BerryReviewBerryReview Gets A Faster, Stronger Dedicated Server | BerryReview.com »

BerryReview Gets A Faster, Stronger Dedicated Server

Ronen Halevy — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:52:40 +0000

Thanks to all of you BerryReview has been growing at a rapid pace. Last week we started reaching the limits of our server and decided to upgrade to a faster dedicated server through the great team at MediaLayer.

I wanted to apologize for the slow page loading speeds some of you experienced last week which prompted the upgrade and wanted to reinforce our commitment to a enjoyable reader experience. We are now on our new dedicated server which should be able to handle over 4 times the visitors we currently serve so we should be good for a few weeks.

In case you want to see what is currently running BerryReview:

2 Intel Core i7 920 – 4x 2.66GHz + hyperthreading –
6GB DDR3 RAM
4×73GB 15,000 RPM SAS drives
Hardware based RAID 10
CentOS OS 5.4, LightSpeed Webserver

Please let us know if you notice anything that needs to be fixed on the site since we may have missed something. I know that our BerryReview WebSignal will be down until RIM white lists our new IP address…

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 22, 2009, 5:52 pm. | BerryReview Gets A Faster, Stronger Dedicated Server | 3 comments |

Addictive Tower Defense – 50% Off Today Only!!! $2.49

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:47:21 +0000

Not sure how I missed this deal but Addictive Tower Defense is on sale today for 50% off which is $2.49. I reviewed the game earlier this week and gave it a 10/10 stars and our coveted Editors Choice Award.

Addictive Tower Defense is an awesome game and I highly recommend picking it up if you want to have an awesome game on your BlackBerry. Trust me this game will suck up hours of your time. You can find it in the store for $2.49 for today only at this link. [review at this link]

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 3:47 pm. | Addictive Tower Defense – 50% Off Today Only!!! $2.49 | 4 comments |

BeejiveIM Beta 1.9.7 Released – Adds OS 5.0 Support & More

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:03:06 +0000

As I said before I don’t use BeejiveIM but I realize the app is quite popular especially with people who bought lifetime licenses. Tom let us know that they just released Beta 1.9.7 in their forums that adds a whole slew of new features including the much needed OS 5.0 support.

New features from current production version:

support for 5.0 OS
file transfers via link, you can now transfer files to buddies on all IM accounts.
email push when app running in background (see preferences in app).
send voice notes
send GPS location (if supported by phone)
new chat styles & background images
new buddy list layouts
improved battery life
overall UI redesign
facebook IM
various other bug fixes & enhancements
This beta is not supported on devices with OS’s below 4.2.1.

Check out their forum thread for OTA and desktop install options at this link

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 1:03 pm. | BeejiveIM Beta 1.9.7 Released – Adds OS 5.0 Support & More | 3 comments |

TrueSupplier – Cheap Colored Parts & Housings for your BlackBerry

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Quite a few readers send in tips about Colorware and their uber expensive coloring customization service for the BlackBerry Curve 8900 yesterday. I am not sure how many of you are throwing down $159 for colored parts for your BlackBerry but that is way to high compared to how much the device itself costs. To me its kind of like adding a $10,000 body kit to a Honda Civic.

That is when Bla1ze let me know about this super cheap website www.truesupplier.com that offers some good deals on custom BlackBerry parts. For example, you can pick up a leopard print housing for your 8900 for $13.99. Or a chrome with diamond back housing for your BlackBerry Bold 9000 for $26.99. You can also find some great OEM replacement parts in their store. The parts ship from Hong Kong from what I can tell which means that shipping takes a bit but Bla1ze highly recommends them

Check them out at www.truesupplier.com and let me know if you spot any gems!

PS: This brown weave black cover for the Bold 9000 is the coolest thing I have found so far!

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 12:06 pm. | TrueSupplier – Cheap Colored Parts & Housings for your BlackBerry | 5 comments |

Full Details on T-Mobile Complete Prepaid BlackBerry Package

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:57:00 +0000

We mentioned T-Mobile’s interesting Complete prepaid package when it launched but we did not have all the details and some were left wanting. We dug a little bit further and got the following document from T-Mobile outlining the plan. I am not sure how amazing of a deal this plan is anymore considering the fact that the device is $299 and the only plan with web access below is $80/month but it is still pretty impressive.

Highlights include:

BlackBerry Curve 8520 is the only BlackBerry offered currently and will cost $299
Devices will only be available at Best Buy and select Wal-Mart stores
No contract, credit check, or deposit
First month free

The T-Mobile Complete Pricing Plans are:

$50/month
- Unlimited talk, or
- Unlimited text + 1,000 Whenever Minutes + Unlimited Nights & Weekends and T-Mobile to T-Mobile.
$60/month
- Unlimited talk + text
$80/month
- Unlimited talk + text + Web

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 11:57 am. | Full Details on T-Mobile Complete Prepaid BlackBerry Package | 3 comments |

First Images of BlackBerry 9100 3G Pearl

Greg Myers — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:33:43 +0000

Sorry guys RIM put their lawyers on us again for “misappropriation of trade secrets” so we had to take it down. Still a little bit of Google-ing will prove that you cannot close Pandora’s box once it is open…

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Greg for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 8:33 am. | First Images of BlackBerry 9100 3G Pearl | 7 comments |

Verizon BlackBerry Curve 8530 Now Available in Black & Smoky Violet

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:32:16 +0000

Thanks to everybody for sending this in while I was asleep. Verizon has put up the BlackBerry Curve 8530 on their website in Black and Violet for $99 after $100 discount.

Check them out at these links:

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 8:32 am. | Verizon BlackBerry Curve 8530 Now Available in Black & Smoky Violet | Leave a comment |

DWT Ban in Colorado & North Carolina Starting Dec 1st

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Vlingo does a great job of keeping me abreast of the DWT (Driving While Texting) bans that go into effect across the country. The latest implementations are in Colorado and North Carolina where the new rules start on December 1st. The next driving while texting bans go into effect on January 1st, 2010 in Illinois, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

Vlingo is pushing themselves as an alternative to driving while texting which is worth checking out at www.vlingo.com. They did share with us some interesting stats on surveys they have done in Colorado and North Carolina.

Colorado:

50% of drivers from Colorado admitted to reading inbound text messages while driving.
Nearly 1/3 of all respondents admitted that they text from their car at least once a day.
80% of drivers think that driving while texting should be illegal but 35% of respondents think that DWT should be legal if there is a hands free solution available.
Nearly 1/3 of the respondents said they send more 251 – 500 text messages per month.

North Carolina:

More than 50% of the respondents admitted to reading incoming text messages while driving.
Nearly 1/3 of respondents admitted to texting in the car at least once a day.
When asked if they would use a voice recognition solution that would translate spoken words into text messages 44% indicated that they would send more text messages.
An overwhelming 87% of respondents thought that DWT should be illegal.
45% think that if there is a hands free solution available then DWT should be legal.
More than 60% send between 101 – 250 text messages per month.

In addition, DWT bans will go into effect on 1/1/10 in Illinois, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 7:39 am. | DWT Ban in Colorado & North Carolina Starting Dec 1st | 4 comments |

Verizon BlackBerry Curve 8530 Coming Today in Purple & Black

Ronen Halevy — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:28:15 +0000

I just got back from Pepcom with David and we got a chance to play with the BlackBerry Curve 8530 that Verizon is releasing today. They only had the device in Urple but they told me that it will also be coming in black.

UPDATE: Adam @Crackberry was busy all night posting a review, pictures, unboxing, and spec sheets for the 8530. I totally forgot to mention that it is running OS 5.0! The spec sheet also points out that it is coming with App World Pre-Installed…

The 8530 is really going to be a hit in my humble opinion. With Wi-Fi AND GPS along with 3G and a trackpad this device is way ahead of the GSM 8520. Don’t forget it is also the second BlackBerry to support OpenGL 3D graphics for games. The only downside is the lower resolution screen which does not look bad at all and a subpar camera with no flash.

The only thing I really noticed about the 8530 while playing with it at Pepcom was that the Call, End Call, back, and menu button were much harder to press than the 8520 even though the design looks the same… Not sure what the story is with that.

The device will be available today for $99.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement with a BlackBerry plan. Sadly the device will also come with no memory card.

Keep an eye out for it on www.verizonwireless.com

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 20, 2009, 12:28 am. | Verizon BlackBerry Curve 8530 Coming Today in Purple & Black | Leave a comment |

Facebook App updated to version 1.7.0.22

Luis Merlos — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:16:06 +0000

The Facebook application just got an update it jumped from 1.7.0.18 to 1.7.0.22. Hopefully this fixes a lot of the issues the application has been having. The current one has been performing really slow. You can pick up the latest by going to mobile.blackberry.com on your BB browser or check the BlackBerry app world.

Let us know in the comments what fixes or problems you find with this update.

Via BBOS

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Luis Merlos for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 11:16 pm. | Facebook App updated to version 1.7.0.22 | 3 comments |

Verizon Releases OS 4.7.1.61 for the BlackBerry Tour 9630

Luis Merlos — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:34:10 +0000

The word around the forums has been that Verizon was releasing OS 4.7.1.61 & it looks like they came through. David just let us know that Valace2 over at Berryaddicted posted a link to download the update. To download the file to your desktop go to the Verizon website or click on this link.

This is an official update so you are safe to download and install but to safe make sure you always do a back up of your 3rd party applications and your contacts before doing an upgrade. Discard the warning on the screen shot, it just ask that every time I try to download a file.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Luis Merlos for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 7:34 pm. | Verizon Releases OS 4.7.1.61 for the BlackBerry Tour 9630 | 3 comments |

BlackBerry Bold 9700 OS 5.0.0.351 Found Online

the BerryReview Team — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:29:25 +0000

Bla1ze spotted the fact that OS 5.0.0.351 has made its way online for the BlackBerry Bold 9700 thanks to The BlackBerry Zone. Not sure what is new but it could be interesting…

Download @ Megaupload – Mirror – Mirror (thx Chadderbox, Jsanders, & Elementx)
Download @ Rapidshare

NOTE: Do not install this software if you do not know what you are doing. It may make your BlackBerry FUBAR or just plain angry.

Keep the tips coming!

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by the BerryReview Team for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 5:29 pm. | BlackBerry Bold 9700 OS 5.0.0.351 Found Online | 3 comments |

RIM Security VP Worried About Smartphone DDOS Attacks – Why?

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:00 +0000

I am usually called the paranoid security guy with the tinfoil hat. When I was reading a recent quote by Scott Totzke, RIM’s VP of BlackBerry Security, even I was kind of taken back. He claims that one day hackers could use BlackBerrys/Smartphones to attack wireless networks. This is kind of interesting since it is plausible but very unlikely and against RIM’s whole concept of the BlackBerry being impervious to malware and viruses due to their containment principles.

Totzke claims that hackers would be able to commandeer thousands of smartphones to create a DDOS (Dynamic Denial of Service) against a carrier. The funny part is that this already happens whenever you go to a convention and try to make a phone call while thousands of other people are making calls… Or better yet anybody try to get data service while you were at DevCon?

Even the recent “Malware” applications for BlackBerry require the user to be stupid enough to download the malware program to their BlackBerry in the first place. Even RIM is proud to say that you do not need Antivirus software on a BlackBerry and uses this exact “Containment” principle to justify why it is unnecessary.

Now getting back to Totzke’s claim that hackers would use smartphones to perform a DDOS attack this concept does not really work. Cellphone carriers could easily deactivate the connection of any device that has been compromised since they own the devices. It would be like saying that Verizon had to worry about their DSL users performing a DDOS attack on themselves… They could just cut the line.

What RIM should really be worried about is hackers finding a way to get to your personal information or read data on your device. This is a valid threat that RIM really has no way to address. Anybody with $20 and a name can get a RIM code signing key and write their own application that accesses this private information and API’s. RIM would be in a sticky situation trying to fix such an issue because they have caved to the all powerful carrier which makes every OS update take 6 months to get to market. What if RIM had a zero day vulnerability in OS 5.0? How would they fix it? I have always been curious if RIM has a mechanism to push out updates to all devices on BIS just like they do for BES. Or even a remote switch where they could disable applications remotely… The irony is that the Reuters reporter recommends installing a RIM patch to keep your device secure but how do you do that if your carrier does not release a updated OS?

So now I am just confused… What do you think?

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 2:00 pm. | RIM Security VP Worried About Smartphone DDOS Attacks – Why? | 10 comments |

Get Your Game on With NBA Game Time

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:44:00 +0000

While at DevCon I was shown a demo of NBA Game Time and was impressed by watching a game recap on my BlackBerry. The app is really smooth and has some great features like live scores, game summaries, and more. The best part is that the game comes in both a free and $9.99 version so you can choose what features you want. The downside is that they app is a whopping 2.4 Megabytes which will probably keep it off most older devices.

Check out the free Lite version at this link and the paid version at this link in App World.

BTW anybody else notice that EA Games released NBA Street for BlackBerry? Haven’t tried it myself yet but I definitely will be…

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 12:44 pm. | Get Your Game on With NBA Game Time | Leave a comment |

DriveSafe.ly Hits One Million Users…

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

A million users is a pretty impressive number even for a free app. DriveSafe.ly is a pretty cool app that helps you drive safely… Simple enough right? It will even read emails and text messages that you receive out loud so you can keep your eyes on the road.

www.drivesafe.ly

Still DriveSafe.ly has one HUGE fault. It has a tendency to email everybody whose email it reads out loud about how they just had your email read out loud to them. I get about 15 of these emails a day so PLEASE turn this “feature” off in the options! Maybe they reached 1 million users by annoying the hell out of all your friends. This is almost as bad as the broadcast feature in BlackBerry Messenger 5.0.

Please read Luis’s review of DriveSafe.ly to learn how to turn off this annoying “Feature”

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 8:00 am. | DriveSafe.ly Hits One Million Users… | 8 comments |

AT&T Loses Injunction Against Verizon – Inspires TELUS to Sue Rogers…

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:46:00 +0000

Remember the days when carriers were all buddies raising text message fees to absurd heights and keeping similar voice plans? I guess there is nothing worse than a carrier scorned… We have been covering this recent spat between AT&T and Verizon where Verizon is bashing AT&T’s 3G coverage and the iPhone. AT&T has decided to sue Verizon and yesterday they lost a court injunction to remove Verizon’s ads from airing on TV.

AT&T lost the injunction which means that Verizon will continue to plaster the “There is a map for that” and “Island of misfit toys” commercials until AT&T has “more bars in more places.” Or until December 16th when the case actually goes to trial.

Just to maximize the irony of the situation Phoenix pointed out to me that TELUS has just sued Rogers for their claims that they have the “fastest, most reliable network” or “Canada’s fastest network: two times faster than any other.” TELUS claims that with recent upgrades announced on Nov 5th Rogers is not faster or more reliable than TELUS or Bell.

So is this the beginning of yet another spat?

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 6:46 am. | AT&T Loses Injunction Against Verizon – Inspires TELUS to Sue Rogers… | One comment |

Cellcrypt Secure Calling Solution Supports More Devices

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:18:00 +0000

We told you about Cellcrypt back in May when it was released for the Bold 9000. Their solution somehow allows you to encrypt phone calls from your BlackBerry for end to end real time encryption. The idea is that it allows individuals and corporations to perform secure calls without a special device.

They just announced last week that they are now also supporting the Bold 9700, Curve, and Pearl series of devices. I am not sure if they mean both the 8900 or 83XX Curve or 82XX or 81XX Pearl but that should be a welcome sign for government agents who will have more selection. The interesting part is that the device does not support the Tour 9630…

With all of that out of the way I just wanted to ask all of you. Do you worry about strangers hacking or tapping your cellphone?

BlackBerry Developer Conference, San Francisco, California: – November 11^th 2009: Cellcrypt (www.cellcrypt.com), the leading provider of secure mobile voice calling, today announced that its Cellcrypt Mobile for BlackBerry® application is now available on the recently launched BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700 smartphone and for the first time on the BlackBerry® Curve™ and BlackBerry® Pearl™ series of smartphones. Cellcrypt now brings secure voice calling to a wider range of BlackBerry smartphones across a broad range of price points.

The requirement for secure voice calling is now greater than ever. Recent media coverage of well-known individuals having their mobile phone security compromised, and of a hacker organisation’s detailed plans for cracking standard GSM cell phone call encryption, demonstrate an increasing need for organisations to ensure sensitive information remains secure.

Cellcrypt Mobile delivers end-to-end, real-time encryption to protect private conversations from being compromised; enabling individuals within corporations and governments to converse in a highly secure manner without the need for specialised equipment and by using a standard software application that makes highly secure calling as easy as making a normal mobile phone call.

“Cellcrypt has seen incredible interest from the global BlackBerry community since we announced its availability on the BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone in May,” said Simon Bransfield-Garth, CEO of Cellcrypt. “Now, not only are we supporting the latest devices such as the BlackBerry Bold 9700, but the application is also available on a wide range of BlackBerry smartphones found in the market, allowing more users to secure their sensitive voice calls.”

Cellcrypt uses the latest Internet technology to provide unmatched voice call quality, international calling capability, high reliability across wireless networks and real-time encryption. The Cellcrypt Mobile for Blackberry application uses Government-grade encryption certified to the FIPS 140-2 standard approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and is presently undergoing certification with a number of Governments world-wide. The product operates on all major wireless networks including 2G and 3G cellular, Wi-Fi® and satellite networks.

For more information, please search Cellcrypt on the BlackBerry Solutions Catalog microsite.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 5:18 am. | Cellcrypt Secure Calling Solution Supports More Devices | Leave a comment |

US Cellular Getting BlackBerry Curve 8530 December 10th

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:54:00 +0000

I just got confirmation from one of our Secret Agents that US Cellular will be joining in on the BlackBerry Curve 8530 fun. They are scheduled to release the 8530 on December 10th if all goes as planned. This joins the ranks of Verizon who is getting it on Nov 20th and Sprint who will have it “in the coming weeks.”

The 8530 is really turning out to be a pretty awesome low end device. With a trackpad, GPS, 3G EVDO, Wi-Fi, and more memory it really puts the GSM 8520 to shame. The only real downsides are the lack of a 3.2 MP camera with autofocus (it has a 2MP camera) and no camera flash.

So anybody planning on picking one of these up or will you be waiting for the Tour2 with a trackpad?

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 1:54 am. | US Cellular Getting BlackBerry Curve 8530 December 10th | One comment |

T-Mobile Complete – First Prepaid BlackBerry Plan in the US

Ronen Halevy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:15:00 +0000

UPDATE: T-Mobile answered a few of my questions. The 8520 will be the only BlackBerry available at launch with a Complete package. The other 3 devices are Samsung phones. The 8520 Complete package is currently available at select Wal-Mart locations, and nationwide at Best Buy locations.

T-Mobile is really on a roll recently with plan updates. Their latest is the new T-Mobile Complete package. It is a pre-packaged no-annual contract pre-paid plan for BlackBerrys with 4 phones to choose from (1 available now) starting at $59.99 which includes the first month free. There are a couple unlimited plans starting from $50/month.

They will be selling the devices at Best Buy and Wal-Mart locations and the BlackBerry Curve 8520 will be the first device on the list. T-Mobile is really betting big on smartphones claiming that 40% of their sales in Q4 will be smartphones.

Now just imagine that. Getting a prepaid device for the holidays! I know that quite a few international travelers would also be interested in such a plan. Sadly there is not much more info available right now other than the press email below:

T-Mobile announces the availability of T-Mobile Complete, a pre-packaged no-annual contract solution that offers the value of a monthly plan and the first pay-in-advance BlackBerry smartphone from a national U.S. carrier. With T-Mobile Complete, customers can choose from four handsets starting at $59.99, which includes first month free. Customers can also choose from a range of unlimited plans starting at $50 per month. T-Mobile Complete is currently available nationwide at Best Buy and at select Walmart locations.

T-Mobile Complete kits are the easiest way to give phones this holiday season. Just buy the kit, wrap it, give it as a gift, and the recipient can activate service from anywhere, anytime – and they get the first month free! One of the four devices available through T-Mobile Complete is the BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone, the first pay-in-advance BlackBerry smartphone available from a national carrier. Smartphones will be a hot gift option this holiday season – in fact, T-Mobile expects smartphones to account for 40 percent of its sales in the fourth quarter of 2009.

T-Mobile Complete is just one great holiday gift option from T-Mobile. With a wide array of devices this holiday season – including the broadest lineup of Android smartphones of any carrier in the U.S. – there’s something for every type of customer.

Please let me know if you have questions about this new offering from T-Mobile. For more information on holiday giving, we’re happy provide our guide on how to give smartphones as holiday gifts.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 19, 2009, 12:15 am. | T-Mobile Complete – First Prepaid BlackBerry Plan in the US | 5 comments |

Review: Duracell Rechargeable USB Charger

Evan Blachman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:00:42 +0000

Review:Duracell Rechargeable USB Charger
Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars 8.5 /10
Cost: List $24.99 – $49.99
Where to buy: amazon.com

Everyday on the train home I try to catch up on work. Half way during the ride my BlackBerry usually dies. I have tried many other power chargers, but I find Duracell’s to be the best. I love the portability of the charger. I personally use the Duracell Instant Rechargeable because my BlackBerry Storm has a Micro USB slot.

I keep the device in my pocket and have a cord to the phone charging the phone as I do my work. People jokingly ask me if I have an outlet in my pocket. Everyone loves it. You can attach the Duracell Instant to any phone that can charge through a standard USB port. The Duracell Pocket which is pictured above can only be used through Mini USB. After giving out the devices and surveying the guys which they prefer I got all kinds of feedback. Some loved the Duracell Pocket because no wires are needed (as pictured above). But some loved the Duracell Instant because they preferred the tiny device whether it was in their pocket or lap rather than attached to the phone. I have also used the Duracell Powerhouse which is able to charge up to 2 phones at a time. The Powerhouse is very small but made to be used on a desk.

The chargers come with a short USB cable that attaches to your computer and then to the IN slot on the charger. It took under a hour for the red light to turn green indicating the charge was complete. I like the Duracell Pocket’s charging light the best. The Duracell Pocket’s light is perfectly lit up and in the center so you can see from all angles. The Instant has a small red/green charging light and it must be faced towards you to see it, and the Powerhouse light is a little dim.

Size 8 – Small

Weight 8 -Very light

Variety 10 – Because of the USB port on the Instant and Powerhouse you can charge many devices

Battery Life 8 – Holds a great charge for days

So when your battery is low all you need to do is attach the Duracell Charger to your phone and it’s charging. You can even make a phone call as it charges. Never again will I run out of battery life on my phone.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Evan for ©BerryReview, November 18, 2009, 2:00 pm. | Review: Duracell Rechargeable USB Charger | 6 comments |

MyAssist for BlackBerry – Do You Need A Live Assistant/Concierge?

Ronen Halevy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Handmark just released a new service/application called MyAssist. The app and service are intended for busy people who need assistance. I have never used a concierge service myself but I guess some people enjoy their own Mechanical Turk.

Usually we don’t mention these kinds of services but this one has a 7 day free trial that could be quite fun. The service only costs $3.99/month after the trial which seems ridiculously cheap… The service offers:

Personal Assistance

Research & Information
Personal Concierge
Travel Reservations
Events & Tickets
Translation & Interpretation
Unique Requests

Emergency Assistance

Personal & Family Safety
Access to Roadside Help
Medical Assistance

Check it out at www.myassist.com and let me know what you think.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 18, 2009, 12:02 pm. | MyAssist for BlackBerry – Do You Need A Live Assistant/Concierge? | Leave a comment |

Yahoo Go App Also Getting Axed on January 12 2010

Ronen Halevy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Anybody still using the Yahoo Go bloatware? Didn’t think so but it case you are I got word from my buddy Jessica @CNET that Yahoo will be nixing their Go application on January 12th, 2010.

The app was pretty innovative in its prime but has since grown into total bloatware over time until Yahoo just stopped developing it awhile back. They also cut their promising BlackBerry application that was supposed to come out to focus on their mobile site.

Now if only I could convince T-Mobile to stop making Yahoo the default search provider on my 9700 I would be happy…

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 18, 2009, 10:00 am. | Yahoo Go App Also Getting Axed on January 12 2010 | 11 comments |

Verizon to AT&T: You Want The Truth? You Can’t Handle the Truth!

Ronen Halevy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0000

This Verizon vs AT&T spat just keeps on getting better. We told you that AT&T is suing Verizon over their recent ads pointing at AT&T’s significantly smaller 3G footprint and sending their iPhone to the island of misfit toys. AT&T tried setting the record straight by saying they have unbelievable EDGE coverage where Verizon has EVDO… which is a lame argument. Though comparing coverage maps to service quality is not exactly the same I can attest to the fact that AT&T 3G service sucks even where they do have coverage in New York.

So now Verizon has responded to the lawsuit by effectively saying that AT&T can’t handle the truth of their smaller 3G coverage map.

AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s "There’s A Map For That" advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts.

I can’t wait until the gloves truly come off. Though honestly I am glad that I am currently using a T-Mobile phone service on my 9700 since AT&T 3G service in NYC has been degrading over the past few months at an alarming rate.

Hopefully next we will get a cage match between the Verizon & AT&T CEO’s… Or the Grinch who stole AT&T’s iPhone…

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 18, 2009, 9:08 am. | Verizon to AT&T: You Want The Truth? You Can’t Handle the Truth! | 16 comments |

FileScout File Manager Updated to v1.5

Ronen Halevy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Matthias let me know that his very popular donationware application FileScout has been updated to version 1.5. I had a chance to meet him at DevCon and he told me that he incorporated quite a few suggestions and tips he learned during the conference into this build. This new version is actually the version that he was showing off at this years BlackBerry Developer Challenge during DevCon.

You can pick up the new version at this link:
www.emacberry.com/ota/BBFileScout.jad

Changelog – FileScout release of 1.5.0.0

What’s new?

Display of thumbnails in search result (if thumbnail display is enabled and images are in the ‘FileScout Image Cache’)
Thumbnail-Options: New Button to generate all all thumbnails for all images on your device (incl. the SDCard) – this operation can take a while till it’s completed – please be patient!
When resizing images to device resolution size you can now select to keep the aspect ratio of the original image. If this option is selected, then FileScout will cut (left & right or top & bottom) of the image so that it will fit to your device screen resolution.
UserDefined resolution (image resizing) can be now be max 9999 pixel [but it's recommended not use more then 1200px]
Support for DesktopManager Backup & Restore (FileScout settings)
A ‘[W]‘ in the Screen Title indicating that the background threads (required for Search and other extended features) are still running (after FileScout is started) – once the threads are completed the ‘[W]‘ will disappear.
Integration in the RIMs FileExplorer Application: a ‘Explore with FileScout’ MenuItem is added

What’s fixed?

Search files in the current Directory only function fixed to be usable multiple times
Potential OutOfMemeory Error during start of FileScout (when the thumbnail store is getting too large)
Accessing OS5 System Folder for Bold, Bold2, Storm and Storm2

For all of you who are waiting to get a "fix" for the System folder on the Bold, Bold2, Storm and Strom2 on OS5.

RIM confirmed that they made the System folder in OS5.x read only
FileScout (and all other 3′rd party applications) can only show the content of the System folder but can’t modify anything

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by Ronen Halevy for ©BerryReview, November 18, 2009, 7:39 am. | FileScout File Manager Updated to v1.5 | 2 comments |

Mercedes Mbrace allows Mercedes owners to locate, lock and unlock their cars via BB or iPhone

David — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:36 +0000

The NYTime is reporting (and its not even David Pogue), that Mercedes is incorporating viper-like technology in releasing apps for the BlackBerry and iPhone that allow users who subscribe to the Mbrace service to lock and unlock their cars via their phone. Also if you forget where you car is, the Mbrace will send you directions from where your phone is to where your car is.

Very cool sounding, but I think they should build the service into the car price. No one wants to worry about another freakin recurring bill.

If you liked this article, you might find these interesting:

Posted by David for ©BerryReview, November 18, 2009, 6:00 am. | Mercedes Mbrace allows Mercedes owners to locate, lock and unlock their cars via BB or iPhone | 2 comments |