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BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
18
Feb 09

Enjoying SMS Messaging With a Blackberry

With the introduction of Blackberry, SMS messaging has found a new home. SMS messaging, also known as text messaging, is just one of many things that can be completed with a Blackberry.

The Blackberry, which was first introduced to the world in 1999, is a special wireless handheld device that supports a number of technology features. In addition to text messaging, a Blackberry is also capable of acting as a mobile telephone, of performing Internet faxing, of completing push email, and even of web browsing. Some even offer two-way radio capabilities.

The Blackberry first gained attention because of its email capabilities, despite the fact that it originally only offered a monochrome display. Today, the most popular models of Blackberry have color displays and the number of features offered on the Blackberry continue to evolve.

Blackberries are also used as personal organizers, as they are capable of maintaining an electronic address book, to-do lists, calendars and more. To make their use even easier, Blackberries also have built in keyboards, making it far easier to type in text messages with a Blackberry than with a traditional mobile telephone. In addition, the keyboard is set up to be easy to type on with only the use of the thumbs.

Blackberries are also an excellent alternative to mobile phones when it comes to text messaging, as some don’t even require having mobile phone service coverage. In addition, they are Wi-Fi compatible, which is very useful for businesspeople using the Blackberry in order to maintain access to their email as they travel. With the help of the Blackberry, businesspeople can remain continually updated and in contact with their clients no matter where they may be.

BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
18
Feb 09

How to Get Started With BlackBerry Software Development

With the recent launch of the hot-selling BlackBerry Pearl, RIM (Research In Motion) has gained a toehold into the extremely competitive consumer smartphone market. If you’ve been ignoring the BlackBerry platform because it was too Enterprise-focused for your applications, it might be time to specifically target the BlackBerry. Here’s how you get started.

It’s Java Time

BlackBerry development for all recent models is done exclusively in Java. So if you’re not a strong Java programmer, now’s the time to brush up on your Java programming skills. (C# programmers will find the transition to Java fairly simple, the languages are very close in most respects.) Don’t learn about the newest Java features, however, because the BlackBerry platform is built on top of Java Micro Edition (Java ME), which is itself a derivative of Java version 1.3. So forget all the fancy (but useful) language features introduced in Java 1.5 — generics, enumerations, and so on — you can’t use these in BlackBerry programming. You can’t also use most of the library classes you’re familiar with — they’re just not there. A small subset of the Java Standard Edition (Java SE) classes are supported, as well as a number of BlackBerry-specific classes.

Java Micro Edition?

Once you’ve brushed up on your Java, you need to spend a bit of time understanding the Java ME platform, which was formerly known as Java 2 Micro Edition, or J2ME for short. You need to understand the concepts of configurations and profiles, and in particular the CLDC and MIDP standards. Refer to this article and the ones that follow for detailed explanations.

Another great source of reference material is the Sun Microsystems Mobility Development Center, which includes numerous articles and technical tips on general Java ME programming topics.

The BlackBerry Platform

After learning about Java ME, it’s time to explore the BlackBerry platform. The BlackBerry platform is based on the CLDC and includes support for MIDP 2.0. However, a large number of BlackBerry-specific classes are also provided. Which brings you to the first question you’ll face: are you going to write a BlackBerry application or a MIDP application? In a MIDP application you’re constrained to only use the APIs exposed by the CLDC and MIDP standards. Your application will run on the BlackBerry and on most cellphones, but it won’t be able to use any of the BlackBerry’s special features. You can use any MIDP-compatible development tool, such as the Sun Java Wireless Toolkit for CLDC (formerly known as the J2ME Wireless Toolkit), to create your applications.

Most application developers opt to build BlackBerry-specific applications. This means learning the BlackBerry-specific APIs — including new user interface classes — and using the BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE) to develop your applications. The JDE, which is free to download, works with the standard Java Software Development Kit and provides you with all the tools necessary to create, package, test and debug BlackBerry applications. You don’t even need a BlackBerry handheld, because the JDE includes a full-featured BlackBerry device simulator. A complete set of JavaDocs is provided that describes all the classes and interfaces available to programmers.

After downloading and installing the JDE, you’ll want to read the developer’s guides that come with the JDE and look at the sample applications that are shipped with it. Then start your development by writing a few simple applications to get a feel for the BlackBerry APIs and the tools.

Get A BlackBerry Handheld

Although you can develop and test your applications for free, at some point you’ll need to run the application on an actual BlackBerry handheld. This will cost you money, of course, and so it’s not something you’ll want to do until you’re serious about writing BlackBerry applications. On-device testing is crucial to ensuring that the application works correctly, because the simulator is not a perfect emulation system.

If you’re truly serious about BlackBerry application development, consider also joining one of the BlackBerry developer programs for additional support and early access to new devices and APIs. You should also explore RIM’s other BlackBerry developer resources. There are also third-party forums and books available to help you learn the BlackBerry platform.

Conclusion

BlackBerry programming is not hard if you know some Java and you understand the constraints and limitations of the underlying Java ME platform. You have to learn a new set of APIs and use new development tools, but in the end it’s just another kind of Java programming.

BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
18
Feb 09

BlackBerry Applications – What Software Developers Need to Know

As the BlackBerry smartphone gains market share, software developers are increasingly wondering if they should be writing or porting applications to run on the BlackBerry platform. It’s not a decision to be taken lightly because there are significant investments in time and effort in writing software for any mobile platform. And the BlackBerry platform is very different from the other platforms. Here’s a quick rundown on what you need to know before creating BlackBerry applications.

  1. BlackBerry software is written in Java. Java is the only choice for non-browser application development. You can’t write applications in C or C++, so don’t even bother going there. (The very earliest models of the BlackBerry supported C/C++, but the platform switched to Java exclusively several years ago.)
  2. The Java is Java ME. The BlackBerry’s Java support is for Java ME (Micro Edition), the stripped-down version of Java designed for mobile phones and other constrained devices. The language is the same (most features are supported) but the class libraries are vastly different — mostly because they’re much smaller. This makes porting code a challenge.
  3. But it’s also BlackBerry-specific. The Java ME class library is small, so the BlackBerry augments it with a number of device-specific APIs, including the graphical user interface APIs. You need to learn these APIs to write “real” BlackBerry applications.
  4. You need to test on real devices. This shouldn’t be any surprise to anyone who’s done mobile application development before, but it’s even truer on the BlackBerry platform. The BlackBerry simulator can easily give you a false sense of security when testing your application features, especially the networking aspects. There’s nothing like testing it on a real device. Preferably, several real devices.
  5. BlackBerry infrastructure is complex. BlackBerry programming isn’t just about understanding Java and the BlackBerry APIs, it’s also about understanding the entire BlackBerry infrastructure, from the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) to the BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) and everything in between.

The reality is that BlackBerry programming is a specialization that is developed over time. It’s not nearly as simple as it seems at first, as many developers have discovered to their dismay.

BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
18
Feb 09

The Blackberry Storm – Cell Phone Review

The Blackberry Storm is another slick looking 3G offering from the people at RIM and another competitor for the Apple iPhone 3G. The Blackberry Storm is the first Blackberry with a full touchscreen, making it one of the easiest to use as well.

The touchscreen on the storm is one of it’s greatest features, it is a 3.25 inch HVGA+ 480×360 multi-touch UI screen that many consider the best on the market today. Unlike other touchscreens, the Storm has a “Click Through” screen. This means you must push down on the screen until you feel a click. It might seem odd at first, but in time, you’ll grow to love this new type of screen. To go along with this new screen is a browser that is an improvement from the browser used by the Blackberry Bold.

Being a 3G device, the Blackberry Storm is perfect for surfing the internet, video conference calls, data transfers, emailing, instant messaging and anything else you can think up.

The Storm comes with a 3.2 megapixel digital camera with variable zoom, autofocus and video capabilities. Great for taking pictures on the go or making video clips and other imaging tasks. The built in media player supports most video and music file types, playing your favorite music or video files is a breeze. The Storm has 1Gb of onboard memory as well as a microSD card slot, for as much as 16Gb of extra storage space. There is also Bluetooth Stereo onboard for your headsets, etc. Or a 3.5mm stereo headset port.

Of course, like every 3G phone/device on the market, the Blackberry Storm is not perfect. It might have most of the same features as the iPhone, but it is missing flash support as well as Wi-Fi capability, two things that many people look for in a 3G device.

If you can look past what the Storm lacks, you’ll find a great little device that can do just about anything you could expect from a 3G phone or mobile device. But remember that with the new “Click Through” interface, the Blackberry Storm will surely take some time to get used to using. If you don’t think the Storm is your cup of tea, perhaps the Blackberry Bold is more suited to your needs.

BlackBerry / Palm OS / Smartphone — Comments Off
18
Feb 09

Blackberry Versus a Palm OS

PDAs are handheld computers originally designed as a type of personal organizer. A PDA is also called “Personal Digital Assistants”. They are also regarded as palmtops or pocket computers. PDAs have become much more versatile over the years.

Personal digital assistants have many uses. This would include being a calendar and clock or calculator. It is also suitable for access to the internet, playing computer games, receiving and sending emails, as well as word processing and typewriting. You can also include video recording and its use as a radio as well as an address book. You will also have the advantage of making and writing on spreadsheets, along with the Global Positioning System.

The latest PDAs have both audio capabilities and color screens, allowing it to be used as a web browser, mobile phone or portable media player. One of the most important characteristics of a PDA is the presence of a touch screen. The typical PDA can function as a fax sender, cellular phone, personal organizer and web browser. Unlike a portable computer, most types of PDAs began as pen-based, using a stylus rather than a keyboard for input.

Although numerous early PDAs have no memory card slots, most PDAs now have either a Compact Flash slot or a Secure Digital or SD. Although it is originally designed for memory, Compact Flash cards and SDIO are available for usage as a Web cam and Wi-Fi purposes. Several PDAs also have a USB port, mostly for USB flash drives. Thus, other types of PDAs are now compatible with micro SD cards which are much smaller than standard SD memory cards and it can carry more data.

PDAs can also synchronize data with a computer. This will allow up-to-date contact information stored in software like ACT or Microsoft Outlook in order to update the database on the PDA. The data synchronization actually ensures that your personal digital assistant or PDA has a precise list of email, appointments and contacts, letting the user access similar information on the PDA as the host computer. The synchronization also prevents loss of information stored on the PDA, in case it is stolen, destroyed or lost.

If the Palm OS PDA began the age of electronics and mobile communication as well as organization, the Blackberry Personal Digital Assistant caught up quickly. Both have internet abilities and email. Blackberry PDAs are designed for short text messages, while higher-end Palm OS PDAs pose as a convergence device, often doubling as a message and phone server.

Here are some tips on choosing between a Blackberry and a Palm OS PDA. First, determine the amount of money you are willing to spend. Both operating systems that come in PDAs vary a lot in price.

Determine your main need for a PDA. It could be for email, calendar, wireless internet access or other organization needs. It is possible that a simple Blackberry can meet your needs for a lot less money as compared to a more highly developed Treo unit from Palm.

Make notes throughout an average day and see which function of your PDA you use the most. If you frequently send larger email, Treo is the better option. Research about the products of both Blackberry and Palm and then decide which of the two can fit in your lifestyle.

Use the information you collected in testing PDAs and choose on the most precious functions a PDA should be able to offer you. Find out which gadgets are restricted in electronic shops, computer stores or cellophane shops. Find out also which ones they have in store or if they have a sale on PDAs.

BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
18
Feb 09

Blackberry Bold Vs Blackberry Storm

The Blackberry smartphones have captured a lot of people’s imagination. This mobile device is one of the most sought after gadgets of most gizmo lovers out there. However, there are lots of Blackberry models and the most popular are the Bold and Storm units.

The Blackberry Bold and Blackberry Storm have lots of similarities. That is because these devices have the same manufacturer. So before you compare their differences it would be useful to know the similarities of these two Blackberry smartphones.

The Defining Features of Bold and Storm

Both smartphones are fully supported on the HSDPA network. They have GPS navigation capabilities and feature the BlackBerry Maps application. Both also work on the BlackBerry operating system so you will probably see similar user interface.

Blackberry Bold and Blackberry Storm have QUERTY keyboards but you can also fully navigate the phones through their touchscreen features. Basically, the design elements, sizes, thickness, camera features, and other add-ons of Bold and Storm would be fairly similar.

Key Differences of Bold and Storm

Although the Blackberry Storm and Bold are very similar, they have major differences that make each mobile phone unique. So, here are some of the most pronounced differences between the Storm and Bold models of Blackberry.

1. Network Support Specifications

The Bold unit of Blackberry is supported on HSDPA network on the 850, 1900, 2100 megahertz frequency. Essentially, Bold is fully supported on a triple band HSDPA network. The Storm unit however is only supported on the 2100 megahertz frequency and CDMA.

Basically when you consider the network specs of the two Blackberry smartphones, the Bold Blackberry has a big advantage over Storm.

2. Display Resolution and Performance

Both Storm and Bold have touchscreen display. However, Blackberry Storm has an edge over Bold in this aspect. Storm has a 3.25 inch TFT LCD display with screen resolution of 360 x 480 pixels. Bold on the other hand only has 2.75 inch display screen with 480 x 320 pixels resolution.

Another big plus for the Storm is its built-in accelerometer which is surprisingly absent in Bold. When you rotate Storm, its screen display will also automatically rotate to match the view of the user. With an accelerometer, Storm can also display crisp video resolution on its HD screen.

3. Connectivity and Internet Speed

Blackberry Bold takes the upper hand when it comes to connectivity and net speed. Bold can support Wi-Fi connectivity on the 802.11 profiles. Surprisingly for a smartphone, the Blackberry Storm does not have Wi-Fi support.

When you use Bold, you can enjoy unlimited data transfer especially if you are in a Wi-Fi hotspot. This capability would be absent in Storm.

These are the most basic and the key differences between Bold and Storm models of Blackberry. Aside from these, Storm is also heavier than Bold by 20 grams. Both mobile phones however have almost similar dimensions.

Knowing these key similarities and differences, it is up to you to decide which Blackberry could answer your mobile communication and computing needs.

BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
12
Dec 08

BlackBerry Curve Reviews: BlackBerry Curve 8310 Smartphone Titanium (AT&T)

Swelling the Blackberry Curve’s already formidable arsenal of telephonic and connectivity tools, the titanium Blackberry 8310 Curve now adds an internal GPS receiver with support for TeleNav GPS Navigator software and push-to-talk (PTT) capability-an AT&T exclusive.

An amalgam of the svelte BlackBerry Pearl and the more business-oriented 8800, the 8310 Curve is the smallest, lightest BlackBerry phone that includes a full QWERTY keyboard. And it combines RIM’s long-valued push email and messaging platform with a host of advanced multimedia features, including a 2-megapixel camera and stereo Bluetooth (for listening to music via wireless headphones).

This quadband phone operates on GSM 850/900/1800/1900 networks and can handle high-speed data connectivity via AT&T’s EDGE network, with availability in more than 13,000 US cities and along some 40,000 miles of major highways. It also offers global voice roaming in over 190 and data roaming in over 130 countries.

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Phone Design & Features

This 8310 Curve is fashioned in a titanium finish and subtly curving corners. Measuring 4.2 x 2.4 inches, the Curve is just as slim as the Pearl (0.6 inches) and weighs in at 3.9 ounces – just 0.7 ounces heavier than its predecessor. It features a bright 2.5 – inch color TFT screen that provides 65,000 colors and a 320 x 240-pixel resolution, and it includes a light-sensing feature that automatically adjusts backlighting for indoor, outdoor and dark environments. Like the BlackBerry 8800, the Curve includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad, and it also features an integrated spell checker with a customizable dictionary to help maintain accuracy while on the go. It has 64 MB of internal ROM memory, and is expandable using MicroSD memory cards. The battery provides up to 4 hours (240 minutes) of talk time and up to 17 days (408 hours) of standby time.

You can snap vivid photos (though no video) using the 2-megapixel camera on the back of the Curve, which also features a 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, self-portrait mirror and full screen viewfinder. It can capture images in up to three picture quality and size resolutions that can be shared instantly by email, MMS or BlackBerry Messenger, or even uploaded to your Flickr account with the Yahoo! Go service. Photos can also be immediately set as a unique caller ID or Home Screen image. You can edit photos and create albums within the Curve using the PhotoSuite application. Pictures can be cropped, rotated and straightened, and flaws can be fixed by removing redeye or changing the brightness, contrast, and saturation levels.

Listen to your favorite music and watch downloaded videos using the included stereo headset, or use an optional wireless headphone thanks to the Curve’s support for the Bluetooth stereo audio profile (A2DP/AVRCP). The Curve is compatible with a wide variety of file formats, including MP3, WMA and AAC/AAC+/eAAC+ audio and WMV, MPEG4 and H.263 video. Dedicated volume controls are conveniently located on the side of the handset. You can also subscribe to the AT&T Music service, which includes access to online subscription music content from eMusic, XM Satellite Radio and more.

With the Voice-Activated Dialing (VAD) feature, you can initiate a call just by telling the Curve who to call from your contact list–either via the integrated speakerphone or using an optional Bluetooth wireless headset. Other advanced phone features include advanced sound technology that cancels out background noise and echo, dedicated volume and mute keys, and the ability to customize the Curve with polyphonic and MP3 ringtones.

Vital Statistics

The BlackBerry 8310 Curve weighs 3.9 ounces and measures 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches. Its 1100 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4 hours of talk time, and up to 408 hours (17 days) of digital standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies.

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BlackBerry / Smartphone — Comments Off
8
Dec 08

BlackBerry Bold Reviews: BlackBerry Bold 9000 Smartphone, Black (AT&T)

blackberry-bold-9000-03Designed to give business professionals and power users unprecedented functionality and performance, the BlackBerry Bold is the fastest, most powerful Blackberry yet, with support for tri-band HSDPA high-speed networks around the world as well as integrated GPS and Wi-Fi networking (802.11a/b/g). It features a lustrous black exterior, satin chrome finished frame and stylish leather-like backplate, a sophisticated user interface, and a newly designed full-QWERTY keyboard.

Crafted from premium materials, inside and out, the BlackBerry Bold is designed to give business professionals and power users unprecedented functionality and performance in an intuitive design.

Keep yourself on track for your next meeting with turn-by-turn directions via the AT&T Navigator service, which is powered by TeleNav and provides spoken or text-based turn-by-turn directions with automatic missed turn rerouting and a local business finder service in 20 countries. It also supports AT&T mobile music services and access to thousands of video clips via Cellular Video. Other features include a 2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth for handsfree communication, 1 GB of internal memory with MicroSD expansion (up to 32 GB), multi-format audio/video playback, and up to 4.5 hours of talk time.

The Blackberry Bold also comes with free access to AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots, available at more than 17,000 locations nationwide including Starbucks. The best part is that you do’nt need to sign up for anything new to use this service–Wi-Fi access for is included in all Blackberry Personal and Enterprise Rate Plans. (You must subscribe to a Blackberry Data Rate Plan to access AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspots.) Additionally, the Blackberry Bold is the first RIM device that supports AT&T Cellular Video (CV).

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Phone Features

The elegant BlackBerry Bold smartphone features a lustrous black exterior, satin chrome-finished frame and stylish, leatherette backplate with a newly designed full QWERTY keyboard for exceptionally fast and easy typing and stunning half-VGA (480 x 320 at 217 ppi) color display that’s fused to the undersurface of the lens, making images leap out with stunning definition and clarity. It also includes a trackball navigation system located on the top of the QWERTY keypad. The BlackBerry Bold also boasts a new acoustic design for enhanced phone listening quality and clarity and numerous premium phone features, including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD).

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone’s support for tri-band HSDPA and enterprise-grade Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) networks and its next-generation 624 MHz mobile processor make short work of downloading email attachments, streaming video or rendering web pages. The BlackBerry Bold also includes 128 MB Flash memory plus 1 GB on-board storage memory, as well as a microSD/SDHC memory card slot that is conveniently accessible from a side door.

The Blackberry Bold delivers the legendary BlackBerry email experience. With BlackBerry service plans from AT&T, you can receive emails instantaneously from up to 10 email accounts (personal and enterprise). With BlackBerry push technology, you don’t need to retrieve your email. BlackBerry devices are designed to remain on and continuously connected to the wireless network, allowing you to be discreetly notified as new email arrives. Support is also built-in for viewing email attachments (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, WordPerfect, and PDF formats).

If your company has a BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed, you can also take advantage of the power of wireless calendar synchronization. Your calendar events are exchanged wirelessly and automatically so that your desktop calendar and BlackBerry handheld calendar are synchronized. All your Outlook meeting requests, changes, and updates are instantaneously synchronized instantaneously with your desktop. Make meeting requests, invite new attendees and more, all on your Blackberry Bold. Users without BlackBerry Enterprise Server support can manually sync with their desktop calendars and contacts via Bluetooth or USB using the included BlackBerry Desktop Software.

You’ll enjoy enhanced Internet browsing on the Blackberry Bold. The trackball mimics a mouse, making it easy to navigate sites in Page View or Column View or to zoom in on specific parts of a web page, while various emulation settings allow you to choose between the full desktop-style HTML content and layout or the mobile version. Attachments can also now be downloaded from within the browser and there is support for watching streaming videos (RTSP, real-time streaming protocol).

The included BlackBerry Desktop Manager software comes with Roxio Media Manager for BlackBerry, which includes new features that make it easier to organize multimedia content as well as manage music, videos and recorded Voice Notes between a computer and the smartphone. It also optimizes video files for smooth full-screen playback on the BlackBerry Bold smartphone’s large display with support for full-screen and widescreen formats.

Roxio Photosuite 9 LE is also included, allowing you to easily enhance pictures and create photo albums on your computer. In addition, the new BlackBerry Media Sync application allows you to sync your iTunes digital musical collections . The BlackBerry Bold also boasts a new acoustic design for enhanced phone listening quality and clarity and numerous premium phone features, including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD).

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Other features include:

  • Works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which enables advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novel GroupWise environments, as well as BlackBerry Professional Software for small businesses
  • 2-megapixel camera/camcorder with flash, 5x zoom, geo-tagging capabilities, white balance settings, and choice of three picture sizes
  • Bluetooth 2.0, with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits (including car kits that adhere to the Bluetooth Remote SIM Access Profile) and other Bluetooth peripherals
  • Push Button Setup for Wi-Fi networking, making it faster to connect to protected wireless networks that require a sign-on process
  • Video format support: DivX 4, DivX 5/6 partially supported, XviD partially supported, H.263, H.264, WMV3
  • Audio format support: .3gp, MP3, WMA9 (.wma/.asf), WMA9 Pro/WMA 10, MIDI, AMR-NB, Professional AAC/AAC+/eAAC+
  • Polyphonic/MIDI ringtones
  • Speakerphone
  • 3.5mm stereo headset capable

Vital Statistics

The BlackBerry Bold weighs 4.8 ounces and measures 4.49 x 2.59 x 0.59 inches. Its 1500 mAh lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 4.5 hours of talk time, and up to 324 hours (13.5 days) of standby time. It runs on the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE frequencies as well as tri-band UMTS/HSDPA 3G networks (2100/1900/850 MHz).

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