10 Must-Have Apps for Your BlackBerry
Not long ago, the words "BlackBerry" and "software" didn't belong in the same sentence. Sure, your BlackBerry smart phone was capable of running software; it even came with a few applications installed. But if you were looking for a wide selection of third-party productivity apps, you were out of luck.
Fortunately, things have changed. Today, people want more out of their smart phones, and phone manufacturers--and third-party software developers--are meeting those needs. Most new BlackBerry phones include more software than past versions have--you'll even find the Documents To Go office suite installed on most new models. And thousands of applications are available for download and purchase. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is finally getting in on the act, too, as the company prepares to launch the BlackBerry Application Storefront, its answer to the iPhone's App Store, next month.
But you don't have to wait for the Storefront if you're looking for BlackBerry software. Plenty of great apps are around now--you just have to know where to find them. We've rounded up ten tools that can make your BlackBerry even better. This list is by no means comprehensive; the hardest part was whittling it down to only ten titles. So if your favorite BlackBerry app isn't on here, let us know in the comments section below.
Documents To Go, Premium Edition
DataViz
$70; BlackBerry OS 4.5 or higher
Sign up for ITworld's Daily newsletter
Follow ITworld on Twitter @IT_world
On Twitter now
blackberry
Powered by Twitter
Esther Schindler
If the comments are ugly, the code is ugly
claird
SVG a graphics format for 21st century
pasmith
Take Chrome OS for a test spin
Sandra Henry-Stocker
Solaris Tip: Have Your Files Changed Since Installation?
jfruh
Android fragments vs. the iPhone monolith
mikelgan
What Gizmodo missed about the Pro WX Wireless USB disk drive
Where Google Chrome security fails: the password
I heard mention that the Chrome OS will have some sort of encryption available a la bitlocker. If it's possible to encrypt personal data using another password or key, then it may have potential for very secure data.... And Ubuntu has an 'encrypt home directory' option, perhaps google should follow suit.
- Dann
Join the conversation here
Quick, practical advice for IT pros. Made fresh daily.
Want to cash in on your IT savvy? Send your tip to tips@itworld.com. If we post it, we'll send you a $25 Amazon e-gift card.
I know, I just said that
I know, I just said that most new BlackBerry phones come with a version of Documents To Go already installed. And they do--but it's the Standard Edition. That app will let you view and edit existing Microsoft Office files, but it won't let you create new ones; for those capabilities, you need the Premium Edition. Both versions let you open existing Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents and Adobe PDF files natively, so you don't need to convert them to view them properly. They even let you view tracked changes and allow you to insert comments in spreadsheets.Blackberry 8300 cover
Nokia 6300 cover black Motorola V3 keypad