RIM will be hosting its first ever developer webinar at 2 pm EST today, September 10th. The free webinar will present an overview of web development for BlackBerry smartphones and describe best practices for creating great mobile web applications.
Today’s webinar will include:
Demonstrations of the BlackBerry Plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio v1.2 and the BlackBerry Web Development Plug-in for Eclipse v1.0.
A discussion on the benefits of using these development tools to preview, debug and profile your web applications for the BlackBerry Browser.
Tips & Tricks on how web applications can be optimized for the BlackBerry Browser and an overview of techniques to increase visibility of web content to the BlackBerry community.
A Q&A period where answers to questions raised can be provided in real time.
We often hear about the potential dangers posed by cell phones and the non-ionizing radiation they emit, but there is still no consensus on whether they can be directly linked to cancer or any other health problem.
CTIA, the American Cancer Society, World Health Organization and Food and Drug Administration, among others, have “all have concurred that wireless devices are not a public health risk,”
The Environmental Working Group, believe that cellphone radiation standards are outdated and we should review them. This news comes on the heels of the World Health Organization’s recommendations on cellphone usage, which is to be released October 2009.
On the list of the Top 10 worst perpetrators, 2 BlackBerry devices show up, and they come in right under what the FCC deems to be acceptable.
Overall, we should wait until the WHO comes out with their study in October 2009. While we know low levels of radiation have no impact in a short period of time, it’s hard to say what the impact will be over long periods of time.
[Special thanks to Michael K for sending this in at tips [at] blackberrycool [dot] com]
SmrtGuard for BlackBerry is a big favorite here at BlackBerry Cool. The software does a great job of bringing features usually reserved for people on BES to the average user.
The application lets you backup and restore personal data OTA, track your device with GPS, and wipe the device in the event of theft or loss. This is a must-have product for any BlackBerry user who does not already have this functionality built into their company’s IT infrastructure.
SmrtGuard have updated their product with the following:
More Robust Remote Wiping that wipes out Password Word Keeper, Facebook, Phone Application.
Backup and Restore secured by Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption.
New “Smrt Backup” that only backs up if there have been changes in your personal data. It is a more efficient way to backup!
Support added for User1, User2, User4, User4, Birthday, Anniversary fields in Contact backup and restore.
Fixed an SMS restore and backup bug where outgoing SMS message greater than 160 characters were not being backed up properly and impacted the restore of SMS.
Although we’re a long way away from the BlackBerry being able to be used as an actual breathalyzer, there is a simple algorithm that can calculate your BAC based on some simple data.
BAC Finder for BlackBerry uses this algorithm to easily calculate your blood alcohol content. By inputting your gender, weight, how long you have been drinking, as well as what you have been drinking, BAC Finder will give you your blood alcohol content.
Features include:
Quick and accurate blood alcohol content calculation.
25 common drinks to choose from.
Default settings to make your life easier.
25 background choices to personalize your application.
(Background color only available on some models)
This application can be replicated by visiting a website from your device, but if you drive a lot and often meet clients for a beer, this app can help.
The latest product from Zenprise, MobileManager 5.0, features a wide array of features to help an organization get the visibility they need and save costs by having a complete picture of their mobile infrastructure.
MobileManager 5.0 integrates support monitoring, expense management, security, and device management across multiple smartphone platforms including BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Palm.
A typical case scenario involves a large organization with a few thousand devices on the network. With MobileManager 5.0, this organization has access to the following features regarding their mobile infrastructure:
Identify smartphones on the network that aren’t being used. This allows the organization to reclaim significant costs by disabling these unused devices.
View smartphone usage details in order to optimize their employees’ wireless plans.
See what carriers are being used on the network. This data can be used to leverage volume discounts with the carrier of choice.
Identify smartphone malware and spyware in real time.
The solution also incorporates a host of features that should be standard with any mobile admin product:
Ensure compliance of critical corporate security policies (e.g., content encryption enabled, camera and Bluetooth disabled, etc.)
Remotely lock a device or wipe smartphones clean of corporate data
Identify all software installed on an individual smartphone or find all smartphones with particular software installed
Track application version information
With all of this data, Zenprise should be able to provide the industry with some really fascinating white papers and research reports.
For example, if their clients agree, we could anonymously survey thousands of BlackBerry users to see what software they carry on their device. This would provide the industry with an analysis of where the content market is heading in the enterprise space. Also, we could figure out what carriers are the cheapest for enterprise, and perhaps come to a decision on who is the leading brand. This news may also put pressure on some carriers to change their pricing in order to be more competitive.
Ice Edge Holdings have withdrawn from the auction for the Phoenix Coyotes, leaving only Jim Balsillie and the NHL left in the auction.
PSE Sports and Entertainment, the company used by Jim Balsillie to bid for the team, have recently upped their bid potential to $242.5 million USD. The condition of the bid of course, is that the team be relocated to Hamilton in order to give Canada its 7th hockey team.
The NHL is bidding $140 million, but plans to sell the team immediately after acquiring it.
So lets take a look at the last two candidates:
Jim Balsillie – Hockey lover, esteemed business man and the largest bidder.
The NHL – Protectionist boobs who want to flip the team like an old house.
According to the Gary Bettman, the NHL commissioner, “the league intends to resell the franchise as promptly as possible, hopefully to an approved owner who will keep the club in Glendale.” But Glendale have already shot themselves in the foot on this one. They had the chance to come to an agreement with Ice Edge Holdings, but it wasn’t going to happen. While it’s not clear why, Ice Edge told the media “We couldn’t get there with the City of Glendale.”
So the City is too greedy and the NHL are bidding too low for a franchise they don’t even want.
