Posts Tagged ‘Blackberry’

OurGroceries Brings Shopping Lists into the 21st Century

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

I’m generally well-organized and have something of a penchant for planning ahead – with one glaring exception: grocery shopping.  I don’t know why, but I still tend to rely on scraps of paper with hastily scrawled lists.  Even when I’m preparing to entertain and have a complete and thorough list, I neglect to check things off as I buy them and invariably forget to purchase some critical component of that evening’s meal…

Enter OurGroceries.  It’s a site that allows you to create and update a variety of shopping lists in the cloud.  Once you’ve loaded the app onto your BlackBerry or Android phone, any entries you make either online or on your phone are synced in all locations.  As a single guy, I find this app really useful, since I tend to remember I need to replenish my pasta supply at inopportune moments – now I can just quickly update my list using my phone.

I imagine it’s a huge boon to those of you who do the shopping for the whole family.  For example, the next time your spouse/significant other/roommate/child greedily devours the last of the chocolate ice cream while you’re on your way to the market, he or she can at least update the shopping list on OurGroceries.  Since syncing is instantaneous, you’ll know you need more once you get to the store.

As you shop, tick off what you’ve loaded into the cart using your phone, ensuring you get everything you need.  No more arriving home and realizing you’re going to have a hard time making brownies since you forgot to buy the eggs on your list.

Multiple lists are also supported, so you can maintain separate lists for the supermarket, the discount warehouse and the drugstore.

I’m using the Android version of the app and it’s great – easy to set up and the syncing is seamless and immediate.  Both the app and the online site are models of simplicity.  OurGroceries has already helped ensure that I’ll never run out of peanut butter again…

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Amazon Kindle for Android

Monday, August 16th, 2010

There is much talk about e-books and now there are so many e-book store fronts. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders and even Apple have all jumped into the digital media and books distribution business. Personally, I love E-Books. I love the idea of being able to download a book in a matter of minutes. I’m one of those early-adopters that wants things right away. I can’t wait for UPS to deliver it.

That being said, my e-book storefront of choice is Amazon. Why? Glad you asked. Amazon has a really nice platform that allows their customers to read their Amazon-purchased books on many devices. I often will buy an E-Book on my desktop and need to take it with me. That’s where my HTC Hero comes in. Using the Amazon Kindle for Android app, I am able to read all my purchased books right on my phone!

Sounds great right? BlackBerry Tour users can download the the Kindle app for free as well. For more information go to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000468551

Happy Reading!

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BlackBerry Themes

Monday, June 28th, 2010

With the  summer season just rolling in, I figured I would download something fitting to my BlackBerry Tour and match the nice weather. Beat the heat with a cool breeze feel of the Azure Today theme available for free in the BlackBerry App World.

There over a thousand themes available in the BlackBerry App World, many of which are free. A theme will change the layout of the icons on your handset, and give your phone an entirely brand new feel. The themes range from Holiday themes, Sports themes, Movies & TV and more!

All you need to do is:

1. Install BlackBerry App World.
2. Enter the Categories section of BlackBerry App World.
3. Select Themes.
4. Browse the different sections and download a theme that peaks your interest.
5. After the download is complete, go to Options > Theme > and select your new theme.

Just be aware that sometimes your icons may move around depending on the theme, so you will need to get used to the new layout. You can also switch back to your default theme at any time as well.

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BlackBerry shoots, it SCORES! GOOOOOAAAALLLLLL!

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

The World Cup is upon us and off to a rousing start with South Africa and Mexico playing to scintillating 1-1 tie in the opening game. One of the best parts of the World Cup is we all have our favorite teams. Maybe it is the USA or a team related to your heritage or just rooting for the underdog. It is truly the World’s game.

BlackBerry and Android both have great apps to help follow all of the games. Moreover, if you are anything like me, you will need an app to follow all the scores and news since the games are being played early or in the heart of the workday for most of us.

Search the BlackBerry App World for a good World Cup app or try this one: http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/10914

Or on an Android phone, search the Android Market for two of the best named “Goal.com Mobile” or “2010 World Cup.”

No smartphone? No problem.

Twitter has setup a special World Cup mini site that you can follow all of the action: http://twitter.com/worldcup/worldcup Find a couple of good tweeters to follow and have updates send straight to your phone via text messaging.

Enjoy the World Cup. For some of us it is a month of sporting bliss. And if someone randomly yells out “GOOOOAAAAALLLLL” while looking at their phone, you’ll know what is up.

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Foursquare?

Monday, May 31st, 2010

You may have heard of it or maybe you’ve have heard of the idea. “Foursquare is a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing interesting things”. At the moment it appears as if this could be the next big thing (in the social networking world that is).

Using it is simple, you check-in when ever you go to a business or event. Using you phone’s GPS, Fousquare will only show you businesses that are nearby to keep us all honest! You can add your Facebook and Twitter friends in on the fun, and whenever they check-in – you know.

So what’s in it for you?

First of all, badges. You earn badges by performing certain tasks.

Second, you earn points. Currently, Foursquare is experimenting with point redemption. Recently, Fousquare had a promotion where they actually donated money based on points earned to CampInteractive. (read more here http://mashable.com/2009/12/07/foursquare-charity-drive/)

Third (and my personal favorite), more and more businesses are using Fousquare to promote themselves. In example, last month I went to a restaurant in the Bay Area that offered a 10% discount to anyone who checks-in there during dinner hours.

Foursquare is fun and it seems like more and more of my friends are using it everyday. For those concerned with privacy I would recommend going to http://www.foursquare.com for details on how your location data is used.

Foursquare is available in the BlackBerry App World and also the Android Market.

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What I’ve been up to..

Monday, May 17th, 2010

On my mobile handset (and I’ve been using an Android handset in addition to my BlackBerry lately), I tend to look for apps that are either media portals (those that deliver news and or blog content seamlessly) or tools (such as a flashlight app). As I walk between the BlackBerry and Android worlds I’ve been looking to see which specific apps, media delivery and types of tools, that work well in both worlds.

Here’s what I’m up to:

Media
There are a ton of media sites and apps. I believe that very soon you will be able to find an app for your favorite news source on any platform. For the moment here are my picks (all are free unless specifically noted):

Android
• Huffington Post – Original content from one of the most popular blogs out there.
• Engadget – My personal favorite gadget news site.
• AP Mobile – For all AP wire stories.

Black Berry
• New York Times – All the news that’s fit to Print
• Slate – My favorite online magazine. Lots of great writing, debate, and even a bit of fluff.
• AP Mobile – For all AP wire stories.

Tools
For the most part I think the simpler the app the better. Here are my top faves:

Flashlight tools – Completely awesome when it is all you have. When your parking meter change falls out of your pocket at night, a flashlight app can save you from the risk of parking tickets. There are a number of apps out there. Some use a handset’s flash LED (on my BlackBerry tour, for example) and some use the handset’s LCD screen (as on my Android handset).

BlackBerry
• BestFlash ($2.99)

Android
• Color Flashlight

Guitar Tuner – This little app replaces my standalone guitar tuner and tuning fork. Yea! There a number of them for Android. There are a few for Blackberry but they tend to be pricey.

Android
• G Strings Guitar Tuner

BlackBerry
• Guitar Studio ($9.99), also includes chord library and some other useful utilities.

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How to improve the battery life on your BlackBerry

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

As I have become increasingly dependent on my BlackBerry, I have become more vigilant about ensuring that my battery doesn’t die.  Here are some tips that I have found on various sites (CIO, Crackberry):

  • Turn off unnecessary wireless connections - Make sure to turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and even your cellular connections when you don’t need them.  This is especially important in areas where coverage is spotty – your phone increases radio strength to find signals when they are weak.  You can do this through the “Manage Connections” tool.
  • Shut off your device at night – You can set your BlackBerry to automatically shut off each night.  Use the “Options” tool.
  • Simplify notifications - Limit situations in which your phone vibrates or rings.  You probably don’t need your phone to vibrate and ring at the same time.  If you get 100+ emails per day, do you really need to be notified each time?  Use the “Profiles” tool.
  • Dim your backlight - Those beautiful screens can suck up some serious juice.  You probably don’t need the screen very bright, especially if you spend most time indoors.   You can also shorten the time that the backlight is enabled.  Go to “Options” and then “Screen/Keyboard”.
  • Beware of certain apps - Certain apps such as Viigo and Facebook (if you are a social butterfly) are in constant communication with the wireless network.  Delete the apps or see if they have settings that enable you to limit updates.
  • Close apps running in the background - Even if you aren’t using an app it can continue to suck juice.  Hold down the ALT key and then hit the escape key to see what apps are running in the background.  Close those that you don’t need (although I don’t think that the “core” apps like Phone and Messages are closable).
  • Put your phone in standby – This turns off power to the keyboard and backlight.  Hold down the Mute button on the top of your phone.
  • Clean your battery connections – They get dirty over time, decreasing their efficiency.  Be gentle.  Look for products designed to clean electronics.
  • Use the holster – It puts the BlackBerry to sleep.
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Google Maps 4.0 Update for BlackBerry

Monday, April 19th, 2010

Google has rolled out an update to Google Maps for mobile with several feature upgrades. The biggest enhancement is a search by voice feature with the same setup as search by voice in the main Google mobile application. I tested the new feature out using business names and specific addresses, and the results are just as good as you would receive via Google Maps online. Google Maps 4.0 also introduces new Google Buzz features for mobile. However the Google Buzz results are kind of scattered; and more on the interesting than helpful side. The third main feature is Google has enabled better integration with existing search history and your Google Account. You have to log in and save your search history, but there is great potential in personalized recommendations and time savings.

Features:

  • Search By Voice
  • Google Buzz
  • Synchronization with you Google Account and Search History
  • Google Labs experimental features: Scale Bar or Terrain Layer
  • See businesses near an address or location by selecting a point on the map.
  • Report problems with map data or a business listing.

Check out the original instructions direct from Google on how to install the latest version of Google Maps 4.0 for BlackBerry. Or get started by going to m.google.com/maps in your BlackBerry’s Internet Browser.

Finally, here is a link to the announcement post on the Google Mobile Blog: http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/04/google-maps-40-for-blackberry-adds.html.

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Follow your sports teams on your BlackBerry

Monday, April 5th, 2010

The beginning of April is always one of my favorite times of the year: It’s the start of baseball season. And this year, I’m tracking the progress of my beloved Seattle Mariners using a free app for my BlackBerry called ScoreMobile.

With ScoreMobile, you can check in on how your favorite teams are doing across numerous sports — football, baseball, basketball, hockey, golf, auto racing, and soccer. With a few clicks, you see the live scores from across all the games being played that day, the schedule for upcoming games, the leaderboards of key statistics, and the standings of teams in the league.

Wondering when an important game starts? The start times are customized based on your phone’s time zone setting, so you don’t have to worry about converting time in your head.

Miss a game? Just pull up the summary of it to see the stats from all the players of the game and a recap of all the action.

You can also personalize the ScoreMobile app by noting your favorite teams to make it easier to keep track of how your favorites are doing.

As a free app, there are ads that take up a small chunk of the BlackBerry screen. But for all of the great data you get in one app, I think it’s worth it. You can download ScoreMobile for BlackBerry from the BlackBerry App World.

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Finding a Parking Spot with Your Mobile Phone

Monday, March 29th, 2010

As urban residents know, finding a parking spot can be a time consuming and incredibly frustrating experience. Sadly, it is also quite destructive for the environment. Transportation Alternatives, a great non-profit in NYC which promotes bicycling, walking and public transit, estimates that 45% of NYC traffic is generated by cars circling the block in search of parking.

Thankfully, you mobile phone can help preserve your sanity while saving you gas money and preventing pollution. If you live in New York or Boston, check out Primospot. They have a mobile-friendly website (as well as iPhone and Android apps) that help you find parking spots, garages, and even bicycle racks. Just type in your address, intersection, or zip code. For parkings spots, it provides a map that shows where you can (and cannot) park, shows how much time is left based on the regulations, and identifies spots that are about to become legal. For garages, you can compare hourly, daily and monthly prices on the map.

To access PrimoSpot on your Credo Mobile BlackBerry or other Internet enabled mobile device, open the browser of your phone or device and type http://primospot.com/m in its address field. The homepage will open.

search

The results for the on-street parking will display the best options first, meaning which sides of which blocks you can park for the longest amount of time. The red asterisk* indicates metered parking. If you would like to see more results, scroll down to the bottom and click next.

>results1

After clicking on a side of one of the blocks, you will see a map and the detailed regulations for that side of the street.
details

Good luck finding those spots, but wouldn’t it be easier if you were biking? (Also, please pull over before using this app. Driving while playing with your mobile phone is as risky as drunk driving. Tx.)

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