50 Best Free Apps for BlackBerry Smartphones

Though BlackBerry has only a fraction —less than a 10th— of the amount of apps Apple and Android provide, there are still apps for just about everything. Remember, one of BlackBerry's best advantage is security, which is usually more important than having an app for everything under the sun.

Here we introduce 50 free hand-picked apps out of the 25,000+ total in the BlackBerry store.

Keep in mind these are designed for the BlackBerry SmartPhone. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet has it's own 3,000+ apps in the store. And there's soon to be much more when Android apps can easily be ported over to the PlayBook OS by developers and offered in the BlackBerry store —also a possibly for the BlackBerry SmartPhones within the next year.

Productivity and Business

1) Cortado Workplace

This app and service lets you store and synchronize files on up to 2 GB of free online storage, also giving you access on computers via the website or Webdav. The cloud printing capability lets you send print jobs from your phone to your home or office.

2) Evernote

Lets you store, synchronize, search, and access your personal database of text notes, photos and images, and voice recordings. Everything is synchronized and also available via the website and the Windows desktop app. Helps you remember and stay organized in your personal and professional life's.

3) Rove Mobile SSH

Gives you a SSH and Telnet client on your BlackBerry. Connect to Unix and Linux machines, mainframes, routers, switches, and other hardware. Supports SSH2 with public key authentication, user-definable shortcut keys, and terminal emulation.

4) YouMail Visual Voicemail Plus

This enhances your voicemail experience. Read and/or play your messages in any order from your phone or the website. It also offers organization, sharing, and blocking features.The integration with Facebook, shows photos of your friends with their messages.

5) Photo Editor Ultimate FREE

Let's you edit and share photos right on your BlackBerry. You can zoom, rotate, resize, combine, change lighting and colors, and apply effects. Open images when browsing in the native file explorer or via the editor's open dialog with thumbnail previews.

6) HandyLogs Money - Expense Time and Mileage Tracker

Helps you track and report on expenses, time, and mileage. Great for business trips and traveling or personal use on vacations. You can even synchronize the data to the website so you can view, print, and share reports from any computer.

7) SmartGlance

View and analyze real time data from Excel, SAP, SQL, Oracle, CRM, and ERP databases. Share reports, charts and snapshots via e-mail. Great for sales, marketing, finance, operations, manufacturing, and other business activities.

8) Upvise

Helps you manage your business operations, organization, and collaboration. The free service includes Contacts, Notebooks, Wikipedia, RSS News Reader, Shopping Lists, and Debts and Credits. Web access is also offered via other mobile platforms and their website.

9) Real Estate Powered By Smarter Agent

Gives you access to MLS, recently sold, apartment listings. Great when buying, renting, selling, or just watching the market. The GPS functionality can show nearby properties, favorites can save listings, and Call to See can connect you to the real estate agent.

Fun, Entertainment, and Enjoyment

10) Hangman

Play the classic Hangman game when you or your friends are sitting around. Exercise your brain and discover new words on the topic of your choice. Its packed with enough words and phrases to keep you occupied on every occasion, and even download new ones with Daily Packs.

11) Memory

Sharpen your memory skills while having fun. This memory matching game comes with multiple themes and difficulty levels with score tracking and comparison. It even features a Child Lock so others can't mess with the phone functions while playing.

12) Free Solitaire

Looking for the classic card game Solitaire? This one offers draw 1 or 3, timed moves, and standard and vegas scoring. It also has a resume function to pick up where you left off.

13) FiOS TV Remote DVR

Gives Verizon FiOS customers mobile access to their DVR. Set and manage recordings, parental controls, and bookmarks. Browse and search through scheduled and recorded programs, TV listings, and VOD listings.

14) TiVo DVR Scheduler

Gives TiVo users mobile access to their DVR. Set and manage recordings with the familiar TiVo look, feel and features. Browse and search through recording and channel listings programs by title, keyword, actor or category. Even add show or movie reminders to your calendar.

15) U-verse Mobile

AT&T U-verse customers can access their DVR and watch hit TV shows. Like FiOS and TiVo, it offers the basic DVR management and TV listing features. But you can also download and watch some shows with select packages and devices.

16) Pandora

Gives you the same music experience as with their website. Enter your favorite songs or artists and it plays similar music. You can rate the songs to better customize your personalized radio station.

17) Shazam

Hear a tune but don't know the artist? Well this app will capture the audio, identify the song (up to 5 tags per month), and let you view the lyrics. You can also manually search for songs and artists. You can read the track and album reviews, watch YouTube videos, buy music, share tags with friends.