"With such convenience, the Powermat Wireless Charging System should be a standard for all BlackBerry smartphones. "

I am not a big fan of cables – I try to avoid them when I can. I have a wireless mouse and keyboard, I have a Bluetooth speaker phone in my car and I have a stereo Bluetooth headset for when I’m taking the heel-toe express. The one cable that seems to keep me tied down is my BlackBerry charger. I know, it seems petty, but it’s not so much when I’m half asleep, in the dark, fumbling with the charger and charging port. Anyone with extremely active kids knows that the less time you take to plug in your phone, the less time they have to do things they’re not supposed to do (like playing hockey IN the house).

That’s why I like a wireless charging system from the good folks at Powermat. No wires, just power and convenience. While not available for the BlackBerry Bold 9900, it is available for other BlackBerry smartphones, including the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and 9810. For simple charging in a not so simple lifestyle, Powermat is a must have.

Read Full Review

"The Seidio Charging Vault has proved to me its worth as an external battery. Without this backup power supply, I'd probably still be wandering the Las Vegas strip, looking for a familiar face."

At CES2012, we saw a good deal of mobile charging solutions; quite a few companies had portable power packs on display. From among this diverse crowd of options - and believe me, I've tried a number of these charging solutions - the Seidio Charging Vault stands out from the rest. The battery pack features not one but two UBS charging ports. In the Charging Vault Kit, Seidio has kindly included a retractable USB cable with multiple tips: microUSB and a 30-pin connector for iOS devices. Most importantly, the Charging Vault proved its importance by saving my BlackBerry Torch 9860 on day one of my trip to Las Vegas. Without this backup power supply, I'd probably still be wandering the strip, looking for a familiar face.

Read Full Review

Contest: Win a Free Ballistic Endo Case for your BlackBerry Torch 9800/9810. Leave a single comment to this post for your chance to win!

To be honest, I'm brutal on my BlackBerrys. They've been dropped in the street and bounced off all kinds of floors. Needless to say I've gone through quite a few since owning the Torch 9800 probably because I am a chronic klutz and hate using pocketbooks. it's a horrible combination but I prefer having my device holstered on my hip then packed away in a bag. While it makes my load lighter it increases the chance of serious injury to my BB. So I went for the case/holster combo.

Read Full Review

The BlackBerry J-Series Extra Battery Charger Bundle

When I was using older devices I was always happy to have an extra battery at the ready thanks to my external charger. While the Bold 9780 didn't really need a spare battery given the great battery life, the BlackBerry Bold 9930 and Bold 9900 don't share the same luxury. There are plenty of ways to increase your battery life, but sometimes even that's not enough. Thankfully the BlackBerry J-Series Extra Battery Charger Bundle came to the rescue. This setup allows you to charge a spare battery at the same time you charge your device so you can always have a spare ready to go. 

The BlackBerry J-Series Extra Battery Charger Bundle for the BlackBerry Bold 9930 / 9900 and Torch 9850 / 9860 comes with everything you need to get rolling. Included is the external charger, microUSB splitter and spare JM-1 battery. The spplitter plugs into your current wall charger that came with your device so you can charge both your phone and the battery at the same time. You won't have to fumble for an extra outlet to charge this guy up so you'll save both time and effort. Drop the battery in the charger, plug it in and wait for the green light -- that's it! The battery charges up in about the same time as your phone (unless you use the PlayBook charger) and when it's done, just pull it off, stick it in your pocket, purse or briefcase and you'll have a fully charged spare battery ready to go. 

The BlackBerry J-Series Extra Battery Charger Bundle retails for $79.99 but you can get it for less at ShopCrackBerry.com. We're also giving away one battery charger bundle (details below). Keep reading for more images and info on this bundle.

Read Full Review

The BlackBerry JM-1 1230mAh Standard / Replacement Battery!

Hopefully thanks to our Ten Tips and Tricks to Extend Your BlackBerry's Battery Life article you're finding yourself able to get through the day on your new BlackBerry Bold 9930/9900 or Torch 9850/9860 with juice to spare.

If you're not finding that to be doable, you basically have two alternatives: re-charge part way through the day, or swap in a spare replacement battery. And as you might guess from the topic of this article, here we're talking about the latter, which is necessary if you're an always on the go type person.

The BlackBerry J-M1 battery is the standard battery that ships in the new BlackBerry Bold 9930/9900 and Torch 9850/9860. It's a super slim battery, allowing the new Bold to acheive the status of thinnest BlackBerry to date. That thinness comes with a cost though. Compared to the 1500mAH battery in the previous generation BlackBerry Bold 9780/9700, this battery clocks in at 1230mAH, which immediately means that all things being equal, you have 18% less power to work with.

The BlackBerry JM-1 Battery has a list price of $49.99, but you can get it for less at ShopCrackBerry.com. We're even giving away a chance for you to win one for free JM-1 battery (details below). Keep reading for more photos and info on this battery.  

Read Full Review

If you've caught any of my other Bluetooth device reviews (even back to my very first CrackBerry Idol review), you know that I have a certain... dislike of wires. They tangle. They limit and tether your device. Any technological thingamajig that can take the place of those wires is a good one in my book, and the MOTOROKR T505 is a welcome addition to my car.

Motorola MOTOROKR T505 is, for whatever reason, difficult for me to say, the words don't trip lightly from the tongue. The device itself though couldn't be easier to use. After a simple and standard pairing with my BlackBerry, music; podcasts; and phone calls come over the speakers of my car.

Like many newer cars, I can now stream music from my phone - even web services like Pandora - over the speakers in my car, free from the tyranny of wires.

Read Full Review

The Vulkano Flow is the latest and greatest from Monsoon Multimedia in the Vulkano product line. The Flow allows the user to watch and control television programming they receive at home on their BlackBerry Smartphone, PC, Mac, and soon to their BlackBerry PlayBook.

Summary of Vulkano Flow features:

• Mark channels as favorite for quick access on your mobile phone
• Watch and control your live TV on the go via Wi-Fi or 3G
• Change channels just like at home
• Browse EPG for shows and episode descriptions
• Connect to all major TV sources - cable, DVD, satellite, DVR, TiVo
• Stream high-quality video at H.264 standards at 150kbps
• Connects to set-top box analog output and wirelessly to home router (802.11n)

The Vulkano Flow is similar to the Slingbox, but it is avaiable at a fraction of the cost. Continue reading to see what it has to offer.

Read Full Review

In looking to lighten my daily load when travelling to and from university, I wanted to leave my Macbook at home and just use my BlackBerry. It was fine for a while until I had to start writing essays and pages and pages for coursework. The Torch keyboard wasn't going to cut it. Of course there was the option of using the university computers but you weren't always guaranteed to get one so I had to get myself a bluetooth. That's when I got the Freedom Pro Bluetooth Keyboard. Small and light enough to join my books and notebooks and not kill my back while doing so. In fact, most of this article was written using the keyboard with my BlackBerry Torch. So, let's see how it faired with daily usage.

Read Full Review

Want to win a BlackBerry Charging Pod for the Torch 9800? Keep reading for contest details.

When it comes to my BlackBerry I am a certified addict. From the moment I wake up to the minute I go to bed my BlackBerry Torch never leaves my side. The only problem is that my constant use puts a significant drain on the battery. I'm sure you're all familiar with the utter frustration that follows finding a dead battery. For me I don't even make it to lunch. This makes me one unhappy camper.

To get me through the day I use the BlackBerry charging pod. It is the first accessory I purchase for each and every device I own. I hate to say this but I never go anywhere without it. At home it's either on my nightstand as an alarm clock or connected to my PC for syncing and charging. At work it's never more than an arm's length away to make sure I have enough juice for the journey home. I love that I can dock my device and spend all day listening to my music library or stream my favorite radio stations. 

Read Full Review

One lucky reader will win a PowerMat Charging System for the BlackBerry Curve 3G!  Read on for details. 

Despite that we live in 2011, battery technology has - for the most part - seen only marginal advancement, leaving us gadget-hungry and digitally-dependent mobile users with little choice when it comes to long lasting battery life. But a conscious decision does not guarantee anything: I sometimes get laughed at for my decision to use a BlackBerry Curve over something like an HTC Desire or Apple iPhone. Yes, they do have Angry Birds (for now), but when it comes to battery life, they all become silent - nothing beats good ol' BlackBerry.

That's not to say that the BlackBerry never needs to be charged.  But when it's time to plug in, it would be nice to have a more convenient way to charge my BlackBerry - whenever that may be.  Sure you could choose a car charger or a charging pod, but what if you want to recharge without wires?

Read Full Review

My BlackBerry is like my 4th child. It has it's sweet moments when everything runs smoothly. It also has it's temper tantrums where nothing seems to go right and I find myself pulling it's battery for punishment (sometimes I leave it out for a few minutes extra just to show it who's really the boss). I don't make my kids sleep on a hard counter or night stand so why should my BlackBerry? This is why I use the BlackBerry Charging Pod for the Style 9670. While it may not be as fancy as the one pictured above, it gives my baby a safe place to sleep at night and is still close at hand. The pod also allows me to save the USB port from needless stress.

Read Full Review

Are you looking for a better way to charge your BlackBerry? The charging cable it comes with does the job, but it's not very exciting, and you have to keep up with that cable and manually plug in your device. I wanted something simple, and yet fun and cool at the same time. Is it even possible to have something be fun and cool when charging your BlackBerry? Absolutely! Continue reading and let me introduce you to the PowerMat Wireless Charging System.

Read Full Review

Want to win a BlackBerry Leather Holster for the Torch 9800 from CrackBerry.com? Keep reading for contest details.

When it comes to my BlackBerry, the addiction is so strong my friends think I’m Gollum from Lord of the Rings. However, they don’t know the whole truth as to why the device never leaves my grasp. I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret. I suffer from chronic klutziness. Yes it’s true, as much as I hate to admit it. When out with friends if something is spilled, dropped, or knocked over it’s usually me they laugh and point to first. To further embarrass myself, I’ve walked into fire hydrants, slipped on ice, tripped over my own two feet (those darn pockets of air), and had a nail go through the outer display of my first flip phone when I knocked into a stockroom door. While I may not look like Michelle Pfeiffer, think of me as the pre-Catwoman Selina Kyle. When manufacturers sit down to design cases, there must be a picture of me on the wall.

If you suffer from the same affliction, then you understand what I go through day after day. I live knowing I am my BlackBerry’s own worst enemy. Just take my 9700. The one day I didn’t use the holster, it flew out of my hands onto the concrete next to a pile of mud. So you can understand my utter frustration at the Torch not including one. What was I to do? The only answer is the BlackBerry Leather Holster. There’s no way around it, the BlackBerry leather holsters are reliable and fit perfectly by my side or in my pocketbook no matter where I go or what I do. The clips are strong, sturdy and don’t become flimsy over time which is exactly why I love them. Plus, none of my devices have ever suffered a fatal injury when dropped in the OEM holster. I’m a firm believer in showing, not telling, so check out the video above and pick one up today at the ShopCrackBerry.com.

Purchase a BlackBerry Leather Holster for the Torch 9800

We review it; you could win it!

Want to get one of these for free from ShopCrackBerry.com? Just leave a comment to this article letting us know how you would use this BlackBerry Leather Holster. Why would this product be right for you? Contest ends this Sunday at midnight PST. Please only leave a single comment.

Want to win a Jabra Cruiser 2 Car Kit Speakerphone from CrackBerry.com? Keep reading for contest details.

I have been using a Jabra SP700 for a few years now, and figured it was time to pick up a new one. When it comes to bluetooth I have always been a big fan of Jabra. Their products are always high quality, long lasting, and have never let me down. So while browsing ShopCrackBerry.com I came across the Jabra Cruiser 2, and immediately loved the look. Upon receiving the device, I was immediately impressed with the hardware. Very solid build quality, and dedicated buttons for send/end, mute, volume up/down, and the ever important (to me anyways) on/off switch.

Read Full Review

Keep reading for details on how to win a Mobi Products Charging Cradle for your device!

There’s always been a debate on how to keep your BlackBerry powered up. Some may go to the extreme and adorn every outlet they have in their house, car or office with chargers. In order to free themselves from such a short leash, others use a portable charger in period of low battery – they work, as long as you don’t forget to charge them as well – which you can’t always do at the same time as your BlackBerry.

Then there’s the simple approach that’s less bulky and has no wires – a spare battery. Sure it’s a pain to swap them out at times – especially if you have a skin or case. You may even run the risk of dropping your BlackBerry. But you have to admit that you can’t beat a small power source that fits into any pocket. Now here’s the problem - at the end of the day, when you have drained both of their juice, how are you going to charge them? Sure, you can stay up aaaaalll night, wait for one battery to charge, then swap them out – again risking a accidental drop in the night (cause you are so sweepy weepy).

Enter the Mobi Products Cradle with spare battery slot. This cradle is similar to the BlackBerry Power Station with respect to having a recharging rump perfect for that second battery of yours. This cradle can charge your BlackBerry when plugged into an outlet or from your computer’s USB port. Another slot on the back acts as a secondary charger to charge the battery at the back.

Read Full Review