Vodafone just launched a BlackBerry Storm software developer competition.

Prizes are as follows:

• 1st place – 50,000 euros
• 2nd place -15,000 euros
• 3rd place -5,000 euros

Vodafone is looking for the best application for the BlackBerry Storm

The brand new super-mobile BlackBerry Storm has arrived, so now’s the time for great ideas: the search is on for new, smart and pioneering software for the Vodafone Smartphone. Resourceful developers taking part in the Vodafone innovations competition for the BlackBerry Storm not only have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win 50,000 euros – the three best software applications will be provided as downloads for all users in the BlackBerry Application Center.

Developers have until 30 April 2009 (11.59 pm, CEST) to submit their applications to Vodafone.

More info: http://developer.vodafone.de/bbc/?lang=en_UK

V CAST Music with Rhapsody is now available for the Verizon BlackBerry Storm 9530. You can find and download it in the BlackBerry Application Center on your Storm.

What V CAST Music with Rhapsody includes:

• Buy and download tracks individually from V CAST Music with Rhapsody or subscribe to get unlimited access to music for $14.99 per month.
• Enjoy your phone as a personal music player. Buy music from your PC and easily transfer it to your phone using a USB cable, or buy wirelessly from your phone.
• Search for, purchase, and download your favorite tracks online or using your phone. V CAST Music with Rhapsody connects you to your music at home and on the go.

More info: http://products.vzw.com/index.aspx?id=music_vcast_new

[source]

Al Sacco over at CIO.com put together a nice overview and video of the BlackBerry Application Center on the BlackBerry Storm 9530 from Verizon.

Read: BlackBerry Storm Video: BlackBerry Application Center Walkthrough (CIO.com Hands-On)

PRESS RELEASE

Santa Clara, CA – BlackBerry Developer Conference – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced two major distribution initiatives for BlackBerry® smartphone applications at the BlackBerry Developer Conference. A new online application storefront and a new on-device application center will help application developers and carriers reach millions of BlackBerry® smartphone users worldwide and will provide consumers with greater choice, enhanced application discovery and an easy method for managing installation, upgrades, and purchases.

RIM plans to launch the application storefront in March 2009 and BlackBerry application developers can begin submitting their applications and content for inclusion in the storefront in December 2008. The storefront will allow developers to set their own prices for applications and developers will retain 80 percent of the revenue generated from their applications. RIM is working with PayPal, a leading global online payment service, to provide consumers with a convenient and trusted way to pay for applications within the new application storefront, right from their BlackBerry smartphone. Organizations that have deployed BlackBerry® Enterprise Server or BlackBerry® Professional Software will retain control of what applications can be downloaded to BlackBerry smartphones within their corporate deployments.

RIM is also working with its carrier partners to provide carrier-customized, on-device application centers to help foster after-market application downloads. The BlackBerry application center will allow each carrier to offer a convenient catalog right on the device where a customer can discover and download applications. RIM has already worked with carriers successfully to provide this type of on-device distribution system for individual software applications, such as the popular Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application. The new BlackBerry application center will allow a carrier to build on that success with a broader catalog and provide customers with a convenient and easy method to purchase and download applications.

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