WorldBerry | BlackBerry News Rss Feed Reader » Tags » BBCool

A few months ago we started a BlackBerry Cool group on LinkedIn, to connect BlackBerry power users with colleagues in the wireless industry. We then promptly forgot about it. Despite our total disregard, however, the BlackBerry Cool LinkedIn Group has slowly gained a larger membership, passing the 500 user milestone earlier this week.

We thought it was time to remind everyone about the group and to promise some interesting things to come in the near future, thanks to new LinkedIn features. Let’s fill ‘er up to 1000!

For those of you who enjoy social networks of a different sort, make sure to also check out our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Join the BlackBerry Cool LinkedIn Group
Join the BlackBerry Cool Facebook Group
Follow BlackBerry Cool on Twitter

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Update: Just got talking to a couple of our friends at RIM, who said they weren’t surprised by the results of our test. It turns out that the focus of RIM’s development for the new rendering engine in OS 4.6 was in stability, not performance, and the Waterloo crew is still working on speed optimization. What this means is that future OS updates from RIM will require additional speed tests.

While previous results had been contested, we hope to put the BlackBerry Bold versus iPhone 3G browser debate to bed. Taking some time with our brand-spanking-new Bold and QuicklyBored EIC, Kyle McInnes’ iPhone 3G, we put the two beasts through some browsing hoops to see who can get through the fastest. We tested on Wi-Fi only, 3G-only, both with and without JavaScript enabled. Sadly, our results are pretty conclusive - the iPhone’s browser is faster.

To be fair, it’s not by much - maybe a two to three second delay, depending on the site, but it’s enough to notice the difference. We’re also running on BIS, so don’t have enterprise servers doing a lot of the compression for us. The Bold’s browser is still a huge upgrade for BlackBerry, and definitely more enjoyable than what I was using on the Pearl. While we’re calling this test definitive (we ran a series of five tests using multiple sites each time), your mileage may vary - if you’ve got both devices in hand, take some time to wipe the caches and run a few tests. We’d love to hear if our results match up, and love even more to hear if they don’t.

(...)
Read the rest of Updated: The Definitive BlackBerry Bold versus iPhone 3G Browser Comparison (video) (271 words)

Filed under BBCool Video, Features, Top Story | Permalink | 13 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

John Boynton, chief marketing officer from Rogers and RIM’s Patrick Spence introduced the BlackBerry Bold to press in Toronto today, and they went through a brief spiel about the partnership between the two companies, and how awesome the Bold and/or Rogers is. It’s a rocky launch for the BlackBerry 9000 in Canada, for sure, but Best Buy and Future Shop will both start receiving their stock tomorrow.

Filed under BBCool Video, News | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

A lot of you are probably living somewhere where the BlackBerry 9000 isn’t even available yet, so the very sight of one being busted apart could be a bit of a tear-jerker, but the fine folks at CNN.cn have posted the disassembly process. The LCD and keypad look very similar to other BlackBerrys (like the 8800), and the trackball is exactly the same. Might be time to replace that casing, eh BG?

(via BBWorld)

(...)
Read the rest of BlackBerry Bold disassembly and assembly (74 words)

Filed under BBCool Video, News | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

If you’ve got a roasted keypad on your BlackBerry 8800-series device, take a look at this video. It’s a little long, but goes through every step nice and slowly. Even if you’re carrying something else, it might be worth checking out The Moment of Truth at 14:50. Oh, and the skin is from DecalGirl, if you’re curious.

(...)
Read the rest of How to: BlackBerry 8800 diassessembly, repair, and reassembly (video) (324 words)

Filed under BBCool Video, BlackBerry Help, Features, Top Story | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

One of the bigger upgrades with the BlackBerry Bold is the browsing experience, which you can see clearly in this video from Boy Genius. You get a look at the general rendering capability of OS 4.6, as well as speed differences between EDGE and Wi-Fi. I’d be curious to see how 3G compares… On the whole this is a much needed update - the poor BlackBerry browser has been a point of contention for plenty of users for a good long time. You guys happy to see the problem fixed? What’s the next biggest issue RIM needs to tackle?

(via BGR)

Filed under BBCool Video, News | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

As you can tell from our Zumobi hands-on impressions post, the mobile widget application can be quite the memory hog by BlackBerry standards (highly understandable considering what it provides) and has been a little troublesome for members of the BlackBerry Nation rocking, ahem, less-than-new devices. However, our friends at Zumobi aren’t ones to rest in times of need, and have put together a video of handy memory management tips so your BlackBerry is running clean and your Zoomspace is quick.

Check out the video above (compiled partially from tips offered right here on BlackBerry Cool), but make sure to post your own memory management tip in the comments. Special thanks to the lovely Beth for compiling the video!

(...)
Read the rest of BlackBerry Tips: BlackBerry Memory Management Video (118 words)

Filed under BBCool Video, Tips 'n Tricks | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

You might have noticed BBCool being a little wonky over the last day or two - it was all a part of a server upgrade that we seem to have settled down from. Sorry for the lapse, but we’re now rocking some new hardware which should let us serve up the latest BlackBerry news lickitty-split from here on in.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

RIM jobs! Get your RIM jobs! Get ‘em while they’re hot! 7 fresh positions at Research in Motion have been posted on BlackBerryJobs.com, including Mobile Application Architect, Infrastructure Solutions Architect, and Operations Analyst. Exciting titles as they may be, there are no doubt plenty of readers out there who can fill those shoes and wear those hats. If you’re an employer with some holes to fill, go on and post a job! Oh, we’re also selling those shirts for any recruiters in Waterloo…

Filed under BBCool News, News, Spotlight | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Last month our current writer for Windows Mobile Cool, Bambi Blue, was down at North by Northeast in Toronto covering some news for Trans Canada Radio. While enjoying lunch at a quiet, chic restaurant, one of these BlackBerry guys flung themselves violently against the front window overlooking the street - face-first, arms wide open. This was a fairly upscale place, so everyone there was stunned and aghast when the guy reached down to his scrollball and started rubbing it in a less-than-wholesome way. After doing a sexy little dance, BlackBerry guy number two came crashing in, doing all sorts of things to the first that kept the diners well and truly shocked. Unfortunately, they ran off before she could grab any pictures, but Bambi still learned a valuable lesson: BlackBerry guys are possibly the coolest mascots on the planet.

(video via CB)

Filed under BBCool Video, Humor, News | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Here’s a cool little toy coming from Texas Intrsuments…Microvision was working on something similar, so it’s clearly a technology that’s gaining some popularity. For on-the-spot business presentations, I could see the use, but would the battery hold out for the length of a movie? TV show?

(via CrunchGear)

Filed under BBCool Video, News | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

It’s gonna be pretty hectic here in the National Capital today, and the BBCool staffers aren’t ones to miss out. No news today, but we’ll be playing catch up tomorrow. For those Canadians out there reading, have a good one, and Americans, your day off is just around the corner.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

BBCool is all about the Web 2.0 bandwagons, and LinkedIn is no exception. For those who haven’t heard, it’s a place where professionals can network, list qualifications, get recommendations, and generally get all the jollies of Facebook while still pretending to work. We’ve got a BBCool group set up so you can get in touch with all the other hep industry types that read BBCool. Of course, you can still hook up with other readers through our Facebook fan page.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Engadget just scored some screen time with the new BlackBerry Javelin, which, as you may know, will be something like the BlackBerry Bold with Wi-Fi and GPS, minus 3G. The BlackBerry Javelin will also be packing a slightly beefed camera, clocking in at 3.2 megapixels. Pictures surfaced yesterday, whetting our palette, and the full 360 view is more than welcome. Back at WES I had heard of a BlackBerry 9400 which was to be an upgraded Curve, and with the spaced-out keys, this looks like it. It’s also worth noting that there’s no externally-accessible microSD slot on the left side… Maybe back to the olden days of under-the-battery memory cards? Keep an eye out for this beaut in mid-09.

Filed under BBCool Video, News, Rumors, Top Story | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

You already heard what the people have chosen, and now to announce what the supposed experts have to say. Like we mentioned in last week’s podcast, it’s a tough call to make with such a wide range of products being shown off at WES. The judges for each category had their own set of standards (as you can see), so the results are bound to be highly subjective. The fact of the matter is every exhibitor at WES had something worth showing off, and these were just some of the few that stuck out in our judge’s minds.

(...)
Read the rest of BlackBerry Cool Best of WES: 2008 Winners (603 words)

Filed under BBCool News, News, Reviews, Rumors, Top Story, WES '08 | Permalink | No comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

We’ve tallied all the votes, and we’re now ready to announce the winners of BlackBerry Cool’s First Annual Best of WES: People’s Choice Contest. Reader participation is a huge deal here at BBCool HQ, so we were touched to see so many people voting for their favorite BlackBerry products and services. One of the most startling aspects of the contest was seeing just how close the voting was in many of the categories — you guys really like a lot of different things! To that end, we’re going to post the top three favorites in every category.

Thanks to everyone who voted!

Consumer
1st - Viigo - Viigo
2nd - Unify4Life - Unify4Life
3rd - Zumobi – Zumobi

(...)
Read the rest of BlackBerry Cool Best of WES: People’s Choice Winners (201 words)

Filed under BBCool News, BlackBerryCool, News, Top Story, WES, WES '08 | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

For anyone still on the line between an upcoming 3G iPhone or the slick new BlackBerry Bold, The iPhone Blog has a nice comparison video. Just keep in mind the reviewer is an Apple fanboy - consider yourselves disclaimed. Supposedly, the BlackBerry 9000 got no inspiration whatsoever from the iPhone… decide for yourself. Also, Howard Chui also has a run-through of the BlackBerry 9000 compared to the 8800, if you’re considering an upgrade.

Filed under BBCool Video, Features | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Yeah, we already prodded you to go vote, but we’re gonna prod again. This being our first official go at the Best of WES Awards, there were admittedly a few kinks, but I think we managed to get all the exhibitors in that were interested, including Viigo, Cortado, and Neverfail. Head on over here to vote for your personal favorite.

NOTE: Voting has now been extended to Wednesday, May 21st at midnight.

The new BlackBerry Bold is Sizzlin, Exotic and of course BOLD. It’s a delicious new flavor of BlackBerry that is completely hypnotizing. I want one so bad my mouth is watering.

(...)
Read the rest of The BlackBerry Bold is delicious (13 words)

Filed under BBCool Video, BlackBerryCool | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

This revolutionary trend in Web 2.0 will change the way the world blogs (and help keep us slim).

Filed under BBCool Video, Features, Humor, WES '08 | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Zumobi is a promising new platform for content delivery, featuring a slick interface for widgets. Plop in your tiles, zoom in, get your fix, and zoom out to keep browsing. We take a look at the upcoming BlackBerry client.

Filed under BBCool Video, Features, WES '08 | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

I managed to talk with the guys from Unify4Life back on day 2, and got a sweet demo of everything in action. Stuff like this we’ll tend to throw out on QuicklyBored before anything else, so be sure to check ‘em out.

Filed under BBCool Video, Features, WES '08 | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

Hey guys! Got a bunch of videos from our first day at WES. We’re going to keep adding more after the jump as the day goes on, so keep hitting this post. For now, enjoy the BlackBerry Bold.

(...)
Read the rest of Day 1 WES Videos: BlackBerry Bold and more! (Updated!) (97 words)

Filed under BBCool Video, WES '08 | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

UPDATE: Sorry for the delay in video. Blame YouTube.

I had forgot to mention these two things in the rush to post my love letter to the BlackBerry Bold, so I’ll post them now before I head off to bed, along with this video clip I recorded post-Bold fondling.

The Scrollball. Much improved from the Pearl and Curve variants. The indent surrounding the ball isn’t as deep, and the Applications and Back buttons are one continuous piece of plastic. Net result? You have more control over ball movement for a much smoother roll. The ball itself doesn’t seem as cheap and plastic-y.

The Back Casing. Comprised of leather and very sexy. Once again, it’s too refined for a device named ‘Bold’. Ah well. I’m told that you’ll be able to purchase a variety of leather casings in different colors, to pimp your BlackBerry.

So what do you think, folks? Post a comment and let us know if you are Bold crazy like the BBCool crew.

Filed under BBCool Video, Features, WES '08 | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to Del.icio.us or Digg

WES is just a few days away, and BBCool will be rocking the show with pictures, twitters, and fritters. As always, our coverage will be pushed through Viigo, but you might have heard that they’re getting a pretty beefy upgrade, including audio and podcasting. WES will be the first glimpse at the app in action, and thought y’all might appreciate an advance look…

For more info, check out Viigo’s walkthrough or viigo.com/tango for notifications on public beta availability.

Filed under BBCool Video, Features, WES '08 | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

Hey folks, we’ve got a survey up for anyone who wants a snazzy free icon theme. The survey should take 10-15 minutes to complete, and asks a few basic demographic questions, a few questions about your BlackBerry and how you use it, and finally your thoughts on BlackBerry Cool. We’re hoping to cover all of the bases with this survey, and share the information with some of the big players in the BlackBerry world so they can better tailor their products to you. It’ll also help us here at BBCool to provide better coverage for the topics you care about. At the end of the survey, you’ll be given a link to download a new theme with an icy blue design.

NOTE: The downloads are in a RAR format, which is a compression method like ZIP. You need to nab a program like WinRAR to open them. We’ll try to get a ZIP version up soon, since it’s a little more well-known. Our themes page gives a quick run-down on how to install themes once you’ve downloaded them.

This theme is available for 8100, 8300, and 8800-series devices. The downloads are in a RAR format, which is a compression method like ZIP. You need to nab a program like WinRAR to open them. We’ll try to get a ZIP version up soon, since it’s a little more well-known. Our themes page gives a quick run-down on how to install themes once you’ve downloaded them.

Filed under BBCool News, News, Top Story | Permalink | 44 comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

Hey all, might have noticed a lack of posting today… I’m down in the BlackBerry heartland of Kitchener, Ontario visiting family for Easter, but I’ll try to get a podcast out this afternoon. Hope everyone’s enjoying the long weekend!

Filed under BBCool News, News, Top Story | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

BlackBerry game developer Magmic has just taken advantage of our free job posting offer over on BlackBerry Jobs, listing 7 positions that they’ve got ready to fill. If any programmers are in the house, they’ve got room for J2ME, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, web and Brew developers. Be sure to keep an eye on the yellow section on the right pane for new updates, or better yet, head on over to BlackBerryJobs.com to see what other opportunities are waiting.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

You might have noticed that little yellow section on our right sidebar listing BlackBerry-related jobs every once in awhile. Well, we’re looking to seriously ramp it up and get all the BlackBerry professionals out there set, both those looking to hire and to be hired. So, we’re opening up free job posting until the end of March. Just enter the code BBSPECIAL at checkout and your job posting will be up there on BlackBerryJobs.com and our weekly newsletter for 30 days, no charge. If you find anything especially wrong with the process, please let us know at help at blackberryjobs dot com to get it all ironed out.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

We’ve got a new holiday here in Ontario, Family Day, which means the BBCool staffers will be taking some time off to reconnect with the family they have estranged due with their fanatical loyalty to the BlackBerry cause. Or they might just, y’know, stay at home and watch TV all day. One way or the other, we’ll be a little short on posting today, but will be back on track tomorrow.

Filed under Top Story, BBCool News, News | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

Since using Flock, I’ve been getting into the web 2.0 stuff, and Pownce is a great new way to get all of it together. The big thing about Pownce is that it ties a lot of great services together, like our Facebook fan page, our Flickr page which will be seeing some more action around WES-time, our YouTube profile featuring all of our video reviews, and lots of other stuff. Pownce is still really new, so there’s no RSS feeds available in the posting area, but we’re sure it’s on the way. As soon as it hits, you’ll be able to get the quick-and-dirty version of BBCool right on our Pownce profile. Oh, and they’ve got a mobile site available at m.pownce.com, if you’re looking for access right from your BlackBerry.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

The day is upon us! Just punch in the code BBSMARTFREE at our store’s checkout to get your free copy of the BlackBerry HTML e-mail viewer BBSmart. You need to make a purchase of at least $5 to get it, but considering BBSmart usually goes for $24.99, it’s a pretty sweet deal.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

So, you may have heard that Otterbox busted out a new Pearl case, which I’ve been playing around with since early last month. Now there’s a new Curve case available too, also following the new style set by their 8800 case, which we’ve been taking a look at. Accordingly, we’ve updated our review, including the few quirks of the new models, although the overall product remains the same: tough, reliable, good-looking cases. We’ve even got a quick video of the Defender Series handling the rough Canadian winter… If you live the rugged life, you can pick up the Pearl Defender Series case here and the 8800-class cases here.

Filed under Top Story, BBCool News, News | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

We’ve just recently shuffled our store around and updated the graphics. Exhausted after a marginal amount of work, we wiped our brows and collectively thought, “hell, this calls for celebration”, even if it really didn’t. Luckily, our readers get to reap the rewards of our overenthusiasm, as all software in the store will be 20% off until the end of October. Call it a Hallowe’en thing, call it a reckless decision by bloggers on the edge, call it a sign of the Second Coming, call it whatever you want - it’s a sale, and odds are there’s something in that store that you wanna get your mitts on. Pop in and peruse the wares, you won’t be disappointed. Just enter the code NEWCOOL at checkout to get your discount!

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

You might have noticed a few issues over the last day or two here at BBCool. Our readership has grown significantly and managed to exceed our server capacity before we had a chance to find something a little more our size. After some frantic shuffling, we’ve miraculously survived and found a new home for BBCool where she’s settling in nicely. Thanks a ton for your patience and continued patronage, guys. It’s actually kind of bittersweet having your site crash because so many people wanna check it out.

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

Since the site reskin, we lost a few of our old features, such as our ever-popular Wallpaper Generator. Well, we’ve got it back, along with a few new pages. If you’re a BlackBerry professional (or you’re looking for BlackBerry professionals), be sure to check out our revamped Job Board. For those looking for something a little more light-hearted, we have new Free Software and Free Themes pages, which will be updated regularly as we stumble upon new stuff. Find something that should be up there? Drop us a line at info AT blackberry cool dot com with your suggestions! Finally, our Wallpaper Generator is purring like a kitten after much trouble. If you’ve got an image that you want to see on your BlackBerry minus all the fuss of Photoshop, pop it into the generator, and you’ll get it custom fit for your BlackBerry. We’re working hard to get the old Software and Hardware Guides back up, so keep your eyes peeled!

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | One comment | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

If you haven’t noticed the Weekly Contest over in the spotlight, you should check it out before Friday rolls around. There’s some great suggestions this week about what the next big thing for BlackBerry should be. The leader in terms of straight-up numbers right now is 3G, but there’s lots of talk about video support, touchscreens, memory capacity, streaming data, and all sorts of stuff that folks are looking forward to after Wi-Fi and GPS have really settled into BlackBerrys. It’s a really great read so far, even if you don’t feel like entering. We’ve got an extended two-week contest lined up for this Friday, so stay tuned!

Filed under BBCool News, News | Permalink | No comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This

Even when we’re on vacation, the BBCool staff is still hard at work. That’s why when BBCool Simon went for a little R&R a few weeks back, we tasked him with reviewing the SideWinder mobile charger. Not only that, we made him film it! For those not interested in 3 minutes of Simon, we also made him do a full text review. Some vacation!

It was time for summer vacation. Swing by Waterloo to visit some family, spend a week up at the cottage. Ah, the cottage. No electricity, no running water, all boonies. A whole week without the internet. Without a computer, without ATMs or newspapers or video games. What if the blog exploded in my absence, and only I had the vital information which could save years of posts from certain doom? What if RIM dropped the wonderbang BlackBerry that would annihilate all other smartphones for the next 20 years, and I missed the announcement? What if a zombie infestation had fallen upon Ottawa and I, totally uninformed of local goings-on, unwittingly returned to a war zone instead of staying up at the paradisal Georgian Bay?

It was clear that if nothing else, the BlackBerry 8800 was coming along for the ride. In the case of zombie apocalypse, I’d need renewable energy to ensure a regular stream of S.O.S signals. Enter the SideWinder.

The SideWinder is a small, simple hand-winding charger that works for BlackBerrys as well as a wide range of mobile phones. Geared for emergency power, it looked like a worthy tool in any survivalist’s arsenal. Ideally, we would like to have tried that spiffy wind charger that Orange is working on, but alas, it’s still in prototype stages.

Installation
Installation was dirt simple. You plug the thingie in the thingie. There’s a converter that needs to be attached to the end of the built-in cord which makes the connection to your device a little clunkier than you might be used to, but for the sake of interchangeable ends, it’s worth it. Besides, you’re out in the wilds roughing it, things can get ugly out there.

Presentation
The device itself is sturdy, and has a collapsible crank, allowing for easy portability. It comes with a handy little carrying case, which doesn’t necessarily look waterproof, but does afford some protection as well as a belt loop for quick access.

Integration
There was no trouble at all hooking up the mini-USB converter. The fact that there’s so many different bits available for the SideWinder assures a broad range of compatibility for whatever devices you’re using.

Functionality
To test out the charger, I let the battery on my BlackBerry 8800 completely drain, which actually goes against the instructions, which say that it’s easier to charge when there’s still a little bit of power left. Despite this, it seems the most likely scenario one would use this charger would be when the battery’s completely dead. The goal was to get enough of a charge to pull up GPS coordinates so I could upload my pictures onto Google Earth later with minimal guesswork.

15 minutes of cranking is rough on the fingers, let me tell you. Besides that, there was a tiny LED light integrated with the charger that can provide a decent light source in a pinch.

Verdict
Like I said, this is a last-ditch emergency measure. It gets the job done, no doubt, but is probably something that you’re not going to use too often. For only $19.99, having something like this in your glove compartment is a reasonable insurance policy, especially if you spend a lot of time in isolated conditions which could necessitate emergency contact with the outside world. As a city boy, though, I would not qualify this as a must-have accessory. On the other hand, if you’re fancy yourself the heavy-duty outdoorsy type, this might be something to stash away in your backpack. The SideWinder gets 3 Tiresome Cranks out of 5. It does the job with a bit of elbow grease and is reasonably priced, but the real value is in peace of mind rather than functionality. If you’re interested in picking one up, you can find them here.

Filed under Top Story, BBCool Video, Reviews | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to Del.icio.us | Digg This