content sharing easy and secure. BlackBerry smartphone users can quickly and easily navigate IBM Lotus Quickr libraries and folders; upload, preview or download content; and edit files within Quickr’s version controls. The application also tightly integrates with the BlackBerry Email application and the Documents To Go® suite on a BlackBerry smartphone – allowing users to edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files – for a robust and seamless work experience.

The BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Connections extends key IBM Lotus Connections components to BlackBerry smartphones, including the ability to work with IBM Lotus Connections Profiles, Communities, Bookmarks, Activities and Blogs. The Client also tightly integrates with core BlackBerry smartphone applications for phone, email, browser, tasks, contacts and camera to create a seamless and intuitive user experience.

Updates to the server component – the BlackBerry Social Networking Application Proxy server – optimizes the data sent between IBM Lotus Connections or IBM Lotus Quickr and BlackBerry smartphones in order to improve performance and minimize data plan usage. Administrators can also generate usage reports.

The BlackBerry applications for IBM Lotus Quickr and Lotus Connections offer a range of benefits to enterprise customers including:

Fast access to information – There’s no need to launch the browser and log in, and no time spent waiting for web pages to render.
Optimized for mobile use – The BlackBerry Clients are deeply integrated with core applications in the smartphone for a seamless and intuitive experience.
Multitasking – The BlackBerry smartphone OS allows multiple applications to run at the same time, which makes them ideal for social networking and collaboration while mobile.
Market-leading end-to-end security – Integration with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server provides very strong encryption and high security standards, a top requirement by CIOs for the use of social networking and collaboration solutions in the enterprise.
Mobile application management – Leveraging the over-the-air application push capabilities, robust IT policies and advanced controls of BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, IT departments can save a tremendous amount of time when deploying these apps, especially when deployments involve hundreds or thousands of users.

For more information about BlackBerry apps for IBM Lotus software, visitwww.blackberry.com/go/lotus.

About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wirelessnetwork standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used herein, words such as “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information available to Research In Motion Limited. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, possible product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, the initiation or outcome of litigation, acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, significant fluctuations of quarterly operating results, changes in Canadian and foreign laws and regulations, continued acceptance of RIM’s products, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party networks to provide services, dependence on intellectual property rights, and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in RIM’s periodic reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory authorities. RIM has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

FCC Approves BlackBerry Curve 8910… Confirms No 3G

2010-01-22T18:16:00.005-08:00

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The BlackBerry Curve 8910 has received FCC approval. It is basically a BlackBerryCurve 8900 with trackball, and it’s been confirmed that, like it predecessor, theBlackBerry Curve 8910 lacks 3G.

Many question why Research in Motion continues to pump out devices that don’t have 3G, but, to make a long story short, carriers like T-Mobile keep ordering them and AT&T keep ordering them.

[Via PhoneScoope]

BlackBerry Tip: Easy Way To Send Contact Information Using vCards

2010-01-22T18:16:00.003-08:00

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One of the things that I miss from way back in the day when I was as die-hard about Windows Mobile devices as I am now about BlackBerry devices is the ease that you could “beam” your contact information to another WinMo or Palm user. Devices where equipped with infra-red sensors and all you had to do to quickly give or get contact information from someone was pair your device with theirs and beam it to them.

I know that there are security risks (gaping holes in security) with infra red and this is a big reason why most wireless devices no longer have it, however, the downside of no infra red is that exchanging contact info can be a bit of a chore… That is unless you’ve got a few BlackBerry tricks up your sleeve.

A question that I regularly get from new BlackBerry users, especially new consumer BlackBerry users, is “Is there an easy way to share contact information with someone?” The short answer is “Yes, just send them a vCard”, but, that is usually followed by a look of confusion and possibly, ” What is a vCard?”.

A vCard is basically an electronic business card. It is comprised of any information that you enter into a contact on your BlackBerry. If you want to easily send your contact information to someone else, simply create a contact for yourself adding all the information that you would like to share, i.e., address, email, PIN, telephone number, etc., and save it. To send a vCard to someone:

Go to your contacts on your BlackBerry
Highlight your name in the contacts list
Hit the BlackBerry menu button
Select “Send As Attachment”
Type in the email address or name (if already in your contacts) of the person you want to send your vCard to and send.

The one caveat to sending a vCard is that you must already have the PIN (if they’re a BlackBerry user) or email address of the person that you are trying to send your contact information to. In an upcoming BlackBerry Tip we’ll show you how to quickly exchange PINs with another BlackBerry user.

Tagged as: vCard

Free Wallpaper Shifter For BlackBerry OS 4.7 And Higher Devices

2010-01-22T18:16:00.001-08:00

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If you regularly like to change the wallpapers on your BlackBerry, here is a free BlackBerry application that you’ll want to take a look at.

Wallpaper Shifter v1.0, from MMMOOO is a smart tool enables your BB to change wallpaper automatically, you can define a folder and desired interval at the same time.

Wallpaper Shifter v1.0 support BlackBerry OS 4.7 and higher on both touchscreen and non-touchscreen BlackBerry devices. Wallpaper Shifter is a free BlackBerry download and you can get it from the RIMarkable App Store via the link below…