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Neil Gaiman's amazing A Calendar of Tales now available

Michelle Haag — Thu, 23 May 2013 21:23:02 GMT

Neil's Keep Moving Project is a wonderful collaboration of art, words, and heart.

In February of 2012, Neil Gaiman teamed up with BlackBerry for his Keep Moving Project. It was a rather ambitious idea, to combine fan submitted story ideas and art work with Neil's unique story telling abilities into what he titled A Calendar of Tales. Over the course of a few weeks, Neil took to Twitter, asking his followers questions such as “What’s your happiest memory of April?” and "Tell me something you lost in September that meant a lot to you.” The replies became the basis for the stories, one for each month. Neil turned the stories into audio recordings, asking his fans to submit illustrations and videos to go along with the words.

BlackBerry Accessory Roundup - Enter to win a Z10 case of your choice!

Adam Zeis — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:18:49 GMT

The BlackBerry Z10 is selling strongly and users all over the globe are getting in on the BlackBerry 10 action. No matter if you've picked one up already or are still waiting to make the switch, you've most likely contemplated some new accessories at some point. Thankfully we've go you covered there as we already have a load of new Z10 accessories in stock and get more every day.

Most users start with a case to get the accessory ball rolling, so we figured it was time to fire up another contest and give one lucky winner a brand new Z10 case of choice. We have plenty to choose from including the BlackBerry Transform Hard Shell, OtterBox Defender and of course the amazing CrackBerry Crunk Case.

Whatever your preference, head over to ShopCrackBerry to check out all the latest arrivals and keep reading for your chance to win!

Gear up your BlackBerry for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix

Adam Zeis — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:33:53 GMT

The BlackBerry-sponsored Mercedes AMG Petronas team will be hitting the pavement in Monte Carlo for the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday. I've never been a big fan of F1 before, but of course now that BlackBerry is sponsoring a team, how could I avoid it?

Also, the Monaco Grand Prix will be the first time an F1 race is broadcast live on network TV here in the US (NBC).

Calling the CrackBerry Community: We want to feature YOUR awesome photos in our articles!

Kevin Michaluk — Thu, 23 May 2013 16:12:10 GMT

Have some amazing BlackBerry photos you think would be suitable for CrackBerry posts?

Read the details below and submit them in to cbphotos@mobilenations.com!

One of the things we realized while designing the new CrackBerry is that the site really looks best when we include real people in the "hero" photos that accompany articles. Given the site's clean look and high quality of design, putting real people into the photos gives it an extra touch of life that makes it even more compelling and engaging. This is especially true when you visit the CrackBerry homepage on the main desktop site - you'll notice the site always looks best when the featured stories at the top have people in them. As sexy as phones are, it gets kind of repetitive and boring if all you see up and down the page is device photo after device photo after device photo.

If you've been following the site daily the past couple of months, you've probably noticed there have been quite a few photos of me on the site along with the mysterious blonde (let's call her Storm) in the photo above. There's a good reason for this. While in NYC the past two months, I was also with our Design Director, David Lundblad, who is a pretty damn good photographer in his spare time (and yes, the mysterious blonde is his gf). David likes taking photos, and we took advantage of our time together to do some experimenting and play with different styles of photos on the site for different types of posts. Overall, the experiment has been a great success - we definitely succeeded in adding variety to the photos and making things more interesting.

BlackBerry Dev Alpha devices will stay up and running after all

Adam Zeis — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:48:45 GMT

When the BlackBerry Dev Alpha devices were given out, developers were told that at some point the devices would be deactivated and essentially rendered useless (or bricked in geek terms). With plenty of developers eligible to trade in their Dev Alpha for a limited edition BlackBerry Z10 however, this didn't seem like such a big deal.

For anyone that hasn't received a BlackBerry Z10 or just wants to hold onto their Dev Alpha for testing purposes there is good news today. As it turns out, the devices will continue to work past the original deactivation date of June 30th.

Deal of the Day: Save 44% on the BlackBerry Microfiber Pocket for Z10

ShopCrackBerry — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:24:51 GMT

Today Only: Buy the BlackBerry Microfiber Pocket for Z10 and save $10.99!

The power saving technology of the BlackBerry Microfiber Pocket helps to preserve battery power by automatically dimming the screen. While the exterior protects against bumps and scratches, the soft inner lining helps keep the screen of your smartphone clean. With a slot on the outside of the pocket for easy access to credit cards and ID, the microfiber BlackBerry Pocket is stylish and functional. Available in grey and red.

List Price: $24.99 Today Only: $14.00

Deal also available in the Canada store

Learn More and Buy Now

Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!

Going cross platform could skyrocket the number of BBM Money users

Chris Umiastowski — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:03:06 GMT

While reading through BlackBerry-related news yesterday, I saw a post that our friend Ronen published on BerryReview pertaining to BBM Money.

Here’s whats new: In the first 90 days since launching BBM Money in Indonesia, the service has in excess of 60,000 users registered. It’s not exactly a huge number, but apparently the target is to grow this user base to 200,000 by the end of the current year. Sounds like they are well on their way to achieving this goal.

Keep in mind BBM Money can only be used by BlackBerry customers today. And it can only be used to send money between BBM users, or to top up your mobile account. It only exists in Indonesia today, where most BlackBerry hardware is running the legacy BBOS, and the devices don’t have features such as near field communications (NFC) to permit “tap to pay” type functionality.

Mireo navigation and it's free trial updated for BlackBerry Q10 support

James Richardson — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:18:46 GMT

A while back we told you about the Mireo voice guided satellite application and the fact that it comes with a free seven day trial. The developer dropped me an email to let us know that BlackBerry Q10 owners can now take advantage of the app and with it's free trial there is no reason not too.

Time to have some fun with your BlackBerry 10 buddies with Tilty

James Richardson — Thu, 23 May 2013 10:29:11 GMT

This one is a fun little game for when you and your buddies with BlackBerry 10 smartphones get together. Tilty is currently available on both the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 so no restrictions which is good to see.

BlackBerry 10.2 bringing standard unicode Emoji support, return of Level 1 notifications and more!

Bla1ze — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:54:57 GMT

While a lot of folks are still waiting to get their hands on BlackBerry 10.1, BlackBerry 10.2 is already in the works. That's never really been a secret, it's just a plain fact at this point. Creating a little bit of excitement through his BBM Channel, BlackBerry Product Manager, Michael Clewley, shared some of the smaller details about what exactly BlackBerry 10.2 will be bringing along with it in short list of changes:

How about a Porsche Design BlackBerry Q10?

Bla1ze — Thu, 23 May 2013 05:27:30 GMT

The Porsche Design P'9981 was a pretty interesting device but it's now a little bit outdated even with it having arrived in gold. Arguably, it was outdated at the time of release but that didn't matter to a lot of folks. Personally, I wanted one but I couldn't justify the cost for what essentially broke down to a dressed up BlackBerry Bold 9900. A Porsche Design BlackBerry Q10 though, that's something I could possibly go for.

Sadly, the likelihood of that device being a reality is unknown at this point, but we can at least imagine what one would look like thanks to CrackBerry forums member, DYLANHABKIRK. He rendered up the above image just to see what it may look like if it was to ever be created and I have to say it looks pretty badass. Again, not a real device but what do you guys think of it? Put it into production?

Leaked OS 10.1.0.1916 for the BlackBerry Z10

Bla1ze — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:36:19 GMT

If you're among those who enjoy loading a leaked OS onto your device, it's once again time to grab your BlackBerry Z10, USB cable and settle in for a night of testing. Another OS leak for the BlackBerry Z10 (STL100-2, STL100-3) has turned up in the CrackBerry forums. This time around, you'll be putting OS 10.1.0.1916 to the test if you dare to load it. I've not had much time with the file myself but it I did load it up on my spare Z10 and all seems to of have gone well thus far.

Right then, as always - use caution when installing a leaked OS like this and remember if you break your phone it's not our fault. Also, a good idea to make a backup because you're essentially performing a factory restore on your device. If you don't want to lose data, a backup is needed. You'll need a Windows PC to install these files and If it goes downhill, remember you can always wipe and restore your device. If you're curious, the file itself was signed as of May 16th so there's no doubt later versions out there already but for now, this is what we have. You know, in case you want to wait for a later version.

Union offering select game titles for only $0.99 - Air Attack, Fractal, Roboto and more!

Bla1ze — Thu, 23 May 2013 01:03:42 GMT

The news coming out of Union lately has been huge and it looks like they're celebrating a bit. Right now, if you head into BlackBerry World you'll find select titles on sale for the BlackBerry Z10. In total, five games from their vast catalog have been updated to support BlackBerry 10 and no doubt, there is more on the way. Here's a list of what's on sale and available for the BlackBerry Z10:

Hell hath no fury like a BlackBerry/Netflix user scorned

Bla1ze — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:30:00 GMT

A movement started earlier today in the CrackBerry forums... pissed off BlackBerry 10 owners are canceling their Netflix services over their lack of support for BlackBerry 10. Will it help? We're not sure. But it sure feels good.

Just in case you haven't noticed, BlackBerry users can be very passionate individuals. Especially those who hang out in the CrackBerry forums. Along with that passion, they're also very vocal, and when word came down that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings had never even used a BlackBerry 10 device but had zero interest in making Netflix for BlackBerry 10, the CrackBerry forums sort of blew up, and rightfully so.

Obtuse thinking deserves to be commented on. One thread in particular that has gained plenty of traction has a pretty simple concept. If Netflix won't support BlackBerry, as a BlackBerry user it's also your choice to not support Netflix. Cancel all your accounts. We've actually seen this concept surface several times in the forums already these past few months, but given the timing of Hasting's comments and the lack of mention of Netflix coming to BB10 at BlackBerry Live last week, this thread is gaining traction quick.

Control your Tesla Model S via your Z10 or Q10 with the Model S for BlackBerry app!

Kevin Michaluk — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:59:15 GMT

Have a BlackBerry 10 phone? Own a Tesla Model S? If so, then Model S for BlackBerry 10 is the app you need. Heck, even if you don't own the car you can still download the app and pretend you did thanks to Demo mode!

While BlackBerry had their pimped up Bentley on stage at BlackBerry Live showing off its amazing BlackBerry 10 integration, the hottest BB10-friendly car at the Orlando event was actually sitting in the parking lot behind the venue plugged into a charging station.

Of course, we're talking about the super fast, super sexy and environmentally friendly Tesla Model S, which thanks to the Model S for BlackBerry app gives owners a ton of control over their Model S right from their Z10 or Q10.

Casetop KickStarter project shows one vision of mobile computing

Bla1ze — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:59:09 GMT

For years now there has been talk of BlackBerry building a smartphone dock that would essentially turn your device into a netbook of sorts. In fact, BlackBerry already has a patent for it all ready to go should BlackBerry CEO, Thorsten Heins, decide to make use of it. Those rumors aren't going away, they're only getting stronger as talks of mobile computing come up more and more often. Already taking the idea of using your smartphone as your computer and running with it is John Andrus, Founder of Livi Design, who has launched a Kickstarter project for his vision of mobile computing, dubbed Casetop.

The Casetop offers a laptop-style dock which you can plug your smartphone into, whether it's powered by Android, iOS, or BlackBerry. From there, your device provides all the processing power, graphics power and will even work as a trackpad for the Casetop. In return for the computing power, the Casetop brings a full-sized keyboard, 11.1-inch 720p or 1080p display, powered USB port for charging devices, HDMI input, MHL video, audio output, and stereo speakers.

BlackBerry Q10 outselling the Samsung Galaxy S4 in the UK

Adam Zeis — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:56:33 GMT

While the BlackBerry Q10 has still not landed on US soil (not too much longer, promise) sales have been exceeding expectations already. While a recent report by ITG Research claimed that Q10 sales were under that of the BlackBerry Z10, it appears that it is quite the opposite.

According to Seeking Alpha, the Q10 is actually selling better than the Z10 despite being just one month in since the initial release. When contacting stores across Canada about the report, it was clear that the Q10 is selling extremely well across the board. As one store commented, "That is not correct, it [Q10] is doing considerably better."

Twitter flips the switch on two-factor authentication

Adam Zeis — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:44:17 GMT

It's no secret that some top Twitter accounts haven't had the best of luck lately as big names like AP and even Burger King have been hit in the last few months. Today, Twitter upped their security however by finally adding in two-factor authentication for users.

For those that don't know, two-factor authentication is a security feature that requires users to enter a special code when logging in to a site. Typically the code is sent via SMS to a users phone and they then enter it as part of their login.

Time for some putting action with Golf for BlackBerry 10

James Richardson — Wed, 22 May 2013 19:22:22 GMT

The game is called Golf but it's more of the putting style to be honest - it's awesome though! You have a selection of 2D courses where you need to try and putt the ball in as little amount of shots as possible. Directing the ball is achieved using an on-screen arrow attached to the ball. Then you need to decide how hard to make the putt. Over on the right of the display is your power bar that will dictate this.

Mike Lazaridis has high hopes for BBM on iOS and Android

Simon Sage — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:37:13 GMT

In a recent interview, ex-co-CEO of BlackBerry Mike Lazaridis commented on BlackBerry Messenger going cross-platform. As you might expect, he figures BBM stands a good chance at succeeding on iOS and Android.

Live from Verizon's CTIA event - maybe they'll tell us today when the Q10 is getting released and Z10 updated?!

Kevin Michaluk — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:32:40 GMT

** UPDATE: Ok, so that's over. Uhhh... no Q10 announcement. no Z10 update announcement. It was just about J Lo (as in Jennifer Lopez) launching her new Viva movil. **

CTIA -- the Wireless Association -- has their big show taking place in Las Vegas this week. With BlackBerry Live taking place last week in Orlando, everybody from the CrackBerry team decided to skip CTIA this year. We figured the odds of any BlackBerry news coming out of it were slim to none.

That said, Phil, Andrew and Anndrew from the Android Central team are at the show covering on behalf of Mobile Nations. And they'll be firing up the live blogs at 2:10pm ET / 11:10pm PT to bring you the news coming out of the Verizon event taking place.

I have no idea what Verizon will be talking about on stage today, but I know a ton of CrackBerry readers are Verizon customers. And I know a lot of you Verizon customers are waiting anxiously for the BlackBerry Q10 release date to be announced. It should have been May. Now we're told it's June. Maybe today we'll find out the exact day you can run into a store and buy a Q10. I also know a LOT of Verizon Z10 owners who are waiting for a BlackBerry 10.1 update too. Maybe they'll mention that today?!

Don't shoot me if they don't announce anything. But it can't hurt to tune in and watch, right? Be sure to catch the live blog and participate above!

And CrackBerry... be nice to Phil et al, ok? They're good guys, even if they don't rock the BBs.

Register now for the Ottawa International Game Conference and save 50%

Adam Zeis — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:08:02 GMT

The countdown is on until the Ottawa International Game Conference kicks off in just about a week. The three-day conference takes place May 29th-31st and features new innovations and trends in the Canadian gaming industry and will host speakers all across the board including our favorite gamer of all, Anders Jeppsson, Global Head of Gaming at BlackBerry.

Our own gaming geek Simon Sage will be on site to take it all the news from the conference including speakers, developers, panels and more.

We go hands on with Cut the Rope for BlackBerry 10

James Richardson — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:30:49 GMT

We announced a short while ago that the popular game 'Cut the Rope' had been updated to support BlackBerry 10 so if you are in two minds whether to part with your cash here's a little taster for you.

TM13 revealed next week; enter today to win a trip to NYC for the launch party!

Kevin Michaluk — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:21 GMT

Win a FREE trip to NYC for our June 6th #TM13 Launch Party.

To enter, simply visit MobileNations.com/tm13 and sign up for email updates! It's as easy as that!

So here's the deal -- For the past month we've been teasing #TM13 on the blogs and across the social sphere. That all changes early next week when we officially reveal what the TM stands for and tell you all about our upcoming and awesome Mobile Nations event.

Some of you have been pretty astute this past month, piecing together the clues we have dropped along the way. TM13 is an online event, which will be hosted across our Mobile Nations sites, including Android Central, CrackBerry, iMore and Windows Phone Central. The inspiration for the event comes via our Smartphone Round Robins of the past, where the editors of each site took off their platform champion hats to try out the competition and engage in higher level discussion. TM13 builds upon this past success. A lot. Trust me, you're going to want to join us for the ride!

In NYC on June 6th? Save this TM13 party date!

While TM13 is an online event, we're going to celebrate the kick off with an in-real-life party. We'll provide the full details and open up RSVPs next week, but we can tell you now the party will be held the evening of June 6th in New York City. If you can attend, save the date. For real. This is an event you will not want to miss. This will be the first time we've ever held a cross-site Mobile Nations meet-up with all of our site editors in attendance.

How to quickly lock your BlackBerry 10 phone when using a device password

Adam Zeis — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:39:44 GMT

If you use a password on your BlackBerry Z10 or BlackBerry Q10 (as you should) you may have noticed that there doesn't appear to be a way to quickly lock the device. Of course you can set the timeout to just a minute and your phone will lock on its own, but what if you want to lock it immediately?

On older BlackBerry devices, if you had a password enabled, a Password Lock icon would appear on your homescreen. Selecting it quickly locked your device no matter how long you had your lock timeout set for.

I was a bit bummed when I noticed that there was no such icon on BlackBerry 10. The option is still there however - just in a different place.