* BlackBerry Curve 8300 ~ RIM’s Top Smartphone for 3rd Quarter!
Rock On 8300 Owners! The BlackBerry Curve 8300 Series smart phone is RIM’s top selling smart phone for the 3rd quarter! Now, this comes as no surprise to me, as I have been raving about the 8300 series for a while now, but I’m sure their were some that were absolutely floored & disappointed.
Holding 3 of the Top 5 positions, of “The Top Consumer Smart Phones”, are The BlackBerry Curve 8300 series, the BlackBerry Tour & the BlackBerry Storm. To give credit where credit is due.. Apple’s iPhone came in 2nd..( Nothing wrong with Silver, I guess…lol).
Granted, the slashed prices of smart phones have helped to fuel the increase in sales, but you can’t argue the fact that the BlackBerry 8300 series, is just a “Great Device” & that is what consumers are looking for! If you are looking to get the most “Bang for your buck”, then the 8300 series is going to give you just that! How do I know? I’ll tell ya, I use an 8330 & when you compare cost to features, you just can’t beat it. In my opinion, the only thing that it’s missing is Wi-Fi, but to be honest, I’m not a huge Wi-Fi fan… I’ve just never had the need for it, myself.
If you have been flirting with the idea of getting a BlackBerry, then the 8330 just might be what you want to start out with. It’s by no means a “Beginner’s Device”! You are gonna have to sit down with it & learn how to use it, if you are new to smart phones , or BlackBerry, to be more specific, but it’s worth the time. The 8330 is packed with features & It gets the job done…Any Job!
If you’d like a bit more info on which smart phone placed where, check out the article @ Bloomberg.com!
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* More BlackBerry Security Issues~Department of Homeland Security has Issued a Warning to BlackBerry Users!
Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that mobile security issues have been a “Hot Topic” recently. On Thursday, 10/29/09, BlackBerry security issues reached an entirely new level. The Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about the third party BlackBerry application called “PhoneSnoop”! ( Now, in my opinion, when the DHS steps in & takes notice, we have a problem.)
Once this app is installed on your BlackBerry, the speakerphone can be triggered remotely which will allow your stalker to listen to you and the people around you, all of your conversations. Now, they have to gain access to your BlackBerry to install the application, but once installed, they can hear EVERYTHING that you are doing & saying. If you think that there is a chance that someone could have installed PhoneSnoop onto your BlackBerry, it can be detected & removed. In some cases, the app will actually show an icon on the device. If you do not see an icon, you can still check to see if the app has been installed by accessing the “Applications” menu.
To do this, press the menu button, go to options, advanced options, then Applications. This will give you a list of all of the applications installed on your BlackBerry. If you find PhoneSnoop on your device, scroll down to PhoneSnoop, click the menu button, then you will get a list of options with Delete being one of them. Go ahead & delete the application & folllow the prompts.
The video below, gives you an idea of how it looks & works.
The moral of the story…. Don’t let your BlackBerry out of your site. This is not the first or only application of this type. There are applications, for instance, “FlexiSpy” that can do all of the things that PhoneSnoop can do, plus track your where abouts via GPS , access your messages, sms, text, call logs, email, and more.
* Mobile-Spy Launches BlackBerry Spy Software….. Hmmmm!
Mobile Spy, which is a company that makes “Smartphone Spy Software”, has launched “BlackBerry Mobile Spy”! Now, this is frightening on soooo many levels. There has been a fair bit of concern over spyware on any device, smartphone or cellular. In a perfect world, this type of software would be used by companies that want to monitor their employees activities, while using “company issued devices”. And to a certain extent, I’m sure that, that is how it will be used by some. We all know that there are people who would try to use this software in a malicious manner, which is why it is such a scary idea.
The following is the Mobile Spy product description of BlackBerry Mobile Spy:
“Mobile Spy is a hybrid software/service which allows you to silently monitor your BlackBerry device in real time.This unique system records the activities of anyone who uses your BlackBerry in complete stealth. You install the small program onto your device. It starts at every bootup phone but remains completely hidden.After the software is setup on your phone it will record SMS and call activities and then silently upload the data to your private Mobile Spy account using the Internet. The software also records GPS locations every 30 minutes when signal is available.When you want to view results, simply login to the secure Control Panel from any computer or phone web browser. Just enter your username and password to see the activity logs.”
Now, In theory, this is a great way for employers to monitor employees. What we should be afraid of is the fact that for every great idea, there is a sick psycho somewhere that will find a way to use this or any other Monitoring software for purposes that are not only illegal, but dangerous and/or harmful to others. And putting a disclaimer on your website is great, but, it is not going to stop someone from doing what they want to do.
One of the scariest things about this software is that it runs in “stealth mode”, which means there is no way for the user to detect the software on the device. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU GIVE ACCESS TO WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR MOBILE DEVICES! In the wrong hands, someone could monitor your calls, messages ( SMS , text, voicemail), and even your location via gps. We love our technology, but we have got to start taking a safety a bit more seriously when it comes to some of the advancements that we are making.
This is in No Way, any type of attack on Mobile Spy or their products, it’s just a reminder, that in todays world, with all of the wonderful & amazing advances we have made, that they sometimes come at a price… so we must be careful & more diligent when it comes to our safety.
* No More PocketMac Support from RIM!
Well, we were not exactly surprised by this one. With the recent launch of BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac, and all of its nifty features, I’m kinda shocked that there would be anyone that still wanted to use PocketMac.
“Please be advised that as of October 2, 2009 PocketMac is no longer supported by Research In Motion.
Please contact PocketMac at www.pocketmac.com if you require support for PocketMac for BlackBerry smartphones.
Please note that related references and troubleshooting steps have been removed fromwww.blackberry.com.”
* Will BlackBerry App World Adding Themes to their Arsenal????
There are some rumors floating around the web today, that BlackBerry App World may be adding Themes to their line up. As of yet, no one has been able to confirm or deny the possibility that themes will be added. There have been a couple of articles ( PocketBerry.com) , and an “anonymous source” (over at BBOS) , so we will just have to wait until November to find out! With all of the Theme Designer’s that are already well established in the BlackBerry Arena, It would stand to reason that it may not be such a hot idea, but we will have to wait & see just where the themes will be coming from. As we get more info, we will keep you posted.
* BOLT 1.5 Released Today!
I received an email from BOLT by: Bitstream, this morning, announcing the official launch of the lightening fast mobile browser!
BOLT 1.5 is said to be 15% faster than the Beta 3 release … Woo Hoo! They also state that most of the updates occur under the hood, but you are sure to notice the results. They claim that v1.5 release is most reliable & fastest browser that they have ever released. Other features include the ability to stream video of any length, a dedicated search bar, a download manager that downloads files directly from BOLT, improved navigation & text rendering, and a caching feature that enables browsing back to a previously without waiting to reload.
If you are already a BOLT user, you will automatically be prompted to upgrade the next time you launch BOLT. If you are new to BOLT, it is free to download from the link above, you can grab it right from your BlackBerry.
- Below is a copy of the email sent out by BOLT: by Bitstream.
“ Thanks to the contributions of over two million beta testers like you, we are proud to announce that we’re officially dropping the beta tag with today’s release of BOLT 1.5.
You will be automatically prompted to upgrade the next time you launch BOLT.
Many of the most significant upgrades occur “under the hood,” but you are sure to notice the results – v1.5 is the most reliable, fastest browser we have ever released – more than 15% faster than Beta3.
Other new features include the ability to stream videos of any length, a dedicated search bar, a download manager that downloads files directly from BOLT, improved navigation and text rendering, and a caching feature that enables browsing back to a previously visited page without waiting to reload.
This would have never happened so quickly without the feedback and vocal support of our beta testers. BOLT 1.5 is easy enough for anyone to use, so please pass this along to anyone you know who would enjoy a super-fast, feature-rich mobile browsing experience.
Finally, to stay up to date on all things BOLT, please be sure to follow us on Facebook andTwitter!
Thanks,
The BOLT Team at Bitstream “
* m:IQ ~ Best Buy Launches Free Sync Service!
There several options for those of us that like to Sync all of their info with our precious BlackBerry devices, some free & some paid. Well, Best Buy has launched their FREE Sync Service called, ” m:IQ “.
m:IQ, takes all of the info on your phone and automatically pushes it to a private account on the web. From that point on, what ever you do on your device will automatically update on the web, and what ever you do on the web, automatically update your device….( how cool is that?!>>)
So what’s the purpose?.. Let’s face it! Without our “Trusty BlackBerry’s”, most of us are Completely Lost! …lol. I know that I am. With m:IQ , all of your contacts, text messages, calendar events, call logs, videos, pictures, & voice mail messages, are backed up automatically, as they happen. They are safely backed up on your personal web account.
m:IQ also makes it a snap to share your info with all of your friends and family. It automatically uploads your photos, videos, & status updates to the web, so that you can share with family & friends without accessing all of those accounts… talk about a time saver.
So, be sure to check it out. I am going to give this service a shot…and I will be reporting on it here, so check back with us!
* RIM Announces BlackBerry YouTube Channel!
Now, this is some pretty exciting news! RIM has announced their very own YouTube Channel. The new BlackBerry Channel, has several “How To” videos, Java Dev videos, & some new device / accessory videos…( How Cool is This?!??) This move reinforces the fact that RIM is making great strides into the Social Media arena. be sure to head over there & check out the channel, they also have some pretty cool Tips & Tricks. We will have more on the BlackBerry YouTube Channel, as it becomes available. Way to go, RIM!
* Waiting on Carriers to Offer BlackBerry Browser Bug Fix.
“BEWARE” BlackBerry Users! There is a new BlackBerry Browser Bug that affects most of the BlackBerry Devices & cause vulnerability to BlackBerry users against phishing attacks. RIM, has released a statement that they have given the updated software to the carriers but the carriers have not released the updates. 
Luckily, there are a couple of things that you can do to keep your precious BlackBerry safe in the meantime. One thing that you are going to want to do (and should do on a regular basis anyway), is check with your carrier for current software updates. In most cases, you can do this right from your device, (even if you are not carrying a BlackBerry). In the “Options” section of your BlackBerry, there is a tab for wireless updates. Check this on a regular basis. This ensures that you are getting the most current patches, bug fixes, & security updates. You can also check your carriers website for the current updates as well.
The current bug is found in the most current versions of BlackBerry devices/software. The flaw relates to the BlackBerry software’s certificate-handling functionality. A hacker could potentially recreate a site normally visited by a BlackBerry user, like RIM’s BlackBerry.com, by purposely adding “null characters” to the site certificate’s Common Name (CN) field. The newly discovered flaw keeps the BlackBerry Browser from correctly identifying mismatched site certificates due to an inability to render null characters.
So, which versions are at risk & what should you be running on your BlackBerry? You can find all of that info right here! I plan to keep close tabs on this issue & I’ll update you as soon as I find more info on the Bug Fix release.
Software version to update to
-BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.5.0.x, BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.5.0.173 or later.
-BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.6.0.x , BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.6.0.303 or later.
-BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.6.1.x, BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.6.1.309 or later.
-BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.7.0.x, BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.7.0.179 or later.
-BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.7.1.x ,BlackBerry Device Software Version 4.7.1.57 or later.
* Rim’s Q2 Earnings Are Up & Looking Good!
RIM’s much anticipated 2nd Quarter Earnings have been posted & are looking pretty good!
With new devices on the horizon and the”spend all of your money” season rapidly approaching, this might just give RIM, the edge that they have been looking for. You can check out the original document HERE!
* Blackberry Carriers & What They Have to Offer.
The biggest decision we face when signing up for cellular service, is “Which Carrier Should I Use & What Do They Have to Offer?” Well, I’m gonna give you a breakdown of some of the top United States Carriers & what they have to offer. Maybe this will help you with your decision. Let’s start with Sprint.
Now Sprint is on the low end of available Blackberry devices, as far as all of the carriers go. Sprint offers the Curve 8330 ( colors: inferno orange, red, & titanium), the Blackberry Tour, the Pearl 8130 ( colors: amethyst & red), the Blackberry 8830, the Curve 8350i ( with & without camera).
Sprint offers the “Everything Plan” that includes all of your data usage, text messaging, web surfing, Blackberry Internet (BIS), Sprint TV ( which is Really Cool ), Music Premier, NFL Mobile, & Nascar Sprint Cup Mobile. You also get unlimited text, pics, & video, Nationwide Long distance & no roaming charges. Another feature that really helps keep your cost down, is that you can get unlimited Sprint to Sprint calls. My entire family is on this network, so it comes in handy, to say the least.
There are several plans to choose from, single line & family plans are available, as well. Sprint offers a plan that will work for almost anyone. They may not be the cheapest provider, but the plans do offer A Lot of services.
Coverage is a HUGE issue, when you are choosing a carrier. Sprint has a Coverage Tool, that is pretty cool. It allows you to type in a location, to see what type of coverage is available in your area.
Sprint’s Customer Service, I’ll be honest, in the beginning, I hated Sprint’s Customer Service department. Within the past couple of years, their customer service department has improved dramatically. Sprint knows that it has had some issues with that department. Just recently, Sprint outsourced their US wireless and broadband service to Ericsson, so that they could focus on their customer service department in an attempt to retain their current customers, as well as future customers. In my opinion, the move was a good one, as I can already see the difference.
Now, let’s move on to Verizon Wireless. Verizon does have a bit if an edge over Sprint when it comes to the amount of Blackberry devices that they carry. Verizon offers the Blackberry Tour 9630 ( with & without a camera), the Storm 9530, the Pearl Flip 8230, the 8830 World Phone Edition, the Curve 83xx ( colors: silver & pink ), and the Blackberry 8703e.
All of Verizon’s plans include: Nation wide long distance ( no roaming or long distance fees), Nights & weekends, starting at 9:01 PM to 5:59 AM weekdays, and 12:01 AM Saturday to 11:59 PM Sundays – ( weekends) . They also offer a “Friends & Family Mobile to Mobile” plan.
Now, when I went to Verizon to play with the Storm, I asked the sales rep there, about their plans. I was told that their “Friends & Family or Mobile Mobile plan” , allows you to choose the 10 top people that you want to be able to call for free. I was also told that you can change those 10 people every 24 hours. ( This is what I was told, I am not with Verizon, so I do not know for sure.)
One of the things that I did not like, is that Verizon charges you an extra $29.99 if you are going to use a BlackBerry. I was told that you have to pay that fee in order to use any of Blackberry’s services. ( You do not have this fee with Sprint. They were also unable to give a plan that would be comparable to the one that I have with Sprint for the same monthly amount , let alone a cheaper plan. ) Plans & Pricing, run about the same unless you are going to be using a BlackBerry device, ( then you have to tack on the extra $29.99, to access their services ). As with any plan, make sure you are reading all of the details, there are hidden charges with all carriers & if any of them tell you differently, it just isn’t true.
As for Verizon Wireless coverage, they also have a “Coverage Tool” , that you can use to check the coverage in your area. If you really want to know which carriers have the best coverage in your area, find someone that is using your carrier of interest & ask them. This is really the only true way to find out what kid of coverage you will have.
Verizon’s Customer Service, well, I have never had to deal with them, so I cannot give you an honest description, so Do Your Homework. I can tell you, that in the several occasions that I have wondered into Verizon ( to play with new devices ), the sales staff is always friendly, but then again, they are the sales staff. It wouldn’t do them much good to be rude.
The next and last carrier that we will be covering, is T Mobile. T Mobile offers family plans as well as pre-paid plans. With pre-paid plans, you don’t have to have a credit check or monthly bills. ( So, if you are in a credit crunch, this might just be the carrier for you but you will not be able to get this plan with the BlackBerry devices just yet.) I have heard rumors that the Curve 8520 may become available on a pre-paid plan, but nothing for sure yet.
T Mobile is no slacker, when it comes to the BlackBerry devices that they have available. They carry the BlackBerry Flip 8220 ( colors: black & pink), the Curve 83xx ( colors: sunset & titanium), the Pearl 8120 ( colors: titanium, black, frost, & indigo), the BlackBerry 8820 , the 8700g, the Curve 8900, & the Curve 8520 ( black & frost).
T Mobile also has a large variety of individual & family plans to choose from, however, this is another carrier that is going to charge you extra for choosing a BlackBerry device. It will cost you an additional $34.99 on top of your monthly plan to have unlimited BlackBerry messaging & web service. ( Again, you do not have this charge with Sprint.)
T Mobile also has a “Coverage Tool”, to help you check their coverage in your area. Their coverage tool is broken down into “Voice Coverage & Data Coverage”, so be sure to check both, if you are going to choose this carrier and use a BlackBerry Device.
I have had no experience at all with T Mobile’s customer service department , so I am unable to comment on that.
* The bottom line, when it comes to choosing your carrier, there are a few actually.
- Check their coverage area. ( try to find someone in your area with that service & ask them some questions. ( ie: coverage, customer service ).
- Be sure that if you are getting a BlackBerry device, that there are no hidden or extra charges that you are unaware of.If you don’t , you may have a big surprise when your bill arrives.
- Most carriers require a 2 year contract. ( they also give deep discounts on your device with that 2 year contract. In most cases, $200.00 – $400.00).
- Do your homework! Don’t get locked into a 2 year contract with a carrier that you are not going to be happy with unless you want to pay the ridiculous “Early Termination Fee” ( with Sprint it’s over $200.00 ).
* Verizon Wireless Offering Buy One Get One Offer … Woo Hoo !
Verizon Wireless is Running the “Double Your Blackberry Offer” ! Buy one Blackberry, like the New Tour & get another Blackberry FREE! In this economy, 2 for one is AWESOME! If you have been drooling over the New Blackberry Tour ( or any other BB device), Now you can grab 2 for the price of one.
I am with Sprint, so not such great news for me, but I grabbed my Curve for only $49.99 , so I’m not complaining.
* Nokia & Microsoft are Taking on RIM ? !
Nokia and Microsoft have announced their partnership & their plan to take on RIM head to head in enterprise software, stating that ” they are going to give RIM a run for their money”!
The partnership will make Microsoft Office readily available on the popular Nokia devices.
“Stephen Elop, president of the Microsoft division that includes Office, said business customers were first focused on mobile e-mail. But the next competitive terrain in the business market will be productivity and collaboration software and services on smartphones. And, Mr. Elop said, “This isn’t a browser discussion at all. This is about rich Office experiences that truly bring these devices to life.”
In reply to a question, Kai Oistamo, executive vice president at Nokia, pointedly mentioned Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry devices and software, as the rival most likely to feel increased competition as a result of a Microsoft-Nokia alliance”
Well, any competition that this partnership may pose to RIM, will not be in the immediate future. The first Microsoft Office product to be on Nokia Smartphones, will be its Mobile Communicator, which allows business colleagues to communicate via instant message ( Hmmm, sounds alot like Blackberry Messenger….). The Mobile Communicator is set for release on the Nokia E Series phones that are targeted @ business customers, sometime next year. So, what do you think? Can Nokia & Microsoft take on Blackberry / RIM ? ( See what The NYT’s has to say.)
* Don’t have a Blackberry Device yet? Well, get The New 8520 Curve , for next to nothing!
* T-Mobile & Crackberry.com, offering the new 8520 for next to nothing. Just click the link, & enter your zip code to get the price for your area. The 8520 Curve as been dubbed “A Beginners Device or Entry Level Blackberry”, so this might just be the one for you.
