Music streamers and UK dwellers rejoice. If you’re a BlackBerry user who has been scowling in envy at your fellow iPhone toting friends with their fancy pants Spotify iPhone app, take comfort in knowing that your own version is coming soon. Very soon. Early 2010 to be exact if mocoNews is correct. While the Spotify app for iPhone is an awesome app, not everyone wants an iPhone. Let’s also not forget that the BlackBerry version, as well as every other version of Spotify will stream in the background meaning you can *gasp* do other thinks while streaming music. Novel concept I know.
The rumored 2010 release date for a UK BlackBerry Spotify app would coincide rather nicely with a U.S. launch of the service also scheduled for early next year. Such a dual launch on both sides of the pond would make early 2010 a second Christmas if you will. If Christmas isn’t a holiday you celebrate, copy and paste your own in there. It’s all the same. Regardless, BlackBerry users getting access to more media rich apps can only help the brand shrug off that stale corporate image that is so far clinging to the Canadian devices for dear life. Excited?
TechDigest > MocoNews
If you actually use the internet on a BlackBerry for anything worthwhile, you already know how terrible and downright useless the standard browser is. Thankfully there are options. Today’s focus will be Bolt. A new browser relative to other players’ time on the market such as Opera mini doesn’t mean that Bolt is eons behind. Far from it actually. Even the first 1.0 build was awesome. With 1.5 that awesomeness only gets better. The list of updates is rather impressive and just goes to show how dedicated the Bolt team really is.
The New Features:
- Cache Support to speed users’ ability to move quickly back and forth between the currently and previously viewed Web pages through the use of backward and forward navigation.
- Download Manager for easy download of files directly from BOLT and the ability to save them to specific folders on the mobile phone (requires JSR75 support on the device).
- Support for Streaming Videos of Any Length that overcomes limitations on some phones’ ability to stream videos of longer lengths. The new approach ensures video clips will play on all devices, for any length video.
- Video Wizard to assist users in configuring their device for optimal video playback.
- Dedicated Search Bar on home page, for easier and faster online searches.
- Improved Ability to Manage RSS Feeds by allowing users to arrange and file feeds just as they do with their favorites and bookmarks.
- Enhancements for Touch Screen Devices such as simple volume controls for the BOLT media player which now offers volume controls on the screen.
- Enhancements for BOLT Servers in the cloud, which increase the already fast BOLT mobile browser by an additional 10 to 20 percent.
I’m sure you’re tired of reading by now and just want to try it out for yourself. As you wish…
CrackBerry
- September 22, 2009 5:18 am
Have a thing for skateboarding dogs, fart lighting frat boys, and zany cats? YouTube has long been your go to haven for such videos. BlackBerry Storm owners on Verizon’s network while able to manually download the YouTube app for sometime will now be greeted by a new YouTube icon on their desktop giving them a friendly reminder. The first time you click on the link you’ll notice that it is merely a shortcut to download the actual app. After which the “icon” will launch an actual app. If you could care less about mobile video or you don’t like YouTube for some weird reason, contentment is just one hidden icon away. For the rest of you, how do you like it? Is there anything the parties involved could do to make the app better?
CrackBerry
- September 17, 2009 7:47 pm
Even though mobile devices are capacious enough to store many days worth of music, there are times when we just get bored with the music we have with us. With an old, outdated media player, you might have the choice of using the FM radio however, unless you’re in a big city, radio stations rarely play anything except the hit singles which also tires pretty quickly. Smartphone users and select feature phone users have within the last few years been able to take advantage of web enabled devices to stream music to their device thereby opening up new doors to break the monotonous playlist we listen to everyday.
For Palm Pre users, getting any worthwhile apps is a plus as Palm’s current release schedule is rather boring and slow. However, one app is aiming to change that. Fans of streaming music services will find Chicago-based webcaster, AccuRadio, a welcome addition to their Palm Pre’s sparse app screen. The benefits of joining club AccuRadio come in the form of 450+ radio stations covering any and every genre you can think of. If you like music, discovering new music, and just hearing something other than the same 40 songs that get the repeat treatment on the radio, AccuRadio is your app. The channel breakdown is as follows:
- And multiple channels of reggae, Celtic, classic hip-hop, French pop, and much more.
As you can see, this isn’t the typical mix of sonic selections. While they many stations aren’t my personal favorite, it’s nice to see someone finally catering to the many genres that are less popular and the people that often get left out when it comes to music apps. Unfortunately since this is Palm Pre only at the moment and because I don’t have a Palm Pre, I can’t test this app out and give it a true review. Any Pre users care to give some insight?
By the way, one other interesting tidbit that may tickle your digital fancy is the fact that the makers of AccuRadio are planning on subsequent Android, BlackBerry, and iPhone releases so that everyone, no matter their personal platform preference, gets in on the music streaming pie.
~ Thanks Kurt ~
**Larger screenshot inside
- September 1, 2009 11:19 am
Social butterflies and CrackBerry addicts will no doubt be pleased to know that Facebook 1.7 for BlackBerry is very soon coming to a Berry new you. As far as actual features go, there isn’t much to talk about as it is still shrouded in secrecy deep inside some concrete building. However, the bigger picture is the fact that it’s 5.0 compatibile which means BlackBerry OS 5.0 has to be getting close if applications are starting to get the 5.0 treatment. Right? Stay tuned…
Source: CrackBerry
Alpha testers of Skyfire’s latest update to the BlackBerry version of the Skyfire browser will be pleased to know that after the little snafu a week or so ago that the alpha is back up and running with the latest alpha 3.5 — 1.0.0.12799. Even before this update, Skyfire was single handedly the best BlackBerry browser out there…even in alpha! Yet with the new update comes even more mouth watering features that will surely sweeten the pot. The new goods include:
- Default Browser setting (finally!)
- File downloads similar to native BB Browser
- Reduced checkerboard instances
- Alpha limit — automatically limits the amount of users who can connect to the alpha server to prevent a meltdown like last time
A few issues worth noting revolve around the new inline text entry fields, cookie clearing (as in it doesn’t really clear), and timeouts when downloading large files. Though such things are of course common in alphas.
All in all it is a rock solid update with the option to set Skyfire as the native browser and download files within Skyfire as the two biggest selling points. How about you? If you’re an alpha tester, what is your favorite addition with the latest release? For the rest of us, what would you still like to see from Skyfire in the coming alphas and betas? Sound off below.
Source: BGR
While the title may not tip off your interest in the slightest, BlackBerry App World 1.1 looks to be bringing a couple of highly requested features for RIM’s mobile app store. First off, downloaded apps will now be able to be stored to memory cards…woo hoo!!! Second, an actual App World website that would allow desktop users to browser apps, read reviews, and other app store goodness all from the comfort and more roomy foot print that a desktop monitor offers. Per RIM:
lexible storage capabilities –
This feature permits BlackBerry App World™ storefront users to remove applications from their BlackBerry® devices and reinstall the applications without paying for the application a second time. BlackBerry App World archives a record of the application to save memory and so that the user does not have to maintain the application on the BlackBerry device. BlackBerry App World users can also install or archive applications on expandable memory, such as a media card.
web site for BlackBerry App World -
This feature permits users to read descriptions and reviews and view screen shots of applications even if they are not BlackBerry App World users. Users can find applications by using the search function, selecting an application category, or browsing by Featured Items, Top Free, Top Paid, or Newest Applications. Users can visit the web site for BlackBerry App World at www.blackberry.com/appworld.
Finally app/memory card support. Crack addicts should be in the drool phase right about now. It doesn’t appear to be that much longer until BlackBerry gets graced with update mobile shopping goodness.
Source: Berry Review
WordPress users who have been dying for any form of mobile wordpress will be extremely excited to know that there is one coming. At Blackberry Word Camp in San Francisco, Matt Mullenweg let slip that the words:
New Blackberry app soon
Now I don’t know about you, but I translate that literally word for word as: “We’re working on one…It’s coming soon”. Wouldn’t you? I have the WordPress App for my iPhone and like it for the most part. However, it needs some big improvements concerning actual post creation. Blackberry/Wordpress users, are you excited?!
**Source: Berry Review
**Update: All free licenses have been distributed.
Social butterflies and Blackberry addicts can now get it on digital speaking with a new Blackberry centric social networking site/app that goes by the name of Pinwall. It comes off to me as sort of a souped up Blackberry messenger/facebook online mash-up. So far I’ve been messing around with it for an hour or so and I like what I see. Though, it isn’t yet quite perfect.
