RIM introduces BBM Voice to help convince you and your friends to come back to BlackBerry

Research in Motion has added an interesting new feature to BlackBerry Messenger named BBM Voice, which lets you call fellow BBM users for free provided your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. It's a great idea, provided your friends also use BlackBerry phones.

Research in Motion knows it needs to win back the general public’s support, and it also knows that one way to do so is by coming up with a feature that will save someone money. BlackBerry Messenger was that feature several years ago, as it made use of the BlackBerry network plan you had to pay for anyway, and provided “free” text message conversation with fellow BlackBerry owners.

Now though, a high percentage of the dedicated BlackBerry owner’s friends use iPhones and Androids, rendering BBM a relic from better days past. Now RIM has come up with BBM Voice, which it claims is “for the times when you want to hear a friend’s laughter instead of reading LOL.”

That’s right, BBM has become Skype, as it now offers the chance to call your BBM friends through version 7 of the software, using only a Wi-Fi connection. There are no geographical borders and no time limits, and as it doesn’t count towards your monthly bill, no extra charges either.

RIM makes no mention of whether BBM Voice will break free from a Wi-Fi connection and use a 3G/4G data connection in the future. It’s hardly a surprise, as networks — particularly in the U.S. — are rarely enamored by features that lose them money.

BlackBerry Messenger will show who in your contact list is available to call using BBM Voice, and a split screen display lets you send text messages or files at the same time, plus the service is compatible with Bluetooth headsets too; setting it up perfectly as a way to work collaboratively while away from the office. Those not using a BlackBerry for business will appreciate the chance to avoid massive international roaming bills too.

So, free messages and free calls, all through a single app. Sounds great, right? It is, but — and here’s the problem — to take advantage of BBM Voice, your friends and colleagues all have to have BlackBerry phones too, and as we’ve established already, they’re now using iPhones and Androids.

BBM Voice is a beta program at the moment, but you can bet it will have been perfected by the time BlackBerry 10 arrives after January 30 next year, as being able to say “free calls and messages with BlackBerry 10” should help people take notice of the new OS. All RIM needs is for those people to convince their friends/family/acquaintances/dog it’s a good idea too.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

BlackBerry 10 gets important US security clearance ahead of launch

Research In Motion's upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform has received US security clearance that will allow it to be used by goverment agencies – provided they don't all desert the Canadian company before the new platform launches.

As Research In Motion (RIM) executives count down the days to the launch of its next-generation BlackBerry 10 platform (though one wonders if they really know precisely how many days are left), the company has been pushing out a number of positive press releases recently in an effort to create a silver lining on the gray cloud that has been hanging over the firm for some time.

Last week it announced that development of BB10 had passed what it described as a “critical milestone” with news that it had entered lab testing with more than 50 carriers worldwide.

And on Wednesday evening it issued a statement saying its new BB10 smartphones and its Enterprise Service 10 management console had both received important Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 security certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This is the first time BlackBerry products have been FIPS certified ahead of launch, the Ontario-based company said, and paves the way for US and Canadian government agencies to use the devices in their work.

Commenting on the news, Michael K. Brown, vice president of security product management and research at RIM, said, “Achieving FIPS 140-2 certification means that BlackBerry 10 is ready to meet the strict security requirements of government agencies and enterprises at launch.”

Talking up the security features of BB10, he added, “What differentiates BlackBerry is that it integrates end-to-end security, and includes certified encryption algorithms for data at rest and data in transit. No other mobile solution has achieved the level of security accreditation that the BlackBerry solution has.”

The certification is undoubtedly good news for the mobile company, though with several agencies in recent months announcing their intention to turn away from BlackBerry handsets in favor of iOS and Android-powered devices, RIM will have its work cut out to get them back on board. It must also work to hold on to those who have so far stuck with its devices.

Happily for RIM, last week the Pentagon said it would continue to support “large numbers” of BlackBerry smartphones even though it’ll also be allowing many of its employees to use the iPhone and other devices.

BlackBerry’s reputation for strong security was what until recently made RIM’s handsets stand out for those who required such features. But for many IT administrators working today, iOS and Android phones now offer more secure and manageable platforms.

RIM has been able to offer a few bits of positive news of late, but the real test will of course come when its new, long-awaited BB10 OS and handsets finally make an appearance.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Mom uses BlackBerry to write novel – no ‘BlackBerry thumb’ reported

You'd think that writing a book day and night on a BlackBerry smartphone would eventually render your thumbs useless, but a woman from London has done just that, and now her novel is selling on Amazon.

If you were going to write a book, the chances are you’d sit yourself in front of a full-size keyboard connected to a full-size computer screen before you embarked on your full-size project. Not so Brit Georgina Campbell.

She bashed out a 55,600-word book on, of all things, her BlackBerry smartphone. The 41-year-old Londoner said the idea to put thumb to keyboard came about after watching the 2011 sci-fi movie Attack the Block. While daughter Lorra loved it, Georgina thought it was abysmal and so bet Lorra she could write something better. It was then she grabbed her writing tool of choice and started work on her novel.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Georgina said it took four months to complete the gritty tale of a group of girls growing up in inner-city London, writing it entirely on the phone’s native MemoPad app.

“When I started writing the book I would normally do it after a 12-hour shift at work and it would be a breeze – I loved it and wrote through the night,” she told the Mail. “It was almost like a holiday – I’d just sit down and start typing the book out on my BlackBerry using my two thumbs.”

Georgina said the phone was the ideal writing tool simply because it was with her all the time. “I was writing on the train, on breaks at work, waiting for a bus, having a bath, when I was walking around – anywhere. It completely took over my life – all I thought about morning to night was writing the book.” Four months after tapping out the first word, The Kickdown Girls made it  to Amazon.

Possibly the most remarkable part of the story, however, is that despite her round-the-clock commitment, her thumbs are still fully operational instead of finishing up as mere worn-down stumps; she didn’t even develop BlackBerry thumb, the repetitive strain injury linked to excessive use of the physical keyboard so beloved by BlackBerry users.

Whether Georgina’s work is better than the script of Attack the Block is something for readers to decide, though at the time of writing the publication is languishing at 257,164 in Amazon’s book chart and has no reader reviews.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

BlackBerry 10 phones being tested by carriers as Pentagon says it will keep using RIM handsets

Research In Motion boss Thorsten Heins has announced that devices running the firm's next-generation OS, BlackBerry 10, are now being tested by carriers around the world, keeping it on course for release early next year. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has said it will continue to use BlackBerry devices in its work.

It’s encouraging. It’s a step in the right direction. It might mean Research In Motion (RIM) really will fulfill its promise of a first-quarter 2013 launch of its next-generation BlackBerry 10 OS and handsets.

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins announced in a statement on Wednesday that handsets running the new OS were now being tested by more than 50 carriers worldwide.

Heins said reaching the testing phase meant the company had “passed a critical milestone” in the development of its new mobile computing platform.

“The hard work will not stop here as we build towards launch,” Heins said in the statement, adding, “Our developer teams are continuing to generate momentum to bring a wealth of applications to BlackBerry 10, our enterprise teams have started to present BlackBerry 10 devices and services to our business customers, and our engineers are fully mobilized to ensure that BlackBerry 10 launches flawlessly in the first quarter of 2013.”

In an interview with the BBC last week, Heins urged consumers not to underestimate “the dynamic [BlackBerry 10] is going to create in the market.”

In other news involving the mobile company, the Pentagon made clear this week that it would carry on supporting “large numbers” of BlackBerry handsets despite going ahead with plans to allow the US military to use other devices such as the iPhone.

“The Defense Information Systems Agency is managing an enterprise email capability that continues to support large numbers of RIM devices,” a spokesman told Reuters this week. A number of government agencies and businesses have said in the last year they would be issuing staff with iOS or Android devices, ending long-standing contracts with BlackBerry. While the Pentagon also appears to be relaxing its association with RIM, things are so serious at the Canadian company that the defense agency’s announcement that it’s not switching entirely to rival devices will actually be perceived as good news by many.

The BlackBerry was once the phone of choice for many agencies and firms thanks largely to its strong security features. However, security on rival handsets such as Apple’s iPhone and a number of Android-powered devices has improved over time, offering an alternative to the BlackBerry.

The launch of RIM’s next-generation OS and handsets is its make-or-break moment. Perhaps the Canadian mobile maker – once the country’s most valuable company – can still turn things around, remain a viable player in the mobile game and consequently help to keep competitors on their toes.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

‘Don’t underestimate BB10,’ RIM boss says during demo of upcoming BlackBerry OS [video]

As the iPhone 5 flies off the shelves and Samsung reports record profits, the boss of the firm that once ruled the smartphone roost has said in an interview that BlackBerry 10 – set for launch early next year – should not be underestimated.

With so many product launches taking place in the tech world this month, it’s not hard to think Research In Motion should be in the mix too, rolling out its new BB10 phones and next-generation mobile operating system. But, of course, it’s not. For RIM’s new offerings, we still have to wait at least several more months.

The company is trying to keep itself in the picture though – lest it be completely forgotten by consumers playing with their newly acquired iPhone or Samsung device – with RIM boss Thorsten Heins giving an interview to the BBC this week, offering a glimpse of the new OS while answering a few questions about the company’s current state of affairs.

The demo – given on a Dev Alpha B device similar to the one handed out to developers earlier this year – involves a good deal of touching and swiping, as well as a little bit of ‘blending’ (check out the demo below to learn more), with Heins describing the theme of BB10 as “the integration of various applications into what we in BB10 call the BlackBerry flow…..[so there’ll be no] application grid.”

BB10 is about real-time multi-tasking, Heins said, enabling the user “to live in the multi-taking space,” making it simple to jump between running applications. He also mentioned the BlackBerry Hub, which acts as a kind of notification system that pulls in information from various apps and programs.

Too late?

Heins, it has to be said, didn’t look particularly pleased when Cellan-Jones suggested it was all coming too late, staring straight back at the BBC man with an expression that suggested he was momentarily imagining a scenario involving the interviewer, the Dev Alpha B device and a painful surgical procedure, but overall Heins was cheerful and enthusiastic throughout. And by the way, in response to the accusation that RIM has missed the boat, Heins said, “Don’t underestimate the dynamic this platform is going to create in the market.”

Interestingly, when asked about the recent NY Times article which featured people claiming to be embarrassed about getting their BlackBerry phone out in public, Heins said, “Without going into detail, I would kind of question the sources that were used for that article,” adding that, according to what he sees in markets outside the US, there’s “huge growth and huge commitment to BlackBerry.”

You can check out the interview below.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

RIM boss Thorsten Heins hits back at BlackBerry-bashing NY Times article

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has hit back at a recent NY Times article that interviewed a number of disgruntled BlackBerry owners. In a letter published by the newspaper on Wednesday, Heins accused the piece of lacking balance and said there were still "millions of BlackBerry fans out there."

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins must have had smoke coming out of his ears when he read a New York Times article on Monday entitled The BlackBerry as Black Sheep.

His company is struggling, for sure, but he’s hoping it can turn things around with the launch of its next-generation operating system, BlackBerry 10, early next year. Until then, he needs to hold on to his customers, and prevent the company’s image from being bashed about any more than it is right now. His heart will have sunk when he read the NY Times piece.

It pretty much ripped into the phone maker, interviewing users who had apparently become embarrassed about pulling their BlackBerry phone out of their bag. “I’m ashamed of it,” said one, who claimed to hide her device under her iPad for fear of being judged by clients.

Another said she wanted to “take a bat to it,” which, let’s be honest, seems like something of an overreaction when it comes to feelings about a mobile device. There were a few favorable words towards the end of the piece from a BlackBerry owner called Mr. Fenton who said he couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about when it came to the iPhone, but in case the reader might start to think that perhaps RIM’s phones weren’t so bad after all, the article finished off with someone called Mr. Mindel laying the boot in, saying, “I’m considering removing my BlackBerry battery, pouring in cement, and using the BlackBerry as an actual paperweight.” You get the picture. 

So imagine Heins in his office earlier this week, NY Times in hand, reading this article. Of course he wasn’t going to let this go without saying something. He hammered out a response and on Wednesday the newspaper published it.

In his letter, Heins accused the publication of lacking “the balance your readers expect,” before going on to explain that carriers and partners around the world have recently told him “there are millions of BlackBerry fans out there who not only find great value in their device, but also pride in being a BlackBerry owner.”

He says that he takes reports of dissatisfaction among BlackBerry users very seriously, adding that he was encouraged by the supportive comments received in response to the NY Times article.

After trotting out a couple of stats, Heins ends his letter confirming that RIM is on track to deliver BlackBerry 10 in the first quarter of 2013, and offers thanks to “the customers who have remained loyal to the BlackBerry platform.” He also says RIM is looking forward to “winning back many who have left.”

Heins is all too aware that having nothing to show for at least another 10 weeks gives BlackBerry bashers ample time to keep on bashing, and that what RIM must do is keep current users on board while trying to put a positive spin on a very difficult situation. Of course, there will be those who say RIM has done a decent job of beating itself up in recent years with various PR blunders and missteps, but Heins is steering the ship now and is doing everything in his power to save the company from collapse.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

BlackBerry PlayBook gets an update to version 2.1, some handy new features

RIM has launched an update for the BlackBerry PlayBook bringing it OS to version 2.1. Owners of the tablet now have a reason to celebrate, as it brings some pretty cool new features.

One of them is sending SMS messages right from the tablet via the updated BlackBerry Bridge. It’s been optimized and as a result runs faster than before. Another neat, and rather overdue addition is that the email, contacts and calendar apps got portrait mode support.

Additionally, the support for Android apps is further enhanced with multi-window applications for better multitasking, as well as added camera support and even in-app purchases. Business users haven’t been ignored in this update either, and there are ton of new features for them including improvements for the Print to Go app, better folder and sync management, streamlined setup for better software update experience and more.

The update is currently available for the Wi-Fi versions of the PlayBook, while the 4G LTE units will get it next month, when it gets carrier approval.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

BlackBerry OS 10 tutorials caught on video, cool new gestures demonstrated

BlackBerry OS 10 faced a few delays, but the waiting might be worth it as the new OS is a far cry from its bland, text-based predecessors. The new OS relies heavily on clever gestures for many of the basic tasks – even going back to the homescreen is done with a gesture rather than a button like on Android or iOS. As such, BB OS 10 brings back memories of the (short-lived) excitement that MeeGo caused.

The best way to teach users the new gestures are quick and simple tutorials played on the phone itself. Here are four of them, that show both gestures we’ve seen before and a few of new ones.

BlackBerryItalia recorded the tutorials, the first of which details the “essential gesture” – a swipe up. It is used to unlock the screen and to go back to the home screen.

Once you’re in, you can easily move between the unified inbox (UIB), the currently running apps and the app drawer.

You can also swipe slowly up to have a peek at the number of missed evens and if there’s anything interesting, you can swipe right to bring out the UIB.

Then there’s the swipe down gesture. Unlike the notification areas of most touch-based OSes and the personal/work mode switch swipe down gesture, this one brings down toggles (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) in the homescreen and also app-specific settings.

While Windows Phone 8 is betting on live tiles, BlackBerry OS 10 thinks gestures are the way to go. Both are business-oriented and both will be competing for third place next year. Who do you think will win?

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

Mobile weekly wrap: iPhone 5 hangover week

Blackberry fails upward, AT&T goes all in on 4G, and everyone recovers from their iPhone 5 buzz in this week's Mobile Weekly Wrap.

A week after the iPhone 5 made it into the hands of nearly 5 million people, the world finally started spinning on its correct axis again. As the dust settled from the lines of stampeding early adopters, other companies started to unveil their own upcoming offerings. Whether its new tablets and phones for the holiday rush, leaks for the long term, and fallout from the iPhone launch, we’ve got the goods — along with apps and games — from this week in mobile tech (Sept. 23-28, 2012).

AT&T goes all-in on 4G

While the iPhone 5 is the biggest addition in terms of name recognition, AT&T is improving their 4G device offerings in quantity and quality. Teaming with Samsung for much of the new wave, AT&T announced four new devices, three phones and one tablet, from the Galaxy line up that will be available in the coming months. If users have trouble managing the madness of having so many devices on the 4G network, they can connect them all to AT&T’s newly announced touchscreen mobile hotspot. The first of its kind, the MiFi Liberate has a 2.8-inch touchscreen and will allow up to 10 devices to connect to it. It’s all part of AT&T’s plan to cover the world in LTE, which is pretty non-threatening on the scale of evil plots against humanity.

Where the Apple went rotten

Apple’s mobile OS brought quite a few innovations that have people clamoring for what might be possible in the future. For the time being, though, it’s not all pretty. The move away from Google’s products and embrace of Apple-made apps has left Maps users lost. It’s been so bad that Apple CEO Tim Cook openly apologized for the debacle. The switch isn’t the only wrong turn that Apple made. The newly redesigned headphones, dubbed “earpods,” seem to put the emphasis on “piece” in the term “earpiece.” That is to say, “piece of junk.” (That was a long way to go for that joke, I know.)

Blackberry fails upward

As more and more iPhones and Android devices creep in to the business space, Research in Motion is doing its best to dig in and wait out the storm. While it hasn’t really been working, it has managed to spin some losses into wins this week. The first “win” came with its second quarter reports. The company lost $235 million, which actually beat expectations of just how bad it was doing and led to a jump in its stock prices. Later, video of the yet-to-be-seen BlackBerry 10 L and N series phones leaked onto the web, blowing whatever surprise the company had planned for an unveiling. The thing is, the video generally impressed consumers and may mark a potential comeback for the oft-forgotten phone company. 

Apps and games of the week

Street Fighter X Tekken ($3, iOS) – The button-mashing, combo-smashing fighter that has been a favorite on the consoles now makes its way to mobile. This iOS title will allow for you to take your fist to your friends online or play through single player battles.

Scape ($6, iPad) – Carry a composer with you. Scape lets you pick between a variety of different soundscapes, mixing and matching them as the app creates a custom, computer-generated soundtrack for your listening pleasure.

Draw Pad Pro ($2, Blackberry) – Just because you’re on a BlackBerry doesn’t mean you’re all business. Let your creative side flow with the inner artist’s dream app.

LazyLog (Free, Android) – While some missed calls and texts are important, others are the equivalent of inbox spam. Cast them to the side and get back to the people that matter with LazyLog.

eTrade Mobile (Free, Windows) While it’s been out on iOS and Android, Windows users can finally get their hands on this powerful portfolio manager.

Skitch (Free, iPhone) This app is already available for iPad and Android and has been beloved buy its owners on those platforms. It’s finally making its debut on the iPhone, and is sure to get just as much love.

Friendizer – (Free, Android) – This app will close the gap between your charming inner personality and unfortunate lack of social skills. Check out who else is near by and if your interests match up without having to go through awkward small talk.

BDrive (Free, iOS/Android) – The social cloud memory bank, use BDrive on your device of choice and share files between other devices and users to create a completely virtual community database.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

RIM CEO filled with optimism over BlackBerry 10, but still can’t nail down a release date

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has delivered his BlackBerry 10 Jam Americas keynote, where his enthusiasm for BlackBerry 10 was palpable

September 25 saw the beginning of the BlackBerry 10 Jam Americas conference, where CEO Thorsten Heins took to the stage to entertain and encourage 1,500 attending developers and partners.

He began by talking about what BlackBerry 10 would offer customers when it’s released, promising that productivity, reliability, security and multi-tasking would all be taken “to the next level.” Also on the list was a new keyboard with improved predictive text, and a completely new web browser he described as “killer.”

Rarely did Heins describe BlackBerry 10 as a smartphone operating system though, preferring to say that it’s a step forward in “mobile computing,” and emphasized its suitability for individual business users and enterprise clients.

This was particularly evident during the brief demonstration of BB10, where the calendar was shown off, as well as a feature named BlackBerry Balance, where the phone can be switched between personal and business accounts. Both sets of data are totally separate, right down to the security and access to the BlackBerry App World store.

Hub, Flow and Peek

Much was made of the BlackBerry Hub, Peek and BlackBerry Flow, which make up the basic user interface of BB10. The Hub collects all incoming information and notifications — which RIM says isn’t like a unified inbox at all, but everyone else will probably disagree — while Peek lets you swipe aside open apps to return to the Hub, then swipe in a new app to use.

Finally, a feature named Flow seemed to provide fluid movement through the Hub, but wasn’t expanded upon during the presentation.

Sadly, the demonstrations highlighted the Dev Alpha device’s inability to recognize touch gestures on more than one occasion, and while enthusiasm concerning BB10’s interface was high, it wasn’t quite as exciting in real life.

Time and again, the example of a “business man running through an airport” was trotted out, particularly to show the ease with which BB10 can be controlled using one hand and one thumb.

Also highlighted was RIM’s increasing interest in Asia and other emerging markets, from the prevalence of locations in India, Africa and the East on Heins’ tour map, to making a point of intelligent multi-language support in BBM, without the need to manually change keyboards mid-flow.

On track for early 2013 release

So when is it coming? For all Heins’ high-fives and gusto during the keynote, the story of BlackBerry 10’s release is still the same — early next year. He said everything is “on track” and that release is “a few short months away,” plus they are currently testing better devices too.

A degree of positivity regarding BB10’s impending release came from the news that next month, the hardware and software will be sent to carriers for testing, although in another interview RIM’s chief marketing officer warned that this process can take anywhere between six and twenty weeks. While this won’t be true of every network all over the world, it could see some releases delayed until March 2013 at the earliest. In the same interview, it was revealed that BlackBerry 10 will initially debut in America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa.

Heins, like the rest of the tech world, knows what’s at stake with BlackBerry 10, calling it “our most important launch ever” and going on to share what sounds like a realistic expectation of how it will perform: “We have a clear shot at being the number three platform in the market” he said.

The 40-minute keynote finished with the news that the company’s user base has grown to 80 million subscribers, and that BBM has 60 million users worldwide. A new SDK will be released this week and app submissions will start on October 10. To show how RIM loves its developers, it serenaded them with a song. Yes, really.

According to a very positive Thorsten Heins, there’s “a new culture, new energy and a lot of fighting spirit at RIM,” and solely based on his upbeat BlackBerry Jam keynote performance, it’s becoming easier to believe him.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Mobile Weekly Wrap: Easy app access and Blackberry’s comeback attempt

Google enters the patent battle, Blackberry lays low, and some awesome apps find new homes in this week's Mobile Weekly Wrap.

Late last week brought the end of a chapter in the Great Patent War. Samsung landed on the losing end of the battle between mega mobile moguls, but for once there was a calm in the mobile world. It lasted for as long as the weekend. Can’t we all just get along, guys? If you were too busy keeping your head ducked to avoid getting caught in the crossfire, you may have missed the news that happened this week. Lucky for you, we’ve got all the stories worth noting from the week of August 26-31, 2012

Patented patent talk

Apple scored a big win in its patent lawsuit against Samsung, but it sure didn’t get to enjoy it for very long. While it was busy losing a lawsuit in Japan, the guys behind the Android OS started to fire up their own war machine. Google watched Samsung fall to Apple, but refused to let their comrade fall in combat without defending their honor. We knew a patent battle between Google and Apple was basically unavoidable, and that notion became reality this week. Google has officially filed a lawsuit against Apple for violating patents owned by the Google-owned Motorola. While it’s probably more annoying to the public than anything, this is the most excitement patent offices have felt since Telsa was alive.

Play Store wants you to play more

While access to Android devices could potentially be stifled, especially the ones made by Samsung, access to apps for the OS is only getting easier. The folks at Amazon have taken their Android app store overseas, where it landed in a multitude of European countries. The selection that the Amazon store offers is smaller than the Google Play Store, but that’s simply because Amazon does quality control. Of course that’d happen in Europe. Here in America we have a free market–we can access terrible things any time we want.

While the Play Store may not be quite as controlled as Amazon, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty to offer. In fact, Google wants to show you even more than what you’re already seeing by adding a “Recommended for You” section to the Google Play Store. The feature will point you in the direction of apps that you might potentially be interested in, meaning you’ll lose even more of you free time to your Android device.

Blackberry 10 news excites the few that are listening

While the big hitters in the mobile world continue to take swings at one another, the former holder of the portable reins has been laying low and rebuilding. Blackberry has had a rough run of things in the past couple years, but it’s hoping to come up swinging with their Blackberry 10 operating system, but one of the major improvements that it’s touting has nothing to do with software. Blackberry 10 phones will have a removable battery. While it might sound sad that one of the biggest upgrades is the ability to take out a device’s power source, it’ll be great for people that still swear by their Blackberry and use it until it can’t hold a charge.

It also looks like Blackberry 10 adopters will have plenty of options on how to drain those batteries. Developers working on Blackberry 10 builds have been able to submit their apps to the Blackberry App World. This will guarantee that folks planning on picking up the newest OS from Research in Motion will have tons of options to load up their devices on launch day.

Apps and Games of the Week

Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation ($3, Blackberry) – The military shooter that has been a hit for iOS and Android users makes its way to the Blackberry. It’s the perfect way to break up the business day by taking out frustration on the virtual firing range.

SkyDrive (Free, Android) – Microsoft’s foray into the cloud-based storage market has been available on iOS for a few months, but it just made its way onto Android. If you’re a dedicated Windows user without a Windows Phone, you can still keep your documents with you.

StereoMood (Free, iOS/Android) – StereoMood spins music based on the mood you’re in. Just type in an emotion and the app will provide a playlist that plays to those feelings. It’s been on the iPhone, but it just came to iPad–now a universal app–and Android this week.

WP Politics (Free, iOS) – The election cycle is in full spin. While we’re between conventions, there’s going to be plenty of stories that will be worth tracking in the weeks and months before November 7. WP Politics gives a uniquely interactive way to follow the news, especially with its recently added “The Forum” feature. It delivers the best of the political Twitterverse with no Twitter account required.

Bastion ($4.99, iPad) – Bastion made a splash as a gorgeous looking and fluid playing indie title on PC and consoles. It brings its hand-painted art style, creative story telling, and addicting gameplay to the iPad.

Concept ($1.99, iPad) – See your idea go from first thoughts to full fruition with Concept. This app lets you keep notes that are easily organizable and will let you fully flesh out whatever idea is floating around in your head.

Appetite+ (Free, iPhone) – Appetite+ is a handy little app that lets you compare and contrast the apps you have installed on your device to your friends. See what you have in common or what they may be using that you should look into getting for yourself.

Activision Anthology (Free, iOS/Android) – A collection of classics from the early days of gaming, the Activision Anthology contains all of the best games of yore from one of the biggest developers of those days. Titles like Pitfall, Stampede, Cliff Hangers, River Raid and Kaboom all call this app their home.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Viber to land on Symbian, Bada OS and Series 40

Viber keeps expanding its reach and is about to welcome three new mobile platforms on board. Until recently the service was only available on Android, Apple iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry.

Now though we hear that three new platforms will be getting support for Viber – Nokia’s Symbian OS and the Series 40, as well as the Samsung’s Bada OS. Granted all three of those are almost dead, but there are still plenty of people out there using devices powered by them so kudos to Viber for taking care of them.

The developers also took the occasion to announce that Viber’s constantly growing user base has now reached an impressive milestone – 100 million users wordwide.

Source : blog[dot]gsmarena[dot]com

BlackBerry Monitoring Software: 4 Types of Friends Your Child Shouldn’t Have

Many parents refuse to use BlackBerry monitoring software because they have complete trust in their children. And I understand it. That’s the kind of relationship that you want to have with your son or daughter, the type where you’ve always taught him or her right from wrong so that you don’t have to be a helicopter parents, hovering over your child making sure that nothing’s wrong. I think those parents should be proud of their accomplishment.

However, a lot of times, the problem is not your child, but one of his friends or even an acquaintance. After all, all it takes for something to happen is just one person that is too stupid / irresponsible / lazy / stubborn. For example, even if your child doesn’t drink, one of his friends who does might decide to give him a ride to your home.

Anyway, you can now use BlackBerry monitoring software to know exactly the type of friends your child has, and I hope it’s none of these.

a) The drinker.

I bet you saw this one coming. The drinker is by far the most dangerous one, not because he drinks, but because he tends to drink and drive. And car accidents are by far the number one cause of deaths for teenagers.

b) The dare pusher.

Teenagers often dare each other to do something. If they were more mature or if they knew better, they would realize it’s not worth do so something just to impress some guys or girls that will be irrelevant in three years. And while some of those dares are harmless, like calling a girl and telling her that you like her, others can be quite dangerous, such as insulting and picking a fight with someone.

c) The drug user.

I remember the time where drugs were used only by hippies in basements and concerts. Unfortunately, it’s not the case today. There are many young people who use drugs in a constant basis. If one of your child’s friends does, you have to know about it.

d) The bad company.

This one is actually a sort of all-encompassing general term for those type of people that you really dislike and that you don’t want your child to hang around with. For example, a kid who says racial slurs, or one that tells comments that denigrate women, or a girl who uses sex to get the attention of boys, etc. The exact type will vary according to your values and your idea of right and wrong.

Final Thoughts

We can’t be next to our teenagers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and even if we could, it wouldn’t be healthy. However, we can use BlackBerry monitoring software and find out who they are hanging with. And if it’s someone we don’t want near our children, we can do something about it. 

Author Name: Brian Coulter

About The Author:

Brian Coulter is a Latest Mobile Technology enthusiast and author of Blackberry Spy Software. Brian also writes about exciting and informative discoveries on mobile development.

Source : techtalkafrica[dot]com