[longhiker]

I�ve got a Curve 8330, am fairly new to BB�s, and decided to see how far I could go to max it out with running applications, as well as see how that related to file free memory.

Here�s my basic setup. I�m running OS 4.5.0.97 and the Curve starts with 96mb memory. I always keep Bluetooth, GPS and the radio on. I�ve got a 4gb micro sd card and keep the device memory limit at 12mb.

When I hook up to the DM and open the Application Loader, it shows under Total Application Space: 47mb.

Of that, the big/basic ones are listed as:

Blackberry 4.5 system software (4.5.0.97) 17mb
Blackberry core applications 17mb
Browser 3mb
DocstoGo 2mb
Blackberry attachment service 291kb
Blackberry messenger 301kb
Blackberry s/mime support 2kb
DOD root certificates 52kb
Phone 403kb

After that, I�ve got 40 apps listed, running the gamut from 4kb launchers like USA Today, to games like Brickbreaker and Tetris, to multiple map programs like BB maps, Sprint Nav, Google maps and Nav4all, to Google Mobile, Beamreader, Viigo, Vlingo, Sprint TV, NFL Mobile Live, etc., etc., etc.

When I do the math, it comes out to almost 50mb worth of stuff total so I�m not sure where the DM comes up with 47mb, but for these purposes it doesn�t matter. I�ve also got some apps that don�t show in the DM like the IM�s (Facebook, Yahoo messenger, etc.) and some others like Pocket Express. I�ve got maybe 35 emails showing.

When I did a battery pull, I came up with 36,285,276 free. When I did a soft reset with the Quick Pull app, it showed 36, 284, 620 free. The battery is at almost 100%.

For the torture test, I started opening apps and leaving them running, then checked how much file free was left after each was going. I also wanted to see when the system started experiencing problems. I somewhat randomly picked the following apps:

Browser 35, 531, 528
BB Weather 35, 531, 796
Viigo 35, 744, 908
Sprint Navigation (set to maps with active traffic) 35, 810, 364
Beamreader (with an opened PDF) 35, 091, 384
NFL Mobile Live 32, 292, 312
Media player 26, 166, 236
Trapster 26, 946, 648
Where 2.1 27, 151, 532
Opera mini 27, 150, 832
Brickbreaker 26, 937, 628

First hourglass started after Beamreader. Fairly steady hourglass while trying to load NFL Mobile. This normally takes a while to load, but this time took ten minutes. Media player loaded very slowly with steady hourglass but started playing an album. Hourglass went away. Trapster loaded normally. Where 2.1 loaded really slowly but its really slow anyhow (hourglass back). Opera mini a little slower loading. Brickbreaker caused steady hourglass so I finally did a soft reset. File free then listed at 36,292,020 (better than when I started the test and better than the battery pull� who knew?)

Anyway, two observations. Loading multiple apps on top of each other obviously slowed some things down, but until the end, the hourglass didn�t get consistently worse � sometimes it actually went away. Second, while the file free steadily went down, there were times when it strangely increased.

I guess I'm wondering how much file free is a factor (I seemed to have had plenty left at the end), or is the more important issue the processor speed.

BTW, I thought the Curve handled this pretty well, but then it�s the only BB I have experience with. Should I have expected better results? Is anybody else routinely running more at the same time?

[ProudTSUalum]

wow.... did you need the blackberry number to file an insurance claim after it blows up lol

[longhiker]

Just testing the limits.

[surflax155]

im such a helpless addict that i feel bad for the poor thing ha! I should adopt it, jk! but longhiker, its gonna be a long hike to the insurance claim office lol!

[longhiker]

I take that to mean most people aren't running that many apps at a time but I wondered what the average was. Other than the downside with speed and battery use, I was just curious about the file free issue that's talked about. After a certain point, is having a ton of file free necessary?

[rehab0808]

So . . . what do you do in your free time?

[BBartist]

wow.... did you need the blackberry number to file an insurance claim after it blows up lol

Now that's funny.

[cjharley]

I have 14 apps on my 8310 and average 19MB of free space. And, no, I don't think having a ton of free file is necessary but some feel more comfortable knowing it is there.