CrackBerry.com blogs

Review: Woomby for BlackBerry

Ryan Blundell — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:57:56 -0500

Babies and BlackBerrys: two of the most precious things in the world. We joke about our addiction to our BlackBerrys; I can admit that changing batteries is far less hazardous than changing diapers. Hopefully we all know what is truly important (for those still contemplating, the answer is children). If you think about it, there are a few similarities between babies and BlackBerrys. Both are carried with caution, both are adorned with accessories, both draw attention and both consistently amaze you in new ways. If something doesn’t agree with them, you do everything in your power to console them. But what if you could use one to help the other?

I’m not talking about having your baby fix your BlackBerry. You’ll probably just end up with physical and drool/liquid damage. I’m talking about an application called Woomby. Your BlackBerry is turned into the ultimate baby buddy. From entertaining music and videos to soothing lights, your bundle of joy will get some much needed TLC from your BlackBerry. So instead of vying for your attention, you’ll be vying to capture the attention of both your baby and your BlackBerry. We cannot be held responsible for the impending “Mine! Mine!” argument you will have. Read on for more.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Review: Woomby for BlackBerry

Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 Promotion - Save $80!

ShopCrackBerry.com — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:41:30 -0500

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Verizon BlackBerry Storm2 Promotion - Save $80!

100 Free Unlock Codes from Express Unlock Code

Adam Zeis — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:51:44 -0500

The good folks at Express Unlock Code have another 100 codes give away. The codes are available for all North America GSM networks (AT&T, Rogers, Verizon, T-Mobile, Cellular One, Cincinnati Bell, Centennial Wireless and Dobson-Cellular). There is also a promotional price for Crackberry readers. All codes for AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon and Rogers are only $4.99. Just over to Express Unlock Code to receive the promo price. To enter to win 1 of 100 free codes, just leave a comment on this post. Contest ends this Sunday at Midnight PST. Please only leave one comment, multiple entries won't count.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. 100 Free Unlock Codes from Express Unlock Code

eBay Mobile App For BlackBerry Smartphones Coming Soon

Adam Zeis — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:48:53 -0500

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

At the BlackBerry Developers Conference today RIM unveiled a new eBay Mobile app for BlackBerry that is "due by the end of the month". I'm very excited (as I'm sure many are) that a long overdue eBay app will finally be landing on BlackBerry. All of the features are there, search for items, view descriptions and gallery photos, bid, see your watched items list and more. The app will feature push notification sending you alerts when you are outbid on an item. You can even add auction end times to your calendar, and choose to receive reminders so you don't miss out on that limited edition Kevin Michaluk Bobblehead. No set date yet, but if the "end of the month" holds true we should see it sometime before January. Check out the video above for a good walkthrough.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. eBay Mobile App For BlackBerry Smartphones Coming Soon

Open GL ES Support Announced At BlackBerry Developer Conference - See It in Action on Need for Speed Shift Demo!!

Kevin Michaluk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:01:17 -0500

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

Update: So we're waiting for some further confirmation as to actually which existing device models will be able to take advantage of the new Open GL ES support. Storm2 for sure, and we think the 8530 (devices using the latest Qualcomm Chipsets), but we're not 100% sure what the scoop is here. Stay tuned!

One of the most frequently asked questions by both BlackBerry developers and owners over the past couple of years is When is 3D graphic support coming to BlackBerry? That question need not be asked anymore as today Research in Motion announced Open GL ES Support for BlackBerry. Furthermore, they showed it in action via a live demo at the opening keynote of the second annual BlackBerry Developer Conference.

Be sure to watch the video above of a BlackBerry Storm2 running EA Mobile's Need for Speed Shift. We were on location in San Francisco to catch this BlackBerry milestone live. Pure Wicked. Let's hope we see a TON of awesome new games take advantage of this and roll out soon. The Open GL ES support won't just be for the Storm2, but for devices running the 5.0 platform (not necessarily all). Read the press release for more details! Excited much?! I know I am!!

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Open GL ES Support Announced At BlackBerry Developer Conference - See It in Action on Need for Speed Shift Demo!!

Loopt: Biggest Update Yet Launched At BlackBerry Developer Conference

Bla1ze — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:57:00 -0500

Loopt, the location aware application which allows you to stay updated, keep in touch and find out what's going on around you in an instant, got a nice update today. Loopt which has seen some small changes over time calls this the biggest update to hit Loopt since it's launch as it brings many new services and features to it's users. Some of the features are listed below:

Discover the best places and events, including those rated highly by your friends on Pulse
See where your friends are on maps view their latest updates listed in real-time and comment on them
Check-in to instantly share your updates with friends, easily update Facebook and Twitter with your photos and places in one Loopt check-in
Browse and rate local places and events. Peruse detailed information from Zagat, Citysearch, and the Loopt community
Save money through special offers from nearby retailers with local coupons

If you have never checked out Loopt before, today is a great day to have a look with all the new features released. At this time though Loopt is only available in the United States through BlackBerry App World. Current devices supported are BlackBerry Bold 9000, BlackBerry Curve 8900 and the BlackBerry Tour 9630.

Check Out Loopt Via BlackBerry App World Today >>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Loopt: Biggest Update Yet Launched At BlackBerry Developer Conference

Press Release: Open GL ES Support, Java GUI Builder and Theme Studio to Help BB Developers Generate Dynamic User Experiences

Bla1ze — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:06 -0500

This is likely one of the announcements everyone has been waiting to hear. The question has come up lots in the past while. "When or will BlackBerry ever support OpenGL graphics?" Let us wonder no more. Today as the BlackBerry Developers Conference starts off it's full steam ahead for OpenGL graphics acceleration from here on out.

The information didn't stop there when it came to creating rich content for BlackBerry devices. Research In Motion announced the availability of the all new BlackBerry Theme Studio 5.0, which replaces the previously available Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit and features the ability to import Adobe Photoshop files to BlackBerry Theme Builder, add ringtones and build screen transitions such as zooming, sliding, wiping and fading within themes. Ringtones and screen transitions are supported for BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS 5.0 and higher. Also, with the new theme builder came the announcement of themes being added to BlackBerry App World, full details on that later.

In addition to all this graphical goodness, one more announcement came in the way of interfacing with our BlackBerry smartphones. RIM announced an upcoming GUI builder that integrates into the BlackBerry Java Plug-in for Eclipse will make it faster and easier for Java developers to build user interfaces for BlackBerry applications. Developers will be able to rapidly create and localize complex user interfaces with a WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) view and drag and drop capabilities. The Java GUI builder will also allow developers to easily preview their user interface design on different BlackBerry smartphones. Read on for the full press release, this is some great stuff to see right here folks.

Press Release

RIM Announces BlackBerry Application Platform Enhancements to Foster Rich Content Development

Open GL ES Support, Java GUI Builder and Theme Studio to Help Developers Generate Dynamic User Experiences

2009 BlackBerry Developer Conference – San Francisco – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced enhancements to the BlackBerry® Application Platform that will further enable developers to rapidly develop rich content and applications. The enhancements include support for OpenGL® ES for the development of 3D games and graphics; an upcoming Java® GUI builder for the rapid development of user interfaces for BlackBerry applications; and BlackBerry® Theme Studio for the creation of themes for BlackBerry® smartphones.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Press Release: Open GL ES Support, Java GUI Builder and Theme Studio to Help BB Developers Generate Dynamic User Experiences

Press Release: RIM Unveils New Services Platform for BlackBerry Developers

Bla1ze — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:04 -0500

With the BlackBerry Developers Conference in full swing now, it's Research In Motions time to shine and show what exactly they have in store for developers to assist with getting their applications working and into the hands of the millions of BlackBerry Smartphone users out there.

New API's and new services are aplenty this time around and today Research In Motion announced some tools that will help developers with creating new revenue streams for their offerings, while keeping things easy and effective for the users. Advertising, Payment, Content Push and New Location Services are just a glimpse of what developers and users alike will be able to take advantage of in the coming months. Read on for the full press release.

Press Release

Advertising, Payment, Content Push and New Location Services Will Present New Opportunities for Monetization and Innovation on the BlackBerry Application Platform

2009 BlackBerry Developer Conference – San Francisco – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today unveiled a new services platform for developers that will enable them to streamline business processes and build highly responsive, location-aware, revenue-generating applications for BlackBerry® smartphones. The new services platform will offer advertising, payment, content push and new location services.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Press Release: RIM Unveils New Services Platform for BlackBerry Developers

Press Release: RIM and Adobe to Simplify Delivery Of Rich Content and Applications for BlackBerry Smartphones

Bla1ze — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:03 -0500

In a further advancement in the news we reported about earlier regarding "Flash On BlackBerry" and RIM's joining of the Open Screen Project. RIM and Adobe today have announced at the BlackBerry Developers Conference, the tools in which developers will be able to work withwhen designing content for BlackBerry smartphones. Flash has been a long time request for many BlackBerry users and with RIM and Adobe working together to make this happen, it'll finally be making it's way to market. But the partnership with Adobe does not stop at flash. Read on for the full press release and more information.

Press Release

RIM and Adobe to Simplify Delivery of Rich Content and Applications for BlackBerry Smartphones

Adobe to Deliver Support for BlackBerry Smartphones within Adobe Creative Suite; RIM to Incorporate Flash Platform into BlackBerry Platform

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

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Press Release: RIM and Adobe to Simplify Delivery Of Rich Content and Applications for BlackBerry Smartphones

Press Release: RIM Announces BlackBerry Academic Program

Adam Zeis — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:00:01 -0500

RIM announced today that they will be providing colleges and universitites with content that will allow them to offer courses to students to develop on the BlackBerry platform. The ciriculum is available for mobile application development, administration of BlackBerry Enterprise Server and support for BlackBerry smartphones. The program includes:

Mobile Application Development Courses - Students can learn about the tools and techniques for developing applications for BlackBerry smartphones.
Administration Courses - Mobile communication and collaboration tools continue to play a large role in boosting the productivity of enterprise workforces, and the need for trained professionals to administer and support mobile solutions has grown with it.
Support Courses - Students are trained to work in technical call centers or IT support environments in support of the BlackBerry solution. The Support courses also include information that can help prepare students for the corresponding BlackBerry Certification exam.

Over 500 students have aleady taken courses in this program, and the rollout is going to be continued for schools in both the US and Canada. Check out the full press release after the jump.

More information on the BlackBerry Academic Program: www.blackberry.com/academic

Press Release

RIM Announces BlackBerry Academic Program

Program Provides Colleges and Universities with Curriculum and Course Content

BlackBerry Developer Conference 2009 - San Francisco, CA - Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM, TSX: RIM) today announced the BlackBerry® Academic Program to provide colleges and universities around the world with a curriculum and course content to offer courses in administering and supporting the BlackBerry® solution and developing for the BlackBerry platform.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Press Release: RIM Announces BlackBerry Academic Program

DevCon 2009: General Session Live Blog!

Kevin Michaluk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:57:14 -0500

BlackBerry Developer Conference 2009: General Session Live Blog!

Live Blog Now Over... You can watch the Replay Above!

The BlackBerry Developer Conference kicks off this morning at 9am PST with the General Session. We're live blogging the keynote - you can watch all the action above.

* Note - Comments made are not automatically published. Before and after the keynote we'll try and publish pretty much everything, but while the live blog is going on we'll publish less and try to stick to the content at hand. Enjoy the show! *

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. DevCon 2009: General Session Live Blog!

Calling All Developers: Win $15,000 and a Pass to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

Adam Zeis — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:16:46 -0500

The good folks at Motally Mobile Analytics dropped me an email to let us know that they are having a huge contest dubbed Trackappalooza (app, get it?) and the grand prize is a pass to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. To enter is simple - you just need to incorporate the Motally API into your app and submit it by December 15th. Motally helps developers better understand ROI and users while providing a variety of statistics. There are 17 prizes in all to be won (over $15,000 total) so don't miss out on this once in a lifetime chance. If you're interested in submitting your app, head over to motally.com/contest for all the info.

Submit your app to Trackappalooza >>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Calling All Developers: Win $15,000 and a Pass to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

Contest: Reflect7 Theme - 50 Free Copies

drm2blv — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:43:50 -0500

Like many Storm owners, much of my time is spent cruising the theme forums looking for something new and original. AG Designs and Graphics has come up with a theme they call Reflect7, which offers users great functionality, clean overall presentation and quite a few hidden features. Reflect7 has 2 rows of icons, three in each row, which are all user defined, as well as a weather slot. From the home screen of this theme users are able to access their calendar by clicking the date, access the clock by clicking the time, launch manage connections by clicking signal bars, and clicking the battery icon will bring you directly to the options menu. For QuickLaunch users, clicking the lower right corner will launch QuickLaunch automatically for you. The icon selection used in Reflect7 is very clean, and original. While this is a very wallpaper friendly theme, the developer has posted some additional wallpapers for everyone to use here. We have 50 free copies to give away. Just leave a comment on this post to enter. Contest ends this Sunday at Midnight PST. Please only leave one comment, multiple entries won't count.

More information and download of Reflect7>>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Contest: Reflect7 Theme - 50 Free Copies

ZBook Over-The-Air Phonebook Backup for BlackBerry Smartphones

Adam Zeis — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:42:07 -0500

If Outlook synching isn't your thing, then a new app called ZBook is a great way to backup your phonebook effectively, easily and automatically. Your phonebook will sync to the ZBook servers manually or daily at a preset time of your choosing. ZBook also supports the importing of contacts from Outlook, MSN, Hotmail, Gmail, Plaxo, and Yahoo to your online account. Features include:

The contacts can be edited by the owner at any time online and then sync-up with the device
Supports Outlook import of contacts in the CSV format and restore of all contacts in case the phone is lost or switched to newer phone.
Auto sync timer: It wakes up the ZBook, backup contacts and then smoothly exit the application on a specific set time.
Search contacts based on full or partial name, number, email or address

It would be hard to justify purchase with Google Sync being free, but if you're a non-Google user this may interest you. The price is a little steep at $9.99, but the features may be enough to justify the price. Head over to BlackBerry App World to download.

More information and download of ZBook>>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. ZBook Over-The-Air Phonebook Backup for BlackBerry Smartphones

Best of Smartphone Experts, 8 Nov 2009

Dieter Bohn — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:30:47 -0500

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Best of Smartphone Experts, 8 Nov 2009

CrackBerry Reminder: What You May Have Missed This Week

Adam Zeis — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:50:55 -0500

Wow! What a week we had. Between the load of contests, Bold 9700 reviews popping up like crazy and Curve 8530 announcements mixed with some OS leaks, it was almost too much to handle! So in case you missed anything, here is a quick run through of everything you need to checkout before the week is over. We'll have loads of stuff coming next week since we're off to the BlackBerry Developer Conference in San Francisco. Keep it locked to CrackBerry for all the DevCon coverage you need!

Contests:

The Crack Team will be at the BlackBerry Developers Conference in San Francisco next week. Be sure to check out our Special Coverage for all the up to the minute reports, and be sure to follow the team on Twitter:

@crackBerry - News and Updates
@crackberrykevin - Kevin Michaluk
@azeis - Adam Zeis
@videos4bb - Bla1ze

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. CrackBerry Reminder: What You May Have Missed This Week

iluvmybb contest - All in the Family Shout Outs!

Kevin Michaluk — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:37:18 -0500

Entry #11 -Rescue my BlackBerry

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

The family that BlackBerrys together, stay together! In a handful of the videos submitted in the I Love My BlackBerry video contest, mom and dad put their kids to work to create some super entertaining videos or else brothers and sisters teamed up to get the job done. In this round of shout outs, we have Matt DeWitt's BlackBerry Rescue spoof above. Below we have two videos that went head to head for title of CUTEST videos. Darius Mack had his daughters Malika and Amira express their love for the BB, while Antoine Henry's daughter Lundyn made a compelling case as to why she needs a BlackBerry. Finally, we've got the Choudery siblings working together to make a funny video. Great job everyone!!

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. iluvmybb contest - All in the Family Shout Outs!

BlackBook and mblVault Privacy Bundle - Two Hundred Copies to Give Away!

Adam Zeis — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:55:58 -0500

mblWare brings us two great apps dubbed the "privacy bundle". The first is BlackBook which allows you to keep a hidden customizable phone book seperate from the default phone book on your BlackBerry. It is accessed by typing a secret key code combination which you can set from within the applications options. Key features include filtering for incoming/outgoing calls, emails, sms, and PIN messages. All the contacts in your BlackBook can be edited just like your BlackBerry phone book, as well as imported/exported very easily. Devices with OS 4.5+ are supported.

The second app is mblVault which brings a secure location to your BlackBerry to store all that sensative/important data. All files (and filenames) stored in your mblVault are encrypted for maximum security and can only be accessed by your chosen password. Devices running OS 4.3+ are supported, and all files that can be viewed on your BlackBerry are compatible. Boths apps are available in the CrackBerry App Store for $3.99.

If you are looking to get some extra security on your device then these two are worth a look. We have 100 copies of each to give away. Just leave a comment on this post to enter. Winners will also receive a $1.00 off coupon for the other app (ie. if you win BlackBook you'll receive a $1.00 off code for mblVault). Contest ends NEXT Sunday (Nov. 15) at Midnight PST.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBook and mblVault Privacy Bundle - Two Hundred Copies to Give Away!

Are you a Canadian Student, Age 18 - 24, Wanting a Free BlackBerry Pearl Courtesy of RIM? If so, Watch This!

Kevin Michaluk — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:58:43 -0500

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

As part of his marketing class at Concordia University, Jalal Hasbini drummed up two BlackBerry Pearls from RIM to give away in a youtube video contest. All you need to is reply to Jalal's video above with your own, showing why you realllllly need that new BlackBerry Pearl. The contest is aimed at Canadian Student, age 18 - 24. You can watch the video above for more details.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Are you a Canadian Student, Age 18 - 24, Wanting a Free BlackBerry Pearl Courtesy of RIM? If so, Watch This!

TELUS Set To Bring The BlackBerry Storm2 To Their Network For Canadians!

Bla1ze — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:00:18 -0500

Well, we knew it was coming at some point to Canada. And while the exact date is still unknown, Blacks photography, a retailer for TELUS in Canada has let the cat out of the bag regarding the BlackBerry Storm2 on TELUS. Posted on their website for all to see (and still yet to be removed) sits the BlackBerry Storm2 9550. At this time information is slim and TELUS has yet to actually announce it, but with their retailers posting images of it I'm quite certain this will come sooner rather then later, since they are already out there (props to JaredtheTelusGuy in the CB forums for also posting some live shots of one). Any Canadians been waiting for a BlackBerry Storm2?

[ Cellphones Etc. / BBSync ]

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. TELUS Set To Bring The BlackBerry Storm2 To Their Network For Canadians!

iluvmybb contest - Music Focused Video Shout Outs!

Kevin Michaluk — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:21:02 -0500

Entry #36 - Chairman Plow's I LOVE MY CRACKBERRY

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

With the Grand Prize Winner announced in the I Love My BlackBerry video contest, it's time to follow-up with some honorable mentions. In this shout outs post, we've got three stellar music-focused videos that were submitted. Above you can hear Chairman Plow's awesome I Love My CrackBerry track (this was one of my personal favorites - just needs a couple more verses and this baby would be platinum!). Below we've got two more vids. First, Crystal Hunter's I Love My CrackBerry parody of Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA (which today landed top spot on America's Top 40). Gotta give Crystal HUGE props for working "Force Radio On" into a chorus. LOL. Now THAT's Hardcore (download Force Radio On). And lastly, David Demaria's I Love My BlackBerry Remix that's full of CrackBerry.com love. Awesome stuff. Enjoy the vids!

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. iluvmybb contest - Music Focused Video Shout Outs!

Gym Technik NextGen App for BlackBerry Is Here!

Kevin Michaluk — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:40:23 -0500

It's Saturday morning as I type this and I'm about to head to the gym so it's a fitting time to blog this up...

Long-time readers of CrackBery.com are familiar with Gym Technik's fitness tracking service - we've written about them plenty of times before and have been longing for them to take their web app offering to the next level with an actual BlackBerry app. Great News! Gym Technik has just announced the preview release of their much anticipated, downloadable app: Gym Technik NextGen for the BlackBerry.

Thousands of users worldwide have been using Gym Technik's mobile and web application for tracking their workouts. After much feedback and interest from users surrounding this app, Gym Technik's developers are excited to present a preview release of the NextGen app. It comes bundled with a 30 day free premium trial. So you can test-drive both Gym Technik's Premium Service and NextGen app without commitment or hassle. All current Gym Technik members can link to the app, and new members can create an account right from their BlackBerry.

We'll be following up with a review on the app shortly. Next in line, GymTechnik has already promised upgrades for OS5 support and a Storm version of the app, stay tuned.

Learn More & Download: You can visit get.gymtechnik.com from your BlackBerry's web browser to download and learn more about the app and how to use your BlackBerry as a fitness tracking and workout management tool @ www.gymtechnik.com/blackberry.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Gym Technik NextGen App for BlackBerry Is Here!

Do You Wish the New BlackBerry Bold 9700 Was Bigger? Like Say the Same Size as the Original Bold??

Kevin Michaluk — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:22:00 -0500

Since getting my new BlackBerry Bold 9700 earlier this week I have been living on cloud nine. It's uber fast. The optical trackpad is silky smooth. The 3.2 megapixel camera is noticeably better than the original Bold's and the additional flash memory boosts operating performance considerably. And I've been blown away by the battery life so far -- over 48 hours before needing to charge!!!

With positives oozing out of the device, the only thing that I have had to really come to terms with is how much smaller the new Bold 9700 actually is compared to its big older brother the 9000 (I tried to get the images above close to actual size and scale). And reading through the Bold 9700 forums and talking to other original Bold owners making or looking to make the upgrade to the 9700, it appears I'm not the only one.

When the Bold 9000 came out, I was a Curve user. At the time, I actually griped over the Bold's big size and deemed the size a negative. But over the year and a half following its introduction, I have really grown to LOVE the big-boned Bold. They keyboard is heaven to type on, and that extra 1/4" of width in the screen makes a difference. Plus, the device just looks impressive - the full leather back, the chrome band, the shiny black area above the display.... the Bold 9000 is the luxury SUV of the BlackBerry Smartphone line and when you see it in public it stands out in the crowd. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is stellar, but it's more of one of these new, smaller, cross-over SUVs. The 9000 was my daily driver for the past few months, and making the switch to the Bold 9700 it now feels like I've gone away from using a Bold to using a Curve again.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Bold 9700. I just hope / wish RIM would also release a same-sized upgrade in the Bold 9000 form factor for all the people out there who appreciate a bigger device with a little extra bling (the 9700 has a more conservative look). Honestly, when I went to the Rogers store Wednesday to buy a 9700 they also had the new Bold 9000 in white on display. If only that white Bold 9000 had 256MB of flash memory, trackpad and a 3.2 megapixel camera, I would have purchased it over the smaller Bold 9700. The Bold 9700 needs to exist as device (it's awesome!), but it's almost like RIM should have branded it the Curve 3G or something (maybe slapped on a Curve-esque keyboard), then released a bigger device as an update to the Bold more true to the original Bold's heritage. On the other hand, to each his/her own. My girlfriend traded in her Curve 8320 for the Bold 9700 and is head over heels for it. I love the Bold 9700 too... I just can't help but miss the 9000's big keyboard everytime I pick it up.

CrackBerry Poll: Whaddya think? Like your Bold big or small? Cast your vote above!

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Do You Wish the New BlackBerry Bold 9700 Was Bigger? Like Say the Same Size as the Original Bold??

CrackBerry Coverage Goes to San Francisco Next Week for the Second Annual BlackBerry Developer Conference!

Kevin Michaluk — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:13:41 -0500

SAN FRANCISCO HERE WE COME!!! Monday kicks off the 2nd Annual BlackBerry Developer Conference and CrackBerry.com will be there in full force. Adam, Bla1ze and myself will be blogging the news, live-blogging the general session, recording podcasts, conducting interviews and doing up some videos if and when applicable. Keep it locked to CrackBerry.com for all sorts of DevCon goodness. This event is about the BlackBerry platform and is for the developers in attendance - don't expect any device announcements during the week (plus the Storm2, Bold 9700 and Curve 8530 have just all been announced in rapid succession), but we're bound to see some cool things get displayed that you won't want to miss.

If you're a developer attending DevCon, reach out to us! We want to meet you over the course of the week and get to know you. Want to say hi to CrackBerry Nation? We'll interview you and feature your app on the blogs! Want to get some tips on how to engage the CrackBerry community to build better apps and promote them? We'll share our experience and give you the do's and don'ts. Definitely do not be shy. If you see us walking, stop us and talk to us. And if you somehow miss us during the day, the odds are good you'll find us at the hotel bar late at night. See you @ DevCon!!

Learn More & Attend the BlackBerry Developer Conference >>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. CrackBerry Coverage Goes to San Francisco Next Week for the Second Annual BlackBerry Developer Conference!

And the Winner in the I Love My BlackBerry Video Contest Is....

Kevin Michaluk — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:53:10 -0500

Entry #17: The Scent of a BlackBerry!

[ youtube video link for mobile viewing ]

Yup, that's right... the Grand Prize Winner in our I Love My BlackBerry Video Contest is Matt Galo's amazing video production, The Scent of a BlackBerry. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it above and be blown away! For his creativity, efforts, and wicked video, Matt will be taking home a new Macbook (in honor of the launch of BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac), his choice of BlackBerry Storm2 or BlackBerry Bold 9700, and the Schlage LiNK home system!!

Our 1st runner up was our wild card pick, APPLECALYPSE, which drew in a lot voter support, capturing 24% of the vote compared to 26% of the vote for The Scent of a BlackBerry. 2nd place will get Kevin Leung his choice of BlackBerry Bold 9700 or Storm2. From there it was CrackBerry Therapy followed very closely by BlackBerry... A Love Story for third and fourth place respectively, each getting 11% of the votes. You can view the finalist voting breakdown below.

ALL OF OUR FINALISTS Will be receiving some great prizes, including a $50 coupon code for accessories from ShopCrackBerry.com, a free custom battery door cover from Coveroo.com, and a 1-year subscription to both SmrtGuard and Slacker Radio Plus. With the finalists and grand prize winners taken care of, we still have some shout out awards that'll be hitting the blogs over the next few days. To all our participants -- we'll be following up with all of you soon as everybody will be getting prizes (stay tuned for a big thank you to our sponsors post too). BIG CONGRATS go to all our our finalists!

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. And the Winner in the I Love My BlackBerry Video Contest Is....

Remote DVR Access Now Available on BlackBerry Smartphones for Optimum Online and iO Customers

Adam Zeis — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:46:21 -0500

A few months back Verizon Fios released an application that allows users to control their DVR from a mobile device. The app lets you search, view TV listings, record programs and more. While it was a step in the right direction, I was still frustrated that my cable company, Cablevision, had yet to release their own. Well a few months down the road, Cablevision finally got it together and revealed a web portal that allowed users to control their DVR, and Thursday they finally unveiled a mobile site for doing the same. While not a full featured app (as we could hope for down the road) the mobile site simply lets you see what programs have been recorded, delete them or search for new shows to record. Unfortunately there are no TV listings and you have to search for each program, but its definitely a good start. The service is for Cablevisions iO TV customers (a small few of us I know) and can be reached by logging into your account on your device via optimum.net. View the full press release after the jump.

Check out Optimum.net on your device >>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Remote DVR Access Now Available on BlackBerry Smartphones for Optimum Online and iO Customers

Where and Traffic.com Bumper to Bumper Best Bumper Sticker Slogan Contest Winner Announced!

Kevin Michaluk — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:41:44 -0500

Drum roll please...... and the winning bumper sticker slogan in the Where and Traffic.com Bumper to Bumper Contest is....

I would honk, but I'm on my BlackBerry!

Nice. I guess it's fitting that CrackBerry.com readers would vote the slogan with a BlackBerry theme the highest. You can see the finalist voting results below. This bumper sticker was submitted by chadmd23, who has won himself a new Garmin Nuvi 1390 T. Congrats! Big thanks to Where.com for setting up this contest, and if you haven't already, be sure to check out the Traffic.com Application for your BlackBerry today.

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Where and Traffic.com Bumper to Bumper Best Bumper Sticker Slogan Contest Winner Announced!

CrackBerry Contest: Win an Unlocked T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 From BlackBerry Emporium And CrackBerry!

Bla1ze — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:27:16 -0500

With the BlackBerry Bold 9700 getting set to launch on a whole lot more carriers around the world, we've taken the time to team up with BlackBerry Emporium in order to being you a contest you are sure to love. Up for grabs is a brand new, unlocked T-Mobile branded BlackBerry 9700 Smartphone as soon as the device becomes readily available. The contest is simple. Leave a comment here on this post stating why you feel as though the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is better then any of the other BlackBerry smartphones released and we'll pick a winner. BIG Thanks to BlackBerry Emporium for offering this up for our readers! Be sure to check their new website out.

[ Contest will run until the T-Mobile 9700 becomes officially available via the T-Mobile website, then a winner will be chosen shortly after. Enter once, duplicate entries will be ignored ]

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. CrackBerry Contest: Win an Unlocked T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 From BlackBerry Emporium And CrackBerry!

RoaderRunnerGPS - Analyze Your Walking or Running Workout with your BlackBerry Smartphone

obi — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:21:41 -0500

RoadRunnerGPS is a great app whether your an avid jogger, runner, or just walk your dog each day. It uses your BlackBerry's GPS to give you an in depth summary of your distance traveled, average speed, pace, calories burnt off, and the time it took you to do so. Its built in mapping shows a detailed description of where you are, where you have been, and how you got there. After each trek you can upload all this information to the online server for review. If you're a runner or walker, you know how invaluable it can be to see all your stats, and not having to buy a separate GPS device is a big bonus. RoadRunnerGPS is available via BlackBerry Appworld for $4.99 with a 14 day free trial.

More information and download of Roadrunner GPS >>

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. RoaderRunnerGPS - Analyze Your Walking or Running Workout with your BlackBerry Smartphone

Leaked: OS 5.0.0.344 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700!

Kevin Michaluk — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:53:01 -0500

Just bought a new BlackBerry Bold 9700 running the latest and greatest firmware? Well... it is a pretty dang wicked device, but depending what carrier you're picking it up from when it goes on sale, you may not have the latest firmware. Example: Rogers launched the 9700 with 5.0.0.321 while T-Mobile released it with 5.0.0.330. As we head into the weekend, we have OS 5.0.0.344 up for grabs. While this is an evil leaked OS, word is it is the gold candidate build for a couple of the European carriers out there that will soon be releasing the Bold 9700, so it should become "official" soon enough.

*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). Follow the links below for more information and instructions. *

CrackBerry.com's feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Leaked: OS 5.0.0.344 for the BlackBerry Bold 9700!