Oct 08

BlackBerry Applications - The Revenge

We all know that Apple still has a bunch of iPhone 3G problems left to deal with, even after the latest iPhone software update. One of the smartest moves Apple decided to make was the release of the software market companion for the iPhone, namely the App Store. Disregarding what seems to be a little bit of dictatorship, when it comes to programs admission and removal, the App Store is a great way of pushing forward to consumers the iPod Touch, the iPhone, and - most of all - those countless applications for them. So far, so good, but have you ever thought that the BlackBerry won't have its revenge? Cute, but WRONG!

The time for BlackBerry applications to have their own marketplace has come, at the same time with the release of the BlackBerry Storm, also known as the 9500. Revealed by Vodafone UK, this is a new kick in the back of Apple's iPhone, featuring a bunch of improvements to the capabilities present in the iPhone, such as push email, a 3.2MP camera with autofocus and flash, a screen with "click" feedback to simulate button touches, and removables that include a battery(removable battery, yes, removable battery!) as well as support for memory cards up to 16GB!

When talking about BlackBerry applications, it all starts with the OS, now having an option to copy and paste text(hey, Apple, see that?), while the full HTML browser shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Having a marketplace for BlackBerry applications, although not something out of this world, was "a must," after seeing Apple's App Store and Google's Android Market coming to life.

The interesting part about the BlackBerry Application Center is that carriers will filter the apps visible in the portal for their customers, and not the producer of the handset, as it happens with the App Store, for example.

The Application Center is expected to become operational next month and, with its help, we'll have a more competitive mobile applications market. Anyway, all in all, I would still choose a Google Android-phone over the iPhone or the BlackBerry...