Contest: Win a Redfly Mobile Companion for BlackBerry! Details Below..

If you're on the go and find yourself stuck in airports, on planes or in hotel rooms you know how valuable your BlackBerry can be to get work done. Be it emailing, finishing up a presentation or various other tasks, we like to use every spare minute to get things done. Sometimes the keyboard and small screen can bring your productivity down, and lets face it, not everyone has a laptop or netbook to cart around. Wifi isn't always available, and sometimes tethering isn't an option. All these added together can make for some crappy traveling and even less productivity. Enter Redfly from Celio Corp. Redfly carries the tagline "Use Your Smartphone Like A Laptop" and you can do just that. The unit itself is smaller than a netbook which makes for extreme portability, and you just plug in your device (or jump on via Bluetooth) and you're up and running. You're BlackBerry screen is instantly transported to the Redfly's 7 or 8 inch screen and you have a full QWERTY keyboard at your disposal. Now you can use the power of your BlackBerry as a laptop. Email, BlackBerry Messenger, MemoPad, Calendar and more are all at your disposal. Lets start from the beginning and take a look at the Redfly unit and all of its functions.

Schlage LiNK was introduced to us earlier this year at CES in Las Vegas . I have been using their first generation keypad for quite some time now, so naturally I was intrigued when I saw Schlage had a new hardware solution available that had features for use with my beloved BlackBerry.

Simply put, Schlage LiNK is the answer to every busy family's needs. The longer version of the story is that it's a secure, web-based system that allows you to monitor and control your Z-Wave enabled door locks, lights, Trane Remote Energy Management Thermostat, and even your Schlage camera from your Schlage LiNK web and mobile interface.

Schlage has been in the security business for over 85 years, and is the standard issue lock on many homes today. They have now taken security one step further and added technology to the mix, and created a home automation solution for the average consumer.

The official name of the Research In Motion (RIM) syncing and charging cradle for the Storm is the BlackBerry Sync Pod, though the accessory does much more than merely sync data between a smartphone and a PC. The BlackBerry Sync Pod also charges your Storm and acts as a cradle for better screen positioning while watching video clips or listening to music. And it automatically puts your device in speaker-phone-mode if calls come in while in use so there’s no need to remove the Storm from the Sync Pod to answer.

For the most part, the Storm Sync Pod delivers on RIM’s promise to provide a stylish and effective new way to transfer data, music, photos, and videos back and forth between your Storm and a PC.  But the lack of such features as an LED or other indicator to signal when syncing and/or charging are complete hinder its overall performance.

The BlackBerry Sync Pod is a worthy addition to any Storm owner’s accessory arsenal, but it’s far from perfect. Hit the jump for my reasons why.

The BlackBerry Bold 9000 , Research In Motion (RIM)'s high-end, 3G smartphone is a stunning and impressive device on many levels. Unfortunately, battery life is not one of its strong points-I consider myself lucky if the Bold makes it through a full day without a charge.

In the past, BlackBerry devices were lauded for their outstanding battery life, and anyone making the switch from an older device, such as an 8700 or an original Pearl 8100, to the new Bold is sure to notice a drastic change. That decreased battery life is due largely to the Bold's 3G support (GSM/UMTS/HSDPA), Wi-Fi and power-hungry 624-MHz processor. But thanks to accessory maker Seidio and its line of batteries for the BlackBerry Bold, the ability to go 24 hours or more on a single charge is easily within your reach.

Seidio currently offers two batteries for the Bold 9000: the Innocell 1650mAh Extended Battery, which is almost the exact size and shape as the battery that ships with the Bold, but with slightly more power storage capacity; and the Seidio 3500mAh Extended Battery with door, which provides more than double the battery life of the standard Bold battery RIM, according to Seidio, but also requires a separate battery cover.

I wanted the most Bold-battery-bang for my buck, so I reviewed the 3500mAh battery pack. (For more on the smaller, 1650mAh Seidio battery for Bold, read "In Stock: 1650mAh OEM Size Extended Battery for the Bold") And though it certainly delivers on its promise to double the battery life of my BlackBerry Bold, the extended power comes at a hefty price-and I don't just mean the $59.99 you'll need to scrounge up to purchase it. Read on for my explanation.

What is Unify4Life?

For those of you that have not heard of Unify4Life, in short, it is a company that is transforming your BlackBerry into a universal remote control for your AV equipments, garage doors, lights. Anything you need a remote control for Unify4Life wants to be there to help you control it from your BlackBerry. Unify4Life’s immediate offering is an AV Hub that talks to your BlackBerry via Bluetooth and talks to your AV equipments via IR (infrared).

There are countless reasons why BlackBerry users might desire some extra privacy. A businessman checking his e-mail during a flight could want to shield his device from the prying eyes of the curious teenagers seated around him; or on the flip side, one of those same teenagers might not fancy the guy in the suit with the 8830 watching as he attempts to make BrickBreaker history.  Average Joe BlackBerry, who's peeping the latest Kim Kardashian celebrity BlackBerry sightings at work, just might like to keep that to himself.

Whatever the motivation, Case Mate's Privacy Screen Pro, which sells for $14.95 at ShopCrackBerry.com, promises to help ensure that whatever you may be doing with your BlackBerry remains your own business.  According to Case Mate, the screen provides enhanced device security by blocking display visibility from any angle that's more than 45 degrees, horizontally or vertically, from the center of your display. This holds true based on my experiences with the product.  On the whole, the privacy screen does exactly what it's supposed to and more.

Not too long ago, I posted my review of Seidio’s Rubberized Hard Case.  I just like the way this case felt in my hand and it didn’t have the bulk of some other cases out there.  Sometimes, though, I don’t want a case at all – I like the feel of my Curve just that way it is.

The problem with that, of course, is that it is prone to scratches – especially on the back side of the device.  So, what’s a guy to do? Well, Seidio has another answer for those situations – a rubberized back door – giving the user the feel of the nice sturdy rubberized finish – but not adding any extra bulk to the device.

As our BlackBerrys get more functionality we can do just about anything with them. As the bar is raised and raised we begin to demand more, not just from the BlackBerry, but from the accessories we purchase for it.

Since many of us now use our BlackBerry to listen to our music library as well as watch videos, we are looking for a good combination headset/microphone to enhance the experience. While there are certainly some Bluetooth options out there (check out our reviews) the reality is that the combination of very large size and limited battery life makes Bluetooth stereo headsets still a work in progress.

Nothing (at least not yet) beats a good set of “wired” headphones with a built in mic. Enter the Maximo iP-HS2 iMetal Isolation Headset – New to the Crackberry Store.

The Maximo HS2 offers a nice solution for quality listening of music and videos with the practicality of having a microphone built in when you need to interrupt your relaxation time with a phone call. The combination of features, price and style might just make this a “winning” combination for us all.

Bye-Bye BlackBerry Thumb

Since you're reading this review on CrackBerry.com, you're very likely familiar with the condition commonly referred to as "BlackBerry Thumb." For this reason, I won't get into too much detail, but BlackBerry Thumb comes about after excessive use of the tiny keyboard found on a wide variety of RIM devices and other smartphones. As a rule of "thumb," the more frequently you respond to e-mail or send messages using that tiny keyboard, the more prone to the condition you are.

What's the best way to avoid BlackBerry thumb, you ask? Well, reducing the amount of typing you're doing is probably your best bet. If that's not an option, or at least one you're willing to consider, increasing the size of your keyboard is sure to help.  Constant use of any keyboard can potentially lead to hand and wrist pain, possibly even to carpal tunnel syndrome over time, but if you need to type frequently, you're much better off with a larger keyboard.

In comes the Freedom Universal Keyboard from Freedom Input Ltd, which is available in the  ShopCrackBerry.com for $99.95.  The keyboard connects to your BlackBerry via Bluetooth and makes for a great way to handle inbox maintenance and rapid messaging.  It's about the size of an average laptop keyboard and is a great alternative to the small keyboard found on your device.

Now that Bluetooth is becoming common place and Bluetooth accessories are just “working” the way they are supposed to, companies are starting to really explore the possibilities.  As RIM tries to establish itself in the consumer marketplace, it needs to keep pace.

It makes perfect sense then, for RIM to release a small, reliable accessory for using the BlackBerry to stream audio via Bluetooth. With the exception of the original BlackBerry Pearl 8100 and 8800, every BlackBerry equipped with a slot for an external media card is enabled with the A2DP technology required to work with the BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway (and OS updates coming to the 8100 and 8800 will soon bring A2DP to these devices as well).

The idea, in a nutshell, is that music stored on the BlackBerry can now be sent to any audio system with a line-in jack. Does it work? Is it a “must have” accessory?  Read on for my thoughts.

With ever-increasing support for bigger microSDHC cards, a decent native media player and slick 3rd party music player options like FlipSide available, for more and more users the BlackBerry is becoming their one and only device for listening to music. 

Use the Sun to Charge Your BlackBerry!

It seems apt that I am writing this with Earth Day coming up on April 22nd. Green is all the rage these days and while even Al Gore uses a BlackBerry there is no getting away from the fact that they do run on electricity. So, while it might be the size of a squirrel’s paw, the little device does leave a carbon footprint.

Thankfully, there is a solution for those who want to have as little impact on the environment as possible – the Solio Hybrid 1000, a portable solar panel recharger.

They don’t want music, they don’t know how to use it.
All they want is a boom boom boom boom….

If more boom is what you’re looking for, V-Moda brings a bountiful barrage of bassy boom-osity with their Bass Freq In-Ear Headset. There’s a great lineup of Bluetooth Stereo headsets out there. Though they are compelling, one should not forget the countless options that lie before us. Personally, I prefer the small discreet headphones over most other headsets. Call me crazy, but in this wireless world, it’s good to have at least a few wires to keep you grounded. Enjoy more boom boom while benefiting from noise cancellation, and amazingly comfortable silicone buds.

Simple Cradle Helps with Desktop Clutter

Looking to de-clutter your desk? If you are like me, you have cables running all over the place and recharging your BlackBerry can often involve hunting down an outlet and your recharging cable. I have tried the BlackBerry multifunction desktop recharging platform that also had ports for earphones and found it very handy. The Seidio Desktop Recharging Cradle is a stylish, albeit simpler, desktop solution to desktop clutter and an easy-to-use accessory for both Pearl and Curve versions of the BlackBerry.

Make Your Curve Last All Day and Night and Day and Night and... 

Let’s start this with a simple question… Are there any CrackBerry addicts out there??? I thought there might be a few. If any of you are like me, you are constantly on your CrackBerry; checking email, using BlackBerry Messenger, playing Brickbreaker… well you get the point. We just can’t put the thing down, and all that use causes our battery to wear down fast.

Sure, you can carry around your travel charger, or plug it in while in your car, but to me, that’s just a hassle. I want a better solution. I want more power! I need an extended battery.

I have had great success in the past with Seidio products, so I knew right away that I wanted to demo out the extended batteries they had to offer. There are two different batteries offered by Seidio in the CrackBerry Store; the first is the Seidio 1500mAh OEM-Size Extended Battery for $44.95, and the second is the Seidio 2600mAh Extended Battery for $49.95.

The 1500mAh battery is OEM sized, and will not change the appearance of your blackberry, while the 2600mAh battery is larger, and does add about 4-5mm to the back of your device, and comes with a new battery cover to accommodate that size difference. Let me go into more detail on each.