Category: Apps

The greatly struggling smartphone manufacturer has now unveiled its BBM for iPhone and Android users.

As the company had been indicating for some time, BlackBerry has now announced that its dedicated BBM messenger service apps are now available to Android and iPhone users very soon.

The BlackBerry Messenger service have now become available for sale on the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

This means that the apps for BlackBerry Messenger will no longer be exclusively available to users of the devices from that manufacturer. They are now available for free for the devices based on the operating systems of the leaders of the smartphone market, Android and iOS.

These free apps becoming available for Android and iPhone are only one of many recent announcements from the company.

The unveiling of the apps for other smartphones came directly after the company launched yet another smartphone device into the marketplace. It also revealed that it would be laying off 4,500 employees, as the company flounders in losses from a lack of sales.

These messenger apps allow smartphone users to be able to share information and chat with up to 30 different users within a single conversation. It also uses a unique PIN to ensure that the users’ privacy will remain secure. That number is not just a password for signing into the program. Instead, it can be used to boost security when deciding whether or not contact information and other data should be shared with the other people who are involved within the conversations.

As BlackBerry takes these steps into the iOS and Android marketplaces, it is leading many people to speculate with regards to whether or not this is a last ditch effort from the company to attempt to compete in yet another marketplace. The messenger service apps market is already swamped with competition, with leaders that have already established themselves, including WeChat, WhatsApp, and Line.

The BBM apps became available to Android smartphones over Google Play download as of September 21, and iPhone users started downloading from the App Store starting on September 22. The number of downloaders and users has yet to be seen.

Oh, I just love carrying around 40-pounds worth of cookbooks while I commute to and from work…said no one ever. Sure, print cookbooks are great, nothing can beat those large glossy photos and full-page ingredient lists, but they’re not the most practical reference guide when you have 10 minutes between work and the grocery store to figure out what’s for dinner tonight. Cooking apps to the rescue! With wireless Internet for tablets and other hand-held devices, cooking apps are like having a professional chef helping you in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Mario Batali Cooks

This app for regional Italian cuisine includes 63 of Batali’s most popular recipes, plus tons of videos on basic kitchen techniques. Batali is credited with creating 100 percent of the content himself. So if you ever wanted to take personal cooking lessons with a celebrity chef, the Mario Batali Cooks app gets you pretty darn close. The app features the ability to browse recipes according to prep-time, season, Italian region or kid-friendliness. Wine pairings and full images are included with every recipe. The cost of the app is $9.99, and it’s compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Android.

Simply Organic Recipe Application

The Simply Organic app contains more than 1,400 recipes that feature organic foods. Search the database by ease of preparation, name, time or your personal ratings. With a single finger tap you can view a complete ingredient list, nutritional facts, chef suggestions and step-by-step instructions. Download the app for free on your iPad.

iCookbook

As the winner of the 2012 and 2013 Appy Awards, among many other prestigious tech awards, it’s safe to say iCookbook is “The Joy of Cooking” for a new generation. It’s made to appeal to everyday cooks who are preparing meals for families and want easy, delicious, healthful, budget-friendly recipes. iCookbook includes more than 2,000 recipes with new recipes available every month for free. The Meal Builder feature allows you to drag and drop recipes to create your own meals, and you can save all your favorites in My Recipe Box for easy access. This app is available on Windows 8, Android and Apple products — all for $4.99.

Grub Hub

Okay, it’s not technically a cooking app, but who wants to cook every night? With Grub Hub and the Internet, you can have a tasty meal delivered to your door any night of the week wherever you are. This clever app was invented by two hungry friends who were no doubt tired of sifting through junk drawer menus and racking their brains trying to remember the answer to the age old question: “Who delivers?” The Grub Hub site explains how easy to use their app really is: Enter your address, and the app lists all of the local restaurants that deliver. After ordering, you can track the progress of your dinner and even change your order if you’re quick enough. The app is free to use, and the site’s secure, meaning you don’t have to worry about paying with a credit card. Grub Hub is compatible with Apple products including iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Diana Baird

Diana is a nutritionist from Connecticut. When she’s not helping clients with dietary advice, she writes health and fitness articles for various blogs.