Things are always a little frantic around CrackBerry.com and with the recent release of the BlackBerry Tour the site is busier than ever. When an overdue, highly-anticipated device like the Tour finally hits the market it means a big group of experienced BlackBerry users quickly make the upgrade and it also means a whole new contigent of smartphones owners are discovering the world of BlackBerry and visiting CrackBerry.com for the first time. That said, we've been taking the launch of the Tour as an opportunity to revisit some BlackBerry basics.
Shortly after the Tour launched, a great thread popped up in the forums called Name the First Five Apps You Will Put On Your Tour. It's definitely one you'll want to check out for a lot of great ideas for which software applications to install on your device. After covering on the blogs How to Get Apps On Your BlackBerry, I thought it would be fun to poll some of our CrackBerry contributors and moderators to find out their first five must-have apps. Keep in mind that while we've geared this article towards the Tour, these software suggestions are valid for pretty much all models, including the Curve, Bold, Pearl and Storm (though you may need to find Storm-specific versions). Read on for Lots of apps!
The First Five Apps I installed on my BlackBerry Tour
So I asked each person to return their first-five installed apps. Of course, we have a few addicts on the team who don't follow directions well, so in a few cases we have the first ten. We've hyperlinked the titles to download locations for each app, listed a brief description and listed the app's price or that it is free. Keep in mind that sometimes apps are free to download, but then you may be enticed to pay for an upgrade to unlock more features or get premium services (sometimes these change - the developer launches with a free app then down the road introduces the pay side of the equation, so always check the details before downloading). For each person we've shown one screen capture - that the title that belongs to that screen cap is listed in bold. Be sure to list your first five apps in the comments to this post!
CrackBerry.com Editorial Contributors
Kevin Michaluk, Founder and Fearless Leader of CrackBerry Nation
1. CrackBerry Launcher - CrackBerry Mobile Site Launcher - Free
2. CrackBerry App Store Client - CrackBerry App Store Mobile Client - Free
3. CrackBerry Viigo - RSS News Reader - Free
4. Bolt Browser - 3rd Party Web Browser - Free
5. BlackBerry App World -BlackBerry App World - Free
Adam Zeis, Editor & Forums Manager
1. SocialScope (or any Twitter client) - Free
2. Berry Buzz - Custom LED alerts - $5.95
3. Berry Weather - Weather App - $9.95
4. SmrtGuard - OTA Data Backup - $3.99/month
5. Bolt Browser - 3rd Party Web Browser - Free
Bla1ze, Editor & Forums Manager
that's 16 days worth of Bla1ze's use on this screencap
1. I Love BlackBerry - Track your BlackBerry use - Free
2. Evernote -Free
3. SocialScope - Twitter client - Free
4. BBFileScout - File manager - Free
5. QuickPull Pro - Simulate battery pull -$2.95
6. QuickLaunch - Application launcher - $4.99
7. FlyCast - Internet radio - Free
8. CrackBerry Viigo - RSS news reader - Free
9. Poynt - Local search - Free
10. Berry Buzz - Custom LED alerts - $5.95
Craig Johnston, Podcast Co-Host and Enterprise Expert
1. Nobex Radio Companion - Internet radio - Free or $3.99/month
2. WorldMate - Travel app - Free or $99.95/year
3. BlackBerry Wallet - Store shopping information - Free
4. QIK - Mobile video sharing - Free
5. Podtrapper - Podcast manager - $9.99
6. SlingPlayer - Control home TV & DVR - requires SlingBox
7. SmrtGuard - OTA data backup - $3.99/month
8. Vlingo - Speech recognition - Free or $17.99
9. Audible - Audible.com App - Free
Ryan Blundell, Apps Reviewer
1. Berry Buzz - Custom LED alerts - $5.95
2. BerryPopup - Preview Email/SMS - $6.95
3. Wifi file transfer - File Transfer - $9.99
4. Bartender Pro - Drink Catalog - $2.99
5. Bubble Defense - Tower Defense Game - $4.99
James Falconer, App Round-Ups
1. Trapster - Speed Trap Database - Free
2. Texas Hold'em King 3 - Poker Game - $6.99
3. Facebook - Social Networking - Free
4. CrackBerry Viigo - RSS news reader - Free
5. Scoremobile - Sports Scores - Free
6. WeatherBug - Weather App - Free
7. Shazam - Identify Music Tracks - Free (paid upgrade for more features)
Gary Mazo, BlackBerrius Maximus
1. Slacker - Internet Radio - Free (paid upgrade for more features)
2. Pandora - Internet Radio - Free
3. Poynt - Local search - Free
4. Google Lattitude - Mapping - Free
5. CrackBerry Viigo - RSS news reader - Free
6. AP Mobile News - News App - Free
7. Redsox.com Shortcut - MLB Shortcut - Free
8. BlackBerry App World -BlackBerry App World - Free
9. You Mail Visual Voicemail Plus - Visual Voicemail - Free
10. Nintaii -Game - $6.99
Al Sacco, Contributor
1. CrackBerry Viigo - RSS news reader - Free
2. Pandora - Internet Radio - Free
3. TeleNav Navigator - GPS - $9.99/month
4. Facebook - Social Networking - Free
5. Poynt - Local search - Free
6. Flixster - Social Network (Movies) - Free
7. Redsox.com Shortcut - MLB Shortcut - Free
8. Google Voice for BlackBerry - Google Voice Mobile App - Free
9. Movela Netflix Queue Manage - Netflix Movie Manager - $2.99
10. Capture It (OTA) -On Device Screen Capture - Free
CrackBerry Forums Moderators
Chrisy
1. Amazon App - Amazon.com Mobile App - Free
2. Spider Solitaire - Solitaire Game - $3.99
3. Bank of America - Mobile Banking - Free
4. Mara Tick - Shopping List App - Free
5. VZ Navigator - Installed on VZW Devices - $9.99/month
Duvi
1. BeeJive IM - IM App - $19.95
2. Gmail App - Gmail Mobile App - Free
3. UberTwitter - Twitter Client - Free
4. BB Tetris - Tetris - Free
5. VibAndRing - Ring and Vibrate - $2.95
Naviwilliams
1. SocialScope - Twitter Client - Free
2. MIU Tunes - MP3 Player - $19.95
3. QSMS - Quickly Compose SMS - Free
4. GoogleTalk - IM Client - Free
5. Shrink It (OTA) - Shrink Images - Free
Yester18
1. Berry Scanner - Police Scanner - Free
2. Berry Weather - Weather App - $9.95
3. Capture It (OTA) -On Device Screen Capture - Free
4. Google Maps - Maps - Free
5. Google Sync - Sync Google Calendar - Free
Let the Downloading Begin!!
There you have it. If your new BlackBerry is lacking in apps, you have plenty of suggestions to help get you started. Keep in mind you can always find more free and paid apps in our CrackBerry App Store and in our BlackBerry Apps forum.
74 comments
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I sure would like one!
1. Blackberry App World
2. Facebook
3. 123 Spoof
4. Google Maps
5. Pandora
1. BB App World
2. Score Mobile
3. Facebook
4. Viigo
5. Poynt
Im a new BB user so these have been changing by the hour
Weatherbug, Facebook, Pandora, Flickr, crackberry, viigo, phillies.com, and Twibble (Twitter client) are some of my faves. Working well on the Tour and all are free!
Want the slingbox for my Tour but in typical Verizon fashion....it's not allowed.
On Adam's Top 5 picture there is an icon that is a yellow conversation bubble that I have seen it on multiple screen shots. What app is that?
Its Bolt
Not the main picture. The one that is directly above his top 5 pics. It looks like a conversation bubble for some type of twitter or messenger app
It's the icon for socialscope.
Empower BES
Berry Buzz
Berry Pop Up
Quick Launch
You Version Bible (free)
Bonus App
Google Maps (Free)
1. Google Mobile App
2. Olive Tree Bible Reader
3. Google Maps
4. Ubertwitter
5. WeatherBug
Everytime I go to download the app it says my device isn't supported. I'm using a Tour from VZ. Any help?
Gotta love that one. I got all excited because I thought it had launched in tour form, but no, it didn't.
Bolt
Berry Weather
BB App World
Where
Aces Solitaire
Chrisy, you listed the amazon.com app but when I tried to download it I got an error message saying the app is not compatible with my Tour yet :(
1. Pandora
2. Google Maps
3. Facebook
4. Ubertwitter
5. Weatherbug
I have more...
Viigo
Berryscanner
TuneWiki
ESPN
Google Mobile App
Gmail
Texas Hold Em 3
Google Talk
AIM
I guess I'd have to say (in no particular order):
Berry Weather
AutoStandby
Pocketday Lists
Crackberry Viigo
BBSmart Alarms Pro
Some other awesome ones are:
Nav4All (FREE gps. DL @ Nav4All.com)
Shazam
File Manager Pro
UberTwitter (best twitter client IMHO)
1. GTalk msg'r
2. Viigo (with Twitter)
3. ZonaSnap
4. BBFileScout
5. AccesMahjongg :)
6. e-mobile weather
7. SMS Sheduler
1. PodTrapper
2. Google Maps
3. QuickLaunch
4. Ascendo Money
5. ShopMagic
I feel honored :)
Some great list guys, checking out apps that I didn't even know about!!
Antair Spam Filter
Worldmate Live
e-Mobile Planner
BerryWeather
As far as I can tell QuickPull isn't needed on the Tour as the Ctrl+Shift+Del command actually does a full reset of the device as opposed to what it did on previous devices. I also find it funny that Qik was on some of the lists, as according to their own website the Tour isn't supported yet.
I have been looking for something like QuickPull for my Pearl, so I am very glad that he mentioned it.
Why use Wifi Transfer? The Tour doesn't have WiFi!
TweetGenius
Facebook
QuickLaunch
Bloomberg
Slingplayer
Bolt
still soo many more
why would ryan blundell tell us to download WIFI file transfer? the tour has no wifi. uh oh, did ryan get caught copying and pasting his list?!?!
1. Quick Launch
2. myFunambol Sync - syncs BB and Outlook wirelessly, love it!
3. Berry Weather
4. BBSmart Alarms Pro
5. UberTwitter
Just want to comment that all the Crackberry Experts/Gurus above except for Yester18 (the last one) failed to mention google maps as one of their top 5-10 apps. Intresting.
And all us crackberry posters (6 including myself) have google maps on our BB. We probably move around and find the real time traffic updates and street view useful and a must have for being so mobile (and the Experts do not???)
I just thought it was interesting to see the Experts maybe push their agenda/applications.
totally agree with you. its by far the most useful app i use
If you look at my list I have Google Latitude listed. For me, Google Maps is implied in that - but I chose Latitude specifically because that is how my wife and I keep track of our kids!
Hi maroot,
I did not "fail to mention Google Maps" as one of my top five to ten Tour apps. Google Maps is NOT one of the top five to ten apps on my Tour. In fact, I haven't installed Google Maps on my Tour at all, though it's been on my Bold for quite some time....
AS
1. Quick Launch
2. Berry Buzz
3. Berry Weather
4. BBSmart Alarms Pro
5. Beejive IM
2 different experts posted apps that aren't available/aren't compatible with the tour. Was this list just tossed together, or are they pushing the apps they want to see do well? Something's amiss. And no one runs google maps?
How about someone point me to where this "flixster" app is? Besides on the iphone?
Google Chat
Facebook
Weather berry
Google maps
Pandora
Whoo Hoo! Love my Tour!
Trapster looks cool, but ShopCrackberry says it's not supported by the Tour..
thanks Irie...appreciate the link.
Works great on the tour.
Amazon app does work on Tour. Follow link below.
*https://mad.amazon.com/download/qohdNC.KMhCkEq7RIKGWG7TVAwDzzrtp0Z1iq9Cdk9iQOkh1gcbo2xyJHrRkKSqp/Amazon.com/BlackBerry/1.0.14/mshop-blackberry-amazon-us-20/Pearl_Curve_8800_4.3.0/dist/Amazon.jad*
thanks for the link!
2 weeks in and I'm loving the app love. Although I've found a few that didn't like my curve. Those that did are:
UberTwitter
Berry Weather
QuickLaunch
BuzzMe
GPSed
BlackStar
A few of these apps listed are not compatible with the Tour. Kinda disappointed since the blog is for the Tour.
yeah that's what i thought...i looked at berry weather and there's no listing no listing for tour compatibility?
I tried the link, and it works!!!! Thanks for the info Irie!!!
I saw that someone posted that they put Flycast on their Tour
i tried to do an OTA download to no avail
I then tried to download the file to my pc and then sync it
it downloaded as a .jad file
This is my first blackberry and im kinda learning as i go
when i tired to sync via the desktop the Desktop told me that the file was incompatible with my device
Can someone shed some light on what files can i sync and is there a way to convert that .jad file so i can listen to Flycast
Sorry for the long post
thanks in advance
Nobody mentioned Yacta and IM+ ?! WTF
These are the first 5 apps that I got for my 8900
1. Pageonce Personal Assistant (free)
2. Ubertwitter (free)
3. Pandora (free)
4. Google Maps
5. Google Sync
Those set me up nicely!
1. Pageonce Personal Assistant
2. Uber Twitter
3. Quick Launch
4. Smrt Guard
5. Berry Scanner
(write in: Slacker)
1. Berrybuzz
2. IM+ For Skype
3. Google Maps
4. HNH English to Chinese dictionary
5. Facebook
Amazed that no-one mentioned Funambol (www.funambol.com). Free, over the air, syncing on Contacts, Diary and Notes from my desktop Outlook to my Blackberry (just like the Jesus phone's MobileMe service).
Works a treat.