BBMGroupsOnline.com

The latest BlackBerry Messenger, version 5.0.2.11 is available in the Beta Zone. We’re getting closer to version 6.0 and while there aren’t any big improvements in this release, it’s good to try and get your hands on it for the basic fixes. Here are some fixes you’ll find in this release:

• If you are running BlackBerry® 6.0, a cursor might not have appeared when you scrolled through previous messages in a chat.
• If you turned on content protection, when you received a new message, you might have seen a “Content protection is enabled” message.
• If a person invites you to become a contact during a multi-person chat with you, and if you accepted the request, the contact might not have appeared on your contact list.

Sign up for the beta zone at blackberry.com/beta.

© BlackBerry Cool for BlackBerry Cool, 2011

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The BlackBerry News Feeds app is a pretty cool RSS reader for your BlackBerry. The app is a little redundant for BlackBerry 6 users, but RIM probably wanted users to have something for the OS 4.6 to OS 5 users. Even if that was the reason, it seems like a waste of time considering there are third party RSS readers. In any case, the latest update to the News Feeds app includes:

• Ability to delete all prior articles when viewing a feed or viewing “All Unread Items”.
• Ability to mark the list of items as read when viewing a feed or viewing “All Unread Items”.
• If you swipe left or right in a feed, the screen now moves to the previous or next item in the feed.
• Ability to zoom in on images and text in feed items.
• New message, wireless network, and battery (while charging) indicators appear in the app’s header.

Something that is missing is more import functionality. You should be able to integrate the app with Google Reader as well as your browser. Manually adding feeds is a bit of a pain.

You can always check out version 1 of the News Feeds app in App World at this link.

Sign up for the Beta Zone at blackberry.com/beta.

© BlackBerry Cool for BlackBerry Cool, 2011

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In Kevin’s BlackBerry Roadmap, he talked about the devices we can expect to see in 2011. One of these devices is the next generation BlackBerry Torch, and it looks like we just got some more confirmation on that. According to UAProf documents found online, the BlackBerry 9810 has the same 480×640 screen resolution that the Torch 2 is rumored to have. Add it up, and it looks like the Torch 9800 has a new family member.

Current specs for the Torch 2 are said to be:

• Processor: 1.2 GHz processor
• Radio: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE ; Tri-band HSPA 14.4Mbps
• Display: 3.2″ VGA – 480 x 640 capacitive touchscreen display
• Memory: 8GB storage + 512MB RAM + up to 32GB MicroSD
• Connectivity: WiFi + Bluetooth + NFC
• Camera: 5 MP
• Battery: 1300MAh battery
• Dimension: 14.6mm thick
• Sensors: magnetometer

Of course these are speculated, and could change before the device is actually released. With all these great devices coming out this year… which are you going to pick?

Source: BBNews.pl

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In a recent Tweet from Mike Kirkup, director of developer relations at RIM, we heard that by the end of January, RIM will be launching an updated beta version of Theme Builder with support for all 6.0 devices. Themes for BlackBerry 6 are pretty interesting because BlackBerry 6 is sort of a theme itself. RIM has gone through a lot of changes in how the UI works, and it wouldn’t be surprising to find out that fewer themes are being purchased as users upgrade to the latest OS. It should also be interesting to see if the upcoming QNX OS will support themes.

© BlackBerry Cool for BlackBerry Cool, 2011

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Before we left CES 2011 we again sat down again with Ryan Bidan, the Senior Product Manager on the BlackBerry PlayBook team to work through a bunch of the questions we’ve been seeing here on CrackBerry related to the BlackBerry PlayBook. At the CES BlackBerry booth many of the same questions have been getting asked, so the Inside BlackBerry Blog did a quick interview with Ryan addressing the big questions they too have been hearing.

We’ll follow up with our written BlackBerry PlayBook FAQ soon, and in the meantime you can check out the video above. There’s been a bit of a misconception going around online that in order to use the BlackBerry PlayBook that you’ll need to own a BlackBerry Smartphone, which is not the case. A native email and calendar client may not be there at launch, but it is definitely on the roadmap (likely sooner than later) for the PlayBook and new OS. In the meantime there will be the BlackBerry Bridge for BlackBerry owners that turns the PlayBook into a big screen for your phone’s email, calendar, contacts, tasks, and BBM (no data stored on PlayBook) and access is there via the web browser as well. It’s clear that the QNX-based BlackBerry Tablet OS is still in early days and it’s going to be evolving rapidly. Unlike the phones where carriers dictate OS update releases, with the PlayBook RIM will be able to push them out to consumers quickly, and I’m sure we’ll be in for a lot of updates in the early days. It’s a solid base to begin with, and it’s only going to get better, that’s for sure.

Source: Inside BB

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The BlackBerry “Super Phone” is coming, just maybe not tomorrow. Mike Lazaridis sat down with PCMag at CES 2011 to discuss a bit about RIM’s future and what we can expect in the coming years. During the interview Mike confirmed the plans to bring QNX to BlackBerry smartphones, but also said that current multi-core processors aren’t quite what they need to make this happen. “Battery life, size, weight, thickness, cost” are all factors here, and until those are all up to par for what RIM has planned, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing QNX on our devices. Future QNX devices are coming, just no word on when exactly. RIM isn’t in a hurry. “First they made RIM a global business, now they’re delivering the PlayBook, and super phones are on the to-do list”, he said. Mike alluded to the next 10 years of BlackBerry, and the growth they are preparing for in BlackBerry both in handheld devices and tablets.

We spent the last three years building a global company. Putting in all the infrastructure, building the relationships, building the supply channels, the infrastructure, the distribution, the manufacturing capacity, that’s what we did! And we continue to grow, right? What we’re setting up is for the next 10 years of BlackBerry. We just finished the first 10 years, actually closer to 12 – the first decade of BlackBerry. Now we’re setting up for the next decade of BlackBerry. Right? That’s what we’re doing.

I think it’s because we’re always thinking ahead, we’re always planning ahead. I think in this kind of business you have to have a lot of planning. It’s one thing to take a reference design and package it. It’s another thing to build a platform that can grow with your customers’ needs, that can grow with where the market is going as opposed to where the market is today. To provide that uncompromised performance for enterprise, for government, for large corporations as well as provide an experience for the consumer that’s unique.

So how do you feel about these statements? Are you optimistic for the future of BlackBerry, or are you starting to get impatient? With RIM re-branding WES to BlackBerry World, all of us on the CrackBerry team are hoping we’ll see RIM use this event to announce some BIG things for BlackBerry Smartphones (not just tablets) this May. Maybe Mike L is just setting us up to blow us away. I for one am excited to see what RIM brings us this year, and for years to come. They definitely have a solid foundation world-wide to build on, and I can’t wait to see where they go. For the full interview, check out the link below.

Source: PCMag

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Let’s be honest, who remembers phone numbers anymore. When was the last time you dialed an actual number for a friend or family member? In this day and age it’s all about speed dials, address books, and contact lists. So whether you’ve just picked up a new BlackBerry or upgraded your device’s operating system here’s how to add and personalize contacts on OS 6.

read more

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While running around in the chaos that is the BlackBerry booth here at CES there was definitely a lot going on. From the demos to the accessories we’re really getting our fill of all that is the BlackBerry PlayBook. During one of the on-screen promos RIM has running, we noticed this screen of what will be BlackBerry App World for the PlayBook. Simply put it looks great. It’s a big jump from what we know now as App World and we’ll welcome it with open arms. We know that apps can only be installed to the PlayBook from App World (at least at the start) so having a great interface is definitely needed. While we haven’t seen it on an actual device the image above is really all we have to go with for now.

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[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

Attention BlackBerry® PlayBook tablet developers! As a follow up to our BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Webcast series, we’ve put together a video overview demonstrating how easy it is for developers to use the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK Beta2 for Adobe® AIR® and the BlackBerry PlayBook Simulator Beta to develop BlackBerry PlayBook applications. Read more at the BlackBerry Developer’s Blog »

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Know thy permissions; Know thy BlackBerry.

Just about every time you install a new application on your BlackBerry, you’re asked to set permissions. Long ago, Research In Motion decided that only the BlackBerry end user would be able to decide how apps would interact with the smartphone. Unlike some other device creators, there are no code signing or other workarounds to granting the permissions. Only the user or the BES administrator can choose to allow permissions.

Without certain permissions, your new app will not run on your BlackBerry. But what permissions should be granted? Should you give Trusted Application status to your newly installed program? Should I give it access to my personal data? These are important questions to ask.

read more

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BlackBerry Tour owners have kind of been left in the dark when it comes to OS leaks. But, today ends that drought. OS 5.0.0.1041 has just sprung up for all you Tour owners who are looking for a new OS. We don’t have to tell you this but we will anyways, it’s a leaked OS so be sure to back up your data before loading it up. Also, be sure to drop some comments here or in the CrackBerry forums about what, if anything is new within the OS itself so that others may know.

*OS Disclaimer – Please Read: Keep in mind this is NOT an official release and as such is not supported by RIM or your Carrier. If you choose to install, do so at your own risk and only if you’re comfortable in the process of upgrading and downgrading your device software. It is quite normal during operating system development for certain features to be crippled or disabled while others are tested, and these beta builds often reflect that. They are not always better. Depending on your BlackBerry comfort level, it may be best for you to wait for community feedback on a build before deciding to download and install for yourself or simply wait for the next official release. If you require support, you will find it in our CrackBerry forums via our extremely knowledgeable community base – do not contact your carrier or RIM for Beta OS technical support (their first course of action will be to advise you to downgrade to a supported OS). *

Download OS 5.0.0.1041 for the Tour 9630
Discuss more in the forums

Source: BerryCN

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BlackBerry Storm 9530 owners, you’re in luck as well. The same OS, 5.0.0.1041 has leaked for your device.Again, it’s a leaked OS so be sure to back up your data before loading it up.
Also, be sure to drop some comments here or in the CrackBerry forums about what, if anything is new within the OS itself so that others may know. Enjoy folks, this one has been a while coming.

*OS Disclaimer – Please Read: Keep in mind this is NOT an official release and as such is not supported by RIM or your Carrier. If you choose to install, do so at your own risk and only if you’re comfortable in the process of upgrading and downgrading your device software. It is quite normal during operating system development for certain features to be crippled or disabled while others are tested, and these beta builds often reflect that. They are not always better. Depending on your BlackBerry comfort level, it may be best for you to wait for community feedback on a build before deciding to download and install for yourself or simply wait for the next official release. If you require support, you will find it in our CrackBerry forums via our extremely knowledgeable community base – do not contact your carrier or RIM for Beta OS technical support (their first course of action will be to advise you to downgrade to a supported OS). *

Download OS 5.0.0.1041 for the Storm 9530
Discuss more in the forums

Source: BerryCN

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Leaked OS 5.0.0.1041 for the BlackBerry Storm 9530

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We’re excited to announce that starting today, you can now submit your BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet apps to the BlackBerry App World™ vendor portal!

As announced at the Adobe® MAX conference earlier this year, developers who create an application for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that is approved for distribution through BlackBerry App World prior to the tablet’s initial release are eligible for a free BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. This is subject to certain terms and conditions*.

We like to keep things simple here at BlackBerry App World HQ. How simple? Submitting a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app is the same as submitting an app for BlackBerry smartphones – only you’ll be submitting .BAR files instead of .COD files.

Here’s a reminder of what you’ll need when submitting an application:

Get the details at the BlackBerry Developer’s Blog »

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The full feature set of Google Maps API v3 is now available to BlackBerry 6 and BlackBerry Torch users. The Google Maps API allows you to embed the Google Maps field into your website whether it’s on desktop or mobile. Being cross platform has always been a central focus of the Maps API and it’s good to see them finally with BlackBerry 6 support.

© BlackBerry Cool for BlackBerry Cool, 2010

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Need some new applications on your BlackBerry® smartphone? This blog post series is here to help! This will be the first in a series of posts that outline the various installation methods offered by BlackBerry App World™. I’ll show you how you can email an application link to yourself and colleagues, as well as how to load applications using a desktop web browser and how to use QR codes to find and install a new application from the BlackBerry App World desktop storefront. In this post, I’ll be focusing on how to install an application to your BlackBerry smartphone using BlackBerry App World.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog »

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While it may not mean much to many folks in terms of usefulness, BlackBerry developers out there can now download the new BlackBerry 6 device simulators for the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and BlackBerry Curve 3G 9330. One could speculate that with their release, a BlackBerry 6 OS release for the same devices cannot be that far off but we don’t really want to create any false hope for anyone. Though, deep down we really do hope that’s exactly what it means. If you’re a developer or just want to poke around in the device simulators you can grab them now from the developers resource page.

Click Here To Head On Over To The BlackBerry Developers Resources Page

Source: BerryReview

CrackBerry.com

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As we mentioned previously, the Rogers TabLife event was held today in Toronto. A lot of folks were on hand to film the event and now, some of that footage is making its way across the web. The above video shows off the BlackBerry PlayBook demo given by David Neale, Vice President of Special Projects at Research In Motion.

While the video itself is really just more of what we’ve seen previously it does provide some finer details. In the video, you get a brief look at some of the specs of the BlackBerry PlayBook more specifically, the processor running on the device. As noted in our forums, the BlackBerry PlayBook appears to be running that oft rumored TI OMAP 4440 processor which makes the BlackBerry PlayBook a pretty powerful device. Thanks Dave!

Join The BlackBerry PlayBook Discussion In The CrackBerry Forums

CrackBerry.com

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BBC Children in Need aims to change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK. All around the UK, people are ‘Showing their Spots to raise lots’ so that BBC Children in Need can support even more children who need their help.

This great looking theme available for your BlackBerry not only turns your smartphone spotty, but allows you to easily make donations directly from your phone.  A matching case is also available for £14.99, with 20% going directly to Children in Need.

The theme is available for free from BlackBerry App World http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/18385?lang=en

Join the forum discussion on this post

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RIM is really starting to step up the heat against the competition. The video runs through a series of comparison tests with a PlayBook and iPad which demonstrate three things: the speed of the BlackBerry PlayBook Browser, its support for rich Flash content, and the performance of open web standards like HTML 5 on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Hit the break for the video.

On a BlackBerry? Click here for mobile video viewing

So what are you thoughts on the PlayBook? The more we see the PlayBook and its performance, the more it wets my pallet for one.

Join the forum discussion on this post

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