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Hey! I love your blog! I just bought the Pearl 8130 with Verizon service. Do you know any software/application that will allow me to watch videos? Youtube perhaps? I wanted to watch some news clips, random video clips, but I keep getting the message to install the new flash player… when I try doing that, the blackberry browser won’t even let me click “Install” for the flash player.

Any solutions?

Is there an app (browser) that allows me to watch videos online? Perhaps youtube, etc? Or is there a trick to solving this problem? I cannot view any videos on my blackberry browser.
Thank you.

Marc,
As far as I know, there has been no media player written for the BlackBerry OS that will play .swf (Flash) or .wmv (Windows Media) files online. There are some sites that claim to work with the Blackberry, such as m.youtube.com, blueapple.mobi, and tinytube.net. However, my experience with them has not been satisfying. I expect this situation will improve in time.
Kelly

When you load an application, is it saved on the 64MB Flash Memory, or on you micro SD card? Where in the menu do you find how much memory is all your applications using? Also, if you accidently delete a preloaded software on your Blackberry Pearl 8130, how do you get the application back?

Adele,
Applications reside only in the BlackBerry’s system memory, not on the micro SD card. I wish that were different, but it’s not.

I don’t know of a menu option that tells you how much memory your apps are using. The BlackBerry Desktop Manager can tell you how large the application is (how much memory is needed to store the app). What you’re asking for is like Windows Task Manager–that would be very useful on a BlackBerry. I’ll research this more when I get more time.

If you use the BlackBerry Desktop Manager to remove (delete) an application, you can restore it later using that same program. If you delete it using the handset itself, I don’t know of a way you can restore just the app you deleted. You might have to restore the entire operating system (something I’ve not had to do, so I can’t give details). If you’ve already deleted something and feel it was a terrible mistake, I’d consider using the aforementioned Desktop Manager to backup all my BlackBerry data, get your wireless provider’s technical support (or your corporate technical support if that’s the case) to restore the phone to its orginal state, then restore the backed up data.

Now, if you don’t know what the BlackBerry Desktop Manager and its associated Device program are, ask me, or search for that topic in my other posts. It’s an essential tool you shouldn’t go without.

I hope that helps. Check back later to see if I’ve found anything new on this. The issue of memory seems to come up often.
Kelly

I just wanted to leave an update on what I found out after calling the Verizon Wireless technical support. They said to restore your preloaded software, I would go into Options/Security Options/General Settings. In General Setting, hit main menu and you will see “Wipe Handheld”. According to tech support, all preloaded software is saved on the handset and to prove it, go to Options/Status, and you will see the amount of free file on the device memory. I know that my blackberry has 64MB, but yet it shows 50MB with XXMB free. The tech told me that the balance of the 14MB is saved for the operating and preloaded software. He told me to free device memory, I could delete Russian Language and some other applications. The most that I will do is delete the Russian Language since I don’t know what the other applications are doing.

Thanks for having a great website for Blackberry Users!

I just want to correct what I left on my previous post regarding what the VZW tech had told me about getting all preloaded applications back on the handset in the event you accidently delete them. It appears that all preloaded applications that were originally on the device is not saved on the device. I found this out when I traded in my silver blackberry for the pink blackberry. Because I knew that I was getting a new device, I went ahead and deleted a few of the preloaded applications on my device. I then went ahead and performed the “Wipe Handheld” on the device. It prompted me with several warnings, including typing in the word “blackberry” before it performed the task. After the task was completed, I went back to check what applications were available. All the ones that I deleted were not added back to the device. I mentioned it to the VZW tech who exchanged my blackberry, but even he was not sure on how to get the preloaded applications back, which proves to me that not every VZW tech can give you a 100% correct answer to my questions. BOTTOMLINE: Use the Application Loader option in your Blackberry Desktop Manager. Even if you don’t plan to add or delete application, just doing the application loader wizard seems to populate your desktop/laptop with all the applications on you device.

Adele,
THANKS for returning to update us on your findings. I can add something I’ve observed that is interesting. At some point a change happened where my Desktop Manager’s Application Loader did NOT show any of the apps I had deleted, making me think I could not reinstall them. I downloaded and reinstalled the Device Software and the deleted apps reappeared in the Application Loader (unchecked indicating they were not in my phone). I have a feeling we haven’t read the final chapter in all this.
Kelly

@(unknown),
Somebody left a comment here asking about the bPhone theme installing but not showing up. WordPress experienced a failure causing your comment to be deleted when I approved it (not the first time this has happened).

First, the bPhone theme is not “mine,” it was created by Matt Rogers of RogersMJ.com. And, yes, it’s very cool. If you thought it installed properly but it doesn’t show up under Options > Theme, I would just try installing it again (preferably OTA). If you come back to this blog and see this and recognize it as pertaining to you, please leave another comment where I can get your name.

Sorry about the technical glitch.
Kelly

i have to say, i am soooo disappointed in my blackberry 8130, i thought i was upgrading to a phone capable of online support… but the simple fact that it can’t support flash player in any way is completely absurd to me?!! i really want to spend some time complaining to verizon about this… maybe it will help resolvet the issue? but really, i can’t see any video and or most applications run horriably on this phone, i’m new to the capibilites of cell phones but something really seems lacking on the new 150$ phones from verizon… also i can’t seem to get gps working on my phone without suscribing for 9.95 a month… i know att doesn’t charge toget real time gps…!!! what am i i doing wrong…….

tim,
Sorry you’re having frustrations with your phone. I took years before I finally purchased a smartphone so I had time to make sure I knew what I was getting before I committed to my choice. You basically have the choice of either returning or selling your 8130 to find something you like better, or accept the 8130 for what it CAN do and see if your feelings about it change as your abilities with it improve.

If one of your biggest desires is the media capabilities of the phone, I can assure you that the 8130 can kick butt playing music and videos (like an iPod, not streaming from the Internet). I think in time the ability to stream media from the Internet will improve to where you would be satisfied. It’s nobody’s “fault” right now that it’s not working enough to satisfy us, it’s just taking time to get all the software and network equipment tweaked for the performance needed. Keep in mind that technology keeps moving forward and phone manufacturers like RIM/BlackBerry and wireless providers like Verizon keep pushing the limits. When they hit a limit (such as streaming video not being too great), it takes time for all the players to solve the technical problems required to give the service people desire. There is no doubt in my mind that if we could look into the future we’d be shocked what cell phones will be doing in just a few years.

If you take the time to read some of my articles (or similar ones on other sites) you can find ways to get more satisfaction out of your 8130. It truly is a cool phone but definitely requires some learning. This whole blog of mine started as a journal of my experience learning my phone. I’ve been learning it faster than some folks probably because I’m a 54 year old with degrees in electrical and software engineering, and have worked for years and years on very advanced high-tech systems. I’m amazed that teenagers and non-technical people do so well with these devices, but they do.

Stay in touch and let me know how things progress with you. With what time I have, I’ll try to help you.
Kelly

Hi Kelly,

i’ve ran into memory (or memory leak) problems at least twice now since I purchased my 8130 at the end of April and in my quest to figure out ways to keep memory usage down, came across Aerize’s Blackberry “card loader 2008.” It is supposed to allow you to install applications to an sd card and run them from the card? It sounds like a good idea, but it is fairly new so i don’t know what the program reviews are like. Have you heard of it?

MM,
I’ve actually been evaluating several of the Aerize products. My trial version of Card Loader expired before I could finish evaluating it, so I can’t give you an opinion yet. The other products by Aerize I was disappointed in although they showed promise if Aerize continues to improve them.

One thing about Card Loader you misunderstood is that you can NOT run applications from the card. All you can do is swap them from the card to Device Memory to run. So, you can have a large number of apps on your media card, but you have to swap any one you want to run from the card to main memory. It’s a clever product but just a stop-gap measure until RIM adds a lot more main memory to their phones.

Make sure you’ve read my article on memory problems if you haven’t already.
Kelly

Thanks for the info Kelly! I actually did a little more research yesterday and found that people were disappointed with the card loader for the exact reason you gave me–it’s interesting, i looked at aerize’s manual for the card loader and they actually say on the first page “install and run programs from an SD card.” I think others were upset because they felt misled. I’m glad you pointed that out! Thanks again!

Help! I am a medical intern in need of software for my blackberry. I bought a 2 GB media card so that I could load some med applications from the net and for some reason everytime i try to load…….desktop manager tells me i dont have enough memory. I dont understand I just bought a memory card and its installed! What am I doing wrong?

Irina,
Unfortunately, the memory card you installed is referred to by BlackBerry as a “media card” because currently it can only be used to save media: songs, videos, pictures, ringtones, voice notes. It cannot be used to install applications.

Future releases of the BlackBerry operating system may change that restriction, but for now we’re stuck with what we have.

There is a 3rd party program, Aerize Card Loader, that appears to solve the problem, but it’s not as useful as you might think from reading about it. You basically save the download file on the media card and you can install an app from there any time you want to use it. Then you have to delete it. I really don’t recommend it for most people. But if you want to learn more, see:
http://aerize.com/blackberry/software/loader/.

Please read this article of mine for the best help I can recommend:
http://blackberry8130.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/text-messages-email-call-logs-disappearing-insufficient-application-space-keep-getting-a-tumbling-hourglass/.

Basically, you need to delete as much stuff from memory that you can do without to make room for your medical apps. There is a huge sample video that will free up tons of room if deleted.

Return and ask for more help if you can’t make enough room for your apps.
Kelly

can anyone help me how to open on my blackberry the website of our company it is for camera viewer ,this site it is IP address for our company we can watch our company ,when i open the sit it show black page ,maybe i need to download flash player or activex control can anyone tell me how to open ,thx a lot

charbel,
Are you trying to view video coming from your company? A webcam?

If you email me the IP address (kellydcarter@yahoo.com), I can try to get it working with my phone. If I can make it work, I’ll tell you how.

You cannot download Flash Player or ActiveX controls on a BlackBerry. Flash might be supported in the future.

Kelly

Kelly,

I love your bolg!!!!!! It’s like the bible for the BB 8130. You have helped me with several things. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! Keep up the good wrok.

Heather

I forgot toask my question. Do you know where I can get free games for my BB 8130.

Thank you,
Heather

Heather,
I’m not big into games, but try here:
http://www.hovr.com/pages/Blackberry/Pearl/.

Let me know if you find a cooler place with free games.

Please take my advice: Before you ever install anything on your phone, back it up fully using Desktop Manager. Any software or theme or game can potentially mess up your phone. Free stuff is especially risky. If your phone is backed up, you can restore it and not have your phone be out of commission for who-knows-how-long?

Kelly

Hi,

I have just recently tried to play some video clips from abc news, cnn news, etc., and I’m getting a message that the video format is not supported on my Pearl 8130. Is there software that I need to download to the phone to play video? I will also occasionally get some attachments that it won’t open. This is rather disappointing considering the cost of this smartphone. Thanks.

Joe

Joe,
You’ll probably find it’s a hit-and-miss situation with streaming video on your Pearl. I and other readers have written a lot about it on this post: http://newbbie.com/2008/01/27/youtube-mobile-now-works-great-with-blackberry-browser/. I speculate that it’s a problem that’s divided between the carrier’s network’s ability to stream the data properly, and the phone’s media player’s ability to handle network errors. Network errors are inevitable and even expected with streaming media. The protocols used are by design “unreliable.” I know that sounds terrible, but what that means is that it is not designed to use error detection and correction like non-streaming data protocols. It is acceptable (albeit aggravating) to have a dropout in audio or video in a streaming signal, but it’s unacceptable to have a dropout of data in a web page (e.g., missing words or pictures). My guess is that as streaming media becomes more heavily used, wireless carriers and phone manufacturers will gradually improve the technology to make it work better. I think we’re close, just not there yet.
Kelly

P.S.–I don’t think this problem is unique to the Pearl or Verizon or anyone else. I have a work phone that is an HTC brand that runs Windows Mobile on it (still using Verizon network, however). It has occasional problems with streaming media, too.

Hi, I have ran into a little wall here. I have an app on my phone that allows me to use my browser to download music, sorta like limewire or program of that nature. The problem is half the time I get an http error stating request entity too large or something like that. Is there a way around this? By the way the app is called kmt2 and you can get it at http://www.getjar.com

Kelly,

Just wanted to let you and readers know that I found a new app called Vlingo.com. You may already know about it, but it is truly a voice application for anything…..browser, text, phone, email. It is very useful when in a car, and need to send a text or email (especially in light of recent train wreck while texting). I downloaded recently and it has worked very well. Easy to understand and download. http://www.vlingo.com

Would love to hear if others have used it and what they think

Bobbie,
I’ve read great things about VLingo but haven’t yet tried. Thanks for sharing with readers your review.

I agree that apps like this are great safety features since we shouldn’t be fiddling with our phones while we drive.
Kelly

Kelly,

I can not seem to get my bPhone theme working on my Blackberry 8100 v4.2.0.64. I have installed it in my blackberry. It is showing up only in my applications area but not in my themes. Do you know what I can do? Thanks so much!

Paul

Paul,
It’s common to install a theme and it not show up as a selection until you do a battery pull (remove battery, wait a bit, replace battery, wait for recovery). Please try that and let me know if it works or not.
Kelly

Is it possible to copy cod file in media card and when it is inserted in a blackberry device, the application can be installed in device by either selecting the cod file?

Is there any way to do this?

Amey,
I think you can install .cod files from your computer using javaloader.exe (downloadable from the Internet) but not from the phone off the media card. Theoretically you should be able to install .jar files from the media card, but on most cases I’ve tried, it claims that the .jar file is invalid (even though I know it isn’t). I’ve never been able to resolve that.
Kelly

I have created a .cod file.It works fine in the simulator.I deployed the .cod and .jad file to a server.When i try to download the .cod file from the blackberry browser,it gives me a 910 authorization failed.I am not a BES user.So there is no security policy preventing me from installing 3rd party apps.
Please let me know how i can install the app in my blackberry..
thanks

Kevin,
I would expect a .code file to run in a simulator, because that’s what runs on the BB–a .cod file. When you install from your computer using Desktop Manager’s Application Loader, you select a .alx file which in turn points to one or more .cod files.

However, for an OTA download, you need a .jad file alone. I don’t know the inner workings of a .jad file but I’m sure the .cod is somehow embedded in it.

There is also a .jar file format that supposedly you can install from a media card. I have had some succeed but most fail due to “invalid .jar format.” I gave up trying to do that.

Having said all that, I’m not an expert on Java development for the BB (although I’d like to if I had more time), so don’t take my word on this as gospel truth.
Kelly

I have created the .jad file and modified it to point to the correct .cod file.The problem is that i can download the .jad file and install application from the server in the simulator but when i try on an actual blackberry it gives the 910 error of authorization failed.

Kevin,
Sorry I didn’t understand your question the first time. I don’t have much experience here. From what I read, that error can mean (1) a policy prohibits it (not your case since you’re not on a BES), or (2) the app (midlet?) isn’t digitally signed correctly to pass some test.

There is some evidence that if your app exceeds some size limit, you will get that error.

There is evidence that some wireless carriers, Sprint for one, that has some severe restrictions on what you can install, so your app might be prohibited by carrier.

I wish I knew more about this. If you ever figure it out, please let me know.
Kelly

Kelly,

I have the version of the .cod file signed by RIM.So i dont think it could be due to invalid signing.
I will research more onto it and will let you know in case i find anything.
Thanks for your help.

Kevin