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PlayBook Gmail Multiple Calendars

Back in February, I showed you how to add multiple Gmail calendars to your BlackBerry PlayBook. I've gotten a few requests since then on how to remove them so I thought I'd share the solution.

The process itself actually only takes a minute or two and is quite easy. If you do not still have the User Agent Switcher Add-On installed on your computer, you'll need to reinstall it to make this work. You'll follow some of the same instructions as in the previous post. The trick comes in once you've unchecked all the calendars you no longer want. Keep reading to see how to remove those unwanted calendars once and for all.

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Sand Slides for the BlackBerry PlayBook is now FREE!

 
[ youtube link for mobile viewing ]

We first took a look at Sand Slides by Logik State last December. While watching the video, the game itself looked pretty easy but trust me, it's not. Check out the link to Alicia's review for the full details and features but the basic gist of the game is to get the colored grains of sand to fall into the appropriate color-coded silo crates at the bottom. You can do this by drawing lines on the playing field to guide them to the correct silo crate. The catch and difficulty level come into play with only being able to draw a limited number of lines and each silo is time sensitive. If you accidentally get the wrong color grains into an incorrect silo crate, the grains counter at the top will decrease. The game is over when the counter hits zero.

There isn’t a way to pause the game right now so be prepared to completely ignore the rest of the world when you’re on a roll. In fact, the only addition I could see to make this game even better would be a way to pause the game (possibly a swipe down from the top bezel can be implemented). Sand Slides has been a popular game on the iOS platform and now I can see why. This is a great addition to my BlackBerry PlayBook game collection.

Right now Sand Slides can be downloaded from App World for FREE (regular price is $1.99) so if you've been waiting to give it a try, now's the time to jump on it. Since the game’s release date back in November of last year, it’s received nothing but 4 or 5 stars from those who have played it. If you’ve already tried the game, leave a few tips or comments for our readers in the comment section below!

For more information / download Sand Slides

Home Screen Notes

Adam covered Home Screen Notes last year and I’ve been in love with it ever since. With this app on your BlackBerry, you’ll never forget to pick up the dry cleaning again!

Home Screen Notes has since been updated with several of the most user requested additions. It's great to see app developers listening to their users' feedback and implementing some of the suggestions.

Home Screen Notes is now at version 3.0 with the following additions and fixes:

  • Added option to remove the red pin from the note
  • Added note transparency options
  • Added ability to create template notes
  • Touch ups to create note screen
  • Optimizations to internal note posting routines
  • Other misc bug fixes

I'm a forgetful person by nature so it's not uncommon for me to leave little sticky notes on the fridge, in my car and my laptop (not to mention lipstick messages on the bathroom mirror) just to jog my memory about somewhere I need to be or an item I need to grab from the store. This app is also great for leaving little reminders on your spouse's BlackBerry about a certain birthday that is rapidly approaching (I've decided to turn 29 for the 5th time). I personally have been using it on my BlackBerry to count down the days till our family vacation back home to California. It's cute to see my 5 year old pick up my phone and get all excited because there is only 3 days left till she gets to see Shamu.

If you haven't had the chance to check this app out, you should head on over to App World and grab it now.  It's available for $1.99 and just tell yourself that you'll be saving yourself time and money (not to mention headaches from significant other's nagging) by remembering those little errands on your way home.

For more information / purchase Home Screen Notes


Need to send out last minute party invites? Forgot to get that birthday card in the mail? No problem when you have j4funzies. This fun application allows you to send cool animated (or non-animated) greetings to your friends and family from your BlackBerry device (OS 5 or higher). The app itself is FREE and the greetings range from FREE to $1.99. There are numerous holidays, special event greetings and everyday type sentiments.

Features

  • Send greetings via SMS, email or PIN
  • Holidays, Personal Occasions, Casual and Invitation greetings with more added all the time
  • Both animated and non-animated greetings available

Make someone's day by sending them an animated greeting with j4funzies. I’ve used j4funzies to send birthday party invitations, a few Mother’s Day greetings as well as random little notes to my kids and husband. It's a great way to send a short note just to let someone know you're thinking of them.

For more information / download j4funzies

"The Dicota Lid Cradle protects both the back and the front of your device while keeping a professional image."

In Short:
"Tight fitting case with a flip top lid to protect the front of your device."
Should I Buy?
"If you keep your device in your pocket, this is a great case to have."
BUY NOW

Dicota Lid Cradle

I'm a huge fan of Dicota and all their Built for BlackBerry accessories. I've shown off several of their cases and have never had any qualms about recommending them to anyone. The quality of Dicota's products are phenomenal. The Lid Cradle for the BlackBerry 9900/30 is no exception. It provides great protection for both the front and back of the device as well as covering all sides and buttons.

Read Full Review

Mother's Day Gift Guide for the BlackBerry mom

 

CrackBerry's guide to the best tech gifts for the BlackBerry loving mom!

Mother's Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner (for those who may have forgotten -- it’s this Sunday, the 13th) and I’m sure some of you are wondering what to get your wonderful BlackBerry toting, tech-loving mother or spouse.

Flowers, candy and spa trips are nice, but other CrackBerry moms like me would also love something new for our most loved addiction accessory. Here’s a list of a few great gift ideas for that one remarkable woman who will always love you no matter how many slushies you spill in her car. I decided to break the ideas into several “mom type” categories just to make finding the right gift even easier. Keep reading for our full list of tech gifts for mom!

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Slacker has the música to rock your Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

 
Slacker Cinco de Mayo

Start your Cinco de Mayo celebration off the right way with some of Slacker Radio's latin infused music stations. Whether you're cooking before the party starts off or chilling with a cool cerveza in your hand out back, these salsa beats are sure to get you in the mood to celebrate!

These stations and more can be found in Slacker's "Latin" station category. Listeners can tune in for FREE anywhere that Slacker is available.

More information / download Slacker Radio

"The Dicota TabCover for the BlackBerry PlayBook is the perfect protection for those who are on the go."

In Short:
"Slim soft case that protects your device from the dust and scratches."
Should I Buy?
"Definitely great for those who are simply wanting to slip their device in and go."
Buy now

Dicota Tab Cover

The Dicota PlayBook TabCover is a great option for those who don't use a case on their device but still want some form of protection for it. The TabCover is a padded sleeve that protects your device from bumps, scratches and dust. Its velcro closure makes sure your PlayBook isn't going anywhere. Slide your PlayBook inside, close the flap, and toss it in your laptop bag or backpack with confidence.

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Create havoc and destruction on your PlayBook with Burn the city

 
Burn the City

Every few days my youngest brings me my PlayBook and asks me to find her a new game. We spend quite a bit of time searching through App World and yesterday, I found a gem called Burn the City by Union. We've covered their Super Crossfire HD and Air Attack here on the blogs and both great games. Similar to Angry Farm and Angry Birds, the objective is to create destruction on a massive scale by flinging fireballs at entire cities. Burn the City, while not as fast paced as the other two, is a great addition to your PlayBook. Keep reading for all the details!

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Advance OS and LED Advance OS and LED screen

Advance OS and LED has been covered here on the blogs by both myself and Adam. When a FREE app comes along that offers a whole slew of features that are beneficial to any BlackBerry user, we here at CrackBerry get super excited. As of today, Advance OS and LED has been updated to v 12.0.3. This latest update adds even more useful features to my already favorite BlackBerry application!

Features included in update:

  • Added Contacts Manager feature to export to (excel & Gmail & MS outlook), merge duplicate contacts, backup and restore all contacts with their photos, move contacts to default list.
  • Added homescreen multi-wallpaper feature, to change your background picture every time you turn the screen on.
  • Redesigned add new numbers feature much easier (no more copy and paste).
  • Added convenience side key action in ilaunch custom actions, for launching multiple custom actions at once.
  • You can now change the spacebar homescreen shortcut key to other keys.
  • App now supports all contact lists, not just the default one.
  • Improved Custom App LED capturing by providing more information when customizing new apps LED.
  • LED Mode will always be mutli-led.
  • Added option to send app backup to email account directly after taking a backup.
  • Also a few small changes, like battery and speed improvements as well, bbm popup has been optimized and small bug fixes 

This application is worth its weight in gold yet the developer has made it available for FREE and has stated that the app will stay that way regardless of update improvements. I've actually deleted several paid apps from my BlackBerry because this one does the job of all of them so much better. If you'd like to see what others are saying about Advance OS and LED, head on over to the forum discussion here.

For more information / download Advance OS and LED

EmergencyLink provides peace of mind during crisis situations

 
EmergencyLink

Imagine these scenarios: you’ve been in a car accident and knocked unconscious, you've been carjacked with your small child still in the car, or you receive a phone call that a friend has been hurt and the police can’t reach anyone else and they need information. With EmergencyLink on your BlackBerry, you have it all covered.

EmergencyLink is an application that helps you, your family and friends access important information during a crisis. This free application keeps your personal information secure while having it readily available when needed. EmergencyLink allows you store all your important medical and personal information right on your device so it’s there when you need it most. With a 24 hour response center, EmergencyLink is always there. You can easily setup your free account online and it will sync with your BlackBerry or vice versa.

How the service works:

  • Organize and store all your important information on the website or your Blackberry
  • Members are issued ID cards as well as a screen saver (you do not have to enable it) for their device that informs emergency and medical personnel to call EmergencyLink in an emergency
  • EmergencyLink will provide emergency personnel with all the important medical information needed and will call your emergency contacts to inform them of the situation

Other Features:

  • EmergencyLink allows you to securely share their information among family and friends via their website or the BlackBerry application
  • Take pictures of important documents (Driver’s License, Insurance Cards) and store them on EmergencyLink
  • Two-way sync between the EmergencyLink website and your BlackBerry device
  • BlackBerry users of EmergencyLink have the added option of a screensaver to inform first responders that they are an EmergencyLink member

As a mother of three, one of which is of legal driving age, I constantly worry when they are out of my site. With all our information on EmergencyLink and shared between those who matter most, I no longer have to worry as much. If my mom has my children and there is an accident, she has access to their medical information at the click of a button. This is a great application that is easy to setup and provides peace of mind that those who need the information in an emergency, have it at their disposal.

For more information / download EmergencyLink

EDIT: For those concerned about cost and the selling of their information, the website states "We will not sell or rent your information to third-parties, for any purpose. In the future we hope to present you with “offers” from insurance, financial and other companies that we believe you may benefit from. The offers will be completely optional and you will have no have no obligation to participate. These companies will pay EmergencyLink to present these offers to you and we will present them to you in the form of a monthly email from EmergencyLink. You will have the opportunity to opt out from such offer emails and it is through these emails that we are able to offer you EmergencyLink as a FREE service."

XIMAD's Epic Sale

Once in a while a sale comes along that can only be described as Epic and today, that sale is here! XIMAD has just released a bunch of their games on sale for less than a dollar ($0.99). Many of these games are for various BlackBerry devices as well as a few for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Several of XIMAD’s games have been covered here on the blogs and can be seen here. Over 12 different games are available ranging from shooters to brain teasers. There is sure to be a game for everyone! Keep reading after the break to see all the games on sale.

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Where's Wally Now

Remember trying to find that distinctive striped red and white sweater clad character in those books from your childhood? Well now you can search for him on your BlackBerry! Gameloft has released a version called Where's Wally Now that is very similar to the Where's Waldo books and games we had when we were younger. Follow Wally through the past and explore the future through entertaining search and find levels.

Features

  • Quick Play Mode 
  • Adventure
  • Mini Games
  • Bonus Items

This is a great time waster when sitting on the train or waiting in line and at only $1.99, you aren't breaking the bank. The graphics are nice but it can be a bit hard to see some of the items you're searching for on the 9930's screen size. This is much better on the larger screen devices. I found the sound a bit distracting but you do have the option to turn it off. Where's Wally Now is available in App World for most BlackBerry devices running OS 4.5 or higher.

For more information / purchase Where's Wally Now

 

Auto Forum for the BlackBerry Playbook puts you under the hood

 
Auto Forum

Auto Forum is exactly what it says, an app for your BlackBerry PlayBook that gives you access to a website for those who have a passion for automobiles. What makes this app (and the website) unique is that it was created by a 16 year old.

Steven was introduced to the world of automobiles at the young age of 10 and was hooked. When his dad got his first BlackBerry, Steven of course turned to CrackBerry for all the latest news, leaks and such (no lie, he told me so himself). As his interest in both mobile and automobile technology grew, Steven decided to create a website called Auto Forum, where others could go to share his passion. The site was built with the intention of having an app to accompany it but Steven admits the process was long and a bit more difficult than he anticipated, everything taking ten times longer than expected. As of February 2012, Steven's app for his Auto Forum website finally came to fruition.

Auto Forum App Features:

  • Ask Questions and Get Answers
  • Attach YouTube Videos into your posts
  • Upload Images Into Your Post

The free app is available for the BlackBerry PlayBook in App World. If you share Steven's passion for automobiles, head on over to App World and download the Auto Forum app today. Even if you aren't a huge fan of cars, pop on over to the website just to take a look at what the future generation can do. It's great to see other teenagers like my oldest using BlackBerrys instead of following the crowd.

For more information / download Auto Forum

CAMultimate

CAMultimate by Prettyfang is an application that is basically designed as an all-inclusive UI for your BlackBerry camera. There are several apps out there that can ramp up those pictures but none with as many options available in CAMultimate. You’ll be creating your own Ansel Adams like masterpieces in no time!

I'm not big on taking pictures with my BlackBerry device aside from the candid shots of little girl when we're out and about. Since I installed CAMultimate I've become the paparrazzi in our family. A really cool function built in the burst feature is that it takes 3 camera shots in succession. This really comes in handy with my active 4 year old who is always on the go and constantly fidgets. A cool feature I found is that I can take a normal photo and then apply any effect I want at anytime, or just choose an effect I like and my next photo will have that effect applied automatically! This app is so much fun to use that you'll find yourself taking pics just to pay around with the special effects. Hit the break for more information about the app and how to win a copy for yourself!

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