Uber popular BlackBerry application Poynt received a nice update today. The new version sits at v1.8.5, and brings support for some of the newer BlackBerry smartphones -- Bold 9790 and Curve 9380 -- as well as larger icons for touchscreen devices, a TeleNav library update, and for for users in the UK a new section for petrol prices. The new petrol search feature allows users to find the closest or cheapest petrol stations in their local area. Additionally, Poynt users will be able to quickly update current petrol prices where prices have fluctuated. Pretty cool!

You can grab the new version of Poynt in BlackBerry App World at the link below. As always, the app is completely free, and once you have it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. Full press release regarding the new petrol search feature for UK users is after the break.

More information/download Poynt for BlackBerry

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If you're a BlackBerry developer you may be interested in knowing that Research In Motion officially launched the Wi-Fi geolocation service a little over a week ago. Using Wi-Fi Access Point data that has been collected anonymously from your BlackBerry, this technology can provide location based sharing apps (such as foursquare or Twitter) a quick and accurate location fix.

Wi-Fi geolocation is faster and more convenient than GPS-based and Cell-site based location as well as uses less bandwidth, though the accuracy falls somewhere between that of GPS and Cell-site. APIs are available for devices running BlackBerry 6 OS and and higher, though service provisioning may take up to 3 more weeks. For complete details, head on over to the source link below. Thanks for sending this in Ray!

Source: BlackBerry Developer's Blog

With the release of BlackBerry 7 devices folks will find a new on-board application in the mix. That application is the Compass app and in order for it to work it does indeed need to be calibrated every now and then, and the video above walks you all through that process.

Ultimately, the compass app as a standalone application doesn't really do all that much but tell you which direction your BlackBerry is facing but when you start using GPS and other location based services this is where the built-in magnetometer will shine. Even at the basic usage level right now, GPS accuracy and response times are quicker on the BlackBerry 7 line of devices vs. the BlackBerry 6 devices for example.

As long as you don't mind running a alpha version of Foursquare for BlackBerry, you can now go ahead and update whatever version it is you currently may have installed. Foursquare for BlackBerry is now sitting at v1.9.89 which is seemingly just a minor bump from the last version being v1.9.85. List of some of the changes is now available below:

• Improved friend management
• Changes to location support, let us know if this improves your location lookup
• Addition of specials 2.0
• Automated checking of app permissions

To download the update from Foursquare on your device

eMacBerry has just taken the time to let us know that Little Brother, their tracking solution app has received a pretty hefty update. The update in question covers a lot of features that were requested through user feedback so, if you're a Little Brother user you'll want to grab the latest from the eMacBerry website. If you're not quite yet familiar with Little Brother -- have a look at our previous posts here to get a better understanding of how the app works. Read on past the break for the full changelog and download link.

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Foursquare has just let us know they've gone ahead an updated the BlackBerry app for users. You can now hit the Foursquare download page to grab version 1.9.10. Only a few changes this time around but, Foursquare also made not in their email to us that in the coming weeks they have a few surprises that they will be rolling out to users. In the meantime though here is what's listed as being changed in v1.9.10:

• Improved tip/todo management
• Users can now call a business straight from the venue page.
• Nearby specials screen now lets you jump to that venue.
• Improved battery life and performance.

It may take some time for it to show up for everyone in BlackBerry App World so, be sure to use the direct link listed below if you simply cannot wait. You can also try refreshing BlackBerry App World. Either way, check it out!

*Update* - v1.9.12 is now avilable to correct a check in issue, you can find it in the same spot

Download Foursquare v1.9.10 here

Gowalla has been going head to head with Foursquare for a long while now in the race to be check in leader. Gowalla though, has announced their updated mobile application for BlackBerry. Previously, the Gowalla application wasn't exactly as robust as that of Foursquares but v1.0 changes a lot of that.

• Trips
• Items
• Take and post photos
• Ability to post threaded comments 

The above is a list of new items added to the application. As well. UI enhancements have been made. Since the application was previously beta, Gowall has now put the official stamp on this one and released it to everyone.

• Click Here To Download Gowalla v1.0 To Your BlackBerry Via OTA>>

Source: Gowalla Blog

We've been following WHERE for BlackBerry since its initial release and in that time have seen many great changes come to the application over that time. The latest release, version 1.7.0 brings yet again, another subset of features that change how you will be using WHERE on your device.

Most notable was the addition of two new features -  Placebook and Check-in. Placebook is an address book for your places. You can keep track of the places you’ve been to, the places you want to go to as well as a list of your WHERE Reviews. Check-in, which allows you to announce when you’ve arrived at a location and quickly save a location to your Placebook. Overall UI changes round out the update so whether you're a current user or new user, you might want to check it out.

• Download WHERE For BlackBerry v1.7.0 Today From BlackBerry App World>>

Loopt has been growing in numbers these days. And with that growth, comes the need to add more services to every platform they support. This time around, they are bringing additional options to BlackBerry users by adding in LooptPulse. LooptPulse is similar in some ways to that of Gowalla and Foursquare in the fact it allows you to check into places, leave tips and share information for others to view. LooptPulse also offers recommendations from their many partners. Event info comes from Metromix, Zvents, and SonicLiving and combines it with places info from Zagat, Citysearch and Tasting Table. Several other features have been added to the update, full breakdown below.

• Listen to music clips from concert Events and RSVP to see who else is going on Facebook!
• Search for Events and Places by date and distance around you, your friends, or specific places 
• Share button on Events and Places to share them with friends
• Ping your friends directly from the Friends list to quickly find out where everyone is! 

This latest update of Loopt for BlackBerry is available to U.S. users on the BlackBerry Curve 8520, 8530, 8900, BlackBerry Bold 9000, 9700, BlackBerry Tour 9630 and BlackBerry Storm 9530 & 9550. The previous version of Loopt is still available for legacy devices such as the 8330. To see if your device is supported and get Loopt, visit www.loopt.com using your BlackBerry browser.

Since the rest of the smartphone world also got a Foursquare app update, it doesn't really come as a surprise the BlackBerry version got bumped to version 1.7. As SXSW gets set to kick off in Austin, Texas, Foursquare and its location based counterpart Gowalla have kind of been in heated battle for the attention of users in attendance. It'll be a bloody badge showdown for sure.

As for the BlackBerry version, after having downloaded version 1.7 it looks to me that it's just simply overall UI changes at this point. It should be noted though that I am not exactly an avid user of Foursquare, so if anything else major has changed under the hood I might not be noticing it. For those of you out there that use Foursquare on a daily basis, be sure to let us know in the comments if you have noticed anything major that has changed in the version 1.7 release.

• Download The Latest Foursquare For BlackBerry Release Via Your BlackBerry Browser >>

If you are a badge carrying Foursquare user this should bring a smile to your face. Foursquare for BlackBerry is now sitting at version 1.5 for users to download. The addition of the ability to add friends and tips has been put into version 1.5. Both items have been requested for a while now so nice to see that Foursquare is adding these things to the mix. Alas, the dark cloud surrounding this update is in what it didn't bring with it. That being a BlackBerry Storm dedicated version, while most users can make do with the current version, it would be nice to see a release that was meant for the touchscreen UI on Storm series devices. 

• Download The Latest Version Of Foursquare For BlackBerry Via The Foursquare Website >>

We've all become aware of the Foursquare app for BlackBerry that has been rolled out, what some of you may not know though is that competing service, Gowalla is looking to enter the BlackBerry realm as well. Josh Williams or @jw as he is known on Twitter, made it clear today that Gowalla was ramping up their mobile web offerings to cater to BlackBerry users.

I have to admit, even though I have a Foursquare account I rarely ever use it and I've never looked at Gowallas offerings in comparison. But, knowing that Gowalla has quite a presence on other platforms with applications already developed. Why are they going the mobile web route with BlackBerry as opposed to creating an app? Maybe, this is just the start of greater things to come but as I see it with Foursquares app already out there Gowalla may lose some ground with just a web based application.

[ Techcrunch ]