by Al Sacco

Free AP Mobile News Network App for BlackBerry Gets Official

Opinion
Oct 20, 20082 mins
Enterprise Applications

I just got word from the Associated Press that it has launched the full version of its free AP Mobile News Network application for BlackBerry. The app’s not new—in fact I recently reviewed the beta version—but the latest release fixes a number of known bugs.

AP Mobile News Network offers users a variety of news types, including top news, local, U.S., tech, showbiz, sports, world, elections information, from greater than 700 “trusted sources,” according to the AP. And images are often included with new stories. The application is completely customizable so you can pick the content you want and ditch what you don’t. You can also save specific stories and share them with friends via e-mail.

AP Mobile News Network for BlackBerry

There are currently three ways to access the AP Mobile News Network via mobile device: you can pick up the new free BlackBerry app; surf on over to the WAP-browser version at www.apnews.com; and there’s also an iPhone/iPod touch-specific app available for free in Apple’s iTunes App Store.

According to the AP, its Mobile News Network received more than 26 million page views and more than 1.5 million local stories were read during the month of September. That number will likely grow in October due to the AP Mobile News Network for BlackBerry official release.

The company says it’s also working on a Mobile News Network app for devices other than BlackBerry and the iPhone/iPod touch, though no specific details are available quite yet.

Today seems to be a good day for BlackBerry software releases; it’s the first day of RIM’s inaugural BlackBerry Developer Conference; and a brand new version of the popular mobile Twitter app for BlackBerry, TwitterBerry, was officially released.

In fact, the AP Mobile News Network app is a finalist in the “Personal Productivity and Lifestyle” category for this year’s BlackBerry Developer Challenge awards taking place at RIM’s Developer Conference. (Keeping checking in at the Mobile WorkHorse blog for more on the Developer Challenge, as well as the BlackBerry Cool 15.)

(Note: The image that accompanies this post is from a happier time when the Red Sox were still in the World Series race…)

AS

FREE CIO BlackBerry Newsletter

Get better use out of your BlackBerry and keep up-to-date on the latest developments. Sign-up ť