Blackberry Curve – My Favorite Software and Accessories

Last Update:  09.21.09

• Added Viigo News

NOTE:  Items labeled with a * are being tested or I have not used, I'm not sure how great they are.

Blackberry

• Blackberry Desktop – get the latest one WITHOUT the media tool
• Blackberry Media Sync (faster download) for syncing with iTunes
• Blackberry OS – man, when will they release the official 4.5 for att curves? (Here's 4.5 for you adventurous ones – or try here)

Bible 

• YouVersion (OTA)- the most awesome and free Bible Software ever!

Communication / Instant Messengers

• * iSkoot (OTA OTA4.2) – skype
• JiveTalk (OTA) ($20) – best instant messaging software out there, and way better than the free versions  which you are welcome to try (see BlackBerry Instant Messaging Clients (Head-to-Head Review))
• Google Talk (OTA) – free
• Yahoo Messenger (OTA) – free

Diet and Exercise

• Fast Food Calorie Counter ($10) – has nutrition info for many fast food places.  Great if you are counting calories.
• * Gymtechnik – allows you to record your workout status while at the gym.

eBook Readers

• * Mobipocket (OTA) – one of the best
  

Email

• Aerize ($7.50) – popup windows for email, SMS, and calls.
• Gmail (OTA) – I like having this as a separate app. 
• Yahoo Go (OTA) – does email and lots of other Yahoo stuff, but I don't like it's big footprint.  It does, however, hook into Flickr.
• Phone Assistant ($3) – after a call, if the number that called you or you called is not in your address book, it prompts you to add.  VERY convenient.
• SaveNumberAs ($3)- gives you the chance to save a number from your call log to something other than Work
  

Games

• BBTetris (OTA 9000 Version, 8900 Version, 83XX Version) – nice.
• Ka-Glom – one of the best free games out there, the only one I keep on my bb.  (NOTE:  As of 5/1/09, seems to no longer be shown.  Am looking to see if they've moved it).
• Pac Man (OTA) – original music and all.

GeoTagging

• * GPSed (OTA) – allows you to automatically goecode your photos, tell friends where you are in real time. 
  

 Headsets

• Motorola HT820 Bluetooth Stereo Headset 
  (picture at right) -  What I've got.  Great sound, but a little big.  I
  also love this because it charges on a standard USB charger
• Samsung SBH170 Stereo Bluetooth Headset – this seems to be what is most recommended.
• Bendable Headset  (picture at right) – don't know how good this is, but it looks cool.

Info &Search

• Beyond411 (OTA) – gps enabled search engine – does yellow pages, flight times, all sorts of stuff.  Comes integrated with google maps, wish it was conntected to Telenav.  Has tons of plugins for searching all kinds of things (Edit Plugins > type in the names below):

bible

flight

movieratings (searches rottentomatoes.com)

newegg (searches newegg.com)

pricegrabber

wikipedia

• BOOPSIE
  - internet search that allows you to search various info sites (e.g.
  wikipedia) by the first few letters of each word ("multi-prefix"
  searching)
• Google Mobile App (OTA) – simple search function with some added stuff.  Check out the other apps listed.
  

Maps

• ATT Navigator (OTA)
  - This is the ATT version of telenav, which is nice.  Of course, you
  have to pay ATT each month for this service, but it's worth it if you
  don't have another GPS unit.
• Google Maps (OTA) – great for free, but of course, doesn't speak instructions to you
• * Nav4All (OTA) – free, fully functional nav, worldwide.  Not sure how good it is.
• * Wayfinder – if you don't want to pay monthly, but buy once, $90 can get you real voice-guided nav.

Photos

• iTookThisOnMyPhone (OTA) – automatically uploads photos taken to your online account. 
• Picasa (Google Photo) (OTA) – not great, but gives you browser access to your Picasa albums
  

Productivity

• Google Sync (OTA) – syncs your bb calendar AND contacts with google calendar.

RSS Reader

• Viigo (OTA) – great, free, lots of functionality, but comes at price of memory use.
• Viigo News (OTA) – uses less memory, JUST the newsw
• PicoNews – another decent news reader
• For complete mobile RSS reader reviews, see BBGeeks Feedreader Fridays list

Security

• Berry Locator
  ($5) – If you lose your BB, you can send yourself an email with
  "findme" in the subject line.  Your bb will ring loudly (even if on
  silent), and if you have GPS, it will email you the phone's current
  location.
• GetItBack
  ($10) – This has similar features to Berry Locator, but also allows you
  to disable the phone remotely, and you can also tell the phone to say
  "this Blackberry is stolen!" really loudly.

Shopping

• Amazon (OTA)- now you can search and purchase on Amazon from your blackberry.

Social Networking

• Facebook – not a bad app, though limited functionality.  I use it to update my status mostly, do some wall commenting.
• * Loopt (OTA) – find friends, share photos, Facebook integration
  

Themes

• bPhone (OTA) – the best (only?) free iPhone theme for the blackberry.  I personally take a black picture for the background.
  

Utilities

• Autolock (OTA) – locks your keyboard in X seconds after the backlight goes off (0-5 min).  Great for saving battery power.  If your phone is going dead too often, this could make the difference, because when a key is struck on a locked keyboard, the backlight only comes on for a few seconds, unlike the longer period when it is not locked. NOT updated for OS 4.5.
• Quickpull – hard reset from the screen instead of having to pull your battery.
  

Voice Apps

• Tell Me (OTA) – nice voice search app from Microsoft.  NOT updated for OS 4.5
• Vlingo  (OTA is emailed to you) – let's you do all kinds of voice stuff on your blackberry
• LiveSearch (OTA) – in beta, Microsoft voice app

Wallets and Cases

• 
  Lambskin Leather Case - I love this case, but the leather version is no longer available.  But the stingray version
  (pleather, which is a little thicker and less pliable) is available. 
  It has a nice clear plastic to protect the screen, holes in all the
  right places, and the price is RIGHT! ($4 plus shipping via Amazon). 
  It also comes with two types of belt clips, one of which locks at 45
  degree angles.  Sweet.
• 
  Piel Frama Leather Case
  - definitely expensive at retail ($60), I just got this for $30 on
  ebay, we'll see if it can actually function as a wallet.  I have my
  doubts about it holding any more than one credit card and one twenty
  dollar bill.
• 
  Leather Horizontal Pouch with Wallet Organizer  – from Wireless Emporium (rated 8.6/10).  I have no tried this, but it does allow you to combine phone protection and a wallet that holds credit cards and cash.