Vine on BlackBerry 10

CrackBerry takes a look at a Vine app for BB10.

Over the weekend we got a look at the upcoming iGrann app for BlackBerry 10 that will finally bring Instagram users some relief. As if that wasn't cool enough, it appears that another app is in the works for the popular video sharing network Vine as well. 

A very quick preview of Whine turned up on Youtube and was posted to the forums. As it turns out the app is being developed by forums member knobtviker and is in the very early beta stages. Vine doesn't offer a public API so some magic has to be worked on the backend of things to get it all working.
It's still up in the air whether Whine will actually make it's way to BlackBerry World, but as knobtviker notes, it will be available to sideload regardless so that's a good thing.

http://crackberry.com/early-preview-whine-app-shows-vine-blackberry-10

Related articles

• iGrann Will Bring a Native Instagram Client to BlackBerry 10
• WordPress Native Cleint Comes to BlackBerry 10 in Beta Form

Download BlackBerry Bridge for BlackBerry 10

All PlayBook owners can rejoice today as BlackBerry Bridge has been updated to version 3.2.0.8 - bringing full support to BlackBerry 10 devices. Although long overdue, those of us that are still rocking our PlayBooks can now at least get the full features we were used to having on legacy devices.

These features include the use of BBM on the PlayBook (the perfect weekend for it) as well as using our BlackBerry 10 handset as a remote control - great for when the PlayBook is connected to the TV via HDMI. Being able to use the BlackBerry 10 devices cellular connection will be the most used feature - bringing the PlayBook back to life for many folk.

The update is rolling out as we speak so if you can't see the new version just yet give it a bit of time and try again.

Download BlackBerry Bridge for BlackBerry 10 smartphones

Sideload Apps to BlackBerry 10 that use Google Maps API

The new adventure of “sideloading” has certainly taken on quite an evolution:

• Back since OS 2 of the Playbook and the early days of BB10, we were able to quickly sideload simple apps – but not apps using Android native code.
• Along came what has become known as “the xsacha method ” to use the DebugToken to sideload apps that use native code, such as Angry Birds
• For me, there were still a bunch of apps that didn’t work until AT&T graced me with the OS 10.1 upgrade
• Along came the solid 10.2 leak which suddenly opened the door to even more Android apps that required a higher version of the Android OS than the Gingerbread that 10.1 had to offer, e.g. Feedly

But there has still always been a tremendous void. A whole handful of simple apps just would not work. Using Catlog (when it still worked – I believe tighter security in Jelly Bean blocks it from reading logs in 10.2 without root) it was apparent that the failure was due to the apps expecting the Google Maps API which is not baked into BB10′s Android runtime. I had simply resigned myself to the reality that those apps would just never work.

…Until now! I stumbled upon yet another CrackBerry Forum post  which lead me to a solution. In a nutshell, the AndroidManifest.xml file contains directives as to which libraries to expect and, more importantly, whether or not they are required. I will document the steps to modify the APK file so that the missing libraries are no longer required. For the purposes of keeping this as brief as possible, I will have to assume you are already familiar with how to obtain an APK  and “the xsacha method .”

• First, download and unpack the APKTool application
• Place the APK you want to modify in the same directory. Let’s call the APK Foo.apk
• Get a Command Prompt in that directory (Shift+Right-click, Open Command Window Here should work in recent versions of Windows)
• Type the following command:

  apktool d Foo.apk Foo

  This will create a sub-directory called Foo and decode the APK contents into it. Don’t close the Command Prompt just yet.
• Go into the Foo directory and open the AndroidManifest.xml file in your favourite text editor
• If the Google Maps API is the only problem, you are looking for the following line:
  <uses-library android:name=“com.google.android.maps”/>
• Modify it to look like so:
  <uses-library android:name=“com.google.android.maps” android:required=“false”/>
  (Repeat this process for any other required library which might be causing problems.)
• After saving the XML file, go back to the Command Prompt. Type the following command to repackage the APK to Foo2.apk:

  apktool b Foo Foo2.apk

• I wish I could say we were done. But unfortunately, I’ve found that since the resulting, modified APK is not signed, it will fail when you try to convert it to a .BAR
• The simplest way around I found, based on this YouTube video  was the SignAPK app. Follow the instructions in the video description to download and unpack the utility.
• Place Foo2.bar in the same directory and run the following command in a Command Prompt:

  java -jar signapk.jar certificate.pem key.pk8 Foo2.apk Foo2-signed.apk

• (Obviously, you need to have Java on the machine for that to work but anyone who’s come this far almost certainly does.)

That’s pretty much it! Foo2-signed.apk is now ready to run through the standard APK-to-BAR conversion process and sideload to your device. I’ve used this method to successfully sideload and run apps such as Dunkin Donuts, 7-Eleven and Geico. It should be noted that these apps do contain functionality that relies on Google Maps (such as “Find the nearest …”) and if you try those, the app will crash. Have fun!

BlackBerry might be broken up into two parts: OS and patents

BlackBerry has “narrowed its list of potential bidders ” and reportedly pushing for a quick sale – potentially as early as November. Rumours around the web are that private equity firm Fairfax Financial Holdings , which owns a 10% stake in the business, is interested in scooping up BlackBerry. In addition, Microsoft is ‘keeping an eye’ on what the Waterloo-based manufacturer is up to.

For several years many investors have been pushing BlackBerry to be split up into several parts : network, device and patents. Unfortunately, something of this nature just might happen.

According to a report in Reuters, several unknown bidders have signed confidentiality agreements and are looking into ways to break the company up into two parts – operating system (BlackBerry 10 and the network assets) and its vast collection of patents, specifically highlighting its keyboard. Possibly vanishing from the plan is its hardware production. However, there is a glimmer of hope as the report states there might be interest from “a Canadian pension fund to team up with an investor to buy the whole company, which is currently worth a little more than $5 billion.”

Reuters notes that “According to analysts, BlackBerry’s assets include a shrinking, yet well-regarded services business that powers its security-focused messaging system, worth $3 billion to $4.5 billion; a collection of patents that could be worth $2 billion to $3 billion; and $3.1 billion in cash and investments. Even at a conservative estimate, that is more than the company’s $5.4 billion market value. Analysts said the smartphones that bear its name have little or no value and it might cost $2 billion to shut the unit that makes them.”

BlackBerry clearly declined to comment the speculation. In the near future, BlackBerry is focussed on delivering BBM to iPhone and Android users, plus planning to launch the 5-inch BlackBerry Z30 in the coming weeks.

Pebble owners can finally pair up to their BlackBerry 10 devices with their Pebble smartwatch. The pBBl app is now available as a free download from BlackBerry World, and while it's not the app we saw shown off during BlackBerry Live (this one's from a different developer) it does give BlackBerry owners some basic Pebble notifications and is welcome with open arms.

To use the app just pair your Pebble via Bluetooth with your BlackBerry Z10, Q10 or Q5 then open the app and connect. You'll see a few quick settings for alerts from SMS, phone calls and emails and you can toggle them on or off as you see fit. Just leave the app open in an Active Frame and it will drop your notifications to your Pebble as they arrive. There are a few catches for now in that pBBl can't send BBM notifications or the names of callers and you can't control music, but it's a great start.

 If you're a Pebble owner you can grab the app free from the link below.

More information/Download pBBl

BlackBerry Made the Right Choice Not to Use Android

There were rumors that BlackBerry was going to chalk things up and switch to Android. Instead, the company decided to build a completely new platform from the ground up. That might have been the right choice.

Android sales are absolutely dominated by Samsung. To put in perspective, Samsung sells about 7 times more Android devices than LG, who is the second largest Android handset maker.

In Q1 2013, Samsung sold 70 million Android devices. Whereas, LG only sold 10 million units. Similar results are seen in Q2 earnings. Where are the other Android OEMs standing?

What about Sony, HTC, and Lenovo? In Q1 2013, Samsung made about 95% of all Android sales. LG made up about 2.5%, which left 2.7% for the rest of the Android OEMs.

If BlackBerry had chosen to use Android, they very well may have ended up in a similar battered position as HTC. Instead, BlackBerry 10 looks to differentiate itself in a market that has been saturated with Android devices. Unless you’re Samsung, using Android just doesn’t look like a good idea.

via N4BB

A Fun Sandbox Game for BlackBerry 10

The Sandbox is a 2D “sandbox” game for BlackBerry 10 by Pixowl and Bulkypix. All the items in The Sandbox’s universe are made up of pixels of different simple elements, all with their own behaviours. These elements react to each other in such a manner that is both oversimplified and very very fun. The game had it’s origins as a fun flash game by onimatrix.



Things that would normally take eons to do takes mere moments in The Sandbox. Pour some water over rock? Instant erosion. Want a battery? Put the acid element around a coil of metal element. Speaking of batteries, I suggest playing this game plugged in because it’s easy to find yourself with a hot phone and lost hours.

Sandbox games are sweet for goofing off and playing God. In a nutshell, you’re given a palette of elements and you paint them into existence in a Microsoft Paint sort of manner. The Sandbox is great for this and includes a world-pausing zoomed in edit mode that makes editing the elements at the pixel level very easy. These abilities are gradually unlocked, the fill mode probably being the most important tool.

The Sandbox has a well constructed single player story line and has the stylings of a well designed social game with daily challenges for extra mana, the stuff that purchases new elements. The game is freemium so you can pay to unlock elements at a much faster rate if you like. I Find the free play scenario great as it provides a good pace of working through the game’s narrative.

The oversimplified style of the game makes it a funny game world and entertaining to play. Lose yourself if free mode by making beautiful landscapes teeming with life, only to unleash a twisted Rube Goldman-machine of acid and lava. It’s the same stress relief that you get from adding a tornado or a monster in SimCity.

The humans are really fun too, think Lemmings but dumber and more needy. All the animals in the game are pretty fun too. It’s tricky to create a balanced ecosystem, especially when you start messing with temperatures. The water cycle is a natural part of the game and you can really go crazy when you mix in temperature changing mechanics like the electrically powered heater and cooler elements.



It’s also available on the other platforms, tend your friends to http://www.thesandboxgame.com/

Related articles

• The Sandbox: A Fun Low Res Sandbox Game for BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry's Largest Shareholder Closing in on Rescue Deal

According to a report in The Sunday Times , the chairman of Fairfax Financial Holdings has assembled billions of dollars in backing from Canada's biggest pension funds. The UK newspaper notes that shares in BlackBerry have fallen from $148 in 2008 to $11 this year but rose slightly on the news of a possible rescue.

Watsa, who is BlackBerry's largest shareholder with a 10% stake, stepped down from the smartphone pioneer's board in August. He cited a potential conflict of interest when the company announced it was putting itself up for sale.

Blaq for BlackBerry 10 Review

Blaq continues the tradition of being the premiere Twitter client on BlackBerry with its latest version. It does away with  the standard Cascades UI and instead opts for its own take on gesture-based navigation.

Pulling the main feed to one side reveals standard navigation tabs - mentions, lists, home, your profile... stuff like that. Pulling to the left shows a list of actions that can be executed depending on which tweet your were pressing on originally. dragging up or down from there lets you select reply, retweet, favorite, or quote tweet, and releasing launches into the action. Along the top is a timeline showing where you are in your feed, and tapping it lets you zip backup to the most recent tweets easily.

Blaq is a sharply-designed, modern, and unique app and is extremely impressive, even outside the sphere of Twitter apps.

360 Panorama BlackBerry 10 review

360 Panorama is a simple app that lets you take amazing 360 degree panoramic photos on your BlackBerry 10 device. Just tap the button to start snapping then move your device around to capture the photo.

The app stitches the image together along the grid making for a seamless picture. You can export the photos for sharing via Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail, but viewing them within the app is where it's at. You can scroll around the entire photo and even pan up and down to take it all in. Full panoramas can be shared over BBM with a particularly cool interactive mode. Photographers looking for a new spin on things should definitely pick up 360 Panoram

Remember The Milk for BlackBerry 10

The ultimate to-do list. Remember The Milk is known for being just that and it has now arrived on the BlackBerry 10 platform. For the uninitiated, Remember The Milk offers a ton of features that other to-do lists just can't accomplish. It's pretty much a to-do list that knows no bounds when it comes to helping you get organized. The app is free to download and free to use with an account, so let's look at short list of the features:

• Manage tasks quickly and easily - An intuitive interface makes managing tasks fun. Set due dates easily with next Friday or in 2 weeks. Extensive keyboard shortcuts make task management quicker than ever.
• Organize the way you want to - Are you a list lover? Create as many lists as you need. Into tagging? Use the task cloud to easily see what you have to do. Want to store notes along with your tasks? You can do that too.
• Plan your time - See what's due today and tomorrow, and the things you've missed. Prioritize, estimate your time, and postpone with ease. Set tasks to repeat every week or after 2 months.
• Work together to get things done - Share, send and publish tasks and lists with your contacts or the world. Remind your significant other to do their household chores.
• Locate your tasks - Use the map to see where your tasks are located in the real world. See what's nearby or on your way, and plan the best way to get things done.

For free accounts, syncing of tasks and notes only occurs once every 24 hours but there is a pro account to choose from that offers plenty more, should you find you need it. If you're worried about it being an Android port, don't be. Remember The Milk runs beautifully on BlackBerry 10 and through my initial testing, everything synced up nicely. I know there is plenty of folks out there who've been waiting for this app to arrive. Remember The Milk is available in all countries and is listed as being compatible for both the BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry Q10.
Learn more / Download Remember The Milk

Related articles

• Poynt for BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry has narrowed its list of potential bidders, aiming for a November sale

It’s known that BlackBerry is currently exploring several options that could lead the to Waterloo-based company down a road towards a  joint venture, strategic partnership, alliance, or a possible sale. To-date no company has stepped up and put a firm offer down. Competing manufacturers like Samsung have boldly stated that they’re not interested in acquiring BlackBerry.
However, the Wall Street Journal is reporting today that ‘people familiar with the matter’ say that BlackBerry is “aiming to run a fast auction process that could be wrapped up by November.” Apparently the special committee in charge of organizing BlackBerry’s next steps, which include CEO Thorsten Heins, have engaged in preliminary talks with interested parties and have “narrowed its list of potential bidders.” These unknown buyers are reportedly “interested in buying part or all of the company.”
BlackBerry has over 69 million BlackBerry subscribers and 60 million BBM subscribers – which the company is also considering splitting into a separate business. The report doesn’t mention who the companies are, or what price BlackBerry might be valued at. BlackBerry has a market cap of $5.91 billion and their stock closed today $11.28, up 4.93%.

Doodle Jump now available for BlackBerry 10

Everyone's favorite skyrocketing Q-Bert look alike has finally landed on BlackBerry 10. Doodle Jump is now available for BlackBerry 10 devices and brings along the fun.

If you haven't heard of Doodle Jump before, it's an overly addictive game where you have to jump up the graph paper from one platform to the next, avoiding black holes, bad guys, and other hazards that are in the way. Simply tilt your device to move and tap the screen to shoot - it couldn't be easier!

Features:

• Many fantastical worlds to play in
• Space, Jungle, Soccer, Underwater, Snow, Halloween, Ice, Easter, and now NINJA!!
• Awesome power-ups to pick-up (JET PACKs, PROPELLER HATS, ROCKETS, trampolines...)
• Trippy obstacles to avoid (UFOs, black holes, and many, many monstrous monsters)
• Mad platforms to jump on (Broken, moving, disappearing, shifting, EXPLODING…)
• Global leaderboards, fun achievements! Beat your friends' scores! 

Doodle Jump is $0.99 and is available for the Z10, Q10 and Q5.

More information/Download Doodle Jump

Leaked OS 2.1.0.1753 for the BlackBerry PlayBook

A new leaked OS has popped up today for the BlackBerry PlayBook. It was certainly unexpected but still very welcome. Most PlayBook users didn't expect a new OS I'm sure so anyone that is looking to tinker around a bit will want to give this one a go.

While this is a full OS there is nothing super new but it's said to have some speed improvements which is good to hear. The method for installing is the same of that for BB10 devices so you'll need to use a Windows PC to run the autoloader. Be sure to perform a full backup before you dive in and don't hold us responsible if anything breaks.