Just the other day, Electronic Arts took some of their best-selling iPad games and released them to the BlackBerry PlayBook, and today GameLoft has given us a few of theirs too. Gameloft has released 5 of their best selling games onto the BlackBerry PlayBook and today they delivered N.O.V.A 2 HD, Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD, Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus, Star Front: Collision HD, And Real Soccer 2011 HD. These games are running for $6.99 and are available for immediate download, just grab the links below and get your PlayBook to break a sweat.

• Download N.O.V.A 2 HD for the BlackBerry PlayBook

• Download Ashphalt 6: Adrenaline HD for the BlackBerry PlayBook

• Download Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus for the BlackBerry PlayBook

• Download Star Front: Collision HD for the BlackBerry PlayBook

• Download Real Soccer 2011 HD for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Looks like RIM is pushing the latest version of their Scrapbooking app for the PlayBook into App World. As usual, a change log has not been provided, but I’m sure they added a few more backgrounds and some new stickers to apply to your creations. Hit App Word on the PlayBook and see if the update is available for you.

• Get more info on the PlayBook Scrap Book application

If the few small bugs that have been popping up in FaceBook 2.0 for BlackBerry are starting to bug you don’t worry, RIM is working hard to squash them. FaceBook for BlackBerry has been updated to version 2.0.0.50 and brings along a small change log.

• Fixed a logout issue that some users were experiencing
• Fixed a bug that caused the device to freeze upon receiving a notification
• Disabled the default synchronization settings

So if you don’t see the update notification on your BlackBerry just yet, then hold in there as RIM pushes the update to all the App World servers.

• FaceBook for BlackBerry in BlackBerry App Wolrd

NFC is a technology that could really change the way we do everyday tasks like adding a new contact, pairing a Bluetooth device, or even making a payment. So, when a company like Isis teams up with major carriers and credit card companies, you know things are moving in the right direction, and fast. Yesterday RIM and Isis announced a joint partnership to work on the NFC standard and provide a solution that would allow consumers to use their mobile device as their credit card, a solution that would empower the consumer base of the world to make payments in store with just their mobile phone. You can take a look below at the press release for the full details about RIM’s partnership with Isis and how they are working to make NFC a widely used technology.

Press Release

New York – Sept. 27, 2011 – Isis, the joint venture between AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless, announced today that HTC, LG, Motorola Mobility, RIM, Samsung Mobile and Sony Ericsson will introduce NFC-enabled mobile devices that implement Isis’ NFC and technology standards. For consumers who have or purchase smartphones that are not NFC-enabled, Isis is working with DeviceFidelity to add NFC functionality to the mobile device, ensuring a wide range of consumer choice.

“Isis’ technology standards provide the direction and certainty needed for the development and deployment of NFC devices and the mobile commerce ecosystem,” said Scott Mulloy, chief technology officer, Isis. “Working together with the device makers and our founding mobile carriers, Isis can provide the consumer choice and scale necessary for widespread adoption of mobile commerce.”

(more…)

Looks as though Verizon Wireless won’t be passing up on the newest lineup of BlackBerry smartphones as an internal screen show of their training system has ousted the links for BlackBerry 7 training, mainly the Bold 9930. There is nothing for the Torch 9850 so could Verizon be passing up on the next full touch BlackBerry? I guess we’ll have to wait and see as things get closer to launch. At least we now know they intend to still offer BlackBerry devices and not shift to Android or iPhone completely, we all know they love their Droid.

Source: CrackBerry

BlackBerry Travel has only been out a few months and has already received quite a few updates. Today BlackBerry Travel is getting another incremental update. The new version is 1.0.384.99 and there is no change log included with this update. BB Travel is already a pretty amazing travel application, so this update is sure to only improve upon that experience. You can get BlackBerry Travel in App World at the link below.

• Download BlackBerry Travel

RIM acquired the development firm, tinyHippos, a few weeks ago and some fruit from that acquisition is already coming. There has just been a new beta release of the Ripple Emulator and this beta contains support for RIM’s WebWorks API’s. This means that developers can harness the full power of WebWorks while using the Ripple Emulator to create some pretty awesome applications. You can view all the details and download the Ripple emulator at the link below.

• Visit tinyHippos to check out and download the Ripple Emulator

Source: CrackBerry

BlackBerry Messenger v6.0.0.73 is now available for select users to download in the BlackBerry Beta Zone. BBM 6.0 build .73 brings some new features and support for both OS 5.0 and 6.0 devices. The redesigned user interface that we have seen previewed is not present in this build but is rumored to be coming soon. The changes included with this beta release are:

• Updated BBM branding
• More “snappy” and responsive feel
• Visual distinction of message drafts vs. sent messages
• Any alerts set for SMS contacts are now preserved in BBM once an SMS contact is integrated with BBM
• Invite a Text Messaging Contact — it’s now easier to search contacts
• Location Search — you can now search for a location before sending, similar to the Location Search experience via SMS
• Location Sending — you can now detect your location with cell tower triangulation or GPS
• Appointment Sending — sending appointment or calendar events is now a similar experience to that of sending an appointment via SMS

If you’re a Beta Zone member you can head on over to enroll in this BBM 6.0 program. If not, hit the link below to sign up for the BlackBerry Beta Zone and get access to the newest beta’s before the general public.

• Visit the BlackBerry Beta Zone

Source: CrackBerry

It looks as if the BlackBerry Bold Touch 9900 will be debuting sometime in the near future. The Bold 9900 has just received it’s WiFi certification and revealed a little more about itself to us. We now know that the new Bold Touch will just go by the name “Bold 9900.” This signals that RIM does not plan to differentiate the non-touchscreen devices from the touchscreen devices. This most likely means that all new BlackBerry models will feature a touchscreen for navigation. The Bold 9900 is certified for WIFI a,b,g, and n, and runs on dual-bands 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz. Things are looking good for the 9900 to get announced next week at BlackBerry World 2011. Who’s excited?

Source: PocketNow
Via: BBRocks

We have seen the PlayBook launch and have gotten through the list of both good and bad that come with it. Now it’s time to shift our focus back to the roots of BlackBerry, the smartphone. We have seen leaked roadmaps for the 2011 BlackBerry smartphones with estimated launch timeframes, but now we have a credible launch date for one of these new phones.

TmoNews is reporting that the BlackBerry Monza, also going by Touch 9860, may be slated for a launch on T-Mobile on June 29th. This is only a rumor at this point but it lines up well with the information on the leaked roadmap showing the Touch releasing in June or July. With BlackBerry World happening next week, we can expect to hear more about all of the 2011 BlackBerry devices and maybe even a launch date or two. We will be live from Orlando bringing you all the info straight from BlackBerry World 2011.

Source: TmoNews
Via: CrackBerry

The popular case manufacturer, Case-Mate, has started shipping cases for the BlackBerry PlayBook. They currently have two cases to choose from, either the popular, Barely There case or the PlayBook Pop! case. The Barely There case is a lightweight, skin case that offers good protection while leaving full access to all ports. The Pop! case offers a bit more protection for you PlayBook. the Pop! case is constructed from both plastic and rubber to give your PlayBook a high level of protection. The Barely There case is available for $34.99 and Pop! case is $39.99. If you’re looking for a high quality PlayBook case, give Case-Mate a try.

• Check out BlackBerry PlayBook cases from Case-Mate

RIM has now added the Test Center to the category list in App World on the PlayBook. What does this mean for you? It means that you will soon have access to some BlackBerry PlayBook applications that are in public beta. With many apps missing from the PlayBook at launch, including Facebook and Twitter, it would make sense that these apps would be in beta soon. With the addition of the Test Center to App World you can now download and provide feedback to RIM on these beta apps. While there is only one app currently in the Test Center, we can expect it to begin filling up very soon.

Source: N4BB

After the PlayBook launched Tuesday morning and people began to fire up App World, there was a lot of disappointment in the air. People were expecting the PlayBook to have access to both Android and BlackBerry OS apps. Now, this is something that we have discussed before and we think RIM has done a pretty good job of making clear up to this point. With all the questions and negative feedback that RIM has been getting about apps for the PlayBook, they have released a post on the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog detailing apps for the PlayBook.

The article goes into much more detail, but I want to summarize the points for you here. First, RIM really wants you to build PlayBook-specific apps using either WebWorks or Adobe AIR. That’s the preferred method and quite frankly, the only method, until app players come later this year. Next is the question of Android apps on the PlayBook. To clarify a question that I have already been asked numerous times. No, the Android Market will not be available on the PlayBook!!! Android developers will have to repackage their existing Android apps to meet RIM’s specifications and then those apps will be submitted and distributed through App World. These “Android” apps will play through the “Android App Player” that RIM plans to release this summer.

And lastly, concerning existing BlackBerry apps for OS 5.0 and 6.0. These applications will have to be submitted to RIM for distribution through App World on the PlayBook. These apps will have to be repackaged to meet the requirements for PlayBook distribution. The “BlackBerry App Player” will be available, as quoted by RIM, “later in the year.” So, right now the list of available apps on the PlayBook is small. As more developers begin to work with both WebWorks and Adobe AIR, the number of apps will grow. Then when summer rolls around and Android developers can begin submitting their apps, App World will grow some more. And when “later this year” finally comes around, App World for PlayBook will grow even more with native BlackBerry apps. It’s just going to take time. You don’t think that when Apple started the App Store it had 300,000 apps, do you?

• Check out the Q&A at Inside BlackBerry Developer’s Blog

Source: Inside BB DevBlog

iFixit has brought it’s ever-popular teardown magic to the BlackBerry PlayBook. For those that don’t know, iFixit provides comprehensive teardowns of the top tech gadgets so that you can fix your device without having to take it in and pay a premium for repair. They tore the PlayBook down to the wires and concluded that the device isin’t too bad of a repair job. Using their repairability scale from 1-10, with 10 being easiest to repair, the PlayBook received a 7. The PlayBook breaks down nicely with all the components staying nicely attached to the central circuit board, so if you want to do a battery or screen replacement, you can repair the PlayBook relatively easily. You can view the full teardown over at iFixit.

• BlackBerry PlayBook teardown at iFixit

RIM has let us know that both WebWorks SDK 2.0 and the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR have both been updated and are available to the public. First, the WebWorks SDK version 2.0. With the release of WebWorks 2.0, Javascript API’s are now separate from the OS, which allows developers to easily access and modify the use of API’s in their applications. The SDK’s are now open sourced and available on GitHub for all to use. Version 2.0 is now the official version that developers should use for PlayBook and smartphone apps.

Next is the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR. This SDK has now been upgraded from beta to the official release version 1.0. This release includes:

• Special APIs for the BlackBerry PlayBook Plugins for Adobe Flash Builder
• A BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Simulator
• A Getting Started Guide

These new updates will give developers even better tools to develop for both the BlackBerry PlayBook and smartphones. If you’re a developer, or just want to take a look at these new SDK’s, you can get them at the links below.

• Download the WebWorks SDK for Tablet OS
• Download the WebWorks SDK for Smartphones
• Download the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR