Sprint has come out the closet and announced the launch of two new BlackBerry devices coming officially on August 21st – the BlackBerry Bold 9930 and Torch 9850.  Verizon launched the Bold 9930 today officially online, with availability in stores on August 25th.  It looks like Sprint will be launching the devices in stores and online on the same date.  As for pricing, the Bold 9930 gets $249 with a 2 year contract and the Torch 9850 for $149 with a $50 mail-in rebate.  Of course the Bold 9930 is the better device as it’s equipped with NFC while the Torch lacks it.

Browsing via BlackBerry? Click here to view video

Nothing BlackBerry related here, but Jake S. sent in this funny commercial from Virgin Mobile.  It pretty much makes fun of AT&T and T-Mobile merging, calling AT&T the worst customer service ever which doesn’t sound to off, does it?  Virgin Mobile is exemplified as a party with lots of fun offering plans as low as $35 per month while AT&T and T-Mobile are in an all white room boring, and obviously higher priced plans.

Foursquare recently updated their app to 3.1.5, and with that update it brought about a couple of fixes to minor bugs. However, there is one complaint that I have heard from a few BlackBerry Foursquare users. The issues is with the BBM 6 Social Connect, getting an error message like this one.

(more…)

Definitely lots of props to the builders who put this theme together.  iPodberry gives you a user interface just like the the iPod with a few exceptional screens looking like the iPhone, which is also available on the iPod Touch.  Usually Apple themes for BlackBerry look just like iOS, but here’s a little different vibe this time around.  Click the link below for more info, screenshots, or to purchase.

iPodberry for BlackBerry >>

Back in July we let you know about a new app in beta called Comwave ePhone.  At the time of it’s beta launch it supported Canadian area codes but none for the U.S.A. Well it looks like the application just received an update and it now supports US Area codes (to over 1100 cities), as well as fixes a few bugs, and adds full screen video chat as well.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with ePhone here are some details. This is the first cellular capability we see come to the PlayBook so far.  Here’s how it goes.  You pay $20 a year and will get:

• Unlimited Free Incoming calls
• Your own phone number
• 250 Free Minutes per month for 12 months to call 57 countries.  (3000 Minutes)
• Unlimited Free ePhone to ePhone
• No monthly fees….Just a one-time annual fee of $20.
• Also for signing up you get a FREE 30 day trial

For those who go over the 250 minutes, you’ll be billed “a low per minute rate.”  The app is still in beta so there may be some bugs.

Download Comewave ePhone now >>

RIM’s BlackBerry has been featured on a new Canadians stamp under “Innovations” next to the electric oven, electric wheelchair, and pacemaker.  As seen above it’s a close up of what looks to be the Bold keyboard.  We see this little description on BlackBerry’s presence here on the stamp:

While smart phones and other communications devices, as well as technologies such as push email and mobile apps, are commonplace now, they were nearly the stuff of science fiction in 1999, when Research in Motion (RIM) founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie introduced the now iconic BlackBerry®. Their invention freed information workers from their desks and changed the way the world communicates. Subsequent versions and continuous innovation have kept RIM and its BlackBerry device a front runner in the massive smart phone market.

Check out Canada Innovations Stamps >>

Source: BBOS

Research In Motion and Facebook have agreed to meet with the UK governement in regard to the role both companies’ services played during the riots that went on.  Twitter has declined to show up for a meeting, but would “be happy to listen.”  So RIM’s involvement is obviously due to BBM being used as a tool to organize the riots, and Facebook of course played its role in groups created and messages spread out.

“We are working with the Police, the intelligence services and industry to look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality,” said the UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

So far it looks like some people have been getting arrested in the UK for spreading out the word for riots.  Perhaps RIM is already assisting the UK police.

Source: Mashable

The BlackBerry Curve 9380 left us on a bit of a mystery last week when we saw its first real images leaked out.  The Curve 9380 is the first all touchscreen Curve, more of an entry device with a step under the Torch 9850/9860.  Luckily MacBerry has already been able to review it already so we got a closer look of the device in some nice quality images, some alongside with the Torch 9850/9860 and a video clip showing off some features.

(more…)

I downloaded Smoothie a few days ago and have been meaning to post about it but when locating the link for it on BlackBerry App World, I noticed it was gone.  Smoothie is an application for BlackBerry which allows you to find other BBM friends with similar or random interests.  I can’t figure out why it’s been pulled out of App World, and probably won’t but hopefully we’ll see it come back to life soon.  Smoothie included BBM 6 integration and maybe the way it was used wasn’t how RIM allowed it.  Any way, in case it ever comes back to life, here are some features of Smoothie:

• Built on the new BBM6 platform, giving you all the power and fun BBM has to offer
• Custom profiles with a picture, interests and a display name
• Meet a new person in the Blender
• Join conversations in the Coffee Shop
• Integrates with the BlackBerry notification system so you never miss a message while in a conversation
• Add people you meet to BBM from within the application
• Meet people interested in the same things as you
• Fun and easy to use

So it’s an all around app for socializing with other BBM peeps.  If you ever find that it’s back on App World let is know. You can click the old link here in case you find it but it’s dead as of now.

RIM Announces BlackBerry Management Center for Small Business

Free Online Service Helps Small Businesses Centrally Manage and Protect BlackBerry Smartphones in the Cloud
Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced BlackBerry® Management Center – a free online service* for small businesses to centrally manage company- or employee-owned BlackBerry® smartphones in the cloud and protect business-related content stored on the handsets. The service is designed for businesses with up to 100 BlackBerry smartphones that access email services from an Internet service provider (ISP) or web-based email services like Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo!.

(more…)