BlackBerry App: Facebook version 1.5 now available for upgrade

With a new download and install, Facebook v1.5 is available now for the BlackBerry today.

On my Storm, I’m getting version 1.50.31, a pretty hefty 994 KB download (723KB on the 8900). RIM says this update is good for any BlackBerry running OS 4.2 and greater (none with a trackwheel). I’ve been using 1.5 on my 8900 for a few weeks.

I like having the Facebook calendar integrate with my onboard BlackBerry calendar, as well as integrate with my device Address Book.

Download the Facebook 1.5 from here on your PC by sending an email link to your BlackBerry. You can install via the PC at the same link with your BlackBerry connected via USB. On your BlackBerry browser, visit this link.

Blackberry upgrade their instant messaging clients

Every day there are more social applications for BlackBerry and the native instant messaging are now updated versions that fix bugs and add features, but are not described on the website of RIM.

Now all your IM clients, Google Talk, AOL Instant Messenger, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Instant Messenger, go to version 2.1.44 and can be downloaded via OTA from http://www.blackberry.com/instantmessaging

T-Mobile bringing the BlackBerry Curve 8900 in February

Sprint’s now officially holding up the tail end of the BlackBerry train in the States (though hopefully not for long) now that T-Mobile has announced that the thoroughly modern Curve 8900 is hitting the lineup. Like the 8320 before it, the 8900 does WiFi for UMA-based HotSpot calling service and a 3.5mm headphone jack, but the similarities end there; besides arguably becoming the hottest BlackBerry in RIM’s stable, the 8900 features a 3.2-megapixel cam with image stabilization and a glorious 480 x 360 display that’ll put anything shy of a Storm to shame. Look for it next month — T-Mobile hasn’t committed to a date, though we have no reason to doubt the 11th rumor at this point.

The Blackberry Storm theme for Blackberry Bold

This theme is the original Blackberry Storm theme with the resolution fixed to perfect to be set on a Blackberry Bold.

Features:
- You can now view 12 icons (regular size) on your home screen
- When you navigate to the full menu, the wallpaper also changes.
- Your settings remain the same and the icons aren’t changed.
- Opportunity to set whether to show the provider (company, ex: ATT, T-mobile) or not.

Here’s a snapshot of the home screen I took from my own blackberry:

Click Here To Download

PassWord:  www.ggiphone.com

Storm VS iPhone, Apple battle with BlackBerry

RIM BlackBerry for the first time with the touch screen. And a function of the storm was touted as the BlackBerry mobile phone iPhone killer, in the absence of an iPhone many of the competitors. The release of BlackBerry storm also completed the casting of the touch-screen mobile phone heavyweights. In the 2 months prior to the on-line high-profile Google G1 Phone Due to the overwhelming excitement and high-profile media campaign to be released. This is also the wide publicity to its pre-release of the BlackBerry storm quite simple.

Although the Google Android Phone was successful in eliciting good comments and positive reviews, especially coming from the anti-iPhone camp, still there’s something lacking with the Google-powered Android phone that enables it to topple the iPhone. Hence, the Google Android Phone was put in the category of one of ‘em iPhone rival or iPhone killer wannabes. Would the Blackberry Storm suffer the same fate? Would its features and specs be enough to dislodge the iPhone as the most sought after, most popular mobile phone to ever arrive in the industry? Let’s take a look on the details, features, specs and anything and everything about the Blackberry Storm.

Blackberry Storm General Specs and Features:

• Wireless email
• Organizer
• Browser
• Phone
• Camera (3.2 MP)
• Video Recording
• BlackBerry Maps
• Media Player
• Built-in GPS
• Corporate data access
• SMS
• MMS

Just by a quick glance, you could immediately see that there are some features of the Blackberry Storm lacking on the iPhone. More particularly video recording, corporate data access and MMS. The Blackberry Storm supports various video formats such as MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H2.64, and WMV. But most importantly it can capture video which the iPhone is not capable of doing. Although the Blackberry Storm may have won this one over the iPhone, rest assured that it will just be a matter of time before a third party developer comes out with a legitimate application which would enable the iPhone to capture video as well. If you’re into Pwnage of the iPhone you should know that this is already available with jailbroken iPhone. But of course, we would not encourage you to do so as it will void your iPhone’s AT&T warranty.The same is true with MMS sending functionality. Again, the Blackberry Storm may have won this over the iPhone because of its native MMS feature; the iPhone however may soon have its third party app which can support this feature. In fact, there was an application that can do this already although it was not a direct MMS sending capability. But in time, we are positive that an application will be developed for this purpose. As for the Corporate Data Access, the Blackberry Storm well with the following email platform/clients:

• BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange
• BlackBerry Enterprise Server for IBM Lotus Domino
• BlackBerry Enterprise Server for Novell GroupWise
• enterprise email account
• personal email account
• optional new device account

On this aspect, we’ve got to admit that the Blackberry Storm clearly win big against the iPhone. The enterprise support for the iPhone email client is yet to be fully explored and maximized. The best that the iPhone could muster is integration with Lotus Domino via an application which is still under development. For web-based email account though, we all know that the iPhone has a decent integration with web-base email platform such as Yahoo, Gmail, AOL and many more. Wait before you go out and proclaiming that the iPhone is inferior to the Blackberry Storm, be reminded that all Blackberry handsets have these features so it is not really unique with the Storm. For their other differences, the Blackberry Storm has a 3.2 MP camera against the iPhone’s 2.0MP.

Another thing to look into when comparing the iPhone and the Blackberry Storm is their touchscreen features. There’s no doubt that Apple has mastered the touchscreen feature when it comes to their iPhone. And Blackberry certainly could learn a lot from Apple on this department. It would be interesting to know from those who lined up for the Blackberry Storm when it was released by Verizon Wireless last Friday, whether the Storm’s touchscreen feature could match up with the iPhone.

Clearly, these two phones aside from having touchscreen features are two mobile phone bigwigs in their own separate league. The Blackberry Storm or any Blackberry handsets was always been geared for the corporate business professionals while the iPhone is targeted more for the general mobile phone using public. Each of these two smartphones have their respective pros and cons, it’s up to you to decide whether you’d opt for the Apple or the Blackberry.

Review of Reviews BlackBerry Storm 9530

Verizon Wireless, Vodafone and Research In Motion released the news that the BlackBerryStorm will be available later this fall, exclusively to Verizon Wireless customers in the U.S. and Vodafone customers in Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone combines the powerful communications features, global connectivity and personal productivity advantages of the BlackBerry platform with a touchscreen technology that enhances the touch interface and enables easy and precise typing. The world’s first “clickable” touchscreen responds much like a physical keyboard and also supports single-touch, multi-touch and gestures for intuitive and efficient application navigation. Other features include an accelerometer, full HTML web browsing, 3.2 megapixel camera, GPS, auto -light adjustment, 3.25″ screen, (480 x 360), 1 gigabyte of storage and room for more with a microSD.

In the U.S., Verizon Wireless customers can use Verizon’s high-speed 3G Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) In Europe, India, Australia and New Zealand, Vodafone will support customers with its high-speed 3G mobile broadband networks and the power and reach of the world’s leading international mobile communications group.

Touch and Feel Clickable to the Touch

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone comes with an innovative touchscreen that actually depresses ever so slightly when the screen is pressed.  The user distinctly feels the screen being pressed and released with a gentle “click,” similar to the feeling of a key on a physical keyboard or a button on a mouse. The “clickable” touch-screen gives the user positive confirmation that they have made a selection and the result is a dramatically enhanced touch interface and a highly-intuitive typing experience. 

In addition to the familiar navigation keys (”phone,” “menu” and “escape”) that are common to other BlackBerry smartphones, the new BlackBerry Storm adds support for multi-touches, taps, slides and other touch-screen gestures, so customers can easily highlight, scroll, pan and zoom for smooth navigation.

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone also features a built-in accelerometer, allowing its touch-screen to automatically switch between landscape mode and portrait mode as the user rotates the handset – RIM’s SureType keyboard layout is available in portrait mode and a full QWERTY* keyboard layout is available in landscape mode.   Other relevant features, such as cut and paste, are only a touch away for the ultimate smartphone experience.

Browsing is Fast and Easy

Customers will enjoy a full HTML high-performance browser that works in either portrait or landscape orientation.  Navigating Web sites is fast and easy with the touch-screen interface that lets users double tap to zoom in and slide their fingers to scroll and pan. 

Icons along the bottom of the display allow for quickly accessing Web sites, switching between “Page View” and “Column View” as well as the ability to toggle between “Pan” mode and “Cursor” mode.  The enhanced browser supports file downloading, streaming audio and video (RTSP), and with its built-in RSS support, new content from supported Web sites can be automatically pushed to the user.

Staying Connected

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone brings the full power of the industry’s leading mobile e-mail and messaging solution without compromise. It supports personal and corporate e-mail and text (SMS), picture (MMS) and instant (IM) messaging on the most prevalent consumer and enterprise platforms, as well as easy access to popular social networking sites.

BlackBerry Storm Specs

The BlackBerry Storm smartphone, available from Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, also includes the following features and functions:

• BlackBerry® Internet Service, BlackBerry® Unite!, BlackBerry® Professional Software and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server support

• Preloaded DataViz® Documents to Go® allows users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the handset

• 3.2 megapixel camera with variable zoom, auto focus and a powerful flash that also provides continuous lighting when recording video

• Built-in GPS supports location-based applications and services, as well as geotagging of photos

• 1 GB of onboard memory storage and a microSD™/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 16 GB of additional storage

• Media player that can play movies smoothly in full-screen mode, display pictures and slideshows quickly and manage an entire music collection; playlists can be created directly on the handset and there’s an equalizer with 11 preset filters – including “Lounge,” “Jazz” and “Hip Hop” – for customized audio ranges when using wired headphones or external speakers

• A 3.5 mm stereo headset jack, support for Bluetooth® stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP) and dedicated volume controls

• Sleek, elegant design with contoured corners, stainless steel back and chrome accents surrounding its large (3.25″) glass lens; its exceptional 480 x 360 resolution at 184 ppi is crisp and bright with eye-pleasing clarity

• An ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts backlighting for ideal screen viewing and an accelerometer that allows customers to view applications in either portrait or landscape mode by simply rotating the handset

• Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides approximately six hours of talk time on 3G networks and 15 days of standby.