News and Rumors

Smarter Apps, the makers of the Angry Birds knockoff, Angry Farm, has just released their new game called, Zombie Attack, with Halloween right around the corner! It is a game where you launch objects via catapult to destroy buildings and zombies. The game supports all BlackBerry models except the PlayBook. It will have 100 levels for the launch and more will be added down the line.

Smarter Apps has decided to offer the game free for a limited time as they are also trying the new in-app feature of App World for the first time. For $0.99 you have the option of purchasing the nuclear bomb. The nuclear bomb will clear any level but you can only use it once per hour. If I didn't know any better, that sounds a lot like the flying eagle of Angry Birds.

Let us know what you think of Zombie Attack in the BBOS forum!

• Download Zombie Attack in BB App World
• See more Apps and Games from Smarter Apps

Today, the BlackBerry Partners Fund announced the winners of the Adobe Flash/AIR competition, recognizing the best Adobe AIR apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook. For this year’s BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge, all winning apps were selected based on quality and use of development best practices, visual appeal, user experience and creativity and innovation, joining the thousands of dynamic Flash apps currently available for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

• See the entire list of the winning apps by region

Hello BBOS members and guests, it's time for our Weekly Recap for 9/25 - 10/1, 2011. The links below are the "in a nutshell" of what happened in everything BlackBerry last week. Leave us a comment on what you thought was the most memorable moment of the BlackBerry weekly recap!

• Discuss the Weekly Recap with us in the BBOS forum

NOTICE: We are also currently looking for outgoing writers to join the BBOS team - Click here for more information on how to join.


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• BBM Music Beta trial expired? Here's how to get it working again
  
• RIM Now Has 70 Million Subscribers Worldwide
  
• Twitter for BlackBerry 2.1 Will Hit Beta Zone Next Week
  
• VEVO to feature Never-Before-Seen Nirvana Concert, Live At Paramount - See it from your PlayBook
  
• Curve 9380 And Bold 9790 Model Numbers Appear In BlackBerry App World Developer Portal
  
• BlackBerryOS.com Weekly Recap 9/18 - 9/24
  
• Confusing and misleading study implies 52% of all BlackBerry users will switch to iPhone 5
  
• Colorware now offering BlackBerry Bold 9900 customization
  
• Rumor of PlayBook being discontinued shot down by RIM as fast as it came out
  
• Comedian Rick Mercer gives a great reason to own a BlackBerry
  
• WIND Mobile to launch BlackBerry Bold, Curve and Torch in mid-October
  
• BlackBerry Bold 9900 available from Mobilicity
  
• RIM looking at possibility of customizing lock screen on BlackBerry
  
• Kim Kardashian Rocks New BlackBerry Bold 9900
  
• Russian Company Breaks BlackBerry Encryption With Two New Exploits

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• Ocean Hunter Theme
• Graffiti Theme
  
• HDV HedoneDesign Carbon Theme
  
• Pristine Theme

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• Caro - Tic Tac Toe for BlackBerry - Updated to v1.1.2
  
• YouVersion Bible App Updated To Version 3.5.1
  
• eBay for BlackBerry 2.0.0.26 available in the Beta Zone
  
• RealContact updated to v1.2.4
  
• Wikitude For BlackBerry updated to v6.0.11, Adds Support For Bold 9790, and Curve 9380
  
• Invites for BBM Music open up for friends of current Beta testers
  
• Facebook for BlackBerry updated to v2.0.0.50
  
• Kik Messenger sending out "sneak peek" update - OS7 compatible and new UI
  
• RIM Releases Android App Player Limitations
  
• Picture Puzzler updated to v1.7
  
• Blaq for PlayBook 1.5 available in App World
  
• UberSocial For BlackBerry Updated to v1.252
  
• Easy Smiley Pack for BBM updated to v1.9.8 (BBM Integration)
  
• BBM v6.0.1.29 Available In Beta Zone

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• Device Giveaway: Enter to Win a Unlocked BlackBerry Storm 2 9550!
  
• Giveaway: Win a Free BlackBerry Unlock Code from Horizon Wireless Online - Winners Announced!

Lock screens on devices have become an important part for many smartphone manufacturers. No longer is it just a place to enter your passcode, but rather a place to see pertinent information without unlocking your device.

Research In Motion is currently looking at a few different concepts for its lock screens. It's uncertain if these concepts are for OS 6/7 devices or QNX, but I am interested to see a native lock screen similar to apps like bLOC.

BlackBerry Messenger 6.0.1.29 is now available in the BlackBerry Beta Zone. Just a couple quick fixes, but if your a beta tester head on over to the Beta Zone, and update your BBM.

Release Notes:

Fixed Issues

• BBM icon missing after upgrading
• EULA only appeared after attempting to open a Group

Known Issues

• User name and status in contacts carousel do not update when changed in public connection
• BBM EULA pops up and disappears before accepting it

• Continue reading the rest of this article

Looks like Kik is at it again. This time they have released, in what they call a "sneak peek" version, an update that is OS7 compatible. The update also contains a fancy new UI amongst many other improvements. Will RIM try to kick Kik? Or, will the popular cross-platform messaging app challenge BBM once again? Let us know what you think!

• Download the new "Sneak Peak" version of Kik
• Discuss the new update with us in the BBOS forum

BlackBerry PlayBook owners have known for quite some time now that they should expect to be able to run Android applications using RIM's Android App Player. We have even been able to get a hands-on demo of the player with a leaked version that came out a few months ago. It looked great, and appeared to be everything that we hoped it would be.

• Continue reading the rest of this article

BlackBerry isn't going anywhere. RIM now has over 70 million subscribers worldwide. That's something to take seriously considering all of the turmoil the company has been going through over the past few months. Its clear many people are still choosing BlackBerry as their preferred mobile device.

• Continue reading the rest of this article

Looks like Nirvana fans have something to be exited about as the entertainment platform VEVO is going to show an exclusive commercial-free 24-hour on-demand airing of the band’s 1991 concert, Live at Paramount, which can be viewed right from your BlackBerry PlayBook. Did you live through the Nirvana era? Are you a fan?

• Discuss Nirvana and see the full press release in the forum

A few weeks ago we learned during RIM's earnings call that they would be releasing a few more OS 7 devices. Two of these new devices are expected to be the Curve 9380, and the Bold 9790. We have already seen a few leaked pictures of the Curve 9380, and the Bold 9790, so we know that these two devices are really close to being officially revealed. To add to the evidence both device's model numbers have officially appeared in the BlackBerry App World Developer Portal. This could mean the devices are close to being officially released.

We do not know much about these two devices. However, we can gather from the leaked photos that the 9380 is eerily similar to the one of the Torch models without the slide out keyboard. The Bold we see is a wee bit smaller than the 9900.

• What do you think about these two new devices? Let us know in the forums.

Hello BBOS members and guests, it's time for our Weekly Recap for 9/18 - 9/24, 2011. The links below are the "in a nutshell" of what happened in everything BlackBerry last week. Leave us a comment on what you thought was the most memorable moment of the BlackBerry weekly recap!

• Discuss the Weekly Recap with us in the BBOS forum

NOTICE: We are also currently looking for outgoing writers to join the BBOS team - Click here for more information on how to join.


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• BBOS Mobile Site Refresh Now In BETA!
  
• BlackBerryOS.com Weekly Recap 9/11 - 9/17
• What do you want the first QNX device to look like? [fan made picture]
• Official BlackBerry Torch 9810 OS 7.0.0.353 O2 UK Released
  
• Official OS 7.0.0.400 For BlackBerry Curve 9360 via Orange Spain
  
• Jennifer Lopez new video "Papi" shows off her BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930
  
• BlackBerry Bold 9788 Promo Video
  
• Sprint To Launch BlackBerry Curve 9350 October 2nd
  
• BBM Music Launch Party In London Video
  
• Sofia Vergara seen with a new Bold 9900
  
• Official: OS 5.0.0.1078 for the BlackBerry Tour 9630 via China Telecom
  
• BlackBerry Torch 9810 shows up on Vodafone UK website
  
• Push Notifications from RIM through BBM?
  
• Official OS 6.0.0.666 For Curve 9300, Bold 9700, 9780, And Torch 9800 from SmartTone Vodafone
  
• Mobilicity Offers Free Curve 3G With New 12 Month Multi-Month Plan
  
• BlackBerry Trade Up Program Now Includes BlackBerry 7 Devices
  
• Video: Resetting Your BlackBerry ID Password
  
• RIM hosting 9 new BBM Hackathon events!
  
• Heidi Klum Spotted Using Her New BlackBerry Bold 9900
  
• BlackBerry App Developers Make More Money Than iOS and Android Developers

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• Ocean Hunter Theme
• Graffiti Theme
  
• HDV HedoneDesign Carbon Theme
  
• Pristine Theme

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• UberSocial Adding BBM Integration in Private Beta
  
• UberSocial For BlackBerry Updated to v1.251
  
• Brew World updated to v2.0.2
  
• RIM's Wi-Fi Geolocation Has Launched For Developers
  
• BlackBerry Payment Service SDK 1.5 Now Available
  
• Kik Messenger v2 working on OS7 devices
  
• Rumor: Ebay app coming to OS 7 before end of month?
  
• Bible updated to v3.5
  
• YouMail for BlackBerry Updated
  
• Ticketmaster for BlackBerry v2.0.0.39 available in Beta Zone
  
• Leaked: Native BlackBerry Apps (from OS 7.0.0.400)
  
• Video: BBM integration with Navita Sports commercial
  
• Start your path to wealth with The 1 Million Plan app
  
• BBM 6.0.1.25 Available in Beta Zone Update
  
• 6 Tips To Improve Your PlayBook Browsing Experience
  
• RBC Capital Market Analysts Suggest Fixing Four Key Issues To Get RIM Back On Track
  
• Verizon CEO believes Microsoft will beat out BlackBerry
  
• BestBuy Canada Discounts PlayBook By $100 Starting Today

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• Giveaway: Get 1 of 100 BlackBerry Unlock Codes from Horizon Wireless Online
  
• Giveaway: OtterBox Commuter Series Case for Bold 9700/9780 winners announced
  
• iSpeech Bush and Obama Apps - Giveaway Winners Announced!
  
• GIVEAWAY: Win 1 of 5 Free Six Months Subscriptions for Privus Mobile Caller ID - Winners Announced!
  
• Giveaway: Win a free copy of Fightin' Words for BlackBerry - Winners Announced!

We are well aware of RIM's financial issues this year, and it seems as though just about everyone seems to have an opinion on this. I like most committed BlackBerry users tend to take most "analysts" opinions on RIM's financial future with a grain of salt. It does not mean that I refuse to adhere to any analysts comments, but it proves to be beneficial to sift through the nonsense, and get to the real issues.