BlackBerry Cool

Video of BlackBerry Platform Benefits for Enterprise

2010-07-29T21:50:40Z

The official BlackBerry YouTube channel features a pretty cool video demonstrating the benefits of the BlackBerry platform for enterprise. The video does a good job of explaining in simple terms why an organization should use the BlackBerry “platform”.

The video also has some interesting testimonials including:

BlackBerry saves us 100 days in productivity per year. (VW Financial Services)
BlackBerry provides an ROI of 560%. (Forrester Research)
BlackBerry saves enough time to make another car. (A company CIO)

Check out the video and let us know what you think.

BlackBerry App World 2.0 Beta Launches in Beta Zone

2010-07-29T21:10:43Z

YouTube link

BlackBerry App World 2.0 is now available in the BlackBerry Beta Zone as an invite-based beta. If you’re registered for the Beta Zone, you’ll hopefully get a beta invite. App World 2.0 will launch with the following features and enhancements:

Supports OS 4.5 and above
4.4 and below to still support App World 1.1
App World 2.0 app is smaller than 1.1 (in KB). This is due to dropped 4.4 and below support as well as general optimizations
Improved image caching so there will be icons and apps when you load it up right away
New BBM-style menu hierarchy categories with a new themes section (the whole system is called top 25). The top menu items are: Recently Updated, New, Top Free, Top Paid, and Themes.

App World is now available in 65 countries worldwide and in six languages. RIM boasts over a million downloads per day which is really good considering it’s relatively new to the space. Join the beta zone at blackberry.com/beta and hopefully you’ll get your invite.

Video of the BlackBerry 9780 Running BlackBerry 6

2010-07-29T20:32:50Z

YouTube link

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is a pretty slick looking device that is basically the Bold 9700 but with some minor tweaks to the look and running BlackBerry 6. The above video of the 9780 gives a 5 minute walkthrough of some of the features including a preloaded facebook and podcasting app. This particular video shows off some of the Webkit browser which is one of the most highly anticipated features. Enjoy!

RIM Purchases the BlackPad.com Domain in Anticipation of Tablet?

2010-07-29T20:17:56Z

The domain BlackPad.com has been registered by RIM and it looks like it could be a precursor to the launch of a BlackBerry tablet. We have heard the tablet could be named the Cobalt but maybe this means BlackPad is the final name.

It should be noted that RIM owns 4,280 other domains and a domain purchase isn’t necessarily proof of anything. Research in Motion also has registered BlackBerryPorn.com but that doesn’t mean they’re getting in the porno business.

All BerryGoodThemes Are $1 Until End of July 2010

2010-07-29T16:38:52Z

BerryGoodThemes let us know that they’re having a great sale right now for the month of July. From now until the end of the month, all BerryGoodThemes are on sale at $1 each – that’s 75% off!. The company has some cool themes that are definitely worth checking out including a Super Mario Bros theme.

Check out all of the BerryGoodThemes in our store and search for some great deals.

Music WitMe Updated with More Support for iTunes Playlists

2010-07-29T16:31:19Z

Today ParkVu is announcing updates to Music WithMe, the BlackBerry app that lets you wirelessly sync your iTunes playlists with your BlackBerry. Tracks are downloaded via cellular network or Wi-Fi, stored on the media card and played from the BlackBerry’s own media player. On a side note, since its launch a month ago, Music WithMe has processed over 1,000,000 iTunes tracks.

Music WithMe new features include:

Support for iTunes playlist folders – sync your playlist folder on your BlackBerry and any subsequently added playlists to the folder are automatically synced to the device
New playlist info – In playlist screen, select ‘playlist info’ to view the number of tracks in the playlist that can be played, the number of unsupported tracks due to format or DRM protection as well as the number of tracks in the cloud, tracks needed from iTunes and tracks that can’t be found
Support for network attached storage/media servers

Check out Music WithMe in App World for more information.

Proof That the BlackBerry Bold 9650 Can Run OS 6

2010-07-28T22:14:14Z

We keep hearing that 512MB of RAM is the minimum requirement for OS 6 and while this hasn’t been confirmed by RIM, it’s good to know that devices such as the BlackBerry Bold 9650 will also be getting BlackBerry 6. It’s very possible that the OS 6 rollout could be like when OS 5 was released. We could probably expect a similar lineup of devices and backwards compatibility.

BlackBerry Pearl 3G Launches in Indonesia

2010-07-28T18:06:12Z

We have talked a lot about RIM’s presence in Indonesia and the success of BlackBerry in Southeast Asia. The powerful and professional BlackBerry brand goes a long way when selling young Indonesians on the smartphone. Also, in Southeast Asia, smartphones are an effective means of getting Internet connectivity where land lines are difficult to implement.

Today RIM announced the BlackBerry Pearl 3G launch in Indonesia. There doesn’t seem to be any mention of price or carrier availability, but these announcements should be coming shortly.

Until then, read our review of the BlackBerry Pearl 3G.

Exceed 160 Character SMS Limit with Beyond160 – Updated With OS 5 Support

2010-07-28T16:17:58Z

Up until fairly recently users have been asking us where to get an app that allows someone running OS 5 to send more than the CDMA defined 160 characters in an SMS. Beyond160 has been a great app for allowing users to do this but it was not available for OS 5 devices – until now. Beyond160 lets users on Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, US Cellular, Bell, Telus etc. exceed their 160 or 140 character SMS limit. When your SMS field is full, simply hit Menu>Go Beyond160 and you can continue typing as long as you like. This app also lets you send to multiple recipients or groups you’ve created.

Check out Beyond160 in the store as it comes with a fully functional 14-day trial.

[Thanks for the tip Tom!]

MissingLight 2.0 Custom LED Notifications With Lower Price Point

2010-07-28T16:06:52Z

UPDATE: It’s worth noting that you can only customize the missed call and charging light colors, not phone/email/SMS/whatever alerts. This app concentrates more on adding functionality with LED notifications.

MissingLight is a custom LED alert app that has recently been updated to version 2.0. The app is similar to BerryBuzz in that you can customize the LED colors based on certain applications in order to have your BlackBerry communicate with you better. BerryBuzz seems to offer more in terms of features and functionality, but the price point is set a little higher. For those looking for particular features at a lower price, MissingLight could prove to be a good alternative.

MissingLight features include:

Custom missed call light: makes the LED blink (purple by default) if you miss a call.
Custom charging light: makes the LED blink (yellow by default) when the battery is charging. This lets you know when your phone is fully charged (LED stops blinking).
Force backlight on: prevents the screen backlight from auto-dimming for a preset time. Use this when you want your screen to be visible for longer than the 3 minute maximum timeout.
Reset LED: turns the blinking LED off if some runaway alert won’t stop blinking by itself.

The LED colors for the missed call and charging lights are now customizable.

Check out MissingLight in the BlackBerryCool store.

Sokoban-Style Puzzle Game Warehouse Keeper for BlackBerry

2010-07-28T14:27:26Z

S4BB has just released a new game for BlackBerry called Warehouse Keeper. The game is based on the classic puzzle game Sokoban where you have to push blocks around a map into particular spaces strategically without hitting 2 blocks together and getting stuck. Warehouse Keeper has a unique look to it and it’s available in both a full paid version and a lite trial version of the first 5 levels.

Check out the full and lite versions of Warehouse Keeper in our store.

BlackBerry Torch Slider 9800 Announced on August 3rd?

2010-07-28T07:40:35Z

It looks like the BlackBerry Torch Slider 9800 will be announced on August 3rd due to an invite that’s going around to all the tech and BlackBerry related media. The invite prominently features an AT&T logo, BlackBerry 6 icons and a giant ‘6′ in the background. We’ve heard rumors that the device is going to launch in August, and when the 9700 launched, BlackBerryCool was at an event in New York of an almost identical nature.

We’re really hoping this is going to be the launch of the device and we’ll have some incredible content for you. Rest assured we’ll show you the inside and out of this device so you get a full picture of what BlackBerry 6 and the touch slider is all about.

Antennagate Utility Measures Radio Signal and ‘Death Grip’ Scenarios

2010-07-28T07:07:13Z

Last week we wrote about a signal measuring app from Xtreme Labs that was launched in response to the claims made by Apple that the Bold 9700 and other smartphones have antenna issues. Hayes.mobi has launched its BlackBerry radio monitoring utility called Antennagate, which has some great features to help you get a better picture of your radio’s status. Antennagate produces a chart that refreshes over a specified time interval so you have a visual representation of what is going on with your radio signal.

Features of the Antennagate app include:

Track antenna signal over time
Carrier antenna signal
WiFi antenna signal
Customizable refresh interval
Customizable display options
Screenshots
Use to find best reception indoors
Use to test “Death Grip”

Check out the Antennagate app by hayes.mobi in our store.

More Pics of the BlackBerry Bold 9780 with Non-Touchscreen OS 6

2010-07-27T21:27:50Z

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 is out again and it’s good to see a non-touchscreen BlackBerry running 6. The About screen in these pictures shows the device running OS 6.0.0.79 and platform 6.5.0.9. The Application Storage section shows 306.1MB of free space which is nothing spectacular. It’s sort of lame to know that even devices that are only now showing themselves in the wild are still running what seems to be a bare-minimum amount of memory. A couple more pics after the jump.

Damaka Announces Unified Collaboration and Communication Product Suite for BlackBerry

2010-07-27T19:45:52Z

Damaka has announced it’s launching its mobile Unified Collaboration and Communication platform on BlackBerry. The platform seeks to allow users to collaborate across a variety of applications regardless of their platform or network. Damaka’s services are available in both Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and traditional client-server architectures.

Features of Damaka on BlackBerry include:

Application/Desktop sharing:

Presence
Instant Messaging
Audio Conference participation
Sweeping – Device Handoff

Since more organizations are allowing multiple smartphones on a network, collaboration tools that are device independent are becoming increasingly important. More information about Damaka’s offerings available from their site.

Incredibly Cute Cartan Theme with Animated Homescreens and Ringtone

2010-07-27T18:02:35Z

The Cartan theme by Hedone Design is really cute. With its rolling, bright green hills, it’s very reminiscent of Mario Brothers and the SNES. This theme features multiple animated homescreens, unique icons and even a ringtone with all OS 5.0 devices.

The Cartan is available for: 8100, 8200, 8300, 8330, 8350, 8500, 8700, 8800, 8900, 9000, 9100, 9500, 9600, 9650 and 9700 series devices from 4.5 OS to 5.0 OS.

Three animated homescreens are available on 8900, 9000, 9500, 9600, 9650 and 9700 series. Other BlackBerrys include only one homescreen and one line of icons.

More information about the Cartan theme by Hedone Design in the store.

Google Previews Google Maps 4.4 “Coming Soon for BlackBerry”

2010-07-27T17:15:16Z

It’s incredible how fast Google updates its products. That is the beauty of having a company that is so engineer-heavy. Google Maps for Android has seen 6 updates in 6 months and today the company previewed Google Maps 4.4 and said that BlackBerry will see the update soon.

Google Maps 4.4 features a new Places feature that lets you look up restaurants, theaters, retail and all manner of businesses. This new feature is also integrated into a voice-based search that lets you simply say “ice cream” and you get a list of the nearby ice cream shops. The Places feature also gives you reviews, photos, prices, parking, menu links, compass direction (for supported devices), direction and distance.

Be sure to check for the update at m.google.com/maps.

New GPS Rangefinder Golf App by AccelGolf Now Available

2010-07-27T15:42:08Z

This week, AccelGolf launched a new BlackBerry version of their GPS Rangefinder and Scorecard app. The app works for the BlackBerry Curve, Bold, Tour, Storm, Storm2, 8800, and Pearl models. The GPS Rangefinder app provides three modes of distance tracking:

Landmarks View – Use this list of landmarks to check your precise distance to the front, center, and back of green, and distance to hazards.

Aerial Hole View – See the entire course before tee-off to determine distances for your planned strokes. Plan all shots before tee-off with a plotter that provides distances required for each stroke.

Aerial Green View – Before your approach shot, check your distance to any point on the green with pinpoint accuracy.

A full-featured scorecard is also included with this application. The included scorecard gives you the ability to know how far you hit with each club, access to statistics, understand strengths and deficiencies in your play and store every game with a complete history of play.

AccelGolf’s GPS Rangefinder and Scorecard is reasonably priced at $9.99 and can be downloaded from their site. Hope you’re enjoying the season!

Verizon Giving End of Life Status to Storm2 9550 and Curve 8530

2010-07-27T15:17:05Z

Verizon may be giving the BlackBerry Storm2 9550 and the Curve 8530 an End of Life. This seems like a very fast EOL notice considering these devices are less than a year old, so it makes you wonder what’s going on behind the scenes that would lead to this. Both of these devices have updates on the way, with the Curve 9300 acting as a replacement for the 8530 and the Storm2 is getting a refresh for BlackBerry 6. The exact details of the End of Life notices are as follows:

BlackBerry Curve 8530:
The Curve2 is end of life – Final Shipments August
Refer to the “Stock Check” tool in POS for on hand availability
Device will retire on 8/1, replacement coming in Q3/Q4

BlackBerry Storm2 (9550):
The Storm2 is end of life – Final Shipments August
Refer to the “Stock Check” tool in POS for on hand availability
Device will retire on 8/15, replacement coming in Q3/Q4

It’s good to know that these devices are getting refreshed, but it’s too bad that users won’t be able to take advantage of really cheap devices that are a little outdated. It seems that carriers are really only concerned with early adopters who are ready to pay more for devices.

BlackBerry 6 Homescreen Screenshots and More Details Revealed

2010-07-27T15:01:51Z

Inside BlackBerry sat down with Joey Benedek, Director of UX Research at RIM. The UX organization is responsible for understanding user needs and desires and translating those into interface designs. Benedek walks us through some of the new features in BlackBerry 6 and confirms a lot of what we’ve seen in leaked videos.

For example, we know that BlackBerry 6 has five separate views that a user can switch between using the Navigation Bar, depending on their preference and the type of information they’re looking for. The five sections that are present on the homescreen include:

Frequent
Favorites
Downloads
Media
All

By creating these five sections, users have less icons shown at once, making the user experience much more smooth. Another new feature described by Benedek is the new Quick Access Areas of which there are two. The first Quick Access Area is designed so you have fast access to the Connections, Alarm and Options screens. These are things that users want to frequently change or adjust and BlackBerry 6 allows you to do this quickly.

The other quick access area on the Home Screen is designed to enable you to view your most recent messages (such as email, text, BlackBerry Messenger), phone calls, upcoming appointments, Facebook and Twitter notifications simply by tapping the Notification Bar in the middle of the top of the Home Screen. If you click on the Notification Bar, it drops down to show who the notifications are from, along with the first few words from the title. This feature makes it much easier to prioritize which notifications you want to respond to first.

There are a host of other screenshots and details about BlackBerry 6 from Inside BlackBerry so check them out.

OpenGL Updated to Version 4.1 with More Features for Developers

2010-07-26T21:58:59Z

The Khronos Group has announced the release of the OpenGL 4.1 specification. The OpenGL standard allows developers to create rich 2D and 3D graphics that makes BlackBerry games look especially good. There aren’t many devices that can take advantage of the OpenGL standards, but we hear that all CDMA devices running 5.0 and greater will be able to take advantage. Also, BlackBerry 6 includes a wide variety of APIs in order for developers to take advantage of OpenGL.

New functionality in the core OpenGL 4.1 specification includes:

Full compatibility with OpenGL ES 2.0 APIs for easier porting between mobile and desktop platforms;
The ability to query and load a binary for shader program objects to save re-compilation time;
The capability to bind programs individually to programmable stages for programming flexibility;
64-bit floating-point component vertex shader inputs for higher geometric precision;
Multiple viewports for a rendering surface for increased rendering flexibility.

New ARB extensions introduced with OpenGL 4.1 include:

OpenGL sync objects linked to OpenCL event objects for enhanced OpenCL interoperability;
The ability to set stencil values in a fragment shader for enhanced rendering flexibility;
Features to improve robustness, for example when running WebGL applications;
Callback mechanisms to receive enhanced errors and warning messages.

Head over to the Khronos Group for more information.

BlackBerry Desktop Manager 6 Leaked Online!

2010-07-26T21:32:57Z

The BlackBerry Desktop Manager 6 was recently announced in the Beta Zone but a lot of users in the forums were saying that they had not received their invite. A leaked version of the software is now available so if you’re feeling a little adventurous, you don’t have to wait for an invite from RIM.

In order to install Desktop Manager, scroll to the bottom of the folder after you have unRAR’d and ran the setup.exe file. When you first run the file, it may seem like it has frozen at the load screen but it hasn’t. Just let it do its thing for as long as it takes and you should be good to go.

Grab the download files from:

Rapidshare
Megaupload
HotFile
MultiUpload

Enjoy!

More BlackBerry Security Concerns in the United Arab Emirates

2010-07-26T16:15:51Z

It’s interesting to see the sort of issues RIM comes across as its product finds itself in various countries around the world. Arab countries in particular have some pretty strict concerns about security and recently, government officials have commented saying that BlackBerrys operate “beyond the jurisdiction” of national laws because they immediately send data abroad to be “managed by a foreign, commercial organization.”

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority voiced fears that the BlackBerry manages data in a way that could allow it to be misused. “As a result of how Blackberry data is managed and stored, in their current form, certain Blackberry applications allow people to misuse the service, causing serious social, judicial and national security repercussions,” the regulator said in a statement carried on the state news agency late Sunday.

Not too long ago, BlackBerrys in the UAE were infected with spyware installed in an OS update. The software was confirmed as spyware and RIM instructed users how they can remove it. It seems RIM is going to have to come up with some way to quell concerns of the BlackBerry network not being secure enough for Arab regions in order to continue their expansion globally.

UberTwitter Beta 8 Now Available with Unique Twitter Features

2010-07-26T15:22:51Z

UberTwitter Beta 8 is now available for download and it has some cool features that are very unique to BlackBerry Twitter clients. One particularly cool feature, is the ability to mute Twitter users so that you can continue to follow them, but their tweets will not show up in your timeline. This is a great new feature because it allows you to maintain the courtesy of following a user, without having to actually read their messages. You can have this feature expire as well, so you only have the user muted for ‘x’ number of days.

Another cool feature in UberTwitter Beta 8 is the ability to add and remove items from what’s called the “UberBar”. The UberBar has the basic Twitter navigation including @ replies, direct messages and the timeline. You can add trending topics, searches as well as users to your UberBar in order to better manage your timeline and users. Overall, it’s features like these that are going to get users to change over from their current Twitter app of choice. Users probably aren’t married to any one Twitter client and as long as companies are continually innovating, the users will come.

To download UberTwitter Beta 8, head over to http://www.ubertwitter.com/bb/download.php.

Voice Messaging Service NextMail Coming to Sprint BlackBerrys

2010-07-26T14:55:07Z

Sprint Nextel has announced that it is rolling out a new service called NextMail, powered by Pacific DataVision, that will be available across all Sprint BlackBerry Curves. With NextMail, users can wirelessly dictate important messages while on-the-go, to an individual or group, by simply making a call from their cellular phone. NextMail’s messaging services allow you to speak your message, hang up, and the voice message is sent to the recipient’s email inbox as a voice-recorded mail. This service should be handy for users who are in the field and want a fast way to communicate, that’s sort of like email for PTT. NextMail costs $7.50 per month and NextMail Pro costs $19.99 per month.

Rumor: Upcoming 4G BlackBerry “Triton” to Feature 5.0MP Front & Back Camera

2010-07-26T14:37:49Z

Samir Sakpal, an analyst with Frost & Sullivan, claims that the upcoming 4G BlackBerry is codenamed Triton and is expected to offer a 5.0MP front and back facing camera. “The word is that they will have features such as a 5.0 megapixel camera with both front and back imaging, similar to the iPhone 4… for videoconferencing,” he says. According to Sakpal, the BlackBerry Triton is expected to launch in December

A 4G BlackBerry with a front facing camera is not a far-fetched rumor and although Sakpal’s comments should be taken with a grain of salt, you can assume that these devices will be getting faster, better and stronger. One thing we do know, is that RIM is going to ensure that video conferencing is done with the least amount of impact on the carriers’ networks and that security will be a top priority.

Rumor: BlackBerry Torch Slider 9800 Coming to Vodafone

2010-07-25T21:50:57Z

The BlackBerry Torch Slider is potentially coming to Vodafone in the September/October timeframe. We have heard that 9800 will be coming to Rogers, Sprint and AT&T as well. Release dates aren’t confirmed yet but the Torch Slider is probably going to touch down on AT&T first, with a rumored launch date of August 15th.

The Torch Slider is going to be the first device to have BlackBerry 6 and the new Webkit browser. The latest OS is going to address a lot of the user frustrations with navigation and the Webkit browser will make BlackBerry’s web browser on par with the rest of the market.

BlackBerry Bold 9780 Running OS 6.0 with 512MB of RAM

2010-07-25T01:05:25Z

The BlackBerry Bold 9780 has been spotted and it looks a lot like the Bold 9700. This device is sporting some of the following specs:

BlackBerry 6
512MB RAM
480×360 resolution non-touchscreen
GSM
3G
802.11 b/g

There isn’t much to say about the device at this point other than it’s good to see another non-touchscreen device running BlackBerry 6. The design of the device is nothing we haven’t seen before, except the bezel on the Bold 9780 is darker than the 9700.

Cocky Culture Releases Tribal Theme For the Tribal Design Lover

2010-07-23T20:26:35Z

Cocky Culture has launched its latest theme called Tribal which has a cool, wallpaper friendly design and some great unique icons. Features of this theme include:

An edgy, aggressive design
100% Original visuals, icons, and buttons
Wallpaper friendly homescreen

The Tribal theme is currently available for the 8350, 8500, 8900, 9000, 9100, 9500, 9600, and 9700 series devices. Download it from the BBCool store today because it’s currently on sale for $3.99.

BlackBerryCool Roundup for the Week of July 19th

2010-07-23T18:21:21Z

The big news this week is all about Antennagate. Apple took a jab at a few other smartphone manufacturers trying to claim that their antenna issue isn’t confined to the iPhone and that other smartphones, including the Bold 9700, also have antenna issues. RIM’s CEOs responded to this claim with a stern letter to Steve Jobs calling it a “self-made debacle”. RIM is normally a pretty tight-lipped company that sticks to their own and this was definitely out of character for the company. Regardless, the letter was very much needed as Jobs’ statements needed a response.

Be sure to check out this past week in BlackBerry as we have a ton of content you may have missed.

Apps

Gowalla for BlackBerry Now in Public Beta with Trips Coming Soon
BlackBerry Curve 9300 Kepler to Launch on Bell as BlackBerry Curve 3G
Mobholic Updated with More BlackBerry Usage Tracking Features
Pocket Yoga: Get in Shape While on Summer Vacation
Free Sprint Zone App With Account Management and App Suggestions
Foursquare for BlackBerry Version 1.9 Now Available
SugarSync Now Lets Users Stream Music From Cloud Storage
Text’nDrive Freemium Text to Speech App for SMS While Driving
Google Voice Updated to Version 0.2.0.2
Xtreme Labs Releases Antenna Meter App for BlackBerry
Xobni for BlackBerry Beta Updated with LinkedIn “Sign-in” Integration
OutofBattery Free App Stops Friends From Using Your BlackBerry

Games

Deal or No Deal Game Show Now Available for BlackBerry
MobileQs Trivia Game for BlackBerry with More Question Packs
Durak Card Game for BlackBerry: Last One With Cards is a Fool
Game Review: Snake for BlackBerry by AppliCod
Game Review: Asteroid Blast for BlackBerry by Hayes.Mobi

Themes

Facebook Theme Lets You Customize Your Homescreen Like Your Profile

News

RIM CEOs Officially Respond to Apple’s Antenna Propaganda
BlackBerry 6 Media Capabilities, Webkit Browser and Version 6.0.0.100 Overview
RIM Introduces Cell Tower Geolocation Feature for BlackBerry Developers
New Touchscreen Training Slide: BlackBerry Storm 3 or Storm 2 Refresh?
Verizon BlackBerry Tour 9630 Receives End of Life
Verizon Launches V Cast App Store with 1-Click App Purchasing
BlackBerry Developer Conference Session Catalog Now Live
More BlackBerry OS 6 Media Features Showcased by RIM #BB6iscoming
Awesome Video of BlackBerry 6 Setup On a 9800 Torch Slider
BlackBerry Desktop Software 6.0 Limited Beta Invites Going Out Today
Use QR Codes to Download Apps in the BlackBerryCool Store
BBC Confirms Native BlackBerry Apps Coming Later This Year
BlackBerry Curve 3G 9300 Coming to Rogers Q3 2010

Other

Jersey Shore’s Snooki Does Her Own BBM Stress Test