Entries tagged with “BlackBerry” from WIRELESS AND MOBILE NEWS

If you own a BlackBerry Tour, you'll be happy to know that there is update to your operating system available from Verizon.  BlackBerry Tour OS 4.7.1.61 fixes many glitches, enhances features and has been reported to give the BlackBerry Tour an all-around speed tune-up.

Before you complete your BlackBerry Tour update make sure to backup your data. You can get the  BlackBerry Tour OS 4.7.1.61 through Desktop Manager.

To  Back Up Data:

Open up the Blackberry Desktop Manager Program and click on Backup and Restore.

There were previous reports of sticky trackball problems with the BlackBerry Tour. Other problems reported with the BlackBerry Tour were muffled voices with Bluetooth use as well as GPS and nav software appearing when not activated by the user.

According to Verizon here's what this BlackBerry Tour update does to make your life easier:

• Delete emails while composing messages, for greater efficiency.
  
• Save contacts with only a company name.
  
• Add email accounts in the simplified setup wizard at a moment's notice.
• Geotag your photos and find a GPS connection with our BlackBerry Tour GPS upgrade.
  
• Get music quickly and easily with V Cast Music with Rhapsody.
• Enjoy smooth playback of your music through your device.
  
• Enjoy crisp, vibrant video with the video player upgrade.
  
• Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road with simplified headset set up and removal.
  
• Make calls quickly and accurately with improved dialing from the home screen.
  
• Keep things organized more easily with recycle bin enhancements.
• Be on time every time with the improved alarm application.

Previously, RIM briefly released BlackBerry Tour Update 4.7.1.53 and then pulled it.

T-Mobile has started offering T-Mobile Complete, a pre-packaged no-annual contract solution that offers the value of a monthly plan and the first pay-in-advance BlackBerry smartphone from a national U.S. carrier. Prepaid BlackBerry smartphones include the BlackBerry Curve 8520 for $299.99 and BlackBerry Pearl flip for $149.99.

With T-Mobile Complete, customers can choose from four handsets starting at $59.99, which includes first month free. Customers can also choose from a range of unlimited plans starting at $50 per month. T-Mobile Complete is currently available nationwide at Best Buy and at select  Walmart locations.

AT&T says it will sell the" best value in" its BlackBerry smartphones  the BlackBerryCurve 8520.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 has a full QWERTY keyboard and touch-sensitive trackpad for easy typing and navigation, built-in Wi-Fi and an advanced media player, plus dedicated media keys. The BlackBerry Curve 8520 also provides global connectivity via phone, email, text, IM, picture messaging and social networking, with Facebook and My Space apps preloaded.

This Curve also comes with a high-resolution 320x240 display a 512 MHz processor, 256 MB of Flash memory, and a 2 megapixel camera equipped with video recording.

AT&T users of the new BlackBerry Curve 8520 can enjoy access to the nation's largest Wi-Fi network with more than 20,000 U.S. hotspots -- including approximately 7,000 Starbucks locations.

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone will be available in the coming weeks for $99.99 after mail-in rebate. (Pay $199.99 and receive $100 AT&T Promotion Card. 2-year agreement on a min. $69.99 plan required.) AT&T smartphones require the purchase of a monthly data plan. New customers can use the Wireless and Mobile News $50 off online only coupon-link for new customers with an AT&T contract.

Attention football fans, before you head out for Thanksgiving you must be sure that your can get the latest football news on your BlackBerry (Pearl, Curve, Storm, Bold), iPhone, or Android/Droid. National Football Post (NFP) will drop-kick you through the holidays with their new free NFP Mobile app for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry. NFP Mobile that delivers instant, real-time access to NFP sports content, news and information.

NFP Mobile for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone features all of NFP's popular online content with easy-to-navigate tabs, including:

• Hot News and Rumors.
• Columns from NFP Experts (Matt Bowen, Jack Bechta, Robert Boland and Andrew Brandt).
• Notes from Lombardi.
• Fantasy Football News.
• Scouting Department.
• Daily Jolt.
• Team News - featuring a customizable tab that lets users get up-to-the-minute news on all their favorite teams.

If you're thinking about buying a BlackBerry you may want to think Wal-Mart where they will give you a $100 gift card when you buy a BlackBerry with a contract.  Buyers of BlackBerry smartphones from all four major carriers: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless with be rewarded with a $100 Walmart gift card.
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The deal ends on Nov. 20, customers will receive a $100 Wal-Mart Gift Card with the purchase of select BlackBerry devices with a two-year contract in Wal-Mart stores and online.

It hard to figure out the online deals, because from the Wal-Mart website you have to click on "click here for online only offer,' and then the price drops even more online  than in a Wal-Mart store. The Wal-Mart online deals are all better. The easiest way to find the BlackBerry deals is to to click on the BlackBerry advertisement that appears on the Wal-Mart electronics page, pictured above.

If you want to learn how to master development, servers and services for  BlackBerry smartphone.  You may want to go back to college.

Research In Motion launched the BlackBerry Academic Program to provide colleges and universities around the world with a curriculum and course content to offer courses in administering and supporting the BlackBerry solution and developing for the BlackBerry platform.

Course content is currently available for mobile application development for BlackBerry smartphones, administration of BlackBerry Enterprise Server, and support for BlackBerry smartphones. The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with academic professionals and has been in pilot for over a year.

At the BlackBerry Developer Conference, in the “Final 16” awards event,  judges awarded 7digital Music Store (by DevelopIQ) as the winner of the US$100,000 grand prize in the 2009 BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge. The free app lets users browse and buy DRM-free music.

Here are the top 3 BlackBerry App  winners.

• 7digital Music Store - (FREE) lets users browse the latest music charts, preview the latest tracks and discover, purchase and download high quality, DRM-free MP3 music directly to a BlackBerry smartphone. The software also comes with an integrated advanced media player that imports your existing playlists and music files.
• Fierce Towers ($4.99) is the first tower defense game for the BlackBerry smartphone. Control the field to stop the waves of attacking enemies as you place upgradeable towers around the field as you try your best strategies to stop wave after wave of invading enemies.
• Kik (FREE not available yet) lets users find, manage and play music files stored on BlackBerry devices.

The runner up in this year’s Challenge, Fierce Towers (by Nickel Buddy), receives a prize package valued at more than US$25,000. An on-the-spot honorable mention and US$5,000 prize was also awarded to Kik (by Unsynced). 

There are many free apps available for the BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Tour  our readers love the top free best app articles.

At the 2009 BlackBerry Developer Conference, Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) and Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq: ADBE) tannounced that creative professionals and application developers will be able to use the Adobe Flash Platform technology and Adobe Creative Suite content development and authoring tools to easily create rich content and application experiences for BlackBerry smartphones.

Future versions of Adobe Creative Suite starting with Adobe Creative Suite 5 will provide the ability for designers to create optimized graphic assets, such as image and video content, from tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects, for the BlackBerry platform.

RIM made some big announcements during the BlackBerry Developers Conference.Research In Motion unveiled a new services platform for developers that offers advertising, payment, content push and new location services.

The BlackBerry Advertising Service will enable developers to integrate advertising into their BlackBerry applications,. The service will feature ads compliant with the Mobile Marketing Association's (MMA) guidelines as well as rich media ads that will be able to deeply integrate with BlackBerry applications.

Examples of this deep integration between ads and applications will include the ability to easily initiate a call from an ad, add a calendar entry or contact entry from an ad, and directly link to an application in BlackBerry App World™ from an ad.

The Ad service will also include real-time, detailed, consolidated reporting of advertising across ad networks, including ad impressions, clicks, conversions and earnings, as well as integration into the Omniture Online Marketing Suit™ for more advanced analytics.

Sprint will be selling the new BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone and is taking pre-orders. It comes in royal purple and black. If it's in in purple than is it PurpleBerry instead? Verizon announced it will start selling the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone on November 20 for $99 with a contract.

The BlackBerry Curve 8530 has an easy-to-use,  tactile, full QWERTY keyboard and touch-sensitive trackpad, along with 256 MB flash memory and 528 MHz next generation processor for enhanced performance. The BlackBerry Curve 8530  works with Bluetooth (version 2.1) and comes equipped with  2.0 megapixel digital, camera with zoom and video recording.

BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone has dedicated music keys to skip to the next song on a playlist, pause or play. It comes preloaded with several multimedia applications including BlackBerry Media Sync, Sprint Music Store, Sprint TV and Pandora. It also has dedicated applications for a smoothly integrated social networking experience with Facebook, MySpace and Flickr. BlackBerry Curve 8530 will be available in three color options - Black, Royal Purple and Red.

Sprint's BlackBerry Curve 8530 will have access to BlackBerry App World for thousands of applications. Sprint has not set a price for their Gl

Verizon announced it start selling the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone on November 20. The slim BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone gives customers access to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi capabilities, as well as easy access to music, games and other mobile apps for entertainment on the go. The BlackBerry Curve 8530  comes in Black and Smoky Violet.

It has an easy-to-use, highly tactile, full QWERTY keyboard and touch-sensitive trackpad, along with 256 MB flash memory and 528 MHz next generation processor for enhanced performance.

It has Bluetooth (version 2.1), 2.0 megapixel digital, camera with zoom and video recording and advanced media player for music, pictures and videos, dedicated media keys and a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, plus BlackBerry Media Sync.

We were wondering if the new touchscreen BlackBerry Storm2 would be included in the  Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry Deal at Verizon and the good news is that if you buy one BlackBerry Storm2, you can get another BlackBerry or mobile broadband device for FREE. The added advantage of buying online is that when you buy the BlackBerry Storm2 you immediately get the rebate included and only have to payout $179.99.

Therefore, you can get another BlackBerry device or mobile broadband device such as the MiFi or a Gateway netbook for free after rebates. If you were thinking of getting a netbook, anyway, this is the best, top, cheapest deal for you.

The BlackBerry Storm2 comes with the latest BlackBerry operating system OS 5.0. The BlackBerry Storm2 features new SurePress "clickable" display technology and built-in Wi-Fi, 480 x 360 display at 184 ppi.

The BlackBerry Storm2 has received good reviews and is an improvement over the first version.  Where it really excells in the email department.  The BlackBerry Browser is improved with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets.

The Gateway LT2016u Netbook comes with Windows XP Home Operating System, is global capable, features a 10.1" display, 1GB of RAM and 160GB of Hard Drive. It features a built-in Web-cam/microphone, Windows Media Player, and  Wi-Fi.

As we previously suspected, Verizon announced that the BlackBerry Storm2 will go on sale October 28. The BlackBerry Storm2 comes with the latest BlackBerry operating system OS 5.0. The BlackBerry Storm2 features new SurePress "clickable" display technology and built-in Wi-Fi, 480 x 360 display at 184 ppi.

The BlackBerry Storm2 has received good reviews and is an improvement over the first version.  Where it really excells in the email department.  The BlackBerry Browser is improved with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets.

Customers running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 will gain the ability to set follow-up flags, manage e-mail folders, access remote files (Windows Shares), forward appointments, view calendar attachments, and more. First gen BlackBerry Storm owners note OS 5.0 is now also available for BlackBerry Storm first gen users.

We checked the Verizon website today, to see if the Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry Deal is still in effect.  Select BlackBerry smartphones are showing "get a select BlackBerry" for free with a two year contract  It would be great if the new BlackBerry Storm 2 would be included in the deal.

The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone is available beginning Oct. 28 for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. If you use the Wireless and Mobile News' online purchase coupon-link for Instant Phone Rebate Only Available with Online Purchase then you don't have to wait for the rebate.

Data plans for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan. There a lot of great apps available for the BlackBerry Storm.

Google has updated Google Maps for mobile for BlackBerry to 3.2. The new maps for BlackBerry includes layers You can view many layers of information on your map at the same time. Layers make it easier and more useful to find and interact with geographic content, like public transit, traffic (with incidents!), local search results, Latitude friend locations, Wikipedia and more.

You can also see your own My Maps content as a layer on Google Maps for mobile. And finally, multiple layers can be combined at the same time to give you a content-rich view of what's around you.

Layers make it easy to view various types of information on your map and are especially helpful in situations when you're traveling somewhere new. For example, you can turn on the Wikipedia layer to read entries about nearby places, then use the transit lines layer to help map out a route. Or you can use the My Maps feature of Google Maps to create a collection of places you're planning to visit on your trip and then use Google Maps for mobile to access it from the road. You can also turn on the Google Latitude layer to see your friends' locations.

Pearl Jam is offering a bootleg app for the BlackBerry Tour.  We wonder why it wasn't for the BlackBerry Pearl then users could say my "Pearl is jammin'."

This is the start of of Pearl Jam's bootleg program for mobile devices. They're starting out small, with the new Pearl Jam mobile bootleg app available Verizon BlackBerry Tour customers, only.

Is life getting you down and you need a quick lift? Get this free BlackBerry app from Aproprose, Feel-Goodies. Launch the Feel-Goodies app and you will be reminded how wonderful you really are. One of our readers pointed out, “it’s a simple app for complicated people.”

A satisfied user is quoted on the Feel-Goodies website as saying, “The Feel-Goodies app demonstrates why the word “app” is in h-app-y.” 

There’s something endearing about this cellular caffeine for self esteem. Click through to get compliments that negate the negatives and position yourself in the positive. This app is not only a game shifter for mobile apps but an attitude shifter too.

Currently, there is only the free version of Feel-Goodies, while a paid version with a year’s supply of Feel-Goodies is in works. You can send a link or SMS, your BFF for her to get a free Feel-Goodies app right from within the application. Wireless and Mobile News was fortunate to get a first look at an app that can’t go wrong.

RIM has announced the specs for the new BlackBerry Bold 9700 that is thinner the first gen BlackBerry Bold smartphone which will ship with the new BlackBerry OS 5.0. It is geared towards enterprise customers.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 features support for 3G HSDPA networks around the world, a next-generation (624 MHz) processor, 256 MB Flash memory, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi, a 3.2MP camera and a 480 x 360 display. You can expand storage by replacing the 2 Gigabyte MicroSD with up to a 16 GB card.

The trackball has been replaced by atouch-sensitive trackpad and a highly tactile, distinctive, fretted keyboard. The BlackBerry Bold 9700  has a dark chrome frame and leatherette back add for easy holding.

"The BlackBerry Bold 9700 builds on the success of the original BlackBerry Bold with new, state-of-the-art features and a smaller, lighter and highly optimized design that looks, feels and performs great," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone is expected to be available from carriers around the world beginning in November. AT&T will sell the Bold 9700 for $199.99 with a two-year contract and after a $100 mail-in rebate. T-Mobile will sell the phone for $199.99 with a two-year contract. If you are a new AT&T customer, don't forget to use the he Wireless and Mobile News' $50 off online only coupon-link with the purchase of a new phone with a plan. Free shipping is included with online activation.

We know the BlackBerry Storm2 storm must be coming soon because the BlackBerry Storm2  debuted on the Verizon website.

When we went to find it today, it was gone. 

According to new rumors the launch date for the BlackBerry Storm2 will be announced tomorrow.  The date is supposed to be pushed later due to technical problems. Remember we thought it would 10/21?

Updated 10/21 - We hate false rumors that we don't know where they came from. Today, the rumors suggest an early November release of the BlackBerry Storm2 because dummy models are appearing in Best Buy.

Verizon has rigorious testing procedures and they don't let anything out until it passes the test.

Engineers are gearing up to make sure it passes muster.

Last year, some thought the BlackBerry Storm classic was released too soon for holiday shopping and the bugs caused a lot problems.
 
The BlackBerry Storm2 is expected to be another great seller for Verizon, especially if it is included in the  Buy One Get One Free BlackBerry deal that is slated to end 10/21.

Reviewers liked the improvements over the first gen BlackBerry Storm and the addition of Wi-Fi.  Everything is faster and the touchscreen keyboard is much more responsive.

Probably the best thing about BlackBerry smarpthones for Verizon is the 3G coverage which they are vamping up for the release of Android 3G phones.

In the free BlackBerry App department in BlackBerry App World the top apps include messaging, social networking, music, utilities, games,

1.BlackBerry Messenger - The new BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 is so popular ,it reportedly crashed RIM's servers. It's been called one of the greatest updates so far. This new version of BlackBerry Messenger includes barcode scanning for PIN exchange, BlackBerry Messenger chat via SMS, the ability to create groups, back-up and restore of your contact list (on our servers - no more desktop backup required!) and the ability to customize your display picture.

2.  Facebook - this ever-so-popular social networking app has been updated with updates New features include status updates on the home page;wall access from within Facebook for BlackBerr, and photo viewing in a simple, easy-to-use slideshow format. .

3. Pandora Internet Radio - we named this our BlackBerrry Storm free app of the day way back and it's still a great way to listen to music on your BlackBerry.  Pandora creates radio stations based on songs and artists that you like based on algorithms from the Music Genome Project. Pandora Radio streams the songs to your BlackBerry.

4. BuzzMe - this app lets your BlackBerry smartphone Buzz and ring you at the same time. It allows you to control the color of the LED lights as well as pick a disco beat/style.

5. Dictionary.com - this newly released dictionary, spells success.  You can look up over 500,000 words with a special Dictionary Thesaurus App form Dictionary.com either from the app or writing or reading emails. Features include the "Word of the Day" and pronunciations.

Epocrates Essentials is now avaialble for BlackBerry smartphone. BlackBerry smartphones are one of Epocrates' fastest growing platforms with more than 20 percent growth among U.S. physicians in the past quarter. For a $159 annual fee, medical professional can get easy access to reference information.

Epocrates' top-ranked software is used at the point of care to support clinical decisions from diagnosis to treatment. Beyond the free drug prescribing and safety information, the enhanced Epocrates Essentials suite introduces new content and features to the platform including:

• Thousands of in-depth, peer-reviewed disease topics developed in conjunction with the BMJ Group, publisher of the British Medical Journal
• Hundreds of diagnostic and laboratory tests for interpretation and diagnostic support
• Hundreds of brand name OTC drug products with drug interactions
• More than 600 alternative (herbal) medicines
• Infectious disease treatment guide with empiric and specific treatment recommendations.