I just got an email from Josep about BlackBerryTracker going opensource. We mentioned BlackBerryTracker back in February. It is a great bare bones BlackBerry GPS tracking service. The best part is that the server and client software code is now available as an opensource download under the OpenLBS name. It is released under the Apache 2.0 license.

This means that anybody with a server can start up their own location based services application built upon OpenLBS. Pretty cool stuff. I wonder if this is a gamechanger? Any developers want to sound off?

Check it out at: openlbs.tech9computers.com or the original at www.blackberrytracker.com

UPDATE: Issues remedied in this release:

- Shift-select has been fixed (in both messages and browser)
- Multi-input issue has been resolved in the browser
- Random reboot/hang issues during browsing is resolved/much-less
- SMS send delay/fault has been resolved
- Delay when calling or answering phone calls has been reduced

I was enjoying a relaxing 4^th of July weekend but I had to take a break to post this. I just got a tip from another nameless faithful readers with a link to OS 4.5.0.45 for the CDMA 8330. This is OS 4.5.0.45 Rel 65. I know many of you have been dying to upgrade from the OS 4.5.0.33 we mentioned before.

Sadly there is already a later release of OS 4.5.0.51 Rel 74 but our tipster could not locate it. I am currently in the process of installing this on a Sprint 8330.

NOTE: Install at your own risk. This is probably a beta and may break your BlackBerry or even cause your home to self destruct. Please exercise caution and let us know your experiences in the comments.

Just as an example of where you can find 4.5.0.45 for the 8330 check out the link below:
http://rapidshare.com/files/127451762/8330AMEA_PBr4_5_0_rel65_PL3_2_0_37_A4_5_0_45.exe.html

Thanks for the tip anonymous! Keep on sending them in!

The BerryReview BlackBerry IQ Quiz is my wife’s brainchild. The whole team got behind the idea and we can now present you with some of the hardest BlackBerry trivia questions we could come up with, 30 in all. I mean it when I say this quiz is HARD so don’t be disappointed if you don’t do as well as you thought you would. Even I only got a 20/30 on my first shot and I wrote some of the quiz. This quiz will really test your BlackBerry knowledge and is not for the faint of heart.

Your score on the Quiz will enter you for a chance to win one of the following prizes from the quiz sponsors!!!

• 1 x BlackBerry OtterBox (www.OtterBox.com)
  • The strongest protection for the most demanding BlackBerry tasks. (reviews: 8100 & 8300, 8800)
• 3 x SplashMoney (www.SplashData.com)
  • The latest finance manager application for BlackBerry (description, review coming soon)
• 3 x Bplay Games (www.Bplay.com)
  • The hottest BlackBerry games available (lots of reviews)
• 3 x Themes From VistoThemes (www.VistoThemes.com)
  • Some of the best themes for BlackBerry including my favorite H2O theme.

Read the rest of this article

By now everyone (sorry non-Americans) is fired up, with their grills and plans for the 4th of July. So why not celebrate the 4th of July and show your patriotism on your BlackBerry as well with this nice theme by Mothy from blueroomsolution.com

The theme has a nice a double sided Zen theme with a really nice picture of the USA flag as a background. It also has transparent icons that turn full focus once you scroll to it. The theme is fairly simple but very organized, no custom icons which is not a big deal since the standard icons do just fine. Sorry guys had to make a correction the theme is for 4.5 OS some of the home screen icons don’t appear on mine because I had deleted those applications from my BB. Let us know if it does work on OS 4.2.

The icons have an animation as you scroll through them they jump from the side to let you know which icon you are focusing at the moment. Mothy’s themes only come OTA so either head over to www.blueroomsolution.com or hit this OTA link on your blackberry browser and give your blackberry a more patriotic look. Enjoy and have a fun safe holiday weekend for those of you that reside in the US and every one else too.

Thanks again Mothy! Let us know if you find any other 4^th of July themes…

UPDATE: May be a false alarm. This seems to have application version 4.5.0.37 in a 4.5.0.52 build…

UPDATE #2: Looks like a false alarm. I just thought this was too good to be true and it was. Forgive me for getting your hopes up… Still waiting for confirmation.

UPDATE #3: Confirmed this is a false alarm. Once again sorry for the confusion.

One of our readers, Robbie, just let me know that OS 4.5.0.52 is available from Dialog Sri Lanka (east asian version). It is OFFICIALLY available for the 8100, 8110, 8120, 8310, 8320, & 8800!!! Not sure what the application version of 4.5.0.37 means. I hope it is not a false alarm.

You can pick up the download from this link below but dont forget to delete the Vendor.xml file before installing…

https://www.blackberry.com/Downloads/entry.do?code=10C272D06794D3E5785D5E7C5356E9FF

Thanks Robbie and have a Happy 4^th of July!!!

Let us know if you like OS 4.5.0.52!!!

CarRentals.com now has a mobile version of their site. Like the standard online website version, the mobile version allows you to type in the appropriate zip code or airport code and then searches many (if not all) of the local car rental agencies in that area (Avis, Hertz, etc).

Select one and then indicate the dates you wish to reserve the vehicle to see all the different car styles and rates. Then, by typing in your name, email address, etc. you can actually make a reservation via your Blackberry without a credit card. I didn’t actually make a reservation but I assume upon making one you receive an email with instructions from the car rental company as to how you should proceed further.

For more information you can visit CarRental.com from your Blackberry or PC.

When I wrote about Anyvite being better than Evite because it has mobile access Nikolaus corrected me. It turns out that Evite does have a mobile website. It is not a bad mobile website but it is lacking in two major features:

First of all if you go to www.evite.com from your BlackBerry it does not redirect you to the mobile site. Also when you click on an invitation email on your BlackBerry it also takes you to the desktop version of the site. As you can see in the screenshot to the right the Evite desktop website does not look so great in the BlackBerry browser.

Check out the mobile version at m.evite.com

So if you a stuck with Evite like me then try out the mobile site. I just wish Evite would round out the edges on the mobile support.

Thanks for the tip Nikolaus!

Keep in mind this is REALLY not supported by Google since they only support it for the 8110, 8120, & 8130. This is the new voice search version that was released as an experimental version by Google.

One of our readers, Hank, discovered that you can install it on a 8300 or 8800 series device just by going to the download link directly.

If you can’t risk some issues with your Berry I WOULD NOT INSTALL THIS! Don’t say I did not warn you!!!

But I can confirm that it does work like a charm on my AT&T 8310 (OS 4.5.0.46) & Sprint 8330 (OS 4.5.0.33) & AT&T 8800 (OS 4.2)!

Just head on over to this link from your BlackBerry Browser:

http://www.google.com/gmm/apps/v2.2.1/en/BlackBerry-42/GoogleMaps.jad?make=BlackBerry&model=43&ver=v2.2.1&source=mobileproducts&hl=en&noss=1

Thanks Hank!