The Best FREE BlackBerry Apps

OTA - Over the Air. This means you can download the application through your BlackBerry browser and install it straight onto your BlackBerry. You don't need the BlackBerry Desktop Manager for an 'ota download'.

App - Application. Just like you can install extra software onto your computer/laptop, you can install extra software onto your BlackBerry. A software program for your BlackBerry is called an 'app'.

RIM - Research In Motion. The company that makes the BlackBerry.

BlackBerry Desktop Manager - The CD and software program that came with your BlackBerry. It runs on your PC and allows you to do all kinds of stuff with your BlackBerry, like backup all your data, install new applications, etc.

3rd Party - This is when a company other than RIM has made the BlackBerry app. RIM makes some apps for your BlackBerry (like the facebook app, and flickr app, but most BlackBerry apps are made by other companies. Usually they will make a profit by selling their apps, but sometimes offer them for free. Sometimes they also offer the basic app for free and the upgraded 'premium' version for a fee.

Facebook for BlackBerry is exactly that. A facebook application that sits on your home screen and links you up with all the latest happenings on facebook.

You get all your alerts in the facebook application just as if you were sat at your computer, and in many ways it's all a lot easier to manage.

Since I installed this, people are amazed at how I 'always seem to be on Facebook!'

That's the whole point ;-)

This BlackBerry app was made by RIM.

To download it, click here

If you are a MySpace fanatic you're going to love this one.

MySpace For BlackBerry is an application created by RIM, and is a MySpacers dream.

You get to:

access all your MySpace mail (sending and receiving)

view and send bulletins

add comments

view friend's photos

update your mood and status

upload your own photos (straight from the camera!)

Any new messages or comments you get will make your BlackBerry beep just like when you get an email, and a little MySpace logo will show up along the top bar just under the clock. So you'll have MySpace tightly woven into your BlackBerry!

If that sounds irresistable to you then you can download the app by clicking here.

If you are on Twitter, and if you have a BlackBerry, you really need TwitterBerry.

TwitterBerry is a full twitter app that works a lot like the Facebook app above. You can write tweets, send @replies, send Direct Messages, see your friend's public timeline, and upload photos to TwitPic.

TwitterBerry puts a little 't' icon in your homescreen, integrates with the BlackBerry menu, and is free free free.

To download TwitterBerry, click here

UberTwitter is another Twitter app that you may prefer to TwitterBerry above. I would suggest trying both and see which one you prefer. I have both installed but I now use UberTwitter more, but I prefer the look and feel of TwitterBerry.

UberTwitter can do some things TwitterBerry can't:

Automatically update your location when you tweet

Send videos in your tweets

See people tweeting near you

But I still do prefer the TwitterBerry look and feel.

You decide!

To download UberTwitter for your BlackBerry click here.

Like the Facebook and MySpace applications, this BlackBerry app was built by RIM. So it integrates tightly with your BlackBerry software.

When you snap a photo of a smiling friend, you will now have the option of uploading it to Flickr.

You can add titles, descriptions, and even geo-tag your image if you have a GPS-enabled BlackBerry.

To download it, click here

iTookThisOnMyPhone is a really great app that works silently in the background, uploading your photos to a web storage system.

You can set the app to automatically upload all your photos and videos to your online account, then delete them [or not] from your BlackBerry memory. So you'll effectively have unlimited photo space.

You can also set this app to automatically upload your photos/videos to:

Facebook
Flickr
YouTube
Picasa
PhotoBucket
TwitPic
...and a couple of others

I love this app because you can set it to ask you before it uploads anything, if that's what you want, so you only upload the good stuff and delete the bad. That's just how I use it anyway.

iTookThisOnMyPhone is a really great app. One of the best free apps available. I'm astonished it's free, in fact ;)

To download iTookThisOnMyPhone, click here

The thing about downloading some of these following IM apps is that some carriers don't allow them. Annoying, right? They want you to instead spend lots of money on their SMS charges.

If you can't install any of these Instant Messaging apps give your carrier a call and ask to speak to the BlackBerry team, and ask them to push the download to you. Make them work with you to install it.

Some carriers really do suck, but keep pushing them until they do it. It's just a case of unblocking a port that these apps use to connect with [i think].

But the below links should work first though, for most of you. See how it goes!

If you use Google Talk from your cvomputer then this is the BlackBerry app for you.

This app is made by RIM, so it all integrates perfectly with your BlackBerry menus and contacts, and you can even set it to sign you in automatically when your BlackBerry turns on. If you use Gtalk, get this app now.

It's Free

Use all Gtalk emoticons

Have multiple chats at one time

To download Google Talk for Blackberry, click here

If you use MSN Messenger to communicate with friends you REALLY need to install this app.

This app is made by RIM, so it all integrates perfectly with your BlackBerry menus and contacts, and you can even set it to sign you in automatically when your BlackBerry turns on. If you use MSN, get this app now.

It's Free

Use all MSN emoticons

Have multiple chats at one time

Oh, did I mention it's free?

To download Windows Live Messenger, click here

If like most Americans you use AIM to communicate with friends then you're in luck. The RIM folks haven't left you out in the cold.

It's Free

Use all AIM emoticons

Have multiple chats at one time

You can even set it to sign you in automatically when your BlackBerry turns on, so all your AIM pals with be able to get hold of you whenever and wherever you like.

To download AIM for BlackBerry, click here

If you're a Yahoo kind of guy/gal then here's your new favorite BlackBerry app.

Yahoo Messenger will let you stay connected, 24/7, with your Yahoo buddies. They will be overwhelmed with your online presence!

It's Free - of course

Use all real Yahoo emoticons

Have multiple chats at one time

To download Yahoo Messenger for BlackBerry, click here

The default web browser on your BlackBerry is good. But it's not perfect. It has lots of good points, and lots of bad points. For example, it does not render web pages as fast as you would like and often has trouble showing you a desktop-faithful rendering of the webpage.

Enter Opera Mini.

Opera is a 2nd browser you can install on your BlackBerry. You can't set it to be your default browser [so clicking on links in emails will always open the default browser], but Opera will put an icon on your home screen for you to click open whenever you like.

It won't fully replace your default browser, but it is really fast browsing webpages that would even crash your BlackBerry browser, so it's good to keep this one around.

To download Opera Mini, click here

Amazon Kindle, Pah! We have our BlackBerry Smartphones!

The native Maps application on your BlackBerry will either be BlackBerry Maps, or maybe even a map application from your carrier. While these are ok, Google Maps trumps them on nearly all counts.

More features, satellite images, a tie in to the massive amount of data Google has about the world around you, and even a cool feature to tell you roughly where you are even if you don't have GPS.

If you have a BlackBerry with an unlimited data plan, you need to install Google Maps. It is a solid application and gets fairly regular updates.

Here are some good things about it:

MyLocation - If you don't have a GPS enabled BlackBerry, worry not. Google Maps application can still locate where you are. It 'triangulates' your signal just like they do on 24, and offers you an approximate location which is always pretty damn close.

Latitude - If you have lots of friends (lucky you) and want to know where they are, just click open the Latitude option. If you have shared your location with your friends then you can see where they are, and they can see where you are. you can pause it at any time, cancel it completely, or leave it going constantly to give your friends a God-like power over you. It's up to you...

Full Satellite View - Bringing the power of Google Earth and Google Maps to your teeny BlackBerry screen. It's just what you expect, works fast (faster over wifi or 3g), and lets you zoom right in to your house and look at your garden. Always cool.

Directions - What Map application would be complete without the power to get you to where you want to be? Combined with MyLocation (see above), you'll never get lost again.

To download Google Maps, click here

If you have ever heard a song on the radio and wished you could identify it, Shazam is for you.

Press the Shazam icon, hold your BlackBerry up to the music, and in about 15 seconds it will tell you what the song was, who was singing it, and what album it's on.

It's worked every time for me, but does have a few limitations. It can't identify live music and doesn't have a link to buy the music just like the iPhone/iTunes version does.

But I can easily live with those!

Shazam is really smart and will really impress you.

To download Shazam, click here

Are you a music lover? Can't get enough of what you like? Pandora is for you.

This Pandora app is your BlackBerry version of the online pandora.com music project.

You type in a band you like, or an artist, or a song or album, and it creates for you a station made up of songs jjust for you. It works extremely well, and you'll find yourself listening to it for hooouuurrrsss.

If you are in America, get Pandora!

To download Pandora, click here

Google created this Sync application so that dear old BlackBerry users can keep their BlackBerry calendar and BlackBerry contacts completely in sync with their Google calendar and Gmail contacts.

You can set the application to run on Manual mode, and only sync when you want it to, or on Automatic mode.

While automatic mode sounds great, the trouble is you can't set the sync schedule. So if you have an older BlackBerry model you may find it jamming up as it tries to sync up at unknown intervals. So manual might be best, especially if you don't mind not having up-to-the-minute syncing.

To download Google Sync, click here

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/blackberry_app