Five Free BlackBerry Downloads

3. On the Money: BlackBerry Wallet

If you've ever wished for a safe, secure and simple digital storage option for your e-commerce information, BlackBerry Wallet may be just what you're looking for.

An evolution of RIM's older Password Keeper app, the free BlackBerry Wallet stores all the information you need to shop via BlackBerry-payment card data, shipping addresses, gift card numbers, loyalty program credentials, and more-in addition to user names and passwords. It's also designed to integrate with sites that support the application so your information can be automatically entered into forms whenever you decide to make a mobile purchase. All you need to do is create one central password, fill in all the necessary information, and then click the Wallet icon on your home screen and login.

A big downside: The application doesn't yet work with a very wide variety of sites-at least that we've seen. In fact, we only know of one website that currently works with BlackBerry Wallet, BPlay.com, a BlackBerry software retailer, but assuming RIM can convince a few major online retailers to back the application, this digital wallet may go a long way towards replacing your out-dated, leather billfold. (RIM will still, however, need to assure consumers that it's safe to make financial transactions via mobile devices-which may be the greater challenge.)

BlackBerry Wallet is available for free, over-the-air download.

4. TV Show Info on the Go: TV Guide Mobile for BlackBerry

Scenario: It's Thursday night, 7:30 PM on the nose, and you just remembered the season finale of "Lost" is on ABC...at least you think it is. You're still sitting in traffic on the expressway, hoping you get home in time for the opening sequence-which is starting to look less-than-likely.

In comes the TV Guide Mobile for BlackBerry application from mobile software developer Handmark. With just a couple clicks you've got access to the full lineup of the night's TV shows, as well as personalized recommendations and access to related news stories. So in seconds you're able to see that "Lost" isn't on this week, and there's no need to rush home. TV Guide Mobile also lets you send program reminders via SMS text message so you remember to leave work in time to get home next Thursday.

The application creates an icon on your BlackBerry home screen for easy access, and you can change your locations at will to see TV listings when you're travelling.

TV Guide Mobile is available for free over-air-download, and it works on the vast majority of newer BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices-Windows Mobile 5.0 or higher is required.

5. Locate Your Car from Afar: CarFinder for BlackBerry

Ever parked the car in the vast shopping mall parking lot only to find yourself wandering aimlessly in the sweltering sun hours later in search of your vehicle? Yeah, us too.

But thanks to Neosistec, a Spanish software development firm, and its CarFinder for BlackBerry app, you'll never find yourself wandering up and down aisles in search of your car again -- no matter how large the parking lot. That's because CarFinder uses your phone's internal GPS to "tag" your parking location for future reference.

You just mark your location as soon as you leave your vehicle, and whenever you're ready to return, click the CarFinder icon on your BlackBerry home screen to launch the application. Then pick whether or not you want to find your car using CarFinder's built-in compass or your BlackBerry Maps app, if available, and you're car-ward bound.

CarFinder is available for free over-the-air download from RIM's mobile.blackberry.com website.

(Note: We were unable to give the CarFinder app a hands-on test drive, because we don't have a BlackBerry with internal GPS and the application didn't seem to work with our external GPS puck. The app just said "Waiting for GPS Signal" over and over again. So users without built-in GPS appear to out of luck.)