Tag: BLACKBERRY

There's probably never going to be a tablet that unseats the iPad, just as there never was an iPhone killer or a serious iPod competitor. But that doesn't mean that some companies won't make great products and fantastic business decisions. Case in point is RIM, which yesterday announced that the forthcoming BlackBerry PlayBook will support Android apps. There are some caveats, of course. For ...

RIM has decided to pull all BlackBerry apps designed to help drivers avoid sobriety checkpoints, in response to a request filed by four Democratic Senators. Thus far, at least one app has already vanished from the BlackBerry App World, a fact that drew praise from New York Senator Charles Schumer. "RIM's decision to remove these apps from their online store proves that when it comes to drunk ...

A group of Senators is asking Apple to remove from its App Store all apps designed to help drunk drivers avoid checkpoints -- apps that the politicians consider "harmful to public safety." In a letter, four Senators -- Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Tom Udall (D-NM) -- argued that apps that help drivers avoid speed traps, sobriety checkpoints and police ...

Research in Motion is urging BlackBerry users to disable JavaScript on their smartphones after a major vulnerability was exposed at this year's Pwn2Own hacker challenge. According to the company, the security hole could allow a hacker to gain access to the device's data if a user stumbles upon any "maliciously designed" websites. The vulnerability only exposes data stored on a user's media card ...

Despite being tech bloggers, we're all about unplugging for a while, and setting aside time to be tech-free. Reboot, a Jewish non-profit organization, also wants you to find time to unplug, specifically in honor of the sabbath. The group has created both a mobile app and Web app called 'Sabbath Manifesto,' which helps to remind you to disconnect, and allows you to tell others about your plans ...

Symptom: You reach into your pocket or bag, and, well, it's empty! Diagnosis: Beyond the understandable distress of losing a pricey smartphone, laptop or tablet PC, the real trauma is the sudden and unfettered access afforded to the slippery-fingered jerk who took it. The cost of a new laptop is meager compared to the personal and even financial havoc that a motivated thief can wreak ...

Today's high-end prostitutes book their own appointments on BlackBerrys and rely on Facebook, rather than pimps or madams, for self-promotion. That, in a nutshell, is what Columbia sociology professor Sudhir Venkatesh discovered while doing research for a Wired report on New York's sex workers. Venkatesh spent a full year following some 290 sex workers in the city, and made careful observations on ...

RIM may have resolved its BlackBerry issues in the Middle East and Indonesia, but the company's negotiations with India seem to have hit a wall. Today, the smartphone manufacturer reiterated that it cannot allow the Indian government to monitor corporate e-mails sent from Blackberry devices because, according to RIM, the technology simply doesn't exist. "We can't give a solution for enterprise ...

Yesterday, we showed you how to set up your basic AutoText and predictive text settings, but you can do much more to relieve the dreaded BlackBerry thumb by taking advantage of keyboard shortcuts. Since so many exist, though, you'll want to get started with learning the basics. Some shortcuts work for both e-mail and messaging, but others are exclusive to individual services. ...

Many BlackBerry owners bemoan -- and remain ignorant of -- their devices' various messaging and keyboard settings. BlackBerry does, however, offer an impressive variety of shortcuts and alternative options, although those features are located within an extensive and disorganized menu arrangement. When sending messages, typing purists may want to manipulate the AutoText predictive text and spell ...

With the number of times that we've had a friend tell us about an incredible flick (only to forget the title later), or that we suddenly remember a favorite film we haven't seen in ages, having mobile access to our Netflix accounts is vital. The official app has one gigantic leg up over third-party competitors on both iPhone and Windows 7: the ability to stream movies directly to your device. ...

RIM has agreed to block porn sites on all BlackBerry devices within Indonesia, as part of the government's ongoing efforts to rid its country of online smut. In a statement released today, RIM confirmed that it's in negotiations with local service providers to find a "prompt, compliant filtering solution" before the government-imposed deadline of January 21st. If the company does not comply ...

Ford has not officially announced an all-electric vehicle yet, but that hasn't stopped the company from unveiling 'MyFord Mobile,' an app specifically designed to work with a (currently non-existent) battery-powered car. Ford announced Android, iPhone and BlackBerry versions of the app, along with an HTML5-powered Web-app, accessible from a PC and many dumbphones. The app allows a user to do all ...

Daily deal purveyor Groupon recently rolled out an official mobile app for BlackBerry, letting RIM smartphone users get the same cupcake and yoga deals as their iPhone and Android brethren. Users in the U.S. and Canada will get access to Groupon's daily deal, GPS-equipped searches for nearby bargains, and all purchased Groupons for paperless redemption. Grab the free download in BlackBerry App ...

You'd think that the tech-savvy Dems would've thought of this -- especially after the social networking-powered election of President Obama -- but it actually took the incoming class of Republicans to propose rule changes that now allow electronic devices on the House floor. Until now, cell phones and tablets have been banned from the floors of the House and Senate, although the rules have not ...