BlackBerry Bold 9700 — the top accessories

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 might just be the best BlackBerry ever made. If you have one, rest assured that you made a good choice. But with these accessories, you can make it just a little bit better…

BlackBerry Charging pod (£24.99)
Deadly simple, but guaranteed to make your BlackBerry Curve 3G an even more central part of your day-to-day life, this charge dock will transform your Blackberry Curve into an integral part of your desk. Specially designed for your phone, theBlackBerry charging dock doesn’t even have to connect to your phone’s USB port, traditionally used to charge your phone.

Spare Battery and RIM charger (£24.99)The BlackBerry is a road warrior — a rugged design and reliable email service make the BlackBerry Bold 9700 the perfect companion to a long journey. Being a smartphone, that battery won’t last forever though. With a spare battery at hand, you can double the longevity of your BlackBerry. You can also get a separate battery charger, so that you won’t have to charge youe battery while it’s in the phone.

Zagg InvisibleSHIELD screen protector (£17.99)
With an iconic body design and ergonomics well-suited to typing on the physical Qwerty keyboard, you don’t want to add too much bulk to the BlackBerry Bold 9700. The Zagg Invisible SHIELD will protect your whole phone without adding any bulk whatsoever. It’s a plastic screen protector designed to cover your whole BlackBerry Bold 9700, apart from the touchy-feely bits like the optical trackpad. All the protection, none of the inconvenience.

BlackBerry Presenter (£129.99)
The new BlackBerry Presenter is one of the most ambitious BlackBerry accessories ever, but it’s working to please a pretty small crowd. It connects to your BlackBerry and lets you play any Powerpoint (ppt) files through a projector or onto a monitor — just hook up the Presenter using the DVI or S-video output. Having a video out box for your BlackBerry, to play vids on your TV, would be fab, but sadly the Presenter can only play PPT files. Good for business types, not so great for everyone else.

Silicone case (£10)
If the idea of the ZAGG InvisibleSHIELD, a screen protector for your whole phone, is a turn-off, why not grab yourself a conventional silicone case? It’s an ultra-cheap way to get protection for your phone, and won’t add too much bulk to the BlackBerry Bold 9700 either. If the black and silver design of the 9700 is a bit sombre for your tastes, you’ll also find silicone cases in every hue under the sun. Or all the neon day-glo hues you’ll find in the highlighter section of your local stationery supplier, anyway.

16GB microSD card (£30)
BlackBerry OS 6 gives you a few more important reasons to boost your BlackBerry Bold 9700′smemory banks with a massive microSD card (don’t worry, even massive cards are the same size as tiny ones). First there’s the newly re-designed media player, which looks almost as good as the iPhone’s MP3 player, and even better is the built-in Podcast app, which lets you find, subscribe to and download all your favourite podcasts.

From:fonehome.co.uk

Tips to Speed up the BlackBerry Browser

The BlackBerry Browser is not slow by any means, but you can make it significantly faster than it currently is by performing a few tweaks.

Start by turning off images. To access this setting, launch the Browser, press the Menu key, select Options, select Browser Configuration, uncheck the box in front of Show Images, and uncheck the box in front of Use Background Images. Press the Escape key, select Save, and then enjoy a faster browser.

Keep in mind, if you are browsing the Web specifically to look at images, press the "Q" key to display all images on the page, or press the "M" key to just view some of them.


Another tactic to shave time off your Web browsing experience is to disable JavaScript Support Again from the Browser’s Options menu, select Browser Configuration. Then, uncheck the box in front of JavaScript Support. Press the Escape key, and then select Save to complete the operation.

from:techstudy.net

Ten Tips and Tricks to Extend your BlackBerry Battery Life!

Looking to maximize your BlackBerry battery life? We’ve got TEN simple tricks you can use that will help to ensure you are getting the most out of your much needed battery power. While BlackBerry Smartphones have historically been known for their awesome battery life, we’ve seen the natural battery life take a hit on some of the new BlackBerry 7 Smartphones to hit the market. For example, on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 the battery was reduced from the predecessor Bold 9700 from a 1500mAh battery to 1230mAh. With less juice to work with and a bigger display and faster processor to power, if you’re a power user you *could* be finding that your old habits put you into the low or dead battery zone before the day is done.

So if you’re finding yourself low on power sooner than you’d like to see and are looking to extend the battery life on your BlackBerry Bold 9900, Bold 9930 or other OS 7 device, there are plenty of settings you can tweak and battery-healthy habits you can form to get the job done. From dimming the backlight to tweaking up some network settings, a little bit goes a long way. These tips work for improving battery life on OS 6 and lower devices as well (although menus may be a bit different) so if you’re looking to get the most our of your BlackBerry battery, keep reading for our top ten tricks to improve battery life on your BlackBerry Smartphone.


1. Use Wifi when available – Turn Off Wifi when not in use

           

Wifi seems to be the biggest influencer of battery life on newer devices like the Bold 9900/9930. In all of our tests and real world outings, having Wifi on and connected to a Wifi network was amazing for battery life. Using the Wifi network for data instead of the carrier network makes a HUGE difference in battery life (the radios don’t have to work as hard). The Bold 9900 can get a full “work day” of use and still sit at around 80% battery life come quitting time all thanks to Wifi.

However when you know you won’t be using Wifi if you’re out for the day or somewhere where there is no Wifi connection, you can simply turn it off to keep it from eating away at your battery. This keeps the device from searching for networks and draining the battery.

Long story short – if you have a Wifi network available … use it. If you don’t … turn it off.

To Disable Wifi
Click on the Network Settings area on your home screen
Uncheck Wi-Fi (to enable Wifi repeat the process but check the box)

2. Dim the Backlight

           
When you fire up a new device, more often than not the backlight brightness is set at 70%. This is all well and good to start as you can see the screen clearly and everything looks great. Your natural tendency to want to see things as bright as possible may have you cranking it up to 100%, however this can more quickly drain your battery as the extra juice needed to keep the screen fully lit up eats away at battery life. Turning the brightness down (even just a bit) can help immensely to extend your battery. Personally I always drop my screen brightness to 10% and have never had an issue. It may seem a bit dark at first for some, but trust me, once you adjust to it you’ll never know the difference and your battery will thank you.

To change your backlight brightness:
Go to Options > Display > Screen Display
Scroll to Backlight Brightness and change to 10

3. Change Your Backlight Timeout

          
Having the backlight timeout set to a low value keeps your screen from staying on unnecessarily when you’re done doing whatever you’re doing. In most cases there is no need to have the screen stay on for 2 minutes or even 1 minute after you’re done using the device. I think that sticking to 20 or even leavng it at the default 30 seconds works just fine, though if you’re really in need of more precious seconds of battery life you can put it all the way down to a 10 second timeout. Having a short timeout on your backlight keeps the screen from staying on too long and eating up your battery.

To adjust the Backlight Timeout:
Go to Options > Display > Screen Display
Scroll to Backlight Timeout and change to 20 Sec.

4. Turn Off Bluetooth When Not In Use

         
Bluetooth is a great feature of BlackBerry smartphones. It lets you connect with devices such as headsets, computers, speakers and much more. However when not in use, having Bluetooth active can slowly take away from your overall battery life. When you’re not using Bluetooth it’s always a good idea to just turn it off. Granted you won’t be able to automatically connect to devices without turning it on again, but it’s only a few clicks away so it’s never too much of a hassle to fire it up again.

To Disable Bluetooth:
Click on the Network Settings area on your home screen
Uncheck Bluetooth (to enable Bluetooth repeat the steps but check the box)

As for Bluetooth while talking on the phone, the Crack team debates this one back and forth. Arguably you should get better BlackBerry life if you’re on a call using a Bluetooth headset or Bluetooth Speakerphone (since you’re now saving your BlackBerry from having to use it’s microphone and speakers). Over the years we’ve found this can vary a bit depending, so it’s something you’ll want to test out with whatever Bluetooth Accessories you use. But for sure when you’re not using Bluetooth, turn it off.

5. Change Network Settings In Poor Coverage

             
This one not many people think of but it can also be a big help on the battery. If you happen to find yourself in an area with poor network coverage for your carrier, you can change up your settings or even turn off data completely and save yourself some precious battery bars. Sometimes when you find yourself in poor coverage it could be due to a clogged network (as happens often to the Crack Team at tradeshows or for those who are on AT&T in big cities like New York or San Francisco). If this is the case, you can access your Network Settings and change your device from 3G/H+ down to 2G. This drops your “3G data” and gets you on the slower 2G network, but also clears things up as your device won’t constantly struggle to find a data connection. It may sound a bit odd, but in times of need it definitely does the trick. Depending on your situation, this could literally add a day, never mind hours, to your battery life.

Change your Network Settings to 2G:
Click on the Network Settings area on your home screen
Choose Networks and Connections > Mobile Network
Choose the dropdown box next to Network Mode and select 2G

Alternatively, you can totally disable data on your device by simply turning data services off in this same menu. Keep in mind this will kill all data to your device, so apps, emails, BBM and the like won’t be received.

6. Use the Auto On/Off feature or Bedside Mode

This is a simple yet not well known feature of BlackBerry Smartphones. Built into the OS is the ability to automatically turn the device on and off at given times. This is extremely useful for saving battery life as well as turning the device off when you’re sleeping, in daily meetings etc. In BlackBerry 7 you can set the Auto On/Off for both weekdays and weekends and if you learn to use it correctly it can help out tremendously with your battery life. Keep in mind that this will totally shut down the device so you won’t receive emails, phone calls or SMS messages as it’s essentially the same as powering off the device. The good news is that if you have an alarm set before your turn on time the device will power on to sound the alarm.

To use Auto On/Off
Select Options > Device > Auto On/Off
Check Enabled for Weekday, Weekend or both
Choose the time you’d like the device to turn on and the time to turn off (ie. 10pm to 7am)

Also lumped in with the Auto On/Off is Bedside Mode. This nifty feature is accessed through Clock > Options and lets you automatically turn off the device LED and Radio as well as dim the screen when Bedside Mode is active. This feature lets the device remain on while not taking up any extra battery life with the device radio or LED active. The clock will be displayed and the screem dimmed, so if you don’t want to worry about missing phone calls or SMS messages, this is definitely a better way to go. You can also power off the display fully in Bedside mode, further saving battery life (just hit the screen lock button once in Bedside mode). Read more on using Bedside Mode here.

7. Lock Your Device and/or use a BlackBerry Case w/ sleeper magnet

          
While locking the device is something you should do anyway (better security when you use a password) it can also help save battery life. When your device is in your pocket or purse and it gets banged around, sometimes the screen will activate when a key is pressed. To prevent this you can either use the lock button on your device or set a device passwordwith a timeout. This is a good practice to keep the device safe while preventing the screen from turning on when you don’t want it to. You can also use one of the many BlackBerry holsters that contains a sleeper magnet – automatically putting your device to sleep when you put it in the holster.

8. Exit Unused Apps

          
Simply closing unused apps can go a long way in helping battery life. In particular apps that constantly pull your GPS location or perfom other tasks really hinder your battery life when not in use. To easily close these apps you can use the built-in App Switcher to see what’s running on your device, then close anything you aren’t using.

To close unused apps:
Press and hold the Menu button to open the app switcher
Highlight and select the app you want to close
When in the app, press the Menu button again then exit (shutdown, logout) the app

9. Change App Refresh Settings
Apps like Twitter, Facebook and others that run in the background on your device can eat up precious battery life in no time. These apps constantly refresh at set intervals and slowly chip away at battery life you could be saving. For any app that has a background refresh, you’ll want to turn the refresh rate up or even off completely. Twitter for example can be set to refresh at anywhere from 5 minutes to 1 hour. Having the app refresh every five minutes isn’t the best idea if you’re looking to conserve battery power, so changing it to 1 hour or even turning it off and manually refreshing as needed goes a long way. The same is the case for Facebook, Social Feeds and other apps that refresh in the background.

             

10. Charge Your Device (and buy a spare battery!)

            
Last but not least is the “no brainer” of the bunch. Charge your device whenever you have the chance. Be it at home or in your office with a standard wall charger or BlackBerry charging pod, in your car with a car charger or wherever you happen to be. Charging in your down time is obviously the best way to keep your battery up and running all day long.

If you happen to be on the go daily and fear your device won’t make it through the day, why not just carry a spare battery? This is the best way to ensure you’re up and running when you need to be and will leave you worry free knowing you have an extra battery ready to roll when you hit the red.

From:yusrizalrazak.wordpress.com

Spotify App Comes to BlackBerry App World

BlackBerry users finally have an easy way to experience Spotify on their platform of choice. Spotify’s app for BlackBerry is finally available through the platform’s App World.

Spotify was already available on the BlackBerry platform, but now users can download it right from App World. In the past users had to download the app through the web browser instead. Now anybody with a BlackBerry 5 or later device can go into the App World and download the music streaming app.

Unfortunately, the BlackBerry Spotify doesn’t have all of the features of the iOS version of the 

app. That means it doesn’t have the new radio feature. Because the radio feature it nowhere in the app BlackBerry users still need to pay for Spotify for the service to work. A Spotify Premium subscription costs $9.99 per month, though Spotify does offer 48 hour free trials for first-time app users.

Some might find it surprising that Spotify spends the time creating apps for BlackBerry, but the service also has apps for other platforms like Windows Phone, WebOS, and even Symbian. Spotify doesn’t want to appeal only to iOS and Android users, Spotify’s goal is to become the ubiquitous music streaming platform. Releasing apps on every platform helps the company reach that goal.

However, we’d like to see the company bring at least the iOS and Android versions of the apps to feature parity. The Android version recently received a massive facelift, but the iOS version remains the only mobile version with the radio feature. We understand that creating similar apps on every platform imaginable is tough, but we can still wish for feature parity between at least two of the six apps, right?

From:gottabemobile.com

RIM says first BlackBerry 10 device will not have a physical keyboard

TORONTO — The first BlackBerry device running Research In Motion Ltd.’s new operating software will not have a physical keyboard, only a touch-screen one.

The BlackBerry 10 software will be offered on devices with physical keyboards in the future, but RIM spokeswomen Rebecca Freiburger declined to say when. RIM is expected to start selling BlackBerry 10 touch-screen devices this year.

 

Many corporate users have stuck with the BlackBerry solely because of its physical keyboard, given a perception that it’s harder to type emails on a touch screen. The BlackBerry 10 system has already been delayed about a year, and with additional delays to get a physical keyboard, those people may not be willing to wait any longer, especially as the iPhone makes greater in-roads in corporate settings. Those users may simply get the new iPhone expected this fall.

RIM’s hopes hang on the BlackBerry 10 system, which is meant to offer the multimedia, Internet browsing and apps experience customers now demand. The Canadian company is preparing to launch the new software later this year, just as North Americans are abandoning BlackBerrys for iPhones and Android devices.

Colin Gillis, an analyst with BGC Financial, called it puzzling that RIM isn’t leading with its strength by releasing a keyboard BlackBerry first.

“The physical keyboard is the most dominant item that separates out Research In Motion from its competitors,” Gillis said. “If you are not playing to your historical strengths you may find it more difficult to get traction.”

Gillis said there is a spot in the market for RIM but the company “just got to get it together.”

But Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said BlackBerry 10 is all about touch and closing the gap with Apple, so people should not be surprised that the initial model will have only a touch screen.

“They are going to build a BlackBerry device with a keyboard, but it’s just going to take longer,” Misek said. “Maybe it will come a month or two after, but frankly it might be already too late.”

RIM once dominated the corporate smartphone market but failed to adapt to the emerging “bring your own device” trend, in which employees use their personal iPhones or Android devices for work instead of relying on BlackBerrys issued by their employers. As the movement caught on, the iPhone made the BlackBerry look ancient.

RIM’s future is far from certain as its flagship devices rapidly lose market share to flashier phones. With more than $2 billion in cash, bankruptcy seems unlikely in the near term. But RIM’s U.S. share of the smartphone market fell sharply from 44 percent in 2009 to 10 percent in 2011 according to market researcher NPD Group.

RIM said Wednesday it has started laying off employees as part of a restructuring plan aimed at saving about $1 billion this year.

From:washingtonpost.com

More Hands On Video of BlackBerry 10 Features on the Dev Alpha

Since RIM first showed off some sweet features of BlackBerry 10 at BlackBerry World they have not really been allowing the press to take any videos of it in action. They have allowed the press (specifically in London) to play with the device and take pictures but not video. David pointed out to me that they seem to have allowed CNET along with The Verge and Engadget to actually take a video of the BlackBerry 10 features we saw previously but with a slightly different context. The items shown in the video, flow/peek/keyboard, are the same but its worth checking out:

 

                                                         BlackBerry 10 in action
 
As a result, RIM is being tight-lipped on much of the device's specs, including the processor speed, camera megapixel count and display type. 

The first thing that strikes you is the bright and sharp screen. So far, we know that it's a 4.2-inch 1,280 x 768-pixel (WXGA) display, but not the type of screen or pixel layout. That brings the device's pixel density to 355 ppi, which beats the iPhone's 326 ppi Retina Display hands down.

Many have dubbed the Dev Alpha a mini Playbook. The full touchscreen form factor is similar and the Dev Alpha is made from the same matte black material that covers the PlayBook's back.

While we're on the topic of RIM's tablet, the Dev Alpha seems to be running a barebones OS that's reminiscent of the PlayBook OS 2.0. In fact, checking the prototype's software version shows "PlayBook OS 10".

Since BB 10 is going to be QNX-based, there are going to be some similarities between the PlayBook OS 2.0 and the next-generation operating system. However, Smith adds that what is seen on the Dev Alpha now is not reflective of the final UI, which will actually look more like Live Tiles on Windows Phone.

This being a prototype device, the software was buggy at times, and didn't always detect our fingers. Also, there are no preinstalled apps except the camera and browser.

We didn't get to test the amazing time warp function, where you can scroll a few frames forward or backward to get the best shot. All images that were shot via the front- and rear-facing cameras also simply disappeared off the screen.

With BB OS 10, you're supposed to be getting the new onscreen keyboard. This feature wasn't available on the device we tested, but our CNET US counterpart Brian Bennett did try it, and had good things to say about it:

At first glance it doesn't look like much, just a standard layout with not many options for dual-functions. When you start typing, though--that's when the magic happens. Each letter you tap will cause the phone to display suggested words above the letter it thinks you're most likely to type next. I tried my hand at banging out a few messages and I often found myself staring right at the word sitting on the tip of my tongue. It's honestly an uncanny feeling, almost as if the device was reading my mind.

In addition, there's the ability to swipe upwards on predicted words to add them to the message body. The new keyboard is supposed to help you to input text more efficiently, as well as use a modelling algorithm that will tailor itself to your typing habits over time. It's similar to what's already on the PlayBook, only more intuitive to use.

Finally, you'll find the microSD slot, microHDMI and microUSB ports on the left side. The Dev Alpha packs some 16GB of non-expandable onboard storage and 1GB of RAM, as well as a non-removable battery. Connectivity-wise, there's the usual suite of options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Internet tethering and near-field communications (NFC). Unfortunately, there isn't a SIM card slot.

If RIM's final BB 10 devices look as good as the Dev Alpha--and actually runs BB 10 OS smoothly--we feel pretty upbeat about its chances in the market. Let's just hope it doesn't follow the footsteps of the PlayBook, which received rave reviews when it was announced, but failed to perform after it was released.

To see the keyboard, and other features on BB 10, click on the video below.

From:berryreview.com and cnet.com

BlackBerry 10 in action

With all the news about Microsoft Surface and Apple's iOS 6, you may have completely forgotten about Research In Motion (RIM). Once, it was the reigning mobile-device king; now, its BlackBerry 10 software is the ailing company's last hope for survival.

CNET sat down with RIM principle architect Gary Klassen — a fancy title for a Grand Poobah of software design — at the BlackBerry Jam developer conference in New York. Klassen treated us to yet another sneak peek of BlackBerry 10, running on the Dev Alpha developer handset. This time, however, RIM allowed us to shoot a quick video of what we saw.

To be honest, this newest test drive was identical to what we viewed at BlackBerry World in May. Klassen had pointed out the same key features in the early version of BlackBerry 10. These are the new Flow interface, which lets users slide windows aside, to be able to peer under them to see notifications, and a snazzy tiled home screen layout, reminiscent of Windows Phone 7.

Klassen also demonstrated the magical software keyboard, which highlights suggested words over letter keys you're likely to tap next. We must say that it's pretty slick, but will these titbits be enough to lure developers to what many see as a dying platform? RIM thinks so; or, at least, that's what its BlackBerry Jam events around the globe are designed to do. In fact, RIM claims that developers are feeling the love for the new OS.

From:www.cnet.com.au

Best Tablet For The Money: Shortlisting The Best In The Industry

The new wave of tablets is taking the mobile computing industry by storm which took form with the introduction of the Apple iPad about two years ago. Many competitors challenged the reign of the original iPad and were somehow able to pose a serious threat to the leading brand.

By capitalizing on the shortcomings of the earlier tablets, manufacturers such as Samsung, Asus, HP, and Research In Motion (RIM) continue to push the envelope by introducing their own line of tablets.

With dozens of mobile devices to choose from, successfully picking the best tablet for the money requires some detailed information on the most noteworthy products.


 
The New iPad
 
The entire world was once again amazed with the release of the new iPad, the third version in the pioneering line of tablets by Apple. As promised, the latest iPad features the retina display giving users the best viewing experience on its 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2048 by 1536 pixels. This resolution is at least twice more densely packed than any tablet currently available in the market. Higher resolution entails higher processor power, and the new iPad handles this requirement very well by running the latest iOS 5 optimized for graphics processing. In terms of form factor, the new iPad is among the thinnest tablets at only 0.37 inch. Starting at $499 for the 16GB version, the new iPad is a very tough product to beat in the tablet industry.
 
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1
 
As a close competitor to the iPad, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 by Samsung ups the ante by sporting standard tablet specifications along with improvements such as larger display and native support for Adobe Flash through its Android operating system. It shares a number of features with the new iPad including the 10-hour battery life, built-in GPS, 1GHz processor, and many more. Furthermore, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is also available in 16, 32, or 64GB storage capacity variants just like the new iPad. The Galaxy Tab somehow lacks the capability for HD video recording due to its limited 3-megapixel rear camera. At $599, it is relatively more expensive and its cutting-edge features may not be enough to proclaim it as the best tablet for the money.
 
Asus Eee Pad Transformer
 
Asus, the computer brand known for popularizing affordable yet functional netbooks, has once again extended their creativity into the tablet industry with the Eee Pad Transformer. Its 10.1-inch screen is as large as the Galaxy Tab, but it has a higher rear camera resolution at 5 megapixels. Since it runs the Android operating system, the Eee Pad Transformer also supports Adobe Flash. What sets this device apart from other tablets is the keyboard dock that snaps right into its side for faster and more accurate typing. This feature is the main reason why Asus dubbed the tablet as the Transformer. The Eee Pad Transformer is available in 16 and 32GB variants with a starting price of $599. Although it exceeds the Galaxy Tab in most aspects while selling at the same price, the Transformer fails to include 3G or 4G connectivity limiting online connection via Wi-Fi only.
 
Motorola Xoom
With a 10.1 inch screen, this tablet has a lot to offer. The tablets originally came standard with the Android Honeycomb operating system but has now been upgraded to the latest Ice Cream Sandwich OS. Nevertheless, it still makes for a powerful multimedia device. The battery has a long life of 8 – 9 hours even under heavy use. With a USB port, transferring files and syncing with your PC is a snap. With Google buying Motorola, it will be interesting to see what Google has in store for the Xoom.
 
BlackBerry Playbook
 
Another Wi-Fi-only tablet is the BlackBerry Playbook by RIM. Unlike the Transformer, however, the BlackBerry Playbook is significantly cheaper with a starting price of $399 for the 16GB version (nowdiscontinued). Fortunately, other variants include 32 and 64GB capacities as well thus giving customers plenty of options. In terms of hardware specifications, the Playbook is highly competitive with its 5-megapixel rear camera and 1GHz dual-core processor. Just like the Transformer, it also supports USB devices, a feature which is missing from the new iPad and the Galaxy Tab. It is also one of the lightest tablets weighing at just 9 pounds.
 
HP Slate 500
 
The HP Slate 500 is designed for those who want to experience the real power of the Windows operating system on a portable 8.9-inch tablet. The Slate 500 can easily be the tablet of choice for those who are familiar with Windows 7 Professional. The familiar Windows desktop is displayed right on the gorgeous touchscreen display. One particular advantage is the seamless possibility to export Windows files and programs into the device without having to worry about compatibility issues. The Slate 500, however, suffers from poor battery life in addition to Wi-Fi-only connectivity.
 
The Verdict
 
In summary, I thought about including the Kindle Fire in this write up but felt that at $199 it falls in thebudget class of Android tablets and is the best value in that category bar none. Some may argue that it should have been included here and it is definitely worthy of mention, but I see it as a cross section of users that are interested in tablets but not sure whether to spend several hundred dollars and who simply want a pure multimedia device. However, if you are looking for a little more then you may be best served to look elsewhere.
 
Overall, the best tablet for the money is still the Apple iPad. Although this device has been criticized for not supporting Flash and USB, the new iPad has all the most relevant features fitting for a tablet. Its price at $499 may not be the cheapest in the bunch, but extensive support for applications through the Apple App Store certainly offsets the initial investment.


From:pdfdevices.com

BlackBerry Jam preserves fruits of new GUI flavour enhancements

BlackBerry's rocky road of technology evolution has continued this month with a

UK developer tour event aimed to silence a few critics, preview the forthcoming BlackBerry 10 platform and showcase the Cascades user interface design tool.

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) stated that 500 developers registered to attend the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour event in London last week.

NOTE: BlackBerry 10 is the forthcoming BlackBerry operating system for RIM mobile handheld smartphones and tablets based on the QNX Unix-like real-time operating system for embedded systems, which was acquired by RIM in April 2010.

RIM says it has done nothing less than "transform the developer experience" with BlackBerry 10, creating a platform for developers to use the native (C/C++ with Cascades and QML development) and web (HTML5 with BlackBerry WebWorks) development environments.

Prototyping jam recipe

Each qualified developer received a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device to enable them to test the apps they develop -- see image below.

Out since May 2012 this year, each programmer will also have been pointed to the BlackBerry 10 developer toolkit for native and HTML5 software development.

Further, programmers have been directed to play with the new Cascades user interface design tool -- a functional route (as described by RIM VP of developer relations Alec Saunders) to "graphically-rich, high-performance apps" all round.

Reports from the BlackBerry Jam itself suggest that there are some significant developments to the way "screen gestures" are interpreted with the new GUI and that there is a new "flow" about the whole user experience.

James Richardson writes on CrackBerry.com detailing the following experiences with the new GUI and OS, "The new operating system looks beautiful. I was a little unsure in advance if I would like the touch screen keyboard but after a little practice it all flows very naturally. The 'flicking' of the predicted words upwards works well as do the other keyboard gestures such as swiping left across the keyboard to delete a word, and swiping downwards to switch to the further screens that contain numbers and symbols."

From:http://www.computerweekly.com

Free Download Capture Nux v5.2.0 for blackberry os6.0-7.0 apps

 



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BlackBerry Playbook playing nice with iOS apps: video

Everyone knows that Research In Motion’s BlackBerry Playbook hasn’t fared that well in the tablet space, but there are still those loyal to the BlackBerry tablet, and might like to know that an iOS developer has now managed to get some iOS apps to play nice on the RIM slate, and we have video evidence of those iOS apps running on the Playbook for your viewing consideration below.

The iOS apps running on the BlackBerry Playbook video comes our way courtesy of the guys over at Ubergizmo by way of Crackberry, that the developer says is an iOS player of sorts that allows iOS apps to run on the BlackBerry Playbook, showing Super Monkey Ball, Tom Tom, Sushi Cat, iFart, and Tiny Tower.

Apparently the developer businesscat2000 likens the project to WINE, and how it runs Windows apps on Linux, which doesn’t perform hardware emulation, but rather relies on a custom set of APIs. Although one has to remember that although this has proven his work, the implementation is quite a way from perfect, notably when the application itself relies on CoreData frameworks or Apple’s UIWebView.

Anyway enough of me, I’ll simply let you head on down to mash those play buttons and check out the iOS apps playing nice on the BlackBerry Playbook, and who knows perhaps you could be playing IOS apps on your BlackBerry Playbook in the near future…enjoy.

From:http://www.phonesreview.co.uk

What is BlackBerry OS?

If you find yourself browsing casually through a 3 store, wherever you are in the world, you will not have failed to notice that, for business users especially, one of the most prominent and popular 3g phones is the infamous BlackBerry, developed by the Canadian-based telecommunications equipment firm “Research in Motion” (RIM).

BlackBerry devices have been around for many years, but what makes this versatile little range of smartphones tick? The answer is the BlackBerry Operating System (OS), the fundamental program installed on all these devices, which loads when you switch it on and then manages the running of all the other programs (or apps) on the phones. BlackBerry OS enables multitasking with smooth and highly responsive efficiency.

A word about multitasking might be useful at this point. In actual fact, most PCs are not really “multitasking” when users have opened several programs at once; instead, what usually happens is that a single program, the one the user is actively engaged in at any moment, is active and then becomes inactive when the user flips to another program. There is nearly always a time delay involved in switching from one program to another, even if it is quite small. However, the BlackBerry OS dispenses with all that by being genuinely multitask-capable, it really does allow several programs to run simultaneously without compromising on performance. Instead of suspending other processes while the user focuses on one, it allows all of them to “take turns” at running and it does so at such a high speed that they all appear to be running in parallel.

The BlackBerry OS achieved business fame largely through its native support for corporate email services and WAP 1.2. It permits total wireless synchronisation with major business email services such as Novell GroupWise, Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange. In addition, when used with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, the software package that enables connectivity with these services, it synchronises calendering and contacts as well as notes and tasks.

The first version of the BlackBerry OS made its appearance on the world stage in 1999 and was designed to operate the Pager Blackberry 580. Three years later, in 2002, Blackberry OS 3.6 emerged, coinciding with the launch of the new smartphone, BlackBerry 5810. RIM was busily developing a new version, however and in August 2011, Blackberry OS 7 made its debut on the company’s new range of 3g mobiles, the Blackberry Curve, the BlackBerry Torch and the BlackBerry Bold. Most popular apps are compatible with Blackberry’s OS from version 4 onwards.

With the advent of BlackBerry’s move into the tablet market, in September 2010, RIM introduced its new Blackberry Tablet OS, a QNX-based platform not related to the company’s previous mobile operating system. This is the platform behind the new BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet and it is widely expected that the QNX format will form the basis of the forthcoming BlackBerry 10 OS. This is scheduled to hit the market towards the end of this year.

Blackberry OS 7’s addictively ingenious “Augmented Reality” feature enables users to read reviews on any restaurant they pass by or to get information on an historic building or landmark they are standing in front of, just by holding up the device and scanning the scene with the camera. All the items on the screen will automatically be overlaid with any available information. The system’s new “Near Field Communication” (NFC) technology enables users to wirelessly hitch up with any other NFC-enabled gadgets with one simple tap; you can exchange photos, music, movies, documents, BBM and contacts with this feature.

OS 7 has also revamped the BlackBerry Browser; it loads pages 40 per cent faster than its predecessor and allows users to flip between websites in the blink of an eye – or a swipe of the finger to be precise - with its Multiple Tab Browsing feature. Panning and zooming on this new browser is a dream.

Virtual socialising has been hugely simplified thanks to the new Social Feeds app, with BlackBerry users now able take a look at all their texts, emails, BBM messages Tweets and Facebook friends from one readily accessible point on the smartphone. The unified inbox pulls them all together in one place, meaning that no message, social feed or update need ever be overlooked again.

The new system makes for a sumptuously high definition visual experience, too, thanks to the high-resolution screen, a lightning-quick CPU and a mighty new graphics processor. Response times are virtually instantaneous and the animations are gloriously smooth and fluid. Not only that, but with OS 7 you really have no need for a separate HD camera, because it includes a full HD 720p video recording feature and a superb digital camera for stills. Photos can easily be uploaded to YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, while it is also possible to connect to a games console wirelessly, so you can share your photographic genius with admirers on the big screen via the system’s Mobile Media Server.

If typing commands laboriously onto the keyboard is not really your cup of tea, OS 7 will spare you the tedium. Its voice-activated controls are second to none, allowing you to browse the web, locate contacts, listen to music, dictate texts and search for files, simply by speaking your wishes out loud.

You will also get more life out of this fine 3g specimen, because OS 7 includes a clever battery-saving app, which automically cuts down on power when it is not required. It will even overcome those frustrating occasions when you urgently need internet access but cannot find a WiFi hotspot; the Mobile Hotspot feature on the smartphone will create one, provided you have access to a 3g network, giving you full access to private internet cover on your tablet or laptop.

Finally, if you want to listen to a little music and are feeling a bored with your playlists, just fire up the excellent FM tuner and listen to whatever takes your fancy - from Gardener’s Question Time to Chris Moyles.

              













From:http://www.3g.co.uk/