Blackberry Phones

If you keep up on current events around the world, or are interested in breaking news, you should check out the AP Mobile world edition BlackBerry application. Updated today to v3.4.3, the Associated Press app is now compatible with BlackBerry 7 devices. With this update, they have also integrated with BBM, so you can share news and interesting stories with your contacts at the click of a button! AP Mobile also has push alerts, so you can get pop-up messages or emails when there is breaking news.

Other new features include:

• New navigation
• Improved offline experience
• Fixed video bugs
• Breaking news alert: Get notified of breaking news in the app
• Video support: Users can view Video stories using the native video player on their BlackBerry® device
• Globalized: Users can select different editions for their news
• Multiple language support: The application now supports Spanish and French languages in addition to English
• Weather: Users can now easily view weather for their chosen location from within the application
• Share stories and photos via email, SMS, Twitter, and BBM
• Featured content is highlighted by our editors

As a downloadable application, AP Mobile updates and caches content throughout the day, thus keeping users in the know while on a plane or subway. It includes a complete set of news categories including Sports, Entertainment and Wacky News, plus AP’s award-winning photos. AP Mobile world edition is free in BlackBerry App World at the link below, and compatible with most BlackBerry smartphones.

Although I often switch between Slacker Radio and Pandora, the new services recently introduced by Slacker have caused me to use it more so then Pandora recently. The PlayBook app is great but the BlackBerry app for a while now has always some minor bugs within including a rather long start up time.

The latest version, while not in BlackBerry App World as of yet has been released via the Slacker website recenty — having downloaded the v4.0.736 release it looks like start up time has been reduced if nothing else. Still, no change log has been posted but you’ll likely want to grab it anyway if you’re a Slacker Radio user.

More information/download of Slacker Radio

Google Maps is one of my favorite, free BlackBerry applications and I’m guessing a lot of you all out there use it as well. Google, notorious for not offering any change logs has now updated Google Maps to version 4.5.1. Current users can grab the download from Google Maps mobile link and get upgraded today. If you spot any changes within the app be sure to let us know in the comments. The only thing I noticed in a brief check was that it seemed to lock onto location faster but, that could just have been my area as well.

The BlackBerry Developer Conference is well under way and many of the developers are here on site with us. One of those such developers is MLHSoftware, who makes many great applications as seen above. Now and for the remainder of DevCon you can check out any MLHSoftware developer application for 50% off the original price. Process is simple, on your BlackBerry head on over the Shop CrackBerry Software store and select you application. In the coupon are enter in the code “MLHDEVCON10″ and click on update. Once your cart shows 50% off you can then proceed to checkout. Remember, it must be done on your BlackBerry for the code to work.  Many thanks to MLHSoftware for the sale!

One of the leading expense apps for BlackBerry, ProOnGo has announced that they have added AmEx integration into the latest build. This means that things just got easier for business travelers on the road. With the new feature, you simply add your AmEx card information directly into ProOnGo and from then on any transactions on the card will be stored in both the app itself and the ProOnGo web portal. Now you can completely eliminate manual entries when using ProOnGo’s custom spreadsheet package for businesses. ProOnGo is available as a free download from the CrackBerry App Store.

When you are a BlackBerry user and you travel; be it often or just simply on random occassions, I have never come across a better application then Worldmate. Personally, I use it on my BlackBerry and when I had an iPhone I also had it installed there as well. The latest news from Worldmate is that they have updated to version 4.0. This update, brings a lot to the table in terms of how exactly Worldmate function and how it can better assist you in your travels. A new service addition has been added to Worldmate:

WorldMate introduces TripCatch to their BlackBerry application, an opt-in service that monitors a user’s BlackBerry inbox for travel confirmation emails and then automatically imports them into their WorldMate account. Skipping the manual step for users, TripCatch grabs confirmation for flights, hotels, rental cars and more, generating detailed trip itineraries. Ensuring privacy, TripCatch is certified with the Privacy Seal from TRUSTe so the only information accessed is explicitly allowed by the user.

With TripCatch automation, confirmation emails for flights, hotels, rental cars and more generate detailed trip itineraries. The WorldMate service also includes flight alerts, calendar synchronization, and itinerary integration with mapping, navigation and LinkedIn contacts. Using TripCatch bypasses the old method of adding items to you itinerary wherein you had to forward all conformation emails to a specific email address before they would be added. TripCatch is an opt in service as well, so if you try it out and do not like you you may opt out at any time.

One of most important tools I use is a screen capturing application. When reviewing applications, it’s important to realize that the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, really does hold value. It’s one thing to talk about an application; it’s another to be able to view its images. Not only that, but it’s good to have images as proof in certain situations, or to even help with troubleshooting.

S4BB recently announced that version 2.0 now brings a free version of ScreenShot, on top of the already existing full version. ScreenShot supports the following image formats: JPG, GIF, BMP, GIF, TIFF, PNG and WBMP. One feature I like is the ability to set a delay, enabling you to capture hard to get shots (this is available in the full version only). Main features for both versions include:

* Screen shot can be viewed right after it was taken
* Screen shot can be sent out by email conveniently after it is taken
* Camera shutter sound
* 1 click image capture

The full version also allows you to change the shutter sound, modify the file name and select the image format. The full version typically goes for $4.99, but it’s on sale for $2.49 until July 22nd at the CrackBerry App Store. Funny, BlackBerry App World has the same application on sale for $4.99 from $9.99, go CrackBerry!

Ever have that one great video on your device that you want to share with everyone? Your kid’s cute moment, or maybe that time your buddy tried to be Tony Hawk and ended up looking more like something out of Jackass? You whip out your device and open your vids, only to find you have a long list of text entries because you were too lazy to rename the file. Now you have to search through, hunting for the right vid so you can show it off.

I got an email last week about a new application that aims to solve this problem.  Titled simply “Good Video Browser”, it’s a simple application that does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and does it well. Simply click the icon, and it will scan your device and media card for video files, displaying them as thumbnails rather than text. This makes it so much easier to find that exact file you want. The scanning is quick, and if you have a lot of vids, it can be paused and resumed later. The app remembers what has been scanned, and only scans when a new file has been added to the device.

Simple, straight-forward, and useful, this is yet another app that helps fill the gaps left in the OS, making an area most people just deal with a little easier to navigate. Available in the CrackBerry app store for all devices running 4.7 OS and up for $4.99. As a thank you to the CrackBerry community for their support, the developer has offered up 200 coupons of 50% off each. These are first come/first served, so get it while you can, using the coupon goodvideo. The coupon code will only work in the mobile app store or superstore client.