CrackBerry.com - BlackBerry PlayBook

What We Didn't Get at BlackBerry Live: BB10 for the PlayBook

Kevin Michaluk — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:20:48 +0000

With BlackBerry Live 2013 now over, it's time to look back at some of the things the CrackBerry Community was hoping for and did not get

For BlackBerry PlayBook owners, it's not looking good right now that a BlackBerry 10 update for the PlayBook is coming anytime soon. Hell, it's starting to feel like it may never come. Just as the word "PlayBook" never surfaced during the BlackBerry 10 launch event in January, PlayBook never made it into last week's BlackBerry Live keynote. This didn't go unnoticed by CrackBerry's PlayBook community, setting off a good deal of our members into a Hulk-like rage ever since.

Thinking back to the BlackBerry 10 launch event in January, word came via a Q&A press session that the PlayBook would be receiving an update to BB10 "later this year." This set an expectation among anxious PlayBook owners that BB10 is coming, and BlackBerry Live would have been the perfect time for the update -- or at least more word on the pending update -- to drop. That didn't happen in a proactive nature. Instead, we had to prod for answers.

My number one disappointment was no PlayBook news. They could have given us some kind of update on the status of the PlayBook development. BBFanatic4Life, CB Member

To be fair, nobody from BlackBerry told us straight out at BlackBerry Live that BB10 is not coming to the PlayBook, but the answers we received whenever we asked about the PlayBook didn't give us warm and fuzzy feelings either. The standard response received was typically along the lines of "we don't have any new information to share about the PlayBook at this time." This isn't entirely bad news in and of itself, given that the last official word was that BlackBerry 10 would make its way onto the PlayBook. In other words, no news could be taken as good news - but you have to keep waiting to find out more.

Load up on some great games - Gameloft sale happening now!

Bla1ze — Fri, 03 May 2013 04:52:44 +0000

Gameloft has been a roll lately with their releases for the BlackBerry platform and it looks as though they're hosting a pretty big sale right now. If you open up BlackBerry World and head to the Gameloft listing, you should see a bunch of titles have either been reduced in price or have gone outright free. The sale isn't held just to any one specific device either, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry 10 titles are all sharing the price drop. If you're looking to load up on some great games, it looks like now is a prime opportunity to do so. Here's some of the listings we're seeing:

BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook approved for use on U.S. Department of Defense network

Bla1ze — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:05:35 +0000

Some great news for BlackBerry today came via the U.S. Department of Defense. After having put the devices through testing, the BlackBerry Z10, BlackBerry Q10 along with the BlackBerry PlayBook, have all been approved for use on the U.S. Department of Defense networks when coupled with BlackBerry Enterprise Server 10.

"The U.S. Department of Defense's strict security requirements are amongst the highest in the world, and this allows other government bodies to follow suit. The role of BlackBerry including devices and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 continues to be important and relevant for security conscious organizations."

Earlier this year, you may remember BlackBerry 10 became FIPS certified before it had even publicly launched, so the news of approval by the DoD might not be all that surprising to some. In any case, it's another nod to the security BlackBerry continues to offer built right into their devices. If you're looking for the full press release, you can jump below to view it.

League of Heroes arrives for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Bla1ze — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 04:15:35 +0000

I love it when new things seem to pop up out of nowhere. With that in mind, I was quite a bit overly excited to see that League of Heroes has arrived in BlackBerry World for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The game which gained popularity on iOS, Android and Facebook is pretty awesome and one of my all time favorite time wasters. If you're not familiar with the game, it's a pretty epic action adventure game that you'll lose plenty of hours to and the features included make for some great replay value:

Next BlackBerry tablet may not be far off after all

Simon Sage — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:42:18 +0000

A BlackBerry director of product management confirmed a new PlayBook is on the horizon

Though BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins recently knocked down the PlayBook on the company's priority list, BlackBerry director of product management Mike Al Mefleh at the Dubai BlackBerry User's Forum recently said that we can expect six new BlackBerry devices in 2013, in addition to a new PlayBook. This could very well be the ten-inch model we caught a glimpse of last summer.

FlyCraft gets updated for BlackBerry 10 and the PlayBook - More features for Herbie

James Richardson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:04:34 +0000

The popular game FlyCraft has been updated for BlackBerry 10 and the PlayBook and this latest version brings some nice new treats to the game. We featured FlyCraft last year when it first became available for the BlackBerry PlayBook and it has been a big hit - even more so now you can play it on your BlackBerry Z10.

8Tracks internet radio app arrives in BlackBerry World for BlackBerry 10 and PlayBook

Bla1ze — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:43:47 +0000

Although there is no real shortage of streaming music apps available in BlackBerry World, another popular option has now arrived and is available for free on BlackBerry 10 devices as well as the BlackBerry PlayBook. 8Tracks brings a little bit of a different swing with their app in the fact it boasts more than 650,000+ mixes and playlists created by folks like yourself. Find a playlist you like or create your own and let it roll on through as you jam away to the tunes.

How to get the most out of Family Day with your BlackBerry smartphone and tablet

Zach Gilbert — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:29:39 +0000

In Canada and celebrating Family Day? This post is for you!

Get ready Canadians, because for many of you Family Day is here. For those who do not live in Canada, Family Day is a holiday designed to give you time to be with your loved ones.

While many Canadians use this as a day to turn off their BlackBerry smartphones, there may be a way to harness the BlackBerry power for good. Continue reading to find a few apps that will help you maximize your time with the family.

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.1.0.1526 now available

Adam Zeis — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:06:55 +0000

While it's not quite the BlackBerry 10 update we were hoping for, the BlackBerry PlayBook has received a small OS update today. The new version is 2.1.0.1526 and brings along a few minor updates and fixes. Inlcuded are some browser improvements, audio boost, BlackBerry World rebranding, in-app payment support, SMS over bridge and more. You should see the update available now, but if not, go to your settings and check manually. When you get it up and running be sure to hit the forums and let us know how it's working for you.

Discuss more in the CrackBerry forums

Guide your space pod to safety with 6th Planet for the BlackBerry PlayBook

James Richardson — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:31:50 +0000

6th Planet has already had great success on iOS and luckily us BlackBerry PlayBook owners now have the opportunity to get a slice of the pie. The game is all about controlling your space pod and guiding it to the landing area. That sounds pretty easy but of course it isn't that straight forward. Gravity is sucking you down so you must utilise the controls to avoid crashing into the ground or other obstacles. There are only two on-screen controls and these manoeuvre the pod either left/right or holding down both at the same time will move it upwards.

Keep in shape and get toned with the Max Capacity Training app

DJ Reyes — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:28:59 +0000

It's a brand new year, we've been indulgent during the holidays. I have to admit I started becoming a little food hungry when the cold weather started to kick in. But even when I do, I try to keep in shape regardless. I'm not a fitness fanatic but I do like to keep in shape, even if I know I won't be as fit as I was before I was 21. I try to do different kinds of workouts and because there's too much to too in the day I want to do workouts that don't require me to go to the gym. I came across the Maximum Capacity Training app. Follow me after the break for a quick workout breakdown.

BlackBerry Bridge on BlackBerry 10 - Dumbed down and not as useful

Bla1ze — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:17:30 +0000

UPDATE - Shortly after we published this article, BlackBerry published their own article addressing the matter. In short, there is more updates coming to BlackBerry Bridge for BlackBerry 10 soon. You can read the full details via their post on the BlackBerry Blog.

For BlackBerry owners who are also BlackBerry PlayBook owners, one great combining feature was the option to use BlackBerry Bridge. Since it was released, BlackBerry Bridge has grown to be a really useful application that allows BBM, email, SMS, browsing and even shared file browsing between BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry tablets. With the release of BlackBerry 10 and ultimately the BlackBerry Z10, I can't help but feel a little robbed by its current implementation as it's severely lacking and feels quite a bit dumbed down -- and just downright not as useful now.

How I'd like to see BlackBerry 10 come to the BlackBerry PlayBook

Kevin Michaluk — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:29:41 +0000

With all of the crazy BlackBerry 10 phone action on CrackBerry the past week, we haven't spent much time talking about BlackBerry 10 for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

During the official BlackBerry 10 launch event there was no mention of BlackBerry 10 for the PlayBook

Of course, there has not really been much to talk about here. During the official BlackBerry 10 launch event there was no mention of BlackBerry 10 for the PlayBook. When prodded during follow-up Q&A sessions with the press, BlackBerry did say BlackBerry 10 would come to the PlayBook "later this year."

BlackBerry Bridge application updated to version 3.0 in BlackBerry World

Zach Gilbert — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:25:35 +0000

Update: As it turns out this version is available for BlackBerry 10 devices as well

BlackBerry Bridge, the application that allows you to connect your BlackBerry smartphone to your BlackBerry PlayBook, has been updated to version 3.0 via BlackBerry World. Updates to BlackBerry Bridge have historically meant that a PlayBook OS update is coming. While we don’t have any confirmation that a PlayBook update is in the pipes, this update may have some new features in it anyway. If you aren’t seeing the update on your BlackBerry, try the trusty ALT then “R-S-T” trick, or wait about 24 hours for the servers to propagate.

Download/get more information on BlackBerry Bridge

BlackBerry PlayBook outselling the new iPad in the UK

Adam Zeis — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:05:40 +0000

Just as we're heading down the home stretch for the big BlackBerry 10 announcement tomorrow, it looks like we have another bit of fun news as well. According to Context, the BlackBerry PlayBook is currently outselling the new iPad in the UK. Yes, you read that right. In some very cool and unexpected news, the PlayBook has been tops during the last two months of 2012.

Master your reflexes with Springy for the BlackBerry PlayBook

James Richardson — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:51:24 +0000

It isn't going to take me long to describe Springy as it is an extremely simple concept but a lot of fun. According to the developer Springy is a kind of pet - i'm not sure what kind of pet looks like him but that doesn't matter. The aim of the game is to drag your finger around the screen and to not let Springy nibble it. Sounds simple - it isn't.

Snatch a pre-owned BlackBerry PlayBook for $99 today only on CowBoom

Michelle Haag — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:35:17 +0000

If you're in the market for a back-up BlackBerry PlayBook and just don't want to shell out a ton of money, CowBoom currently has a great deal on the 16GB wifi version. You can pick one up for just $99 plus $5 shipping today only. The only catch is that these are used PlayBooks and therefore may have some cosmetic imperfections and the like. CowBoom is a Best Buy brand and offers a 30 day no hassle money back guarantee on every purchase as well as the option to add a 1 or 2 year protection plan.

French firefighters making the most of the BlackBerry solution

James Richardson — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:01:26 +0000

We have seen various emergency services using the BlackBerry solution over the years. We've covered a selection of police forces and health organisations and now it is time for the fire service to show off how they are utilizing BlackBerry as well. RIM UK has uploaded a video to their YouTube channel detailing how a fire department in Northern France have been getting on with the BlackBerry solution.

Grab Sketch W Friends for the BlackBerry PlayBook while it is on sale at half price

James Richardson — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:00:55 +0000

Time for a quick bargain for you BlackBerry PlayBook owners. Sketch W Friends is currently on sale at half price and will remain so until January 10th. The special price of $0.99 is a real steal as the app is a tonne of fun.

If you haven't seen our previous posts on the app, it is essentially a drawing game where you compete with other users around the globe. Once you have joined a room - all the visitors to that room will take it in turns to draw a certain item and the rest of the folk have to guess what it is. Of course, it isn't quite that simple as not only are you up against the clock, but you are relying on the other peoples ability to actually draw - something that can be quite comical with the game.

Since we first announced that Sketch W Friends was available it has received several updates and the app now sits on version 4.0.0 which most recently added Theme and Stroke Rooms as well as the ability to challenge your Facebook friends to a mini game of Sketch W Friends by posting your drawing on Facebook.

Get it while it's hot.

More information/Download Sketch W Friends for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Can you collect all the stars and reach your sweetheart with Jump Birdy Jump for the BlackBerry PlayBook?

James Richardson — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 20:14:59 +0000

If you are after for a new funky game for your BlackBerry PlayBook then look no further as Jump Birdy Jump is here and it's a right bobby dazzler! Developed by Ovogame, who also brought us Smiley's Pop and Tropical Mania, Jump Birdy Jump brings great challenging game play along with bright, crisp, clean graphics and even some sweet background music.

You control the birdy and your aim is to get to your lady friend. But, in order to do this this you must jump between wires using a slingshot. Things get pretty hard though as there are many obstacles that you cannot hit as well as moving gates etc.

Keep on jamming through to 2013 with the extended trial of Pacemaker for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Zach Gilbert — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:49:26 +0000

If you liked our review of the DJ application for the BlackBerry PlayBook known as Pacemaker, then you’ll want to continue reading. As of today the developers of Pacemaker have reset the timers on the free trial version of their application.

SteroTube updated for the BlackBerry PlayBook - Now lets you download videos

James Richardson — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:11:05 +0000

We covered the launch of the SteroTube app for the BlackBerry PlayBook back in early November, but this week sees a nice update to version 4.0 with a selection of new tweaks.

Most importantly is the option to now download content from YouTube. You can save either as a MP4 or MP3 depending if you need the video or just the audio. Completing this is pretty easy - just click on the download tab on the bottom right of the screen and you will then have three options given to you of using external sites to convert. I found for that for saving videos using the dirpy.com link was the one that worked for me and it really is a nice bonus to be able to download your favourite videos to watch at your leisure - perfect for travelling when you don't want to be using data.

In addition to the download feature the developer has also added speed enhancements, a new UI for selecting playlists and rename playlists - good stuff.

More information/Download SteroTube for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Got a new BlackBerry PlayBook for Christmas? Check out these guides to get started

Adam Zeis — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:42:47 +0000

So you got a new BlackBerry PlayBook for Christmas and aren't sure where to begin? Not to worry -- we have plenty of help and how-to guides to get you up and running. If you've never touched a tablet before or just aren't sure where to begin, we have plenty of info at hand to get you going. You can start with something as simple as finding a new wallpaper or jump right in to sharing files over wifi from your PC. Keep reading to find all you need to know about your new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet!

Do you have the speed and reflexes needed to play Switch for the BlackBerry PlayBook?

James Richardson — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:24:50 +0000

New for the BlackBerry PlayBook this week is Switch which sees you guide a spacecraft along four lanes -- but of course it isn't quite that simple. Along the lanes are energy beams that you need to avoid as they will wreck your craft. Switching between lanes is controlled by simply touching either the right or left side of the PlayBook screen.

Once you have the hang of the game you can speed things up at bit. At the main menu is the option to turn on and off 5000+ mode. Turning this on will increase the speed of the game and unless you have ninja reflexes this makes the game really hard. But that's a good thing - it would be boring without an element of a real challenge. In 5000+ mode there are also other spacecraft to dodge meaning things get a little bit tricky.

Get a pre-owned 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook for just $89.99

Adam Zeis — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:03:40 +0000

If you're in the market for an after Christmas deal today we have just the thing. CowBoom is offering up a pre-owned 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook for just $89.99 + $5 shipping. Similar refurbished units sell for upwards of $139 on other sites, so this is a pretty good deal if you're in the market for a PlayBook. The 16GB wifi-only model comes with just the PlayBook and charger - no neoprene sleeve, USB cable or getting started materials included (but who needs them anyway). Head over to the link below for more info and to purchase.

Get a pre-owned PlayBook for $89.99 today only

CrackBerry Holiday Gift Guide 2012 - Gifts for the BlackBerry student

Zach Gilbert — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:26:43 +0000

Oh it’s that time of year again. The time when we all start opening our wallets and pocket books. But it is also a time when we all start scratching our heads thinking about what to get the special people in our lives. In yet another addition to the CrackBerry 2012 Holiday gift guides, we take a look at what gifts to get the student on our lists. Let me come out and say it, being a student myself, students are hard to shop for. Often the student on your list has been living away from home so you’ve got no idea what to get them, well fret not CrackBerry Nation, continue reading to get the most in-depth list available for those BlackBerry wielding students in your life.

BlackBerry PlayBook OS updated to 2.1.0.1314

Adam Zeis — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:12:30 +0000

The BlackBerry PlayBook OS has been updated today to version 2.1.0.1314. It's a small update at just 37mb with support for AIR and Flash for developers. You can expect the usual tweaks and fixes to go along with this one as well. Not the biggest update for most users as it doesn't bring any fun new features, but an update is and update, right? You should see the update available now. Hit up the comments letting us know how it is!

Get in the festive spirit with the Christmas Countdown app for the BlackBerry PlayBook

James Richardson — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:36:40 +0000

Just a quicky here. Although I am more excited about the countdown to BlackBerry 10 than Christmas - BBThemes has released a rather nice Christmas countdown app for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

I am kind of hopeless when it comes to buying gifts for Christmas and at least with this app on my tablet I can instantly see how many days I have left to go shopping - not that I leave it until the last minute!

The Christmas Countdown app will set you back $0.99 and although it is just a timer, the backdrop for the app is quite beautiful and will get you in the Christmas spirit.

More information/Download Christmas Countdown for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Save your flowers with Acid Rain for the BlackBerry PlayBook

James Richardson — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 20:06:55 +0000

Acid Rain for the BlackBerry PlayBook is a simple yet fun swiping style of game. Your job is to protect your three flowers from the storm that will produce some nasty acid rain. In order to do this you must swipe away the evil green acid rain. Using combinations will earn you more points but it isn't quite that easy. As the levels progress you will find more and more blue rain drops. These are good for your plants so you need to avoid swiping those, which when in a swiping frenzy can get a little challenging.

There will also be bonus drops & power-ups to help boost your score and keep your flowers alive but let the acid rain fall on your flowers and they will die.

While the game is not the most exciting, it is smooth and chilled out, with fluid graphics. Is it worthy of its $0.99 price tag? I would say it is.

More information/Download Acid Rain for the BlackBerry PlayBook

IKEA gives their UK staff a BlackBerry PlayBook for Christmas

DJ Reyes — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:58:25 +0000

Staff at all branches of IKEA in the U.K. have received an early gift from their employer in the form of a 64GB BlackBerry PlayBook. If you follow UK BlackBerry on Twitter, you may have seen them tweet that they were delighted to hear that IKEA gifted their UK staff with a BlackBerry PlayBook. A quick search and you'll find staff members thanking their employers for the awesome gift. Even friends of people who received one are tweeting on how nice it was for them to receive one.