In one fell swoop Google has just made their Google Mobile App one of the best BlackBerry apps available. They added voice search to search the contacts and emails stored on your BlackBerry. The best part is that it actually works! It puts the built in Nuance voice search to shame and throws some egg in RIM’s face for not doing this first. Google also threw in Wi-Fi connectivity to the app so it can work over Wi-Fi.
You just hold down the talk key or set a convenience button to search and it will pop up contacts and emails with your results. It looks awesome and makes the native BlackBerry search look seriously dated.
You can also find a contact you can call, SMS, email just by typing the first few characters of their first or last name. It will suggest contacts and bring your most frequently emailed contacts to the top of the list. You can easily switch between on device and web searches using the link underneath the search box.
The only real limitation is that searching email requires OS 4.5+ and searching contacts requires OS 4.2+. Pick up the updated app free at m.google.com from your BlackBerry browser.
So what are you waiting for? Download Google Mobile App NOW!
Matt ( View Profile) - Posts: 37
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 2:23 PM EST
Still no Storm support… Fail…
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:32 PM EST
I provided a workaround to get this app working on Storm and Storm 2. See my comment below.
ShvartzBerry ( View Profile) - Posts: 383
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 2:38 PM EST
The best part is that it actually works!
Cute!
Testing it out now.
ShvartzBerry ( View Profile) - Posts: 383
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:23 PM EST
It’s definitely cool. But again, Google strikes out by not supporting basic Blackberry features. If I’m reading an email, which I can do through the search, I am expecting that a SPACEBAR will scroll down. It doesn’t! (The Google Voice app suffers greatly from this deficiency as well.)
Also, I’d like to be able to say from the get go that I want to search my phone only. Unless I’m missing something, I can’t see a way to do that.
Corey Davis ( View Profile) - Posts: 1293
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 2:51 PM EST
Can’t get it to work with Tour. Keeps saying I don’t have an internet connection when I do.
Brian Not Registered
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:11 PM EST
Hey Corey – I have a Verizon Tour and everything seems to work well. Double-check the permissions you have given the application.
Corey Davis ( View Profile) - Posts: 1293
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:22 PM EST
Mine is US Cellular Tour running 5.0
Corey Davis ( View Profile) - Posts: 1293
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:56 PM EST
Okay, after the 8th attempt I was able to install it. Not sure I will use it very much as it seems the same, but it’s worth a try.
sgt-d ( View Profile) - Posts: 85
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 2:59 PM EST
storm2, *sigh*
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:33 PM EST
Workaround instructions for Storm 2 below.
jeffreyrr ( View Profile) - Posts: 20
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:17 PM EST
no storm support for a lot of google apps… lame.
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:34 PM EST
Workaround instructions for Storm below.
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3287
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:21 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9700
They probably consider the storm a toy and not a real blackberry
mscooley ( View Profile) - Posts: 41
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:33 PM EST
i concur.
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:35 PM EST
Workaround instructions for Storm and Storm 2 below.
perry Not Registered
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:28 PM EST
Anyone having any luck with bold running 5.0 os
Ronen Halevy ( View Profile) - Posts: 3287
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 3:30 PM EST from my BlackBerry 9700
Works like a charm on my 9700. Loving it!
Larry Not Registered
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:20 PM EST
Works on 9000 running 5.0.0.411
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 4:30 PM EST
There is a little workaround to get this app to work on Storm and Storm 2.
1. Open BB Browser, go to Options -> Browser Confiugration and set Browser Identification to “Firefox”.
2. Go to http://m.google.com and you should see “Download Google Mobile App” link.
3. After the app is downloaded and installed, from the main BB screen go to Options -> Applications. Find Google Mobile App and in the setting Disable Compatibility Mode.
Start the app and most of the features will work.
Have fun and enjoy.
Jeff Not Registered
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 5:43 PM EST
The Storm2 work around mostly works. I can’t touch/press the buttons on top of the search box. Everything else seems to work.
ardent2 ( View Profile) - Posts: 2
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 7:43 PM EST
I did the work around for storm 2 but can’t seem to search the contacts on my phone. Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong.
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 7:53 PM EST
After you do the search, notice 2 icons under the search textbox.
[icon of a person] [# of contacts that match the search query] AND [icon of mail] [# of email that match the search query]
Click on the icon to see the results that match your query.
amikhnov ( View Profile) - Posts: 9
Posted: January 14, 2010 at 7:53 PM EST
After you do the search, notice 2 icons under the search box.
[icon of a person] [# of contacts that match the search query] AND [icon of mail] [# of email that match the search query]
Click on the icon to see the results that match your query.
blakk Not Registered
Posted: January 15, 2010 at 10:10 AM EST
What they need to work on is getting the google app to allow you to edit google docs remotely.
Cadillac Cowboy ( View Profile) - Posts: 75
Posted: January 20, 2010 at 6:54 AM EST
No, what Google NEED to do is localize this application!
Believe it or not, there ARE Google users outside of North America, and people like me (in Australia) are forced to use the “mobile” Web site… We also have access to a LOT less “mobile” services than North Americans.
Expand the availability to popular countries (such as Australia!), THEN worry about new features, THEN worry about expanding to smaller countries!
Until then, this application is a COMPLETE waste of time for a large percentage of BlackBerry users…