BlackBerry App Roundup for June 20, 2014

Howdy CrackBerry nation. From partnering with Amazon to bring you Android Apps for BlackBerry 10.3 and the launch of BBM Protected to the Annual Shareholders Meeting and Earnings Call this has certainly been a busy week for BlackBerry. Not to mention they showed off two BlackBerry devices. I can't decide which one I'm looking forward to more, the BlackBerry Classic or the BlackBerry Passport.

We all know you are here to see what this week's picks are so let's get back to the show shall we. Each app or game can be seen by clicking through the gallery. If your favorite did not make the cut this week, remember you can help by offering your suggestions at the end.

Sound Shortcuts by Toysoft Development

I, for one, love having shortcuts to frequently accessed functions on my device. Toysoft decided to do this for creating your own sound profiles. Rather than going into settings, simply assign the notification profile within the application to your specifications and save the shortcut to your homescreen. Users can set the sound notification (Silent, Vibrate, Normal, Phone Only or All Alerts off), create a name for the icon, set the LED, Sound, Vibrate and Instant Preview options, adjust the volume, and assign an icon from among the 94 included images. Using this method there are a plethora of combinations that can be created. In order for the shortcuts to function properly the application will need to remain installed on your device. However, shortcuts can be deleted just like any other application. Sound Shortcuts is available for all BlackBerry 10 smartphones for $.99. It asks for permission to Notifications Contol, BBM, and Shared Files.

More information/Purchase Sound Shortcuts

Photo 360 Effects by BK Soft

Photography is a hobby of mine and a huge chunk of my SD Card is filled with images taken with all my devices over the years. Another editing tool popped up in the storefront so of course it was a no brainer for me to check it out. It contains basic and precise tools that offer a variety of effects, filters, color and text tools, frames and additional enhancement features. This is an Android port but I have not experienced any issues with it so far. Filters and effects apply quickly and there is a broad range of ones to choose from. There are over 150 filters, 200 special effects and ability to create free-form collages (as demonstrated above), stickers, photo retouching tools, customizable text frames and more accessible right at your fingertips. It supports BlackBerry 10 and is only $.99 to purchase.

More information/Purchase Photo 360 Effects

CarManager by KQSoft Inc.

The summer is just about upon on us and for many that means you will be hitting the road traveling. This application lets you track your fuel cost, maintenance cost, and payment cost. In addition to supporting multiple vehicles, transactions may also be synced via NFC to combine expenses on one device. Standard features include exporting to CSV file to send via email or other BlackBerry framework method, import data, sort transactions by date, backup/restore database, and multiple currency support. What individual users will find attractive about this app is the reporting functionality. Here you can see your usage and expenses over time all neatly laid out in a pie, bar, or line chart. With the rising costs of gas, especially during this time of year, nothing wrong with logging how much you use and the costs. CarManager is a native, Built for BlackBerry application you can grab for $.99. It asks for permission to the Camera, BBM, and Shared Files.

More information/Purchase Car Manager

Love Talkies with Purple Color by Themerzz

With the fact that the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is back in production I felt compelled to include a theme this week. I miss having themes on my device and had become quite addicted to them on legacy. This latest from Themerzz is lovely while also being minimal to showcase your wallpapers. It offers bright and pleasant colors, original icon set that resembles OS 10.3, custom indicators and fonts, semi-transparent menus, and, of course, is a very clean and balanced display. This theme supports OS 5, 6, and 7/7.1 devices and is $.99.

More information/Purchase Love Talkies with Purple Color

Sudoku Epic by Kristanix Studios AS

Being that I was completely enamored by their Mahjong Solitaire Epic game, it is no surprise I am equally impressed with their follow up title. As a fan of the simple puzzle game, this version offers five different Sudoku games in one with varying degrees of difficulty to choose from. There is the regular 9x9 grid, 6x6 mini, Wordoku, Killer Sudoku, and daily Sudoku challenges. I do recommend the Wordoku (Letter) one as I find it to be much more difficult to solve then the number version. It's a great way to exercise your brain and free to download for BlackBerry 10 handsets. However, the full premium version can be unlocked via an in-app purchase for $2.95. The benefit of the premium version is that it removes the ads and includes hundreds of new games.

More information/Download Sudoku Epic

What You Might Have Missed

Backup Pro by Sasha Kanthan

I have always been a proponent of cutting the cord so to speak with devices and use alternative ways to back up my BlackBerry without having to always be near a computer. Backup Pro is a comprehensive utility tool for doing just that. Using Box, Dropbox, Device or SD card memory it will backup and restore an array of BlackBerry data including Calendar entries, Camera, Contacts, Documents, Downloads, Music, and Videos. I always like to keep secondary backups of my data in case the primary one on my PC goes so this utility application is a handy tool to keep around. Though, you do have to be mindful of your data plan, unless you use WiFi, and how much storage space you have available on your cloud services and SD Card. Backup Pro is $4.99 for all BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

More information/Purchase Backup Pro

Until next week...

That's it for this week folks. For more apps and games be sure to head on over to the CrackBerry Forums where you will find even more hidden gems to choose from whether it be for BlackBerry 10, BBOS or the BlackBerry PlayBook. Of course, you can always find the latest and greatest top editor's picks in the CrackBerry App Gallery. Are there any apps or games you would like to see? Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments.