bbSpell

Hands on review by lgreenberg

April 23, 2006

Price as reviewed $35 for a one-year subscription

I admit it. I can’t spell! Never could and never will. If you’re like me and don’t want to embarrass yourself when you send your friends and colleagues messages from your Blackberry than you need help. Enter Some Developers and bbSpell.

Communication errors can be costly to your reputation and your bottom line. Protect your valuable relations by ensuring the accuracy of your correspondence. bbSpell seamlessly integrates with the Blackberry email application to easily and accurately spell check your email.

bbSpell is a small application that runs on your Blackberry. Using bbSpell is simple - compose an email with the standard Blackberry email program and select the "Check Spelling" menu. The bbSpelling server quickly returns suspect words and offers correct spelling suggestions. You then select from a list of corrections, ignore the error, or even add your word to a custom user dictionary. Words in your custom dictionary are used as suggestions in future spell checks. Professional email couldn't be easier.

bbSpell is installed over the air in under thirty seconds. bbSpell offers support for several languages as well as medical & legal words as well.

The application’s main screen is simple.



You set your method of connection and choose your language. There is also a test function which tests to make sure the application is able to connect to the internet. bbSpell must connect to the internet in order to access the bbspell server to check for misspelled words.

Running the test takes only a second.



Once everything’s set up you’re ready to send error free e-mails.

After you’re finished composing a new message………….



You click the track wheel where you’ll see a new addition to the menu bar “check spelling”.



Clicking “check spelling” connects you to the bbSpell server and your message is checked for errors. Any error found shows up in bold.



You then click the track wheel again and are presented with a list of possible fixes.



You select the one you want and click the word to change it.



The new word replaces the old and you’re ready to send your error free e-mail. It really couldn't be an easier. If you're used to using the spell check feature of your word processor or e-mail application on your PC this will feel the same. It does it quick and accurately.

One feature I'd like to see is the ability to tell bbSpell to check spelling automatically before messages are sent. I have this feature enabled on my PC with Outlook and would like to see it on my Blackberry as well. Sometimes I simply forget I have bbSpell installed and therefore send a message without checking it's spelling. It would be nice if I was prompted to do so every time I went to send a message.

Boy my grade school teacher would be so proud.

You can watch a demo of bbSpell here.

There is also a free trial of bbSpell available to download. The download page for the trial version can be found here.

If you don’t feel 100% confident in sending your e-mails clearly and concisely than I strongly recommend you have a look at bbSpell.

bbSpell gets my highest rating 5 out of 5 Blackberries.



Pros: Allows you to send error free e-mail, very fast.
Cons: Requires subscription.