While waiting to pick my son up from pre-school, I noticed that a parent standing next to me had a new BlackBerry Torch. I asked her how she liked it and she basically told me that she hated technology and that the only reason that she had a smartphone was because her husband bought it for her. As I talked to this parent, I began to realize that she didn’t hate technology, nor, did she hate the BlackBerry Torch. She was just frustrated by the fact that she had an expensive phone that did bunch of stuff that she would never do nor did she ever see herself doing the stuff that “smart phones” do.
This conversation really illustrated for me that with the massive influx of consumers picking up their first smartphone, perceptions about what is “cool” about smartphones are shifting away from what corporate users and gadget geeks think are cool. I’m sure this parent’s husband told her all the stuff that he likes about the BlackBerry, but, unfortunately, none of those “cool” things were applicable to how his wife would interact with her new BlackBerry Torch.
As we continued our conversation, I tried to think of applications that this novice smartphone user might find interesting. I noticed that she had four or five reward card bar code tags hanging off of her key chain, so, I showed her CardStar which I had running on my device… To make a long story short, I had to show her and another parent with a BlackBerry Curve how to install this application on their devices.
Of course, they both asked about other applications that they should install, so, I figured that would repeat the question here. What applications should new smartphone user install on their BlackBerry?
BerryBuzz, Google Maps and Pandora are must haves. UberTwitter and Facebook if you use those services.
I have a number on my torch that I dont leave home without.
Socialscope – every facebook / twitter addict should have this
Linkedin – for the professional person
Drivesafe.ly – every driver who wants to use their phone should have this free app installed.
Wordpress – for the Blogger (anyone can be)
Google Mobile App – voice activated search including images, maps well everything
Facebook – speaks for itself
Capture It – when it goes wrong you need to show people, so a screen capture program is a must
Google Maps – because you get better results
Waze – fun and navigation branching into social networking
The best one I have is SmrtGuard and I recommend this for everyone.
It is without doubt the best app out there.(Until BlackBerry Protect is released anyway)
I would recomend QuickLaunch, Opera Mini and BatteryEx…
If you like to listen to radio iheartradio and flycast are good ones. Flycast is recommended for a higher end bb cuz it is a big program, but what I like about it is you can listen to radio on delay. So if you listen to a radio show and miss the first hour or something, you can listen to the previous hour, and then skip through commercials also!
Mi q is nice too, it lets you back up photos, contacts, videos etc. and restore them if you ever need to. And my last suggestion is blackberry traffic, you can put in any address and it will route you from your current location, and bypass closed roads too.
MUST HAVE apps for any new Blackberry User. In no particular order however, the number will be my rating 0-5; 5 being most liked & used.
YouVersion Bible app: 5
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011: EA Sports from BPlay: 5
Weather Bug/Weather Channel: both work great: 5
Facebook/Twitter: 5
UberTwitter: 5
Or if you want ONE app you can post on both FB & Twitter
HootSuite: 5: One post to both networks
Poynt: 5 great for travelers: searches from where you are
Dictionary.com: 5
Capture It: 5
Reset: 4
Add To Calendar: 5: love this app. Where ever your at; sms/mms/email/contacts/phone log. Easily set a reminder for either Task or Calendar event!
Smart Guard: 10
Drivesafe.ly/Caller ID Reader(same Company: 10
Emergency Info-I. C. E. :10 great app for if you are ever in a accident, and can’t talk. They can pull a card out of your wallet & either have the info on a card or on this app on your BB.
Google App/Maps/Voice: 5. Google Voice give you transcribed of voice message. WAY COOL!
Youmail: 5. Just click twice & listen & you can pay a monthly/annual fee for unlimited transcriptions sms/emails
n Range Golf GPS app: 4
Tether: 5
Have kids, Super Baby Go!! Is a great app for alphabets in multiple languages
I know I haven’t mentioned all of them…love me some free apps. Some I did pay for. But with my BB 8310 not a lot of memory, so I have a lot backed up on Blackberry Desktop Manager
Can’t wait until I can afford the Torch…super duper fast & slick!
Love what you do! Long live Blackberry!!
Geoff
Does anybody know where I can download those apps? Please.
@Heinrich~Blackberry App World is the main place; Google for its own products & app downloads.
Have fun creating your personalized Blackberry 😉
Thanks Geoff, but all the good apps on BB App World is not for free. Where can I get those apps for free?
@Heinrich~S4BB limited is a good place; GetJar.com; Crackberry.com has a Free App section; BBgeeks. If you like free ringtones. Phonezoo.com is a cool place to go for free ringtones & its free to set up an account. Sometimes I just Google search: free blackberry apps ota links. Or free blackberry apps. Most of my apss from App World have been for free.
Pay for apps include: Tether; Tiger Woods; WeatherBug Pro and some others I just can’t remember right now. Although, App World like Cracberry.com has a Free App section.
Get creative looking & searching for free apps. They are out there to be downloaded.
Love What You Do! Go Blackberry & Texas 😉
Geoff
Thanks Geoff – I’m in Cape Town, South Africa
Besides requesting a download, is there any other way to get socialscope. I followed them on twitter & facebook and still haven’t got a response after 2 months.