VQ Mileage Tracker is a highly copied and much liked BlackBerry app that automatically tracks your business mileage. The app now features the ability to automatically email users a mileage report every week, month or quarter. VQ uses a BlackBerry’s GPS along with in-vehicle Bluetooth to automatically determine when the user starts and ends a trip. Owners of vehicles without built-in Bluetooth can purchase a VQ Bluetooth Car Charger (a car charger that also simulates in-vehicle Bluetooth) or they can use the app in semi-automatic mode. Continue reading ‘VQ Mileage Tracker Updated with Auto-Report and More’
AAA have launched a couple of new services that are relevant to BlackBerry users including a revamped mobile site and a GPS service for automatic location detection called FindMe for Sprint customers. From the new mobile site, aaa.mobi, you can view AAA TourBook guide information, find the locations of AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities, Show Your Card and Save retailers and AAA branches offices as well as get driving directions with routing maps.
All newer BlackBerry models with GPS are compatible with the AAA FindMe GPS service. There is no application to download and all you have to do is register your phone number and AAA member number in advance at AAA.com/AAAFindMe. When you place a call for roadside assistance, your GPS location is sent directly to AAA.
I still have a bit of a WES-over and there’s a few cool tidbits from the show to be blogged such as BMW’s iDrive and BlackBerry integration. BlackBerry can now send emails and contacts to the BMW’s iDrive dash system, in order to give the user quick access to the messages in case something important is going down. Safety is of the utmost importance, and BMW have addressed this by not fully displaying the email on the dash. In order to access the email, the user must use text-to-speech. There is a great video of the BlackBerry iDrive system from PhoneScoop after the jump. Continue reading ‘BMW and RIM Work to Get BlackBerry Email, Contacts and SMS on iDrive’
SYNC is coming to BlackBerry first, which is also something we’re not used to seeing. Perhaps the acquisition of QNX might have some interesting implications here.
RIM just announced their acquisition of QNX Software, a company specializing in in-car infotainment. To get a better idea of what they do, just watch the above YouTube clip. In the product demo, they use an iPhone, but I guess that will be changing soon enough. If this acquisition is a means to get more connectivity with a BlackBerry and a car, then we should be seeing some interesting new software. Currently, RIM’s automotive offerings extend to the Visor Mount and some other Bluetooth accessories, but the major integration is through third parties. Given many states and countries are now implementing hands-free laws, this might also have influenced RIM’s decisions.
Xpressions Inc. let us know that their app VQ CarFinder has now been downloaded by over 100,000 BlackBerry users. The Xpressions team did a great job of promoting their app with great contests, funny video and constantly checking in with the BlackBerry blogs.
