BlackBerry Cool

Jim Balsillie Announces RIM to Produce BlackBerrys in Brazil

2010-03-12T06:26:55Z

Jim Balsillie announced that RIM have signed an accord with Singapore’s Flextronics to manufacture the Curve 8520 in Brazil. This is part of a greater market strategy at RIM to target Latin America, which Jim once described as an upcoming Western Europe. “It is extremely important for us to be here to manufacture locally and sell locally,” Basillie said in an interview in Sao Paulo, where he is on a visit. RIM currently manufactures devices in Mexio, which has helped them secure about 35% of the mobile phone device market in Latin America.

Latest comScore Data Shows BlackBerry Dominates US Market

2010-03-12T15:29:34Z

Recent data from comScore suggests that RIM controls 43% of the smartphone market in the US. The data has been collected from November 2009 to January 2010, and suggests that there are 42.7 million smartphones users in the US. According to these numbers, you would expect over 18 million people to be using a BlackBerry in the US during the period recorded. Another interesting data point relates to the growth rate during this period.

According to comScore, BlackBerry grew by 1.7% from November to January, while Apple only climbed 0.3%. These numbers are vastly different than the global growth rates recorded by IDC. Analyst market share reports are continually coming out and it’s always important to take notice of how the data is collected before running to the bank with these numbers.

Formula 1 Timing App for BlackBerry with Circuit Data and Schedules

2010-03-12T03:33:11Z

Formula One is here with the first races starting this weekend in Bahrain. With the Live Timing App for BlackBerry, you can track the progress of every driver, from their position and best lap time, to their latest sector times and lap count. The app also includes a track status indicator, informing you of yellow/red flags and safety car phases, plus straight-line speeds and text commentary.

The Formula One Timing App also gives you a circuit data screen that lets you know track conditions, with the current air and track temperatures, rainfall, air pressure and humidity levels, plus wind speed and direction. Graphs also allow you to see how conditions have changed throughout the session.

To download the Formula One Timing App, go to mobile.formula1.com from your BlackBerry and download the Live Timing App from the link on the homepage.

T-Mobile Spokesperson Responds to WiFi BlackBerry Data Outage

2010-03-12T02:49:50Z

T-Mobile have issued an explanation for the BlackBerry data outage that affected users on Monday and Tuesday, saying it related only to WiFi and not T-Mobile’s network. This is contradictory to what many users reported, but all inquiries on the subject were deflected from T-Mobile to RIM, who have not commented on the outage.

In an email to PC World, a T-Mobile spokesperson said the outage affected all North American carriers, and that RIM’s technical support team managed to troubleshoot the problem.

“This particular issue occurred only when customers attempted to send/receive data, browse the Web or send PIN-to-PIN (Peronal Identification Number) messages via Wi-Fi,” the spokesperson said. “Services over T-Mobile’s network were operational throughout this time. T-Mobile instructed customers to turn off Wi-Fi and connect via our network.”

Again, this isn’t what users reported experiencing. BlackBerry users across North America reported data issues affecting WiFi devices not connected to a WiFi network. With RIM’s history of silence on these matters, we probably won’t ever fully understand what happened.

$200K BlackBerry Curve 8900 with 4,150 Diamonds Wrapped in 18K Gold

2010-03-11T22:16:44Z

I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure that’s a BlackBerry Curve 8900 from T-Mobile and according to the owner, it has 4,150 diamonds (30.51 carats) and it’s wrapped in 18K gold. The price tag on the phone is over $200,000 USD but there doesn’t seem to be any info on where to buy. It’s too bad it’s an 8900 as well, because if I were to get a $200,000 smartphone, I would probably want 3G.

Win a Free Trip to WES 2010 with Zenprise!

2010-03-11T19:19:55Z

Zenprise have a great contest running where you can win a free pass to WES 2010 ($1,799 value). All you have to do is become a fan of their Facebook page, and write a funny end user smartphone support story on their wall. If you decide to do a video post and win, Zenprise will also reimburse you up to $500 for your plane fare to Florida.

Not a bad deal! You have nothing to lose and a free trip to WES 2010 to gain so head over to facebook.com/zenprise and enter.

Rove Mobile SSH for BlackBerry Now Available in App World

2010-03-11T16:21:53Z

Rove have re-released their Mobile SSH for BlackBerry app in BlackBerry App World for $29.99. The app was incredibly popular when it was available through Rove as it allows you to connect to Unix and Linux, IBM mainframes, AS/400 and iSeries, routers and switches.

Rove Mobile SSH features:

Telnet
SSH1 and SSH2 for secure access
SSH2 public key authentication for enhanced security
User-definable shortcut keys
VT100 terminal emulation
IBM 5250 terminal emulation
IBM 3270 terminal emulation

This product is very competitively priced at $29.99, especially when you consider that the product used to retail for around $95. You won’t find a better SSH/Telnet BlackBerry client at this price.

Download Rove’s Mobile SSH in BlackBerry App World.

Documentation for Rove Mobile SSH can be found on Rove’s site.

Also, if you would like to manage your IT infrastructure with your BlackBerry, check out Rove Mobile Admin.

Foursquare Updated to Version 1.7.0 – Now on App World!

2010-03-11T15:22:58Z

I’ve been talking to Foursquare recently (article to come) about their awesome location-based social platform. The company have put a lot of work into their BlackBerry client, and updates are continually rolling out to make the mobile experience on BlackBerry as robust as possible. Something you may have noticed about the BlackBerry app is that it doesn’t rely on traditional menu and setup screens. This is just one example of how Foursquare are building a BlackBerry app that focuses on smooth navigation and user experience. BlackBerry isn’t the easiest platform to develop for, so it’s clear the company is investing a lot of time and dollars into this free application.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the update is that the top menu bar has been updated and now lists Friends(F), Places(P), Tips and More. The Friends screen (top screenshot) now shows you small user profile icons along the left side, adding a more personal touch to the app. In the Places screen, venues have also been given avatars of sorts, with icons denoting what kind of venue you’re looking at. For example, a bar is a mug of beer, a restaurant has a knife and fork and a school has a grad hat.

As mentioned, the Tips section has been added to the top menu bar. From this section, you get a quick summary of tips left at venues in your area. Again, this really helps the local discovery process because you might find a tip about a cheap meal deal or a special you might want to take advantage of.

Once you click into a tip, you can discover a little more about who left the tip and the venue it was left at. Whenever I go to a new restaurant now, I always check the tips to see if a regular has left a good food recommendation. From this screen, you can add to your To Do list or select that you’ve already done it.

The latest Foursquare updates go a long way to making the app more visually rich, and adding a little more functionality when it comes to discovering what’s good in your neighborhood. If you’re headed to SXSW, be sure to get the latest update and check-in everywhere. I’ve heard the latest SXSW badges are really cool.

Foursquare have made the latest version available on App World, and you can still download it from their site. Like I said, the company have invested a lot of money in this application, making it compatible for a wide range of devices from the Pearl up to the Storm.

Now if only Foursquare would make the BlackBerryCool badge…

Privus Mobile Launches Enterprise Caller ID Screening Integration

2010-03-11T14:47:14Z

Privus Mobile have announced they are now providing Caller ID capabilities to enterprise through IT deployments and volume licensing. Privus offer a more true caller ID service than most carriers, as they provide the name and details of the contact calling, rather than just the phone number. If you would like to have Privus in your organization, you can contact them via their website. If you’re an individual looking for Caller ID, check out more information in the links below.

Privus Mobile Caller ID 3 months for BlackBerry

Privus Mobile Caller ID 3 months for BlackBerry OS 4.7

TripIt Now Available for Google Apps Users

2010-03-10T19:01:20Z

TripIt let us know that they’re now providing their free TripIt travel service to the 2 million companies using Google Apps (BlackBerryCool included). TripIt have been rapidly growing their business with new partnerships via the open travel API. For example, soon you will see a new “Add to TripIt” function on Hotwire.com, and a partnership with BCD Travel is scheduled to launch next month.

Try TripIt for free.

Comparing Smartphone Keyboards Highlights Bold Advantages and Storm2 Disadvantages

2010-03-10T20:51:17Z

Paul Ockenden of PC Pro put together a test comparing smartphone keyboards. The test was pretty basic, and while we can argue about the accuracy of the results, I think BlackBerry users can agree on the conclusions. The test involved typing the first couple of verses to Lou Reed’s “Pale Blue Eyes”, a telephone number, a web URL and a username/password. In each case, the operation was timed and accuracy noted. The results of the tests are shown in the above table.

Each phone was in its default mode, as it would be out of the box. One error is logged for each wrong word in the main text and for each wrong character in the phone number, web address, username and password. In each test, Paul tried to not look at the screen, and type as fast as he could, allowing the phone to correct any errors. Overall, the goal isn’t to type the fastest, but to get an idea for the speed to error ratio.

Obviously, the results we’re particularly interested in are those related to BlackBerry. According to the results, the Bold 9700 clocked in at 1M 44S with 0 errors. This was actually the best score across all the smartphones tested. These results are definitely something to be proud of, and as a Bold 9700 user myself, I can stand behind the results.

Now lets take a look at the Storm2 results: 3M 24S and 9 errors. These results show the Storm2 to have by far the least efficient character input across all smartphones tested. Again, as someone who has used the Storm2, these results are on par with my own experiences.

Personally, I think these results highlight how RIM made a fatal error with the Storm2. Their attempt to keep up with the Johnsons led them to develop a product that lacks the competitive advantages of a BlackBerry: speed, efficiency and productivity. While I love the Storm2 for its ability to open up the market for new apps and its large screen that makes rich media look so good, I can’t help but think SurePress was the Achilles Heel.

If Paul were to redo the test, I would ask he try the Bold 9000. I bet its large keyboard would beat the 9700’s by a significant margin.

RIM Announce Official Twitter and LinkedIn Apps Almost Here

2010-03-10T18:47:53Z

In the latest BlackBerry Connection Newsletter, RIM mentioned that the official Twitter app and LinkedIn app are “almost here”. The newsletter doesn’t mention any specific release dates, but if they’re talking about it now, I’m hoping within a month is a reasonable definition of “soon”. Also of significance, is the fact that RIM is calling their official Twitter app a “business app”.

At first this struck me as odd but after thinking about the features built into the official Twitter app, it seems very much geared towards PR agencies. For example, the search function allows you to search for brands and filter the search based on “attitudes”. This feature would be particularly useful for a company looking to monitor a brand and the consumer perception of this brand while on the go. Monitoring popular topics and trends is another feature of particular interest to PR agencies, as it’s important to see if a campaign is currently trending. Hopefully these apps arrive soon.

Magmic’s Product Manager Jeff Bacon on BlackBerry, iPhone and NYT Brand

2010-03-10T18:11:34Z

Rob Woodbridge from Untether.TV is back and he’s interviewing Magmic’s Product Manager Jeff Bacon. We’ve had Jeff Bacon on BlackBerryCool several times, with his own column Bacon on BlackBerry, as well as some news tidbits. Jeff is a talented BlackBerry developer and has a lot of interesting things to say from a developer’s perspective.

In this interview, Jeff talks about Magmic’s NYT license and how they leveraged the brand to develop NYT Crossword and NYT Sudoku. The first thing that struck me during the interview, was Jeff’s comment about the fact that when they first started developing for BlackBerry, there were only a few models and implicitly suggested that development for BlackBerry has become more complicated. If a veteran developer such as Jeff is lamenting about the development process, RIM should these comments very seriously. At around 8 minutes, on the subject of costs associated with porting, Jeff says “it can get frustrating sometimes…why is someone releasing a new device that requires us to redesign a new UI for it?” The release of the BlackBerry Storm, apparently caused a lot of headaches dealing with the touchscreen, and cost the company dollars in porting and redesigning their games.

On the subject of distribution, Magmic focused on an exclusive with AT&T to promote the NYT brand. This brings up an interesting point that content is becoming increasingly valuable to carriers as a means of differentiating them from the competition. “Every carrier wants something that they can say that they have, that their competitors don’t, whether that’s a new type of device, rate plan, coverage map, or content. Content has been driving device sales for the last couple of years and will continue to moving forward.” BlackBerry is in a unique position in this regard with their ability to bring apps that the iPhone can’t supply (Skype, IM aggregators etc), thus getting the support of the carriers to sell more BlackBerrys.

When it comes to the iPhone, Jeff was really positive. When Magmic first started developing for the iPhone, it was much more powerful than the BlackBerrys on the market at the time. While Magmic was pushing the boundaries of what was possible on a BlackBerry, they found new challenges with the iPhone given that they had more processing power and memory at their disposal. Also, customers on the iPhone were used to a much different experience than BlackBerry users. Jeff gives Apple a lot of kudos for educating their users about how to use applications and setting a standard for developers that, if they adhere to, will almost guarantee that an iPhone user can pick up their application and use it without the need for help menus or tutorial.

Overall, I would say this interview summarizes some of the key competitive advantages that the iPhone provides to developers, that RIM would be smart to adopt. While BlackBerry provides a platform that can surpass the iPhone in what an application can offer, the barriers to entry need to come down.

Microsoft Office Document Editing Software for BlackBerry Reviewed

2010-03-10T17:15:41Z

Since the release of the BlackBerry Presenter and the announcement of the iPad I’ve been thinking more about mobile word processing. Until now I was satisfied just using the notepad and email functions to export the note-taking I do on my BlackBerry, onto my desktop. When iPad’s iWork word processing got debuted, I started thinking about how great it would be to get advanced word-processing features on my text-nimble BlackBerry.

After some testing I found myself wondering why bold, italics, and basic text formatting aren’t part of the BlackBerry experience. I would love it if I could compose BBMs or emails in bold, italics, and strikethroughs.

Here are some of the solutions I tried. Both had about as much ease of purchase and registration as any game or theme, which was surprising for such valuable mobile utilities.

eOffice 4.6 by DynoPlex Inc

eOffice offers a suite of editors and a great UI for handling the sharing, accessing, and storage of all your documents. I was pleasantly surprised to the file-management system so well-laid out for a mobile app. Having the phone memory, media card, google docs, an included online “Virtual Drive”, and PC Desktop access all available from the app’s file selection menu.

eOffice 4.6 has a great menu system for accessing the word processing features. Press the menu button and up comes a hierarchical, menu with more features and formatting than you would expect for a mobile word processor. From here you can access the file menu, fonts, formatting, tools, view, and zoom options.

I found eOffice to be elegantly designed for the mobile, it had all of the features I wanted, and saved the more advanced stuff for the desktop. I was able to seamlessly open word and excel files from my email, edit them on the go, and loved what I saw when I got back to my desktop word processor.

eOffice is feature-filled and well-priced at $29.95, pick up your copy today.

Documents To Go Premium Edition 2.0 by DataViz

Instead of an all-in one office suite, Documents To Go has instead opted for separate apps and good BlackBerry menu integration. DataViz has also developed something called InTact technology which insures that you have 100% document fidelity while editing on your device.

Documents To Go also has a file-loading app called Documents To Go Files. This app allows you to access documents on your device or remotely access your files on your PC. I look at this tool as an advanced out of office tool. Being able to access the stuff you don’t even plan on accessing when you leave the office has got to be the most subtle killer app I can think of. It’s also got a great PDF viewer to round out this professional suite of viewers and editors.

I like how Documents To Go handles the difference between viewing and editing. When you open a document from email or through browsing files, you’ll be asked if you’d like to simply view or edit the document. Seems like something small but I like how the concepts are separate within the same software. I’ve pocket dialed enough people in my time that I’d rather not pocket edit something important from work.

Documents To Go is available for $49.99, pick up your copy today.

Zoompass App Now Preloaded on Bell Mobility Devices

2010-03-10T15:29:28Z

Zoompass have announced that they are now preloaded on Bell devices and users should start seeing the app on the homescreen shortly. This isn’t breaking news because we know that Zoompass is a joint venture with all the major Canadian carriers, but it’s good to see how fast they’re moving. About a week ago, we saw the announcement that the Zoompass app was preloaded on TELUS, and at this pace we can expect a Rogers announcement next week.

Personally, I think an initiative such as this needs the major banks to sign on. While it’s convenient to be able to use the app to transfer money between friends, and the Zoompass sticker to use at PayPass locations, it’s still not enough. To truly have a mobile payment solution, we need a way for the BlackBerry to interact with a debit machine.

UberTwitter Version 0.970 Available for Download

2010-03-10T15:20:48Z

UberTwitter have launched version 0.970 and they’ve included a nice changelog for those looking to see what specific updates and fixes have occurred. Some of the notable updates include the ability to opt out of sponsored tweets, delete direct messages and they’ve added a new shortcut for scrolling up your timeline (press ‘0′). Click the jump to see the full changelog.

The following changes have been made from 0.963 to 0.970

Java exceptions on device boot – Fixed issue where java exceptions would be reported on device reboot due to lack of permissions.
Opt-out of sponsored tweets – Users can now opt out of receiving sponsored tweets.
Goto User bug fix – Fixed bug where entering a user not in your timeline and then pressing trackball wouldn’t use the text you entered but instead find the closest match from your friends list.
Everyone Near You – Fixed bug where it wouldn’t uses your current location, and sometimes would revert to somewhere off the coast of Africa. Also increased the distance to a 10 mile radius, in the future we will let you select this.
Mini-Icon Notification – Fixed bug where if the app didn’t have certain permissions not related to the mini-icon, it still wouldn’t show the mini-icon.
Fine-Tuned control of visual notifications – There are now three settings each for the mini-icon and application icon so you can fine-tune the control over how you want each to notify you. Also, the number next to the mini-icon will only reflect the number of new tweets of the type it is tracking. For example, if you only set the mini-icon to track new DMs, then the number next to the mini-icon will only reflect the number of new DMs.
New short-cut for page-up – Added a new short-cut to page-up in the timeline, pressing ‘0′ (zero) will now page up in the timeline.
Instability when using cell location – Fixed bug that would cause instability in the app when using cell tower location.
3G Cell Tower Inaccuracy – Fixed a bug in the cell tower location mechanism when 3G towers were being used.
Symbol Screen – Again reworked the symbol screen.
Secure Connection – Changed the default Twitter endpoint so your traffic will travel over a secure HTTPS connection.
Deleting DMs – We now allow you to delete direct messages.
Constant permissions requests – Fixed bug where every time the app was started it would ask for permissions.

Verizon Demonstrates Skype Mobile on YouTube

2010-03-10T15:10:14Z

Verizon have begun to push their Skype Mobile services on YouTube, and while the video doesn’t reveal anything new about the product, it’s good to see that things are moving forward. Verizon claims the call quality will be excellent, and messaging will be an integral part of the service. Hopefully Verizon haven’t locked Skype down from doing business with other carriers, as I know many other BlackBerry users in Canada and on other providers would love to get their hands on this service.

Shazam Updated With 7Digital Purchasing and Music Videos

2010-03-10T15:04:20Z

Shazam is the app that’s famous for being able to tell you what song you’re listening to, simply by having the app tag a portion of the track. The app has been recently updated, and the major feature is that they are now offering sales through the 7Digital store. Also new to the app includes the ability to watch music videos of tagged songs with YouTube (Vevo?) and tweet tags to your followers.

Shazam is available on a free trial so check them out in App World.

Free IM Aggregator Nimbuzz for Blackberry Updated

2010-03-10T14:56:18Z

Nimbuzz is a free IM app that features quite a few clients such as AIM, Google Talk, MSN, Skype as well as Facebook. They let us know that the app has been updated, with the connection issue for OS 5.0 resolved. Features include:

Runs in background.
Connects all your friends: Put all your friends in one place, check their status updates, and chat right from the buddy list.
Home screen notifications: You wont miss anything, a red dot will show up on the letf corner of your screen everytime you get a new message.
Auto-reconnects: for switching between 3G, 2G and Wifi networks.
“Clickable” URL’s: Share links and websites with your friends! No need to retype web addresses.
Sound profiles – your notifications can be customized, so you can make them personal.
Save money on text messages with free Nimbuzz to Nimbuzz messaging.
Free!

Try Nimbuzz in App World.

Stitcher Now Available for the BlackBerry Storm2 9550 and 9520

2010-03-10T03:18:08Z

Stitcher is a free media/podcast player that is now available for the BlackBerry Storm2 9550 and the 9520. The app provides a large selection of on-demand content and is a decent media player for anyone into podcasts. Previously, the app was only available on the Curve 8300, 8310, 8320, 8900 and Bold 9000. When we last wrote about Stitcher, they mentioned their upcoming version 1.2, which is still set to launch early July. The update includes improved handling of longer shows, full seek functionality and support for Bluetooth streaming.

Grab Stitcher from stitcher.com/dl or BlackBerry App World.

Time Warner Cable to Help Decongest AT&T and Verizon Networks

2010-03-10T00:37:15Z

Time Warner Cable is pitching to carriers such as AT&T and Verizon, a service that uses its underground cables to carry mobile calls and data traffic. The aim is to alleviate the network strain that smartphones (particularly the iPhone) are placing on the network. Remember, for every 1 iPhone, you can run 4 BlackBerrys on a typical network so it’s clear who is to blame.

The service is known as wireless backhaul, and has become Time Warner Cable’s fastest-growing business. Rather than have calls and data broadcasted over radio waves and routed using cell towers, the backhaul system pulls the signal from the antenna into the carrier’s wired network. Lines can be added to the backhaul pipes in order to mitigate the loads.

Backhaul isn’t necessarily a solution, but more of a temporary fix. There are still issues as the signal is sent over radio tower to tower, and carriers are still urging the FCC to allocate more airwaves to address this issue. Another solution will be to upgrade the networks to LTE. This will allow the networks to handle a greater load, and future proof our smartphones against failure due to infrastructure.

Download the Latest Version of App World 1.1.0.33

2010-03-09T16:24:14Z

The latest version of App World is available for download and while there isn’t anything major in this release, there are some bug fixes making it worth downloading. BlackBerry App World 1.1.0.33 has updates mostly to the backend. Some users reported that larger apps were causing issues on a few devices and this has been fixed. Also, the archive/restore icons have been removed from the homescreen.

Jerry Seinfeld Talks About BlackBerry People on Letterman

2010-03-09T16:09:00Z

It’s no secret that celebrities are all on BlackBerry. I’m sure they would love to use the iPhone for all its great apps, but considering the amount of messaging your typical celebrity does, the iPhone just isn’t a viable smartphone. Seinfeld was on Letterman promoting his new series The Marriage Ref, which is sort of a chat show about married couples’ problems. Remember that the BlackBerry rant doesn’t start until 5:03.

[Thanks Caspan for sending this in]

AddOnis Updated and Now Available for OS 5 Devices

2010-03-09T16:00:36Z

AddOnis is now compatible with OS 5.0 touchscreen and non-touchscreen devices. Along with the compatibility announcement, Twinkler Software are letting users know that a new version of AddOnis is available specifically for OS 5 users. The latest version of AddOnis for OS 5 supports the new combination Standby/Lock function found in the latest versions OS 5.

Updates for OS 4.5 and 4.6:

FIXED: A bug that can not send email to calendar.
FIXED: A bug that Keylocker exception will not save.
NEW FUNCTION: After call disconnect, you now can manually send call to calendar.

The new OS 5 version has been updated with:

All fixes and new functions listed above for OS 4.5 / OS 4.6 versions.
FIXED: A bug that may cause Autostandby not work.
ADDED: Support for both new style Standby/Lock mode and old style Standby mode (to support different versions of OS 5.0).
ADDED: New method to detect whether the calling number exists in the Addressbook or not.

For more information about AddOnis, check them out in the BlackBerryCool Store.

VQ CarFinder App Exceeds 100,000 Downloads

2010-03-09T15:33:41Z

Xpressions Inc. let us know that their app VQ CarFinder has now been downloaded by over 100,000 BlackBerry users. The Xpressions team did a great job of promoting their app with great contests, funny video and constantly checking in with the BlackBerry blogs.

You can try VQ Carfinder for yourself on a free trial or $4.99 in the BlackBerryCool Store.

Tether Celebrating Anniversary With Smartphone and App Giveaway

2010-03-09T06:04:53Z

Tether are celebrating their 1 year anniversary providing BlackBerry users with a simple means of tethering their BlackBerry to their laptop. Incredibly, the company are announcing they have been installed on 110,000 BlackBerrys. While tethering can be done with a few good Google searches, many users love the ease and convenience that Tether provides.

To celebrate their big day, Tether are offering BlackBerryCool readers 25 copies of Tether. To win, just leave a comment with your email, Twitter or Facebook so we can get in touch with you.

In addition, Tether are offering 6 smartphones (3 BlackBerry and 3 Android) at their site.

Tether also took the opportunity to promote the BlackBerry platform’s openness, and specifically called out Apple on being a closed environment:

Together, we need to encourage more development on open environments like BlackBerrys’. Right now the big hype is around iPhone, but there is so much noise. Closed systems like the App Store, aren’t good for the mobile industry. Could you imagine if Microsoft had an approval process for all Windows programs? The BlackBerry platform is a little harder to develop on, but the potential is here and we need to encourage development.

Hear, hear! RIM understand the value in keeping an open market where companies such as Google are free to offer valuable and affordable services to users.

Saudi Arabia Regulators Request Access to BlackBerry Messenger

2010-03-08T17:50:43Z

RIM have issued a statement recently to Arab News saying that they are investigating reports in the local press that Saudi regulators have asked for access to BlackBerry Messenger for security concerns. Reports last week said the Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has asked RIM to allow the telecommunications regulator access to monitor messages sent by BlackBerry Messenger. It will be interesting to see how RIM responds to this as they move towards doing business in China. If a precedence is set, allowing government organizations access to BlackBerry email and services, companies and individuals alike will be concerned.

BIS 3.0 Upgrade Scheduled for EMEA March 14th

2010-03-08T17:32:06Z

It looks like Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) are getting the BIS 3.0 upgrade this weekend. This is a highly anticipated BIS upgrade because it will bring 2-way Gmail sync, which I’m personally elated about. The update is expected to arrive during a scheduled maintenance for March 14th. Details below:

Maintenance Summary: BlackBerry Internet Service v2.8 upgrade to BlackBerry Internet Service v3.0

Impact: BlackBerry Internet Service subscribers may be unable to send or receive messages, use the BlackBerry Internet Service web site, or perform activities such as creating new accounts, accessing their Internet mailbox, integrating third-party email accounts, or viewing email attachments during the maintenance.

Wireless service providers and device resellers may be unable to use BlackBerry administration web sites or perform activities such as creating subscriber accounts or provisioning services for subscribers during the maintenance. [0214]

Ticket Number: BBCHG45911
Change Window Start Date and Time: 14 March 2010 02:00:00 (GMT)
Change Window End Date and Time: 14 March 2010 06:00:00 (GMT)
Estimated Duration of Service Impact: 4 hour(s) and 0 minute(s)
% of Subscribers Affected: 100.00 (estimated)

We’ve heard rumors that this update will be coming to North America at the end of the month, and my fingers are crossed that this rumor is true.

Explicit Premium BlackBerry Theme from Hedone

2010-03-08T16:38:36Z

Hedone let us know they have released their latest theme called Explicit. The theme looks particularly cool on a Storm, but it’s available for most BlackBerrys including trackball and trackpad. This theme comes with 10 customizable icons, as well a clean homescreen making it ideal for use with your own wallpapers.

For more information, check out Explicit in the BlackBerryCool store.

PrivacyStar Call Blocking Software Now Available in Canada

2010-03-08T15:51:10Z

I didn’t know this but apparently March is Fraud Awareness Month in Canada. In conjunction with this announcement, PrivacyStar have let us know that their app is now available in Canada via App World. PrivacyStar allows users to report telemarketers to Canada’s Do Not Call Resitry, in the hopes of keeping everyone’s phone clean of unwanted calls.

See PrivacyStar in the BlackBerryCool Store for more information.