Review: WCS BlackBerry Profile Scheduler

WheatonCS BlackBerry Profile Scheduler
[rating:8]8/10
Website: www.wheatoncs.com
Desktop Download: www.wheatoncs.com
OTA: www.wheatoncs.com
Cost: $16.45 @ Handango

Greg, one of our new writers, has done a great job of writing up a review on the new BlackBerry Profile Scheduler that was recently released by WCS BlackBerry Services. The software seems to be a solution for all those users who requested automatic profile switching on their BlackBerry devices. Check out the full review after the jump. Thanks again to Greg.

Around 6 weeks ago I posted a thread on Crackberry.com asking anybody whether or not anybody knew of a scheduler that could change your profile setting at predetermined time. There were no results but a fair few replies showing interest in such a program if one was available.

About a week later I was casually browsing through berryreview.com and found exactly what I had been asking for a week or so earlier. I quickly hit the OTA link and downloaded version 1.0 straight to my 8300 Curve.

Once you have installed the program (trail or full version) click on applications > options > advanced options > applications > BBProfiles, click on application key and select edit permissions, click on interactions and select allow. Save this change and your up and running.

Now your ready to start adding your rules. Click on add rules and set up your desired times matching up to your desired profile settings. One thing that I came across here was that if you want to run a profile from the night (eg: 20:00) to the morning (eg: 07:00) you are forced to set up 2 rules, one rule running from 20:00 to 23:59 and a second rule running from 00:00 to 07:00. Once you have set up all your rules, simply save them and forget them.

When your BlackBerry reaches your preset rule times it gives a nice long vibration alert and changes to your preset profile you assigned to that time. However if your device happens to be locked or in its holster when your preset time arrives then you will still get the nice long vibration alert but the profile will not be changed until you next unlock. This can be a bit annoying if you don’t feel the alert and don’t unlock your BlackBerry for a while and I feel this is one area that could be improved.

You can also use Profile Scheduler to interact with your calendar appointments. So when you set in a new entry to your calendar you have the option to set a profile for this time period. Excellent if you are in and out of meetings all week.

Pros:

• Allows automatic change of profiles before and after meetings.
• Allows you to set a nighttime profile (phone only) so email alerts don’t interrupt your sleep.

Cons:

• Doesn’t change profiles unless your Blackberry is unlocked.
• You have to set 2 rules for an overnight profile.

Conclusion:

(About a week into the review there was an upgrade to ver.1.3 from ver.1.0, which I installed: The only difference I could find was no message announcing a profile change was about to take place)

I had no problems with the download or set up of this program. Once set up you can virtually forget about it and let the scheduler do its job.

I love the fact that I don’t have to remember to switch over at nighttime or again in the morning when you wake up late for work and rushing out the door barely dressed.

All testing was done on a BlackBerry 8300 Curve (v4.2.2.114) and no glitches or delete and re-installs were required.

I think a bit of work is still required to iron out the few cons but all in all it serves its purpose well.