I came across this app in the store called DriveSafe.ly that is supposed to help increase your driving safety by reading your text and email messages out loud, in real-time so you don’t have to look at your BlackBerry while driving. Apps like these are very useful, especially since using a mobile phone while driving is against the law in many regions.

In some cases you don’t even need to be driving to use these apps. You can use them if you have your hands full or just don’t feel like reading .

Features:

• It is free to use DriveSafe.ly
• Automatically plays incoming text SMS and email messages
• Play messages on demand through menu
• No complicated software to install easy to use
• Small footprint lightweight app does not slow down your phone
• Customizable auto-response and timeout duration
• Human sounding text to speech powered by iSpeech.org

DriveSafe.ly is available as a free download in the store and will work with all BlackBerry devices running OS 4.5 and higher. If you give this app a try and feel it helped you while driving (or during other activities) let me know in the comments!

Earlier this year I mentioned the HulloMail visual voicemail service and how some T-Mobile UK customers were petitioning for T-Mobile UK to stop divert charges just because they didn’t want to use their default voicemail. T-Mobile UK was probably charging their customers for using services like HulloMail because they want them to keep using their own service, but default carrier voicemail is very inadequate when it comes to features and ease of use.

That’s why there are services like HulloMail and YouMail (one of the first visual voicemail services). These services allow us to do more with our voicemail rather than just calling in, listening to annoying prompts and then our voicemails.

• HulloMail lets you:
  • Receive and play voice-emails directly in your inbox, mobile and the web
  • Get notified of any missed call, even in areas with no mobile reception
  • Take control of your voice-emails – it’s up to you, not the operator
  • Share, delete and keep your voice-emails forever, within a click
  • See who’s calling you instantly from your email contacts
  • Access, view, and manage your voice-emails, all from one place
• The HulloMail mobile application also gives you:
  • One click access to all your voice-emails
  • An enhanced single view of your voice-emails
  • Embedded rich contact information from your phone or your Gmail contacts

The HulloMail visual voicemail app is available for the Curve 8900, Bold 9000 and Tour 9630 with support for other models coming soon. To download it directly to your BlackBerry visit hullomail.com from your BlackBerry Browser for “early access”. Both the web service and app are available free.

More info in the full press release after the jump.

(If you’ve used YouMail and try HulloMail, let me know which you think is best in the comments!)

CONTINUE READING »

Fabian Heuwieser let me know that he has just released a new BlackBerry application called AddresSave.

AddresSave automatically saves an email address with the name of the sender to your BlackBerry’s address book in addition to the subject of the email getting saved to that contact’s “notes” field.

Other cool features of AddresSave are its ability to auto-complete an email address when you start typing and to block email addresses with keywords from being saved to your address book.

AddresSave is available in the store for $1.49 until September 4th, after that it goes up to $2.99. Feel free to leave feedback about this app in the comments!

Today is day 5 of BlackBerry Tour week and it’s Friday, which means a special Deal-of-the-Day for everyone!

Today’s Deal-of-the-Day is for the SmrtGuard (Yearly Service) application for BlackBerry, an app that allows you to protect your data by remotely backing up, restoring, wiping and more!

Here’s a full feature list:

• Remote OTA Backup (manual or scheduled) PIMs, Call logs, Emails
• Remote OTA Restore PIMs, Call logs, Emails
• Remote Data Wipe (including microSD)
• Remote Tracking (lowjack) and Locating – see it on our companion website that comes with the account
• Remote Listen – Listen to your thief or be a spy
• Remote Lock
• Remote Audio Ping (to help you find the device)
• Personal Guardian (send out distress call with push of a button)
• SIMCard Guardian – alert send out when unauthorized SIM is used (GSM based phone only)
• Loved-one Tracking – Great for couples and families with smartphones to track each other

If you’re looking for security for yourself or for your family, this is a great application to have. Cell phones get stolen every day, especially smartphones because of their known value. An app like this would give you options if your BlackBerry was stolen rather than just sitting around worrying about your private data being accessed by a stranger.

SmrtGuard is normally priced at $44.99 per year, but for today only you can get it at 50% off for $22.49 a year. This app will work on any BlackBerry running OS 4.2 and higher.

Don’t forget to download the on-device Mobile App Store to get these great deals right on your BlackBerry!

In early April I mentioned the  GVdialer application for BlackBerry, which gives you the ability to easily make calls using your Google Voice account. I recently got an invite for Google Voice, so I decided to try this application out.

At the time I had downloaded GVdialer it seemed like it was more about convenience than an application with features. GVdialer would automatically make phone calls after you inputted your Google Voice account information. This could be done without GVdialer, but the process was a bit slow.

The new GVdialer however adds some nice features which I believe will make it a good Google Voice application (until another comes out anyway). Here are the features in the new version:

• New user interface and account screen
• Option to check for online software updates
• Make calls in two ways
  • Regular call out
  • Data triggered call back, just like you can do from your Google Voice account
• Send text message using GVdialer from your Blackberry’s Options menu. You can also use it to reply to your phone’s regular emails & text messages, or from the call log & address book.

GVdialer is available for $9.99 as part of an introductory offer for a limited period of time but there is also a 30 day free trial in case you wanted to test it out before purchasing it. Head on over to GVdialer.com to check it out.

Bellshare GmbH has just announced that the BerryBuzz 2.0 private beta is now open and includes some great new features!

BerryBuzz extends your default Blackberry alert system allowing you to customize the LED color for many alert types and keeps the LED flashing for longer than the default 15 minutes, in addition to customizable vibrate options for incoming calls (like vibrate + ring).

The BerryBuzz 2.0 Beta includes new features like support for BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, custom LED colors, a new ‘Disco’ color, controlling your LED’s flashes and many more!

The currently available version of BerryBuzz goes for $5.95 in the store with a free trial available, just in case you don’t like using beta applications.

To join the BerryBuzz 2.0 private beta send an e-mail with the subject as ‘BerryBuzz 2.0 Beta’ to customerservice (at) bellshare.com. Visit the Bellshare forums for more info or check out the changelog after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

XING, a leading business network in Europe, has launched a free application for BlackBerry smartphones.

By downloading XING business professionals will have access to their personal network directly on their BlackBerry in addition to keeping track of all their contacts, phone numbers, email addresses and being automatically updated online by the members themselves.

XING will work on any Internet-enabled BlackBerry running OS Version 4.2.1 or higher with at least 64 MB internal memory and 170 KB of available memory.

You can download it by visiting XING.com from your BlackBerry Browser, or get more info by visiting the same link from your desktop computer.

Full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

LogMeIn has announced LogMeIn Ignition for the BlackBerry Storm, an app that will allow remote access to computers and files right from your smartphone.

• Stay productive even when you’re away from the office.
• Lighten your load – leave the laptop behind.
• Keep important files and emails accessible.

LogMeIn Ignition is currently in its Alpha stages with a beta release expected soon. You can sign up to be notified when it is publicly available at the LogMeIn.com/StormPreview, or check out the full press release after the jump.

CONTINUE READING »

The same people who created Instango have created an awesome application called BerryBuzz. BerryBuzz extends your BlackBerry’s functionality, allowing it to do things it should already be able to do.

From the description:

The essential alert tool for every BlackBerry.

BerryBuzz extends your default Blackberry alert system. BerryBuzz allows you to customze the LED color for many alert type and keeps the LED flashing for longer than the default 15 minutes your BlackBerry does.

It will repeat alerts until acknowledged so you will never miss an alert again.

Plus it adds customizable vibrate for incoming calls. Finally you an have your BlackBerry vibrates while it is ringing.

BerryBuzz is a product from Bellshare, the creator of instango, the popular free instant messenger for Blackberry and Java smartphones. Connects to ICQ, AIM, MSN, GoogleTalk and Yahoo! anywhere, anytime.

Features:

• Customize the LED color and set an individual repeating alert for
• - E-Mails (individual for each account or one for all)
• - PIN Messages (sent via the default e-mail messaging application)
• - SMS
• - Calendar Events
• - Missed phone calls
• When multiple alerts are active at the same time, every color will flash in a repeating pattern. SEE WHATS GOING ON WITH YOUR BLACKBERRY FROM ACROSS THE ROOM!
• Customizable rapid flashing LED for incoming phone calls
• Customizable vibrate for incoming calls. Vibrates while ringing.
• LED will keep flashing until acknowledged (BlackBerry defaults to flash only for 15 min).
• Optional slow down of LED flashing after specified time to save battery life
• Optimized for minimum battery and memory usage
• Support for instango custom colored LED (instango 2.2.83 or higher)

Minimum Requirements:

• Blackberry OS 4.2.1 with color LED

Price: $5.95 – Trial available

• Download/Info: BerryBuzz