Why I love Tether

Friday 1:27 a.m. It's been a long day for me, but I'm not done yet. I'm usually up this late; and tonight is no exception. I'm working on the introduction to the Mobile Nations Podcast that's due to be recorded later in the day. I need to search the internet for some podcast-y music, but there's a problem. There's no internet to be found. You see, I've been away these last few days, visiting my grandparents and helping the family with a few things. They don't have an internet connection; but thankfully, I have Tether.

Tether is an application installed on my BlackBerry and laptop computer that lets me use my smartphone's data plan to connect that laptop to the internet. Most carriers charge an additional fee for doing this. I'm almost always around a WiFi connection, so I don't tether enough to really justify paying an extra $15 each month ($180/year) to my wireless carrier to make use of the data plan I already pay for.

Tether (note the capital "T") is one of the more expensive applications made for BlackBerry, but it well worth the cost. Each and every time that I've found myself in need of an internet connection and no router in sight, I'm thankful that I purchased it long ago. Tether proved its usefullness to me not only at my grandparents' but on the drive home, too.

 

 

Friday 2:30 p.m. With the intro completed and emailed, I begin the long drive back home. It had taken a while to find just the right piece of music, and Tether kept up with me the whole time. The internet ran a bit slower than I'm used to, but that's to be expected. The 3G network isn't incredibly fast. Still, I was able sample some 30 pieces of streaming music before I found the right one. Tether never missed a beat.

Finally on the road, I get an email: Rene Ritchie needs the original music I used for the introduction. I have no idea what the song is called aside from some odd number and letter combinations. The file is on my laptop, so I know what to do. Stopping at a gas station, I connect my BlackBerry to the laptop and soon Tether has me on the ‘net. A few minutes later, Rene has the music file he needs.

This is why I love Tether. I'm in the middle of nowhere, a half-mile south of Where? and slightly to the east of Random-South-Carolina-Town-#0279. Because of Tether, I'm browsing the internet on my laptop while stopped on the side of the road. Tether isn't an app I use that often, but it certainly falls in the category of "I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it." And today is certain a "need it" kind of day.

 

More information / purchase at BlackBerry App World

More information / purchase at the CrackBerry AppStore (for a little less)

OS 7.0.0.187 For Bold 9900/30, 9850/60, Curve 9350/70 Leaked

We have seen leaked videos and pictures for this devices in the last months and now here is the OS for them. For most of us who do not have either of these devices hybrid builders may find something to keep them busy with these leaks. Do not attempt to install them on current devices as it will not work or if some how you do manage to do so it will certainly brick your BlackBerry.

To download the OS use the following links:

BlackBerry Curve 9350/70
BlackBerry Torch 9850
BlackBerry Torch 9860
BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900
BlackBerry Bold Touch 9930

 

via CB & BlackBerry empire

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Test your music knowledge with Name This Song for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Name This Song for the BlackBerry PlayBook by JimmyO Software combines two of my favorite things into one package: trivia and music. Growing up I was always a fan of the game show Name that Tune so it was a no-brainer when I saw this one in App World. I find it to be a fun and addicting game to play if not frustrating at times. There are just some songs I am not familiar with at all (sorry Country). If you're looking for something to keep you entertained click on the break for more information and screen shots. 

Players compete against each other to be the first to identify the artist and song being played in the music clip. You're not just competing against other PlayBook owners but people logged in from every game site that hosts it including Facebook and Kongregate. Each match is based on style or category (i.e. Modern Rock, New Alternative, Country, Classic Rock) and consists of five songs. Players choose from among four possible answers and must tap on the corresponding thumbnail. Points are then awarded based on how fast you answer. Whoever has the highest score at the end is declared the winner. If you're not happy with how you're doing simply tap on another match to join.

It is a pretty cool game to play and I find myself spending too much time on it. Some users pointed out connectivity and song delay issues but after installing a recent update I didn't experience this. The only thing I noticed is that you can join a match currently in progress even if it's on Song 5. Other than that I think it's a really good way to challenge your music skills and discover new songs and artists to listen to. Just beware this game might cause you to jump on your computer to download or purchase some of the tunes played. Best of all, it's completely free.

More information / download Name This Song from BlackBerry App World

 

ShortcutMe version 5.5 released, on sale for 50% off today only

They aren’t called convenience keys for nothing. They are what they are; convenient. Some models have one, but the lucky ones have two. They provide a one click access pass to an app, commands and more. The video above gives you a taste of what ShortcutMe 5.0 offers. ShortcutMe 5.5 continues to provide a doorway to multiple options, depending on the number of times you click on the convenience key. It’s not just a simple ‘click to access’ option either – you can use macros to create shortcuts to launch an application, as well as manage user interaction (navigation, selections, etc). This definitely puts a new spin on what we consider convenient. Think of the time you will save by eliminating steps in everyday actions you do on your BlackBerry. What would you do with your extra time? Well, you could use that additional time to visit CrackBerry.com.

New features in 5.5:

For today only, ShortcutMe is available for 50% off (regular price is $4.99- you do the math!). You can pick up ShortcutMe from the CrackBerry App Store

More information/download ShortcutMe for BlackBerry smartphones

Bank of America App updated to v3.0.26 - no more web browser!

Oh happy day! Finally Bank of America, N.A. shows some love to it's BlackBerry users! With the new upgrade to v3.0.26 available on BlackBerry App World, BofA users will no longer be sent to a URL link to access their accounts. This new update is an actual app similar to what has been available for other platform users for quite some time now. Within the app you now have the ability to view & pay bills, transfer money between accounts & search for banking centers/atms.

When you go to find the app via App World on your phone, it is the old version, v1.1.0 (at least on my BlackBerry it is) which will still be the version that takes you to a URL site. I couldn't get App World to show me the current version. I tried downloading the mobile app via BofA's website and got a "download failed" message. So far, the only way I've seen to get the new v3.0.26 is to download it on your computer and then sync to your device. Still no app for the BlackBerry PlayBook but I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

More info / download of Bank Of America Mobile Banking App

The Grammar of BBM

 

In these times of ever-shortening missives of 140 characters or less, people are cramming more and more information into less and less space. This shortening of words and phrases can lead to disastrous consequences. Take this text message for example, "n e ice cream left?" You'll notice that the person texting has used the exact same number of characters to type "n e" as he would have to type "any." This young texter now looks like a complete fool and faces banishment from his humble seaside village.

We of the Society of People Who Wish Everyone Could Just Use the Same Words but It's Probably Not Going to Happen Because Honestly? Who's Going to Listen to Us? Societies (it's a big society) have put together this handy guide to the proper use of the noun and verb forms of BBM.

BBM - Noun - acronym for BlackBerry Messenger, a highly popular messaging app exclusive to the BlackBerry smartphone

BBM - verb - to send a message via BlackBerry Messenger or to BlackBerry Message (where Message is a verb)

 

When speaking of sending messages via BlackBerry Messenger, it is important to use the correct punctuation and capitalization in order to make sure you are properly understood. For example, if you were speaking of a sending a BBM in the past, you could use a sentence such as "I BBM'd Beth yesterday, but she hasn't read my message yet."

Note the apostrophe and then "d" following the BBM. Rather than stating "I sent Beth a message using the BlackBerry Messenger application; it has not yet indicated that she has read said message," you can simply write "BBM'd Beth yesterday, but no R, just D"

The shift key and the apostrophe key are on entirely opposite sides of the keyboard. For some people, this pressing of two separate keys to produce merely a single character upon the screen is an almost Herculean feat. For these people, BBM'd can be shorted to BBMd. Please note that capitalization is key to this abbreviation as "BBMD" and "bbmd" are complete gibberish.

 

 

Also of note is how to describe the actual act of sending and a BBM and/or having a full conversation over the messaging platform. In the sentence, "John is BBM'ing his wife before we go out for beers" this indicates that John is currently in the process of sending a message to his wife using the BBM application to message between the two BlackBerry smartphones, letting her know that he may be home from work a little late

The sentence "John is BBM'ing with his wife because we went out for beers" indicates that John neglected to tell his wife that he was going out with the guys and thus would be home late. The "with" indicates a conversation happening in real time between John and his wife. From the fierce typing and disappointed sighs, it would appear that John's wife has sent him pictures of her after dinner plans. Unfortunately, it appears Mrs. John now has a headache.

Again, as with BBM'd, BBM'ing can be shortened to BBMing. In rare cases where six characters are simply too many. BBMg can be substituted. Please note that anyone not reading this article will have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. BBM'ing your parents the phrase "BBMg BF tlk l8r" will almost certainly earn a lecture on how much college costs and/or the value of using real, actual words.

 

 

To speak or write about sending picture or video over BlackBerry Messenger uses a very similar grammar structure as sending a message. BlackBerry Messenger sends pictures, video, and audio in pretty much the same way as it sends text, thus the grammar needs only a slight adjustment.

Incorrect: John just sent me a text message with a picture of what his girlfriend was wearing last night. That was worth the 40 cents it cost to receive it!

Correct: Hunter just BBM'd me a pic of his girlfriend. I don't have to worry about text messaging charges or wait while the resized picture is reassembled from tiny pieces of no more than 160 bytes. Because pictures, audio, and video sent via BBM travel through the data network, I get the original picture. This is going on my wallpaper.

 

As you see, it is important to use good grammar even while shortening what we say. With constant vigilance, the world can be properly molded into shape, trained to use proper sentence structure in even the most trying of times. We of SPWWECJUSWIPNGHBH?WGLU?S thank you in advance for your support.

Weekly Accessory Roundup - Win a SanDisk 16GB microSD card for your device

With all the flashy accessories out there now, the importance of an SD card is sometimes overlooked. Whether it is music, videos, pictures, or all your personal documents, these cards let us take all of our favorite data with us everywhere. Most BlackBerry devices do come with an SD card, but its usually 2GB or less - and for most of us thats just is not enough. The SanDisk 16GB microSDHC Card will take care of that problem.

The SanDisk 16GB microSDHC Card is a great solution for your media needs. On average it can store around 4,000 of your favorite songs, or 10,000-14,000 pictures. This is 8 times the capacity of the standard SD card that is included in most BlackBerry devices. The more storage you have the better. Using a memory card will keep all of your media files off of the device memory, allowing your device more free space for applications, and helping it to run better. Some users can get by with a small 2GB card, but if you want to maximize your storage, you really can't go wrong with 16GB (or even 8GB most times).

Overall a 16GB sd card is a must for most BlackBerry users. The high capacity will meet even the most hardcore users needs. Personally I have been using the SanDisk 16GB card for almost 8 months, and it has met all of my media needs. SDHC cards are compatible with most late model BlackBerry smartphones. You can pick it up at the CrackBerry Store for $59.95, a fair price for the amount of storage you get, and length of time this card will last.

 

 

To enter to win a 16GB microSD card for your BlackBerry, simply leave a comment to this blog post. Contest ends this Sunday night at Midnight PST. Please, just one entry per person.

 

New PlayBook Accessories

 

New BlackBerry Cases

 

New BlackBerry Batteries

 

New Bluetooth Accessories

 

 

Until Next Time...

That's it for this week's roundup! We hope you enjoyed it! If you come across accessories you'd like to see featured in an upcoming roundup, please send us an email to blackberryaccessories @ crackberry.com.

Kiddo Plus: An engaging app that will keep your child entertained while they learn

Kiddo Plus by Spice is a great educational tool for your kids (suggested ages are 0 to 5 years old), that teaches children the basics in several categories using vivid images, animation, music and on-screen interaction. If you're looking for a great game for your kids under 5, this in one to check out. Features include:

Flash cards: for ages 0-3:

Activity Mode: for ages 3-5:

This app comes pre-loaded with a 'Child Lock' that prevents accidental key presses, unwanted calls or data-loss even if you leave the device unattended with your child. I use this app to work with the kids in my daycare as well as one on one with my youngest child. Now that the app is also available for the PlayBook (no activity mode or child lock as of yet for the PB but it is listed as coming soon) it’s a nice addition to my lesson plans.

I suggest downloading the FREE version (has less categories) before paying for the Plus version to make sure it works on the device plus you can see if it’s an app the catches your child’s attention.

For more information / download of Kiddo Plus

For more information / download of Kiddo (free)

Live and Lost with BlackBerry? Chances of survival are good

One day you find yourself in a strange place. All you have with you is a Blackberry Torch, a small amount of cash and your wits to get you through the week. For some, that sounds like an extended version of a great weekend. I recently stumbled upon a short series in which musicians based in the UK experienced just that, back in the Fall of 2010. Using the items listed above, and with help only from their fans, they had to make the trek to a gig within a week. The series starred Example, The Wanted and Professor Green, while on the Live and Lost tour - and only 6 episodes were produced. I wish I had found this sooner, but you can check out the episodes on Youtube.

They don’t know how they’ll get where they need to go. They reach out to fans, or vice versa, through their BB (using Facebook, Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger, etc). It was an interesting concept, but it didn’t really show the true power that we all know the BlackBerry has. Yes, there are countless shots of the Torch, but no shots of any native or third party apps used. Or even true talk about how great the BlackBerry is at keeping them connected with fans. You know, they should do something like this more often. You actually don’t need any celebrities or musicians on tour; drop regular people in the middle of nowhere and have them try to survive with cash and a BlackBerry. Now that would be a challenge. In fact, if RIM wants to do something like this again, I’m officially in!

Live and Lost with BlackBerry episode guide

Now Available: Incipio Premium Kickstand for the BlackBerry PlayBook

From the Forums: Show off the BlackBerry PlayBook browser with We Choose the Moon!

CrackBerry member Maxxberry shared in the forums an awesome website for showing off the BlackBerry PlayBook's browser. The site is called We Choose the Moon and honors the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. It's chock full of flashy goodness, and really shows what the PlayBook is capable of on content-rich websites. Not only that, the site is really interesting! My daughter and I watched Apollo 11 launch into space, and spent quite a bit of time looking through the media, learning about the shuttle and mission - all on my PlayBook.

We Choose the Moon: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing

Pick up the trash with Space Junk for the BlackBerry PlayBook

If you're looking for a good, inexpensive time killer on your BlackBerry PlayBook, look no further than Space Junk. The game is simple but will draw you in and keep you coming back for more. Space Junk is great for kids of all ages with it's great graphics and fun gameplay. The premise is simple - guide your rocket through space in an effort to collect all of the junk floating around. As you collect more and more your score goes up but your speed increases as well. Avoid crashing into planets and asteroids and be on the lookout for mind-warping black holes and tricky lost astronauts. Space Junk is available in BlackBerry App World for just $0.99. Check out the video above to see it in action.

More information/download of Space Junk

Contest: 25 copies of Morph by Russell Nash to give away!

I'm always on the lookout for new themes and just happened to see Morph by Russell Nash posted in the forums the other day. With Morph, you get to try your hand at creating your own unique theme. Your options for customization are endless. Select a wallpaper and then customize the theme around it. You have the options of moving icons, changing the layout or color scheme as well as selecting which icons and how many appear on your homescreen.

With an easy to use UI and no lag, this will be a theme you're sure to love. Morph is available for $2.99 and is compatible with BlackBerry 89xx, 91xx, 95xx, 96xx, 97xx, and 9800. 

Contest: We have 25 copies of Morph to give away this week courtesy of Russell Nash! To enter to win a free copy, make sure you have one of the compatible devices listed above and leave a comment below. One entry per person please and it all ends this Sunday at midnight PST.

For more information / purchase Morph

BlackBerry App Roundup for June 24, 2011 - 30 copies of Fancy Widgets to give away!

Welcome to this week's BlackBerry App Roundup! This week we have 30 copies of Fancy Widgets to give away! We have searched high and low and found some neat apps to share with you this week, so head on past the break to check them out and enter the contest! If you have an app you want to see featured in the roundup be sure to check the end of the post for information on submitting it to us.

 

Sketch Effect by Twist Mobile

Take a photo with your BlackBerry or choose an existing one from your memory card, and instantly turn it into a sketch with Sketch Effect by Twist Mobile. This easy-to-use app will transform your picture and allow you to save it or upload to Facebook. Compatible with most BlackBerry smartphones, you can pick this one up for $1.99 in App World.

For more information and to purchase Sketch Effect

 

CustomIcons by Toysoft

Are you bored of the native Media icons or you have just installed this awesome Theme for your BlackBerry® and wish you could change some of the Media icons like Camera, Music, Twitter, YouTube, Video and more. Now you can with Custom Media Icons.  The application includes 12 shortcuts and allow you to change the Normal and Rollover icons.  You can even give the shortcut a new name "Take a Picture" instead of Camera. Custom Media Icons automatically backups your icons to the SD Card so that you can Restore the icons when you upgrade the BlackBerry  OS. You can pick this app up for $.99 in App World.

Features:

For more information and to purchase CustomIcons

 

Finger Bowling by Jump Games

The evil aliens are using ingenious tricks to beat contenders on the bowling lane and want to conquer the solar system for a huge bowling arena. Play as Finger and put an end to this evil by taking out the aliens in a bowling face-off. Finger Bowling lets you use some cool tricks to outsmart the evil aliens. So what are you waiting for? Get ready to save the galaxy! Compatible with BlackBerry 82xx, 83xx, 88xx, 89xx, 9000, and 9500/30 only, you can pick this game up for $4.99 in App World.

For more information and to purchase Finger Bowling

 

Magic Pen by Alejandro Gullen

This game allows you to draw shapes and watch them come to life, as they become objects with realistic physics. A pin and a hinge tool allows you to build more complex mechanisms such as catapults, hammers, and whatever you can draw. The gameplay gives the player a lot of freedom, every player can come up with different ways of completing each level. Draw shapes and watch them come to life, your goal being to get the small red ball to the red flag. Magic Pen 1 is free for your BlackBerry PlayBook.

For more information and to download Magic Pen 1

 

QuickView Pro by AHazDesigns

Now with QuickView Pro, by AHazDesigns, you can see who the incoming message just came from & if it's important enough to read right away. You even have the option of changing the color and size of the pop-up. QuickView Pro is available for pretty much every BlackBerry (OS 4.5 or higher) and is supported by all carriers & countries. Grab a copy today and quit wasting your precious time on spam messages! Pick this app up while it's on sale for just $.99 at either link below.

More information / download of QuickView Pro via BlackBerry App World

More information / download of QuickView Pro via CrackBerry App Store

 

Fixmo Web Messenger out of beta, now available in the CrackBerry App Store

The name Fixmo has been seen around CrackBerry.com quite a few times; whether it’s been the ever evolving Fixmo Tools application or the tethering Fixmo Extend. Last month, Kevin informed us that Fixmo had entered a BlackBerry Messenger desktop client into public beta – aptly named Fixmo Web Messenger. Once installed on your BlackBerry smartphone, you can access the Fixmo site to log in. Using any browser, you can use Fixmo Web Messenger to access BBM and OMG and LOL to your hearts content. Both Mac and PC are supported. Features include:

Now it’s a little tricky when navigating the Messenger application in the browser – you have the menu and back button that work well, but I found the scrolling buttons to be unresponsive at times. It can handle both one on one or group messaging. There was a lag when it came to the display, as well. My BlackBerry would respond almost instantly to the commands executed from the browser, but the browser display would be roughly 2 to 3 seconds behind. The application is still a great way to be a little more discreet when using BlackBerry Messenger. Fixmo Web Messenger is currently on Sale for $2.99 (from $4.99) at the CrackBerry AppStore. A free trial is also available.

More information on Fixmo Inc

More information/download Fixmo Web Messenger

 

Fancy Widgets by Sergey Demyanov

While not a native function of BlackBerry at this time, you can have widgets on your home screen with the help of applications such as Fancy Widgets, which we first showed you back in December. Packed with options, this application will replace your current wallpaper with the widgets you choose. Don't worry if you are a wallpaper fanatic though; one of the included options is a wallpaper changer. You can add widgets such as stocks, weather, quotes, countdown, Twitter, and RSS feeds, and place them wherever you want. If you switch themes often, this is a key feature as you can reposition, add, and remove widgets as needed. You can even save and load previous profiles to save time! BerryWeather is supported as well, which I know is huge for a lot of you out there.

The latest version of Fancy Widgets is v1.2.4. This version has brought some worthwhile updates, so if you haven't checked it out yet it's a good time to do so! You can download the free version which gives you access to just two widgets, or get the full version for $2.99.

Change log for v1.2.4:

For more information and to download Fancy Widgets

 

Contest: We have 30 copies of Fancy Widgets to pass on to you guys! To enter to win, leave a comment below. We'll choose winners this Sunday at midnight PST. Good luck!

 

Well there you have it folks! Be sure to check out New BlackBerry Apps, Updated BlackBerry Apps and Free BlackBerry Apps available at ShopCrackBerry.com. If you are a developer and want to have your app shown in the roundup or you're interested in having us host a contest for you, drop me an email at cbmichelle[@]crackberry.com. See you all next week!

RIM Rumored to Discontinue BES Express for Lotus Domino

I have long wondered how many clients RIM has on Lotus Domino. RIM seems to have a strong partnership with IBM and they obviously have customers requesting support for the platform. The latest rumor from CIO.com comes from an unnamed source who is familiar with the situation saying that RIM is considering shuttering BES Express for Lotus Domino.

It could simply be that RIM has seen very little interest in Lotus Domino for BES Express. It would have to be for companies that have Lotus but don’t want to pony up for a full BES license. I am curious if any of you are running on a BES with Lotus Domino. How does it work?

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PlayBook Gets RadioShack Demo Video & Best Buy Commercial Treatment

 

While both of these videos are not as funny as the Carphone Warehouse demo or as slick as the Telus PlayBook commercial they are still nice to see stateside. AccuBerry noticed this demo video posted up by Radio Shack. Here is what they have to show:

Desktop Video Link | Mobile Video Link

We also have a relatively new commercial for the PlayBook by Best Buy that was spotted by Adam @CrackBerry.

Desktop Video Link | Mobile Video Link

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Phone Remote Controls Your BlackBerry Phone from your PlayBook

Simply Apps knows how to push the envelope! They just released a new application in App World called Phone Remote for the BlackBerry PlayBook. It performs a nice and simple function of remotely controlling your BlackBerry smartphone from your PlayBook over Wi-Fi. They compare it to a remote desktop app for your BlackBerry. You can then use your tablets larger screen to control your BlackBerry. The main restriction now is that it only works over Wi-Fi if both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Future upgrades will add further access.

I can’t really think of a good real world use for this if you already have BlackBerry Bridge but I guess you can run 3rd party apps that are not available on the PlayBook. For $2.99 the Phone Remote app is relatively cheap. You can pick up the main PlayBook app and the companion BlackBerry control app at the links below:

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Study: BlackBerrys Are Significantly Less Susceptible to Hardware Faults

I always knew that Android’s large number of licensed OEM’s was leading to substandard hardware quality but this is pretty bad. A study by WDS found that out of 600,000 customer support calls fielded for each device category only 3.7% of BlackBerry support calls were for hardware issues. This compares to 14% for Android, 9% for Windows Phone, and 8% for iPhone. Kudos to RIM’s engineers.

This is significant because hardware issues are not something that can be solved by customer service agents over the phone. They either need to be replaced by the carrier or customer or the customer simply has to live with the defect. WDS details in their study explaining why Android is leading to both high and low quality hardware but Craig Rich, Chief Marketing Officer at WDS breaks it down in one paragraph why the overall Android experience may be suffering due to lower priced devices:

“Mobile operators have to make some important decisions when selecting which smartphones to range on their networks,” adds Rich. “They must balance the need to introduce low-cost smartphone devices with the Total Cost of Ownership; how much it costs them to manage that device in their network for the duration of the subscription. A $100 smartphone might not look so attractive if it drives x3 more support traffic over its lifetime, has an above-average return rate or damages the customer experience in a way that increases the likelihood of the consumer churning. “

While these numbers make sense for Android and Windows Phone do to multiple licensees I was surprised to see Apple had such a high number at 8%. They follow the same model as RIM by making both the hardware and developing their own OS and are known for high end products. That makes me wonder if maybe Google needs to start setting some hardware quality standards for Android branded handsets to ensure it does not deteriorate their brand.

David was actually pointing out to me this week that RIM was originally known for having a rock solid device line. I remember you had to hit your 8700 with a hammer if you wanted to break it. The trackball did lead to some more hardware repairs but RIM fixed that with the trackpad. The upcoming Bold 9900 seems to be another example of solid RIM engineering and I cannot wait to get my hands on it as my personal device.

The numbers from the WDS come from a study done from June 2010-May 2011 and covered 600,000 technical support calls taken by WDS across Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia. Check out the full study press release here.

Thanks Ashley for sending this one in via PCWorld – Img Credit Sam Spratt of Gizmodo

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Asiacell to introduce BlackBerry service in Iraq

At a recent symposium in Qatar held by the Qtel Group with thought-leaders from RIM and representatives from companies and partners across the Qtel Group, new initiatives and potential for further growth in the Middle Eastern, North African and Asian markets were examined. A key strategy discussed was the development of the Qtel Group's lead in delivering smartphone solutions across its diverse range of emerging markets, which includes telecommunications operator Asiacell in Iraq. Asiacell, the first mobile telecommunications company in Iraq, was established in the city of Sulaymaniyah in 1999 and is said to be launching BlackBerry services in the country in the coming months.

BlackBerry smartphones have had relatively low popularity in Iraq due to recent events and past regimes, which have all but helped technological growth in the country. I personally visited my family in Iraq last summer and boy was it a unique experience - a night and day difference to the safe and calm Finland I've come used to. But despite the problems and difficulties, people managed to live in harmony with one another, care for their neighbor and smile at the end of the day no matter if poor or wealthy. It was truly an inspiring sight. Unfortunately, the necessities of life aren't always met, with limited supply of electricity being a major issue for many families in Iraq. It was not long until it occurred to me, and I apologize for sounding a bit bold, but BlackBerry smartphones are perhaps exactly what my family needs to make life just that much more enjoyable.

Let me explain. Part of my family lives in Basrah and part in Baghdad. When traveling by car, the trip from Basrah to Baghdad can easily take anywhere between four and six hours. My uncle drives that very route on a regular basis every month or so. Being the clumsy type he is, he once forgot to refill the tank and ran out of gas in the middle of his trip. With nowhere to go and a cheap Chinese replica of a Nokia phone, whose battery has long before died out, my uncle was stuck for an entire two hours on the highway. Luckily, someone drove by and stopped to check my uncle's situation, eventually bringing him back home. Anything could have happened during the time my uncle was stuck on the highway, and only if he had a somewhat usable phone with decent battery life, could he have called his brother for help and let the rest of the family know about the delay. Back then I had the BlackBerry Curve 8520, which I promptly offered to give my uncle after this occurrence. Needless to say, his trips have now become a lot more enjoyable as the battery on the Curve easily outlasts the length of the entire trip - no more headaches, no more worry.

By my uncle's statements, the cheap phones he and the rest of my family buys from the local shops only last for a couple of months or, if they are lucky, half a year. But my uncle has now had the BlackBerry Curve for an entire year and despite numerous falls and being driven over by a car (the Curve, that is... don't ask me), my uncle says that it has very well outlasted every single phone my family has bought in recent months. It takes just simple arithmetic to calculate how much money spent on these scrap phones could have been saved if everyone in my family had a BlackBerry smartphone and as constant supply of electricity is pretty much nonexistent in the area where my family lives, having good battery life in a mobile phone is literally essential.

There you have it: an affordable, but durable and reliable smartphone with excellent battery life to boot. But unfortunately nobody in my family has ever heard of the BlackBerry smartphone. Considering that the two major carriers in Iraq pretty much offer nothing of value, this is something I wasn't really surprised of. What surprised me however, is that the other major network in Iraq, Zain, which was formed in 2007, does in fact offer some BlackBerry services in the country. Upon closer inspection it seems that Zain only offers BlackBerry services for enterprises and used to empower the BlackBerry smartphones of U.S. soldiers in the country, but nothing more than that. Quite disappointing, to be honest.

But times are changing. I definitely hope so. With the limited electricity supply and fear of security in many parts of Iraq, having a proper handset that allows the family to stay connected throughout the day, week and month is critical. Needless to say, my family has asked me on numerous occasions to send BlackBerry smartphones their way, but no matter how much I wish I could do that, there simply is no reliable parcel service that would deliver my shipments to my family. And I am strongly hoping that Asiacell will soon launch BlackBerry services in a form that makes the BlackBerry smartphone more accessible to my family as a whole - they really need it.

For all I know, at least 70 members in my family (we are well over a hundred!) are more than willing to buy a BlackBerry smartphone whenever possible. My aunt contacted me the other day, letting me know she had some spare money ready for when she takes a trip to Kuwait, where BlackBerry smartphones are readily available. I really love that ambition and am very happy to know that soon it'll be reality, not only a dream. I miss my family a lot, and coming back to Finland was the most difficult part of my journey. Below are some pictures from my visit for good times' sake. Please, be my guest and share your story on how a BlackBerry smartphone has solved a major problem for you, or your family. And it would really make my day if there are visitors from Iraq reading this piece - please leave a comment and say hi! :)

DSB Design presents Zipper - A free theme for your BlackBerry Bold 9650/97xx!

I stumbled across this free theme in the forums the last night, and had to share it with you guys. DSB Design has released Zipper for the BlackBerry Bold 9650/97xx on BB6. This aptly named design is built around the unique home screen, featuring what else - a large zipper, which appears to be opening up your wallpaper. Yes that's right, you can still change out your wallpaper, giving even your old favorites a new feel. The four icon dock is hidden, as well as the weather slot, giving you a total of five icons on the home screen. Speaking of icons, these are those hot OS7 icons we've been seeing lately, and they look great. If you download this free theme, be sure to leave DSB Design a nice review for his efforts! You can also post your screenshots and other feedback in the forums.

To download Zipper for your BlackBerry Bold 9650/97xx

BlackBerry theme roundup for June 23, 2011 - Win 1 of 50 free copies of Aquilles by Raypho Themes!

Hey everyone, welcome back to the BlackBerry Theme Roundup! If you have developed a theme you want to share or be featured in the contest, or if you just see a really good one out there somewhere, send it in! Drop an email to themeroundup[at]crackberry.com for consideration. In the meantime, check out this week's picks and enter to win a free copy of Aquilles by Raypho Themes! Contest details after the break.

 

Windows Hub by BlitzStudio

This theme will completely transform your device bringing life to your home screen. The navigation of this theme is stunning yet simplistic and has smooth and snappy transitions throughout. The theme features a clean wallpaper-friendly design in which the home screen contains four categories of; home, social, media and utilities. Once a category has been selected, an range of 5 icons can be selected bringing a total of 20 fixed home screen icons! it is a truly wonderful design. This theme uses Windows icons, and is available for 480x360 devices on OS5 and up. You can grab this theme while it's on sale for $2.99 (reg. $5.99).

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Windows Hub (OS5)

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Windows Hub (BB6)

 

Nano by Madboy

I love the color combination in Nano by Madboy. The teal and gray icons look awesome in a hidden 4 icon dock. These icons are Apps, Media, Messages, and Utilities, and each holds 3 additional icons. There are two OCD/weather slots as well, which are also able to be hidden. Featuring a wallpaper friendly home screen, semi-transparent menus, and teal colors throughout, this is a well done theme for 480x360 devices on OS5 and up. Pick this theme up while it's on sale for $2.49 (reg. $3.99).

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Nano (OS5)

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Nano (BB6)

 

Droid 2day by Adastra Communications

Itching to try our Android, but loyal to your BlackBerry? Check out Droid 2day by Adastra Communications. Eight to ten icons on your home screen plus a weather slot, as well as fixed calendar section, makes this a theme that is as functional as it is attractive. The icons and fonts look great, and the clock is different from other Android inspired themes. Instead of the giant clock that most favor, the clock space is occupied by not only the time, but indicators and a weather slot. Droid 2day is on sale for $3.99 (reg $5.99) and compatible with BlackBerry 8330/50i, 85xx, 89xx, 9000, 91xx, 93xx, 95xx, 9630/50, 97xx, and 9800.

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Droid 2day

 

Prim by iHeartMyBB

She's back again, with another beautifully executed minimalist theme for your BlackBerry. Prim features a hidden 4 text icon dock for BBM, Browser, SMS, and Pictures; OCD/weather slot; hidden hotspots for Options, Profiles, Calendar, and Messages; and more! You can even adjust the tint of your screen so when you're using light wallpapers the text won't disappear into the background. Single numbers are used to represent your battery and signal meter, and the font throughout the theme is simply awesome. You can pick up Prim on sale for just $1.49 (reg $2.99) for your BlackBerry 85xx, 89xx, 93xx, 95xx, 9630/50, 97xx, and 9800.

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Prim

 

Aquilles by Raypho Themes

Raypho is at it again, this time bringing you Aquilles for your BlackBerry. This lovely, wallpaper friendly theme features a hidden drop down dock of 7-10 icons as well as two hideable icons at top and bottom of the home screen. Custom numeric battery and signal meters ensure you never miss what's going on in your device. The banner is semi-transparent, so you can clearly read the information even when using a bright or light colored wallpaper. This theme is smooth, and high quality, as we've come to expect from Raypho Themes. You can purchase Aquilles for your BlackBerry 8330/50i, 85xx, 89xx, 93xx, 95xx, 9630/50, 97xx, and 9800 on sale now for $1.99 (reg. $3.99).

For more information/screenshots and to purchase Aquilles

Contest: We have 50 copies of Aquilles to give away, courtesy of Raypho Themes! To enter to win one, leave a comment below. Contest ends this Sunday at midnight PST. One entry per person please. Good luck!

16 Year Old Shares Vision of Future BlackBerry OS Concept

Luis pointed out a thread in our forums where Bongs shared some really slick concept designs of his vision for BlackBerry and what he calls OS8. The designs are really slick and go right along with the eye candy combined with usability approach we are all hoping RIM brings soon just like they did with the PlayBook. I absolutely love the homescreen redesign idea with widgets and a few other updates but they need to be slick like HTC does. It is also cool how he has melded OS 6 with the BlackBerry PlayBook in that design.

Check it out for yourself and let Bongo know what you think in the forums. Best part is that he is only 16… Now if only we could get RIM to think along these lines. The PlayBook is a huge step forward but it needs to be consistent.

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RIM Removing Streaming Apps from App World in the Middle East

A developer of popular BlackBerry apps, Shane, let me know that he was contacted by RIM with an interesting issue with his apps. According to RIM streaming applications are not permitted for sale in the Middle East. They are removing availability of streaming apps in App World for users in the Middle East for all currently approved apps and new apps.

The list of Middle east countries banned from streaming apps is: Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen

I have never heard of such a restriction where streaming apps are not allowed in the Middle East. It makes me wonder if RIM Legal is pulling some CYA or if this is an actual restriction imposed by other stores. RIM flagged Shane’s police scanner apps but it makes me wonder what RIM means by “Streaming Applications.” I wonder if Nobex and other streaming radio apps are included. This is why I think it is a slippery slope for RIM to only allow BlackBerry PlayBook apps through App World. That is an Apple strategy that just helps enforce censorship since everything is centralized.

Let us know if you figure out any more!

Here is the email RIM is sending out:

Dear Mr X,

 

This email is to inform you that any streaming applications, including police scanners, are not permitted for sale in the Middle East. Please remove the following countries from any future application submissions of this type. The applicable changes are currently being made to the applications as they are approved. Please note this will not happen moving forward.

 

Also, if we have missed the country restriction on any applicable applications please make the necessary changes or feel free to inform us.

 

List of Middle East countries:

- Bahrain

- Egypt

- Jordan

- Kuwait

- Lebanon

- Oman

- Pakistan

- Qatar

- Saudi Arabia

- United Arab Emirates

- Yemen

 

 

Thank you for your continued interest in BlackBerry App World.

 

Regards,

BlackBerry App World Team

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BeBuzz Beta Adds Support for Latest UberSocial Update

The popular BeBuzz notification customization app from Bellshare got a small update in their beta today. Bellshare has a rolling beta for BeBuzz which is now at v4.0.80 in beta. This latest beta update adds support for the UberSocial update to v1.2 that happened yesterday.

You can find the download links to the BeBuzz beta in their forums at this link. If you don’t already have a copy you can pick up the full premium version for $5.99 in the store. The free version of BeBuzz in App World will probably be updated when the beta is over.

Kudos to Ashley for the tip!

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Latest BlackBerry Bold Hands On Video Shows Responsiveness

 

Since BlackBerry World last month I have not seen that much coverage of the unreleased BlackBerry Bold 9900. I was happy to see that PhoneArena got a chance to play around with the device recently and report back. The devices at BlackBerry World were running a pretty early OS but this device seems to be responding beautifully to the reviewers every touch.

I liked the hands on by John because it highlights the biggest feature of BlackBerry 7. By giving the OS double the processor speed it suddenly flies! When is the last time you heard a BlackBerry reviewer calling the device peppy, screaming, effortless, and responsive. Personally I am just happy to see the Bold 9000 style resurrected with a touchscreen. I remember back in the day we used to call the then mythical touch/QWERTY Bold the GodBerry. Check out their hands on video to see what I mean:

Desktop Video Link | Mobile Video Link

They also have a ton of pictures and their full hands on at PhoneArena. Let us know what you think!

Thanks to JJ for sending this one in.

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BlackBerry WebWorks SDK for the PlayBook Tablet OS Updated to v2.1

 

RIM has updated their BlackBerry WebWorks SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS just got a nice update today to v2.1. This update adds some more feature parity with the AIR APIs available along with adding the BlackBerry In App Payment API. That is interesting since the In App Payment API is not available to smartphone WebWorks developers. RIM has also opened more of the APIs to be called using AJAX.

The new API’s available in the WebWorks 2.1 SDK include:

• Camera API for taking pictures/video taping from within the WebWorks applications with the PlayBook’s powerful dual HD cameras
• Microphone API which developers can use to activate the capability to record audio with the PlayBook’s microphone
• Identity API provides applications with the ability to retrieve information about the BlackBerry PlayBook PIN
• File IO API which gives developers the possibility to read, copy and write files onto the Tablet OS file system.
• File Properties API
• Home Screen Category
• App Securities Permissions

RIM has updated the API Reference Guide for the new SDK. So what are you waiting for? Download the latest WebWorks SDK for Tablet OS. You can read some more details about the announcement on RIM’s devblog.

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Pretty WeatherSpark Flash Website on the BlackBerry PlayBook

I am always on the lookout for slick flash websites that work on my BlackBerry PlayBook. I was impressed when @BerryInformed pointed out WeatherSpark to us on Twitter. The WeatherSpark website provides tons of weather data for your location in their flash beta site. They definitely should package this up into a PlayBook app but it does work well in the browser.

It gives you radar maps, graphs, broken down forecast, historical weather, multiple sources of data and more. If you have been looking for such a think I highly recommend checking out www.weatherspark.com from your PlayBook! Its also fun to use on your desktop.

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BlackBerry Thumb, BlackBerry Facial… Now the BlackBerry Neck?

You just have to be a little bit crazy to come up with these “conditions” caused by using BlackBerrys or any other smartphone for that matter. Awhile back we heard about some treatments for BlackBerry Thumb but that is so passé. The Paul Labrecque Salon & Spa in Manhattan is offering a BlackBerry Facial and now a BlackBerry Neck treatment. The neck condition is caused by “repeatedly looking down” at your BlackBerry according to the NY Daily News. Here is how they describe the treatment:

The 45 minute exfoliation treatment was intense: A neck cleansing, a peel with sapphire stones, another peel, a hydrating serum and then some lymphatic drainage.  The treatment ended with 20 minutes of LED light and microcurrents, topped off with an oxygen mask.

The 45 minute exfoliation treatment was intense: A neck cleansing, a peel with sapphire stones, another peel, a hydrating serum and then some lymphatic drainage.  The treatment ended with 20 minutes of LED light and microcurrents, topped off with an oxygen mask.

All for $200… Seriously who are we kidding. Go go gadget neck!

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QuickView Pro - Find out if that email/SMS is worth looking at without going to your inbox

So I'm waitng for an email from our fearless leader here at CrackBerry and am passing the time watching some YouTube videos. When my email notification finally goes off I immeadiately scramble to open my inbox. Drat! It's just an email from my mother with another "funny" story about my nephew. Those of us who have the BlackBerry Style 9670 already have a built in pop-up feature for the outer screen letting us preview an email or SMS when our device is closed. Now with QuickView Pro, by AHazDesigns, you can see who the incoming message just came from & if it's important enough to read right away.

You even have the option of changing the color and size of the pop-up. QuickView Pro is available for pretty much every BlackBerry (OS 4.5 or higher) and is supported by all carriers & countries. Grab a copy today and quit wasting your precious time on spam messages!

More information / download of QuickView Pro via BlackBerry App World

More information / download of QuickView Pro via CrackBerry App Store

BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing App Beta Updated in Beta Zone

RIM has updated their very useful Mobile Conferencing app that is currently in the Beta Zone. This new v1.0.0.30 adds more features and options. It also has a cool “convert to conference” option from an email. I know quite a few people who are loving this app for long standing conference calls at work or simply to access their sales call bridge.

New in this version of Mobile Conferencing:

• Location of “Add Conference” button is moved up in the New Appointment screen
• Maximum number of profiles increased to 10
• Auto discovery search is improved
• Support for audio conferences profiles using Microsoft Live Meeting
• Create a conference from an email: now it just takes one click to get everyone on an email thread ready to be scheduled for a conference call. From any email, click “convert to conference” to create a new calendar appointment that already has the same subject as the email, attendees from the To and Cc line, and short clip of the email body in the appointment notes. 

You can pick up the beta in the Beta Zone at this link

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Carry your BlackBerry in style with a Golla Smart Bag [Sponsored Ad]

Free BlackBerry Communicasia2011 Theme With Built In Screenshot App

Don let me know about this latest theme put out by dlodlnodllly for BlackBerry at Communicasia2011. The theme is pretty slick and comes with a built in screenshot utility with the ability to post to Facebook and Twitter. The theme is pretty slick though I have to say now I am checking out their whole lineup.

 

Check out the free BlackBerry at Communicasia2011 theme in App World or view all of diodinodillys themes

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Ninja Breakout by XIMAD now available - Panda vs ninjas!

Ninjas! Pandas! Ninjas and pandas!! XIMAD is on a role lately with games for BlackBerry smartphones and their latest free game has just been released. Ninja Breakout is a classic shooter game. You are the panda, fighting off the ninjas as they fall from the sky. Clear them out, and you progress to the next level. Of course, there are special power ups along the way to help you out, as well as obstacles to be overcome so you may get at those pesky ninjas. As to be expected from XIMAD games, the Japanese inspired sounds, music, and graphics are bright and detailed, and game play has no lag. With 40 levels of play, this game will entertain you for quite some time.

Ninja Breakout is free and ad supported. However, if you'd like to remove the ads, you may do so via in-app purchase. This is a first for XIMAD, as they usually just offer up a free and paid version. I like this new streamlined method. This way you always know what you're getting before purchasing, without having to search first to see if there is a trial or ad supported version first. The ads don't hinder game play at all, and in fact are only seen when you complete a level, before continuing to the next. You can purchase the ad-free version at any time for $1.99.  If you like the panda vs ninjas theme, be sure to check out XIMAD's Ninja Shooter too!

For more information and to download Ninja Breakout from BlackBerry App World

Airtel Nigeria offers affordable BConnected package for low-cost BBM on BlackBerry smartphones

Introducing a new dimension to the competition in the BlackBerry subscriber market in Nigeria, Airtel is currently offering a new bundle for BlackBerry smartphone users dubbed the 'BConnected' package. The bundle offers BlackBerry Messenger as well as access to social networks Twitter, Facebook and MySpace for the lowly price of 1,580 Nigerian naira a month (approx. $10 USD).

Customers can try out the new service for 30 days, after which they can choose from monthly, weekly or daily subscription plans. Although the bundle excludes push e-mail, it is priced very attractively and will likely cater to the BlackBerry users in Nigeria who prefer not to subscribe to BlackBerry services due to the high cost of the full service plans. What do you think; should BlackBerry service bundles cost less? What about using BlackBerry smartphones for other uses beside e-mail? Voice your opinion in the comments!

For more information on Airtel's offerings, head over to their BlackBerry page

Source: Business Day Online

Logistics provider Damco releases BlackBerry smartphone application

Damco, one of the world's leading providers of freight forwarding and supply chain management services, has released a BlackBerry smartphone application aimed at providing customers a fast and simple way to get an overview on the status of the logistic services being delivered to them. With representation in 120 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, Middle East and Latin America, Damco is a key player in the logistics industry and certainly one of the more technically advanced logistics providers with the launch of its smartphone application for all major mobile platforms.

Chief Information Officer at Damco, Mark Scotland, underlines the fact that the mobile world is an important factor for business in our digitally evolving society: "The proliferation of mobile devices is making it economical and scalable to reach customers with apps. During recent years tremendous advances have been made, not only in the capabilities of the devices, but also in their ease of use".

While the app will initially offer tracking of ocean freight shipments, Damco plans to expand the functionality with airfreight tracking and other options, making it easier for customers to monitor or manage their shipments. If you're interested in Damco's services, be sure to head over to their homepage at http://www.damco.com

Press release

UberSocial for BlackBerry gets updated to v1.20

The popular Twitter app UberSocial for BlackBerry has gotten a big update today! Version 1.20 has quite a few bug fixes as to be expected, but they have also added in some neat features. The first of those is called The Inner Circle, which allows you to add people to an exclusive timeline. You can set separate notifications for this timeline too, so you'll never miss out on the tweets you want to see. The Uber team has also added DealBox, which is a new feature that shows you customized deals near you. When new deals are available, a notification will appear on the icon in your Uber Bar. They have also added in support for Twitter's new photo service, authentication requirements, and enhanced image viewing and handling.

All-in-all it looks like a worthwhile update. Head on over to the link below for the full change-log and to download UberSocial!

Check out the change log and download UberSocial for BlackBerry

Zimbabwe telecommunications authorities interfere with Econet on deployment of BlackBerry smartphones

Econet Wireless, Zimbabwe's principal cell phone company, has faced difficulties with its BlackBerry pilot project from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ). The issue came up after it emerged that some of Econet's subscribers and workers were using BlackBerry services without prior licensing.

Econet Wireless had engaged RIM for the deployment of BlackBerry services in the country late last year, but the project has so far come to a dead end with POTRAZ banning Econet from using BlackBerry services until they are licensed. The regulatory authority noted that it never issued Econet with a BlackBerry testing license, but that such a license does not even exist in its statutes. Ranga Mberi, Econet's Corporate Communications Manager, stated that Econet is willing to participate in cooperation with the authority: "These processes happen to be under the guidance of the regulatory authorities, who take steps that may be necessary at various stages of developing a product. We are unable to comment on specific stages at this time. However, we continue to engage the regulator, as per custom, to ensure full compliance at all times."

Fortunately for Econet, the regulatory authority is still considering Econet's request to introduce BlackBerry services in the market. As the telecommunications operator is nearing five million subscribers, it considers itself a suitable partner for RIM and coupled with BlackBerry smartphones' unique selling point, push e-mail, the project itself will likely appeal to the evolving population of Zimbabwe as well, where low-cost communication is key.

Source

Check out AV by AIM - Free video chat on your BlackBerry PlayBook, including group support!

Looking for a video chat option that you can use for BlackBerry PlayBook to computer chats? Try out AV, a new video chat service from AIM. Since it's browser based, there is no need to install an app. Simply browse to the website on your PlayBook or computer, agree to the terms, and click Start. You're given a URL to share with up to 3 of your friends. Send the URL to whoever you want to video chat with, they agree to the terms, and you're instantly connected! There is no set up and no account is required. You can invite friends instantly via AIM or Facebook, or use the old fashioned copy/paste method.

This is a great option for those of you that don't have a PlayBook but have a computer, or vice versa, or if you want to have group chats with your other PlayBook owning friends. The site is still in beta, but from the tests I've done it works really well, so give it a try and let us know what you think in the comments below!

To get started with AV by AIM

BlackBerry PlayBook Launches in India – International Rollout Continues

RIM has been making good on their promise to bring the BlackBerry PlayBook to 16 additional markets. Their latest addition is India where they are now selling the BlackBerry PlayBook. The PlayBook is plastered all over the BlackBerry India homepage and Facebook page for the launch. Shahzoor from BBIn.in let me know the pricing at:

BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB (WiFi model) – Rs. 27,990
BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB (WiFi model) – Rs. 32,990
BlackBerry PlayBook 64GB (WiFi model) – Rs. 37,990

It will be really interesting to see how the BlackBerry PlayBook takes off internationally because in many countries the Bridge feature is a godsend. The PlayBook doesn’t need its own data plan to get email and browse the web which is a big cost consideration.

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Verizon’s Stingy New Data Plans Detailed Fully in Latest Leak

We have already heard rumors and confirmation from Verizon about their upcoming data tiers but it is all starting to get official now. The new plans go into effect on July 7th and in this case you really do get less GB for your buck. AndroidCentral scored a few data sheets along with an employee email about the new plans. Verizon is even throwing in an extra “Screw You” by changing the business discounts to only apply to the data plan on the primary line and are mostly only 20% despite what other discounts you may have on service.

What we do know now is that current unlimited plan customers will be grandfathered into their “Unlimited” 5GB plans even if you upgrade devices. If you sign up with a new plan or want to add unlimited data you still can until July 7th. After then if you create a new data plan or add another line with a data plan there will be no unlimited option.

If you needed any more reason to think that the AT&T and T-Mobile merger would be bad for competition and raise rates then look no further than this. At least AT&T cut $5 off their “unlimited” plans when they brought it down from 5GB to 2GB.

You can check out the full email sent to indirect resellers and analysis over at AndroidCentral

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