Inside BlackBerry

New BBM Music Offer Means Free Music for You

2012-02-09T07:01:28-08:00

The BBM™ Music team has been very busy over the last few months launching our BBM-connected social music service in eight different countries around the world. We are excited that BBM Music* is now available for download in Canada, the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Netherlands and Australia – with more regions still to come, so stay tuned! If you haven’t yet tried BBM Music, we are even more excited to let you know that in the month of February 2012, you can download BBM Music FREE for up to 4 months** in Canada or the US, or FREE for up to 6 months** in the UK, Spain & Italy.

Along with the free trials, we’ve added some new features to BBM Music v1.1 that we wanted to share with you.

Invite friends on Facebook & Twitter

We’re making it easier for you to reach out to more friends so that you can grow your music collections together! BBM Music users can now invite their friends on Facebook® and followers on Twitter® to be a BBM Music contact. This option is available from the “Add Friends” tab (along with the existing options: BBM Contacts, Email, BBM Group and PIN). Personally, I can’t stop recommending BBM Music to friends on my social channels – it’s amazing how much you can learn about someone through their song choices, and now I’ve got access to hundreds of songs I would have never discovered on my own.

Show What I’m Listening To with BBM Music v1.1

We know how much you like the “Show What I’m Listening To” feature, and now you can let your BBM friends see what you’re playing on BBM Music by opting to share through Profile Updates. I’m finding that many of my BBM conversations with friends are now initiated by what song selections each one of us has made, and by the memories associated with some of our favorite songs.

Gift Request Feature with BBM Music v1.1

Wish someone would gift you a BBM Music subscription? Well, now we’ve got that covered! You can ask your BBM contacts for a subscription to BBM Music through a ‘Gift Request’***. Here’s how it works:

If your trial is over, you can access Gift Request by clicking on the grey “Upgrade to BBM Music Premium” banner.
If your trial isn’t over, you can go to the “Account Information” tab within the Options menu. From there you can select ‘Gift request’, and select a BBM contact from whom to request the subscription and send the gift request.
Your BBM contact will receive the gift request within a BBM chat, where they can open the request and choose to accept or decline to “Gift” you a subscription.

So if you haven’t already, download BBM Music today and take advantage of the February free trial offer. For more info on how to use BBM Music – whether it’s adding a friend, sharing a playlist or finding more tracks – check out this BBM Music how to video. Once you’ve downloaded BBM Music, don’t forget to let us know what you think!

* BlackBerry ID and data service required. Monthly subscription required for full track access. Songs must be available in BBM Music catalog in user’s home country. Users can have up to 50 songs in their profile and change up to 25 songs per month. Friends must be using BBM Music and have a monthly subscription for you to access their full tracks. Limit of 50 songs per friend. Accessing the service while roaming may incur additional data charges. When traveling outside of home country, only songs available in user’s home country BBM Music catalog are accessible. Songs may be cached to play off-network. Storage card and sufficient available memory required for caching. Songs will only play within the BBM Music app. When users change songs in their profile, deleted songs, included cached copies on their device, are no longer accessible. See http://www.blackberry.com/bbmmusic/legal for complete details and restrictions. Terms subject to change.

New BBM Music users only. May not be combined with other offers. Payment information required to receive full trial period. Following trial user placed into automatically renewing monthly paid subscription plan unless cancelled before end of trial period. Limited time introductory offer may vary by BlackBerry device or carrier. Additional charges may apply. Subject to change. See www.blackberry.com/bbmmusic for complete details and restrictions.

* Can only request gift from existing BBM contacts. Gift is reoccurring monthly subscription which continues until cancelled by gift giver.

Groupon App for BlackBerry Smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook [VIDEO]

2012-02-07T08:37:43-08:00

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

At CES 2012, we met with Andreas from Groupon in the Ask the Experts area of the BlackBerry Booth to chat about the Groupon experience on both BlackBerry® smartphones and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets. Beyond the intuitive interface and fantastic visual experience that the apps provide, Andreas was excited to highlight “Groupon Now!” deals, which use the GPS in your BlackBerry device to find nearby deals – it’s great for grabbing a quick lunch with a friend on the cheap. Check out the video above for the full scoop, and to grab the app for your smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, head over to BlackBerry App World™.

Have you use the “Groupon Now!” feature yet? Share in the comments!

BlackBerry Smartphones: The Story of Durability Testing [VIDEOS]

2012-02-06T08:00:51-08:00

Hi, I’m Ryan. I’m a Hardware Engineering Technician in the Hardware Support Lab at Research In Motion® (RIM®). Today, I’m going to give you an inside look at the testing we do during the development of your BlackBerry® smartphone to help ensure it lives up to the high standards that BlackBerry is known for. Our team works to make sure that your BlackBerry smartphone is both durable and reliable – which basically means we try to break them so that you, #TeamBlackBerry, would be hard pressed to do the same. =D

Your BlackBerry smartphone is your connection to your friends and family. It is your lifeline, and we want it to always stay in operating condition so that you can stay in contact with the important people in your life. So when you accidentally drop your BlackBerry smartphone, or sit on it, or spill your morning coffee on it, we want it to keep working.

So how do we work to ensure that your BlackBerry smartphone will keep working? Well, we drop them, bend them, shock them, soak them and zap them…a lot. We also do some nerdy things like reading digital signals to make sure everything is speaking the right language – they look like this:

Cool, eh? Yeah…not really, but it is helpful for our team. This video is a bit cooler:

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]
*Filmed using my BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet

You’re probably wondering why we dropped that BlackBerry® Curve™ 9360 smartphone in a bucket. It’s called a “Moisture Ingress Test” and it’s one of the many important tests that we perform on your BlackBerry smartphone to make sure that it lasts. The water contains a dye so that we know where water can enter a BlackBerry smartphone; with this info, we can improve the device’s water seal.

Allow me to run through a few of the other durability tests we perform on BlackBerry smartphones:

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

BlackBerry Smartphone Drop Testing

Dropping your BlackBerry smartphone is one of the toughest things you can do to it. It’s also one of the most common mishaps that we all make (sometimes I wonder if there’s butter on my fingers!). Just like you, we drop our BlackBerry smartphones…only we do it intentionally.

Every BlackBerry smartphone model gets dropped hundreds of times before the hardware is deemed strong enough for mass production and consumer use. When dropped, the BlackBerry smartphone is filmed using high-speed cameras for review and analysis that could lead to revisions in hardware design to make the device stronger and more durable. Every design revision is then tested to make sure it can endure consumer use – whether that’s on a construction site, in the boardroom, or downtown with your friends.

In the video above, you’ll notice a BlackBerry® Curve™ smartphone being dropped. We recorded this with our high-speed camera at 2000 frames per second! You may have noticed the wave that the impact sent up the casing on the side of the device. Did you know that the BlackBerry smartphones are designed to do that? By allowing the device to bend, we are able to absorb the shock from the concrete into the plastic… just like a shock absorber on a car!

BlackBerry Smartphone Bend Testing

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]
*Filmed using my BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet

Not only do we drop BlackBerry smartphones, we bend them too! Check out this video of my co-worker bend testing a BlackBerry smartphone. Why are we bending this poor smartphone? Well, many people like to keep their smartphones in their back pocket and sometimes, unfortunately, they sit on them. This test makes sure your BlackBerry smartphone can withstand the pressure of your posterior.

More BlackBerry Smartphone Tests

Do you love the keypad on your BlackBerry smartphone? We push the keys on BlackBerry smartphones literally millions of times to sure they click with the right pressure and can withstand all the e-mails, BBM™ messages and tweets that you type. Have you ever been shocked by a door handle? Your BlackBerry smartphone has been too! We zap them with what is called an Electrostatic Discharge, or ESD, to make sure that the sensitive internal components are protected.

I hope you all see how committed RIM is to making your BlackBerry smartphone the strongest and most reliable smartphone available. We definitely enjoy what we do in the Hardware Support Lab, but we also enjoy hearing how what we do is making your BlackBerry experience better. Tell us your BlackBerry smartphone durability stories in the comments below!

Get ready for kickoff with these BlackBerry PlayBook apps!

2012-02-03T10:16:00-08:00

It’s that time of year again, #TeamBlackBerry (the most wonderful time of the year, some would argue) – the big football game is happening on Sunday, February 5th, 2012, and if you happen to have a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet handy, we want to help you keep up with the action! There’s a ton of great apps available for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that can assist you in tracking stats, checking scores, playing some virtual football yourself and even throwing an awesome party. (Because really, who can resist a good football tailgate party?)

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet can help you get the most out of Sunday football fun, and we think you’ll agree – it’s a great way to stay connected during the big game! This tablet multitasks better than any other, so you can plan, cook, watch, play, chat and trash-talk while you watch at home, at a friend’s, or at the bar.

You’ve got two days left until kickoff, so don’t delay – equip your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet with these applications today and get ready to score a touchdown.

Pro Football Insider for BlackBerry PlayBook – NFL News

“Pro Football Insider” – sounds catchy, doesn’t it? And it could be you, once you’ve armed yourself with all the knowledge gained with this handy BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app from Pro Football Weekly, LLC. If you’re looking to get the most up-to-date game info and stats immediately, this is a must-have app during Sunday’s matchup.

Patriots Football Insider for BlackBerry PlayBook

For all the diehard New England fans who’ve got their fingers crossed for Tom to bring home the big prize, this app is for you. Thanks once again to Pro Football Weekly, LLC, New England fans can use this BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app to obtain in-depth coverage and expert analysis on their favorite team.

MADDEN NFL 12 by EA SPORTS for BlackBerry PlayBook

If you’re looking to completely round out your entire day of football madness, why not play some football during the commercial breaks? Madden NFL 12 by EA Sports for BlackBerry PlayBook puts the game in your hands. Think you can control a better game than the New England or New York? Step up and give it a shot!

For a limited time as well, MADDEN NFL 12 is just $3.99 USD in the BlackBerry App World™ storefront! Download the app for your Blackberry PlayBook tablet now and get the hard hitting action just in time for the game!

Poynt for BlackBerry PlayBook

Now that you’re equipped with sports apps for both research and play, it’s time to find a place to watch the big game. If your living room just won’t do – or if you’re still cleaning confetti out of your carpet from New Year’s Eve – then consider downloading the Poynt® for BlackBerry PlayBook app and start searching for the best venue for your get-together. The app is designed to display any number of restaurants and pubs close to your location, so you’re sure to find a spot that works for everyone.

Groceries Made Easy

If you do choose to go the house-party route, then one thing a good tailgate party needs is tasty snacks. Think about it: what goes better with football than chicken wings, or chili, or guacamole, or…well, you get the picture. The Groceries Made Easy app will help you keep track of what you need to pick up at the supermarket in order to feed your party guests – and ensure that you don’t run out of salsa by halftime.

Photo Editor Extreme

Did you notice that the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is equipped with front and back-facing cameras? All the better to snap photos of your friends cheering on their chosen teams! Once you’ve got some good ones, use Photo Editor Extreme to edit, crop, flip, and create genuine works of art out of your photos – then share them across your social networks. Which brings us to our next app choice…

Blaq for BlackBerry PlayBook

Providing live-running commentary on sports events has become commonplace now that Twitter® has exploded in popularity, and discussing the game across the Twittersphere is absolutely fun. Not only are you watching and talking about the game with your friends in the room, but with people all over the world as well! Blaq for BlackBerry PlayBook – which runs in real time – is just the app to help you do so.

And of course, aside from these app choices, we’d be remiss to not include the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s host of handy built-in features. Use Video Chat to discuss the latest plays with friends, boot up the Browser to search for bits of trivia about your favorite football players, watch play-by-play videos with YouTube®, launch the Video Camera application to capture all of your party’s memorable moments…the list goes on.

What do you have planned for Sunday’s matchup, #TeamBlackBerry – and will you have your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in hand to help out with the action? Do you have any other apps to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Reviews from CES

2012-02-02T13:04:40-08:00

Greetings, Team BlackBerry! We’re eager to talk about BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0 after revealing a sneak peek at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – but before we get back to unveiling the features, have a look at these early reviews for BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0!

@BlackBerry Just watched a video about the BlackBerry phone/PlayBook remote! So excited! Awesome CES show this year.—
brandon (@brandonMDCXVIII) January 11, 2012

Just watched the CES demo of the @Blackberry #Playbook OS 2 and it's looking wicked. Good work guys, Looks like it might be worth the wait!—
Mike Johnston (@cmscritic) January 10, 2012

Cannot wait for @BlackBerry #playbook OS2.0! Use my bb as a keyboard and trackpad AND as a remote control for media!! 2012 is gonna #bebold!—
Tony W (@tony22s) January 10, 2012

New @BlackBerry OS on PlayBook looks great. Fills most of the obvious gaps and makes the tablet very compelling.—
Andy Bovingdon (@MrBov) January 10, 2012

SO excited for @BlackBerry #Playbook OS 2! Remote control with my @BlackBerry Torch, email and calendar w great features, and loads of apps!—
Derek Gruchy (@ProfGruchy) January 10, 2012

just read a promising review from #ces on @BlackBerry #Playbook OS2.0 on my playbook. Interested tl see how the notifications works out—
Jamie Fletcher (@jamiefletchertv) January 11, 2012

Really impressed with what I've seen so far from @Blackberry's new PlayBook OS. Can't wait to use it. Really innovative stuff there!—
M van Hylckama Vlieg (@TheMarco) January 12, 2012

@BlackBerry awesome playbook demo @CES going home to buy myself one!!—
Stephanie Labus (@stephanielabus) January 12, 2012

@Blackberry Very excited about preview from #CES; I've been using build 6149 on my #Blackberry #Playbook can't wait for the release of 2.0!—
Jack Morrison (@Jackmoe) January 12, 2012

Thank you to everyone who test drove BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES and shared their tablet reviews with us. We could only choose some reviews to share here, but we continue to read them all! Stay tuned for the official release. In the meantime, tell us which BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 feature you can’t wait to explore.

BlackBerry Introduces: BlackBerry Fan of the Month, February 2012

2012-02-01T08:10:13-08:00

Hey #TeamBlackBerry – I hope that everyone’s first month of the New Year was fantastic, and that you’re keeping up with your #BeBold resolutions.

We have gotten so much positive feedback since launching BlackBerry FOTM (Fan of the Month), and we have enjoyed reviewing your comments and nominations on our Twitter®, Facebook®, Flickr®, YouTube® and Inside BlackBerry Blog channels. We’ve since thoroughly combed each channel in search of our Fan of the Month for February, and after much consideration, I’m pleased to announce that this month’s BlackBerry FOTM is Ivan.

Ivan is a freelance photographer who lives in lovely Southern California, and manages a personal website. As a kid, Ivan dismantled his video game controllers just to figure out how to put them back together (a hobby he still enjoys). He also dabbles in computer programming, making him a bit of a self-proclaimed “computer lab rat”. Ivan is also a New York Yankees and San Diego Chargers fan (a little East Coast meets West Coast).

Ivan rocks a BlackBerry® Torch™ 9850 smartphone and is a dedicated advocate of #TeamBlackBerry. He frequently engages with fellow #TeamBlackBerry members to answer questions, give love to different apps, and provide tips and tricks – all while taking stellar pictures with his BlackBerry smartphone from the cool events he attends.

Without further ado, let’s hear from the man himself! Meet Ivan (@IvanSHarris):

1. How many years have you been on #TeamBlackBerry?

About five years this past January. On January 2, 2007, I got my first BlackBerry smartphone.

2. How many BlackBerry devices have you had? Which ones? What model do you have now?

My favorite would be the one I have now – the BlackBerry Torch 9850 smartphone. I’ve had eight BlackBerry devices in total.

3. What is it about BlackBerry that made you become a user in the first place? What makes you so passionate about our brand and our devices?

In 2007, the cut and paste and the big screen sold me, and I haven’t looked back since. I haven’t ever thought about getting a different phone. I wasn’t even using BBM™ at the time, and I can’t remember who added me first, but I love it now!

4. You’ve attended a few of our BlackBerry events. Any highlights to share? What do you like most about hanging out with other members of #TeamBlackBerry?

The atmosphere. Obviously, I pride myself on being a BlackBerry advocate. So I know a lot of stuff and I like showing off: “Did you know this?! Did you know that?!” Being in an environment with other users is great because we all share the passion. It’s kind of like sibling rivalry to see who loves BlackBerry more.

5. What is your favorite BlackBerry memory?

That would be my birthday week. The whole week of my birthday, I just had the greatest luck. Birthday luck. Usher had a concert and I was supposed to go – I was outside and they didn’t have my ticket. I’m standing outside and I don’t know how to get in, but I’m an open person and I just started talking to this guy…and he’s like “Don’t worry about it, man. I was supposed to give this ticket to my niece, but she’s not coming.” The guy was Usher’s uncle. Turns out I was close [to the stage], so of course I took my BlackBerry smartphone out. And Usher was doing this crazy dance – I can’t even explain it. But my BlackBerry smartphone was fully charged and ready to shoot some video.

6. What is your favorite BlackBerry app and why?

BBM. I just love it. It feels so personal and so direct as opposed to texting. You know when it was delivered and you know when it was read. I like having that personal contact.

I’ve also been using SocialScope. I like that it’s integrated with Facebook®.

7. How many BBM contacts do you have?

I have 47 contacts. My BBM contacts are all close friends and family or in the industry. I got my mom to get a BlackBerry smartphone and she said, “I can only contact you through BBM!”

8. Tell us about the BEST BBM you’ve ever received. What did it say and who was it from?

Actually, to tell you the truth, the best – the one that stands out – was when I was at the BBM Lounge. You could BBM the attendants and say “Hey, I need a new battery!” and they’d bring you a battery. That was awesome because I use my BlackBerry so much that I keep my charger in my pocket just in case.

For the BBM Lounge event, we had to meet at the Beverly Hills library, and we had a limo pick us up and take us to a mansion in the Hills. We scanned the barcodes [of the attendants], and you could BBM them. There was a wall with everybody’s messages. I BBM’d my Twitter® name and I don’t know how or why, but one of the photographers took a photo of my BBM and it made the website. The epitome of that night was that it was exclusive, and I love anything that’s exclusive. You know – the good life. You could BBM the BlackBerry family. The thing about BlackBerry is that they take care of their people.

9. What is your favorite BBM emoticon?

I love the new one that just came out with the new BBM update [6.1]. I used to use the one with the hand over the face because it could be used in so many different ways. My new favorite one is “I don’t know” with the hands stretched out.

10. If you could BBM your BlackBerry smartphone, what would you say?

“You and I have seen a lot in these streets.”

I’ve pretty much had a BlackBerry the entire time I’ve been in California. I’ve pretty much done and seen everything – I mean, you can’t live without your phone – without my BlackBerry.

“You and I have been through it all.”

11. What superhero/celebrity/metaphorical duo could represent you and your BlackBerry? (e.g. I’m Batman, my BlackBerry is Robin: here’s why…)

The Justice League. I don’t know who’s who – if I’m Superman or if it’s my BlackBerry, but we can do anything. Batman. Superman. The Flash. DC Comics. All of that.

12. Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our Fan of the Month?

To be honest with you, I’m used to people contacting me. OF COURSE, I embrace it and I take it. And I’m definitely honored for it.

13. We know you’re in the entertainment industry and we’re curious: How does your BlackBerry help you do what you do?

To be honest with you, it’s real simple. It’s efficient. You don’t have to do a lot of navigating. You just do it, and it’s fast. My BlackBerry basically “talks” to me – especially with the calendar. And it will link to Facebook. It helps me a lot because it keeps me in order. I wouldn’t use a physical calendar, but the smartphone having all the same key elements of the calendar, it’s just amazing. I couldn’t live without my smartphone.

14. Aside from following all our BlackBerry social properties, how do you stay “in the know” when it comes to the latest BlackBerry news and happenings?

Google®. It’s like an encyclopedia, the new encyclopedia. Also, obviously CrackBerry.com and PocketBerry.com. I have Twitter people I follow that are BlackBerry enthusiasts like myself. Sometimes I go into the stores. I live in the Sprint® store! I’m just a sponge with information – and then I do my research to make sure it’s accurate.

15. With regard to BlackBerry, what are you most looking forward to this year?

Well, of course, BlackBerry® 10 and the new smartphones. I love my BlackBerry® PlayBook ™ tablet – the fact that it has Adobe® Flash®, and that you can do almost everything like you would on a computer. I would love all that to be on my BlackBerry Torch smartphone or a new BlackBerry device.

16. How are you going to #BeBold this year?

I was trying to figure that out. It’s was one of the #JanuBerry questions. I want to #BeBold by being innovative, and stay on top of what I’m already doing – staying on top of my game. My BlackBerry is my communication device, so obviously this will be the tool to help me stay on top.

We can’t wait to introduce you to our next BlackBerry Fan of the Month next month. In the meantime, follow our February BlackBerry Fan of the Month, Ivan – @IvanSHarris

And be sure to stay in touch with our previous BlackBerry Fan of the Month:

January – Brian (@Newshutr)

Remember, you could be next! So stay tuned, and if you have spotted someone who should be our Fan of the Month, let us know in the comments.

Last but not least, thank you for making our community what it is. We can’t wait to brag about you.

Get your Android apps ready for the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 launch

2012-01-31T13:30:02-08:00

Hey everyone! James here from the Developer Relations team at Research In Motion® (RIM®).

At CES 2012 in Las Vegas, we previewed the upcoming BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0 software, which is designed to have the BlackBerry® Runtime for Android™ Apps built-in! This offering will allow developers to repackage their existing Android™ applications to run on the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet, as well as the upcoming BlackBerry® 10 devices.

Seeing the great response for the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps at CES, developer meet-ups and conferences that we’ve attended over the last few months, we’re expecting a huge interest in the consumer space for these apps when the update is made available next month. We want to ensure that you are able to capitalize on this unique opportunity by having your applications available when BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 is launched!

In order to ensure that your packaged and signed Android app is available in the BlackBerry App World™ storefront for the release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, be sure to have your app submitted by Monday, February 6th, 2012.

How #TeamBlackBerry will Be Bold in 2012 [Infographic]

2012-01-27T10:35:37-08:00

UPDATE: We’ve noticed The BeBold Team has received a lot of attention over the last couple of days, and wanted to clarify – this infographic is just intended to be a bit of fun. On New Year’s Eve, we asked BlackBerry Twitter followers and their friends to submit their resolutions on how they plan to Be Bold in 2012. More than 35,000 resolutions streamed across Twitter®, Facebook®, and giant billboards in Times Square. As we looked at the resolutions and the data, majority patterns and categories emerged. We decided to organize the data and share it in a fun way, and the result is the infographic. This is not a new ad campaign.

Let me just say, #TeamBlackBerry, that when we present a challenge to this community, you never cease to amaze us. On New Year’s Eve, we asked you to tell us how you will #BeBold in 2012. We celebrated the big night at the hottest New Year’s Eve party – Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, sponsored by BlackBerry® – and watched more than 35,000 of your Bold resolutions stream across Twitter®, Facebook®, and giant billboards in Times Square.

Whether it’s the determination to run in your first marathon or earn a degree, you proved to us that for you, 2012 is about one thing – boldly seizing opportunities to pursue your dreams. More than this, four bold characters emerged from your #BeBold resolutions, and it’s clear to us that all are bravely stepping out of 2011 and into a 2012 filled with unlimited possibilities. Which are you? Tell @BlackBerry on Twitter!

Click to enlarge!

Thank you for rising to the challenge and helping us ring in the New Year in a Bold way! And let us know how your BlackBerry® smartphone and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet are helping you accomplish your #BeBold goals in 2012 by telling us in the comment section below.

Develop Games for BlackBerry!

2012-01-24T13:33:53-08:00

Hey BlackBerry devs! We’ve got a great guest post for you today from Sean Paul, who’s put together a must-read list of links and resources for BlackBerry game developers. Check it out! – Ed.

The BlackBerry® Native SDK for Tablet OS gives you the power to create rich C/C++ games. For those of you just getting started with developing for the BlackBerry platform, these links will help you quickly get a jump on making your own games using the BlackBerry Native SDK.

Download the BlackBerry Native SDK for Tablet OS for Windows®, Mac OS X or Linux.
Get started with the BlackBerry Native SDK for Tablet OS by creating and deploying your first OpenGL ES application.
Learn about the QNX® Momentics® IDE with full suite of debugging and profiling tools.

Once you’ve gotten a good start, be sure to check out the Developer’s Guide, Tutorials and Libraries available in the BlackBerry Native SDK including:

STL and POSIX library support
OpenGL ES 1.1 and 2.0 for 2D and 3D graphics
OpenAL for cross-platform 3D audio
libpng and libjpeg for encoded images
FreeType for fonts
Scoreloop SDK for integrating social gaming capabilities

Meet Thorsten Heins, RIM President and CEO

2012-01-22T20:16:42-08:00

Team BlackBerry, we wanted you to be among the first to meet and greet new Research In Motion President and CEO, Thorsten Heins. Prior to today’s announcement, Mr. Heins was one of RIM’s two Chief Operating Officers and, before that, Senior Vice President for the Handheld Business Unit. He played key roles in the creation of RIM’s product portfolio.

First the official word on Thorsten’s background: Mr. Heins came to RIM in December 2007 from the industrial conglomerate Siemens AG. He joined Siemens in 1984 after graduating from the University of Hannover in his native Germany. At Siemens, Mr. Heins rose through the ranks of R&D customer service, sales and product management positions. After serving as Chief Executive Officer of various business divisions in the communication business, Mr. Heins moved to Chief Technology Officer and member of the Group Board of the Siemens Communications Group. He came to RIM after being impressed by the level of innovation displayed by founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.

Now we’d like you to hear from Thorsten himself.

On RIM’s Strengths…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

On the next 5 years…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

On growth and enthusiasm…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

On PlayBook 2.0…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

On the best people…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

On motivation…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

On his proudest moment…

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

Team BlackBerry: Do you have a question or comment for Thorsten or the BlackBerry team? Add a comment below. While it’s not possible to respond to all, we do promise to read each and every one.