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Zinio finally hits the PlayBook, becomes your Berry own magazine stand

Edgar Alvarez — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:34:00 EST

Zinio's had a comfortable spot sitting on the Android and iOS stores for months, but up until now, it'd been steering clear of a certain App World. Fast forward to today and the digital magazine service is staying true to its tweet, at last making its way to that 7-inch BlackBerry slate. The PlayBook flavor brings along the usual traits, including over 5,000 mags in 33 different languages, multiple device syncing, as well as full subscriptions or à la carte issues . Early adopters have already taken the app for a spin, giving it mixed reviews, and you can do the same directly from your two-dot-oh slab or via the source link below.

Zinio finally hits the PlayBook, becomes your Berry own magazine stand originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dolphin Browser arrives in BlackBerry App World, now with developer's permission

Zachary Lutz — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:56:00 EST

Everybody loves happy endings, so it's with this in mind that we bring you news of the official "sanctioned" arrival of Dolphin Browser within the BlackBerry App World. At version 7.2, this app isn't quite as fresh as its native Android counterpart -- which sits at version 7.5 in the Play Store and offers Sonar voice features -- but it still brings its webzine and gesture-driven mannerisms that many appreciate. As you may recall, this isn't the first time that the Dolphin Browser has graced the App World, but this time around, it was submitted by MoboTap -- so yeah, they know it's in there. If you happen to have a PlayBook and would like to try the alternative browser, be sure to hit up the source link.

Dolphin Browser arrives in BlackBerry App World, now with developer's permission originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is your Android app on BlackBerry App World without you knowing?

James Trew — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST

In our review of PlayBook 2.0, we were eager to check out how well Android apps worked on the platform, and one of the first we reached for was the Dolphin HD browser. Curiously enough, it turns out Dolphin's makers MoboTap had no idea their app was available via BlackBerry's App World. The discovery came after we were notified by developer Steve Troughton-Smith that Dolphin HD had been submitted to App World by white label store Handster (owned by Opera). We reached out to MoboTap who confirmed they didn't authorize any submission by Handster, with a spokesperson telling us "We do not condone Handster submitting our Dolphin Browser app to BlackBerry's App World for us and are currently working to take it down and assure Handster will not submit our app for us again. We will assess developing for BlackBerry when the time is right." Dolphin HD may be a free app, but the question remains: why is Handster submitting it without permission? Has your app been submitted to App World without your knowing?

Update: We received the following statement from Handster regarding their policy:

Handster aggregates over 8500 developers with 55.000 apps and serves them for distribution to Handster/Opera appstores, as well partner distribution network consisting of LG, Ericsson, Alcatel Lucent, MTS and number of other partners. Recently we also signed a deal on providing aggregated content for RIM.

By the Handster standard distribution agreement, we can distribute apps via our main store and our partner network. Most of the developers use this agreement. Handster serves as hub, where you can publish app and cover multiple channels. As a result, developers generate higher revenue and more downloads for their products.

Before publishing any app to new partner channel, we sent notification email to all developers, with information about the partnership. Except notification email, there is usually prior press release and about the coming partnership. We also asked if there are any objections to distribution of apps in the channels, but so far getting only positive feedbacks from the developers.

But of course you should consider that in some cases notification email is not read, or responsible person changes and doesn't notify new people at the developer company of all channels. We contacted Dolphin team to clarify the issue, and expecting soon resolution.

Our partnership with RIM opens new distribution channel to Android developers, by allowing to receive revenue stream from Blackberry devices, without additional efforts. The team established complex process on verification of apps, conversion of APK to BAR files, retesting on Playbook devices and submission integration. These processes are quite complicated for each individual developer to implement.

Continue reading Is your Android app on BlackBerry App World without you knowing?

Is your Android app on BlackBerry App World without you knowing? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New privacy policy standards agreed to by world's major app store owners

Terrence O'Brien — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:01:00 EST

The California Attorney General has struck a deal with the world's major app store operators that will see new privacy policy standards put in place. Apple, Google, Microsoft, HP, RIM and Amazon have all agreed to require any software that uses personal information to provide a privacy policy that can be viewed in the store before an app is downloaded. The agreement will bring the various markets in line with the California Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires developers provide such a policy. In addition to providing links to the relevant documents in an obvious and consistent location, the companies will have to offer a simple way for users to report devs that violate the rules. For more details about the deal check out the PR after the break.

Continue reading New privacy policy standards agreed to by world's major app store owners

New privacy policy standards agreed to by world's major app store owners originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spotify releases preview app for BlackBerry users, but not all of them

Amar Toor — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:41:00 EST

BlackBerry users haven't had a whole lot to celebrate in recent days, but at least they now have Spotify. Today, the Swedish startup unveiled a preview version of its music streaming app, available to download from its Previews page. At this point, the app is compatible with the 9780 Bold, 9700 Bold, 9300 Curve, 9000 Bold and 8520 Curve handsets, though the Torch 9800 has been left in the cold. It's also worth noting that the service only supports GSM networks (no CDMA, as of yet) and requires a Premium subscription of $10 per month. No word yet on when Spotify will arrive on App World, or whether it'll add extra support when it does, but early birds can grab their worm at the source link, below.

[Thanks, Daniel]

Spotify releases preview app for BlackBerry users, but not all of them originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Survey finds BlackBerry developers still profitable, Android Market as the store to watch

Lydia Leavitt — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:19:00 EST

Although the BlackBerry app store may be missing a favorite app or ten, according to a report from Evans Data Corp., developers are still making money by creating apps for the OS. Although the survey feels a bit narrow in scope (just 400 working developers were polled), 13 percent of 'Berry devs said they make $100,000 or more per app -- which according to the data collectors -- is "considerably more than Android or iOS developers." So why isn't everyone dropping what they're doing to develop for RIM's OS? The problems seemed to outweigh the allure of cold, hard cash. 37 percent said app visibility was the biggest issue with the store, while others griped about the approval process and heavy restrictions. Developers were equally unenthusiastic about BlackBerry's future, as only 4.8 percent predicted it would have the top market share two years from now -- 30.2 percent went with Android and 28.4 percent voted Apple's App Store. Check out the full report at the source.

Continue reading Survey finds BlackBerry developers still profitable, Android Market as the store to watch

Filed under: Cellphones

Survey finds BlackBerry developers still profitable, Android Market as the store to watch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Sep 2011 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM officially trots out BlackBerry App World 3.0

Joseph Volpe — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:39:00 EST

Better late than never, ey? RIM finally got with the program and rolled out their official version 3.0 upgrade to BlackBerry App World. The updated application portal had already been available to Beta Zone members early last month and was slated for an August 22nd debut, but apparently missed that release window. We've already seen the cosmetic improvements the Waterloo-based company's brought to the app hub, with a redesigned home screen, refreshed icons, MyWorld downloads folder and the ability to share apps via your choice of social messaging service. The service still lacks the compelling selection of rival OS app markets, but hopefully the company's renewed focus'll bring more devs to its OS club. If you're rocking a BB handset, drop us a line below and let us know your take on RIM's refresh.

RIM officially trots out BlackBerry App World 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM to unleash redesigned BlackBerry App World 3.0 on August 22nd

Billy Steele — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:54:00 EST

Hot on the heels of releasing its new device arsenal, RIM is prepping to roll out a brand spanking new BlackBerry App World. Scheduled to launch Monday, version 3.0 features a retooled interface for quick perusal of apps, games and themes -- if the beta release is any indication. Another added feature is the My World storage folder that keeps all of your downloads on the home screen and lets you wirelessly reinstall them should you accidentally delete one or upgrade devices. Sure, there are rumblings that the BB music service will be a part of this release, but as Reuters reported, that announcement isn't expected until early September. Although, this update would complete the new smartphone trifecta rather nicely: new device, new OS and new app store. Well done, RIM, now if you could just get your advertising in order, you'll be all set.

RIM to unleash redesigned BlackBerry App World 3.0 on August 22nd originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Aug 2011 02:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM BlackBerry App World 3.0 beta adds home screen search, social media features

Zach Honig — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 02:51:00 EST

How better to celebrate your billionth download than with a brand new app store? RIM just rolled out App World 3.0 beta to its Beta Zone users, bringing with it a redesigned home screen created to "let you quickly find what BlackBerry app, game or theme you're looking for." Seems a bit overdue if you ask us, but better late than never, as the idiom goes. There are also new home screen icons for Games and BlackBerry Themes -- the store's two most popular categories. (Yes, Themes really is one of the two most popular categories... behind Games, we hope.) You can also flick between app summaries, screenshots, and reviews from one screen, and share links to your favorite apps over Twitter, Facebook, email, SMS, and BBM. You may find it difficult to get too excited about an app store update, but for those of us who use BlackBerrys despite the occasionally less-than-stellar app experience, anything RIM can do to streamline the procurement process is more than welcome.

RIM BlackBerry App World 3.0 beta adds home screen search, social media features originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 02:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World hits one billion downloads, finally

Billy Steele — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:08:00 EST

Discovered a world of possibilities lately? Someone has, as the BlackBerry App World has just soared past the one billion download mark. It took a smidge over two years for the company to claim the milestone, if you count both smartphone and PlayBook tablet purchases. Android Market took about the same amount of time to reach the mark, but has soared to greater heights since, while Apple has averaged nearly a billion downloads per month in each of the last six months. A number of factors have likely led to the relative snail's pace in the BB storefront, including the outfit's rocky relationship with developers. In what can be seen as a morale booster, the company has begun a video series that allows seasoned RIM aficionados to offer their rationale for working with the mobile OS. Perhaps this will, in theory, help expedite the milestone conquering -- only time will tell.

BlackBerry App World hits one billion downloads, finally originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown

Brad Molen — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:35:00 EST

Most tablets function just fine on their own, but RIM's BlackBerry Playbook introduced a unique, yet restrictive interface that limits Bluetooth tethering to a similarly-branded handset. This feature, called BlackBerry Bridge, lets your tablet piggyback on a handset's 3G data connection, also enabling access to productivity apps like email and calendar, which are still otherwise unavailable on the PlayBook. Unfortunately, this option hasn't been made available for AT&T users, but that's about to change, as the feature will be added to App World today. While the Bridge suite is totally gratis, enabling the AT&T 3G data connection requires a monthly tethering plan of $45, which means anyone grandfathered into the unlimited data feature will need to decide if it's worth the jump. Bridge not sounding like your cup of tea? Don't worry -- at least you can take comfort in knowing that the days of pining for native email are numbered.

AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Bridge not available for PlayBook users on AT&T, unofficial workaround available

Donald Melanson — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:04:00 EST

We're not sure why this was never mentioned before the BlackBerry Playbook launch, but it looks like AT&T customers opting for RIM's new tablet won't be able to take advantage of one key feature, at least officially. For reasons yet unknown, AT&T appears to be blocking folks from downloading BlackBerry Bridge to their BlackBerry smartphones, with the speculation being that it doesn't like the free tethering the Playbook enables. As the folks at CrackBerry have discovered, however, AT&T is only blocking the Bridge app, not the actual Bridge process -- which means you can still download the app though unofficial means and Bridge your AT&T BlackBerry to your Playbook. Here's hoping AT&T figures out a workaround of its own sooner rather than later.

Update: We just heard back from AT&T, and it's looking like you'll need to have a bit of patience here as the kinks are worked out. Here's the direct quote from a company spokesperson:

AT&T is working with RIM to make the BlackBerry Bridge app available for AT&T customers. We have just received the app for testing and before it's made available to AT&T customers we want to ensure it delivers a quality experience for our customers.

BlackBerry Bridge not available for PlayBook users on AT&T, unofficial workaround available originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitter for BlackBerry 1.1 sheds beta tag, blossoms into official app

Brad Molen — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:05:00 EST

My, how apps seem to grow up so fast. It wasn't too long ago that Twitter for BlackBerry 1.1 came out as a limited beta, but it's already time for the young app to leave the nest. After enduring a hard two months of beta testing, this renovation effectively adds a few new features and UI enhancements including geotag support, push notifications for mentions, hashtag autocomplete, and a groovy "pull to refresh" shortcut - much akin to the iOS and Android versions. That's not all, folks: updated graphics and support for 5 new languages were thrown in as well. If you're ready to get your tweet on and have a BlackBerry running OS 4.5 or higher, take a little journey downwards to the source and get that update.

Continue reading Twitter for BlackBerry 1.1 sheds beta tag, blossoms into official app

Twitter for BlackBerry 1.1 sheds beta tag, blossoms into official app originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitter for BlackBerry 1.1 hits beta, adds new notifications and geotagging

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:48:00 EST

The official Twitter app for BlackBerry has gotten a nice little bump today -- though you'll need to be a member of RIM's BlackBerry Beta Zone to get it at this point, since it's not quite gold yet. The new version adds a bunch of "features users have been asking for" including support for geotagging tweets, new push notifications for mentions, threaded direct messages, integration with BlackBerry OS' Social Feeds functionality, support for gestures on touchscreen devices, and new languages (Polish and Czech, it seems). As long as you've got a data plan and a device with BlackBerry OS 4.5 or higher, you should be good to go.

Twitter for BlackBerry 1.1 hits beta, adds new notifications and geotagging originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple maintains lead in mobile app store revenues, but its share is shrinking fast

Vlad Savov — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:21:00 EST

Growth. You don't have to be Gordon Gekko to recognize that exponential growth in revenues is the mark of both a buoyant industry and, on an individual level, a healthy participant within it. Kudos must, therefore, be handed out to all the top four app stores globally, as each one expended its total revenues by over 130 percent between 2009 and 2010. Interestingly, Apple's growth looks to be slowing down as the App Store begins to reach a saturation point on smartphones, while Nokia's Ovi Store and Google's Android Market blossomed during 2010 by multiples of 7.2 and 8.6 times their 2009 size. Apple's share at the top has shrunken as a consequence, a trend that looks likely to continue when Windows Phone 7's Marketplace and the Ovi Store are melded into one through this year and beyond.

Apple maintains lead in mobile app store revenues, but its share is shrinking fast originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World

Sean Hollister — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:12:00 EST

So you've got this hot new "super app" off BlackBerry App World, and want to share it with a friend? You could message them the name of the program, but that's so 2010. Soon, BlackBerry's going to have its very own "Gift This App" functionality through BBM, which will let you take advantage of that handy new carrier billing to debit the cost of the item and wing it to your recipient. RIM envisions the functionality used by parents who want to limit their children's access too, by taking full control of their purchases and subscriptions from their own remote handset. Now, we'll just sit back, relax and wait for RIM to ping us with a release date. PR after the break.

Continue reading RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World

RIM adding BBM app gifting to BlackBerry App World originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 04:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World 2.1 gets in-app payments, too

Nilay Patel — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:12:00 EST

Well, isn't that just an adorable quirk of corporate timing? RIM just announced that BlackBerry App World 2.1 is now live with support for in-app payments using the BlackBerry Payment Service, matching Google's similar Android Market announcement earlier today. Users should see the 2.1 update rolling out over the course of the day, and devs have had the appropriate SDK since January 5, so progs that use the service should be arriving shortly. Ah, commerce -- ain't it grand?

BlackBerry App World 2.1 gets in-app payments, too originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM exec talks PlayBook, App World, QNX on phones, and more

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:36:00 EST

While we wait for the PlayBook to released in its WiFi- and WiMAX-equipped forms over the next few months, RIM's taking every opportunity it can to talk about the platform -- and the latest comes from an interview between FierceDeveloper and the company's veep of developer relations, Tyler Lessard, who played a prominent role at BlackBerry DevCon '10 a while back where the PlayBook was first announced. When asked about RIM's decision to partner up with Sprint and deliver a WiMAX version first before looking at bigger carriers with more broadly-used technologies, Lessard says that they "were really excited about was Sprint's interest and excitement in coming to the table and working with us on a product like that" -- which we take as code for either "they paid us the most" or "no one else bit." Either way, interesting verbiage to say the least -- though he does say that there are other versions in the pipe.

On App World, Lessard notes that BlackBerry's third-party app platform has taken in some 5,000 apps in the last couple months alone -- not a big number, necessarily, until you consider that they're only up to 17,000 total, so they're definitely seeing some nice growth percentages there. Turning the attention to the perennial question of when QNX will come to smartphones, he basically echoes a sentiment first shared by bossman Lazaridis back at D: Dive Into Mobile: dual-core processors are key, so the new platform won't filter down until the hardware gets beefier. He says that "we really want to make sure we don't back-step from that and offer a degraded experience because hardware is not ready or the performance isn't there," which is arguably odd wording considering that BlackBerry 6 is already well behind the curve -- how much worse could QNX on a single-core 1GHz-plus processor really be?

[Thanks, Ben]

RIM exec talks PlayBook, App World, QNX on phones, and more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just got a BlackBerry? The best apps, accessories, and tips

Jacob Schulman — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:55:00 EST

So you just got a BlackBerry, huh? First off, welcome to the world of glorious hardware keyboards and the holy grail of mobile messaging we mortals call BBM. Once you get past the novelty of sending the obligatory "mypin" texts to everyone you know, you're probably thinking to yourself -- what now? Luckily for you we've compiled a list of our favorite apps and accessories, as well as some veteran tricks of the trade, so head past the break for a crash course in doing more than just playing BrickBreaker on a BlackBerry.

Hey Android friends, we got you covered, too! Did you get an iPad? Check out our guide here! Found an iPhone in your stocking? Read our list of must-haves!

Continue reading Just got a BlackBerry? The best apps, accessories, and tips

Just got a BlackBerry? The best apps, accessories, and tips originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon MP3 app hits BlackBerry phones

Donald Melanson — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:56:00 EST

It may not quite be enough to bring non-BlackBerry users into the fold, but RIM has finally scored one long awaited coup to keep its current users happy -- it's just announced that the Amazon MP3 application is now available for download from the BlackBerry App World. While still technically in beta, the app will let you purchase and download music both over WiFi and over the air, and it includes plenty of BlackBerry-specific functionality, including sharing via BBM in addition to the usual social networking features, and full integration with BlackBerry's Universal Search and Media Library. Hit up the link below for a closer look, or simply download it yourself to try it out first hand -- it is free, after all.

Amazon MP3 app hits BlackBerry phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry PlayBook app submission is a go, free tablet offer detailed

Ross Miller — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:29:00 EST

Adobe Air veteran: print out that code, fold it neatly into a secure envelope, affix two (or more) stamps, address it to Research in Motion, drop it in the nearest outgoing, and rejoice! The Haus of BlackBerry's now accepting app submissions for the upcoming Will.I.Approved PlayBook tablet -- and just as promised, it's giving free PlayBooks to developers who get their work accepted and ready for the App World store before the tablet launches in North America. Limit is one per registered dev no matter how many times you submit or how simple / complex the app is, so long as RIM gives it the thumbs up. Interested in the grand prize of full acquisition? Sorry, that seat's been taken.

BlackBerry PlayBook app submission is a go, free tablet offer detailed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM: Kik was pulled from App World over 'breached contractual obligations'

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:50:00 EST

Looks like RIM has made a final decision on the Kik situation after having pulled the wildly popular upstart instant messaging app from the BlackBerry App World a few days ago -- and for current and hopeful Kik users, the news isn't good (bold added by us):

"RIM became aware of a number of issues and customer concerns regarding the Kik app and service. Following discussions with Kik, the app was removed from BlackBerry App World on November 12. Upon further investigation, RIM concluded that Kik had breached contractual obligations. Based on the broad scope and seriousness of the issues and concerns, RIM terminated its agreements with Kik and withdrew RIM's support for Kik's service."

Now, Waterloo is still being pretty coy about what exactly Kik did to rock the boat so badly, but there are two obvious theories floating around: one, that Kik's contact harvesting was a big privacy no-no; and two, that the product came a little too close to BBM's functionality for RIM's comfort.

Hard to say what went down, and Kik's official response doesn't do much to clear up the situation. Though the company has thrown up a public response on its blog, it doesn't clarify what transpired, what "contractual obligations" were allegedly breached, or what (if anything) Kik might do to attempt to smooth over the spat. Instead, the post is more of a PR play, praising the relationship Kik's had with RIM in the past and saying it doubts rumors that BBM envy could account for the pull. It does say, however, that RIM has fully revoked Kik's access to push notifications and the BlackBerry SDK, so it's going to be tough for these guys to stay relevant on Bolds and Curves across the land unless RIM reverses its decision.

RIM: Kik was pulled from App World over 'breached contractual obligations' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM pulls Kik Messenger from App World, cites 'number of issues and customer concerns'

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:02:00 EST

Kik Messenger -- the real-time mobile messaging service that's seemingly taken the world by storm over the past couple weeks -- has been pulled from RIM's App World, making it a bit trickier for BlackBerry users to get hold of the app. It's easy to formulate conspiracy theories here considering that Kik might provide the single most legitimate cross-platform threat to BBM at the moment, and frankly, RIM hasn't actually said much with its official statement on the matter:

"RIM became aware of a number of issues and customer concerns regarding the Kik app and service and, following discussions with Kik, the app was removed from BlackBerry App World. RIM is actively reviewing the issues and potential resolutions, and is also continuing its discussions with Kik."

To be fair, Kik's contact farming -- a big contributor to its exponential growth -- is a totally valid privacy concern and probably plays a big role in RIM's decision here... but for the moment, we're only left to wonder. The company says it'll let us know "when further information is available," so we'll be sure to pass it on.

RIM pulls Kik Messenger from App World, cites 'number of issues and customer concerns' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Nov 2010 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Garmin navigation to be an Android exclusive for ASUS, headed to Apple and RIM app stores

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:38:00 EST

Details of the Garmin-ASUS breakup are slowly being revealed. We now know that ASUS has obtained exclusive rights to license Garmin navigation and location based services on its Android smartphones with a Garmin navigation trademark slapped on the back -- other Android handset makers need not apply. ASUS will go back to selling its own-brand handsets in January, including models equipped with 3D for gaming and connectivity with ASUS ebook readers and tablets, according to DigiTimes. For its part, Garmin's official blog says that it will be expanding its mobile application handset development by offering navigation and other applications through "certain consumer application stores." According to DigiTimes, that means Apple's iTunes App Store and RIM's App World. So, in other words, Garmin and ASUS are still friends but are now free to date anyone they want, you know, except for anyone in eachother's families. How mature.

Garmin navigation to be an Android exclusive for ASUS, headed to Apple and RIM app stores originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM promises to soothe BlackBerry app developers' woes, says 'we're so there'

Donald Melanson — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 04:12:00 EST

There's no question that the BlackBerry App World hasn't been quite the runaway success RIM hoped it would be, but the company is far from ready to throw in the towel, and it's now promising some new measures to woo new developers and make the lives of current ones a bit easier. Some of those initiatives have already been rolled out -- like new payment options -- while others including a free analytics service will become available to developers in the coming weeks and months. As RIM's head of application development, Alan Brenner, explains to The Wall Street Journal, RIM has been working for the past two years to make BlackBerrys more developer friendly, and he now says that "we're so there." They may not be quite as close as they think, however, as the WSJ also spoke to a number of developers who used words like "horrible" to describe the current state of things, while leading mobile game developer PopCap Games even went so far as to say that "RIM today is not really on our radar."

RIM promises to soothe BlackBerry app developers' woes, says 'we're so there' originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 04:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World crosses the 10,000 app mark

Donald Melanson — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:53:00 EST

It's been over a year since it hit 2,000 apps, but it looks like BlackBerry App World has finally hit its biggest milestone yet -- RIM has announced via Twitter that it's now "10,000 apps strong and growing." For those keeping track, that still leaves it well behind Apple's App Store and the Android Market, which by some estimates boast roughly 250,000 and 70,000 to 100,000 apps, respectively, and each of which also took less time to hit the 10,000 app mark. Even still, the fact that a smartphone platform "only" has 10,000 apps speaks quite a bit to how far we've come in just a few short years.

BlackBerry App World crosses the 10,000 app mark originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Sep 2010 22:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World 2.0 leaves beta, includes cheaper apps and new payment options

Paul Miller — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:45:00 EST

The latest version of BlackBerry App World is now available to all, and it includes a number of welcome additions. First off, RIM has dropped the $2.99 minimum from paid apps, so now BlackBerry developers can release $0.99 and $1.99 apps just like everybody else. It's also easier to buy those apps now, with credit card and carrier billing becoming available, and the new BlackBerry ID function lets you both perform those credit card payments and to easily move all your apps over to a new BlackBerry device when the time comes. RIM has also enacted a few new app discovery mechanisms for hunting down those "Super Apps" (BlackBerry users know what we're talking about), but it's not all gravy: the developer revenue split is down to 70 / 30 from RIM's original exception-to-the-rule 80 / 20. PR is after the break.

Continue reading BlackBerry App World 2.0 leaves beta, includes cheaper apps and new payment options

BlackBerry App World 2.0 leaves beta, includes cheaper apps and new payment options originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry devs can now offer $1 and $2 apps

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:39:00 EST

In conjunction with BlackBerry App World 2.0's emergence from beta today, RIM has announced that developers will now be able to charge 99 cents or $1.99 for their wares. Doesn't sound like news, right? Well, it is, because the company had previously set a minimum of $2.99, an attempt to keep... well, for lack of a better term, crap out of its official marketplace. What we assume RIM has since discovered is that lots of devs with great apps want to go for a volume play, not a margin one -- it's a strategy that has worked for plenty of folks in the iPhone App Store -- and they're looking at this as an easy, quick way to get more people interested in porting the good stuff to BlackBerry 6. Canabalt on the Torch, perhaps? Other notable improvements in 2.0 include non-PayPal credit card payments, new app browsing options, and a new BlackBerry ID that'll let folks move both free and paid apps between devices when they upgrade -- in other words, it's a worthwhile download.

BlackBerry devs can now offer $1 and $2 apps originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitter for BlackBerry shakes the beta label

Chris Ziegler — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:56:00 EST

Though RIM's official Twitter client for BlackBerry devices has been slinking around in public beta form for a solid three months now, we understand -- not everyone is okay using software that's rough around the edges. And if anything, that probably applies more to BlackBerry users, many of whom are using their devices to do... you know, really important work-related things. On that note, you might be excited to learn that the company's official Twitter client has gone gold, meaning it's theoretically less likely to crash than any version that's come before it, which means you can go about your high-productivity business without fear that your secret addiction to social networking will bring your Bold 9700 crashing down in a spectacular ball of flame and molten circuitry. Not to say the beta was prone to do that, of course, but you can be extra sure of it now. If you're interested, looks like you should be able to find it in App World right away.

Twitter for BlackBerry shakes the beta label originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dragon for Email hits BlackBerry, turns your voice into a QWERTY keyboard

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:41:00 EST

Okay, your voice isn't literally turning into a keyboard, but you know what we mean -- Dragon for Email is exactly what it sounds like, an app that brings Nuance's well-known speech-to-text technology to the BlackBerry platform with a special emphasis on composing emails. That's a perfect fit considering that email has remained BlackBerry's main raison d'être over the years, and it sounds delightfully unobtrusive considering that you merely need to press and hold your phone's side key while composing an email to kick off the dictation. Even better, it's free from App World for a limited time, so you might want to get in on that while the getting's good.

Dragon for Email hits BlackBerry, turns your voice into a QWERTY keyboard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Themes strike BlackBerry App World with a vengeance

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:17:00 EST

RIM's earlier announcement that UI themes would be gracing App World has come to fruition today, with both free and paid skins available -- the company had started taking submissions about a month ago, giving them a nice little head start for beefing up the catalog. Then again, if you'd rather roll your own, this all dovetails nicely with another of RIM's recent introductions: the introduction of BlackBerry Theme Studio, a simplified and unified way for slapping together everything you need to turn your Bold into a Pip-Boy. Technically, shouldn't this go into... oh, we don't know, something called Theme World?

Themes strike BlackBerry App World with a vengeance originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World 1.1 unleashed, makes welcome improvements to store navigation

Ross Miller — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST

If you've been using your BlackBerry in the last 24 hours or so, you've probably noticed that red star plastered on the App World icon, signaling it's time for an upgrade. Yes, RIM's version of the app store has hit version 1.1, and the bulk of the update concerns better navigation options -- new categories, top downloads for free and premium apps, and the ability to sort search results by name, release date, rating, price, and developer. Outside of that, we've also got the option to now archive apps on SD card or other memory, but unfortunately there's no option to run those programs without reinstalling to internal memory. The update is available for all countries, including the recently-introduced group of ten. Full details after the break.

Continue reading BlackBerry App World 1.1 unleashed, makes welcome improvements to store navigation

Filed under: Handsets, RIM

BlackBerry App World 1.1 unleashed, makes welcome improvements to store navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World 1.1 unleashed, makes welcome improvements to store navigation

Ross Miller — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST

Continue reading BlackBerry App World 1.1 unleashed, makes welcome improvements to store navigation

Filed under: Cellphones

BlackBerry App World 1.1 unleashed, makes welcome improvements to store navigation originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 19:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon to its smartphones: thou shalt have no other app store before mine

Ross Miller — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:23:00 EST

Verizon's getting very keen on entering the app store industry, but not without some rough decrees to its smartphone partners. According to GigaOm, VP Partner Management Ryan Hughes said in an interview Friday that its shop will house content from all the major platforms under one roof, with purchases being billed through the customer's Verizon account and not requiring a separate signup / credit card entry. Convenient for consumers, and devs are also being promised a more streamlined approval process and a "competitive" revenue-sharing program, but here's where things take a turn for the worse: according to Hughes, non-VZW app stores like BlackBerry App World or Windows Mobile Marketplace won't be bundled with the smartphones out of the box, meaning consumers will have to take the initiative to download those portals for themselves. An incredibly jerk move, and an extra burden on developers who'll be having to submit two approval applications if they want inclusion on Verizon's own store. Of course, that large subscriber base is the reason it can get away with it, but let's hope we hear some better justifications other than "because we can" when the full details are rolled out at the Verizon Developer Community Conference on July 28th.

Filed under: Handsets, Verizon Wireless, Windows Mobile, Android, BlackBerry OS

Verizon to its smartphones: thou shalt have no other app store before mine originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon to its smartphones: thou shalt have no other app store before mine

Ross Miller — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:23:00 EST

Verizon's getting very keen on entering the app store industry, but not without some rough decrees to its smartphone partners. According to GigaOm, VP Partner Management Ryan Hughes said in an interview Friday that its VZW-branded shop will house content from all the major platforms under one roof, with purchases being billed through the customer's Verizon account and not requiring a separate signup / credit card entry. Convenient for consumers, and devs are also being promised a more streamlined approval process and a "competitive" revenue-sharing program, but here's where things take a turn for the worse: according to Hughes, non-VZW app stores like BlackBerry App World or Windows Mobile Marketplace won't be bundled with the smartphones out of the box, meaning consumers will have to take the initiative to download those portals for themselves. An incredibly jerk move, and an extra burden on developers who'll be having to submit two approval applications if they want inclusion on Verizon's own store. Of course, that large subscriber base is the reason it can get away with it, but let's hope we hear some better justifications other than "because we can" when the full details are rolled out at the Verizon Developer Community Conference on July 28th.

Filed under: Cellphones

Verizon to its smartphones: thou shalt have no other app store before mine originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World launching in more countries, languages this month

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:39:00 EST

RIM is expanding the reach of its on-device software catalog -- the so-called App World -- by taking it to ten new countries by the end of this month: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium. To accommodate the expansion, the company is also adding support for "more languages" (though it isn't saying exactly how many) including French, Italian, Spanish, and German. What's more, RIM plans on adding new software categories to make finding what you're looking for just a little bit easier and will be adding support for URLs, which -- when opened from your BlackBerry's browser -- will take you straight to an app's page in App World. No word on when the new features will launch, but RIM says it'll be firmed up "in the next few weeks."

Filed under: Software, RIM, BlackBerry OS

BlackBerry App World launching in more countries, languages this month originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World now home to 2,000 applications, RIM pretty stoked

Darren Murph — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:51:00 EST

It may have some 48,000 or so to go before it catches the runaway leader in app choice, but doubling up its catalog after launching just 3.5 months ago ain't nothing to scoff at. As RIM suffers through the traditional growing pains with its fledgling BlackBerry App World, it has managed to amass around 2,000 programs for users to love, hate or feel completely indifferent about. According to Jeff McDowell, vice president of global alliances, that number is apt to rise when it goes live in Italy, France, Germany and Spain this month. Also of note, Mr. McDowell declined to say just how many downloads had taken place, but he did note that RIM was "very happy" with the response. Unfortunately, we're not so certain that the company is eager to raise that 2,000 figure to something much higher, with ole Jeff spouting off that "[it doesn't matter] whether it's 40,000 or 2,000 [apps], you've still got a broad range of choice." We're willing to bet the public sees that a bit differently -- right, public?

[Via Electronista]

Filed under: Software, RIM, BlackBerry OS

BlackBerry App World now home to 2,000 applications, RIM pretty stoked originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry App World now home to 2,000 applications, RIM pretty stoked

Darren Murph — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:51:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Software

BlackBerry App World now home to 2,000 applications, RIM pretty stoked originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PrimeTime2Go brings full-length TV episodes to BlackBerry Bold, Curve 8900

Darren Murph — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:41:00 EST

Ah, so the rumors were true. As BlackBerry App World descends upon the masses today, a particularly unique service is launching alongside of it: QuickPlay Media's PrimeTime2Go. Unlike options from Sprint and AT&T, this alternative delivers video only over WiFi, though this arrangement does enable it to work on all carriers. The app will bring full-length television shows to certain BlackBerry smartphones, and with deals inked with NBC, CBS and MTV, we'd say the selection should be pretty good. As for details, it'll run users $7.99 per month, though it will only operate (initially, at least) on the BlackBerry Bold and Curve 8900, sold by AT&T and T-Mobile, respectively. So, is this the break that mobile TV has been waiting for? Or is this yet another option that better get used to being shunned?

Filed under: Multimedia, Software, RIM, ATT, T-Mobile, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, BlackBerry OS

PrimeTime2Go brings full-length TV episodes to BlackBerry Bold, Curve 8900 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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