Category: Blackberry

Thorsten Heins, RIM CEO, Spotted With His Blackberry 10 Device During an NBA Game

Thorsten Heins, RIM CEO, and Andrew Bocking, RIM SVP of Software Product Management, were recently hanging court side at the LA Lakers/Phoenix Suns game and both were armed with the all-touch BlackBerry 10 device. Heins noted about a month ago that he was using his BB10 on a daily basis, so this could very well be the final hardware. They both look pleasantly happy snapping a few pics and we’re really curious if they’re using the Time Shift feature.

Typically RIM employees can’t bust out pre-production units in public, but I think the CEO might be an exception.

On Bocking’s device, which he’s putting away in a snazzy leather pouch, the bottom row on his homescreen shows the promised Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Foursquare apps. The official unveiling of the RIM BlackBerry 10 OS will be happening on January 30th, 2013.

November 19, 2012
BlackBerry 10 SDK Gold Versions On December 11 : RIM

Canadian mobile phone maker Research In Motion has already provided developers with the possibility to start building applications for its upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system, and it is now promising a final flavor of its development tools for early December.

According to the handset vendor, developers will be provided with a new flavor of the BlackBerry 10 SDK on November 29, while the Gold version of the kit will arrive on December 11.

The company is focusing on bringing developers into the fold, offering a wide variety of tools such as HTML5, native C++, and even Java, to fill up the BlackBerry App World with high-quality apps and games.

RIM clearly understands that apps can make or break an ecosystem — just ask webOS — and it’s working hard to woo developers back from Android and Apple.

The company apparently learned from the recent release of Windows Phone 8 as well. With WP8, Microsoft angered legions of would-be developers when it didn’t bother to release a final SDK until the day after the official launch of the mobile operating system.

RIM will officially launch Blackberry 10 on 30th January.

November 16, 2012
RIM Introduces BBM Voice, Free Voice Calling Over Wi-Fi For BBM Users
With RIM’s BlackBerry 10 announcement earlier this week – now officially launching on January 30th, 2013 – there seems to be some much needed enthusiasm running through their veins. Today the company has declared that their popular BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service will be updated to version 7.0 and brings a bunch of new features.

BBM 7.0 will move away from just text with the addition of BBM Voice — free Wi-Fi calling between all BlackBerry Messenger users. If you’re interested in trying it out, the open beta starts today. Much as BBM initially led the move towards platform-specific messaging as a way to save on text message costs, RIM’s new integrated Wi-Fi calling solution could provide a simple way for users to save on voice minutes — so long as they have Wi-Fi available. It’s a big addition to the BBM real-time chat app, a service that T.A. McCann, RIM’s VP of BBM and Social Communities says “we pioneered and is now being copied by many.”

From the looks of things, initiating a call through BBM Voice is quite simple and cleanly integrated into the service. Users will see an icon that represents the voice availability of their BBM contacts, and a simple press of the “dial” key (or the dial icon on a touchscreen-equipped BlackBerry) will request that the receiver join a voice call. Once the call is started, users can jump back into chat to send images or other content, will full multitasking available in other apps and full compatibility with speakerphone or Bluetooth headsets.

BBM 7 will also see 16 new emoticons, including a “hang loose” sign, mad, camera icon, lightbulb, sun, rain, thunderstorm, snow, tired and what looks to be dizzy. Also coming in the upgrade is an In App Upgrade Notification that will do just that, notify you when an BBM update is available (works for OS 5, 6, 7 devices). Finally, RIM has also linked your BBM info (display name, picture, contacts, groups) directly to your BBID, thus making it eventually easier to switch/upgrade to BlackBerry 10 without any frustration.

BBM 7 will be available to the masses “before the end of the year,” but if you’re interested to give it a go now you can head on over to the Beta Zone and download BBM version 7 and BBM Voice.

Check out the Press Release below :

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

For the times when you want to hear a friend’s laughter instead of reading LOL, BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) is taking the social networking experience to a whole new level with an exciting new feature called BBM Voice. Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced BBM version 7, a free update for the globally popular mobile social network, which will allow customers to make free voice calls to other BBM customers around the world over a Wi-Fi® connection*.

BBM is a fast, convenient and inexpensive service for BlackBerry® customers that gives them the ability to instantly chat with a friend, family member or colleague, and know when their message has been delivered, and read. With the new version of BBM, customers have a new option – they can talk with their BBM contact across the globe for free over a Wi-Fi connection. In an instant, customers can switch between texting and talking, or talk and text at the same time. For consumers, especially in developing markets, the BBM Voice feature offers an attractive way to talk with friends and family near and far, and staying in contact will be easier than ever as the holiday season approaches. For business customers, BBM Voice allows for enriched collaboration.

“BBM is the quick, easy way to stay connected to the people that matter to you, and with today’s announcement we’re expanding the capabilities of the service for deeper social engagement and even greater collaboration, beginning with voice functionality,” said T.A. McCann, Vice President of BBM and Social Communities at RIM. “The new BBM Voice feature is for when you’re travelling and you want to call home without worrying about phone charges. It’s for when you have news you can’t wait to share, for quickly explaining complicated details, and collaborating with colleagues. Whenever your ideas are too big for text, there’s BBM Voice.”

BBM Voice includes a number of convenient features.
- Customers can initiate a BBM Voice call directly, or instantly switch from a BBM text chat to talk, and back again.
- The split-screen feature allows customers to talk and text at the same time, so for example, they can send a picture to their contact while talking with them. They can also check other BBM text chats, check email, or navigate to other apps while engaged on a BBM Voice call.
- BBM provides a visual indicator that shows when contacts are available for a voice call.
- BBM Voice is compatible with any accessories a customer has now for making voice calls on their BlackBerry smartphone, such as a Bluetooth® or wired headset. Customers can also use BBM Voice over their BlackBerry smartphone’s speakerphone.
- If it’s not an ideal time to talk, customers can simply choose to respond by texting back.
Another important feature of BBM version 7 is its integration with a customer’s BlackBerry ID, which is designed to back up their BBM profile, groups and contacts so they can automatically be restored in the event they switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone, including to a BlackBerry® 10 device.

BBM version 7 with the new BBM Voice feature is currently available in Beta for BlackBerry smartphones running the BlackBerry® 6 OS or higher with support planned for smartphones running the BlackBerry 5 OS at a future date. The Beta can be downloaded for free from BlackBerry Beta Zone**. Customers can sign up to BlackBerry Beta Zone for free at www.BlackBerry.com/betazone.

For more information about BBM, please visit www.blackberry.com/bbm.

* BBM requires a BlackBerry service plan. The BBM Voice feature requires a Wi-Fi connection with access to the Internet and may not be available in all markets.

** BlackBerry Beta Zone is not available in all markets.

[/toggle_box]
November 14, 2012
Blackberry 10 Devices To Be In Stores Soon After Launch

Research In Motion is confident its new BlackBerry 10 devices will be 100 percent ready for the January 30 launch and available in stores “not too long after” that, Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear said on Tuesday.

[quote]”We’re working hard right now to make sure all the bits and pieces and all the details are in place for the date, when the devices will be available for consumers and enterprises,” Tear told Reuters in an interview.[/quote]

RIM, which virtually invented the concept of mobile email with its first line of BlackBerry devices more than a decade ago, was roundly criticized for the botched 2011 launch of its PlayBook tablet computer, which RIM had hoped would compete with Apple’s blockbuster iPad.

The PlayBook looked pretty and had top-of-the-line hardware. But its software was far from complete at the launch and needed multiple updates. The device also lacked the library of apps available on the iPad and on devices that run on Google Inc’s competing Android operating system.

RIM says its the new Blackberry 10 devices will be faster and smoother than its existing phones and have a large catalog of applications that are crucial to the success of any smartphone.

The company hopes the new devices will allow it to claw back some of the market share it has lost to Android and Apple phones.

Tear said RIM has used input from current BlackBerry users to influence the design of the new devices, The new phones both build on the strengths of RIM’s existing operating system and improve on its weak points, he said.

RIM last month began carrier testing on the new Blackberry 10 devices, with an initial rollout to more than 50 carriers. Tear, who joined RIM a few months ago from Sony Mobile Communications, said RIM was expanding that to a wider group of carriers across the globe.

January 30th is about 2.5 months away. The countdown begins.

[Reuters]

November 14, 2012
BlackBerry 10 to be Launched On January 30th, 2013

Research In Motion has announced that it will officially launch BlackBerry 10 at an event on January 30th, 2013, which will take place in multiple countries around the world. It will also unveil the first two BlackBerry 10 smartphones at the same event. Details on the smartphones and their availability will be announced on the same day.

[quote]”In building BlackBerry 10, we set out to create a truly unique mobile computing experience that constantly adapts to your needs. Our team has been working tirelessly to bring our customers innovative features combined with a best in class browser, a rich application ecosystem, and cutting-edge multimedia capabilities. All of this will be integrated into a user experience – the BlackBerry Flow – that is unlike any smartphone on the market today,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of Research In Motion. “Thanks to our strong partnerships with global carriers and a growing ecosystem of developers, we believe our customers will have the best experience possible with BlackBerry 10. We are looking forward to getting BlackBerry 10 in the hands of our customers around the world.”[/quote]

As reported earlier, the BlackBerry 10 platform has recently achieved FIPS 140-2 certification, which means that government agencies will be able to deploy BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 as soon as it is available.

Exciting!

[Market Wire]

November 12, 2012
BlackBerry 10 Receives FIPS Security Certification Ahead of Launch

Research In Motion (RIM) today announced that the BlackBerry 10 platform is now FIPS 140-2 certified. The certification will enable government agencies to deploy BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, RIM’s new mobile enterprise management solution, from the day of launch. This is the first time BlackBerry products have been FIPS certified ahead of launch.

FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) certification provides confidence to security-conscious organizations, including U.S. and Canadian government agencies, companies in regulated industries and other organizations dealing with sensitive information, that data stored on smartphones running BlackBerry 10 can be properly secured and encrypted.

“Achieving FIPS 140-2 certification means that BlackBerry 10 is ready to meet the strict security requirements of government agencies and enterprises at launch,” said Michael K. Brown, Vice President, Security Product Management and Research at RIM. “What differentiates BlackBerry is that it integrates end-to-end security, and includes certified encryption algorithms for data at rest and data in transit. No other mobile solution has achieved the level of security accreditation that the BlackBerry solution has.”

FIPS 140 is issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to coordinate the requirements and standards for certifying cryptographic modules. The standard was developed through the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP), which certifies products for use by U.S. government agencies and regulated industries that collect, store, transfer, share and disseminate sensitive information. Product certifications under the CMVP are performed in accordance with the requirements of FIPS 140-2. It is supported by the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) for the Canadian government.

“IDC expects the mobile enterprise security market to experience a high rate of growth from 2012 to 2016,” said Stacy Crook, Program Manager for Mobile Enterprise research at IDC. “Maintaining the BlackBerry solution’s reputation for security while introducing an enhanced user experience gives BlackBerry 10 the opportunity to be a highly competitive platform in the government, enterprise and consumer sectors.”

BlackBerry products and solutions are protected by best-in-class AES 256-bit encryption, a highly secure, internationally recognized data protection standard. In addition to FIPS certifications, BlackBerry products have continuously passed rigorous security assessments from a variety of other independent organizations around the world. The BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution is the first mobile platform to achieve Common Criteria Certification, a standard recognized by 26 countries, as well as the first to receive approval through the CESG Assisted Product Scheme (CAPS), the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance in the United Kingdom. BlackBerry® 7 smartphones meet Common Criteria security assurance level EAL 4+. The BlackBerry® PlayBook™ is the first FIPS certified tablet for deployment within U.S. federal government agencies and certified for use by the Defence Signals Directorate of the Australian Government.

“Achieving FIPS certification for an entirely new platform in a very short period of time, and before launch, is quite remarkable and a testament to the dedication of our security team,” said David MacFarlane, Director, Security Certifications at RIM. “BlackBerry 10 will deliver security, a superior user experience, the ability to separately manage corporate and personal data on the same device, and ease of manageability for IT managers in an enterprise or government environment.”

November 9, 2012
RIM Invites Key Government Officials for BlackBerry 10 Sneak Peek

Some of Ottawa’s key government officials will be among the first to get a sneak peek of the new BlackBerry 10 operating system.

Over the past number of months RIM has been consistently traveling the world promoting the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS. Execs have mainly communicated their enthusiasm to the developer community and respected carrier partners, but for those loyal customers, now 80 million strong, rely on leaked information or various hands-on reviews.

One of RIM’s backbone customers are those in the government. Many high-ranking officials, like President Barack Obama, rely on the encryption technology to secure their info.

Apparently invitations have been sent out to Members of Parliament, their assistants, members of Industry Canada, and regional caucus members encouraging them to “get a sneak peek of the next generation mobile platform that will change everything.”

Big test for Blackberry!

October 20, 2012
7digital to provide music services to RIM’s Blackberry 10 smartphones

BlackBerry 10 is still months away from being released, but that hasn’t stopped partnering companies from sending press releases that will help power the platform. Apparently TomTom will be partnering up for the maps application, plus Scalado will assist with the camera features. As for the music capabilities it’s 7digital.

This really comes as no real surprise as the music service has been working with RIM since 2009 – currently have an music store app for various smartphones and the PlayBook. In a press release we received it notes that “7digital and RIM are working closely together to leverage both 7digital’s open music platform technology and BlackBerry platform abilities, such as the social integration and recommendation engines. 7digital’s platform allows BlackBerry App World to build digital music services into the core of the product.”

Along with the RIM partnership announcement, 7digital also revealed on Thursday its decision to expand beyond music downloads, introducing new digital music services to the firm’s application programming interface (API).

Following what it claims was “a successful year of growth”, the API update will include a scan-and-match feature similar to Apple’s Itunes Match, as well as a streaming functionality akin to Spotify, which won’t be locked to any particular hardware or OS. 7digital said these features will be introduced to the service across Europe, North and South America and Australasia “in the coming months”.

It’ll be interesting to see how the social integration and recommendations happen, possibly even deeper tie in with BBM Music app. 7digital also stood by what RIM has declared, “BlackBerry 10 smartphones are expected to become available in calendar Q1 of 2013.”

October 19, 2012
No plans To Release Instagram for Blackberry 10, Says Facebook

In what could turn out to be a considerable blow to RIM’s upcoming operating system, Venturebeat has learned that Facebook has no intention of bringing its popular Instagram app to BlackBerry 10. While RIM has promised native apps from social network leaders such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare and, of course, Facebook, a company insider has shared that at least for the time being there are no plans to do the same for Instagram.

As much as non-users tend to dismiss Instagram as a silly little photo app, the fact is that there are over 100 million users posting thousands of photos per hour, all from just two platforms. While the iPhone provided the amniotic fluid in which Instagram gestated, its expansion to Android has been the true catalyst for growth, adding nearly 70 million users since April.

But for RIM, getting application makers to build for the platform is arguably the single most important factor to determining whether consumers go back to (or discover) BlackBerry, especially if task management flow is all the platform has to set it apart from iOS and Android. RIM has been providing thousands of developers with beta devices, dubbed Dev Alpha, on which they’ve been tasked to build the very apps that users will have access to at launch. They’re already accepting apps, despite the fact that the first devices will launch in Q1 2013.

However, Kevin Michaluk from CrackBerry on Monday disputed the report. Michaeluk has a well established track record reporting on RIM, and said that his sources have confirmed that RIM’s relationship with Facebook is still solid. He added that we “will see Instagram come to Blackberry 10.” He said he’s so confident that, if he’s wrong, he’s willing to buy somebody a car!

More on this to come!

October 16, 2012
BlackBerry 10 “Aristo” Specs Leaked : 4.65-inch Touchscreen, Quad-Core, LTE, 2GB RAM

Well, it seems that leaked hardware specifications of the BlackBerry Aristo have hit the Internet, where it will be part of the BlackBerry 10 dance that is happening real soon.

RIM previously noted that their full touch devices will have a screen resolution of 1280 x 720 (16:9), and the physical keyboard devices will sport a resolution of 720 x720 (1:1). Over the past few months these devices have internally been called the L-Series and the N-Series, but a new A-Series device name has popped up with the codename of “Aristo.” Here’s the quad-core LTE goodness:

– Qualcomm APQ8064 Krait Quad Core 1.5GHz
– 136 x 68 x 8.85mm
– GSM – Quad band (not specified) – WCDMA – 2100/1900/850-850MHz – LTE –
– AWS/700/1900/850MHz – EU/APAC – GSM – Quad band (not specified) – WCDMA –
– 2100/1900/850-850/900MHz – LTE – 1800/2.6GHz/800/900MHz
– OCTA Glass OLED 4.65? – 1280 x 720 – 24 bit Colour – 16:9
– Capacitive All Touch
– 2GB RAM + 16GB Flash – Hot Swappable MicroSD slot 16GB MicroSD card
– 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4GHz/5GHz 4G Mobile Hotspot
– MicroUSB – MicroHDMI – Wifi Direct – NFC – DLNA – Bluetooth 4.0
– Stereo speakers – 4 Microphones – Noise Reduction – Wideband AMR
– 2800mAh sealed battery with non-removeable door
– Footprint 104 x 57.1 x 3.4mm

There’s no word on when this device will come to market, but hopefully it’s true. RIM is expected to launch a total of six BlackBerry 10 devices this year.

October 2, 2012
RIM’s New CEO plans massive comeback for Blackberry with new UI and feature rich Ecosystem

Research In Motion CEO Thorsten Heins is promising to restore the BlackBerry phone’s stature as a trailblazing device even as many investors fret about its potential demise. Heins took the stage Tuesday at a conference for mobile applications developers to rally support for the upcoming release of BlackBerry 10, a new operating system that Research In Motion Ltd. is touting as its salvation after years of blundering wiped out some $80 billion in shareholder wealth.

Blackberry held almost 50% of the market share prior to the Android and iPhone era. With new UI that is more user centric blackberry plans to make a comeback not only in the consumer segment, but its primary source the business/enterprise segment.

RIM is also planning Native apps for Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and LinkedIN, which are quite identical to their iOS/Android counterparts.

In addition to sharing new details about its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 OS, RIM used the BlackBerry Jam keynote to make an announcement about App World. The company just revealed that in addition to applications and games, the store will sell music, movies and TV shows. There are currently 105,000 apps in the store, with 3 billion downloads logged since the store’s opening.

RIM says, BB 10 applications will join the herd soon: the company will begin accepting submissions on October 10th.

September 26, 2012
RIM looks to sell NewBay, other assets

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is looking to sell cloud services provider NewBay and some of the other minor assets it recently acquired, as part of a strategic review process, according to a source familiar with the matter.

RIM acquired NewBay, a provider of photo, video, and social-networking tools for smartphones and computers, in October 2011 for reportedly around $100 million, as it sought to roll out a new strategy to stem its steady decline.

RIM declined to comment on the sale report.

RIM, based in Waterloo, Ontario, is a pioneer in the smartphone industry, but has struggled over the last couple of years, as its aging line-up of BlackBerry smartphones have not been able to compete against more-advanced devices like Apple Inc’s iPhone and a slew of other devices based on Google Inc’s Android software.

The acquisition of NewBay in Dublin, Ireland, was a huge part of the former RIM leadership’s plan to alter its course and boost service revenue by having carriers use its services for messaging, content delivery and analytics on all smartphones.

When RIM bought it in late 2011, NewBay had over 80 million subscribers. NewBay stores media on its own servers and delivers it to any Internet-connected device, including mobile phones, personal computers and tablets.

But in the face of mounting pressure RIM’s Co-Chief Executives Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie resigned early this year. RIM’s new CEO Thorsten Heins has begun a strategic review process within the company and is focused on delivering a new line-up of devices that run on RIM’s new BB10 operating system, in the first-quarter of 2013.

Since taking the reins early in 2012, Heins has retained RBC Capital Markets and JPMorgan to explore options for RIM.

Its share price has fallen more than 60 percent over the course of the last year, as RIM has continued to hemorrhage market share to the likes of nimbler competitors like Apple and Samsung Electronics Co.

RIM’s shares closed more than 6 percent higher at $8.29 on Friday on the Nasdaq, after Bloomberg reported that tech giant International Business Machines Corp had at one point considered buying RIM’s enterprise division.

Source : Reuters

August 11, 2012
10 inch Blackberry playbook found in Vietnam

With RIM ready to push focus on BB10 devices coming next year, more news and leaks of Blackberry Playbook 10 inch could indicate only a possible launch soon. Specs include a 7,250 mAh battery, 10-inch frame, the tablet also includes a SIM holder and cellular radio, possible 4G or 3G (HSPA+) radio waves.

No actual information on hardware on the inside or outside. But there appear to be bigger cameras and a beefier processor.

[Tinhte]

July 31, 2012
Update : Extended! iGyaan Birthday Giveaway Party! Free Blackberry Playbook and More
Update : The Contest is now extended till 31st July. So make sure you participate.

GO TO THE CONTEST

Contest Terms

Welcome to the iGyaan Birthday Bash Month !

We are Giving Away Goodies !

Grand Prize : Blackberry Playbook 16GB

Second Prize : Micromax Andro A85 Superfone

Third Prize : Jabra Bt 2020 Bluetooth Headset

Runners Up : iGyaan Tshirts and Pen Drives.

Requirements:

1. Like us on Facebook :

2. Subscribe to both our Youtube Channels :

3.Follow us on Twitter : twitter.com/iGyaan :

Important : The above steps are necessary, else you will be disqualified !

NEXT:

Click and upload a Photograph/Picture/Image of a Situation or a Scenario where iGyaan can Help! or a Situation where you have used iGyaan’s Help!

The image can be from any camera or camera phones, can be natural or staged, amateur or Professional or just for fun.

The Most Creative and Innovative Images will be selected by Bharat and our Panel.

We Clicked an Image to Inspire You!

To get your Images noticed, ask you friends, family and fellow colleagues to Vote for your photograph/image. Remember top rank does not mean automatic winnings, it just means you get more “Brownie Points” when Bharat and the Panel Review your Photographs.

So The More Votes you get the more your Chances of Being Noticed.

GO TO THE CONTEST

Important :
1. All Photographs should be Original and self Captured and not copied.
2. iGyaan Reserves the Right To Disqualify anyone.
3. Winner will be Notified via Email at the End of the Contest.
CONTEST CLOSES JULY 31st 2012

GO TO THE CONTEST
July 18, 2012
Blackberry App World gets “Upgrade All” Action, All Rejoice

It has been literally years, since the Blackberry App World updates had to be launched one by one. Blackberry users and fans will finally get a reason to rejoice as the latest update to App World introduces a feature that’s been a long time coming: the ability to upgrade all apps at once.

Now you can finally put the frustrating and slow single app list update, which can be really painful if you get more than 5 app updates at once. The latest update to Blackberry App World also brings the ability to view and share lists of installed apps with friends via NFC and adds Finnish language support.

July 14, 2012