RIM BlackBerry App World First Look: Storefront Details, Images

Right on schedule, Research In Motion’s (RIM) new on-device, BlackBerry mobile application store, BlackBerry App World, opened its virtual doors for business today, in time for the Spring 2009 CTIA Wireless event in Las Vegas. And RIM was nice enough to share key details and screenshots of the new storefront ahead of time.

The news of the much anticipated App World CTIA launch broke last week, but the move was more-or-less expected as RIM had previously stated that App World would open in March.

You can download the BlackBerry App World client using the BlackBerry browser from Mobile.BlackBerry.com and BlackBerry.com/AppWorld. (Wireless carriers may also push an App World link to customers’ home screens for easy access.)

I haven’t had the time to put App World through the motions quite yet, but you can expect a full review in the very near future. Until then, here’s what we now know about BlackBerry App World, as well as a dozen images of what the new software store looks like and how it works.

• -BlackBerry App World software will sell for $2.99 and up, though free apps will also be available

• -A PayPal account is required to purchase apps from BlackBerry App World, though free software can be downloaded without PayPal.

• -The BlackBerry App World home screen offers 1) Featured Apps; 2) a Categories icon that lets you navigate apps by “genre” i.e., Games or Music and Video; 3) a Top Downloads link for quick access to the most popular apps; 4) a dedicated Search function; and 5) a My World icon, which lets you access your account information and view/install/uninstall your App World software.

• -App World users can scroll left and right on the home screen to view different Featured Apps.

• -The Search bar on specific Categories pages helps find exactly what you seek.

• -After finding an application of interest, you can click its name to display additional details, such as the app maker, price, ratings and screen shots.

• -Once you locate an app, you can purchase it via PayPal with just a few clicks: one click for the Download button, another for the PayPal login screen–you must also enter your account information–and you’re good to go.

• -You can write application reviews directly from the My World screen on your device.

• -If you purchase a new handset, any and all apps you bought from App World can be transferred to the new device free of charge to as many as three devices per year.

• -Any and all apps you purchase can be deleted from your device and reinstalled as many times as you please, so App World also works as a virtual storage unit for software you download of purchase through the store.

  On to BlackBerry App World Images >>

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BlackBerry App World Categories Screen Ticketmaster App in BlackBerry App World MySpace App in BlackBerry App World PayPal Purchase Screen in BlackBerry App World BlackBerry App World Review Screen BlackBerry App World Search Screen

On to BlackBerry App World Images (Page Two) >>

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