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This list was last updated July 3, 2009. If you want to suggest an app for this list, please leave a comment.
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Let’s face it. The one advantage to having an iPhone are the plethora of apps available. With the ‘newness’ of the BlackBerry Bold
viigo. This aggregator features a wide variety of content from a collection of news sources (national, local, entertainment, sports), stock tracking and finance news, as well as an RSS reader to keep track of your favorite blogs through over 5,000 channels. Viigo also allows you to customize your feeds including the capability to listen or watch podcasts. You can even track packages from four of the major parcel services. Social networking is limited to Facebook, Twitter & Plaxo. Most recently, Viigo has added emergency services to its lineup including breaking news, earthquake and storm watch monitoring, and FEMA and homeland security bulletins.
As I originally thought, this app grew on me. It’s ‘all-in-one’ personality was just too awesome!
From a business model perspective (I apologize…a little off topic), Viigo has smartly and tastefully included ads in its delivery of content (each contant provider has the opportunity to opt in or out of showing ads in their feed). The ads are not overpowering nor are they intrusive, which is hard to do considering the amount of screen real estate on a mobile device. Obviously used to help subsidize the ‘free’ness of the service. Kudos, Viigo!
To download this app, visit http://www.viigo.com/download via your BlackBerry or from your PC.
UberTwitter. If you’re a raging Twitterholic like I am, you need to download UberTwitter now. With this app you can view others’ timelines, single out @ replies, reply and reply all to friends, and view and send direct messages. There is a handy ReTweet function and hashtags are clickable within UberTwitter. It also allows you to search Twitter as well as view a ‘trending topics’ list.
You can also take a picture in Uberwitter and add it to your tweet. Regardless, I still chose to use TwitPic. Add to that some geolocation capabilities and you’ve got a pretty complete Twitter app.
TellMe. TellMe is a voice recognition app that provides GPS directions, traffic information (where available), maps, businesses, movie times courtesy of Fandango, as well as weather information. By using keywords such as “coffee” or “movies” or “sports”, TellMe gets you the information you’re looking for. TellMe is a Microsoft subsidiary and therefore uses LiveSearch for a majority of its results. This app is available for the BlackBerry Bold. You can download this app by going to m.tellme.com on your BlackBerry.
Facebook. Facebook is not only the world’s largest social network, but it continues to grow. I’ve reconnected with many of my old friends and keep up with business contacts at the same time. There are other apps out there that allow you to access your Facebook account, but I prefer to stick with the actual service. Each update of this app has featured something more useful and a more user-friendly interface…moreso than Facebook.com itself.
If you have Facebook, download this app through Facebook or visit the Facebook For BlackBerry website.
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E*TRADE Mobile Pro. You’ve seen the talking baby commercials. This kid knows what he’s talking about. For you stock market buffs, this is ‘the one’. The layout is clean, and from a functionality standpoint, it is capable. And best of all, you can use it without opening an E*TRADE account. However, you won’t be able to realize all of its benefits, such as saving your favorite tickers, without doing so. You might be able to gain full functionality by opening a Complete Savings account, which currently has a minimum requirement of $1. You probably want to contact E*TRADE to be sure. For now, I just use it for quotes and market updates…and because it’s pretty.
To download it, go to etrade.com/mobile from your BlackBerry.
APP-SOLUTELY! Like most app providers will include in a disclaimer, these apps are ‘free’ to the point of downloading them at no charge for a service that does not have a service cost (monthly or otherwise). It is important to be sure that you’re plan includes unlimited data. If you do not have an unlimited data plan, your wireless service provider may charge data usage fees for downloading and using the application. If you do not know if you have a data plan, or are uncertain what your data rates are, please contact your wireless provider.
The following apps were once at the top of the list, but have been muscled off the updated list by the new hotness. Regardless, they’re still worth a mention:
ASSOCIATED PRESS. Through an extensive network of content contributors, the Mobile News Network application offers access to local and national news “supplemented by AP’s text, photos and video”. With ‘The Network‘ you can search, share, rate content, and receive text alerts set to your preferences. To download this app, visit bb.apnews.com from your BlackBerry.
VLINGO. Voice control capability for your mobile device is huge. If you’re like me, you want to practice true hands-free driving. Eyes on the road! Vlingo is arguably the best tool for this job. Vlingo’s voice recognition abilities reach beyond dictation of texts and emails. It also allows virtual hands-free web searches, updating Facebook & Twitter status, and it allows you to access your calendar among other apps. To download it, visit Vlingo.com.
Popularity: 52% [?]
In true Derrich fashion…the preface
My BlackBerry Bold includes the phone numbers of just about everyone I call or text and vice versa regardless of how often that may be. So when I get a call from a phone number not programmed to a name in my little black Bold, it generally gets the “ignore” accompanied with an evil cackle.
Well, earlier this week that happened. Not only was it unnamed, it was from a different area code (cue the mystery segue music). It was followed by a voicemail.
“[Anonymous]. Ben Cherington with the Red Sox. Thanks for your message…”
Did I just hear that right? And who’s Ben Cherington? Well he’s the Vice President of Player Personnel with the Boston Red Sox. THE Boston Red Sox. The Curt Schilling bloody Red Sox (well, one sock). The AL MVP Dustin Pedroia Red Sox. I could continue to digress…
Anyway he proceeded to leave his mobile number. Now the debate was whether or not to call the guy and tell him he got the wrong number. A little common courtesy. After rehearsing about 10 times what exactly I would say, I decided to call. Voicemail…something like this.
“Hey, Ben. Just wanted you to know you called my phone on accident in case you need to get a hold of [anonymous]. Well, that and it’s not everyday you get a call from the VP of Player Personnel. Thanks.”
I know. Kinda weak. Despite my guarantee to Ben not to share his number with anyone, I’m sure he will (if he hasn’t already) change his number. Understandable. I mean I doubt it would bring the same attention as, say, if Paris Hilton’s phonebook got loose. Just gotta respect the guy’s privacy.
So that’s it. No happy ending like he hooked me up with some tickets…or he’s sending my son a signed ball by Dusty P…nor was it a prank in Kyle Kendrick fashion saying I was being considered by the Sox to hurl some balls down the 60’6″.
It might happen in Snoop Dogg’s world, but this stuff doesn’t happen everyday in mine. I doubt Ben Cherington will ever read this, but in case he does — hope you got in touch with [anonymous]. Best of luck next season.
Popularity: 8% [?]
Phone geeks beware — you’ll hate my review if you even call it that. This is meant for those of us who don’t spend all day on HowardForums or BGR…both of which I enjoy visiting. On to the comparo…
It’s been awhile since two mobile phones have simultaneously captured my attention like the BlackBerry Bold and the Nokia E71. Like two prized heavyweight fighters…or MMA fighters depending on your disposition, these two devices come to the table with a number of strengths.
It’s hard to compare two evenly matched phones. Both don the QWERTY. Both wear the proverbial camera. Speed comes 3G. Both boast improved stamina with impressive battery life. And both operating systems still show great agility, but can definitely use a refresher.
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Round 1: LOOKS. As the title might suggest, the E71 wins this round handily. The Bold is no sloutch. For the sake of comparison, imagine Jennifer Aniston (Bold) and Jessica Biel (E71). Both are women are beautiful, but one of them is likely to piss off your wife or girlfriend more than the other. When comparing pictures of the two [phones] online, I was misled in both instances.
The Nokia looked larger than it actually is, and the Bold smaller. The E71 is sleek with it’s stainless steel finish and neatly placed buttons. And it’s as heavy as it looks adding a sense of quality. The Bold is lighter than past QWERTY BlackBerrys, and is finished off nicely with a chrome bezel and a leather battery cover. The screens are virtually the same size…the Bold a tad wider by virtue of its physique.
Round 2: PHYSIQUE. Typing is pretty easy on both; but if you’re used to the somewhat staggered QWERTY on the BlackBerry, you might find the perfect grid created by the E71′s keyboard frustrating at first. But it’s definitely something you’ll get used to. The Bold is thick. You would think it is more substantial than the Nokia. But you’d be wrong. The E71 is heavy…in an impressive manner: one that suggests great quality. It’s definitely in line with my previous Nokias. I’m ending my nearly two-year relationship with a BlackBerry Pearl (don’t drop this phone), so the Bold and the E71 are much more impressive to me. Go ahead and toss these around.
Round 3: STAMINA. With all of the apps and functions (WiFi, 3G, antenna) on both phones, comparing battery life was nearly impossible to measure accurately (or I’m too lazy to do a proper comparison). BlackBerrys in my experience have always had remarkable battery life. Unfortunately all I remember about my Nokia N70 is how often I had it plugged into the wall. Not so with the E71. It takes alot to knock the E71 down. That said, the Bold battery was right on. The winner of this round is decided with a coin flip.
Round 4: COMMUNICATION. More specifically email. The BlackBerry needs no introduction. So far, my only issue with email on the Bold (using my Hotmail account) is that email reconciliation doesn’t work from both sides. While a deleted email on the Bold removes it from the device and my Inbox, a deleted email from the Inbox does not remove it from the device. A minor (and temporary) glitch, I’m sure. Meanwhile, the E71 was simply frustrating. Most freeemail geeks blame my issue on Hotmail. The only way I could get this email to my phone is to use a push service like Izymail to get my Hotmail on my Gmail, which is ridiculous. Even the latest Nokia Email service won’t spar with Hotmail. Booooo! This one goes to the BlackBerry.
Round 5: PAYOUTS. It’ll cost about the same for either. I bought the E71 unlocked through Dell for $349…and I picked up the Bold from Best Buy with a new 2-year commitment to AT&T for $350.
A proper conclusion to a comparison would be to declare a winner…but I digress. I’m hooked on BlackBerrys. Let’s get that proclamation out of the way. I love having instant access to my email. That’s the most important feature to me, which may be different for you. The E71 is handsome and will cause plenty of double takes, and it is very capable. And while there are many features I may have missed (GPS, radio, music, photo quality), those features I did discuss were at the top of my list. Ok. Fine. I’ll do it. My winner by decision is the BlackBerry Bold…by a tight margin.
Hey, Nokia. Get a better email service…and you win this one.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Just when you thought you’ve heard of the most unusually tabbed injuries…enter “BlackBerry Thumb”. The days of injuries named for or resulting from…uh, how can I put this…hard work…are a thing of the past. And if you’ve been under a rock for the past decade, you probably haven’t heard of workplace, or lifestyle, injuries…or you have “Under a Rock Neck” (ok, that was bad). Among the many such maladies…”Turf Toe”, “Tennis Elbow”, “Hot Tub Lung“…BlackBerry Thumb is the newest and latest.
According to an article I read last night on MSNBC.com, the Hyatt hotel chain is offering a “BlackBerry Balm” hand massage as a result of numerous customers requesting that “masseurs to spend more time on their hands and arms”. And this is by no means simply a marketing ploy. Apparently BlackBerry Thumb was recognized by the Amercian Physical Therapy Association earlier this year. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to text my masseur about booking a BlackBerry Balm Massage for this afternoon. You folks be careful out there.
Popularity: 2% [?]
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