Blackberry Unlocked

Vodafone has sent out word via email today saying that the BlackBerry Storm is now available for pre-order, with delivery to occur on (or around) the launch date of November 11th!

You can click on over to the Vodafone website to pre-order your Storm and for more information. As for pricing, here's the deal:

- £300: 12-month contract, minimum £40/month
- FREE: 18-month contract, minimum £40/month
- FREE: 24-month contract, minimum £35/month

There was also a launch party for the Storm last night in London… we're still waiting to hear some first-hand reports from that event (curious to see how it compared to the L.A. Storm Party earlier this week and if the hands-on impressions are similar or differ). Thanks to Tom for sending this in!

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Pre-Order Vodafone Storm Today! Take Delivery Nov. 11th?!

I guess this is what happens when you launch a bunch of new BlackBerry smartphones in a short period of time… Launch Party MANIA occurs.

The stars were out in full force last night for the L.A. BlackBerry Bold launch party. You can click the image above for tons more pics via WireImage.

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. L.A. BlackBerry Bold Launch Party!

The wait is almost over folks. November 4th is just a few sleeps away and you'll be able to unbox an AT&T BlackBerry Bold of your very own. But if you can't wait to see what's inside, why not click over to Engadget Mobile's AT&T BlackBerry Bold unboxing. They snapped a TON of pictures.

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. AT&T BlackBerry Bold Unboxed!!

This is it CrackBerry Nation… your LAST CHANCE to tell us What You Would Be Willing To Do For a FREE BlackBerry Storm! Contest entry closes tonight at MIDNIGHT PST, so if you haven't entered, do it NOW.

AND if you have already entered, but think maybe, just MAYBE you'd be willing to push things even further, feel free to up your ante and re-enter. The 10 people who do the craziest things to get a FREE BlackBerry Storm are going to get one!

For all of the contest details and to submit your What Would You Do, visit the WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR A BLACKBERRY STORM? contest page. Time is running out, so HURRY!

A HUGE Thank You goes out to our friends and external sponsors who helped make this event possible: Viigo, the BlackBerry Partners Fund, Horizon Wireless and BlackBerry Made Simple.   

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Last Chance to Win a FREE Storm. Entry Closes @ Midnight!

Look what the BlackBerry Fairy left under Gizmodo's pillow last night… an AT&T branded BlackBerry Curve 8900! Formerly referred to by its codename the Javelin, I'm pretty sure these are the first shots (that I've seen anyway) of an AT&T branded 8900. The front of this next-generation Curve doesn't leave much room for a carrier logo, so they have stuck it on the backside of the device on the camera lens cover.

Matt's findings with the 8900 were very much on par with the ones I posted in our pre-release Javelin review… awesome device, better than the Curve 83xx in every respect, very much Bold-influenced and in some respects better than the Bold (comfy form factor, better camera), yet without 3G and some of the 9000's executive touches (leather back) doesn't quite trump the Bold as the flagship of the BlackBerry physical keyboard lineup…

RIM excels at many things, but keeping secrets ain't one of 'em, so we'd eyeballed the BlackBerry Curve 8900 (nee Javelin) quite a bit before this AT&T-branded one dropped in our laps. It's a Bolder version of the current Curve that improves it in basically every way: Lighter, tighter, but more powerful-and it feels like a phone that was produced in 2008, not when you were still keeping your 2006 resolutions. 

Click the image at the top of this post to check out this solid and concise review. The photo gallery has some sweet images in it you won't want to miss!

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Giz Reviews the AT&T BlackBerry Curve 8900!

Happy Halloween everyone! Be sure to check out all of the Halloween BlackBerry Themes we have in-store… They're sure to give your Berry the spooky look you're after for the holiday. As per usual, lots of cool apps to check out for your BlackBerry this week. I've got a free app, some cool new titles added to our store, and the usual selection of new and updated applications. Covered this week are:

New BlackBerry Software: Slydial Beta, EZ Stopwatch, myBoxTone Expert, viigo Launches NBA Service, Qik for the BlackBerry

Updated BlackBerry Software: Vlingo 2.0, Aerize Email Alerts 1.1.0, BBAssistant 0.6.7, Google Calendar Sync 0.4.7, Google Maps 2.3.2

Free BlackBerry Software: A Personal Assistant

Cool Stuff: SMS Eraser, Nintaii

New BlackBerry Software

Slydial Beta

Slydial is a service that lets you 'dial in' to someone else's voicemail and leave them a message direct! It's great if you're short on time or just want to leave someone a note without taking the chance of them picking up. The app isn't for everyone, but I could see it coming in handy from time to time. It is also add supported, so keep in mind if you check it out that you'll have to listen to some short ads when using the service.

To get started you can download the beta OTA from http://www.slydial.com/apps/bb/slydial.jad

EZ Stopwatch

I wonder what EZ Stopwatch could be all about!? That's right, EZ Stopwatch is a new, and extremely simple to use stopwatch application for your BlackBerry. Straightforward features include pause/resume, stop/restart… Just like any typical stopwatch. You can also run it in the background so that you can run other apps while the clock is still running.

Get EZ Stopwatch at ShopCrackBerry.com for $3.95 >

myBoxTone Expert

myBoxTone Expert runs in the background on your Berry, and continually monitors any problems that may arise on your device. If the app detects one or more problems, a little icon will change from green, to yellow… and then red to visually show you that something is currently going wrong… Or that something has seriously already gone wrong! Click the icon to view alerts and view suggestions on how to fix the problem. A cool app indeed.

For more info, check out this great post from Craig… The app will not be 'officially' available till November 10th, but you can get on the pilot at http://www.boxtone.com/myboxtone/

viigo Launches NBA Service

viigo users will be pleased to know that a new NBA service is now available for the popular app. Users can now get NBA schedules and live scoring updates from their Berry any time of day or night. You can also get standings, general news and more. To add it to your viigo, go to Sports > Add Sports > Basketball.

More importantly, if you don't have viigo installed yet, get the CrackBerry.com Edition here!

Qik for the BlackBerry

Qik has been available on Nokia devices and even the iPhone for some time now. Qik is basically a streaming video app made for your device that allows you to record videos using your devices built-in camera! You can then upload them live to Qik.com. How cool is that? Friends and family can then even login to watch a live streaming feed, or watch a saved feed or even download the video right to their computer. The app is now compatible with the BlackBerry, and should work find on the 8120, 8230, 8320, 8330 and the Bold. 8220 compatibility is reportedly coming soon, and OS 4.5 is a must have. I've heard of some installation issues, so do be sure to let us know if you have any problems.

To get started, you'll need to create an account here.

Updated BlackBerry Software

Vlingo 2.0

Vlingo has gone to 2.0! That's right, the app is out of beta and is ready for public consumption. If you haven't tried Vlingo yet, you'll want to now that it has gone to 2.0. The app is available for free for Pearl, Curve and 8800 series BlackBerry users. US & Canadian users can go to www.vlingo.com/v2 to download. Users in the UK can go direct to www.vlingo.com… And of course, for more info head over to www.vlingo.com.

Aerize Email Alerts 1.1.0

Aerize has updated their popular Email Alerts app to 1.1.0. The app lets you preview each email with the senders picture and name, and a brief preview. No matter what app you happen to be in, Aerize will give you a nice little popup notification that allows you to see who's emailing, along with the preview… all without you having to exit your current app. There are some cool new features in the update, including a re-designed main menu, and adjustable message body preview.

Get Aerize Email Alerts at ShopCrackBerry.com for $10.00 >

BBAssistant 0.6.7

BBAssistant has updated to version 0.6.7. With this app you can do a whole bunch of things. Set it to vibrate when outgoing calls connect, and give you a voice notification when a call is disconnected. It also has a handy 'add to address book' function that lets you create new addresses from your phone log and more. A number of small tweaks have been added into this new version of the software.

Get BBAssistant for $10.00 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Google Calendar Sync 0.4.7

Google Calendar Sync has gone to 0.4.7. No changelog has been made available, and as far as I can tell so far nothing seems different. Do let me know if you spot any obvious changes or updates here.

To get Google Calendar Sync 0.4.7 head over to http://m.google.com/sync from your BlackBerry browser.

Google Maps 2.3.2

Another update from Google this week is Google Maps. The app has gone to 2.3.2. Once again, no changelog has been made available. The previous update added the new 'street view' feature, so this update might address some bugs or fixes to do with that. Your guess is really as good as mine!

To get Google Maps 2.3.2 point your Berry's browser to www.google.com/gmm

Free BlackBerry Software

A Personal Assistant

A Personal Assistant is a new, free app in our store that, um… kind of stays true to its namesake! The app lets you get all of your personal online accounts password-free from the palm of your hand. Monitor your banking, credit card transactions, investments, cell minutes, air miles… You name it. Accounts update automatically and there's no need to manually input or update any data.  The app was built specifically for BlackBerry, and should work great on all device from the 7130 through the new 9000 series. Check it out for yourself for more info… it's free, so it's worth a shot!

Get A Personal Assistant for FREE at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Cool Stuff

SMS Eraser

Have you ever wanted to share sensitive or vital info that you don't want distributed or spread to anyone else, ever? If that circumstance has come upon you, you might want to give SMS Eraser a look. The app is essentially a self-destructing text messaging tool. It will let you send self-destructing text messages that can be programmed to self-destruct after a set amount of time, or a set amount of views. Once the message is deleted, it is gone from both the senders and receivers devices. As long as my device itself doesn't start to smoke and 'self-destruct'… I'm cool with it.

Pick up SMS Eraser at ShopCrackBerry.com for $29.95 >

Nintaii

Nintaii is a great little strategy game that I've actually played on some other devices under a different name. The game is a brain twister, and the object is to roll your block through each stage and get it to fit into the square hole at the end. I hope you have patience, because as you move through the 100 unique stages, you'll need it! 'Nintai' actually means 'patience'… So be prepared to get your thinking cap on to progress through the game.

Get Nintaii for $9.99 at ShopCrackBerry.com >

Until Next Week..

Have news on BlackBerry software? New software, upgraded software,
freesoftware… it's all good! If you have any software news tips send
themin to me at softwareroundup@crackberry.com. I can't do it without your help!

Of course, we also have many more New BlackBerry Software, Updated BlackBerry Software and Free BlackBerry software titles available at ShopCrackBerry.com. Be sure to visit our software store for more great deals on BlackBerry Software!

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. BlackBerry Software Roundup for October 31st, 2008!

That was painless! The Fedex man barely left my house, and I already have my BlackBerry Bold ColorWare-customized, photos snapped, and this post up.

I dropped word on the blogs of ColorWare's new BlackBerry Bold parts-only service a couple days ago – instead of sending your BlackBerry Bold into ColorWare to get custom painted you can simply order the parts (back casing, including different color for camera cover, and bottom tongue for under the keyboard) and install them yourself when they arrive. Installing the battery door cover was obviously a no-brainer, and using the included tool to snap out the tongue (carefully stick the flat edge under the bottom piece below the left Alt key and gently pry up) was an easy process as well.

I knew I was taking a risk in ordering the metallic CrackBerry Orange and Purple battery door (I stuck to black for front piece to get rid of the Rogers branding and keep it "stock" looking when skinned), but the crazy color scheme actually looks really good… the photos don't do it justice. It definitely will be the best-dressed phone on Halloween and I'll be using this battery cover at BlackBerry conferences so you can pick me out of the crowd! More pictures after the jump, and if you want to customize your own Bold, just click on over to ColorWare's website.

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CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. ColorWare Bold Parts-Only Service: Fast & Easy!

If you're not familiar with Slydial , it's a great service that lets you "dial in" to a persons voicemail directly and leave them a message. Great if you're short on time, just want to leave a quick note, or if you are too anxious to talk to that blind date but wanna make sure he/she meets you on time. The service is available by dialing into a number, then entering the mobile number of the person you are trying to reach. Their new BlackBerry beta application makes it easier than before, as you simply start the application, then pick the contact you want to slydial. The app cuts down the steps as you don't have to remember any extra numbers or wait to dial in. The free service is ad supported, so keep in mind you'll have to listen to a short commerical when using the service. A paid version is also available. You can download the beta app OTA here: http://www.slydial.com/apps/bb/slydial.jad

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Slydial Releases Beta App

Vodafone revealed the pricing plans yesterday for RIM's first-ever touchscreen smartphone, the BlackBerry Storm. Via SiliconRepublic.com, the new device will be available via four initial price plans, with a number of free options on three of those plans:

• Under the Perfect Choice Access 100 plan, the Storm handset will retail for €109.99 and will cost €49.99 a month as part of a bundle that will include 100 minutes, 100 texts, 1GB of BlackBerry email, mobile TV and 10 full-track music downloads.
• Under the Perfect Choice Access 200 plan, the Storm handset will retail for €64.99 and will cost €64.99 a month as part of a bundle that will include 200 minutes, 200 texts, 1GB of BlackBerry email, mobile TV and 10 full-track music downloads.
• Under the Perfect Choice Access 400 plan, the Storm handset will retail for €69.99 and will cost €84.99 a month as part of a bundle that will include 400 minutes, 400 texts, 1GB of BlackBerry email, mobile TV and 10 full-track music downloads.
• And under the Perfect Choice Access 600 plan, the Storm handset will retail for €49.99 and will cost €99.99 a month as part of a bundle that will include 600 minutes, 600 texts, 1GB of BlackBerry email, mobile TV and 10 full-track music downloads.

According to Vodafone, a number of free options for calls, texts and landline minutes will accompany the Perfect Choice Access 200, 400 and 600 price plans, whereby purchasers can choose between 100, 200 and 400 calls and texts or 100, 200 and 400 landline minutes respectively.

Additional call charges that will be applied to the pricing plans if users go beyond their package allocation will range between 18 cent and 30 cent, 11 cent per text message, €2 per megabyte of BlackBerry email and 2 cent per kilobyte of Vodafone Live.

Any Vodafone subscribers in the house? What do you think of the Storm's pricing?

[ Source ]

CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Vodafone BlackBerry Storm Pricing!

My inbox was so jam packed yesterday that I missed the press release from our pals at vlingo letting us know that version 2 is out of beta and ready to rock! You can read the full press release after the jump, or just head on over to vlingo.com/v2 to download. If you give it a go, be sure to report back in the comments and let us know what you think!

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CrackBerry.com’s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Vlingo 2.0 Now Available!!!