The BlackBerry Developer Conference is showing off an impressive use for the Storm2: a ball-shooting tank robot of destruction powered by the latest BlackBerry.
The robot connects by Bluetooth and conference attendees are invited to race around an obstacle course and compete for the fastest time. First prize gets a Storm2 and the robot, and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place all get a Storm2 as well.
Poynt is probably the best LBS app for BlackBerry. Currently, the app lets you find local businesses, movies, restaurants, events and people. The app gives you the relevant information you’re looking for, and with driving directions, interactive maps and contact information, Poynt connects you with these places.
The BlackBerry Developer Challenge was narrowed down to the Final 16. The event takes 16 up and coming apps and helps them grow by giving the top apps investment.
The 16 finalists were:
1. Kik (awesome music app)
2. Sid Meier’s Civilizations (classic game)
3. Handmark’s AFP news app
4. David (a pragmatic app that tracks your wireless usage to help save you money)
5. Wicked Blogging App (WordPress for BlackBerry)
6. FileScout (advanced file manager for BlackBerry)
7. Expense Report Reader
8. Fierce Towers (tower defense)
9. Shozu (social networking platform for BlackBerry)
10. CBS News app (another news app by Handmark)
11. E-mobile software (an app similar to a theme)
12. Vision for YouTube
13. Astraware solitaire
14. Market Simplified (trading software)
15. 7Digitial Music Store 16. Unsynced Music Player (new music app api) Click through for more pics and info from the Developer Challenge Final 16
The latest location services from RIM offer some great implications for BlackBerry apps.
The latest location services from RIM use cell tower triangulation to help with location based apps. Using cell tower triangulation, you can get location services inside a building where you wouldn’t normally get a GPS signal.
Another feature of the new location services is that it leverages a community generated database of information. An example of this is pictured above where a map displays all the available cell towers around the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco.
At the BlackBerry Developer conference we got a sneak peek at the upcoming ebay app for BlackBerry.
The app features a deal of the day where you can bid on the day’s hot item. Another great feature of the app is the ability to add a reminder to bid on an item, with a fully integrated calendar alert system.
If you’re an ebay fan, be sure to pick up this app when it goes live. We’ll keep you posted on pricing and release date, but so far all we know is it will be available in App World later this month.
It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine. Wait a minute, I can’t get my BlackBerry Storm until 1 month after it’s been commercially available? That is a long horizon, friends.
Congrats to Jamie Julius of Nobex Technologies, who gave the winning pitch at the first ever BlackBerry Cool 15. You can download the Nobex Radio Companion at http://www.nobexrc.com/download/ Enjoy your BlackBerry Storm! Congrats also go to David Shalamberidze, who won the audience BlackBerry Storm giveaway!
This is as close as I got to the Verizon booth before the bearded man in the red shirt gave me flack for snapping a pick of him. Apparently because the device is still in development. I guess he didn’t read BBCool today, heh.
