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The 11 best BlackBerry apps

Posted on 27 Apr 2010 at 15:34

Got a new BlackBerry and don't know which apps to stuff it with? PC Pro is here to help

Apps are swiftly becoming the difference between good phones and great ones, and kitting your new BlackBerry out with the right apps could fundamentally change the way you use it. Read on to find the essential apps for your smartphone.

1. ALOQA (Free)

Using your phone’s GPS, Aloqa scans the surrounding area for a huge range of attractions, landmarks and places of interest. The software adds intelligent extras: search for cinemas and it will bring up what time films are showing, for example, while clicking on a restaurant will also unveil a phone number.

It’s possible to customise your feeds with dozens of filters – from cash machines and comedy clubs, to local Wikipedia pages and trendy bars.

2. FACEBOOK (Free)

Facebook’s range of mobile applications offer most of the features available on the main site, with your newsfeed, friends list and notifications present, alongside smartphone-specific tools, such as the ability to take a photo and upload it directly to the site.

Chat and messaging are available as separate applications for BlackBerry and benefit from a slick interface that’s faster and easier to use than the clunky mobile websites.

3. SHAZAM (Free)

We’ve all been there, listening to the radio or watching the telly and wondering just what the heck that music being played is. At last, there’s an app that saves the embarrassment of attempting to hum it to your wife.

Just hold the phone to the music source and hit the Shazam button, and within 30 seconds it reveals the artist and track being played. Well, 90% of the time anyway, which is impressive enough.

4. WAVESECURE (Free)

WaveSecure offers an innovative range of smartphone security features. Should your handset be stolen and a new SIM inserted, for instance, the handset will be locked, your previously assigned “buddy” will receive a text alert, and the phone’s GPS can be used to track the stolen device.

You can access your backed-up data on WaveSecure’s website and even wipe your phone completely. Our only qualm was reduced battery life but, if security is a concern, that could be an inconsequential price to pay.

5. LAST.FM (Free)

As with the desktop version of this music streaming service, you can create playlists based on your favourite artists and genres – or browse through tags to find hidden gems – before sharing your favourites with fellow users.

6. TUNEWIKI (Free)

As well as acting as an intuitive media player, TuneWiki comes with a host of other functions: lyric and video searching, Last.fm and Shoutcast radio directories, the ability to build YouTube libraries, and the TuneWiki community, which creates playlists based on popularity, location and genre. A vital download if your smartphone is your primary music device.