All BlackBerry All the Time

BlackBerry's Founder believes BBM will be embraced by Android and iOS Users

2013-05-22T13:20:00.000-04:00

Ever since stepping down as Co-CEO of BlackBerry, Mike Laziridis has kept a pretty low profile. After last week's announcement of BBM going cross platform, Mike had some positive things to say about the announcement.

As the title says, he believes that BBM will be embraced by Android and iOS users and he is "confident" about that. He said, “BBM is by far the most compelling wireless experience and wireless social-networking environment.” He also said that Thorsten's decision to make BBM a cross platform app is “speaking to the confidence he has in the platform, not only is BlackBerry back in a big way with BB10, he’s also showing he can expand that vision to other platforms.”

To be honest, I couldn't agree more. I have been on the fence about the decision since it was announced, but as time goes on and the more I think about it, it makes sense to do it now. All the other cross platform messaging apps are in for some trouble. I know several former BlackBerry users that were extremely happy with that announcement, and I can imagine the sentiment is shared by many more. Do you know any current Android or iOS users that are looking forward to getting BBM? Let us know in the comments.

Just thought you guys should know, I will be very weirded out by the 1st BBM I get from someone that I know that doesn't have a BlackBerry. #JustSaying

Sprint confirms that they are releasing at least 1 more BlackBerry this year

2013-05-22T10:54:00.000-04:00

Sprint decided to skip on the Z10. Personally, I was very upset about this decision, so upset in fact, that I left Sprint and switched to T-Mobile. Sprint will be releasing the Q10 sometime this summer, but that is not all that they have planned for BlackBerry.

In an interview with CNET, Lois Eichelberger Fagan stated, "we're not done with BlackBerry" and "there's more to come". What is this mystery device? Could it be the BlackBerry Aristo that has been rumored for quite some time? Or is it the flagship device that Thorsten hinted about in an interview a while back? It has been hinted that the new BlackBerry/s will be released around the holidays. Regardless of what it is, it is nice to hear that more BlackBerrys are coming out.

In the same interview Fagan stated that Sprint initially planned on releasing both the Z10 and Q10 but they felt that the timing was right. They opted for the Q10 when they discovered that the Z10 and Q10 would not be released at the same time.

As a Sprint user, are you excited about this confirmation? I highly doubt that the device that is hinted is the Q5, but are you willing to wait to see what it is, or are you going to get the Q10 when it is finally released. Let us know what you think in the comments.

Rumor Mill: Verizon and AT&T switching to BB10; All Android apps getting ported to BB10

2013-05-21T11:26:00.000-04:00

There is something about analysts and their rumors that I find very comical. Especially when they are for the great benefit for any particular company. Most rumors that come out about BlackBerry are usually not all that positive, until now.

The guys from the research firm, Jefferies & Co., have cooked up some really good ones. The 1st rumor is that Verizon is going to make its 10,000 employees switch from Android phones to BB10 and BES 10.1. It is also being reported that the Verizon and AT&T sales department is making BES 10.1 their MDM of choice for its customers.

The last rumor that I will touch on is that a company is to "allow the whole Android catalog to be ported to BlackBerry 10 devices." According to the company, "the user will feel that the whole catalog is native and will not feel ported." This has me very skeptical. Porting every app is a daunting task because there are 700,000+ apps and to make them all "feel native" is just about impossible if you ask me.

As with all rumors, these must be taken with a grain of salt. I know for me, the helping of salt is much bigger than normal, because these rumors seem so far fetched. Only time will tell what will actually happen, but if any of these rumors were true, it would be very good news for BlackBerry. Let us know what you think of the rumors in the comments.

Be the 1st to know when BBM goes to iOS and Android

2013-05-20T21:28:00.000-04:00

Last week #TeamBlackBerry got some crazy news, BBM is going cross platform! Which, if you don't know, means that is it going to be available on iOS devices (iPhone and iPod) and Android phones. There will not be tablet support at the beginning, which makes sense to me considering the PlayBook still doesn't have BBM without bridge.

Well, if you are like me and want to know when that is going to happen, you can now sign up and be the 1st to know. Sign up at the BBM webpage and be sure to let us know what you think about BBM going cross platform.

Check out some Upcoming Features in BB 10.2

2013-05-20T21:02:00.001-04:00

Last week at BB Live, BlackBerry was announced for the BlackBerry Z10. While many of us here in the States are still waiting for BB 10.1, BlackBerry wasted no time in letting us know what to expect in BB 10.2. During the BBJam Americas Keynote, Alec Saunders, let developers know what to expect for the June release for BlackBerry 10.2. Here are some of the features:

Headless Apps - Headless apps will be able to run in the background or be triggered instead of showing up and running as a pane.
USB Host Capabilities - This should allow you to connect usb sticks to BlackBerry devices and transfer files.
WiFi Direct and Miracast - This will allow Wi-Fi connectivity directly between devices instead of going through a router. This will essentially act like Bluetooth, but use the Wi-Fi radio for faster transfer speeds. Miracast will use Wi-Fi Direct for high bandwidth transmission of video to an external display.
Flurry Analytics - BlackBerry will support the analytics solution called Flurry which can help developers understand their customers better and create better apps via analytics solutions.
Smart Cards - Smart card support will allow BlackBerry 10 devices to act as access cards to physical buildings/rooms via NFC.
Altimeter - The altimeter would allow developers to make apps that can use altitude information. This is either access to an existing barometer in the Z10, or simply a way to obtain altitude information from a GPS location.
Geofencing - Geofencing on BlackBerry smartphones will allow developers the ability to create apps which work or respond depending on a precise area you’re in. This can be useful for securing smartphones for business within a complex, or an application for notifying whether your child leaves a certain virtual area.
Android Jellybean Support - Along with OS 10.2, BlackBerry should be rolling out support for Android Jelly Bean Apps. This should bring in many new high-quality Android apps that are designed for the latest Android smartphones.

Though this list seem kind of long, I strongly believe that this is only the tip of the iceberg. I am very sure there is much more to come. One thing that this list does confirm, is that BB10.2 is going to be a great update. Let us know if there are any features that you want to see in the next update. Sound off in the comments.

Watch the QNX Bentley receive a BBM Video Call!

2013-05-20T13:21:00.000-04:00

One of the highlights of last week's BBLive event was the QNX/BB10 powered Bentley Continental. Thorsten Heins along with Mark Rigley, of QNX, showed off the vehicle and some of its features. The highlight of the demo was the 1st ever BBM Video call to a vehicle. The concepts behind the demo are really interesting and make me very excited about the future. Check out the video below and as always sound off on the comments.

(Mobile Link)

BlackBerry Live Keynote now available online!

2013-05-20T09:24:00.000-04:00

This year's BlackBerry Live keynote was very exciting. We got a glimpse of the future in the QNX Bentley, we were told of upcoming apps that are coming to BB10, we were told that BBM is going to finally go cross platform, and so much more. I don't know about you, but I was not there. I was fortunately able to stream it live.

If you missed it or if you want to see it again, you're in luck, because it is now available online for your viewing pleasure. It is available in 4 parts, because the keynote was a little on the long side. Check out the videos below and if you catch something that you like, please feel free to let us know in the comments.

The videos are currently unlisted and so I'm going to put up the links. Enjoy!!!

BlackBerry Live 2013 Keynote Part 1

BlackBerry Live 2013 Keynote Part 2

BlackBerry Live 2013 Keynote Part 3

BlackBerry Live 2013 Keynote Part 4

BlackBerry World now has 120,000 Apps

2013-05-15T08:40:00.001-04:00

Another major announcement that came out of the BlackBerry Live Keynote was that as of yesterday BlackBerry World is home to 120,000 apps. This is a huge number considering that when BB10 was launched they had 70,000. That's 50,000 apps in just under 5 months, which shows some really good momentum for BB10.

Personally, I am really impressed with the sheer number of apps, but I prefer to have less apps as long as we get quality apps. I also hope to see more of the games that are available on Android and iOS make their way to BB10. Either way, lets keep these app numbers growing.

Samurai II is now available for the Z10

2013-05-15T07:49:00.000-04:00

As BB10 continues to grow more and more games are making it to the platform. The folks over at Union have slowly but surely been making more of their games available for the Z10. The latest to make its way to the Z10 is Samurai II: Vengeance. It was originally released for the PlayBook, and the best news is, that if you bought it for the PlayBook, you won't have to pay for it again. I definitely hope that more apps and games take on this philosophy and don't make users pay more than once.

Personally, I really like this game. It runs very smoothly on the Z10 and visually I really like what is going on. I'm pretty sure that if a hack and slash kind of game is your cup of tea, you will enjoy this game quite a bit. If you haven't already purchased the game it is available know in the app world for $.99.

Buy Samurai II: Vengeance for $.99 in BlackBerry World

BBM is going Cross Platform this Summer

2013-05-14T20:45:00.000-04:00

In a move that is likely to get the BB world stirring, BlackBerry announced that BBM will be going cross platform some time in the summer. Yes, you read that right, pretty soon iOS and Android users will be able to send you a BBM and experience all that BBM has to offer. For iOS users they will be have to be running iOS 6 and for Android users will have to be running at least Jelly Bean.

To start the cross platform BBM will the ability to send and receive messages/pictures/videos/voicenotes and access to BBM groups. As time progresses though, BBM Voice and BBM Video will also be available. The final detail that I forgot to mention is that, it will be free. Here is a quick rundown of the initial features that will be available:

The immediacy of BBM chats

Multi-person chats

Voice note sharing

BlackBerry Groups, where BBM users are able to set up groups of up to 30 people and share calendar, photos, files and more

I know I'm on the fence on how I feel about this. On one hand, I believe that it's about time that BlackBerry did this. Get their best and most popular feature out into the hands of millions and let all those imitators fade away. Show people how great BBM is and motivate them to get the best and full experience that only a BlackBerry can offer. On the other hand, even though people don't buy BlackBerrys just for BBM, but defectors who long for BBM will no longer have a reason to return to BlackBerry, if the one feature they miss is coming to their platform. Let me end my little rant by saying, that I have faith in BlackBerry and the people at the top. They have done a marvelous job so far, so I am not going to doubt them now.

Check out the press release below and please let us know what you think. I am very curious to hear what you guys have to say.

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today announced plans to make its ground-breaking mobile social network, BlackBerry(R) Messenger (BBM(TM)), available to iOS(R) and Android(TM) users this summer, with support planned for iOS6, and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher, all subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play. BBM sets the standard for mobile instant messaging with a fast, reliable, engaging experience that includes delivered and read statuses, and personalized profiles and avatars. Upon release, BBM customers would be able to broaden their connections to include friends, family and colleagues on other mobile platforms.

In the planned initial release, iOS and Android users would be able to experience the immediacy of BBM chats, including multi-person chats, as well as the ability to share photos and voice notes, and engage in BBM Groups, which allows BBM customersto create groups of up to 30 people.

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, SoftwareProduct Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry.

BBM is loved by customers for its “D” and “R” statuses, which show up in chats to let people know with certainty that their message has been delivered and read. It provides customers with a high level of control and privacy over who they add to their contact list and how they engage with them, as invites are two-way opt-in. iOS and Android users would be able to add their contacts through PIN, email, SMS or QR code scan, regardless of platform. Android users would also be able to connect using a compatible NFC-capable device.

BBM has more than 60 million monthly active customers, with more than 51 million people using BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps. Almost half of BBM messages are read within 20 seconds of being received; indicating how truly engaged BBM customers are.

Today, BlackBerry also announced BBM Channels, a new social engagementplatform within BBM that will allow customers to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about. BlackBerry plans to add support for BBM Channels as well as voice and video chatting for iOS and Android later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play.

If approved by Apple and Google, the BBM app will be available as a free download in the Apple(R) App Store(SM) and Google Play store. Additional details about system requirements and availability will be announced closer to the launch.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry(R) revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend”, “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by Research In Motion Limited (BlackBerry) in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that BlackBerry believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause BlackBerry’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of BlackBerry’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BlackBerry’s forward-looking statements. BlackBerry has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

BBM Facts and Introducing BBM Channels

2013-05-14T19:36:00.001-04:00

During the BlackBerry Live Keynote we were given some very interesting BBM facts. BBM has 60 million monthy active users. Of those 60 million users, 51 million are daily users. Over 10 billion BBM messages are sent daily which is almost twice as many as other mobile messaging platform. The fact I found most interesting, is that on average a BBM is read within 20 seconds of being received.

To make BBM even more compelling, BlackBerry announced today, BBM Channels. BBM Channels will allow users, brands, celebrities, businesses, and more to create channels and use the power of BBM to extend their reach to their potential audience. It has been described as Tumblr like.

At this point it is available in the Beta Zone (make sure you hit up the Beta Zone and download it today) and it is available for BlackBerry phones running OS 5.0 and higher. You can check out the video walk through courtesy of the guys at N4BB and check out the press release below. As always let us know what you think in the comments. Also let us know if you create a channel.

Stay tuned for the All BlackBerry channel coming soon.

(Mobile Link)

Top BBM Channels Features:

Create a channel – Create, edit and publish in an instant, and there are no limits to the number of followers you can have in your channel. Securely manage your channel from either a BlackBerry smartphone or the web.
Discover channels – BBM Channels includes a carousel that lets you discover new channels. You can share channel invites within a BBM chat, and people can be added or invited using the channel’s PIN or QR code.
View – View profiles for each BBM Channel you choose to follow.
Subscribe – Subscribing to a channel allows the channel owner to send you timely and relevant updates, giving the subscriber instant access to your news, deals, events or whatever you want to communicate. Subscribers can choose to receive notifications when new posts are available.
Participate – Participate and engage in conversations with your favorite people or communities by “Commenting” and “Liking” posts from channels you subscribe to. Channel owners have the option to directly chat one-on-one with a subscriber.
Monitor engagement – Easily use built-in measuring tools to assess and monitor follower engagement and interaction

Press Release

BBM Now Lets You Tune In to the People and Communities That Matter To You with BBM Channels

WATERLOO, ONTARIO - (May 14, 2013) - For the times when you want to share experiences beyond your friends or engage the communities you care about, BlackBerry(R) is taking its globally popular mobile social network, BlackBerry(R) Messenger (BBM(TM)), up a notch with new functionality called BBM Channels. BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today announced the beta launch of BBM Channels, a new social engagement platform within BBM that will allow people to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about.

"BBM is the best way to stay connected, and with today's announcement, we're again expanding the capabilities of the service to provide a deeper real-time engagement experience for people to connect with brands, business, and communities that matter most to them," said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of Software Product Management and Ecosystem at BlackBerry. "With over 60 million highly engaged customers using BBM, content creators have a great opportunity to build deeper relationships, enhance their brands, and connect in new ways."

BBM Channels allows individuals and groups to create a dedicated channel and share information and updates with the immediacy that BBM offers. BBM customers around the world will be able to connect and share information, broadcast about themselves to their channel, or join their favorite communities and share their experiences of the channel with their BBM contacts.

Starting today, BBM customers can connect and share the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team on their BBM Channels. BlackBerry is working with leading global brands around the world to help them build and promote exciting new BBM Channel offerings.

BBM Channels features:

Create a channel - Create, edit and publish in an instant, and there are no limits to the number of followers you can have in your channel. Securely manage your channel from either a BlackBerry smartphone or the web.

Discover channels - BBM Channels includes a carousel that lets you discover new channels. You can share channel invites within a BBM chat, and people can be added or invited using the channel's PIN or QR code. -- View - View profiles for each BBM Channel you choose to follow.

Subscribe - Subscribing to a channel allows the channel owner to send you timely and relevant updates, giving the subscriber instant access to your news, deals, events or whatever you want to communicate. Subscribers can choose to receive notifications when new posts are available.

Participate - Participate and engage in conversations with your favorite people or communities by "Commenting" and "Liking" posts from channels you subscribe to. Channel owners have the option to directly chat one- on-one with a subscriber.

Monitor engagement - Easily use built-in measuring tools to assess and monitor follower engagement and interaction.

Today, BlackBerry also announced plans to bring BBM to iOS(R) and Android(TM) users this summer. BlackBerry expects that iOS and Android users will also be able to experience BBM Channels later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play.

BBM with BBM Channels is now available in beta for BlackBerry(R) 10 smartphones, as well as BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry(R) 5 OS through 7.1. For BlackBerry OS customers(i), BBM Channels is part of the new BBM version 8, which also offers enhanced navigation tools, with tabbed viewing for quick and easy access to contacts, chats, groups, recent updates and BBM Channels. Furthermore, it allows the option to share your enhanced profile information with BBM contacts or within invitations. The beta releases can be downloaded for free on BlackBerry Beta Zone(ii). 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.

(i) BBM requires a BlackBerry service plan on BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS. (ii)BlackBerry Beta Zone is not available in all markets.

BB 10.1 now available for the BlackBerry Z10

2013-05-14T18:44:00.000-04:00

During this morning's keynote, BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins, announced that starting today BB10.1 will be made available to Z10 owners. I'm not sure which owners will be seeing the update first, but it has been reported that the "majority of carriers" will be releasing the update by the end of the month.

The update will have a lot of improvements as well as some new features like HDR camera, Instant Action, improved apps (like Skype), and improved battery performance. Considering that BB10 was released at the end of January and in May we are seeing the 1st major update, things are moving along fairly well for BlackBerry. Check out some of the featured improvements below:

BlackBerry Hub: The BlackBerry Hub lets you access all your messages and notifications in one place. With BlackBerry 10.1 support for PIN to PIN messages for direct communication between BlackBerry smartphones has been added to the BlackBerry Hub. Plus, improved attachment support in the BlackBerry Hub makes it easier to view emails which have been sent as attachments to other messages.
Notifications: With BlackBerry 10.1 you can personalize the notifications for your accounts and contacts so you always know what is happening around you. Customize ringtones, vibration and the LED light by contact or by account for more personalized notifications.
Fine Cursor Control: BlackBerry 10.1 makes it easier and more accurate to pinpoint exactly where you want to type. Tap once to bring up the cursor. Grab the blue circle and drag it around to place it exactly where you need it. Tap either side of the circle to move left or right by just one character. It’s easy to move around with speed and precision.

Camera: BlackBerry 10 lets you create the perfect shot by moving parts of your picture backwards and forwards in time with Time Shift mode. BlackBerry 10.1 adds an HDR shooting mode for beautiful images in tricky lighting conditions. A standard image takes a picture at one exposure level. Where you have high contrast between light and dark areas of the photo, fine details can be lost. High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode takes multiple pictures at different exposure levels and layers them automatically to produce a single photo that combines the best of the dark and light areas.
Lots more to discover: You’ll find lots of new improvements across the BlackBerry 10 OS like landscape support for the calendar, easier international dialing, improved red eye reduction in the picture editor and much more. The first step to discovering these new features is to update your BlackBerry 10 software.

I can't wait to get the update, and hopefully T-Mobile doesn't make me wait too long. Let us know if you already have the update and what new things you find in the update in the comments. Keep it locked for more info on BB10.1.

Introducing the new BlackBerry Q5!!

2013-05-14T18:06:00.000-04:00

We've known for a while now, that BlackBerry would be releasing a "BB10 Curve" device. From what I had read, the device was known internally as the R10 and now it will be known to the world as the BlackBerry Q5.

This is essentially the Q10's little brother. You get the same 3.1" screen and a similar straight Curve like keyboard, but that is where the similarities end. Here are some of the key differences:

LCD display instead of an AMOLED display
8GB of internal storage instead of 16GB
5 megapixel camera instead of the 8 megapixel camera
The battery is non-removable
No HDMI out

According to reports it also has a more "plasticky" feel than the Q10, which to me makes a lot of sense because this is supposed to be an entry level device. It will initially be released in emerging markets before it makes it to US shores. It will also be available in 4 colors, that you can see above. Red, Black, White, and Pink. Check out the hands-on video courtesy of the guys at CrackBerry:

(Mobile Link)

Check out the press release below:

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today introduced the BlackBerry(R) Q5, a new youthful and fun BlackBerry(R) 10 smartphone for selected markets. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone features a QWERTY keyboard with discrete keys in a stunning youthful design that is confident, fun, and bold. Every feature, every part of the BlackBerry Q5 has been built to provide a fast, effortless experience that flows and moves with you to help you explore, create, and share while on the go.

“BlackBerry is excited to bring a new BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone, the BlackBerry Q5, to our customers in selected markets around world,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. “The BlackBerry Q5 gives you the best of everything with its cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 functionality and a physical QWERTY keyboard. It is for youthful fans that are passionate, confident and bold, and it makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.”

As part of the BlackBerry 10 experience, the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone offers a powerful and unique mobile computing experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Features and apps work seamlessly together, allowing your every move to flow into the next. Highlights of the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone include:

The evolution of the classic BlackBerry Keyboard

The BlackBerry Q5 features a classic BlackBerry Keyboard with discrete keys that has been re-engineered and elegantly designed to help you type fast, accurately and with the least amount of effort. Plus with Instant Action shortcuts you can type to perform tasks faster. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone gives you the best of both worlds – a classic QWERTY keyboard for optimized communications and a 3.1″ touchscreen for all the rest.

Create the perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode and Story Maker

Create the picture perfect shot with BlackBerry(R) Time Shift mode, then create and share your story, weaving together your photos, videos and music into a movie with BlackBerry(R) Story Maker.

Share and be seen with BBM Video with Screen Share

Instantly switch your BBM(TM) (BlackBerry(R) Messenger) chat to a BBM Video conversation and catch up face-to-face. You can even share your screen, whether it’s a photo, a page in the browser, an idea, or a view from your camera.(i)

Stay close to what’s important to you with BlackBerry Hub

With BlackBerry(R) Hub, all of your messages and social conversations are only one swipe away. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing. Simply peek into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere with a swipe to effortlessly flow in and out of your messages and conversations.

BlackBerry World delivers a rich, thriving app and content ecosystem

Discovering and sharing great apps and content is easier than ever with recommendations based on similar purchases, and access to more than 100,000 apps on the BlackBerry(R) World(TM) storefront.

Pricing and Availability

The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will be available in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America, with expected availability beginning in July.

For more information BlackBerry 10, please visit www.blackberry.com/blackberry10.

(i)Compatible BlackBerry 10 smartphones, Wi-Fi, 4G or HSPA+ connection required. Additional restrictions apply visit blackberry.com for details.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry(R) revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend”, “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by Research In Motion Limited (BlackBerry) in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that BlackBerry believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause BlackBerry’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of BlackBerry’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BlackBerry’s forward-looking statements. BlackBerry has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Stream the BlackBerry Live Keynote

2013-05-14T09:21:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, you are not in Orlando for BlackBerry Live. And even though I wish everyone there a great time, I am very jealous. Thankfully, even though we aren't there, we can still experience the keynote live as it happens. Yes, you read that right, the BlackBerry Live Keynote will be live streamed starting at 9a. So, click on the link below and check it out for yourself. .

Click Here to stream the BlackBerry Live Keynote

Day 1 of BlackBerry Live is today and my hiatus is over!

2013-05-14T08:11:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone!!! Its been a long time since I've posted. Well over a month to be exact. To be honest, I've been very busy with my day job and for quite some time, I really lost the motivation to do anything once I got out of work.

Today, I plan on changing things. For those of you who don't know, today is the first day of BlackBerry Live (formerly known as BlackBerry World Conference). BlackBerry news should be flowing freely and I anticipate that there are going to be quite a few awesome announcements coming from our beloved phone maker.

There have been rumors that we'll hear about the R10 (the BlackBerry 10 Curve), maybe we'll hear about the Aristo. There have even been talks about Instagram for BB10 being announced. Only time will tell, but we can definitely expect some exciting announcements. Stay tuned for the latest and greatest. And for those of you who still check out our blog, thank you for your patience and continued support.

New Flagship Device coming for the Holidays

2013-04-01T04:42:00.000-04:00

The world of mobile phones moves at a blazing fast speed. In the last week and a half or so, we have finally seen the US release of BB10. Since then, BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins, has been on an interviewing tour talking about BB10 and the future of BlackBerry.

In an interview with CNET, he shared that there is a flag ship BlackBerry that he's "very excited about". The device may be launching during the holiday season. Here is the quote:

"There's one new product I'm really excited about, but I can't really share it."

He also briefly went into details as to why this device is so "exciting":

"It takes BlackBerry 10 to another level in terms of the user experience."

Also in the interview, Heins confirmed that a midtier device would be hitting the market and that we can expect the BlackBerry Q10 to arrive 2 to 3 months after the Z10, depending on the carrier. BlackBerry plans on releasing phones in all 3 tiers, and each tier will have a QWERTY and All Touch phone.

Only time will tell what the "exciting" flagship device will be. Will it be the rumored Aristo? The rumored specs for that device are really good right now, but by the time the holidays hit, Android phones will likely be running octacore processors and who knows what else. So, I imagine that BlackBerry will have to do some revising to the "current" Aristo spec sheet. All I know is, if Thorsten is excited then so am I.

BB10 now has over 100,000 Apps

2013-03-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

It looks like BlackBerry's hard work in getting apps on the platform has really paid off. When BB10 launched on January 30th, BlackBerry World was boasting 70,000+ apps (the most ever by a 1st generation OS). And in less than 2 months they've added 30,000+ more apps. The target was 100,000 apps for the US launch and they achieved their goal. Check out the press release below and as always let us know what you think.

Press Release

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – March 21, 2013) – Developers continue to support BlackBerry® 10, bringing more than 30,000 new applications to the platform over the past seven weeks. BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY)(TSX: BB) today announced that BlackBerry 10 customers now have access to more than 100,000 applications for the BlackBerry® Z10 smartphone on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront.

Today, Amazon Kindle, OpenTable and The Wall Street Journal are available to BlackBerry 10 customers and in the coming weeks CNN, The Daily Show Headlines, eBay, eMusic, Maxim, MLB at Bat, MTV News, Pageonce, PGA, Rdio, Skype, Soundhound and Viber will be available for download or purchase.

BlackBerry 10 customers already have access to leading apps and games, including 8tracks, Angry Birds Star Wars, ATP World Tour Live, BBC Top Gear News, Bloomberg Anywhere, CBS Sports, Delta Air Lines, F1 2013 Timing App CP, Facebook, Foursquare, Jetpack Joyride, Keek, LinkedIn, Navita Translator, Need for Speed, NHL GameCenter, N.O.V.A. 3, The New York Times, PressReader, Slacker, Songza, Twitter, UFC, USA TODAY, Waze, WhatsApp, and Zara.

“The response to the BlackBerry 10 platform and applications has been outstanding. Customers are thrilled with the applications already available, and the catalog just keeps growing, now with more than 100,000 apps,” said Martyn Mallick, Vice President, Global Alliances at BlackBerry. “Top brands and application providers are joining us every day and are seeing the benefits of being early supporters of the new platform. We constantly hear from developers that the BlackBerry 10 tools are easy to build with and that we provide opportunities for app differentiation that they do not see on other platforms.”

“It now appears that the already impressive levels of developer support for the BlackBerry 10 platform are accelerating into the launch window for the BlackBerry Z10. The prospect of a very robust app catalog can only bolster momentum for the product and the platform itself,” said John Jackson, Research Vice President, Mobile & Connected Platforms at IDC. “The ability to attract and sustain developer support is like lifeblood for any mobile platform, and it’s not something that simply happens. This progress is a testament to BlackBerry’s early and innovative engagement with developers worldwide and the innovative architecture of the platform itself.”

BlackBerry 10 applications take connecting to the next level with the ability to leverage social, gamification, and integration frameworks that other platforms are not able to offer. Customers can easily share applications with those in their social networks including BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), Facebook, and Twitter. Applications can incorporate gaming features such as leader boards, badges, rewards and more using the Scoreloop tools, and BlackBerry 10 applications can tie to core OS integration points to allow developers to create compelling experiences to keep people moving and flow with BlackBerry 10 experience features.

In addition to apps and games, BlackBerry World for BlackBerry 10 offers access to one of the most robust catalogs of music and video content for mobile users(i), with partnerships across all major movie studios, all major music labels and television networks.

The BlackBerry Z10 (all touch) is the first smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10, the re-designed, re-engineered, and re-invented BlackBerry platform. The BlackBerry Z10 will be available in the U.S. from March 22.

About BlackBerry

A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.

(i)The music catalog is currently available in 18 countries: USA, UK, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore. The video catalog is currently available in the USA, UK, and Canada.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend”, “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by Research In Motion Limited (BlackBerry) in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that BlackBerry believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause BlackBerry’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of BlackBerry’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BlackBerry’s forward-looking statements. BlackBerry has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

BlackBerry and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

More BlackBerry 10 Code Names

2013-03-31T07:55:00.000-04:00

We just gave you guys more details of the upcoming BB10 devices and now the guys at N4BB have gotten more code names of upcoming devices and devices that we have already heard about or already released. There are 2 all new series of devices, the P-Series and S-Series and according to N4BB the P-Series is definitely scheduled for release.

As I said before, some of these codenames have already been released, some we've already heard about, but some are definitely new to me. Check them out below.

A-Series

Aristo
Anisio
Americano
Aramis
Astro
Athos
Agosto

L-Series

Laguna
Latte
Lisbon
Liverpool
London

N-Series

Naples
Nashville
Nevada
Newark
Newport

S-Series

Samoa
Sherwood

P-Series

Patagonia

R-Series

Rainier

Other Code Names

Cappuccino
Kopi

One code name that is glaringly missing is the Milan. As previously mentioned, the M-Series/Milan was cancelled or put on hold. As you can see, there are a lot more A-Series names and we've heard of the all of the N and L Series. Those were probably prototype devices before the finished product. As for the Kopi, Cappuccino, Latte, or Americano, there is no more info on those except the name.

That is all for now. As more info arrives be sure to check back and we will report. What do you think of all the names? Are you as excited as me? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comment.

More BB10 on the Way: The A-Series, R-Series, and M-Series

2013-03-30T14:07:00.000-04:00

Things are definitely looking up for BlackBerry. The launch of the Z10 has been pretty well received globally. Recently (like 2 weeks ago), BlackBerry announced that they had received an order of 1 million BB10 devices, and I believe that order is not for any one device, but for the portfolio of BB10 devices.

BlackBerry has also gone on record and said that they are planning on releasing 6 BB10 devices in 2013. We already know of 2 of them, the Z10 (aka L-Series) and the Q10 (aka N-Series). Next up are the A-Series, the R-Series, and the M-Series.

A-Series - The A-Series has also been known as the Aristo (which means "the best" in Greek). This is what I imagine to the true flagship device for BB10. The rumored specs are beastly (if you want the reminder click here), and should really level the playing field against the latest and greatest that Android and iOS has to offer. There is also a 2nd A-Series device known as the Anisio (which means "unconquered" in Greek). This is likely the CDMA variant of the A-Series.

R-Series - The R-Series will essentially be the BB10 Curve device. It will sport a QWERTY keyboard and will likely be the entry level, volume moving device just like the Curve. It is known as the Rainier. According to N4BB the phone will be all black and all plastic. It will not have any stainless steel, not even on the keyboard frets. I'm very curious to see how it handles BB10.

M-Series - The M-Series is a phone that apparently just won't go away. It was 1st mentioned way back in 2011 and then it was put on hold. Well, it looks like the M-Series has been an ongoing project at BlackBerry. It will have a 720x1280 screen, but has had multiple design revisions. If it is to be released it will be in late 2013 or early 2014.

If you're keeping a count that's only 5 devices. Last but not least is the 10 inch PlayBook. It has been rumored and it has been denied, but about 2 weeks ago it was reported that a 10" PlayBook is indeed going to be released by BlackBerry in the middle to end of the year. Also rumored is the release of BB10 for the current PlayBook.

That is all for now. The devices that have my attention are the A-Series and the R-Series. I'm very excited to see what BlackBerry has in store for 2013 and hopefully we'll hear more about the upcoming devices at BlackBerry Live. Which one are you most interested in? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

BlackBerry Q10 stars in another video

2013-03-30T13:02:00.000-04:00

With the Z10 available just about everywhere, I know that there are plenty of QWERTY die hards that are just dying to get their hands on the Q10. Unfortunately, the wait for the Q10 is still a month or two long depending on where you live.

In the mean time, we have the next best thing, a video review of the hardware and a look at the software running on the Q10. Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments.

(Mobile Link)

BlackBerry 10 - At Last!

2013-03-30T08:38:00.002-04:00

The guys at BlackBerry have not been shy about giving us songs to go with the progress of BB10. We've been serenaded a couple of time, and sadly this might be the last one for a while. The title of the song is BlackBerry 10 - At Last! The title is very fitting as BB10 is finally available in the US (more on that later). Check out the video below and let us know what you think in the comments.

(Mobile Link)

Tim Allen reviews the Z10

2013-03-20T21:45:00.002-04:00

As you can see from the picture above the BlackBerry Z10 made an appearance on Tim Allen's TV show "Last Man Standing". In an interesting turn of events, Tim Allen also reviewed the BlackBerry Z10. He does a pretty good job and gives a fair, balanced, and overall positive review of the Z10. Check it out below and let us know what you think in the comments.

February 15, 2013: I was fortunate to be able to test the new Blackberry Z10 full screen touch Blackberry for the last two weeks. I respected the request to keep my post until after the NYC announcement last week… so I did.

I carry a bevy of devices. Some on loan but most I have bought and paid for. I dig communication devices, from ham radio to flip phones and even cool land line phones. A Blackberry was always in my “tool bag” due to its industrial look, strength and bullet proof simplicity of messaging functions. The company took a wild hit and was taking a lot of water heading the wrong way in the ocean of business. I won't predict further but will report a fairly experienced user viewpoint.

This device is very interesting on two levels: One from the Blackberry loyalist and two, the new customers or those who switched.

It is a well crafted, powerful tool. Its light and in my opinion slick industrial designed as far as it can go given the nature of what I call slab phones. What's most interesting is I walk away from it and come right back.

The BB10 software presents a clean and smooth user experience with a moderate learning curve. Once mastered, to a degree, I find myself repeating some of the moves to no avail on my other devices. To me that's a good sign as it suggests the BB 10 is intuitive. It would be impossible to expect no bumps in this release. The software is new so challenges do exist. Big name applications like Google Maps are missing. The strong showing in the UK and Canada and I predict the US will do a lot to change that.

Some very important features from BB7 are missing at this early point. There are some email specific functions that I use on the BB that are not functional on BB10. But honestly it feels its just too new to judge deeper components on this model. The Z10 keyboard is amazing, that said, I love using my Bold so for me the next Q version is of great interest.

Hopefully the few kinks will get worked out. I like this thing a lot and find it astonishing it works this well this soon. It will only get more streamlined and user friendly as time goes on.

Skype Beta and BB Navigation show up on Soulja Boy's Z10

2013-03-20T18:45:00.000-04:00

There is a couple of things going on in this picture. 1st of all, that is a ridiculous bracelet being worn by the artist Soulja Boy. Next up, the white Z10 is very nice. The other thing of note is 2 apps on the homescreen. If you look closely you can see the Skype (BETA). Hopefully we'll see more of that as it gets closer to the US launch. The other app on the homescreen is the Navigation app. I don't really know what this means but its exciting to see both of those apps on a BB10 homescreen.

If you have any thoughts, feel free to share them in the comments. Did you see the Porsche P'9981 also in the pic?

BlackBerry Q10 Glass Weave back vs. Rubberized back (Pics)

2013-03-20T13:07:00.000-04:00

Just yesterday we showed you the BlackBerry Q10 with the rubberized back and now we have a back to back comparison of the Q10 the the glass weave back vs. the rubberized back. Personally, I like the glass weave back, as it gives a more premium look to the device. Check out the rest of the pics and as always let us know what you think in the comments.

50 Million BBM Voice Calls Made!

2013-03-20T10:14:00.001-04:00

When BlackBerry released BBM7 its stand out feature was the ability to call BBM contacts over WiFi, also known as BBM Voice. It was adopted very quickly, and on March 11th, BlackBerry announced that over 50 million BBM Voice calls had been made. This is a huge number and it can be expected that number will grow significantly, since BBM Voice capability has been added phones running OS5 and higher. Add that to the fact that BBM Voice is also available on BB10 phones, the number of calls being made is going to continue to grow for quite some time.

I've only used it twice and both times I came away very impressed with the call quality. If I had more people that I actually talk to using a BlackBerry, I would absolutely use it more. Users that have many international BBM contacts are just short minutes on their cell phone plan, now have a free way to stay in touch.