The best Blackberry Applications

The Blackberry is improved exponentially by the applications you can get for it nowadays. From additional email features, to becoming more active on your social sites. They’re really easy to install – all you have to do is visit the download link for the application, and it pretty much installs itself.

These applications can keep you in touch with your favorite websites, and best of all, they’re free!

Facebook

The Facebook application has native support for the Blackberry. It allows you to upload pictures, change your status, answer messages, post on walls and accept friend requests. The downside to this, however, is that you have to allow Facebook emails into your inbox (and thus your Blackberry inbox), and that it goes through the email service of your Blackberry, and does not do direct requests.

Nevertheless, it’s the best application by Facebook, and has plenty of functionality for me to keep it on there.

Windows Live Messenger

Most people, at least in Europe, use Windows Live Messenger (formerly known as MSN Messenger). You can chat to your friends with a program a la BlackBerry Messenger, send files, change your status and add contacts from the application.

You’ll never be alone again – now it’s just up to you to decide whether or not that’s a good thing. You may never have a moment for yourself again, depending on how big your contact list is.

Opera Mini

Along with the Facebook Application, this is the first thing I installed on my Blackberry. Since Blackberry has still not brought their browser up to par, you really want to use this java based browser. It’s not HTML based – it grabs iamges off of Opera’s server, and sends compressed versions of them to your phone. The result? Your browsing experience is ten times faster than you’re used to.

It supports Javascript partially, and HTML fully. However, there is no flash – but then we mobile users are used to that.

Viigo

This application is, amongst other things, an aggregator of RSS feeds. You can have a feed to the weather, the currency exchange (these are done automatically), and add your own feeds under “RSS”. It’s much lighter than most RSS readers, if you set it up to only download stories when you tell it to, and it has your stories ready for you at any time if you set it up to download stories every time you turn it on.

Great for reading on the train – I recommend this application to those who commute.

TwitterBerry

If you use Twitter on a regular basis, you’ll really like this application. If you don’t, go there right now or get busy tweeting! It allows you to look at your friend feed, direct messages and replies, and lets you follow or leave people from your phone. Furthermore, it lets you tweet pictures, as well as update your status normally.

The application is integrated seamlessly with the Blackberry OS, and runs on native software. Therefore, it will match your theme (to some extent), and you can change the options in your Blackberry’s options menu.

Mobile Gmail

If you’re a Gmail user, this is an absolute must. This application allows you to search your email, browse your labels, and archive your inbox. Furthermore, it comes with all your contacts, and an auto-complete feature when you’re writing emails (for the To:). Your drafts are saved until they’re sent in an “outbox”, so that you can wait until those bars go back up if you’re on the underground.

If you want to synchronize your contacts and calendar as well, get Google Sync for Blackberry.

Google Maps

The native Blackberry software is decent. But that’s about where it stops. In the USA, you have yours replaced with a pricey AT&T option. The amount of times this application has saved my life cuts into the double digits (and I’ve only had my Blackberry for half a year). From when you’re lost in Orlando, to when you need to find your school on the first day of school – this is the perfect application. It shows where you are according to GPS, or if that’s not available, it uses different cell towers to pinpoint where you are. Definitely get this application, it’s a life saver!

This was originally posted on Techscription.com and ported over to this site.

5th February, 2009 | Tech | http://berfarah.com/tmevf