You knew it would only be a matter of time before Blackberry would jump into the world of mobile applications. Looks like time’s up.

By Gear Patrol Reader Kirk Ward:

BlackBerry introduced the BlackBerry App World in early April and has been adding new applications at a constant clip. While many of the best applications are free, the majority of paid apps are selling at BlackBerry’s seemingly standard price point of $2.99 each. Pricier apps can be found for more, like a mobile version of Guitar Hero for $11.99. Professional and business applications are also available, and that’s when you’ll start to see them costing $20+. Although BlackBerry isn’t as application intensive as the iPhone just yet, the company is off to a strong start. Find out more after the jump.Looking to know what’s currently available? As of GP press time, there were 700+ apps contained within the 13 categories listed below:

• Entertainment
• Games
• Maps & Navigation
• Music & Video
• News & Weather
• Personal Finance & Banking
• Personal Health & Wellness
• Productivity & Utilities
• Professional & Business
• Reference & eBooks
• Social Networking & Sharing
• Sports & Recreation
• Travel

Some of my personal favorites include:

• Pandora
• Facebook
• Viigo (News and RSS)
• Earthcomber (Travel information)

If you’re not already a “CrackBerry” addict, then a venture into App World will make it mighty tempting to become one. However, since it’s still in nascent stages, for now I recommend getting your app fix by using your favorite search engine to track down the best apps that aren’t available directly through the App World portal. One examplary application is Google Maps, a free GPS service offered by Google that is inexplicably not available through the App World. To download Google Maps for BlackBerry, follow this link.

Want to get going? BlackBerry App World can be downloaded directly to your BlackBerry or your computer desktop. If you have integrated your e-mail to your BlackBerry (and if you haven’t, you obviously have bigger problems), you can enter your e-mail at the following site and a link will be sent to your device. From there you can also find directions to download to your desktop. Enjoy!

See all the featured apps here.

About the Author: I’m a new reader to Gear Patrol, after stumbling upon it through some combination of Twitter, Facebook, Google, and who knows where else. I’m a 26 y/o in Charlotte, NC with an eye for new toys, music, and whatever else I can find. I worked for a consulting firm for about four years but have recently found myself with an overabundance of free time on my hands. I have been featured in Men’s Health as a Belly Off club member after losing 70lbs. post-college. I love running and have a couple triathlons on deck this summer. I’m big into travel and have an entrepreneurial spirit.

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