Blackberry Messenger Available for Apple iOS and Android

This week is was revealed that Blackberry have agreed a deal with Apple and Android that it's famous Blackberry Messenger (BBM) will be accessable on all 3 top smartphone brands.

The news came out a few days ago, suggesting that Blackberry had sold all rights for BBM to Apple and Android, however, I can now confirm that they haven't. However BBM will soon be available on iPhone and Android. It is said that BBM on Blackberry's will have a few more unique features; only blackberry's will be allowed to send Photos & Videos over Blackberry Messenger.

As an iPhone user, I have looked into much depth about this discussion as when I heard about this a few days ago I couldn't believe it! With my contract running out soon, I was debating whether to switch over to Blackberry because of Blackberry Messenger. Hearing this news has made me decide to stick with my iPhone until the end of the contract, and I suggest you all do this.

Furthermore, recent news just got out that there will be a new iPhone 5, released in June 2011. Great news! (there will be a post in a few days on this).

Now, back to BBM. At this moment in time, Blackberry, Apple and Android are debating whether BBM should be available on a "one-off purchase" or whether they should have a monthly fee for it. With my experience of the App Store on iPhone/iPod, I strongly believe that they should sell it for a one off fee, however the amount you use it should be determined by the amount of "accessable internet" you have on your contract/pay-as-you-go. I have noticed a problem with pay-as-you-go for this, so I believe it could be a fairly high price - about £4.99 (at a max.) or £0.59 (at a min.). However, if Apple decide that they want to have a continuous charge depending on your internet tariff, I believe it should be a FREE app download from the AppStore. As I don't use Android phones, I don't know how the App store works there, but I believe it is the same as Apple and Blackberry.

Regardless of what happens, no doubt Apple will be able to convert all of the Blackberry Messenger coding into an Application within days. But, as the deal has not been expressed in much detail by the spokesman from Blackberry, one can only assume that BBM will be out as an app at the same date of release as the highly anticipated iPhone 5 which is expected to be out in June 2011 - NOT LONG LEFT!!! For more information on the iPhone 5, check out my post later on this week, with just a small bit of information about why people believe it will be out sooner rather than later.

2011 is the Year of the iPad

Hello readers,

Today I round up what was mentioned and revealed at the Apple event in San Francisco; iBooks, iPad 2, iOS4 & Apps.


The iPad 2; The Thinnest, Lightest & Fastest

iBooks:
They mentioned how many new developers and publishers have released 70,000 new books into iBooks. These have already been noticed by many Apple product owners but these will be completed to the list within a few days. Titles include; Dan Browns 'The Da Vinci Code'.

iPad 2:
This has been widely awaited for, above there is a picture of the new iPad and a picture below...enjoy! It is now 33% thinner than the original iPad. It has dual-core processor, the only tablet at the moment to have this. It is now the fastest tablet created. The iPad 2 has back and front facing cameras used to facetime in HD over Wi-Fi to iPhones, iPods & Macs. Photo-booth has now been added as a built-in app allowing you to edit up to 9 pictures at a time using weird and cool effects. There are now 65,000 apps made for the iPad alone. Still remains a 10hour battery life. It comes in either Black or White. Best of all; THE SAME PRICES. The iPad 2 will be in-stores in and around the 25th March - so early!!!
For a full list of iPad specs: Click here
For any more information on the iPad: Click here

No, this isn't slimmed down, this is the actual thickness of the iPad 2

iOS4:
There is a quicker multitasking system installed with iOS4 allowing users to quickly change through Apps and Safari pages without any hastle. Furthermore, FaceTime is quicker and crisper. Folders have also been added. iOS4 now allows users of the iPad 2 to have instant power on, just like the MacBooks. Its safer, allowing your iPad never to be hacked by anything, unless you muck around with it. Any more further iOS updates can be quickly added by connecting your iPad to your computer with iTunes installed onto it. It will be out within a few days as the latest software. It will also be available for iPad 2, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPod Touch 2nd & 3rd Gen.

Apps
As I mentioned above, Apple have introduced other built-in apps including Photobooth and "Find my iPad". 2 other apps were released and are available from March 11th. iMovies - this allows you to do exactly what you would do on your Mac, on your iPad. With added functions that allow you to post videos in 1080p quality and post onto YouTube in HD. Next, Garageband - Apple have made this so that you can act as though you are stringing a guiter, playing the piano or adjusting the amplifier. GarageBand on iPad now has everything on the Mac but on a tiny A4 sheet of paper - with added loops and built-in tracks.

Top 10: iPhone Apps of All Time

Hello readers,

As an Apple iPhone/iPod lover, and an owner, I am always looking for lists online that show the best apps of all time for me to either purchase for FREE or BUY from the Apple App Store.. This list includes a few apps that have been top of the charts for many weeks.Today I thought I will make a post containing two lists; top 10 paid & top 10 free of all time. These are the top 10 in my opinion but as I have had an iPhone since the original, I thought, why not. Any apps you feel should be here, just leave a comment. NB. this is for iPhone/iPod and iPad.

Top 10 Paid Apps
1. Angry Birds - highly-addictive game whereby you must destroy pigs using a slingshot of different types of angry birds, hence the name.
2. Doodlejump - jump to the top with a hybrid-puzzle game.
3. WhatsApp Messenger - exchanges messages with friends without paying for SMS (just like BBM, between both iPhone/iPod and Blackberry's).
4. Tap Tap Revenge 3 - tap falling notes to keep up with a songs beat, great for music lovers.
5. Pocket God - an interactive game allowing the user to take control of island folks.
6. TuneIn Radio - tune in to more than 30,000 radio stations on your iPhone.
7. Flight Control - a strategy game in which the user has to direct many planes into landing.
8. Bejewled 2 + Blitz - match multiple gems for dazzling fun.
9. Traffic Rush - navigate your way through rush hour traffic.
10. Tap Tap Revenge 2.6 - an earlier version of Tap Tap Revenge 3

Top 10 Free Apps
1. Facebook - most popular social network application.
2. eBay Mobile - buy and sell from your iphone/ipod with ease.
3. Google Mobile - everything to do with Google, but on your phone.
4. Shazam - forgotten the songs name? Shazam is here to help.
5. Google Earth - see the world in photographs from above.
6. Skype - make phone calls using the internet for FREE.
7. Movies by Flixster - all the information on the latest movies, great for movie lovers.
8. Paper Toss - an addictive game in which you must throw balled-up paper into a bin.
9. Bump - send information from handset-to-handset easily...by bumping.
10. Sky News - the ultimate news source.