I’ve been writing about the cloud lately and remotely hosted files. Quite a few Blackberry users already use the cloud to backup contacts and calendars either with Google Sync or mIQ. I recently discovered two new Blackberry cloud apps that have significant potential… one for managing cloud hosted files and another for streaming your Mp3s or discovering new music.
So, I’m still wielding a Blackberry Tour 9630. I know that’s very 2009 but that aside… I was encountering two significant problems after consolidating my email on the computer into Gmail (I have the enhanced Gmail plugin installed on my ‘berry) and after I started using Google Buzz:
- Duplicate emails. Each time I received an email at something@something.com it also ends up in my Gmail inbox. Works great on the computer. However, my consolidated Blackberry Inbox would show two copies of every message except for those sent directly to my Gmail. I considered removing all email addresses from my Blackberry except for the Gmail address but that would prevent me from composing or replying from any address other than Gmail.
- Buzz notifications. My Blackberry was going berserk every time a new buzz appeared in my stream. I would receive an email with every comment on that buzz. This happens even though I have a filter in Gmail to auto-archive those emails (instructions here). Not only was this annoying but it was also hogging the memory on my Blackberry.
The “workaround” isn’t too elegant but it does work. Install the standalone Gmail app from Google (http://m.google.com/ on the Blackberry browser). Use that to read your Gmail. You’ll probably want to move it to your home screen. Remove your Gmail address on your ‘berry through the Email Settings icon. Now, you will not receive any Buzz notifications on your ‘berry if you have a buzz filter to auto-archive those emails. Your Gmail inbox will receive every message your Gmail on the PC receives. Admittedly, this can be kind of slow because sometimes Gmail waits up to an hour before POPing email from other accounts. However, your normal consolidated Blackberry Inbox will receive push email from your non-Gmail addresses. And, you can compose and reply from all of your email addresses. Note that your Gmail will not appear in your consolidated Blackberry Inbox.
This is only a partial solution to problem #1 because anything sent to something@something.com will appear in both the Gmail app and the consolidated Blackberry Inbox. Frankly, I tend to ignore my consolidated Blackberry Inbox because I don’t need to respond to my emails immediately. The workaround above is a complete solution to problem #2. Also, the Gmail App is handy to have for other reasons. For example, you can search your entire email archives for old emails.
I hope that the BIS update RIM is promising solves the duplicate email problem but it is unclear when the BIS update will be released. For the Buzz notifications, I wrote to Google to help make them aware of the problem. If the Buzz notifications are skipping the inbox in Gmail, they shouldn’t push to the Blackberry. The most elegant solution would be to allow users to simply turn off the notifications completely.
I finally figured out hot to send a Google Buzz from the Blackberry by tinkering with URLs and using the BOLT! browser by Bitstream. Simple two step instructions:
1. Download the free BOLT! Browser (if you don’t have it already)
Instructions here:
http://tbottle.com/tb/2009/12/07/bitstreams-bolt-free-blackberry-browser-upgraded-to-v-1-6/
2. Point BOLT! to:
https://m.google.com/app/buzz?force=1#~buzz:view=me
You may be required to login to Google services before Buzz loads but this works…
Voila!
Incidentally, if you click on the link above from your desktop instead of your Blackberry, you can view Buzz with collapsible comments.
Please follow me on Google Buzz: http://bit.ly/9z4c2M (personal) & http://bit.ly/asucfb (blog)
UPDATE: For a complete rundown of mobile browsers and their compatibility with the Buzz link above, visit WAP Review by Dennis Bournique.
Click to Visit MWC2010 Website
While certainly overshadowed by the Olympics, there is another international event taking place this week. It is the Mobile World Congress 2010 which takes place February 15-18. This is the premiere event for mobile device manufacturers. 47,000 attendees are expected and over 1,300 companies will exhibit products. Based on rumors and some bona fide news, we can expect the following:
Not much to say about this other than BlackBerryRocks.Com just posted the links. See the post here: http://bit.ly/9pGQjl. Use the Desktop Manager install.
P.S. Can’t handle multiple accounts. P.P.S. WTF? RIM’s finally getting around to releasing a Twitter app when Twitter is about to be owned by Google Buzz? 9 million buzzes in 2 days.
Nokia’s N900 has been hacked to allow it to boot Maemo (native OS) and Google’s Android. The video shows that the phone is capable of running either OS. It appears that the phone’s internal memory has been partitioned, similar to most dual boot computer setups. The video follows along with some implications.
I’ve been playing around with FourSquare beta on the Blackberry for a few weeks now. It’s surprisingly addictive. I’ve had a ball with it and this should be a breakout year for this startup.
It’s out now for everyone to enjoy. Sorta. It was up at first but you can still get it here…
Today Google announced an update to the free Google Mobile App that allows Blackberry users to better search their email and contacts.
The Eagle has landed. The much anticipated UberTwitter Beta-6 has arrived. UberTwitter was voted 2009 Blackberry App of the Year by Crackberry users. Beta-6 is packed full of new features, including:
- Comprehensive Twitter list support. Lists are probably the best thing that has happened to Twitter since the advent of the URL shortener. With UberTwitter, you can create new lists, delete existing lists, subscribe to lists by SMS, add members and remove members.
- Find people. You can search Twitter for users just like you can from the web interface.
- The Uber-bar has tabs for easy navigation between @ replies, DMs and timelines. Apparently, you can also customize the bar to include a list but I was unable to add a tab when I tested UberTwitter Beta-6. Update: Got it now. You have to add them from the “Lists” option and then you can arrange them using the “Uber-bar Maintenance” feature.
- Better Geo-Tagging (using Twitter’s integrating Geo-Tagging or myloc.me).
- And, many more enhancements.
Alejandro Salomon, a/k/a Salomondrin, is reporting that the upcoming Blackberry slider phone will be a portrait slider, similar to the Palm Pre, not a landscape slider like the Droid. This is contrary to earlier rumors that the device would be a landscape slider that were primarily based on the following RIM patent photo:
RIM is blaming the second major Blackberry data outage in five days on recent updates to the Blackberry Messenger 5.0 app. Many customers received e-mails today that encourage them to download a fix: “please upgrade to version 5.0.0.57 as soon as possible.” To download the latest version, visit http://www.blackberry.com/blackberrymessenger.
RSS is the most efficient way to aggregate your favorite newspapers and blogs and read them without bookmarking, page loading and clicking. I wrote a more detailed description of RSS about one month ago that includes some tips on setting up RSS on a computer. Recently, some of the Crackberry guys started a campaign to encourage Google to release a version of its very popular Google Reader for the Blackberry. While I applaud their grassroots efforts, Google Reader subscriptions can be imported into the free Blackberry RSS reader Viigo. Instructions:
Although some other apps allow Blackberry users to purchase movie tickets, the new Fandango beta app (oddly given a version number 1.0.1) perfects the art. The app is available for download from getjar.com and it is available for touchscreen and traditional Blackberries. Some features include:
UberTwitter is adding two new terrific features and making changes that don’t affect the interface that will improve the app’s performance. The two noticeable changes, as shown in the pictures below of the .941 test release, are auto-complete of usernames and customizable tabs with color icons.
PayPal released its Blackberry app for sending money to friends, family or anyone with a PayPal account. Blackberry users can send money to anyone in their contact list and 23 currencies are supported. You can check it out in Blackberry App World.
This makes me wonder who will be the first to accept donations by QR Code. Simply point and shoot your phone and, voila, money sent. So, making this more absurd… what about official QR Codes for panhandlers? You could simply point and click quarters to them for the cups of coffee they’re seeking. It would actually bring about Panhandling 2.0 because the QR Codes could be posted all over town… in the subways, on light posts and street signs. It would take the pain out of winter panhandling because the code could be posted outside on the cold street while the recipient dines in a warm environment.
Also, I hear there’s a Tiger Woods version in the works. You simply browse his contacts and send millions to the people who have served him drinks in seedy locations.
