Cloud storage is all the rage. On the surface, it seems like PlayBook owners have been left out in the cold. When we look closely, however, we can see that it is easy and powerful to manage all our cloud storage needs right from the PlayBook.

We know that we need more native apps for our beloved PlayBooks. We also know (even more so after BlackBerry World 2012) the BlackBerrys are for people who need to get stuff done. In today's world - no matter what business you are in - getting stuff done means having access to cloud storage.

For some platforms, there is an app for everything - including cloud storage. Our sister site (iMore) ran a great article on all the available apps for cloud storage on iOS, and it is worth a read.  For us PlayBook owners, we need to get a bit more creative. The good news, however, is that we can access all major cloud storage services on our PlayBook as easily and as effectively as any other platform...we just need to work a bit harder at it!

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Just over two weeks ago the official BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 update was finally available for everyone to download. Long before this though the information was readily available that it would include an Android App Player, and RIM even detailed the procedure for Android developers to port their applications and submit them to App World. To entice developers to submit their applications to App World RIM even opened up the free PlayBook offer again, and while many developers jumped at the opportunity, we are left wondering why more didn't?

In the past we have seen big companies drop support for BlackBerry devices, and some companies that just refuse to even begin development, but why? If you, an Android developer, already have a packaged and functional application that you have released on Android, why not take a few minutes to repackage it and let a whole other user base benefit as well? Isn't the idea behind developing an application to get it into the hands of as many people as possible, to have tons of users benefit from and enjoy your application? Why write off an entire brands user base?

Wouldn't an extended user base of over one million PlayBook owners be something that you, as a developer, would want to have access to your application? These PlayBook owners love their applications, spending money on a quality application is not something most BlackBerry users think twice about. We want your application, we will pay you for your application, we just need you to bring us the application.

The process is free, it appears to be quite painless, and it isn't like they are requesting the whole application to be rewritten, just simply repackaged into a file that can be installed on the BlackBerry PlayBook. With well over a million of these out there, even if you price the application at $1.00 and one tenth of the PlayBook owners purchase it, that is a nice chunk of change in your pocket, right?

If you are an Android developer who is on the fence, or decided not to support the PlayBook, we would love to hear from you. Hop into the forums and let us know what factors led you to your decision. 

 

We're expecting the BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 update to be hitting the streets very, very soon (like 5am EST), and it's going to be a big step for both RIM and end-users. Android support will broaden app selection, stand-alone applications for e-mail, calendar, and memos will finally arrive, and there will be lots of nice extras which we weren't necessarily asking for, like being able to use a BlackBerry smartphone as a remote keyboard.  

Considering many people will look at OS 2.0 as the point where the BlackBerry PlayBook finally became feature-complete, let's take a look at how we got here. For those still getting used to their holiday present, RIM's tablet is still very new, but we've been talking about the thing for nearly two years now. It started off when RIM acquired QNX Systems.  

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Coinciding with an iOS Chinese New Year promotion, Gameloft now has a bunch of their excellent BlackBerry PlayBook games on sale for $0.99 a pop. These include Asphalt 6, UNO, Star Front: Collision, Modern Combat 2, and Eternal Legacy. 

Gameloft started pumping out a bunch of PlayBook titles this fall, and the quality is second only to EA's titles. Even then, sometimes Gameloft is much more open about doing "homages" to other popular games than EA. Asphalt 6 is a good pick if you've already played the preloaded Need for Speed to death. The familiarity of UNO will be a welcome sight for those looking for something a little more casual. I've put some time into Star Front: Collision, and as a guy who had spent a healthy chunk of high school playing StarCraft, it was a great addition to my PlayBook.

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After struggling with previous versions of the Dingleberry jailbreak, I'm happy to say that version 3 works like a freakin' charm. It bundles a downgrader, so you can get your PlayBook into a prime jailbreaking state, and Dingleberry handles all of the backing up and restoring on its own. So, what can you do with root access on a BlackBerry PlayBook? Well, there's some neat stuff going on with USB host capabilities, but the most obvious application right now is direct access to the Android Market. Sure, you can sideload the apps if you acquire them through less-than-savory means, but Android Market access means you can easily download anything you've already paid - provided it works. 

There's a teeny, tiny caveat, though. PlayBook 2.0 is still very much beta, and seeing as RIM isn't even intending on providing access to the Android Market, opting instead to get developers to repackage their creations for App World. Notifications actually work well in the few apps that manage to load, but for the most part, anytyhing downloaded through Google's mobile software portal perform inconsistently at best. Generally, anything you get will simply force close as soon as you open it, but there are a few gems tucked away that perform admirably. That said, here are the best Android Market apps I've been able to run on a jailbroken BlackBerry PlayBook. 

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We have seen our fair share of discounts and promotions for the BlackBerry PlayBook to date, but the most recent price drops appear to have people lining up outside of major retailers to get their hands on one. With the 16GB dropping down to $199, and the 64GB running only $399 people seem to want to take advantage of this limited time offer right before the holidays. Retailers are already reporting an increase in sales, Best Buy claiming to have moved 5,000 units so far. These price drops are only temporary, and will likely rise again soon, so we ask -- would you stand in line to grab one of these deeply discounted BlackBerry PlayBooks? 

Source: Vancouver Sun 

Whether you are hoping to win the super fanboy/fangirl contest, a BlackBerry developer, or a general enthusiast that will be attending BlackBerry DevCon this year, you will want to download the free app to keep you informed. This free download that is available in AppWorld allows you to keep track of various sessions, and speakers, (like our very own Kevin Michaluk!), as well as keep track of your schedule while on the go. If you are attending, or want to pretend like you are, head into AppWorld and download it today!

More information / download of DevCon 2011 Mobile Guide

PlayBook sales just keep coming, and today discount website 1saleaday.com is featuring the 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook for $299, with $4.99 shipping. This isn't a bad deal, especially considering there are no rebates involved or anything, but you need to act fast as the sale ends in less than 11 hours.

With all the money you're saving on your new PlayBook, you should head on over to the CrackBerry store and grab some accessories! We've got everything from cases to chargers to car mounts, and there are some smokin' deals right now. Thanks to everyone that sent this in! 

Check out the deal on 1saleaday.com
Buy PlayBook accessories in the CrackBerry store

Just the other day we saw Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones receive an update, and today an update for Facebook for the BlackBerry PlayBook is rolling out. While this update is also a minor one, any update that fixes issues that we are seeing is always welcomed. In todays update we see a fix for crashes that occurred while viewing comments and likes on various posts. Head into App World and grab the update, and let us know if the update fixes things for you!

Download Facebook for PlayBook update

Ever since the release of the BlackBerry PlayBook we have been looking forward to the Native SDK to be available to the developers to see just how far they can take their development. We have seen the Adobe Air SDK as well as the WebWorks SDK but unfortunately we have been waiting for the official Native SDK to arrive. Well we just moved one step closer to it becoming a reality as today RIM announced on their Developers Blog that the Native SDK has reached a closed beta phase and they are allowing developers to apply now for access to all of the goodness.

The closed beta is limited in space, and will be on a first come first serve basis, so if you are an interested developer be sure to fill out the form now! This news is the start of many good things to come, let's hope the beta goes smooth and they are able to get this into the hands of all the anxious PlayBook developers.

Source: Developers Blog

Two nights ago, I installed the leaked Android App Player on to my BlackBerry PlayBook. It was an arduous process that involved several hours of researching, finding bad or poorly worded instructions, and downloading hundreds of megabytes worth of SDK's (note the plural) and a JRE and a JDK and this and that. That's a lot of work to install a resource-hogging, semi-functional application. Nevertheless I am amazed.

I am amazed, not necessarily at the application itself, but the ideas it represents. The first is the more apparent of the two. The Android App Player doesn't just emulate or represent the Android operating system. It is the Android operating system. Android exists as a virtual machine on the PlayBook tablet. Most people don't run virtual machines on their home computers, let alone a "mere" tablet.

As best I can figure, the BlackBerry PlayBook is the first tablet to run multiple operating systems simultaneously. More than that, bringing the Android OS to the PlayBook represents a fundamental shift in the app ecosystem. If the Mountain will not come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain.

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It's that time of year again folks. Time for students to bid adieu to those long nights cramming, writing and studying and transition into the real world. Whether they are graduating to the next level or joining the work force, we've put together a list of some BlackBerry goodies to help them on their way. From devices to accessories to apps - we have it all in one place so you can find just what you need for that special grad in your life.!

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There's no reason to go out and get an application to help you keep track of the time around the world; your BlackBerry PlayBook can do that for you. Using the PlayBook's clock application, you can add as many clocks as you'd like to it. It takes a little preparation ahead of time, but what you end up with is a customized bank of clocks that quickly gives you the information you need.

Our CrackBerry bloggers are spread out over the world and over several time zones, sometimes making communications difficult. At the suggestion of our very own Michelle, I added several additional clocks inside the Clock application. With a glance at their local time, I can figure out if it's too late to message Bla1ze (no) or if it's too early to call Isaac (yes).

Start by figuring out what the time is in your far-off city. A quick Google search will give you the time, and you'll use this to set your clock. Open the Clock app on your PlayBook. Swipe down from above the top of the screen to open the menu. Touch New Clock to add a new Clock. You'll get the chance to name your clocks; instead of labeling them with the name of a city, I labeled them as the people I might need to contact.

Set the time zone so that the time on your clock matches your Google search. It may take some fine tuning and you may have to do an internet search to find that Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Saving Time. Once you've matched your time, you can choose an analog (with hands) or digital clock. Touch the face of the clock to save your changes.

Add as many clocks as you like to keep up with friends, family, co-workers, Twitter followers, and anyone else around this enormous (and small) world of ours.

Notice the new BB logo on App pages? It's likely we'll see an Android logo for Android Apps 

This morning's BlackBerry PlayBook OS update brought with it a number of feature improvements, most of which were highlighted in the update note RIM sent out. But beyond that, keen eyes have been observing other changes, some of which are pretty noticeable (like the big boost of free working memory) and others which are more subtle.

One of these subtle changes is the new BlackBerry logo that's popped up on app pages within BlackBerry App World. Looking at the image above, what I'm talking about here is that little guy in the top left corner. That wasn't there before. Now it's there. WHY??! To me the reason for this addition is pretty logical. It's in preparation for the support of Android apps on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Remember, Android developers will have to submit their Android apps to App World (effectively making them BlackBerry developers and BlackBerry apps), but since the apps will run via the Android App Player, it's important that RIM denote within App World to customers what it is an Android app vs. what is not (especially since based on the demo we saw it seems like you may initially be only have one Android app running at a time in the App Player). I'm expecting that once Android Apps showing up in App World, you'll see this new little BlackBerry logo turn into an Android logo for Android apps.

I guess we'll know with time... but I'm betting that's the case (if I'm wrong we'll make up for it with a contest). So what do you think? Android logos coming soon to a BlackBerry near you?

Geek Pro rules are simple. Accomplish the most complicated of tasks in as few steps as possible; bonus points if you can do so without getting up from the couch. TeamViewer and LogMeIn are two remote management programs that allow you to access your computer.... well, remotely. Similar to Go to My PC, both of these services allow you to control your connected computer through any web browser. Unlike GtMPC, both TeamViewer and LogMeIn are completely free for non-commercial use.

By now, you've probably figured it out. Your BlackBerry PlayBook is ready, willing, and able to use the web interface for both of these products. The web interface uses the client application already installed on your home or office computer to communicate using their respective websites. In your PlayBook's browser, you'll be able to control your computer almost exactly like you were sitting in front of it.

You'll first need to register with one or more of the sites and install the client. This client will run on your computer at all times. Without it, you won't be able to remotely connect to your computer. Once you've signed in and accessed your computer, you'll be able to use your it as if you were sitting in front of it. You can open files and folders, move files around, and even email yourself that presentation you forgot this morning. All from your PlayBook's browser.  

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