Not to long ago we let you all know of a very powerful app for BlackBerry 10 devices called Power Tools that was made by Toysoft Development. Well here’s some great news, the developer has just let us know the app now supports headless mode. This has become my favorite BlackBerry 10 app as it has so many other apps all built into one and now that it is headless it’s perfect. In fact this version of Power Tools has a couple new features added in and one is something many of you have requested for quite some time now, holster profiles!! That’s right you can now set up different sound profiles based on when your device is in or out of the holster.
There is also another very convenient feature in Power Tools called System Startup Sounds. This feature allows you to set up a tone that will let you know the app has started up on its own after a re-boot giving you that piece of mind that everything is working as designed. For me this is great feature since it seems some headless apps are having an issue restarting after a re-boot. It also allows you to have tones for events like lock screen and when your plug your charger in or out of the device.
Power Tools is the ultimate Active Frame and Headless productivity tool for BlackBerry 10. Power Tools includes many small applications into one powerful productivity tool with unparalleled performance and usability. It will replace most of your active frame applications that your already have into one single, simple and functional productivity tool. No more crowded Active Frame screens on the homeScreen.
This app has also been specifically built for a BlackBerry 10 experience. The Built for BlackBerry designation is your assurance that this app meets BlackBerry’s high standards for quality, performance and security.
Version 2.0 features (need OS version 10.2.1.xxxx to run properly):
- Version 2.0 is headless – This means the application does not have to be running in the Active Frame. Version 2 includes all the features in version 1 except for the alarms. Alarms will not work in headless mode because headless apps cannot display user interface.
- Holster Profiles – Change system sound profiles when holstered and unholster. The only application that works correctly with the sound profiles.
- System Event Sounds – This is similar to Lock Screen sounds in version 1 but with more features. Play a sound for system events such as lock and unlock screen, battery charging, discharging and system reset. The only application that plays predefined or custom sound whenever you restart the BlackBerry. You can even select your own sound and use it.
- Block Email from Hub – Press and hold the email from the Hub and then select share, and select Power Tools. This will open the Message Filter screen and allow you to block this sender. So easy and simple.
- System Card – Version 2 now integrated with the system card. When you Share or Open In Power Tools will act as system Card. You can still Resize and Shred the file, making it easier.
- Scheduler – The Scheduler allows you to schedule a time to turn on or off Bluetooth and Block incoming calls. Future version will include will schedulers. You add the same schedule many times.
- Cell Signal Strength – Worry about losing cell signal? There is no need. Just select a Led color for Have signal and No Signal. The Led light will continue to blink to notify youwith good or no signal.
- This is just the start of the Headless features. Future versions will include even more great things.
Version 1.0 Features: (Version 1 is for BlackBerry OS10.0 to OS10.2 and requires the application to run in Active Frame):
- Encryption – Use BlackBerry’s FIPS certified powerful AES encryption library to secure your files. The only application that offers this kind of security integrated with the BBOS.
- Message Blocker – The best and complete message blocker for BB10. Block Text and Email. Detail log file to keep track of blocked messages. You can view and delete the log file. Even block email messages base on Language of the message. No need to purchase another SMS or Email blocker because it’s included with Power Tools.
- Active Frame – Display Battery and Memory info in Active Frame. Also shows battery charging information like time to fully charged.
- Alarm – Create custom Alarms for daily, weekdays and weekly. Create multiple alarms, snooze option, option to select a random ringtone from your favorite sound folder as a ringtone.
- Bluetooth – Control when to turn on and off Bluetooth. Set up daily, weekdays and weekly.
- LED Color – Add color LED to incoming Text, Email, Facebook LinkedIn, Twitter or other accounts. Customize LED for contacts with vibrate and ringtone. Over 25 different color combinations to use. Set contact or account to VIP status so that you will never miss their text or email. VIP’s will blink and play the ringtone regardless what the system notification is set to. Sorry BBM and WhatsUp are not supported yet.
- Screen Lock – Add custom sounds when screen is locked, unlocked and password locked. You can even set up a custom password lock wallpaper.
- Phone Call – Add custom LED color for all incoming calls, vibrate on call connect and disconnect.
- Sound Profile – Schedule and manage system sound profiles. Turn system sound to vibrate or silent at nights, normal in the morning, set vibrate at the office, silent at church on Sundays, alerts off for weekly staff meeting or however you want. Sound Profile switching is automated. You just have to set the start and end times and leave it to Power Tools. Sound Profile is only available on OS10.2 and higher.
- Wallpaper – Set custom wallpaper every minute, 5 minutes up to 8 hours, set time to change daily, weekdays or weekly. Chose a picture folder to randomly or sequentially change pictures. You can optionally add the battery percentage and current date to the wallpaper. *Note: Due to OS10.2 changes when changing wallpapers a Toast message is displayed.
- Picture Resize – Resize a single picture from the Pictures, File Manager or any apps that has share or open in feature. When resizing you can select many different sizes to resizethe picture like screen size, percentage as well as predefined sizes.
- File Shredder – The ultimate personal security. When you delete a file from the Pictures or File Manager app the content is not erased, therefore it is possible to recover the deleted file and view the content. By shredding the file it would make it impossible to recover the content. File Shredder will write to the physical location of the files with random data many files over so the content can not berecovered.
- Battery Information – Gives you detail information on the current battery status such as percentage, usage before empty, charging information such as time to fully charged and more.
Each application tool can be added more than once. If you want multiple contact text message LED’s just add another, want a different Wallpaper while you are at work just add a new wallpaper, want to change the sound profile during lunch just add a new Sound Profile. The possibilities are endless. Power Tools is easy to use and very powerful. Like I said this is by far the most used app on my BlackBerry Q10.
If you went out and purchased the apps that are built into Power Tools separately you would spend at least $20 so the $3.99 that it costs is well worth the money. If you already have Power Tools installed on your device be sure to grab the FREE update in BlackBerry World now and for those of you that haven’t tried it out yet, what are you waiting on? You can download the latest update or purchase Power Tools here.
Feel free to jump on over to the BlackBerry Empire forums and let everyone know how the app is performing for you and your device, or even leave feedback/suggestions for the developer.,