I took a quick look at the tech overview on their website.  To oversimplify, Cellcrypt is essentially SSL for voice on a mobile platform.  When the client is installed, a key is generated for that phone so a key doesn’t have to be installed.  Although this is certainly convenient, I wonder if it is possible to import a key or even use a smart card?  This would make this an even better solution for enterprises like DoD who already have a robust PKI.

I can envision that if this works as advertised, that an enterprise could stand up the solution for their “important” mobile users.  It is not clear how the address book is managed, but as long as this is robust, why couldn’t a place like DoD roll this out for the enterprise and their DoD users?

Lastly, it is solutions like this that have to make you re-consider the viability of the SME-PED and other such custom secure devices.  Yes, the crypto on these devices is likely a bit more robust (and secret), but who is to say that a chip couldn’t be swapped in a commercial Blackberry to enable the higher level security?  Even more so, is a solution like Cellcrypt good enough for a lot of the transactions a govt agency uses?  SSL is relied on constantly.

Anyhow, love to see some more geeky details on this product.  Definitely has promise!

However, we are not (or at least I’m not).

The corporate world is flooded with Blackberries…in fact they rule that roost.  However, over the past couple of years I have noticed that more of my personal friends have the privilege of carrying around the Blackberry ball and chain.  This is either because they have bought one personally, or they are now in the ever lovely middle manager role.

What irks me somewhat is that the Blackberry can do so much more than just be a phone/email device.  Like the iPhone, there are other apps that provide some utility.   Granted, there are certainly not quite as many applications…but who needs 25 fart applications?  So I assembled a list of  FREE applications that I have found useful in my years of Blackberry use.

BUT, first and foremost I recommend that you upgrade your Blackberry to the latest Operating System.  V4.5 is an especially BIG improvement for older devices (Curve, Pearl).   Blackberry has an update page dedicated to updating your device (Internet Explorer required).

Viigo

Viigo describes itself as a great way to “stay current with what’s going on in your world“.  I couldn’t agree more.  I would say this is my most used application and it still amazes me that is free.  It allows users to read RSS news feeds, show the weather for multiple cities, track your flight itinerary including delays & flight times, sports scores for every sport you can think of, stock prices, and even movie times.  What’s more is that it runs in the background so it pulls data throughout the day.  I find that this app is especially useful when you do not have connectivity to the network (plane, elevator, bathroom).

Facebook for Blackberry

This application is pretty self-explanatory.  It allows you to keep up with your Facebook addiction while on your BB.  The new version, v1.5, was released just yesterday and adds some new features.  Events and birthdays sync into your Blackberry calendar, adding Facebook information to your contacts, and overall better integration.  It still is not as good as the iPhone version, but 1.5 is a definite improvement.

Google Maps

I have used Google Maps on the Blackberry since it was first released.  It is VERY similar to the full blown web version.  However, the Blackberry version can use your cell signal to approximate your position on the map.  This is a GREAT feature as it allows you to start directions to a new location without inputting your current locaton.  A word of warning however, this is more accurate in more densely populated areas (more cell towers).   Google Maps also may be able to use GPS on GPS-enabled BBs…it really depends on your provider (Verizon is notorious for neutering their devices and locking down features).  You actually might have to enable it on some BBs.

Slacker Personal Radio

Slacker is a service that streams music to your desktop or BB.  There is a both a free and paid version of the actual service, but the BB app is free.  To start listening to music you select an artist and create a channel based on that artist.  Then music will play, and depending on your service level you get a certain amount of skips when a song is not to your liking.  The beauty of the BB app is that you can cache stations when you sync to your computer so you do not need a cell signal to listen to tunes.

Twitterberry

So have you decided to join the over-blown hype that is Twitter?  Well, if so, you should probably have Twitterberry on your BB.  It provides for the basic features that allow you to tweet and track your network’s tweets. However, if you decide to follow Oprah or Ashton Kutcher, please hit the back button and go back to the People magazine home page.

That should do it for now…there are ton more and if you have some good ones feel free to comment.  At some point, I will also post the easy cheap way to make your Blackberry a decent MP3 player…but I really should go to work.

However, the device itself had some security holes that needed to be filled.  DoD has continued to test and verify the security of the Blackberry and has worked closely with RIM to release a Secure Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) for Blackberries and other devices.  The STIG walks administrators through the entire Blackberry meta-system to ensure security for the BES and the device itself.  A new version of the Blackberry STIG was released in Feb 2009 and applies to any enterprise using Blackberries, not just DoD.

I also ran across a GCN webcast entitled “Best Practices for Hardening your Agencys BlackBerry Wireless Platform“.  I haven’t actually watched it and it is probably trying to sell something, but probably worth a quick glance (and if you do watch it and it has value please comment on this post).