**thread moved to Aftermarket Software section** (where you can search and find the answer to #1).
1. There are third party alarms applications. Two that I know of. MyAlarm and MultiAlarm
2. Big debate over this, and you are not the first. Personally, I am ok with it as it is, because when you change the timezone, all the calendar events adjust IF you have not set your calendar events up correctly with a time zone. There is a way to manage it correctly, so that it works better for you.
Why doesn't my time update correctly when I change Time Zones? - BlackBerryFAQ