123SPOOF Mobile is a Blackberry application that gives you control over your phone calls, allowing you to change caller ID, disguise your voice, record your calls, and more.
Another great feature is the ability to make free calls with their ad supported service. Before every call an ad is played but at least your call is free right? I would do this for a lot of things in life. For example, give me a free beer in exchange for forcing me to wear headphones that play ads while I drink. No problem.
The app is free and you can download it here. (FROM DEVICE)
There is a premium paid service too. More details here.
Blinding Rain is a new BlackBerry developer company that is putting out what they describe as “a phone directory app on steroids.” The app is made specifically for the BlackBerry Storm and is currently in its Alpha testing phase. The company has this to say about the Storm:
Have you been dissapointed with the selection of apps out there now? Tired of apps that don’t deliver as promised? Me too.
You see, we started as frustrated users, not with the Storm, but with the seeming lack of really creative and innovative apps for our phone. I guess what we all really wanted was the best of both worlds, the power, reliability and business background of a BlackBerry only with the flash and style of the iPhone.
For us, it all started with a simple question . . . “What if the BlackBerry Storm had a clever, usable tool with a real cool look, an intuitive, easy to use dashboard, that saved users time?
Our old buddy Simon is writing about the App World pricing structure and there’s some interesting news. The pricing structure is different from Apple in that the minimum, after free, is $2.99 and not $0.99. This makes sense because BlackBerry is targeting a different market, one that has more money and wants apps that solve problems, not entertain at parties.
The most expensive an app can be on App World is the same as Apple, $999.99. So the question is: who is going to make the “I Am Rich” app for BlackBerry, and would it even sell?
The question I’d like to put out to you guys is:
What was the last app you bought, and how much was it?
It seems the BlackBerry Niagara somehow made it all the way to Winnipeg to hang out with Kevin at CrackBerry. I didn’t know they even got reception out there. The CDMA BlackBerry looks like a cool hybrid of the Bold and the Curve. Also, the device is said to be a “World Edition” model, so connectivity comes in with GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSPA and CDMA 1xRTT/EV-DO Rev A. There’s also said to be GPS and 3.2-megapixel camera but no Wi-Fi.
[UPDATE: My bad, the device isn't in house, Kevin just has pics of it. If it were in house, it would have been photographed on his green trampoline (what is that thing?)]
ZDNet Australia is reporting about RIM listening to employee’s phone calls. The news comes from an interview with RIM chief information officer Robin Bienfait, where she said that
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion admitted yesterday that it recorded all employee conversations in the interest of maintaining control over intellectual property.
RIM chief information officer Robin Bienfait, during an interview with ZDNet.com.au in Sydney, said that all actions carried out on RIM’s internal network were logged, which meant that people who wanted to carry out private conversations might want to bring in personal devices.
“Everything I have that’s on RIM is recorded and retained as RIM. So if they want to have a chat with somebody and it’s not a chat that’s within RIM’s domain, then they may want their own personal device,” she said.
When asked exactly whether it was conversations, rather than just written information she kept tabs on, Bienfait answered: “Everything. I record everything.”
This is obvious to anyone who follows the BlackBerry space because you need to keep leaks and security information under control. RIM goes to great lengths to make sure that it can offer a secure smartphone to its customers and it can’t have people giving out private info.
So although you may think RIM is being Big Brother, it’s an important element in keeping our devices so pro.
Here is a little side rumor – I heard that RIM once tracked down a device leak based on the grain of the desk in the photo that was published on the forums.
[UPDATE: This story is inaccurate in that RIM does not record employee phone calls. Robin Bienfait's comments, which originally appeared in ZDNet Australia, were intended to describe a capability that exists with RIM's BlackBerry MVS technology. This technology allows companies to record both voice and data based conversations, which is particularly useful for RIM's customers in regulated industries that require such ability, but Ms. Bienfait did not intend to suggest that RIM itself records employee phone calls.
RIM has deployed an internal beta test of its latest MVS technology to a subset of employees and Ms. Bienfait intended to convey that RIM was recording data that is transmitted over voice channels (ie. SMS messages) as well as data channels (ie. email messages and IM chat sessions), but RIM is not recording the phone calls of the employees involved in the beta test or any other employees.]
In honor of the WHERE mobile application launching for the BlackBerry Storm, WHERE has partnered with BlackBerry Cool to give away a free BlackBerry to one of its readers.
I know what you are thinking: free BlackBerry?! Where do I sign up? The contest rules are easy. In haiku form, answer the question: WHERE is your BlackBerry right now? Leave it in the comments section of this post either in text or link to a YouTube video.
Top 10 haikus will be chosen by the WHERE team on March 10th. Then it’s up to you, BlackBerry Cool community, to vote for the winner. The winner will be notified via email on March 16th and will have a choice of a BlackBerry or Gift Card towards the BlackBerry store, value up to $400.
WHERE is your BlackBerry smartphone Right Now? Some Example Haikus to get you started:
Nestled in a warm
Place, my BlackBerry smartphone
Waits for a loud ring
In my pocketbook
Probably at the bottom
Under my lipstick
How to Score Additional Points:
• Standard Haiku format is 3 lines of 5,7,5 syllables. Please adhere to this format, or your entry may be disqualified. Prime Numbers Rule!
• Get an A or B list celebrity to read your Haiku on video and automatically Win! Note, Gary Coleman does not count as an A or B list celebrity but will be admitted under the condition that he reads your haiku AND says, “Whatcha talking about Willis”
• Mention WHERE in your Haiku and automatically get a brownie point
• How are we determining the top 10? The ones that make us laugh the hardest. Simple enough, right?
A little more about the WHERE mobile application. WHERE is a location-based application that uses GPS to help you find people, places and things. Whether it’s tracking down the cheapest gas, getting reviews to a new restaurant, satisfying your craving for a latte, or helping you find your friends in a crowded city, WHERE delivers the best in local information from Eventful, Yelp, GasBuddy, Zipcar, Starbucks, Buddy Beacon and more. WHERE also lets you see your places on a map, get directions and share locations with friends. WHERE can be downloaded from Built for BlackBerry.com and Where.com.
Thanks for reading and I’m looking forward to your Haikus!
