Sometimes, competition can be a good thing. The soon to be released iPhone has been mainly criticized for its lack of 3G network support. Based on this article by Gizmodo, BlackBerry users on the AT&T / Cingular GSM network will soon benefit from a throughput boost in the US. An operation “Fine Edge” has been taking place at AT&T in advance of the iPhone launch on June 29th....
Recharging your BlackBerry or laptop when traveling internationally can sometimes be a challenge. Not many countries share the same plugs we have here in the states. Just within Europe, they are very different. The following page gives you an idea what to expect. Yes, that’s right, 12 different plugs from Australia to Zimbabwe. Plug adapter with USB port The Mobi Products...
Have you already forgotten your New Year’s Resolutions? Like many people, you are probably thinking about how you can better control your weight this year. This is not an easy task… You goal might be to lose some weight, maybe gain a few pounds or simply keep everything under control. Unfortunately in a couple of months most of the promises will be gone for many of us. The truth is that...
Most of the people I know only use one or two passwords, and they use them everywhere. Sounds familiar? Yep, not too secure… Nowadays, there is a ton of information you need to keep safe. Let’s start with account numbers, credit cards, PINs, usernames, passwords to important web sites. What about all the non-digital information? Secret code for your home security system, emergency...
I’ve been using google maps on my PC for a while now. Checking out satellite images of your neighborhood and house is way cool, and getting directions using the google interface is more intuitive than some of the other internet mapping sites. Until recently, I would just print out those directions and take them with me. But now I’ve discovered Google Maps for the BlackBerry. I...
Losing all the data on my BlackBerry would not be as bad as having my hard drive die on my laptop but I would hate to input all the information again. And since this is an easy process, we have no excuses not to backup our BlackBerries on a regular basis. And it takes less than a minute: 1. Start the RIM application “Desktop Manager”. If this is not installed on your PC, find the CD...
Something embarrassing happened to me this week. I was asked to review Backgammon King by Magmic and I have to admit it here, I never played the game of Backgammon before. Sure I’ve heard about it just like everyone I guess but I had no clue how to play. For the Backgammon pros here impatient to find out if this BlackBerry version is any good, bear with me for a few lines while I...
Ring2 Conference Controller for BlackBerry After pounding the conference floor at the Wireless Enterprise Symposium and hiding out in the demo theatres reviewing the myriad solutions on display at this year’s impressive show, we just had to consider the cunningly simple Ring2 Conference Controller to be one of the Best Ideas of WES 2007. The application allows call leaders to take...
The BlackBerry comes with a great battery. The BlackBerry 1000mAh Battery (C-S2) used in many BlackBerry devices is reliable. On my 8700c, it usually keeps me going for 4 to 5 days. We previously discussed how you can maximize your battery life. C-S2 Battery for 7100 and 8700 When it comes to battery replacement, you have a lot of choices. If size is important to you, you...
The Seidio Rubberized Case is a very slim hard skin case to protect your BlackBerry Pearl. It’s lightweight and only 1mm thick, and yet it feels solid. The case is similar to the Seidio case we reviewed last week in that both cases are lightweight and thin. But unlike the flexible skin case, this rubberized case is a hard shell. Rubberized Case in Packaging The case is in two...
Vaja is one of the first companies to come out with a case for the BlackBerry 8800. Vaja, based out of Argentina, is known as one of the top leather case manufacturers in the world and has been manufacturing hand-made leather cases for phones and PDAs for years now. When you order a Vaja case, it is a custom order. You chose the leather color, you chose the clip system, even the type...
The Seido Silicon Skin case for the 8100 offers great protection for your Pearl without adding a lot of extra weight or bulk. The Pearl’s small size and light weight are part of what makes it such a unique device, so a case designed to protect it shouldn’t detract from those features. The Seidio Silicon Skin matches up perfectly with the Pearl’s sleek elegance. Empty Silicon Skin...
Today RIM officially announced the new BlackBerry Curve (aka the BlackBerry 8300). The Curve is the smallest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone, featuring a 2 megapixel camera, enhanced media player and high-performance browser (not quite sure what “high-performance browser” means, but it sounds cool). The microSD expansion slot supports 2GB cards today, and will support...
BlackBerry Tattoos It’s 4:00. You’ve been in a meeting room since lunch, drinking overbaked coffee from a chipped mug and trying to stay awake while Bob from accounting prattles on about the new expense report procedures. You look out the window and see the sun shining and feel the pull of the open road. Astride your Harley with the wind whipping through your hair you feel the...
Back in March, we reviewed the TeleNav GPS Navigator for BlackBerry. We were extremely impressed how the software/service can transform a BlackBerry into a full GPS navigation system. TeleNav GPS Navigator v. 5.1 TeleNav recently announced an updated version of their system, TeleNav GPS Navigator v. 5.1 which now includes TeleNav Traffic, a new module alerting drivers of traffic...
Columbia Pictures is offering a free game playable on BlackBerry as part of the promotion for “RV,” the latest Robin Williams movie coming on April 28. Apparently Williams’ character, Bob Munro, obsesses about staying connected to work even while he has persuaded his family to give up their Hawaiian vacation in favor of motoring cross-country in a big honkin’ RV. And of course, the...
I’ve been using google maps on my PC for a while now. Checking out satellite images of your neighborhood and house is way cool, and getting directions using the google interface is more intuitive than some of the other internet mapping sites. Until recently, I would just print out those directions and take them with me. But now I’ve discovered Google Maps for the BlackBerry. I...
This week the Bluetooth SIG unveiled the specifications for Bluetooth version 2.1. With improved pairing and lower power consumption, it will continue to make our lives with our BlackBerry devices easier. This protocol has seen an incredible success in the industry and Bluetooth technology is shipping today at a rate of over 13 million devices per week. Bluetooth 2.1 is only at the...
We recently reviewed Google Maps, a free software from Google you can install on your BlackBerry. An updated version of this great application is now available, featuring real-time traffic information in over 30 major US metropolitan areas. The technology used for the traffic feature comes from ZipDash, a startup Google acquired in 2005. The traffic/speed database is built from multiple...
If you work in a large corporation, chances are you probably spend a lot of your time reading emails on your BlackBerry and in conference calls using speaker phones like this very nice one from Polycom. Now, I’d much rather sit in on a conference call than fly across the country to attend a meeting in person any day. But you have to admit, conference calling can also be a pain. First,...