As we saw with the BlackBerry Torch release (and leaked videos before that) Research In Motion has been putting together some rather detailed OS tutorial videos on devices when shipping them to retailers. The following videos are from the upcoming BlackBerry Style (9670) and show off some of the core functionality of the device. You’ll find more after the break folks. Big shout out to Lucky45 for sending them in!

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CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. OS tutorial videos for the BlackBerry Style (9670) appear online [videos]

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The guys at Twinkler Software let me know that for today (Monday) only they are offering up a bundle of AddOnis and WiFi Hero at 40% off. The bundle usually sells for $11.98, but today until midnight you can grab it for just $7.19. These two great apps add some great functionality to your device giving you more control over common tasks.

• AddOnis: AddOnis extends system functionality, enabling features missing from the system that make your device easier and more efficient to use by adding all of the choices you always wanted to your menu selections.
• WiFi Hero: WiFi Hero automatically controls your WiFi Power Status to save power and make your battery last longer. WiFi Hero can automatically turn off or turn on WiFi power (on GSM or WCDMA netwoks only) based on your location, screen status (on/off) and charging status (on charger/off charger). 

Contest: In addition to the sale, Twinkler Software is giving up 40 app bundles to CrackBerry readers – This means you can win both AddOnis and WiFi Hero. To enter, just leave a single comment on this post. Contest ends this Sunday at midnight PDT.

• Purchase Addonis/WiFi Hero bundle OTA from your device >>

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Contest: 40 copies of AddOnis & WiFi Hero up for grabs; Buy both today only and save 40%

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Longtime readers of CrackBerry will know i’m a pretty huge fan of ColorWare, going back to my BlackBery Curve 8320 they gave the all white treatment too. If you desire uniqueness and have cash to burn, ColorWare is a great option.

New BlackBerry Torch owners looking to add a splash of color will be happy to know ColorWare is now giving the custom paint treatment to the Torch. It’s not cheap though… $250 if you send it in, and a whopping $1050 if you buy the device new from them already painted (I’m not sure why they’re charging sooo much to buy new – something seems out of whack there actually… will check into it with them directly). I think this time around I’m going to hold off ColorWare and wait for RIM to offer the Torch in white (need the white keyboard to match). Hopefully AT&T or Rogers will get on the all white bandwagon soon.

You can jump on over to the ColorWare site at the link below and have some fun painting up the Torch in your favorite scheme. Let us know in the comments what color design you think looks best!

• Learn more about ColorWare for the BlackBerry Torch >>

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With the 2010 CrackBerry App Awards party coming up fast on (the Wednesday night of the BlackBerry Developer Conference – click here for event details and to RSVP), it’s time to get the process started for choosing the winners that are going to be announced!

2010 CrackBerry App Award Categories

Crackies will be award this year in the following categories:

Developer Awards

• 2010 BlackBerry App Developer of the Year
• 2010 BlackBerry Game Developer of the Year
• 2010 BlackBerry Theme Developer of the Year

App Awards

• Best Game
• Best Business/Finance App
• Best IM/Social Networking App
• Best Location-Based App
• Best Music App/Service
• Best Health/Wellness App
• Best News App
• Best Productivity App
• Best Utility App
• Best Sports App

CrackBerry Editors’ Choice Awards

• While the developer and app award winners will be voted on by the community, we’re also going to hand out five Editors’ Choice Awards for the apps the Crack Team feels are absolute must-haves for every BlackBerry owner. 

How to Nominate your Favorite Apps and Developers

To nominate your favorite apps and developers to win a 2010 Crackie award, simply leave a comment to this blog post with the category name followed by the app or developer name. Just check the first comment – I’ll leave an example there.

The Crack Team already has a pretty good idea of some of the many apps that deserve to be in each category, but we want to make sure we don’t miss any so this is your chance to have your voice heard as to who should be nominated as category finalist. Nominations will close this coming Tuesday at Midnight PST. From there the CrackBerry Academy will work through the nominations and argue back and forth to determine the top five finalists in every category, who will then compete in the community vote which will happen here on the blogs later next week.

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Today we got out hands on the latest rebate form from Verizon and from the looks of it the Curve 3G should be heading the way of Big Red. Much like the 8530 followed its 8520 sibling to Verizon, the Curve 3G will be landing on the CDMA carrier after it has shown up on Rogers and T-Mobile. The entry-level device will come in both Charcoal Gray and Fuchsia and although this rebate is set to end on October 31st no exact release date is available.

Device Image Court Of: @RichyRich

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DataViz, makers of the popular Documents To Go application, announced sad news today for Palm fans. Though the company started out developing for Palm, they are not going to proceed in developing the Documents To Go solution for Palm WebOS. You can read all about that here.

More interesting than this news from DataViz though is the news they didn’t announce….. they were bought by RIM!! Though neither company has publicly announced it (yet), multiple sources have confirmed to us that RIM recently acquired DataViz for a reported $50 million cash (not material to RIM, so they didn’t have to disclose it publicly as they have done with other acquisitions like the QNX one). Jump on to LinkedIn and you can also quickly find that lots of former DataViz employees have recently switched up their profiles to Research In Motion as their current employer.

Yet another interesting acquisition by RIM. My guess is this is a bit of an enterprise play – put a BES in your business and every device gets the full version of Documents To Go for free. It would be sweet if that was the case for consumers too!! Add this bit of news to the mix and it’s no surprise then that DataViz isn’t persuing development for Palm… I’m guessing with time they may start to reduce or phase out work for other non-BlackBerry OEMs too (that one is just a hunch though).

I’d say it’s a smart buy for RIM. What do you think?!

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. DataViz, Makers of Documents To Go, apparently acquired and now owned by Research In Motion

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BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review – Power Traveler

The BlackBerry 9800 Torch has been touted as the "best BlackBerry that RIM has produced." While many have mixed feelings about RIM’s newest sizzling hot device (aka. The Torch), I was given the task of reviewing this device from the prospective of a person who travels/vacations a lot.

While OS6 boast some significant changes, I believe that OS6 was released prematurely. OS6 is still a bit too buggy to have been released on the Torch…even if the 9800 is true to its tagline: "Less than an evolutionary leap, more like a triple axle."

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CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Torch 9800 review from the perspective of a Power Traveler

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Hey folks, guess who has the reins on the roundup? Yee-haw! It’s been a pretty exciting week so far. We’ve seen multiple Canadian carriers finally announce when customers can pick up their Torch 9800. We’ve also seen the final reviews from our CrackBerry Idol hopefuls. Can it get any more exciting? But of course it can! This week we have 10 -one year subscriptions to Nobex Radio Companion up for grabs as well. Make sure you leave a comment to be entered into the draw. Have a great weekend buckaroos!

Freebies of the Week: NY Times, Senomix timesheets, My-Mobile

In Case You Missed It: PingChat! 2 , StopMail Pro, Home to Phone

New This Week: Ringtone Maker Studio, QuickInfo

Cool at BlackBerry App World: Find My Phone

Contest: Enter to win 1 of 10 one year subscriptions to Nobex Radio Companion!

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BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review – Power Socializer

Coming from a BlackBerry that I loved, I wasn’t very excited to switch to a device I wasn’t used too. The Torch is completely different from any BlackBerry that I have used and to be honest, it is the best. Being a full time student and working a part time job I need a phone that is reliable, has a million features, and can withstand the wear and tear of teenage girl.

As we all know, we wouldn’t be on crackberry.com if we didn’t, that BlackBerrys are perfect devices for any type of person. Whether you are a business man who needs to stay updated on the stock market or emails, or just a leisure user who loves being able to tether on the beach, BlackBerry is the way to go. I have loved having a reliable device no matter what I need done, whether to send an email, check the latest updates on the coolest social networking sites, and to call, text, and of course BBM all my peeps. Using the Torch makes every single one of these easier.

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The BlackBerry Curve 3G is the next iteration of one of Research In Motions top selling devices. The latest in the Curve series brings 3G to the GSM side and also boasts its BlackBerry 6 readiness despite having been launched with BlackBerry OS 5 preloaded.

While many BlackBerry users have moved onto a Bold 9700, Bold 9650, Torch or even a Storm series device the Curve series still remains a top seller for Research In Motion and the latest revamp does that particular product line justice.

So no, it’s not going to be a device for the hardcore BlackBerry user that needs the latest & greatest but it serves well to those who need a nice, functional and cost effective BlackBerry. It certainly cries out to those out there who may still be using a feature phone and are looking to make the jump to an easy to use smartphone. Read on for the full review after the break.

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If you’re a Starbucks fan then your life just got more convenient (well, kind of). Starbucks has released their Starbucks Card Mobile app for BlackBerry. This cool app lets you convert your Starbucks card to digitalness and keep all of your info right on your device. Just enter your card number and the app can display your barcode, lets you track your balance and more. In some test areas (looks like only the Bay Area and Seattle) you can even pay for your drinks using your card number in the app – very cool. The app looks to be available for most devices and you can grab it by texting GO to 70845 or hitting the link below. Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

• More infomation about Starbucks Card Mobile for BlackBerry >>

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BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review – BlackBerry Newbie

If you’re considering upgrading to a smartphone, you’ve undoubtedly come across the plethora of news articles and reviews for the iPhone and Android phones. What those news articles tend to gloss over is the fact that Research in Motion – BlackBerry’s manufacturer – absolutely dominates the smartphone market. Nearly half of all smartphones sold are BlackBerrys. Combine that with a decade in the business; countless government, security, and business contracts; and a history of solid operating systems – you’d think RIM would get a little more love.

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CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Torch 9800 review from the perspective of a BlackBerry Newbie

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Follow CrackBerry in September for a Chance to Win These Awesome Prizes…

You gotta love the Ongoing Follow CrackBerry Contest… you get a chance to win great prizes each month just for following CrackBerry on youtube, twitter and facebook!

For the month of August, each of our three winners is taking home an awesome prize depending on which social site they were following us on. August’s lucky winners are…. tehkseven (youtube), justjen808 (twitter), Jamie Lund (facebook). Congrats winners! We’ll shoot you a message through each of these sites to notify you about your winning or you can also shoot us an email to sitesupport @ crackberry.com if you’re reading this year and want to collect your loot asap.

September‘s Awesome Prizes: We’re mixing up the prizes so you’ll want to make sure you’re following us on all of YouTube, Twitter and Facebook so you get a shot of winning all three. Visit the follow crackberry contest page for full details.

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Ongoing Follow CrackBerry Contest: August winners and September's awesome prizes to be won announced!

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BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review – Power Mom

I am a BUSY person and by that statement I don’t just mean the normal kind of busy. I’m talking about the I’m so insanely swamped with things to do or places to go that I actually repeat things I’ve said or doing things I’ve already done. As a military spouse, mother of three, consultant, assistant at an in-home daycare, association board member, neighborhood watch coordinator, welcome committee coordinator & CrackBerry Idol contestant you can imagine what my daily schedule looks like. Between work, meetings, playdates and my older children’s activities, I barely have a moment to breathe. Now that I have the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and OS 6, my daily routine runs smoother.

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CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Torch 9800 review from the perspective of a Power Mom

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BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review – Power Mom

I am a BUSY person and by that statement I don’t just mean the normal kind of busy. I’m talking about the I’m so insanely swamped with things to do or places to go that I actually repeat things I’ve said or doing things I’ve already done. As a military spouse, mother of three, consultant, assistant at an in-home daycare, association board member, neighborhood watch coordinator, welcome committee coordinator & CrackBerry Idol contestant you can imagine what my daily schedule looks like. Between work, meetings, playdates and my older children’s activities, I barely have a moment to breathe. Now that I have the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and OS 6, my daily routine runs smoother.

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CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Torch 9800 review from the perspective of a Power Mom

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The other week we posed a question to readers of CrackBerry asking what apps they would like to see come to BlackBerry from other smartphone platforms. The post got a pretty solid response with a wide mix of apps and games suggested, so we combed through the comments to assemble a quick Top 10 list. Hopefully some of these developers out there are paying attention!

Top 10 Apps CrackBerry Readers Would Like to See Come to BlackBerry

1. Angry Birds
2. ESPN / Sportscenter App
3. Mint.com
4. Tweetdeck
5. Weight Watchers
6. Plants v. Zombies
7. Dropbox (currently in beta for BlackBerry, so this one is coming soon!)
8. a better Facebook app! (technically shouldn’t be on the list, but we can’t help but agree)
9. Netflix (an official one)
10. Words with Friends.

And there were a LOT more suggestions than that. If you’re curious to see them all, jump over to our original post and browse the comments. As for the #1 pick, while the popular Angry Birds iPhone/iPad game doesn’t quite meet RIM’s definition of a BlackBerry Super App, there’s no denying it’s one that the people want to see come to BlackBerry (myself included!). 

Reminder: Super Apps Challenge Sept 6th Deadline Approaching: While we’re talking what apps we’d like to see come to BlackBerry, it’s a good time to remind all the BlackBerry Developers out there that September 6th deadline for the BlackBerry Developer Fund’s 2010 Super Apps Developer Challenge is almost here. This year the BlackBerry Partners Fund is looking for anyone who is building super apps. Be it an application which you feel is already a super app or a new app you are currently working on. At stake is over $1.5 Million worth of prizes and includes developer services from leading industry partners, featured placements on BlackBerry App World, marketing programs from Research In Motion and much more. If you are a BlackBerry developer who is delivering super apps, you’ll want to take on the BlackBerry Developer Fund’s 2010 Super Apps Developer Challenge. The full list of contest prizes, eligibility and requirements are available on the BlackBerry Partners Fund website, just click the link.

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Top 10 Apps users would like to see on BlackBerry; Reminder to Devs: Super Apps Challenge Deadline Almost Here!

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I got an email the other day, letting me know that aBs JMicro SRL is having a sale on all of their apps. These two games in particular are favorites of mine, staying at the ready in my Games folder for the occasions when I find myself with time to kill.

SuperBlackJack 2.0 is a simple blackjack game, well rendered for a highly polished feel. The graphics are slick and smooth, and the controls are intuitive, allowing for easy pick up and play action. Full rules are included within the application for beginners, and the rules are pretty standard for veterans. Hit, stand, or double down, the only option I miss is the ability to split, but otherwise it’s a well thought out, great game. Available on sale in the CB store for $1.99 until Sept 1st, it’s regular $6.99 and supports non-touch devices running OS 4.1 and up. 

MegaBlockz is an old favorite of mine, with an addictive, simple premise. Your gameboard is full of brightly colored dots, and you have to clear them by breaking them in groups. The remaining dots fall into the space left, and your goal is to leave few, or none, of the dots behind. Larger groups score larger points, and it’s easy to keep playing long after you intended to stop. Available in the CB store on sale for $1.99, it’s regular $5.99 and supports non-touch devices running 4.1 OS and up.

• More information and purchase of SuperBlackJack 2.0 >>
• More information and purchase of MegaBlockz >>

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Two hot games by aBs JMicro SRL on sale – SuperBlackJack 2.0 and MegaBlockz

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BlackBerry Torch 9800 Review – Power Businessman Perspective

So you’re on the go and want to stay connected to your business information and communications. Well what better choice for both security and ease of use than the new BlackBerry Torch? It’s a touch screen world phone featuring the new BlackBerry 6 operating system, minus SurePress, plus a slide-out qwerty keyboard.

Whoa, that sure was a mouthful.

In this review, I am looking at the Torch as an experienced business user might. I will be tapping a more corporate perspective and covering not only my first impressions, but also how the Torch holds up with messaging, phone use, and other industry applications all in the name of greater productivity. Or so we shall see …

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The My Verizon Mobile app has been updated with some newness that includes a better look and some new features. The app, which is available on most Verizon devices, allows you to easily check out your account information and more on the go right from your device. Features include:

• View minute, message and data usage
  
• Adjust allowance minutes on current plans
  
• Make one-time payments and set up and maintain auto-pay
  
• View upgrade eligibility and contract end date
  
• Manage Friends & Family numbers
  

Users can also manage their account information, check balances, change address and use Family Locator. The updated version of My Verizon Moible is currently available for the Storm and Storm2 with rollouts to other devices coming in the next few months.

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Once upon a time, IRC was all the rage, allowing users to connect in real time across the world. It evolved into the instant messaging clients we know and love today, but there are still millions of people that communicate via IRC even today. To date, there really hasn’t been much in the way of IRC clients for BlackBerry, and I have seen many requests for an app in the forums. I gave Chatmosphere a whirl the other day when it landed in my inbox, and I was pretty impressed with how well it works. 

The home screen (seen above) gives you the option to select from various popular topics, search what you’re interested in, or just hit up a random chatroom to start connecting. A quick search of "BlackBerry" yielded several results from different countries, and I was connected with a chatroom in France in no time. After spamming them with a few test messages, a quick click in the menu allowed my to change my nickname to one other than what was randomly generated for me. Surfing through several chatrooms was a breeze, and the chat itself was quick and seamless, with no lag on my 9700. The application even supports emoticons and font colors, just like you were sitting at a PC. Clicking someone’s nickname opens a prompt where you can choose to private chat in a separate window, or ignore the user. Clicking the BB Key allows you to either go back to the Search page, leaving the chatroom, or to add another chatroom. 

Chatrooms are tabbed at the top of the screen, allowing you to participate in multiple chats at the same time, switching with a click. A few shortfalls I noticed while using the application, there is no support for the BlackBerry typing shortcuts (ie: space twice for a period), and the application doesn’t remember the nickname you set between sessions, instead randomly generating a handle for you each time. All in all a very good solution for those looking for a way to use IRC from their BlackBerry device, and hopefully future updates will resolve those minor issues.

Available in the CB store on sale for $4.99, it’s regular $7.99. The app includes a 14 day trial, so I would suggest giving it a try to see if it’s what you need before shelling out the cash. If you’re a dedicated IRC user though, you’ll likely find yourself considering purchasing the app.

• More information and download of Chatmosphere >> 

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Chat it up with Chatmosphere – Full featured IRC client for BlackBerry

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If you’ve snagged a new BlackBerry Torch you’ve surely seen that Slacker radio comes pre-installed and ready to rock on BlackBerry 6. But if you weren’t quite sure about shelling out for a premium subscription, here’s your chance to win one. Slacker is probably the best know streaming radio app for BlackBerry and with the great features and updates, it’s no secret why. The app is 100% free, and lets you take your music with you on the go with a great UI, ability to cache stations and other great features.

Contest: We have some Slacker Radio Plus subscriptions up for grabs. There are 5 three-month and 5 one-year subscriptions that will go to a few lucky winners. Just leave a single comment on this post to enter. Contest ends this Sunday at midnight PDT.

• More information and download of Slacker >>

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Slacker Radio Plus Giveaway – 5 three-month subscriptions and 5 one-year subscriptions to be won

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We’ve been hearing for quite some time that release dates for the BlackBerry Torch 9800 on Canadian carriers was set for September. The big three, Bell, TELUS and Rogers have all confirmed an inevitable launch but no dates were set by any. Rumors suggest TELUS will launch on Sept 16th but, we now have the above information which suggests a Rogers release one day earlier on the 15th. We’re assuming the $999.99 price point is just a Future Shop place holder so, nothing can be said about official pricing from this information. We’ll be sure to keep you all updated though as we find out more information. So, who’s grabbing a Torch on launch day in Canada?

Source: TrustedNerd

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Future Shop systems showing Sept 15th release date for Rogers BlackBerry Torch 9800

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