Hey #TeamBlackBerry, if you were up at the wee hours of the morning today, you may have noticed a change to the BlackBerry App World web store. It is now simply called BlackBerry World. The naming change reflects a shift in the type of things you can purchase from the store as we transition to BlackBerry 10 and beyond.

As we mentioned back at BlackBerry Jam Americas, BlackBerry World will have much more than just apps – it will now be home to Videos and Music as well. BlackBerry World is going to be the one-stop shop for all of your mobile entertainment needs.

With BlackBerry World, there are various ways to browse, download, buy, and manage apps using a BlackBerry smartphone, BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, or desktop or laptop computer,— inspiration is at your fingertips. And if you find something you love and want to tell the world, you can easily share it with your friends over BBM, Facebook and Twitter. Also, you can simply tap smartphones together and invite your friends to download it — just like that.

The change will happen on the web storefront first and will be rolled out to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and BlackBerry smartphones in the coming weeks. (NOTE: Please be aware it may take up to 24 hours for the changes to appear.)

If you’re asking “what about the BlackBerry World conference?” – worry not, the BlackBerry World conference isn’t going anywhere. Renamed the BlackBerry Live conference, we’ll be on the ground May 14-16 in Orlando, Florida to celebrate all things BlackBerry 10.

A few sneak peeks into what BlackBerry Live will bring this year:

• BlackBerry 10 platform demonstrations
• Meet the BlackBerry leaders behind BlackBerry 10
• Hear what’s next for BlackBerry
• And more!

Check out Luke’s post on the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog for more information.

“To vibrate or to ring, that is the question…” –Shakespeare, if he owned a BlackBerry smartphone

Downloading the “Somebody That I Used to Know” ringtone seemed like a pretty solid choice at the time, and even assigning it as my primary ringtone seemed like a fine idea – until I got a call in the middle of a BlackBerry 10 launch planning meeting, and my ringer had been set to full volume. That wasn’t a good way to find out that not everyone is still a fan of that song.

So, it might be time to change my ringtone to something more generic. There are a ton of options in the BlackBerry App World storefront, but I’m finding myself wondering if I need a ringtone at all. When my BlackBerry Bold smartphone isn’t in my pocket or holster where I would feel it vibrate, I’ve got BeBuzz configured to let me know who’s calling me.

Yet I still feel compelled to have a ringtone because it’s a reflection of who I am. It says: “I am a proud community manager who likes indie pop music and I don’t care who knows it.” It would almost seem that our ringtones – and even our smartphone choices and configurations – are an extension of who we are or what we want to tell the world.

Is there a ringtone on your smartphone, or are you strictly a fan of leaving your device on vibrate? Do you see your ringtone as an extension of your personality, or just a random sample of notes?

Via Flickr Creative Commons – by Tara Angkor Hotel

Last year, I wrote about BlackBerry Apps for Runners, which my wife and I have used while getting into running. Now I am by no means a hardcore diet or exercise fanatic, but I definitely care about staying in shape. So, I’ve equipped my BlackBerry smartphone with apps that help me monitor my fitness progress, and hopefully stick to my 2013 resolution.

Healthy living enthusiasts, here are some great apps available in the BlackBerry App World storefront to keep you going (or get you started).

• Calorie Counter and Diet Tracker by MyFitnessPal, LLC: Monitor your food intake and exercise, plus set goals and view progress charts with this mobile app for your BlackBerry smartphone. A media darling, this mobile app has been featured in the news for its database of nearly 2 million foods and more than 350 exercises. And since I spend a good part of my day at my desk, a great bonus is that I can access my profile from the web too.

• Diet and Calorie Tracker by SparkPeople, Inc.: A major determinate of successful weight management is the setting and meeting of goals. This app excels in the ‘goals’ category, and really plays to the lazy guy in me by providing daily meal plans that keep me tracking towards my objectives. Since I like variety and get bored of the dieter’s ubiquitous chicken breast and grilled veggies, I use this Free Healthy Recipes app, also by SparkPeople, Inc. (FREE), for more than 200,000 dish ideas.

• Health Meter – Health Tracker Fitness Calculator by Pace MobiTech: This app allows users to quickly calculate their daily caloric needs by measuring BMI (Body Mass Index), BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), Body Fat and Hip-to-Waste Ratio. Other than my yearly check-up at the doctor or sporadic use of the scale at my gym, I have very little insight into these measurements. Having an app that does the math for me is a great help!

There are countless other BlackBerry device fitness apps in BlackBerry App World. Let us know some of your favorites in the comments below.

We like to think that we broke the mold of a developer relations program when we started our BlackBerry® 10 Dev Alpha testing device program last May at BlackBerry 10 Jam in Orlando. We’ve given out over 7,500 BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha testing devices to developers around the world at BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tours, BlackBerry 10 Enterprise Jams, and here at BlackBerry Jam Asia too.

As you know, there are BlackBerry 10 smartphones coming in Q1 2013 – an all-touch model similar to the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha, and a BlackBerry 10 smartphone with our industry-defining BlackBerry QWERTY keyboard.

Today we announced the next phase of the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha program – the BlackBerry Dev Alpha C. It is a testing device for developers so that you can adjust, debug, and test your BlackBerry 10 applications to get ready for the launch of the BlackBerry 10 QWERTY device next year.

We’re only producing a limited number of these testing devices, and they will be reserved on a priority list for developers who have demonstrated that they are building apps for BlackBerry 10.

Distribution will be limited to developers who submit two or more applications; these developers will be given priority seeding for the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha C. These developers will be determined on the following point system:

• 50 points for ported Android™ applications
• 250 points for all other applications (Native, BlackBerry® WebWorks™, Adobe® AIR®)
• 1500 points for Built For BlackBerry certified application
• BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha A/B recipients start with 200 points
• BlackBerry Elite Members start with 200 points

The BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha C offer will run from December 1, 2012 through February 5, 2013. The details on the program can be found here, and keep following @BlackBerryDev for more info.

Today, a superspy has to be covert, stealthy and they should carry a BlackBerry ® smartphone. I’ve channeled my inner Q, and in true secret agent fashion have identified some superspy must-have apps that are shaken, not stirred from the BlackBerry App World ™ storefront.

SecureMic by SecureMic Inc.: By activating the SecureMic, the microphone of your device is temporarily disabled, so that in the event of a “pocket dial”, your conversations are undetected. With SecureMic activated, your BlackBerry smartphone cannot be used as a listening device against you. A must-have app for any secret agent!

FingerPrint Lock By Pace MobiTech: A cool app for all the users who want complete high-tech security for their BlackBerry smartphone. It’s a unique lock that scans your finger and permits you to use your device. Forget all the boring smartphone locks and select the one that best suits an agent. *Note: Scanner lock doesn’t scan the fingerprint; rather, it detects the number of scans.

Phone Security Lite By Pace MobiTech: This app protects your confidential information and helps locate a lost or stolen BlackBerry smartphone. It also can be used for tracking your device, safeguarding your child, and possibly monitoring a suspected double agent. It is designed to give you total control over your BlackBerry device, no matter where it is.

Spy Camera by Oswald Designs: Take pictures silently with no flash with the Spy Camera app. Set the picture as Caller ID or wallpaper, share picture over BlackBerry ® Messenger ™ (BBM ™) Contact, BBM Group, email and Facebook®. You can also apply effects to pictures such as black and white, normal and sepia. Perfect for covert sting operations!

iSpy For BlackBerry by Ardour: Silently monitor your own BlackBerry device in real time. iSpy stealthy records the activities of your BlackBerry smartphone. Record SMS, call* and BBM chat activities and store the data afterward. When you want to view results, simply visit the app and enter the password to see the activity. *Note: Feature captures call logs, not audio.

Keep your friends close, your enemies closer and stay on top of all the intel from your BlackBerry smartphone. Let us know what gadget apps you find most helpful or just plain cool in the comments below!

What an exciting time of year for sports fans! Football is in full swing, and the Fall Classic starts today in the world of baseball after another exciting postseason. During this time of year, with so many different sports to keep track of, I use my BlackBerry ® smartphone and BlackBerry ® PlayBook ™ tablet to stay updated. If you’re a sports fan, you’re probably doing the same. According to a survey by Motricity, 55 percent of sports fans surveyed admitted to checking game info on their devices at dinner, 50 percent while using the restroom, and 42 percent while at work. I’ve done all three!

For sports enthusiasts who are constantly on the go, here are some impressive apps for your BlackBerry smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that will help you keep track of your favorite sports:

• MLB.com at Bat 12 by MLB Advanced Media, LP: This is the official app of MLB, which makes it the closest thing to having a sportscaster in your back pocket. One of the app’s standout features is live radio broadcasting of both home and away games, which brings the game to you wherever you happen to be.

• ScoreMobile for BlackBerry by Score Media Ventures: This app has all the bells and whistles that hardcore sports fans require to keep track of their favorite teams while on the go, like up-to-the-minute stats and live updates. My favorite feature is the exclusive blog posting during live events, which I can reference when messaging about the game with friends through in-app BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) integration. This app includes coverage of MLB, National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), college football and basketball, and more!

• ScoreMobile Tablet by Score Media Ventures: I like this app because it’s optimized exclusively for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which means it delivers all the same features and sports coverage as the smartphone app with video commentary, in both portrait and landscape views.

How do you follow your favorite sports team on your BlackBerry smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet? Let us know in the comments!

So you’re using a feature phone as your daily wireless device. It’s familiar, comfortable, it works for you. Sure, you use it to make a call here and there, or to send the odd SMS (text) message. But when do you decide it’s time to make the most of your mobile life by switching to a BlackBerry ® smartphone?

The benefits of a smartphone far exceed that of a feature phone. A smartphone is a mini computer – a portable office that keeps you organized and always connected. BlackBerry smartphones with QWERTY keyboards offer a quicker way to communicate by text message, email and chat via BlackBerry Messenger® (BBM™). Smartphones also have the ability to transfer larger volumes of data than a regular cell phone, ensuring that you are never out of touch. Many smartphones also offer high-resolution touch screen displays to make navigating a smartphone simple.

A smartphone does much more than messaging. You can surf the web, engage in social media and play games on your BlackBerry smartphone. You can even head over to the BlackBerry App World™ storefront to find new BlackBerry apps in order to get the full smartphone experience.

Have you recently transitioned from a feature phone to a smartphone? Share your experience in the comments below.

To explore it a bit more through a brief demo, I caught up with BlackBerry 10 expert Michael Clewley for an interview:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

There’s also a new BlackBerry App World for work as part of the BlackBerry ® Balance ™ technology in BlackBerry 10, which makes it easy for organizations to deploy and recommend apps for their employees. More on that feature with Luke over at the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog.

Excited to get using the new BlackBerry App World? Let us know in the comments.

*Music and video store access may by limited in some regions.

For this video, we used the latest developer hardware prototype model, the BlackBerry Dev Alpha B, to demonstrate concepts we’re working on for BlackBerry 10. This device is not representative of final hardware.

Refreshed icons with a personalized touch

One of the first differences you’ll notice in the upgraded version is updated icons. The cool feature of note here is the personalized touch, as the generic profile icon has been replaced with your most current Facebook profile picture.

Never miss another friend’s birthday with enhanced birthday alerts

Facebook for BlackBerry v3.2 allows you to integrate the birthdays of your Facebook friends into your BlackBerry device calendar, providing you with a timely reminder to post a birthday message from your home screen – without even opening the Facebook app. And if this is too much or if you liked it the old way, no problem – that’s where the customization options come in handy.

In-app Facebook Event support puts you at the center of the party

With enhanced Facebook Event support in v3.2, you can now view information about an event, post a message to the event’s wall, view profiles of invited guests, and receive event notifications from your BlackBerry smartphone.

Head over to BlackBerry App World now to upgrade to Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones v3.2. Because let’s be honest — you’ll want to stay on top of all the details around that epic Halloween party being planned.

*App may take up to 24 hours to appear in BlackBerry App World

Even though I don’t consider myself a “fashionista,” it’s hard not to get swept up in the frenzy of fashion-forward designers descending on Montreal and New York City for Fashion Week. But will beautiful people in beautiful clothes give a denim-clad mobile-device aficionado like me aspirations to be the Next Top Model? Sadly, no. Regardless, here are five BlackBerry ® smartphone apps that might just bring us all one step closer to the runway:

Trendstop Fashion TrendTracker by Amoja Limited: Trendstop Fashion TrendTracker is a veritable fashion toolbox that provides insight into trends, shares the latest news, and suggests ideas on what to wear. Tons of pics from fashion shows around the globe may also inspire a new or updated look, and the app also allows social sharing on Facebook® and Twitter® so you can solicit ideas from your friends.

Vogue News by Condé Nast Publications Ltd.: It’s a little-known fact that when fashion models are babies, “Vogue” is actually one of the first words they learn to say. A list of fashion apps without including Vogue News would be like wearing socks and sandals. Vogue News shares the latest news, trends, and people straight from the pages of Vogue.

Glamour Celebrity News by Condé Nast Publications Ltd.: Rounding out the one-two punch of magazines gone digital, Glamour Celebrity News gives you a peek into the fashion lives of celebrities such as actors and directors. There are plenty of images and tips to help anyone look like a star.

Fashion TV by 770 Prod: Providing the ultimate insider’s guide, the Fashion TV BlackBerry app provides news on fashion shows, designer events, and Haute Couture parties from Paris to Montauk. If you’re the kind of person who wants to be the first on their block to embrace the latest fashion trend, you need to have this app in your collection.

Fashion News Service by 360Fashion: Last but certainly not least on the list of fashion apps is the simply-named Fashion News Service. This little gem from 360Fashion shares opinions and sneak peeks from tastemakers and trendsetters inside the fashion industry. As an added bonus, Fashion News Service can be connected to BlackBerry ® Messenger (BBM ™) on BlackBerry ® 7 OS devices.

In the world of fashion, trends come and go so it’s important to have the right apps to stay connected and “in the know.” What’s even cooler is that all of these apps are free, so there’s really nothing stopping you from becoming a fashionista – except if you really do wear sandals with socks.

Have any of these apps helped you sharpen your fashion sense? Are there any apps you’d add to this list? Let us know in the comments!