We suppose it had to end sometime: Research in Motion's BlackBerry smartphones are no longer number one in the U.S. We've covered RIM's various follies in other stories, but perhaps the biggest reason for this slip in market share applies to apps. Simply put, BlackBerry 7 OS has fallen behind in the apps race.
The BlackBerry App World, the official BlackBerry app store, remains awkward and difficult to use, two and a half years after launch, and even in version 3.0 guise. Popular apps often don't pop up in searches because they haven't been certified for a certain model of BlackBerry—even though they may work fine. If you have an AT&T or T-Mobile BlackBerry, you can buy apps and apply the charge to your phone bill, but devices on other carriers still require a separate PayPal account, which has its own issues.
Fortunately, App World isn't the only place to get BlackBerry apps. The independent store GetJar does a brisk business, and so does Handmark. Some apps are only available through their companies' own Web sites.
Over the past year and a half, we've seen less interest in BlackBerry apps here at PCMag.com than on other platforms. Therefore, we've trimmed our BlackBerry list to the top 10 apps. You can be guaranteed that every one of the apps on our list is a smash hit; a few even take advantage of BlackBerry OS 6's enhancements, though few recognize BlackBerry 7 devices yet (and often don't even appear in BlackBerry App World). As always, if you know of other great free BlackBerry apps, please tell us about them in the comments section below.
Fortunately, App World isn't the only place to get BlackBerry apps. The independent store GetJar does a brisk business, and so does Handmark. Some apps are only available through their companies' own Web sites.
Over the past year and a half, we've seen less interest in BlackBerry apps here at PCMag.com than on other platforms. Therefore, we've trimmed our BlackBerry list to the top 10 apps. You can be guaranteed that every one of the apps on our list is a smash hit; a few even take advantage of BlackBerry OS 6's enhancements, though few recognize BlackBerry 7 devices yet (and often don't even appear in BlackBerry App World). As always, if you know of other great free BlackBerry apps, please tell us about them in the comments section below.
1. AP Mobile World Edition 3.4.4
The Associated Press, bb.apnews.com
Just like its brethren on other mobile platforms, this news program gives you complete, flexible access to local, national, and international news. On top of giving you up-to-the-minute news, the latest version of this app offers push alerts, improved navigation, and support for multiple languages, as well as improved navigation, off-line, and BlackBerry OS 6-enhanced video experiences. If you're looking for multiple news sources, try Viigo below, but AP can satisfy any needy news junkie. Download AP Mobile News from the Associated Press site.
2. BOLT 2.52
Bitstream, www.boltbrowser.com
BlackBerry OS 6 comes with an upgraded browser, but Bolt, the top alternative BlackBerry browser, still beats it handily. Both browsers download pages that actually look like desktop Web pages, but Bolt is much faster. Version 2.5 adds support for Facebook videos, location-enabled sites, a new user interface, and improved HTML5 compatibility. It also supports tabbed browsing, many Flash video Web sites, and Web-based chat apps, such as Facebook and Meebo. If you have a lower-res BlackBerry, like the Curve 8530, try Opera Mini (www.opera.com) instead. Another tabbed browser, it does a great job of reformatting pages so they're more readable on small, low-res screens. You can download Opera Mini 6 from www.opera.com
3. Flashlight 2 for 1 Free 1.1.1
Motek Americas Inc., www.motekmobile.com
There are many free flashlight apps to pick from, but this time around we chose Flashlight 2 for 1 Free. As per its namesake, it's actually a pair of apps: a bright back flashlight that uses the camera light, and a front-facing, softer ambient light that combines the LCD display with the front LED. Both are extremely easy to use, and both are optimized to conserve battery power and memory usage while active. Flashlight 2 For 1 Free is available from BlackBerry App World.
4. Facebook for BlackBerry 2.0
Facebook, www.facebook.com
Almost everyone needs a Facebook app these days. Fortunately, Facebook 2.0 for BlackBerry finally measures up, with a new navigation grid-based interface that virtually mirrors what you'd see on an iPhone or Android device. You can finally open Facebook Chats, although it's still a little buggy, at least in the beta version we tested. Notifications also received an overhaul, with a single bar at the top of the screen handling friend requests, messages, chats, and general notifications. Facebook for BlackBerry is available in BlackBerry App World.
5. Google Maps 4.5.3
Google, m.google.com/maps
Google's free mobile mapping program just keeps getting better and better. The most recent version adds store hours to search results, and you can also filter searches by star rating or distance. You can turn live traffic and Google Buzz layers on and off, and the GPS locks in quickly. "Labs" beta options include a terrain layer and scale bar. Unfortunately, the BlackBerry version of this app doesn't have voice prompts for driving directions the way the Android version does, but it's still better than BlackBerry Maps. If you ever leave the house, this app is a must-have. Go to Google to get Google Maps.
6. Kindle for BlackBerry Beta
Amazon, www.amazon.com/kindlebb
As with other versions of Amazon's Kindle app, Kindle for BlackBerry is part of the company's multi-platform strategy, where you can read Kindle books on your iPad, on your computer, on your Kindle, and on your phone. Unfortunately, it's still in beta after over a year, and newspapers and magazines aren't available on the BlackBerry platform. But we really like the ability to put down the latest bestseller at home, and seamlessly sneak a glimpse at it during a long, boring meeting at work. Kindle for BlackBerry is available at Amazon.
As with other versions of Amazon's Kindle app, Kindle for BlackBerry is part of the company's multi-platform strategy, where you can read Kindle books on your iPad, on your computer, on your Kindle, and on your phone. Unfortunately, it's still in beta after over a year, and newspapers and magazines aren't available on the BlackBerry platform. But we really like the ability to put down the latest bestseller at home, and seamlessly sneak a glimpse at it during a long, boring meeting at work. Kindle for BlackBerry is available at Amazon.
7. Shazam 2.8.0
Shazam Entertainment Ltd, www.shazam.com
Shazam is about as simple and ingenious as an app can get: fire up the app, hold your BlackBerry up to a song that's playing, and Shazam will figure out what it is. That's a nifty parlor trick, but Shazam also lets you buy the track on the spot as an MP3 file, read reviews of the album it's on, watch a YouTube video, and share the track tags with friends. Shazam's Tag Chart lets you know what's most popular at the moment. Shazam is available from BlackBerry App World.
Shazam is about as simple and ingenious as an app can get: fire up the app, hold your BlackBerry up to a song that's playing, and Shazam will figure out what it is. That's a nifty parlor trick, but Shazam also lets you buy the track on the spot as an MP3 file, read reviews of the album it's on, watch a YouTube video, and share the track tags with friends. Shazam's Tag Chart lets you know what's most popular at the moment. Shazam is available from BlackBerry App World.
8. Slacker Radio for BlackBerry 4.0.765
Slacker, www.slacker.comSlacker recently edged out its rival Pandora by offering "station caching," which lets you listen to music while you're offline and really saves battery life. A new Premium tier for $9.99 per month offers search, play, and replay of entire songs or albums on demand, plus custom playlists and news radio. But the 100-percent-free Slacker app is still great for streaming music, with all the professionally programmed and custom stations you expect from slacker.com. You can create custom stations based on artists or songs right on the device, which is great if you get into a particular mood when you're on the go. Slacker is available in BlackBerry App World.
9. Twitter for BlackBerry 2.0.0.16
Research in Motion, www.blackberry.net
Research in Motion's Twitter client gets a major update, with a lighter color scheme, support for local trends, support for OS 6, a My Profile icon with a photo, a lighter color scheme, and faster performance. But its biggest advantage over the competition remains its very elegant, well-designed interface. Nothing's rough here—you can Tweet, search, use lists, follow, or check trends using beautiful fonts and an unobtrusive utility bar. There are several very good Twitter clients for BlackBerry, but this one may be the clearest to use. Twitter for BlackBerry is available in BlackBerry App World.
Research in Motion's Twitter client gets a major update, with a lighter color scheme, support for local trends, support for OS 6, a My Profile icon with a photo, a lighter color scheme, and faster performance. But its biggest advantage over the competition remains its very elegant, well-designed interface. Nothing's rough here—you can Tweet, search, use lists, follow, or check trends using beautiful fonts and an unobtrusive utility bar. There are several very good Twitter clients for BlackBerry, but this one may be the clearest to use. Twitter for BlackBerry is available in BlackBerry App World.
10. WeatherBug 2.0.0.64
AWS Convergence Technologies, www.aws.com
WeatherBug has more features than the competing WeatherEye, which gives it a slight edge in the BlackBerry weather competition. It's pretty much assumed that you should get live local weather updates, detailed forecast summaries, weather alerts, camera views, and detailed radar maps from a weather app nowadays. WeatherBug goes a bit further by integrating with Bing Maps, letting you tap on a map to find out how the weather is over there, and it drops current temperature and conditions readouts on your home screen. WeatherBug is available in BlackBerry App World.
WeatherBug has more features than the competing WeatherEye, which gives it a slight edge in the BlackBerry weather competition. It's pretty much assumed that you should get live local weather updates, detailed forecast summaries, weather alerts, camera views, and detailed radar maps from a weather app nowadays. WeatherBug goes a bit further by integrating with Bing Maps, letting you tap on a map to find out how the weather is over there, and it drops current temperature and conditions readouts on your home screen. WeatherBug is available in BlackBerry App World.
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