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BlackBerry Q5 handset becomes reality at BlackBerry Live

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Here at BlackBerry Live 2013, the long-rumored BlackBerry Q5 handset became legitimate. The midrange device will sport a design reminiscent of the old Curve models but use materials less pricey than what's in the current Q10 flagship.

That means the BlackBerry Q5 boasts a full QWERTY keyboard but won't sport the premium keys you'll find on the Q10. Instead, the Q5's buttons are flatter and more bubbly, not chiseled typing surfaces expertly angled for message-punching perfection.

Indeed, when I was able to spend some time with the Q5 after BlackBerry Live's keynote … Read more

BlackBerry Live by the numbers: 120,000 apps available

ORLANDO, Fla. -- BlackBerry needs to convince developers that they aren't wasting their time working on its platform.

So what better way to state its case than by throwing out a few impressive statistics? BlackBerry spent the better part of Tuesday morning during its BlackBerry Live conference attempting to drum up support and enthusiasm for its platform.

Oh, and the venerable handset maker also used the occasion to unveil its BlackBerry Q5 phone, a device intended for emerging markets that will arrive sometime this summer.

Here are the highlights from BlackBerry on how well it's doing:

Number of … Read more

BlackBerry Q5 debuts with budget buyers in mind

ORLANDO, Fla. -- BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins on Tuesday unveiled the BlackBerry Q5, a budget phone designed for emerging markets.

The phone will launch in the summer around the world, Heins said during its BlackBerry Live conference here today. The company said in a blog post that the Q5 would launch as early as July in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. There's no word on pricing yet.

Taking a cue from other handset vendors, BlackBerry will offer the device in multiple colors, including black, white, red, and pink.

BlackBerry was widely expected to unveil a … Read more

Review: Capture your audio with RecordIt Lite

The iPhone has a perfectly functional, but generally very sterile audio recorder. It works well for what the device is designed for--taking quick notes-- but it's not necessarily a good browsing or sharing tool. So RecordIt Lite offers a more user-friendly design and some additional features to make the process of recording audio and sharing those recordings easier. The free version, however, does little to differentiate itself from Apple's recorder, making it a judgment call on whether you want to change.

The app is simply designed to look much like other Apple apps--with the notepad feel of many … Read more

Review: Replace your background theme with Pimp Your Theme

There are thousands of resources to replace the background images on your iPhone, from apps to Web sites to your own photos. However, if you want to create a thematic look on your device, the easiest way to do so is with a tool like Pimp Your Theme. Providing a collection of different background and lock screen backgrounds, easy installation, and sharing features, this is a very good app for someone that wants a change for their device's background.

Pimp Your Theme offers a fairly simple solution when looking for new background or lock screen images for your phone. … Read more

Review: Store files in the cloud with CX

One of the biggest weaknesses of the iPad and iPhone platform is the lack of storage that most entry-level devices have. You'll almost certainly need a cloud solution to ensure you can store as many files as possible for future access, especially if you use either device as a work tool. That said, there are quite a few cloud storage options. So what makes CX a viable alternative and should you consider it over Dropbox, Box.net, iCloud, or any of the others?

When you open CX for the first time, you'll find a quick tutorial showing you … Read more

Review: Test your pop culture savvy with What's the Icon?

Our culture is filled with memorable, generation-defining icons, whether a logo from a popular company or a face from a classic TV show or comic book. It is with that in mind that you will play What's the Icon?, a game of memory or pop culture savvy that asks you to recognize the characters, logos, and silhouettes of the past and present.

The app has few menus but dives right into the action with level after level of icons and graphics that you must guess the names of. For each icon, there is a hangman-style letter guessing game in … Read more

Review: YouTube Capture lets you create videos with your iOS devices

There are a handful of apps on the App Store that provide enhancements to the relatively lackluster recording tools included in iOS 6 for the iPhone and iPad. None of them, however, were created by the owner of the world's largest video depository--Google--until now. YouTube Capture is Google's first integration of YouTube-friendly recording, editing, and uploading tools with the iOS platform. In many ways, it is a much-needed upgrade over the existing tools of the Camera app, but is it worth replacing Apple's built in tools altogether?

When you first open YouTube Capture you are asked to … Read more

The Audiophiliac picks the best speakers under $650

I've said it many times: the very best audio is frighteningly expensive, and so are the world's best cars, cameras, clothing, boats, and so forth. The good news is there are really pretty spectacular finds at the other end of the audio rainbow. I love it when I come across an over-performing budget-priced speaker, and lately, I've found quite a few. Here's a newly revised list of standout designs.

Since this list covers a broad range of speaker types, there's no ranking order; each one is exceptional in its own right. I have spent time … Read more