BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone VM-605 from QuicklyBored on Vimeo

We’ve been playing with the VM605 for some time now. While it’s fun making calls from the Visor Mount Speakerphone, it’s more fun while driving an M3 BMW. I feel the two products go nicely together.

Stay tuned for a full review when it becomes available in the BlackBerryCool store.

Engadget got their hands on the new BlackBerry Storm 2 codenamed the BlackBerry Odin. The device that they did the hands-on with had the OS locked down so they couldn’t give us a real insight into the software side of the device, or much about the new touchscreen features.

The big news that has been confirmed, is that RIM has abandoned the original Storm’s SurePress click-screen and gone with a traditional fixed capacitive display for the sequel. The new screen is rumored to include haptic feedback as well, but the locked device couldn’t be tested.

In terms of hardware, the device is confirmed to have a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto focus, a 3.5 mm headset jack, typical USB charger, and rubber soft keys on the sides of the handset. Across the bottom, the Storm’s traditional hard keys have been replaced with four softkeys on the display. The buttons are the standard call, end, back, and a BlackBerry key. The top has both the power and mute keys, just like the original Storm, with the entire device wrapped in plastic and a metal battery cover.

[Via]

If you’re a terrestrial radio gal or guy, you might recognize Clear Channel – owners of the radio airwaves in the United States.  If you’ve fallen in love with one of Clear Channel’s many stations from across the USA and find yourself unable to hear your favorite stations or on-air personality, don’t fret, I Heart Radio is here!  You can still listen to your favorite station via your BlackBerry now.  The I Heart Radio application is available for free via the BlackBerry App World.

Are you finding that you’re getting a little soft around the mid-section from reading too many blogs and eating more than your body intended? Lance Armstrong’s foundation, LIVESTRONG is here to save you from yourself. The BlackBerry LIVESTRONG application, available now for $2.99 from the BlackBerry App World, helps you set goals for your physical fitness, including caloric intake and exercise. Check out the video above for more details.

Pyxis Mobile, better known for delivering financial applications, created something a bit more fun.  Movela Netflix Manager for BlackBerry allow you to control your queue of dvd and instant video streaming.  The changes made on your BlackBerry typically take about 14 seconds to be applied to your Netflix account.  Check out the video for more information on the Movela Netflix Manager and Pyxis.  You can pick up the app on the BlackBerry App World for $2.99

Here’s some more video goodness of our time at AIM Autosport for the Telus BlackBerry Curve 8350i launch event. I had a great time talking to Ian Willis, one of the founders of AIM, about a variety of things: why his company needs a PTT BlackBerry running on the Mike network, how cool his car is, and a special project he’s working on with RIM/Telus (it’s quite cool). Ian is actually a BlackBerry Cool reader and also gave us a nice shout out. If you want to learn more about AIM (they have a great team and wicked cars), you can check out another video about them after the jump, or a link to their website below.

AIM Autosport Website

While at Telus’ BlackBerry Curve 8350i launch event, I had the opportunity to speak with Mark Applebaum, Director of Strategy & Marketing, Mobility Solutions at Telus. You can think of Mark as the enterprise version of Judy Mellet, who we interviewed at the BlackBerry Storm launch party. Watch the video above to learn which industries should choose the 8350i over the BlackBerry Curve, why a PTT (push-to-talk) BlackBerry is better than a separate communications system, and more about iDEN’s superior voice quality and in-building penetration. We also give a shout out to the ancient BlackBerry 7100i.

As for the talk-time stats Mark mentions in the video, they can be found at the link below.

Telus BlackBerry Curve 8350i Specifications

As more people get on Twitter and Facebook, we seem to have a fascination with sharing our every detail with the world around us.  Sure, pictures are good, but video is so much more fun (at least for those with big data plans).  For those of you who are interested in living your life in front of a camera and have OS 4.5, we have four streaming/sharing video applications for you to check out.  Do you use any of these?  Is there a free (or paid) BlackBerry video application that we left out?  Hit us up in the comments so we can try ‘em out.

Qik – a live streaming video application for BlackBerry devices that has integration with Twitter.  They are currently working on direct integration of Facebook.

ITookThisOnMyPhone – allows you to take pictures and videos and upload them automatically or manually to their server or to photo and video sites such as Flickr, Picasa and YouTube.  Then you can catch embed codes and post them to your favorite places.

Next2Friends -Next2Friends seems to be a blend of Qik and ITookThisOnMyPhone.  Here you can stream video and upload pictures automatically.  Next2Friends also allows you to get embed codes to place your videos on your Facebook profile, blog or other location.  Additionally, they add Ask where you take a picture, add a question and send it to a friend for their opinion.

12Seconds.tv – this is a bit different as it is not quite an application but a place where you can email your videos, similar to the way Twitpic works with photos.  After sending the upload, you can have 12Seconds.tv post your video automatically to Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed.  12Seconds.tv also has direct integration to TweetDeck to make it really easy to upload a video from your computer. Note: If you use Sprint, use your @sprint.blackberry.net email address to send videos to 12Seconds.tv.

A lot of BlackBerry Storm users are still waiting for Storm versions of their favorite BlackBerry software, and TeleNav GPS Navigator is no exception. Nan Palmero spent some time with the fine folks at TeleNav during CES 2009 checking out their new version for the BlackBerry Storm. In addition to the video above, TeleNav’s Mary Beth Lowell goes deeper into GPS Navigator’s functionality after the jump. Check out both videos and tell us what you think!

When he wasn’t gambling, drinking, or twitter live-blogging, BlackBerry Cool contributer Nan Palmero was roaming around Las Vegas with a camera to bring you the goods from CES 2009. One of his first stops was at the Zeemote booth, a BlackBerry Cool 15 presenter and all around cool company that makes a sweet bluetooth controller for smartphone gaming. While the Zeemote JS1 controller is only out in Europe and Mexico right now, you can expect it to launch in Canada and the U.S. in a few months.

It seems as though RIM has finally heard the cries of many Mac BlackBerry (MacBerry?) users. Earlier this week they released a ‘Preview’ build of BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac, and I had to give it a test run. In general, it works as advertised and syncing playlists is surprisingly fast. Unfortunately, you can’t just drag over iTunes albums as is, but have to make a playlist out of each.

Here’s some things to keep in mind:

This is a ‘preview’ build. RIM seems afraid of Mac development and has gone out of their way to tell users that their not legally responsible if Mac Media Sync roxXors yurz blakberreez. You have been warned.
Mac Media Sync will not work with Pocket Mac or Missing Sync. Which would be fine if RIM had also released a Mac Desktop Manager, but one step at a time, I guess.

Download BlackBerry Media Sync for Mac

For those of you that thought yesterdays photos of a virtual BlackBerry OS running on a Windows Mobile HTC Touch Pro were fake, the video above should put you at ease. As someone that has been using the BlackBerry Storm for awhile, the concept of navigating the BlackBerry OS with a stylus doesn’t seem too weird. Of course, the whole WinMo thing makes me feel dizzier than Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo. Keep up the good work, Ronen!

|via BerryReview|

David Pogue talks BlackBerry Storm on CNBC

Judging from most of your comments, BlackBerry Nation, you’re still having a difficult time picking up a BlackBerry Storm. Consider it a blessing in disguise. Many of you likely still need some training before delving into the touchscreen BlackBerry experience; the video above will show you everything you need to know. No pain, no gain!

Our Canadian Music Blog, TransCanadaRadio.com also happened to be at the Telus BlackBerry Storm Launch Party. While I was at the back of the room playing with the toys, TCR was front row rocking out to Arts&Crafts recording artist Stars.

If you like what you see above (and you should) you can check out more live music at the link below. Rock and roll.

Stars live at Telus Storm launch

|via TCR|

Despite both my intentions and best efforts, I actually ended up doing some work during the Telus BlackBerry Storm launch party. Judy Mellett, Director of Product Realization at Telus, was brave enough to spend a few minutes outside with me in the harsh Toronto cold discussing the BlackBerry Storm and the role it plays in Telus’ overall strategy. It was interesting to hear her position the Storm as both a business and consumer device. Check it out.

What would a launch party be without free schwag? Telus gave each attendee a sweet gift bag in addition to a free BlackBerry Storm at their launch party, which is a great way to make a lowly blogger feel like VIP. Favorite piece of schwag? Probably the Stars tee shirt. Yes, the chocolate was tasty. Oh, and my kitty enjoyed the stuffed meercat.

There’s nothing like unboxing a brand new BlackBerry, especially when it’s free. Especially when you’re using another another free BlackBerry Storm to record the video.

Here’s a few things I’ve learn since recording the video yesterday morning. Firstly, while the Storm demo units at the launch party were running OS 4.7.0.65, I can confirm that our boxed versions are running the much improved OS 4.7.0.76. In addition, it appears that my previous suspicions were correct — the Telus BlackBerry Storms do not contain the Application Center. Considering the launch is imminent, I don’t expect this to change before then.

You can see some more unboxing photos after the jump, or check out our Telus BlackBerry Storm Impressions post from a few weeks ago.

P.S. Astute viewers may notice me picking up the missing BlackBerry Storm battery at the end of the video above. Consider this the perfect summary of the day I had yesterday.

Something all BlackBerry users are interested in, and apparently something iPhone users will never get, is the BlackBerry Storm’s copy and paste functionality. While playing with the Telus BlackBerry Storm today, I had to record a video of how simple it is. I really enjoy how the copy and cut options pop up on the bottom of the screen once you’ve made your text selection. Why can’t Apple figure this out?

Update: Just got talking to a couple of our friends at RIM, who said they weren’t surprised by the results of our test. It turns out that the focus of RIM’s development for the new rendering engine in OS 4.6 was in stability, not performance, and the Waterloo crew is still working on speed optimization. What this means is that future OS updates from RIM will require additional speed tests.

While previous results had been contested, we hope to put the BlackBerry Bold versus iPhone 3G browser debate to bed. Taking some time with our brand-spanking-new Bold and QuicklyBored EIC, Kyle McInnes’ iPhone 3G, we put the two beasts through some browsing hoops to see who can get through the fastest. We tested on Wi-Fi only, 3G-only, both with and without JavaScript enabled. Sadly, our results are pretty conclusive – the iPhone’s browser is faster.

To be fair, it’s not by much – maybe a two to three second delay, depending on the site, but it’s enough to notice the difference. We’re also running on BIS, so don’t have enterprise servers doing a lot of the compression for us. The Bold’s browser is still a huge upgrade for BlackBerry, and definitely more enjoyable than what I was using on the Pearl. While we’re calling this test definitive (we ran a series of five tests using multiple sites each time), your mileage may vary – if you’ve got both devices in hand, take some time to wipe the caches and run a few tests. We’d love to hear if our results match up, and love even more to hear if they don’t.

John Boynton, chief marketing officer from Rogers and RIM’s Patrick Spence introduced the BlackBerry Bold to press in Toronto today, and they went through a brief spiel about the partnership between the two companies, and how awesome the Bold and/or Rogers is. It’s a rocky launch for the BlackBerry 9000 in Canada, for sure, but Best Buy and Future Shop will both start receiving their stock tomorrow.

A lot of you are probably living somewhere where the BlackBerry 9000 isn’t even available yet, so the very sight of one being busted apart could be a bit of a tear-jerker, but the fine folks at CNN.cn have posted the disassembly process. The LCD and keypad look very similar to other BlackBerrys (like the 8800), and the trackball is exactly the same. Might be time to replace that casing, eh BG?

(via BBWorld)

If you’ve got a roasted keypad on your BlackBerry 8800-series device, take a look at this video. It’s a little long, but goes through every step nice and slowly. Even if you’re carrying something else, it might be worth checking out The Moment of Truth at 14:50. Oh, and the skin is from DecalGirl, if you’re curious.

• Tools: You’ll need a prybar (two if you’re extra Hulk-smashy) and a Torx-5 screwdriver.
• Battery screw removal: Pop off the battery door, remove the batter, and take the Torx-5 to the four screws around the battery slot.
• Side panel removal: Slide the prybar between the device and the chrome side panel, and give it a little pull around the middle and the bottom. Beware of double-sided tape.
• Back plate removal: Lift the back plate off and pull out. Remember the back plate includes the power and mute buttons, so don’t freak out when they come off.
• Top screw removal: Now you can get to the top-left and top-right screws on the back of the BlackBerry.
• Front plate removal: The front face, including keyboard and protective screen, should be loose. Flip that sucker over and put the front plate to the side.
• LCD screen removal: Disconnect the copper-coloured bit on the top left. It’s glued down pretty tight, so it might need some work. After that, you’re clear to pull the screen off – it’s got double-sided tape underneath, so take your time and be careful not to bend it.
• Antenna cover removal: Use the pry bar to work the bottom cover from the left side. This will get you easier access to the keypad.
• Keypad removal: Disconnect the keypad from the connector at the top-right, much like the LCD screen minus the adhesive. Now work a prybar underneath the keypad – try to get under the brown adhesive layer to take it all off in one go.

After that, just reverse the steps to reassemble. Have fun!

One of the bigger upgrades with the BlackBerry Bold is the browsing experience, which you can see clearly in this video from Boy Genius. You get a look at the general rendering capability of OS 4.6, as well as speed differences between EDGE and Wi-Fi. I’d be curious to see how 3G compares… On the whole this is a much needed update – the poor BlackBerry browser has been a point of contention for plenty of users for a good long time. You guys happy to see the problem fixed? What’s the next biggest issue RIM needs to tackle?

(via BGR)

As you can tell from our Zumobi hands-on impressions post, the mobile widget application can be quite the memory hog by BlackBerry standards (highly understandable considering what it provides) and has been a little troublesome for members of the BlackBerry Nation rocking, ahem, less-than-new devices. However, our friends at Zumobi aren’t ones to rest in times of need, and have put together a video of handy memory management tips so your BlackBerry is running clean and your Zoomspace is quick.

Check out the video above (compiled partially from tips offered right here on BlackBerry Cool), but make sure to post your own memory management tip in the comments. Special thanks to the lovely Beth for compiling the video!

Last month our current writer for Windows Mobile Cool, Bambi Blue, was down at North by Northeast in Toronto covering some news for Trans Canada Radio. While enjoying lunch at a quiet, chic restaurant, one of these BlackBerry guys flung themselves violently against the front window overlooking the street – face-first, arms wide open. This was a fairly upscale place, so everyone there was stunned and aghast when the guy reached down to his scrollball and started rubbing it in a less-than-wholesome way. After doing a sexy little dance, BlackBerry guy number two came crashing in, doing all sorts of things to the first that kept the diners well and truly shocked. Unfortunately, they ran off before she could grab any pictures, but Bambi still learned a valuable lesson: BlackBerry guys are possibly the coolest mascots on the planet.

(video via CB)

Here’s a cool little toy coming from Texas Intrsuments…Microvision was working on something similar, so it’s clearly a technology that’s gaining some popularity. For on-the-spot business presentations, I could see the use, but would the battery hold out for the length of a movie? TV show?

(via CrunchGear)

Engadget just scored some screen time with the new BlackBerry Javelin, which, as you may know, will be something like the BlackBerry Bold with Wi-Fi and GPS, minus 3G. The BlackBerry Javelin will also be packing a slightly beefed camera, clocking in at 3.2 megapixels. Pictures surfaced yesterday, whetting our palette, and the full 360 view is more than welcome. Back at WES I had heard of a BlackBerry 9400 which was to be an upgraded Curve, and with the spaced-out keys, this looks like it. It’s also worth noting that there’s no externally-accessible microSD slot on the left side… Maybe back to the olden days of under-the-battery memory cards? Keep an eye out for this beaut in mid-09.

I’m heading to Toronto today, and Simon is still on vacation, so news will unfortunately be light. But it’s Friday, so enjoy photos of the new BlackBerry KickStart and a video made by our friends at BBGeeks. It’s a little NSFW, but I feel it aptly depicts the trials and tribulations of the BlackBerry Nation.

For anyone still on the line between an upcoming 3G iPhone or the slick new BlackBerry Bold, The iPhone Blog has a nice comparison video. Just keep in mind the reviewer is an Apple fanboy – consider yourselves disclaimed. Supposedly, the BlackBerry 9000 got no inspiration whatsoever from the iPhone… decide for yourself. Also, Howard Chui also has a run-through of the BlackBerry 9000 compared to the 8800, if you’re considering an upgrade.