Hasta La Gadget!

For most, cellphone trade shows mean carefree gadget porn. For some, they’re an assault on beleaguered gadget egos. Last time we helped straggling WinMo users. Now, dear last-gen BlackBerry users, we’re reaching out to you.

Users of the Pearl, Curve and 88xx phones, despite being highly capable devices, are getting it from all angles; on one front, RIM left these handsets behind for OS 4.6, and the touchscreen Storm looks like it’s from a different planet. Other phone makers are moving into exciting new territory, releasing totally new hardware and software at steady clip. In short, it can be rough to own a last-gen ‘Berry, not to mention one of the older 7000 series handsets. But the theory here is the same as before—just because your handset is technically last-gen device doesn’t mean it has to feel like one.

Ditch the BlackBerry Browser for Good
RIM’s newest browser, bundled with 4.6x and 4.7x handsets, is good. It renders like a modern mobile phone should. NOT SO for the 4.5 and earlier browsers. They might be fine in the exciting world of WAP, but that’s yesterday’s mobile web.

Opera Mini: This feisty little browser has been backing up RIM’s stock software for years, and with good reason. It’ll run on almost any BlackBerry, with (old version) support spanning back to the ancient, black-and-white 5810, which was released in 2002. Opera uses server-side optimization to speed things up, but the end result is an experience that at least resembles browsing as we know it today.

Bolt Browser: Bolt, which I made note of a while ago for “not looking horrible“, is now available to the public, and it’s quite good. It uses server-side compression just like Opera Mini, but generally achieves more faithful results in a shorter time. Most of its magic lies in its rendering engine, the same soon-to-be-ubiquitous WebKit found in Mobile Safari, Mobile Chrome and the Pre’s new browser.

Dress Your Interface Up Like a New BlackBerry, Or Pretty Much Anything Else
Pre-4.6 BlackBerry OSes share the same awkward aesthetic. It’s at once dry and businesslike, pastel and cartoonish. A relic for sure, but one that takes customization quite well. Plenty of themes are floating around on the internet, but loads of them cost money and nearly all reside in horrible, spammy website. Oh, and 95% of them are terrible. But that means that a few aren’t—here they are:

Go to Themes4BB. Seriously. Registration is required to access the forums, but once you’re done you have access to a huge number of free, occasionally decent BlackBerry themes for almost any model. The obvious iPhone, Mac OS and Windows skins litter the message boards, but the best will give your interface a near-full conversion. If feeling left behind is your problem, there are high-contrast 4.6-inspired skins for most models.

Fill Out Your App List:
While you’ve got a prime messaging device in your pocket, there are areas where the standard BlackBerry apps are lacking. We’ve covered browsers, but there are other apps that can have an equally transformative effect on your handset.

Google Apps: Aside from plethora of mobile web apps offered by Google, there are a few native ones as well. Google Mobile provides access to Gmail (possibly a bit redundant), GPS-compatible Maps (a must-have) and Google Sync, which will keep your contacts and calendars neatly paired with Google Apps.

VoIP: BlackBerrys have been sadly neglected by Skype, but that doesn’t mean VoIP is out of the question. iSkoot is a surprisingly functional 3rd-party app which uses Skype’s network and is able to make and receive relatively clear Skype voice calls, even over 2G networks. Truphone is a simple app that’ll route international calls at local call rates. Gizmo5 is one of the better of the sea of second-tier Skypes out there, and their VoIP app, which offers not just free calls to other Gizmo5 users, but instant messaging on a range of popular networks, is worth a download.

WebMessenger Multi-Protocol IM: Some BlackBerrys are blessed with a bundled AIM app; most aren’t. WebMessenger does a handy job of combining most popular messaging protocols into an easy interface. And honestly, what is your BlackBerry good for if not furiously typing short messages to all your friends through as many channels as possible?

TwitterBerry: Further facilitating the aforementioned HAVE QWERTY, MUST COMMUNICATE ethos is TwitterBerry, the preeminent Twitter app for any BlackBerry. The iPhone may have seized the attention of the Twitterati, but any BlackBerry, new or old, is better suited to the service that the Apple’s buttonless handset. TwitterBerry has the potential to bring upon the world heretofore unseen levels of oversharing, courtesy of you, last-gen BlackBerry users.

Viigo RSS Reader: Viigo is a fantastic RSS reader, able to consolidate any number of feeds—website content, Google Alerts, social networking sites—into a friendly, simple interface.

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every other Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

Not every gadget is salvageable, and sometimes the best way to deal with an old device is to just let it go. Here are the most profitable, helpful and generous ways to say goodbye.

Most hardware doesn’t age well. PCs can quickly become too old to salvage, entire cellphone generations pass in about three years and the country is moving on from outdated CRT display tech en masse. Newly idle gadgetry is the dark side of every upgrade, but there are responsible, beneficial ways to get rid of it.

Sell It
You know, one man’s garbage, et cetera. There are a few ways to sell you stuff, and although most old hardware won’t net you big bucks, finding a decommissioned gadget a new home is particularly satisfying.

If you think you’ve got something with niche appeal, eBay is your savior. Your Razr V3? On the right carrier, or unlocked, it could be worth an easy $75, while fetishized first-gen iMacs can rake in well over $100. Shipping as selling on the site can be a hassle and it’s one of the most obvious options, but don’t ignore the possibility—you never be sure what junk people are willing to pay for, and eBay is the easiest way to find out.

You’re not bound to make as much money on Craigslist as on eBay, but it’s easier and at least you’ll know that whoever adopts your stuff will appreciate it. It’s local, so you can usually convince your chumps to come pick you stuff up. Lifehacker as a great guide for getting the most out of Craigslist, but as long as you don’t list your Zen Xtra in the Casual Encounters section it should be able to sell itself, or at least give itself away.

Selling gear to a faceless conglomerate might not yield the returns of an eBay success or have the dignity of a loving local transaction, but it’ll get your gadgets off your hands and put a bit of money in your pocket. Last year, we investigated Costco’s cash-for-gadget program, and it worked, though not always to our liking. Lifehacker wrote up Gazelle, who appraises and buys electronics, even covering the shipping. HP has a similar buyback program. Your gadget might end up as scrap and you won’t be getting the best price, but these guys will take an awfully wide range of stuff and the process is pretty convenient.

Recycle It
Despite suffering from a recent bad rep on account of widespread, cost-cutting dumping in China, the recycling option is still a good one, as long as you do it through the right channels. Why not take care of your e-waste and middle-class enviroguilt all at once? The small cost is offset by the fact that your doing a good thing by not dumping some of the more toxic electronic component in landfills or, you know, poor countries, assuming your chosen company is legit.

Apple will waive the fee at recycling firm Metech for anyone who buys a new Mac. If you don’t feel like spending $1999 to save $30, you can still use the company.

Your best option is to track down a local recycling company. Many towns have good e-waste facilities—some free, though most are not—and private companies often picks up the slack when the local government can’t make it happen. E-Cycling Central has a fantastic utility for finding your local e-waste facilities, municipal and private, but the onus will be on you in either case to ensure that they’re not just throwing your stuff into a landfill. Just be sure to ask where the stuff goes and if it gets recycled. If they won’t or can’t answer, move on.

For residents of D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego areas, as well as a few others, the USPS will help you recycle small gadgetry for free. They basically serve as a middleman between individual citizens and a corporate bulk recycling/repurposing outfit, and offer free shipping for inkjet cartridges, cellphones, PDAs, digital cameras, and MP3 players to be recycled, torn down or sold. Call you local P/O to see if you’ve got this option. If you do, prepaid packages are available at your branch for easy sending. The best part about this service is that it isn’t vetted, so even the dumpiest old Motorola gets a free ride.

Donate It
There are plenty of charitable organizations trade hardware for karma by placing your old hardware in needy hands, but they can be somewhat picky about what they take. The National Cristina Foundation will put your computers in the hands of those who need them, but they won’t take garbage. If you have a Pentium 3 equivalent computer with a software license, you’re good to go. They’ll also take peripherals, which would be a great way to pass on old printers, monitors, mice, keyboards, speakers and so on. The charity has been around for years, and is very good at what it does.

CollectiveGood normally deals with corporate bulk donations, but also runs a buyback program not unlike Gazelle’s. The difference is that CollectiveGood will donate your payment directly to the charity of your choice. Face it—it’s far more satisfying to feel like you’ve done something good than to just walk away with a disappointing $31.43 for your once-beloved Optiplex.

Recycling for Charities is a lot like the National Cristina Foundation, but with a focus on reselling cellphones for charity. As with CollectiveGood, you can choose your cause.

Due to shipping constraints, many donation opportunities won’t be national—no worries though, as local options abound. Our brilliant intern Erica found plenty of options for New Yorkers in just a few minutes, so a little localized Google-fu will likely turn up something in your area too.

Hat tip to Lifehacker, and thanks to Erico Ho for additional research.

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every other Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.

For the legions of helpless Windows Mobile users, the Pre is just the latest in an endless, corrosive barrage of ego-draining next-gen phones. But living with Windows Mobile doesn’t have to be so bad.

Work rules, lame carriers, prohibitive contracts—whatever the reason you’re shacked up with a WinMo phone, you’ve been through the same experience. You toil with the layers of menus, hidden device settings, poor browsing and crashy, inconsistent performance. Surrounded by fancy, shiny phones with even fancier, shinier OSes, you’re even getting a bit jealous, and feel like you have a genuinely last-gen device. Well, as Windows Mobile enthusiasts (who are out there in droves) will tell you, it’s not that terrible. With the right apps you can get quite a lot of utility and—yes—enjoyment out of your aging phone.

For God’s sake, get a new browser
Internet Explorer Mobile, even in its latest incarnation, has rarely been described as “good.” In fact, it’s pretty much the complete opposite. No worries though—Windows Mobile, through third parties, has the broadest and most versatile collection of browsers of any of its competitors.

Opera Mini/Mobile: A Java-based browser, Opera Mini is a free download that will immediately give your phone a new lease on life. Fancy this: Now, with your phone, you can visit actual websites, rendered to a reasonable degree of accuracy! OH MY GOD!

There’s also Opera Mobile, a native app with a few more advanced features, which has recently shifted its emphasis to a relatively narrow set of touchscreen devices (mostly from HTC and Samsung), on which it performs as a reasonable counterpart to Safari Mobile or Chrome Mobile. It’s free when it’s in beta, but will cost you for long term use.

Both browsers Opera Mini routes content through Opera’s servers for optimization and compression, which can occasionally break formatting. Update: Opera Mobile runs independently of Opera’s servers, though there is noticeable compression performed—presumably locally—on some images.

Skyfire: This upstart company has produced a phenomenal browser, dedicated to bringing a full desktop browsing experience to Windows Mobile phones. This powerhouse app is now available to the public, and lives up to most of its claims.

Skyfire routes web content through its servers like Opera Mini does, but with a greater emphasis on exact page reproduction. For the end user, that means fully optimized streaming Flash video, which will allow you to watch everything from Hulu to Megaporn—all automatically transcoded into a lower, EDGE or 3G-appropriate bitrate. Skyfire works wonderfully on most WinMo phones, touchscreen or not, but its version for VGA-resolution phones needs better visuals.

TorchMobile Iris: This is another browser that claims to bring the “desktop experience” to your phone, and for the most part it does, assuming your phone has a touchscreen. It got its start on the LG Dare, where it performed relatively well. In short, this WebKit-based browser render quite well, but it’s not terribly fast and the navigation paradigm isn’t the most intuitive of the lot. But! It’s free and it’s not Mobile IE, and for this I am grateful.

Give your old phone a new look
This is where Windows Mobile feels the most out of date; its interface is a classic example of design by committee, only this time the committee was made up primarily of the visionaries responsible for Windows Bob, Windows ME, Windows Vista and possibly the Pontiac Aztec. The solution? Skin it.

PointUI: About a year ago, our own Jason Chen raved about PointUI, and not much has changed—it’s still fantastic. This layer, not unlike those designed by HTC, Samsung and Sony to mask WinMo, will provide pretty, finger-friendly navigation to a touchscreen Windows Mobile phone. It looks like the project is on temporary hiatus, but the app is still available here.

SPB Mobile Shell: This one isn’t free ($30, actually) but does provide a fairly complete conversion. It reaches deeper into layers of the interface than PointUI does, is a bit more friendly for QWERTY-based phones and offers a load of user skins.

ThrottleLauncher: HTC’s TouchFlo 3D is a wonderful Windows Mobile shell, but unfortunately can be difficult to port due to its 3D acceleration requirement. ThrottleLauncher is a TF3D replacement, which works on most Windows Mobile touchscreen phones. It looks like TF3D, and offers skins to look like Android, iPhone OS and others. There are a fair number of bugs present, but they’re tolerable.

Fill out your app list:
Most of those things that modern smartphones have—the swank maps, the messaging services, the productivity apps—you can have too. They may not be as polished, but they work very, very well.

Google Apps: Aside from plethora of mobile web apps offered by Google, there are a few native ones as well. Google Maps is a must-download, and provides almost all of the functionality of its iPhone/G1 brother, including GPS integration. Google Mail provides a nice, speedy interface for your Gmail account, offering relief from Windows Mobile’s occasionally frustrating mail app, and allowing for relatively easy switching between accounts.

Skype: Here’s an area where Windows Mobile generally trumps all others OSes—voice over IP. The native Skype app is lovely, functioning well over Wi-Fi and cellular data connections, provided your carrier allows the latter.

Palringo: Palringo is a multiprotocol IM app, which enables messaging on many networks at once in a single program. AIM, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ—they’re all there. Like any decent IM app it works with the WinMo notification system and runs in the background, so you can be constantly apprised of your new messages, just like those smug BlackBerry users. In fact, I think it’s fair to say that in the area of messaging, Windows Mobile shines. Similar, also good: Fring.

TCPMP Media Player: Its development has been discontinued, but the app is perfectly usable as is. What is it? It’s a barebones media player that’ll handle almost any codec, audio or video, that you throw at it. In other words, you can encode video for mobile consumption however you like, something that can’t be said of most other OSes (cough*Apple*cough).

Pocket Scrobbler: An unofficial client for the fantastic Last.fm internet radio/social network service, this app will handily stream endless, personally catered internet radio over a cellular data connection or Wi-Fi. Windows Mobile actually has a distinct advantage with this type of programs: the ability to run apps in the background!

Dealzmodo Hacks are intended to help you sustain your crippling gadget addiction through tighter times. If you come across any on your own that are particularly useful, send it to our tips line (Subject: Dealzmodo Hack). Check back every other Thursday for free DIY tricks to breathe new life into hardware that you already own.