UPDATED: Open Source Blackberry Apps! Develop Your Own!

[Mark Rejhon]

All are GNU GPL Open Source!
Good starter source code to begin writing your own Blackberry applications

FAQ:
Question: Do I need to sign my Blackberry application?
Answer: No. Blackberry applications do not need to be signed unless you want special API's such as notification API's, vibrator alerts, etc. Anybody can write applications for the Blackberry as a compliant .jar file, and package it as a .jad Over-The-Air download (BlackberryOS 3.6 or later) or as a .cod file installable by Blackberry Desktop. For more information, refer to the RIM Developer website.

Question: Can I just write generic Java apps for BlackBerry
Answer: Yes, if you write within the confines of SUN Java J2ME/MIDP 1.0 for BlackberryOS 3.7 and earlier. For MIDP 2.0, you need a Blackberry running BlackberryOS 4.0 or later. If programming to MIDP specifications, you don't even need to look at RIM Developer website at all! Your application can be designed to work on almost all Java cellphones (not just Blackberry). Take a look at Sun's website for information about making Java J2ME/MIDP applications ("midlets").

Question: The source code was designed for a Nokia or Motorola cellphone, will it work?
Answer: Probably, if it was designed as a Java midlet (J2ME MIDP 1.0 or 2.0)

Question: Do I need MDS?
Answer: Yes, you need MDS or at least a model 6510/7510 Blackberry to run Internet-based applications on the BlackBerry. See my MDS Hosting FAQ for more information. However, if you are running BlackberryOS 4.0 with BWC 4.0, your carrier may already have MDS. (For example: Rogers already includes MDS for free if you are using BlackberryOS 4.0 or later)

Question: Can I do Over-The-Air software downloads?
Answer: Yes, you can download .jad files to your Blackberry with BlackberryOS 3.7 or later, assuming you already have BES/MDS or you are using a carrier that has enabled over-the-air downloads (i.e. Rogers, T-Mobile)

bbTracker
Thread
An open source GPS logger for BlackBerry. One use of this is it can be configured to log GPS plots every second, that you can later export from your BlackBerry and load into Google Earth to show the path you travelled while carrying your BlackBerry. Good for hiking, etc. Requires BlackBerry with either builtin GPS, or external GPS (bluetooth puck)

J2ME VNC
J2ME VNC
VNC midlet client for remote control of your PC (similiar to PCAnywhere / GoToMyPC). Tested; some mouse-click problems that needs to be fixed.

midpssh
MidpSSH | SSH and Telnet client for Mobile devices (MIDP/J2ME)
Open source Telnet/SSH clients available now for J2ME. This one is the best open-source telnet client (Not to be confused with Idokorro, a good commercial client that many people say is better) ... Also see Sun's telnet midlet sample code.

MarkyBerry Utils
QuickNote and QuickCompose Source Code
This is QuickNote and QuickCompose, some free utilities I made for BlackBerry. For more information, see this thread.

BlackBerryTools
SourceForge.net: BlackBerryTools
BBWeather, BBToday, BBLight, etc. Free "Today" PIM summary screen with weather and clock plugins. Also has free BBLight backlight-always-on utility with source code.
Frequently asked question: Where is the source code? Answer: Source code is already in their CVS... However, if you need the zipped copy of the 2005 source code (unchanged as of fall 2006), download http://www.marky.com/files/bb/BBTools-Source.zip... At the moment, this code doesn't seem to be actively maintained; so you might wish to take over as a maintainer!

BlackChat
SourceForge.net: BlackChat
BlackChat ICQ chatting software. Tested; Works!

jmIRC
jmIrc - Java mobile IRC-client (J2ME)
IRC midlet. Reported as of Nov 2004 to be the best IRC midlet for BlackBerries at this time!

VIRCA
The Virca IRC MIDlet!
Another IRC midlet.

WLIRC
WLIrc wireless IRC Client for mobile phones (j2ME)
Yet another IRC midlet, but uses WAP. Not very reliable as of last testing.

[kirson]

Anybody up for the challenge to add an MSN module for BlackChat? Acording to the author, the application was designed to allow modular additions, so it should be relatively straight forward. At least if you know a whole lot about IM architecture, Java development, and the Blackberry programming environment.

[acnst]

Did anybody ever try to modify and recompile BlackChat so it uses e.g. Port 80 instead of Port 5190?

[zLon]

Has anyone been able to get BB 7510 (Nextel) to work with VNC?

[headtailgrep]

Replace telnetfloyd with MIDPSSH:

http://www.xk72.com/midpssh/

under active development!

[Mark Rejhon]

Call For BlackBerry Developers

The great news for developers is that BlackBerryOS 4.0 contains a lot more API`s that makes the BlackBerry more customizable. There are many software programs we still need for BlackBerry, to make BlackBerry more useful to some people, including the following:

Needed BlackBerry software utilities:

• Custom Caller-ID Ringtones on incoming callers.
• Automatically display incoming messages even when outside holster, if BlackBerry has been idling for more than 1 minute.
• Flash the backlight upon Calendar reminder or High-Priority Email
• Copy-And-Paste Entire Address feature (paste the full address information of one person as plaintext rather than a vCard)
• Make the button on your Bluetooth headset do something if you're not on a call. Such as automatically dialing your voicemailbox or Cingular's voice dial service.
• Track data usage! [Thanks, mike_m]
• Etc. Use your Imagination!

[mike m]

Here's another that you'll appreciate Mark...Track Data Usage.

[Mark Rejhon]

SyncML for BlackBerry, an open source project, which should make Linux synchronization possible for BlackBerry:

1. SyncML for BlackBerry

[chuy]

Tried to get VNC, and got an error message: "Download Failed."

That's all... Nothing else.

Anybody else get this? Any suggestions other than converting to alx/cod?

[JCB]

I have a small program my prinicpal client created to access the files on his network. It gives my access to collections accounts, aging, comments, post request to an an account, view all asigned accounts, change assigned accounts settings. I just bought a BB 7290 and it would definitly be fully functional if I could install this program. Couldn't attach it beacuse it exceeded maximum capacity. The program is 1.24 MB and 604 k zipped.

Can anybody help me? Of course I am willing to pay for the services rendered. Please email me at: .

Thanks,

www.jcblawoffices.com

[Fuzzy]

another good project would be a skins or theme creation tool so that we can all create themes easily.

[GregoryCJohnson]

I'm going to assume you're already char-broiled from other respondant's flames... Still, this feels like you cross posted it to evey forum you could imagine, so I'll also assume you're ignorant and/or desperate. (Nothing personal, I'm usually the first and often the second)

Originally Posted by JCB

I have a small program... The program is 1.24 MB and 604 k zipped.

This is a little like saying "My friend lent me their car. It is red. Can anyone tell me where the gas cap is?"

So, what operating system? A *ix? (Linux/BSD/MacX/...)? Mac9? Win2k/XP? Win9x? MVS?

You said your client wrote it... In Java? C? C++? Delphi? COOL:Gen? (God forbid - it's a COBOL generator)

The chances of a cost-effective native port decrease as you move further right. HOWEVER, the chances that you can expose a web interface increase as you move right.

Native ports are good for speed & usability, web interfaces are good for cost & maintainability. Project cost efficacy scales quickly with userbase - 11 users can justify spending more than eleven times what one user can justify. (I'm guessing about n^log( n ), but I'm sure its been quantified more precicely. I'm using eleven because 10^log(10)=10)

Originally Posted by JCB

Can anybody help me?

Yes.

Seriously, though, I'm sure you've told people before, "you can sue anyone for anything". Depends on where you're starting as to whether you want to be helped.

Originally Posted by JCB

Of course I am willing to pay for the services rendered.

That will be 500 Quatloos, if you please. I prefer them frozen in 0.25m^3 block of nitrogen.

[jsmmd]

Originally Posted by Mark Rejhon

All are GNU GPL Open Source!
...


BlackBerryTools
http://sourceforge.net/projects/blackberrytools/
Free "Today" PIM summary screen with weather and clock plugins.
Also has free BBLight backlight-always-on utility with source code.

Just a reminder that the code is in the CVS.

http://cvs.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.py/blackberrytools/

-me

[MarkWHall]

Looking for someone who has ability to create "Signed" BB files and would like to contribute to the open source BBLight software.

Newer BB have ability to auto-detect ambient light and adjust screen brightness appropriately. I'm using a 7290 and would like to see someone add a call to the SetBrightness function in BBLight. An option could be put on the configuration screen to allow entry of the desired brightness (0-100%).

A more sophisticated addition would allow a time period for a couple of brightness settings. Say 50% from 7:30pm to 6:00am and 100% during daylight hours.

Any takers??? I would hate to have to pay the $100 RIM signature fee just to get this feature. Your name will go down in BB history and can get added to the source files...

[us13]

Mark-

Does the PIM API allow for retrieval of contacts by name matches (or partial name matches) or do I have to cycle through each PIM entry to do a manual string match?

Would be great to get in touch with you directly to discuss. Do you do Blackberry client development?

Thanks,

Tom

[jfisher]

you shouldve created a new thread for this query, it doesnt belong here.

as far as i know there's no search functionality in the pim api but i've not delved too deeply into it.

[kevin.ross]

Tom, there is no search functionality, you have to go through the information to find a match.

We have written a VCard/Contact synchronizer with categorization, and I will say the API isn't as intuitive as it could be.

We also do BlackbBerry development, feel free to contact us if you are interested in professional services.

[mrpg]

Originally Posted by Mark Rejhon

SyncML for BlackBerry, an open source project, which should make Linux synchronization possible for BlackBerry:

1. SyncML for BlackBerry

I just wet my pants... eeeeg