Juan Xavier Larrea

Is it a phone or an e-mail device? Hey, maybe it’s a lifestyle.

Regardless, however much BlackBerry users whine about their addiction to their “crackberries”, few would give them up. And it’s not just the device either; it’s all the add-ons, too. I wanted to share with you a few apps that I find essential and allows my Blackberry Bold to become more than just a communication device, but a full blown information portal.

1. Google Maps — Maps, traffic directions, local listings and satellite pics. A must have with GPS-enabled models. (free)
2. Viigo — An RSS feeder for your blackberry, keeping you informed on just about any topic thinkable - blogs, movies, weather, craiglist, classified ads, traffic… It’s the ultimate mobile information source. (free)
3. Facebook App — Go on, you know you can’t resist. Stay in touch with your people on Facebook, post pictures and poke friends. (free)
4. MySpace App — Title says it all. (free)
5. BeeJive IM — Previously known as JiveTalk, BeejiveIM is the most reliable and user-friendly mobile IM application on the market for BlackBerry handhelds. Works with AIM/iChat/MobileMe, MSN/Windows Live, Yahoo! IM, MySpace, GoogleTalk, SameTime, ICQ, & Jabber.  (Starting at $19.95)
6. Beyond411 — Look up phone numbers, yellow & white pages, etc. (free)
7. XBerry Live! — Designed for hardcore Xbox 360 gamers and Blackberry owners, XBerry Live! is a native Blackberry application that retrieves your friends Xbox Live stats such as their gamerscore, online status, gamer pictures,  avatars, latest games, achievements and much more. (free)
8. MarketFilters Analysis — Stock and index quotes, charts of price and Market Filters scores for Dow Jones, NASDAQ, S&P500 and TSE. (free)
9. TwitterBerry — The best mobile client for posting updates to Twitter. (free)
10. gCalc! — This university level calculator works right from your smartphone! gCalc provides extensive support for dozens of sophisticated mathematical functions and constants. It boasts professional graphics with the ability to zoom and scroll on the results. (free)
11. iSKoot for Skype — Puts Skype on your mobile phone. (free to chat)
12. WorldMate Live — A personal travel assistant that gives customized flight update alerts, schedules, itinerary, maps and more. It automatically pushes trip logistics onto the device. It’s pricey but a must have. ($99.95 year subscription)
13. Windows Live Messenger — The best and official MSN / Windows Live client for Blackberry devices. (free)
14. FlyCast — This one is pretty cool actually. Over 1000 free music radio stations ready to be played on your Blackberry device.  On 3G/WIFI the sound quality is fantastic. (free)
15. Flickr — Simple but useful. Upload geotagged photos straight to you Flickr account. (free)

Make sure to leave your favorite BlackBerry Bold applications in the comments section below.