If you text and you text a lot, read on. This app is for you. Textender by BerryCodes is for the individual who gets irritated that when you are typing a text, you are stopped at 140/160 characters and have to send a separate message. Have heart for there is a cure.
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.
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.
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.
I always get asked the question, “Is there an app to ring and vibrate at once?” There is, though MMMOOO has come out with one that has a twist. Berry Vibrate is available in the BlackBerry Sync Store and is one of the little inexpensive apps you may find you’ll want to keep.
Berry Vibrate goes for $1.99. In the store, the description is as follows:
Berry Vibrate enables your phone active sound and vibrate at the same time instead of one by one when there’s a call. Won’t miss any important calls.
With all the questions about what is out there, I decided to try Berry Vibrate. I tested it on my BlackBerry Tour. As with all of MMMOOO’s products, you purchase it, and are given the download for the pc version. You unzip your files (extract, zip whichever you prefer), and then plug your phone in and use the App Loader from the BlackBerry Desktop Manager and search for your Berry Vibrate alx file and load it.
After loading the app, I found the little BlackBerry icon with the “vibrating waves” around it in my Download file. After clicking on it, the app gives you two options: Activate the Berry Vibrate and Activate the LED Flash. Also listed is a list of Tips. It explains that when it is activated it auto launches but does not affect the system.
I had no issues with the app. For a mere $1.99, I found it to be a great app for those who would like to have that vibrating alert. Even when I had my phone on silent profile, my phone would vibrate with a call, and the LED flashes in disco colors to let me know there’s a call. The app is simple, easy to use, and it’s priced really good.
I myself don’t use vibrate alerts except when I’m at an event where I can’t hear my phone. At work it’s so busy that even if I’m alerted to a call, I cannot answer the call and have to return a call as soon as I get a free second. But many consumers still like that option that normal handsets used to have, and it’s extremely handy for those who need to get those calls as they come in. Doctors, Real Estate Agents, Construction Managers, there’s several professions that the phone call is extremely important.
The app didn’t take any battery life, ran easily, and I liked the convenience of it. No complicated menus, no keys to run it, it’s just as it says, Berry Vibrate. It may be a small app, but it’s perfect if you want your call and vibrate too. You can count on Berry Vibrate to shake things up a bit without being an energy hog.
You can grab your copy of Berry Vibrate for $1.99 in the BlackBerry Sync Store here >
Compatible with OS: 4.2, 4.5, 4.6, 5.0
Compatible with BlackBerry Devices: 81xx Pearl Series, 82xx Flip Pearl Series, 83xx Curve series, 85xx Curve series, 87xx series, 88xx World series, 89xx Curve series, 9000 (Bold), 9550/9520 (Storm2), 9630 (Tour), 9700 (Bold)
Rating: 
I’m trying out a few applications for the BlackBerry that promise to help with being a responsible driver. One is drivesafe.ly and the other is zoomsafer. I know statistics say there’s quite a few drivers who text, I can make an educated guess it’s more. We all know someone who does it.
The last time I reviewed Color ID, it was a few updates behind. And so much has happened since. I really like the Color ID, and it has become an integrated app of my BlackBerry. Not only has it updated, but there’s also a free version available as well, and we have a surprise.
Color ID is a fave app of mine, it’s a very important and integrated app on my BlackBerry. I use it for family, important friends and coworkers. Ever since the first day I tried it, I found it so useful in knowing who’s contacting me, being able to “triage” my emails, texts, and calls. Color ID is available in the BlackBerry Sync App Store for $5.99. This is a one time download price.
The description of the Color ID is as follows:
Know instantly who or where an email, sms or incoming call is from just from the colors of the flashing light on your Berry! Note: Your BlackBerry may require a battery pull after download.
Version 1.1.3 prevents the interruption of voice calls by disabling Color ID during a call. Upgrades from previous versions are free and encouraged.
Features are:
Assign custom LED colors to specific contacts for incoming text messages, email and phone calls!
Assign any one or two colors to the BlackBerry LED indicator
Select from 9 colors and combination of them: Orange, Pink, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, Purple, Red, White or none
Multiple phone numbers and email address ability for one color combination
Syncs with BlackBerry address book for easy additions!
Easy-to-use interface with preview functionality
Share with a friend feature
Setup wizard for first-time users
I installed the Color ID on my BlackBerry Tour 9630, and it installed effortlessly. I did the battery pull after installing and when it rebooted, I found the icon as the CID. Clicking on it brings up a very colorful introductory screen. After that it prompts you to add a contact. But here’s the even better and easier part of it. If you install Color ID, you can go to your contacts, choose one, click the options button, and you have a choice of: “Add to Color ID”. This makes it so much easier if you have email and phone numbers already in the contact info.
If the information is not in the contacts, then you can add manually through the app. Go to the Color ID icon, click the options button and choose “Add New”. You have the following options: Name; Email; Phone Numbers; Color 1; and Color 2. It’s so easy to choose your colors, you can add more than one email and phone number as well. Each color has an assortment to choose from: red; pink; orange; yellow; green; cyan; blue; purple; white; and off. The blinking colors can be of any combination you’d like.
You can add all your important contacts in here, and also those you’d like to avoid as well. So over all, the app is really an essential add to your contacts since you can change the ringtone, but not the led light for each one. This gives you not one, but two to add. I would like to see support with the messenger as well, or BlackBerry pins. That would really be a great addition to it, but as it stands, it’s very useful.
Customer service is great too, any issues are promptly answered and addressed. Over all, there’s nothing to find wrong or any fault. Now for the news about the free version. You can find the free version of the app on BlackBerry AppWorld. The free version of Color ID only allows customization of two contacts. This is a great way to decide what you think of the app, or if you only have a few important contacts you want to be alerted of. To add more contacts you must choose upgrade. You can read more about the free version of Color ID by Motek Americas, Inc here.
If you’re interested in the full version of Color ID, then look no further.
You can download the Color ID v1.1.3 by Motek Mobile for $5.99 from the BlackBerry Sync Store here >
Now here’s the surprise. We were granted a special code for those who are lucky enough to download fast enough. The first thirty downloads will be free! Here’s the directions, click here and use the coupon code BBSYNC. The first 30 are free. Don’t forget to comment and leave a thank you to Motek Mobile.
If you don’t make it to the first thirty, you can always download a free version from the BlackBerry App World, or purchase the full version from the BlackBerry Sync Store.
Compatible with OS: 4.2, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 Non-Touch, 4.7 Touch Screen
Compatible with BlackBerry Devices: 81xx Pearl Series, 82xx Peal Flip Series, 83xx Curve series, 85xx Curve series, 88xx World series, 89xx Curve series, 9000 (Bold), 95xx Storm series, 9630 (Tour)
Rating:
NinjaThemes has some bright and colorful themes, this one is outstanding as well. It has a look reminiscent of Tron or some space movie. And while Linear is available in the BlackBerry Sync Store in purple, I had the privilege of trying it out in Gold.
I’m always impressed with OtterBox cases, and how they protect my BlackBerry. For the past week or so I’ve been testing out OtterBox’s new Commuter Series for the BlackBerry Tour. The Commuter Series is the mid-range case from OtterBox, which combines the best of both worlds with its tough silicon skin, and hard shell. The Commuter Series basically just combines two already great products, the Impact Series and Defender Series, which we’ve reviews lots.
There’s a new software out that is going to make shopping more useful. Especially when it comes to Black Friday and Christmas shopping. And this software is free. The app is edocrab by Steelthorn Software. Edocrab is actually the word barcode spelled backwards, and barcode is what this app works off of besides your BlackBerry.
Steelthorn Software has a few different apps, and you’re probably familiar with them already. They have apps like the extremely useful QuickPull, BerryAnnoying, StormLock, and AutoStandBy to name a few. Some are paid, some are free. Well Edocrab is free. I had to try this app out, free or not, to see what all it could do. I love their moto for this app, “Leave the jungle, hit the beach”, it’s a great concept.
I downloaded and installed it on my BlackBerry Tour 9630. The app downloaded and installed quickly. When you go to find it, the icon sits as a barcode with a little yellow/orange crab in the bottom right. When you click on it, the top ribbon has the crab, the words edocrab by Steelthorn, and then the choices below are Scan, Search, Lists, and History.
Scanning may take a few times. It’s best in very well lit area and trying to avoid any side lines, just the bar code. If the barcode doesn’t show clearly to the app, it will show you how your barcode pic compares to an example barcode pic. If at first you don’t succeed, you’ll try again till you get it right. After a successful barcode pic, the app will search online and the next screen you’ll see is the product, the cheapest price it found for online, and when you click on the top product, it will show you pics, you can click on video if there’s any, and music if any. The next line is the prices and you can click on it to see which online sites are offering the cheapest prices for that product. Next is reviews. Click on reviews to see what other consumers have to say about the product. And then there’s add to a list.
There’s also Search, where you can search a product, Lists which is what you create of what you want, and History where you can pull up previous searches.
For free, you can’t beat it. I like the products Steelthorn has. Pros are that it is fast to search once you scan. It’s accurate in pricing. The app is free, you can’t beat that. I can see this app being very handy for birthdays (provided you give yourself ample time to be prepared to order online), weddings, anniversaries, holidays, you get the picture. Here’s another pro….the product I scanned was for the same price from Walmart as the scan said it was on Walmart’s online site. So before ordering you might want to just stop by the store and see if it’s available there at that price.
Cons are that is that it sometimes takes a few or more barcode scans before it will accept it. The only stores that it lists are those online (which most of us shop now anyways). And the app is currently available only on the Steelthorn site and the BlackBerry App World. Hopefully it will be available in the BlackBerry Sync Store as well.
Keep in mind that the app is Beta, which means there may still be some bugs or issues, so kindly report any if you experience such issues so that Steelthorn and the developers can make this app even better.
The most current version will be downloadable from the Steelthorn edocrab site itself.
You can grab edocrab for free from the edocrab Steelthorn site here >
You can also grab edocrab for free from the BlackBerry App World here >
Compatible with all BlackBerry devices 4.5 or higher. If your BlackBerry does not have a camera, you can manually enter the upc in manually and it will work the same.
Rating:
