Hopefully everyone is familiar with vPost. It’s an extremely valuable email multi-media tool available, allowing the BlackBerry user to capture moments with pictures, video, voicenotes, and notes, and GeoTag them as well. All from one email even. It allows you to send to personal emails as well as blogging sites such as Posterous. And now it’s in Personal Beta.

Vayyoo has come a long ways. The first time I tried vPost I was really impressed and excited, but the phone I was using at the time had blocked GPS through my wireless carrier to a third party. So I wasn’t able to utilize the GPS portion of it, but as the months have gone, vPost has increased the size of videos, and numbers of pictures, allowing you to save everything from concerts to your family moments. I have a phone in which I am able to utilize the full features of vPost including the GPS. VPost has been available in the BlackBerry Sync Store for $9.99, but they have announced their Personal Beta which is free for now. This one is also available in the BlackBerry Sync Store. Let me list the description of the app as listed in the store:

Whether you are out with friends, having fun on vacation, or at the scene of breaking news, vPost is a tool that you need on your BlackBerry. vPost makes capturing and sharing moments simple by integrating the camera, location, & email features of your BlackBerry. Share photos and videos of concerts, sporting events and fine dining in a whole new way.

By using vPost you can send pictures, video clips, and audio notes to your friends, family, and online communities quickly and easily. Include a map link with your GPS location for travel memories and geo-tagging. Create personal widgets for single click sending to individuals, groups, and popular sites like Facebook, Flickr and many more. Publish multiple photos, text, video, and even voice memos to your blog in a single step. With vPost the only limit is your imagination.

IMPORTANT: Set a convenience key to vPost and recording anything is just a click away. Download vPost today and capture the moment.

Here are the key features of vPost:

So these are pics I’m sharing with the set up. It’s been a little more thorough, much easier to set up, and there’s no real limitations on the size. I’m impressed. I chose some concert event moments from the U2 360 concert sponsored by BlackBerry since BlackBerry loves U2. I sent the entire email out and it includes the maps and all. It sends to my Twitter and my Posterous, in full detail, as well as anyone else that I choose to share with. And GPS is clearly working.

Pro’s: I love vPost, it’s one of my favorite apps since you can send so many files and be creative, sharing the moments that count. Whether it’s sharing a belated birthday wish, missing your loved one, a moment you want to keep a snapshot of, or a milestone. It’s all around incredible. GPS Geotag your event, so you can remember where you were. You can list several sites to post to. All from one app. It saves you time from sending one file at a time and you can do it live.

Cons: I really can’t find any con. Especially since the app is currently free in Beta. I didn’t have any problems setting it up.

I really have to give this app five stars. Easy to use, navigate, and set up. It does just as it says it does, it virtually posts for you. Enjoy your moments and share them too, without sharing one at a time. What have you got to lose when it’s absolutely free? Don’t miss out, go check it out for yourself!

You can grab your free copy of vPost Personal Beta by Vayyoo, Inc from the BlackBerry Sync Store here >

Compatible with BlackBerry OS: 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.0

Compatible with BlackBerry Devices: 81xx Pearl series, 82xx Pearl Flip series, 83xx Curve series, 85xx Curve series, 87xx Series, 88xx World series, 89xx Curve series, 9000 (Bold), 9500 (Storm), 95xx Storm series, 96xx Tour series, 9700 (Bold)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

• Post updates to Twitter, including a character countdown from 140 characters
• One-click access to view friends timelines, replies, your favorites, your own timeline, and the public timeline
• Post pictures to Zannel, TwitPic, Twitgoo, or yfrog
• Take a picture with a one-click embedded camera (BlackBerry® Device Software version 4.6+)
• Reply to tweets from each timeline view
• Send and receive direct messages
• Mark tweets as favorites
• Notification icon that indicates the number of unread messages, like new emails or missed calls (BlackBerry® Device Software version 4.6+)
• Cache all avatar images to internal memory, thus saves network access and helps faster loading
• Search Twitter with a keyword or from a list of currently trending topics
• Active text recognition of @usernames and #hashtags
• New Setup wizard
• Two modes of list views: a “fixed height” view and a “variable height” view

You can download OpenBeak by pointing your BlackBerry browser to m.openbeak.com

Here is what’s new:

• Based on all the great feedback, we reworked much of the UI layout for the main view, blog view, and media view
• Ability to upload videos from your media library
• New option to set media file properties (filename, caption, title, and position)
• Created a new file browser that resembles the native BlackBerry file browser
• Big improvements in the speed at which you can view and manage comments
• Lots of optimizations for uploading photos and videos using base64 encoding
• Indonesian language support
• Improved French language support

Download the updated Wordpress for BlackBerry App >>

Our friends at Elecite have just introduce a unique premium theme for BlackBerry. It’s called “Stasis” is a theme designed for those transformers, bio-hazard type gamers. It’s pretty crazy in details, and sports 6 customizable icons, along with open and close hatch buttons. It’s available for the BlackBerry Storm (running OS 4.7 or 5.0), Storm2, Curve 8520/8530, Curve 8530i, Curve 8900, Tour 9630, Bold 9000, and Bold 9700.

Check out this premium theme and more at Elecite.com

Loopt announced a major update for its free application for BlackBerry at the BlackBerry Developer Conference. Loopt connects users to the most relevant places and people nearby using background location updating. This new version better enhances a user’s ability to experience more around them by who’s around, what’s going on and where.

From the release:

Loopt now offers dynamically-generated, relevant local content about places and events from some of the best sources on the Web to help users meet up with nearby friends, explore new places to grab food, and find local events happening now.  Feature highlights include:

·    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

Loopt is proud to partner with Zagat, the world’s leading provider of consumer-survey based information.  Zagat’s quality, trusted information is based on the collective experiences of thousands of avid consumers.

So I decided to find out just what Loopt is and what I can do with it. I downloaded it from their website and it installed quickly. It installs a cute little blue circle icon with two white circles intertwined, like a blue face with white oogly googly eyes. Logging in, you are able to create your account using your cell phone number. After it’s all set up. On the left side there are six buttons going down. Your main screen displays first in the center. You have a link to link to Twitter and Facebook. The next allows you to change your email, the next to do location sharing. This is nice as you can share, or hide from some or all of your friends. Next is Location refresh, and last My Alerts. Those you can set to be alerted to on by sms, email, or both.

Using the side buttons you have the option to check in with Loopt, Facebook, and Twitter. The next is Discover and this is where you can find hot events nearby and Hot places nearby which is restaurants. If you go to search you can find Bars, Coffee, Food, Gas and Events: all the ways we gather and socialize. Next is Friends. Here you can add friends, find friends, view on the map and see you and your friends. Lately is next, showing what you and your friends have updated today. Settings is the first screen you saw by default to change your settings and how you connect.

I have to admit, this is nice. I was alerted by text to the new friend request. It was easy to accept and message. You can see your friends on the map, and if you leave it running in the background, the location will update for you. I found it easy to use, great way to keep in touch, perfect to enhance social networking on your BlackBerry.

Loopt is available for the Curve 8900, Bold 9000, and the BlackBerry Tour 9630. You have to try this, it’s free, great for keeping track of the location of your friends, and what’s going on in your location. And what’s even nicer, the app is available to other platforms as well, so it’s possible to keep in touch with your friends even if they have a Droid. So don’t wait to be thrown for a loop, get Loopt and stay in the loop.

Grab your free copy of Loopt from here >

Loopt is also available on BlackBerry App  World here >

For more information, read more on Loopt here >

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

There’s a shortcut app available for BlackBerry that allows you to have a place to reach all your apps with a single letter or click. It’s an app that adds to versatility and to convenience. The app is Super QWERTY by MMMOO and it’s available for $3.99 in the BlackBerry Sync Store.

MMMOOO has several different programs and themes. Super QWERTY leaves the access of your apps and creates the shortcuts at your fingertips. It works for 4.2 and up, and has two versions, wifi and non-wifi.

The description is as follows: Super QWERTY enable you to quick access your applications like Messages, SMS, Tasks, Browser, BBM, Calendar, Google Maps, Gmail, IM+, Opera, MyPhone, Ever Light II etc just with one key. One must have tool on Blackberry.

It includes the following features:

• - The fastest way to access your applications at present.
• - Quick start with the key “q” in main screen.
• - You can start Super QWERTY in the system menu, launch from anywhere.
• - Up to 80 shortcuts, you can set as much as your favorite applications.
• - Friendly design, attention to the used shortcuts, never mess up.
• - You can enter the applications in Super QWERTY simply by clicking your trackball/trackpad/enter.
• - Easily to compose a SMS/PIN/Email text to your contacts.
• - Your settings will be saved even your reinstall Super QWERTY.
• - Lifetime free upgrade.
• - Support Bold2 9700

I tested this application on my BlackBerry Tour 9630, and as with all MMMOOO products, you purchase using the pin and you download to your pc, unzip your files, and bring to your BlackBerry through the BlackBerry Desktop Manager.

I installed the app and there in my downloads sits the fiery icon Super QWERTY. The first thing you need to do is register the pin through the app. After registering, you’re able to start using the app. This is how you start using the application. You’ll see the list available of all your apps. You can set a letter, both upper and lower case. You use these commands as short cuts. To take advantage of these settings you have to go to your call options and change the screen dialing to “no”. I found it easier for me to just set the Q to open Super QWERTY since some of my opening apps by default would change such as t opens tasks and would not allow Tweet Genius to open up, which is what I had set to t. So I just opened Super QWERTY and then clicked on each one.

It makes reaching your apps extremely convenient as you don’t have to go into the folder and find your app, you can reach them all through the Super Qwerty app. So what makes this an app you would like to have? For the sake of having a one place to find them all, for the convenience of being able to have short cuts utilizing your keyboard. Other apps I have start with the key, only a few preset ones would not function as I had set them to do. But they all work through the Super QWERTY. For the price it isn’t bad. We’ve learned to take advantage of our short cut side keys, so why not use our keyboard for easier short cuts?

I like the extreme easy accessibility, the way it comes up, the help page, it all works nice, and especially for the price. If you’re looking for a short cut, this one’s great. It’s simple and very basic, it’s not a huge battery and memory user, and it’s not filled with pics and colors, just very basic.

Pros are that it’s all in one spot and I listed, not a killer on your battery or memory. If you have several apps you use, this is so easy and nice to use, so you don’t have to search and find anymore.

The con was that it didn’t work from all keys even after following the instructions, and it’s because some of those apps are rooted to certain keys.

You can grab your copy of Super QWERTY v1.0 for BlackBerry by MMMOOO for $3.99 from the BlackBerry Sync Store here >

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars

Ever wish you could shake your Storm, like an iPhone? A fun new app called ShakeItUp allows just that. ShakeItUp allows you to shake your Storm to compose an email or text, launch music player, or shake to shuffle your music while playing. It’s available in the BlackBerry Sync Store for only $3.99. It runs on the BlackBerry Storm (anything from OS 4.7 to 5.0). Check it out in the BlackBerry Sync Store. Click on over to see a video of the app in action!

Quick, easy, and fun way to initiate common BlackBerry applications such as Email, SMS, and the mblware ‘Shake & Shuffle’ Music Player.

Shake your BlackBerry Storm to open the app, then choose to compose an email, sms a contact, play a random song, or open the Shake & Shuffle music player.

To shuffle through songs using the mblware ‘Shake & Shuffle’ Music Player, simply ShakeItUp, and your Storm will pick another song from your SD Card.

RobLock by Xim Technologies, LLC, has released it’s next version, and it’s only available to Verizon US handsets. I’ve done a review on RobLock before, as it’s a security app that is reasonably priced and keeps your BlackBerry safe. It is theft recovery software complete with data backup solution.

Now here’s what the absolute 2.0 features:

GPS and cell based device tracking, using Google Maps; the ability to communicate with your lost or stolen phone by SMS, email, or web interface; be alerted by sms or email if the SIM card is changed; the ability to recover your contacts from a lost phone; remote wipe the ENTIRE device AND media card; remote lock and alarm; remote call back; remote popup text messages; does not require BIS/BES for complete wipe.

Now here’s where 3.0 is different. It has a unique backup system. It has remote backup and restore; view and export backup online; schedule automatic backups; restore to a new device; and secure data handling on top of the RobLock Theft and Recovery System. For recovery, we’re talking calendar, tasks, memo, up to fifty emails, and your contacts.

As I have the absolute v2.0 of RobLock, they notified me about their newest version, so I had to try this out. I have to admit, it’s impressive. While v2.0 is only $9.95, the newer v3.0 for Verizon has three tiers of pricing. $2.95 per month, $15.95 bi-annually, or $27.95 per year. Not bad when you think about the backup system and the security it provides.

I downloaded this version on my Tour 9630, and it went very smooth. I was able to download it with no issues whatsoever. Upon installation, it’s red button icon. You have to set an acct online and on the phone. After setting up the account, the icon will open with your password to reveal the Roblock Theft Recovery System and the Roblockup Data Backup Solution. You have backup and restore. In the Theft Recovery System, you can even have an email contact to email for your phone.

Now should you lose your phone or if it gets lost, you are given different options. You can lock the phone with or without a siren, wipe it, even have the phone silently call you in hopes that you may be able to figure out who has your phone, or where it is by it’s surroundings. Even better, how bout tracking it GPS?  You can change the device, you have the power on your phone. And you have options to back up information. It’s a great solution for on hand backup, for protecting your mobile information, and knowing it’s safe.

Using the Control Panel, I couldn’t wait to put it to the test. After registering and activating the account, you open it up and you have the Overview. This is general information such as the email, the phone, Connection, Profile, Subscription, and change device.

Next is your Commands. First is Where. You can see the coordinates of your phone, first by tower information and then by GPS information. Next is Lock Phone and you have the choices of with or without alarm. Now even if it’s on vibrate or mute, you can be sure the alarm will still sound and it will be loud! The police siren is a nice finishing touch. Next is Unlock. This allows the previous command to be taken off. Next is Remote Wipe, and thankfully you have to confirm before you do, so just checking out the control panel won’t erase your phone. Next is call back and this is where you have your phone call another phone. It’s silent so if it’s stolen, the thief has no idea. Display Text, this one is really fun. You can display what you want the person to read and the text will appear in the front of the phone. Of course all these commands show you as they are being directed to the handset, and also if they are successful. I successfully tested each one, except to wipe my handset. It was really impressive how fast it works. Tracking my BlackBerry was fun, and it was neat to see tower information.

Last is Backup. You can view backup you have already created. There is BackUp Now so you can decide what you are going to back up: Memo, Calendar, Contacts, Call Log, Tasks, and Mail. There is Restore Backup so you can decide what will be returned. Last is the Scheduler so you can decide when to back up on a regular basis.

Overall, RobLock is very easy to use and extremely convenient. v3.0 is currently available to Verizon handsets, but hopefully will be open to other handsets as well. It’s easy to use on your phone and on the PC, and has the options. I tested. I can see this as an asset to anyone who is interested in security on the phone. Again, strictly for security.

If you currently have a Verizon Wireless BlackBerry, you are able to subscribe to the service, and if not, v2.0 absolute is available still.

You can download RobLock v3.0 for monthly, bi-annually, or annually here >

You can download RobLock v2.0 absolute for $9.95 here >

For more information, feel free to read more on RobLock by Vapssky here >

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Did you recently score yourself a new BlackBerry Bold 9700? Well if you did and you’re feeling curious a new OS has leaked for it. The new OS is an updated version of OS 5.0. This version has NOT been officially released by RIM, therefore it’s recommended that do a backup before installing this OS. We are not at fault for any issues caused by installing this OS, or any other leaked versions.

Download OS 5.0.0.344 via RapidShare >>

[Source]

There’s been so much about security and spyware, I thought I’d present some facts. And to start with, I’m going to point out that it specifically states in the End User License for the BlackBerry App Store that BlackBerry does not warrant its uses against infection from viruses, spyware, or trojans.

BES is more secure. BIS has secure email. But outside of that, it’s not as secure. If it were, President Obama would not have needed a special tailored BlackBerry. It’s more secure than windows, yes. But it’s not infallible. This is why there are more articles appearing about the spyware, and why we should be aware.

SMobile Systems was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Their mobile security suite includes AntiVirus, Firewall, AntiSpam, Anti-Theft and Identity Protection, Secure Mobile Banking, and Parental and Enterprise Controls. They cover so many solutions, not only for Enterprise, but for Personal use as well.

They have the SMobile Anti-Theft and Identity Protection for $19.99. This annual subscription includes their Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware detection and removal, Lock and Wipe, GPS Locate, and Backup.

SMobile Parental Controls and Monitoring is available for $29.99 a year. This software contains the suite above, but also gives the parent the control to monitor where their child is, and control and see what texts are being sent, what’s being said, the ability to blacklist certain individuals from contacting their child, and view pics and content. With all the sexting and child molesters out there, it’s a great tool to have for peace of mind.

SMobile Security Shield is available for $24.99 a year. This has the Anti-Theft and Identity Protection Suite, but also has a firewall and Anti-Spam controls to keep unwanted messages from reaching you.

And for families there is the SMobile Family Bundle 4-Pack. This package is available for $79.95 a year and offers a huge savings. It contains 2 Parental Controls and 2 Anti-Theft and Identity Protection. So you can have protection for 4 cells.

So how does the Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware software work? The virus scanner runs in the background and monitors all the data coming in and going out of the device. If it detects any malware, it will pop up a notification alerting the user of an infection and directs the user to assist in removing it. I update mine daily, but you can have it set to update weekly if you wish. It’s easy to use and I haven’t had a notification yet.

Now whether or not you believe you could be at risk, or don’t want to purchase a protection suite, you can keep up on all the new viruses and spyware that SMobile Systems keeps current on in their Global Threat Center here. There’s the Mobile Security News and the Malware Library for you to view what’s new out there.

So while more sinister devs out there work hard to find ways to infiltrate the BlackBerry system, ways to pull off identity theft, and to find every possible weakness and flaw they can in the BlackBerry, it’s up to us to keep our own BlackBerry secure.