Some highlights from the press release:

• With the recent launch of Research In Motion’s BlackBerry App World™, Privus Mobile, America’s most popular Mobile Caller ID provider, brings its innovative Caller ID service for cell phones to the new on-device application store for BlackBerry smartphones.
• Privus Mobile President Greg Smith and Chief Technology Officer Monica Martino were at CTIA Wireless 2009 in Las Vegas for RIM’s announcement about BlackBerry App World.
• Privus Mobile is available to more than 225 smartphones on more than 30 international network carriers. It was recently named Best BlackBerry Evolution at the 2008 Handango Champion Awards. Customers can download a free trial on BlackBerry App World or on Privus Mobile’s Web site at www.privusmobile.com.

Read the full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

CIO has a bunch of pictures of RIM’s BlackBerry booth at CTIA Wireless 2009.

Here’s what the pictures include:

• The entrance to RIM’s CTIA BlackBerry booth, located in the central hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
• CTIA attendees making their way through the Partner Programs section of RIM’s BlackBerry booth, where third-party organizations tout their latest BlackBerry-related software and services.
• Information desk where CTIA attendees pick up BlackBerry Access Passes. The passes look like credit cards, and they can be held up to scanners at various exhibits through the CTIA BlackBerry booth to request additional information on products and services via e-mail.
• BlackBerry App World exhibit at RIM’s CTIA BlackBerry Booth
• New BlackBerry products on display at RIM’s CTIA booth
• More…

Click here to head over to CIO for the rest of the pictures.

Some highlights from the press release:

• PimpMyNews today announced its plans to launch its popular talking news and blog service on The Blackberry App World Storefront.
• PimpMyNews is a new media service that puts consumers in control of their news by automatically collecting breaking stories from over 1,300 news sources based on their preferences and converting them to audio.
• The service eliminates the time-consuming process of searching for news on the Internet and allows mobile users to listen and multitask while driving, working out, riding the train and more.
• PimpMyNews makes your favorite news & blogs TALK – So you can listen to the stories you wish you had time to read – while you get things done. It’s like TiVo® for news & blogs… You’ll never miss a breaking story.

Read the full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

Some highlights from the press release:

• Privately-held QuickPlay Media Inc plans to deliver full length popular television shows to BlackBerry smartphone screens via Research In Motion’s applications store after forging agreements with TV networks, including NBC, CBS Corp and MTV.
• QuickPlay said it plans to offer the service through BlackBerry maker RIM’s App World mobile application store, which is expected be unveiled at the CTIA annual wireless showcase in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning.
• Toronto-based QuickPlay will charge a monthly subscription fee of $7.99 for its PrimeTime2Go service, which it will deliver only over Wi-Fi links, a short range high-speed wireless network, to help it provide faster download speeds.
• The service will be available on BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Curve 8900, both of which have Wi-Fi links, and are sold by AT&T Inc and T-Mobile USA, a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG.

Read the full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

Some highlights from the press release:

• With well over 300,000 users from around the world participating in a public beta that began in February, Bitstream Inc. (NASDAQ: BITS) today announced that BOLTTM, the company’s web browser for mobile phones of all types, will get a significant upgrade today.
• People are enjoying the video streaming feature of the BOLT browser – the only mobile browser that lets people enjoy streaming videos on average mobile phones from such popular video services as YouTube, vids.myspace.com, video.yahoo.com, blip.tv, dailymotion.com, metacafe.com and more.  Of the total bandwidth used by all BOLT users surfing the Internet, nearly a third was consumed by streaming video.
• Optimized to conserve battery life and data transmissions, BOLT features unrivaled speed – consistently 25 to 50 percent faster than competitors.  The WebKit based BOLT browser offers ultra-fast viewing of streaming and flash video, high standards compliance, rich media and graphics enabling people to view websites just as they do on a PC.
• BOLT is now available for free to anyone as part of its public beta test.  Visit http://boltbrowser.com.

Read the full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

Some highlights from the press release:

• Shazam, a leading mobile music discovery provider, today announced the availability of its unique application for BlackBerry® smartphone users; allowing them to discover, purchase and share music anywhere they go. Shazam on BlackBerry smartphones is a featured application available within BlackBerry App World™, the new application store from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq:RIMM), officially launched at CTIA in Las Vegas this week.
• Shazam allows users to identify music by simply holding a mobile handset to a song as it’s playing. Shazam identifies and provides information to the user about the track, artist and album from its ever-expanding music database; currently consisting of over 8 million tracks, including the largest collection of undiscovered music and pre-release tracks.
• BlackBerry smartphone users who download the Shazam application between 1st of April and 31st of May will be given the option to try out the full-featured version on a 60 day promotional basis*; if they want to keep and continue to use Shazam they can pay anytime during the promotion or at the end of the period with a one-off fee of $4.99 / £5.00 / €4.99 depending on location.
• For more information please visit www.shazam.com

You can get Shazam directly from the BlackBerry App World at blackberry.com/appworld, either from your PC or through your BlackBerry Browser (recommended).

Read the full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

* UPDATE Fixed the links. I guess the one they posted isn’t set yet so just visit blackberry.com/appworld to download it OTA. I’ve also added some screenshots of the BlackBerry App World. *

RIM has officially launched the BlackBerry App World!

RIM had announced its plans to launch an Application Storefront back in October 2008, which then became known as the BlackBerry App World in the beginning of March. After a few weeks of rumors and speculation, it is finally here. RIM’s answer to the Apple App Store is now available for all BlackBerry users on OS 4.2 and higher who live in the US, UK and Canada.

From the description:

It’s here! Enter BlackBerry App World™ to download tons of great apps that allow you to work, play and do more with your time – right from your BlackBerry® smartphone. Simply browse and download a large selection of apps designed for your BlackBerry smartphone in one convenient location.

Put more of your life on your BlackBerry smartphone! Download BlackBerry App World for free to load up your BlackBerry smartphone with games, social networking, online shopping, personal productivity, organization tools and other fun and functional apps. It’s your world – bring more of it with you with BlackBerry App World!

• Download/Info: blackberry.com/appworld

Check out the full list of featured apps in the BlackBerry App World by clicking here.

According to BusinessWeek, RIM should be launching the BlackBerry App World on April 1st. This happens to be the same day that CTIA starts.

The BlackBerry App World is supposed to be a response to Apple’s App Store. Honestly, I think the BlackBerry App World will be a success for a few reasons:

• They aren’t allowing just any developer to add their applications.
• The applications have to be of good quality and functionality.
• An application developer would have to be serious about creating a great app in order to be apart of the BlackBerry App World (because of the fees).

That being said, Apple’s App Store is overrated. At least I think it is. Did anyone hear about that app that “proves you are rich.” All it does is show some red gem, and it costs something like a thousand dollars. Ridiculous.

Anyway, I guess we’ll find out on April Fools Day whether or not this rumor is true.

Source: BGR via BusinessWeek

How’s this for an exciting rumor? It seems like RIM might be launching a BlackBerry TV Episode service soon.

According to NewTeeVee, a few sources have said that RIM is planning to announce a full episode television service for BlackBerry users as early as next week at CTIA.

Here’s what is known so far:

• It will be an unlimited monthly subscription service for a fee
• Once a user orders a program, the content will be downloaded in the background over Wi-Fi
• Multiple broadcast and cable networks have licensed content for the service

Here’s the problem with this: RIM might announce a TV Episode service that uses Wi-Fi, and then soon after (still a rumor) announce the Niagara 9630, a Wi-Fi-less BlackBerry?

Also, there is no mention as to whether or not wireless carriers will allow such a service to be accessible by BlackBerrys on their network.

Rumors are so much fun.

Source: jkOnTheRun via NewTeeVee

SlashGear got some nice photos of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220. Here is what they are saying:

We stopped by RIM at CTIA 2008, spending some hands-on time with the new BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220.  The good news is that the pictures don’t do the Flip justice; press shots we’ve seen so far have emphasized some of the broad bare plastic and empty surfaces, in the hand the design is far more harmonious.

Read the whole article at SlashGear.com. More pictures too!