BlackBerry Cool

Study shows iPhone users are deviant egomaniacs

2009-11-06T18:29:26Z

A recent study by Retrevo has some really funny conclusions regarding the personalities of BlackBerry versus iPhone users.

The study reveals the following:

Retrevo asked, “What makes a person most attractive to you?” iPhone owners preferred cool gadgets over a college degree three to one.
One in three iPhone owners has texted or emailed their significant other to break up.
One in three iPhone owners say that, if their partner had out-of-date gadgets, it would be a turnoff.
One in five iPhone owners admits to frequently watching “adult material” on their iPhones. (Twice as many as BlackBerry owners).
One in four iPhone users has broken up with their partner because that person spent too much time on their mobile device.

The study also notes that “Compared with other cell phone users, iPhone owners are more likely to see themselves as media buffs, extroverts, and intellectuals,” with 40% of iPhone users claiming to be “intellectual,” and only 36% of Blackberry users saying the same.

[Via]

Celebrities love the BlackBerry Bold

2009-11-06T18:35:12Z

Emma Roberts
In the past we’ve done roundups from Celebrity BlackBerry Sightings and being Friday, it seems like a good time to do another. The obvious device of choice for Hollywood’s elite? The BlackBerry Bold. Guess who loves the BlackBerry Bold 9700 (after the jump)?

The Olsen Twins

Britney Spears

Ashley Tisdale

Jessica Simpson

Lindsay Lohan

And who gets the BlackBerry Bold 9700? Tara Reid. The perfect spokesperson for a brand that prides itself on being professional.

Tara Reid

Get BlackBerry notifications to your PC with Blurt

2009-11-06T16:48:52Z

A new app circulating the blogosphere, Blurts, gives you important notifications from your BlackBerry, to your PC. Whenever you get a call, email, or SMS notification, you see it on your desktop, which stops you from having to reach in your pocket and check your BlackBerry.

Blurts Pro Features:

Display Caller ID Alert
Display Email Alerts for all email accounts
Bluetooth auto connect
Display SMS/Text Alert
Send SMS/Text from your computer
Answer call from your computer
Ignore call from your computer
Activate Speaker phone from your computer
Control call volume from your computer
Place/Dial call from your computer
Disconnect call from your computer
Blurts will auto start on device reset
Options to control alerts

Blurts costs $4.99 until November 15th (regularly $5.99).

Another application worth trying, that does the same thing, is Elertify. Elertify also costs $4.99 until November 15th but it has a speech component which Blurt does not seem to have. This might make Elertify a better deal, but we’ll have to give you a head-to-head review soon.

BlackBerry Curve 8900 soon to be available in white

2009-11-06T16:36:32Z

BGR is reporting that the Curve 8900 will soon be available in white. While we don’t have any info on pricing or an exact launch date, it’s interesting to see carriers continue to launch old devices with a new paint job. The Bold 9000 looks good in white, and so does the 8900. Anyone want their BlackBerry Storm2 painted white?

Sprint BlackBerry Curve 8530 announced and preloaded with App World

2009-11-05T21:07:35Z

The Sprint BlackBerry 8530 has been announced by Sprint and while we don’t have pricing and release dates yet, there is still some interesting news embedded in the press release.

According to the press release, “Sprint’s BlackBerry Curve 8530 will offer BlackBerry App World for instant access to thousands of applications. Sprint has employed an open Internet approach, and the Sprint Application Developer Program has been providing tools for third-party developers, since Sprint first launched the Wireless Web on its phones in 2001.”

These two statements are vague but seem to suggest that Sprint will be offering both App World, and their Sprint branded content. Sprint isn’t saying much about how they will offer BlackBerry App World, but hopefully it will come fully preinstalled. Sprint is also very vague about how they will deploy content created in their Application Developer Program. Ideally, it would go into App World, but it’s more likely it will be made for preload. Overall, I’m hoping carriers stop trying to compete with App World and just let it be the place where BlackBerry users go to get all their apps.

In any case, the 8530 will come in Black, Royal Purple and Red. Sprint will also be offering an All You Can Eat data plan for $69.99 per month.

New Space Slideshow BlackBerry theme

2009-11-05T18:46:33Z

The latest theme from Bplay is the Space Slideshow theme that features some well-crafted icons and a rotating wallpaper of great images of space.

Space Slideshow is available for $5.99.

Looking for a great site for Space news? Check out ParabolicArc.com.

More talk about RIM takeover by Microsoft

2009-11-05T21:10:00Z

The subject has been brought up countless times: will Microsoft ever buy RIM? Surely, if you ever spoke with Jim Balsillie or Mike Lazaridis, the idea would be out of the question, but who knows?

National Bank analyst Richard Tse thinks it’s a possibility, saying that if shares in RIM keep falling, investors should consider it a possibility.

Talking about the Microsoft buyout, Tse says: “Sticking with Microsoft, sure Windows Mobile 7 is on its way but wouldn’t RIM be able to offer what they’ve strived to get beyond their OS and Office – another wedge into the enterprise. We sure wouldn’t rule this out.”

BlackBerry Bold 9700 versus Bold 9000 in pictures

2009-11-05T16:01:31Z

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is basically a Bold 9000, with updated specs and in a Curve 8900 form factor. It’s for this reason that the devices are probably best compared in pictures that speak for themselves.

RIM announces common share repurchase program

2009-11-05T15:34:00Z

RIM’s Board of Directors have authorized a share repurchase program to purchase common shares having an aggregate purchase price of up to US$ 1.2 billion, or approximately 21 million common shares based on current trading prices (representing approximately 3.6% of the currently outstanding common shares of RIM).

The Board of Directors feel that this program is in the best interests of RIM and its shareholders. While their motives were not explicitly stated in the press release, a share repurchase program is generally about increasing ownership of the company by reducing the number of outstanding shares. Overall, this company is going to continue to grow and the more control and ownership RIM has, the better.

BlackBerry Bold 9700 questions answered

2009-11-05T22:55:51Z

When we first posted impressions of the BlackBerry Curve 9700, we asked BlackBerry Cool readers what they would like to know about the device. We have taken some time to post more pictures of this device, and answer some of your questions.

Albert: Does the T-Mobile HSPA Bold support more than 1700 AWS band for 3G?

The BlackBerry Curve 9700 has the following network support:

3G (HSDPA) compatible
UMTS: 2100/1900/850/800 MHz (Bands 1,2,5/6), 2100/1700/900 MHz (Bands 1,4,8)
GSM: 1900/1800/900/850 MHz
Quad-band support: GSM 850; GSM

Touchpro247: Turn the device on show some pics of the home screen. Show a pic of the about screen.

T-Mobile Curve: I’d appreciate info on the processor. Rumor has it that T-Mobile’s version will have the 8900’s processor, not the Bold’s. Thanks!

You should check out the Bold 9000 versus the Bold 9700 spec comparison sheet.

hassan: any one when it going to be released to the hole world ???? and if any one know how can i buy it with an unlocked virgin now and ship it to another country ?

This device is going to take a while to be released in countries outside of North America and Europe. We don’t have any details yet, but stay tuned.

canadian wireless hater: Does the browser still suck? How does it run with the 3G? Fast? And is the T-Mobile 9700’s 3G AWS or north american? Test shots with the camera please and thanks.

The browser is no different than any other browser running 5.0 software. It is basically the same browser as always, but with a little more support for different web content. I’m hard pressed to see any real differences.

Here is a picture taken with the Bold 9700. The camera is pretty decent at 3.2MP but nothing spectacular. It has a flash which really helps too.

Chris: What is the impression of the trackpad? Is it better navigating than with the trackball or even the trackwheel?

Check out the original post, it talks about the trackpad.

Ethan:
1) Battery. Does it use the same battery as the T-Mobile Curve 8900 (and original Verizon Storm)?

No it does not. As you can see from this pic, the battery looks like the Bold series batteries but according to the specs, it has been updated and gives much more talk time.

2) Charging. Still charge through the micro-USB port? (Thought I read somewhere that it’s back to a proprietary charger.)

Yes, RIM is still using micro-USB. It is now the industry standard and as far as I’m concerned, here to stay.

3) 3G. Any noticeable speed difference on T-Mobile, or does the browser’s crappiness make it irrelevant?

I notice that 3G helps when you’re browsing through YouTube videos and rich media content for sure. Also, if you download a lot of applications, you will really appreciate the 3G.

4) WiFi. Curve 8900 barely attaches to WiFi, presumably to save on battery life. New Bold any more aggressive about WiFi?

There are some issues regarding WiFi with BlackBerry devices and the fact that they turn it off to save battery life. Personally, I found it stayed connected to my WiFi signal loyally, but I will get back to this issue soon with something official from RIM.

5) UMA. Curve 8900 bad about switching between WiFi and Edge when on UMA. Any improvement when talking via UMA, especially when switching between WiFi and the T-Mobile network?

It took about 5 seconds for the device to log on to the WiFi connection and start up UMA. I have about 2 signal bars of UMA and the call quality is very decent.

Any more questions? Comment and we’ll answer!

BlackBerry Bold 9700 now available on the Bell website

2009-11-04T13:14:40Z

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is making the rounds in Canada. Last night it became available from Rogers and now it is available on the Bell website.

The Bold 9700 is available for $229.95 on a three year contract and it gets more expensive as the contract term diminishes. On a 2 year plan is costs $449.95 and a 1 year contract will make the device cost $549.95.

If you’re a Bell subscriber and you’re looking for a feature packed device with a modern, slim form factor, this device is for you.

Advanced Call Manager releases free critical update

2009-11-04T13:04:07Z

Advanced Call Manager lets you customize your calling experience by allowing users to play an instant busy tone, drop the call, send a kind SMS, mute the ringer or pick up and hang up the phone.

ACM handles your incoming calls with a personalized approach to different callers – it accepts, rejects, sends a personalized SMS, mutes the ringer or instantly picks up and then hangs up. You can easily save different profiles and schedule them according to time or location.

ACM is offering a free critical update to their product so if you have already purchased this software, make sure to update. For those who have not, this is definitely software worth owning. The free update has a critical fix for battery consumption, the ability to import contacts from the Call Log, and a new call handling action.

Advanced Call Manager is available for $25.50.

BlackBerry Tour 9630 now available from US Cellular

2009-11-04T12:55:37Z

News for those who are US Cellular subscribers, the Tour 9630 is now available from your provider. The device is available for $199.95 after a $70 mail-in rebate and on a 2 year service agreement.

Hopefully US Cellular comes out with some of the newer devices, as the Tour is a little outdated for the early adopter crowd.

BlackBerry Bold 9700 now available from Rogers

2009-11-03T18:39:15Z

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is a really decent device for those that want a powerful BlackBerry, but are looking for something smaller and more modern that the Bold 9000.

We have taken a look at the T-Mobile version of the device, and to our knowledge there isn’t much different with the Rogers version.

The Bold 9700 from Rogers costs $299 on a three year contract.

Windows Vista replica BlackBerry theme VISTALike

2009-11-03T15:17:04Z

HedoneDesign have a new theme and this one is a Windows Vista replica. The theme features some clean graphics and classic icons for the homescreen. Hedone have also included a wallpaper expansion pack for additional customization on this theme.

The VISTALike theme comes in Zen, Today and Today Plus and is available for $3.49 until November 6th (regularly $6.99).

Rove announces new products for mobile IT admins

2009-11-03T15:02:49Z

Rove have announced two versions of Rove Mobile: Mobile Admin Professional and Mobile Admin Basics. The two products cover the full gamut of issues that IT admins face in today’s business environment.

Rove Mobile Admin Professional is Rove’s flagship product that delivers advanced mobile IT administration capability for IT staff that need comprehensive, secure access to a wide range of servers and platforms, including IT infrastructure monitoring, virtualization and incident management. The latest version of Rove Mobile Admin, version 5.0, supports Microsoft Hyper-V, Microsoft’s virtualization tool, BMC Remedy Service Desk and RIM BES 5 functionality.

Rove Mobile Admin Basics provides secure mobile remote access functionality for busy IT admin staff. It offers essential functionality that helps IT administrators respond faster to basic service requests.

Rove Mobile Admin Professional is now priced at $595 per client access license and Rove Mobile Admin Basics is priced at $295 per client access license. Both are available for download and purchase at RoveIT.com.

T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 impressions, video and pics

2009-11-05T15:26:36Z

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is the latest update to the Bold series and it’s all the specs you would expect from a Bold device, slightly upgraded and in a smaller form factor. Like many of the devices we have been seeing from RIM lately, it is a hybrid device, combining the power of the Bold with the design of a Curve 8900.

The Bold 9700 from T-Mobile ships with OS 5.0.0.330, which is a welcomed update to the device. What is less positive about the launch is that the device doesn’t ship with the latest version of BlackBerry Messenger. The T-Mobile Bold 9700 ships with BlackBerry Messenger version 4.7.0 rather than 5.0 (this is based on the device I’m holding in my hand). Ideally, T-Mobile and RIM would have at least had a warning message of some sort that tells users where they can get the latest version of BBM.

Another preload on the T-Mobile Bold 9700 is the T-Mobile web browser called web2go. This preload really adds no value to the device and is likely related to some deal that T-Mobile signed independently of RIM. It’s a sub-par browser that isn’t even integrated into the native BlackBerry mail client. It would be great if T-Mobile stopped preloading these things and cluttering our homepage.

The Bold 9700 comes with a trackpad, which seems to be the new standard on BlackBerry devices. The trackpad makes navigation much smoother, and it will add to the shelf life of the device. No more cleaning your trackball or replacing it, the trackpad is here to stay.

As mentioned above, the Bold 9700 is reminiscent of the Curve 8900 form factor. While the keyboard is in the Bold style, with ergonomic and tightly packed keys, it is definitely closer to the 8900 in size. The Bold 9700 keyboard is quite tight and it seems as though this will be the defining feature of this BlackBerry. Users will either be attracted to the slim, tight, form factor, or they will look for a device with more breathing room such as the Tour or Bold 9000.

Overall, I would say this device is a great addition to the Bold product line, and you should ask yourself whether size matters. Personally, I don’t think the Bold 9000 needed to be smaller, but I know many users who didn’t like how it sat in their pocket. For those that want a smaller, more modern sized device, I know you’re going to love this BlackBerry.

Here are some quick points about the Bold 9700 to note:

The Bold 9700 weighs 4.3 oz (122 grams) and is 4.3″ x 2.4″ x 0.55″ (109 mm x 60 mm x 14.1 mm).
The screen is a 480 x 360 half-VGA+ display.
Supports high-speed HSDPA networks for simultaneous voice and data usage, quick downloads and fast web browsing. Quad-band EDGE networks are also supported.
Includes integrated GPS with photo geotagging support, plus built-in WiFi (802.11 b/g).
Includes a microSD/SDHC memory card slot with a 2 GB card included (will support cards up to 32 GB), plus 256 MB of Flash memory.
3.2 MP camera able to record video, with flash, auto focus, image stabilization and digital zoom.

The Bold 9700 review is being compiled now, feel free to comment what you would like to see included in this review, and we’ll do our best to address your questions. Also, sorry about the lame pics. I took them with the Storm2 and they didn’t come out so good. I’ll have better pics soon.

Rogers Bold 9700 available, White Bold 9000, and Camera-free Bold 9000

2009-11-03T15:29:01Z

Bla1ze from crackberry reports on the recently availability of the Rogers Bold 9700. The new device has “became available today for retailers to order through hardware management”. Rogers has been quietly shipping dummy devices to their retail channels, with the devices now available in the inventory to certain CSRs, how much longer before the retail Rogers Bold 9700 launch? Also available are the White Bold 9000, as well as a cameraless Bold 9000.

Ziplorer 2.0 directory browser and compression agent

2009-11-03T15:43:44Z

Ziplorer is a file and directory browser with the ability to create and manage zip files. Version 2.0 features:

Accessible: Internal BlackBerry memory, installed microSD card
Output formats: PKZip, GZip
Packable files: Any kind of files and directories (subdirectories are included automatically)
Features: Pack, unpack, delete, file info and browse the filesystem
Polished User Interface
File Type Visualization
Compress to a Certain Folder Move Files
Delete / Create Directories
Send Files Via EMail

Buy Ziplorer at our store for $11.99, that’s 40% off!

Remote Desktop for BlackBerry by SHAPE Services now on sale

2009-11-02T05:33:01Z

Remote Desktop by SHAPE Services allows you to remotely access your desktop or laptop computer from your BlackBerry. You can send and receive emails, surf web, edit documents in word processor, copy, cut, paste files or folders and do hundreds other things that you typically do sitting in front of your home or office computer.

For more about Remote Desktop Manager for BlackBerry, read Collin’s review.

For today only, Remote Desktop for BlackBerry is available for $19.98 (regularly $39.95).

The Hockey News updated and available for free

2009-11-02T05:18:01Z

The Hockey News is a great free app that gives you all your hockey needs in one place. The latest version of the app is better than ever and includes such features as live scores, player stats, team standings, schedules, and of course – all the latest blogs, columns and feature articles from The Hockey News staff.

For those who downloaded The Hockey News already and are wondering why they aren’t getting updates, it’s because you need the latest version.

Download the newest version of The Hockey News from thn.mobi for free.

Personalize your BlackBerry email notifications with MailTones

2009-11-02T06:11:17Z

Electric Pocket recently launched a cool new application for BlackBerry that gives you the ability to personalize the alert tone for incoming emails. The app lets you set a different tone for each and every friend, family member or colleague in your Address Book, and there’s a large variety of tones available.

MailTones lets you set a tone for a specific user, or one for all incoming emails from a specific domain – making it easy to recognize incoming emails from work colleagues or customers. In fact, MailTones can help you distinguish high priority emails from your boss or wife from lower priority emails from college buddies, Facebook status updates, or email lists. You can develop your own system for screening incoming emails by setting your default mail tone to silent, or ignore, and using MailTones to set specific tones for higher priority people and subjects. You can then know whether or not to interrupt your meeting or conversation to check your email.

MailTones is available for $2.99 from the BlackBerry Cool Store.

Preview BlackBerry messages from your PC with Elertify

2009-11-02T04:41:53Z

YouTube link.

Elertify is a great new app that sits on your PC, and allows you to preview messages without the need to take out your BlackBerry and check.

Elertify will display a popup message on your PC when you receive incoming email, SMS and calls on your BlackBerry. You can even get audio alerts of who is texting, or emailing you.

Elertify is available for $4.99 until November 15th (regularly $5.99). It is also available as a 7 day free trial.

Premium BlackBerry theme Shell from Elecite

2009-11-02T04:17:01Z

Shell is a really decent theme from Elecite that includes color changing options from within the theme. Your theme can have black, red, white or blue background images. There are four dedicated application buttons in a dock, as well as 9 more customizable hidden icons.

Shell is available for the BlackBerry 8350, 85xx, 8900, 9000, 95xx, and 96xx series devices, for $6.99.

Please Note: Be warned that themes have been known to be buggy on the Storm2 and OS 5. See our post on potential fixes for this bug.

Top 5 small improvements on the Storm 2 versus Storm 9530

2009-10-30T22:24:18Z

Yes, the biggest improvement in the Storm 2 is the typing technology and the ease at which you can type on the touchscreen. Typing on the Storm 2 is a more reassuring feeling versus the 9530, and it is far easier than typing on other touchscreen devices such as the iPhone. Another huge improvement is the addition of WiFi.

But what about everything else? There are a host of small improvements on the Storm 2 that don’t get as much exposure but will provide you with a little added comfort.

The SIM card is easier to remove

The BlackBerry Storm2 has a little opening in the back of the SIM card slot that helps in removing your SIM card. On the Storm 9530, you had to use a technique involving pinching the top of your SIM card, pulling up slightly and pulling out. For someone who switches SIM cards a lot, this is a great little improvement.

The battery cover is easier to remove

Personally, I wasn’t elated about the battery cover on the Storm 9530/9500. The original Storm required you to lift two latches on either side of the battery door, and it wasn’t the most convenient system. The Storm 9550 has the same battery door opening as the Curve 8520, making it much more convenient to open.

There is a power button on the top

Where the original Storm had a lock button, it has been replaced with a power button. This is a nice change in that the button serves a dual purpose. It will put your device in lock/sleep mode and if you hold it down, your device will power off.

The convenience keys are rubberized

The new rubberized convenience keys have been showing up on all of RIM’s latest devices including the Curve 8520. Like the trackpad, this seems to give the device a longer shelf life and will go a long way to keeping your device pristine.

The Speaker is on the bottom of the device

If you do a lot of conference calling, or you enjoy putting people on speakerphone, you will really appreciate this new feature. Having the speaker on the bottom of the phone means you get much more clarity from your speakerphone conversations.

We’ll have more Storm2 content coming at you soon.

BlackBerry Cool social media roundup

2009-10-30T17:40:11Z

We would just like to remind you of the various social media initiatives that BlackBerry Cool actively promotes and we encourage you to join.

BlackBerry Cool Twitter feed (13,721 followers)

Get the latest updates from the BlackBerry Cool Twitter feed. Be sure to Tweet with #blackberrycool and we’ll follow you.

The BlackBerry Cool LinkedIn Group (1120 Members)

The BlackBerry Cool LinkedIn has some of the brightest in the industry. If you’re looking for a job in the smartphone industry, interested in networking with other professionals, or you simply want to support the group, we would like to welcome you to the group.

BlackBerry Cool Facebook Page (5.258 fans)

The BlackBerry Cool Facebook page is a casual spot where you can discuss the top stories with other BlackBerry fans. Come join the discussion!

Windows 7 Ultimate Theme available and on sale

2009-10-30T16:22:44Z

This Windows 7 Ultimate theme is available for every device, except those running 5.0 software. Like we’ve said before, there are bugs in OS 5 themes and we’ve heard they will be corrected by Dev Con on November 9th, 2009.

Every other BlackBerry gets support on this theme, and it’s one that everyone can enjoy. The Windows 7 Ultimate theme features a fully functional Start Menu, which allows you to access your media center, music, settings, connection manager, sound profiles and application screen. Also, just like the real Start Menu, there is a shut down button as well.

Purchase the Windows 7 Ultimate theme, on sale now for $2.49 until November 1st (regularly $3.49).

ChangeWave survey validity should be questioned

2009-10-30T15:41:04Z

When we wrote about ChangeWave’s most recent survey, we tried to make it very obvious that the survey was in no way indicative of any statistically accurate trends, and that it was to be taken with a grain of salt. In fact, the exact wording was:

“Since the survey sample is so small, and we can’t be sure of how representative the sample is of the total North American market, we should obviously take these results with a grain of salt.”

What should have been included in the post, was a better explanation of why the ChangeWave survey isn’t accurate.

It’s important to take into account when these surveys are published. The timing of these surveys reflects either a total ignorance on the part of ChangeWave regarding when devices are released, or a ulterior motive behind fudging the numbers.

Take for example the last survey which showed some very inaccurate data. ChangeWave’s survey polled 4,255 consumers between September 14th and the 21st. This is exactly the wrong time to poll users if you want to make any kind of BlackBerry and iPhone comparison. The poll date is a couple months after the launch of the iPhone 3Gs, allowing it to accumulate sales, and before the launch of several major BlackBerry devices (Curve 8520, Storm2 and Bold 9700).

According to the survey, 36% of respondents said they would purchase an iPhone, and 27% said a BlackBerry. With the iPhone 3Gs circulating among consumers, and the only newish BlackBerry around town being the Tour, of course their survey respondents are going to say the iPhone. If this study were done today, I can guarantee you that the numbers would favor BlackBerry.

The fact that ChangeWave computed smartphone OS market share based on their sample size of 4,255 (used to reflect a population of 304,059,724), says a lot about the validity of their survey.

According to ChangeWave, RIM holds 40% of the US smartphone market, while Apple holds 30%. Compare this to a respected research firm such as NPD group, who say RIM’s consumer smartphone market share increased 15 percent to nearly 50 percent of the smartphone market in Q1 2009 versus the prior quarter, as Apple’s and Palm’s share both declined 10 percent each.

The results are reminiscent of an equally unreliable source AdMob. AdMob published their August 2009 Mobile Metrics Report which was just laughable in its findings.

Again, the survey sample only includes data from the AdMob network, a sample size that is not reflective of the global smartphone market. Do you really think Apple has a greater worldwide market share than Nokia? The numbers are so off you wonder why they even bother publishing the results.

The most likely scenario here is that the “analysts” at ChangeWave are just lazy, and didn’t take the time to release a survey that provided accurate market share percentages and analysis. There are also some who think that ChangeWave has something to gain financially from misrepresenting Apple’s dominance.

The biggest problem with these surveys is that they are republished with no warning to their validity, and mainstream media picks them up, which could make the surveys a self fulfilling prophecy. The mainstream media, who write about technology as though it is something from outer-space, are easily duped by these bogus surveys. Just look at how the Financial Post republishes the ChangeWave survey with no critical eye whatsoever:

“While RIM’s BlackBerry devices are still the most popular smart phones for consumers and non-business users in the United States, Apple Inc. and its iPhone are closing the gap, according to a new survey from U.S.-based market research firm ChangeWave Research.”

We will continue to publish surveys by research firms such as ChangeWave, but unless they become more scientifically prepared and accurate, the next time we publish it won’t be pretty.

Co-CEO of RIM Jim Balsillie talks about the year in review

2009-10-30T15:48:24Z

As we approach the end of 2009, it was, to say the least, an interesting year for Research in Motion. The National Post recently wrote an article with some quotes from the co-CEO Jim Balsillie that show he and Mike Lazaridis are pleased with progress and very optimistic moving forward.

Some of the major events that happened this year include one of (if not the) largest settlements between RIM and Visto Corp, for US$267.5 million. We have also seen a couple other setbacks including a failed bid for Nortel assets and a failed attempt to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes by Jim Balsillie.

UPDATE: BBCool reader Kevin is good enough to point out the settlement with Visto is small compared to the NTP case back in 2006. Still a significant enough settlement to mention in the Q2 Fiscal 2010 Conference Call though.

The pay out to Visto is less than half of what RIM paid to NTP ($612.5-million) in March 2006.

But it wasn’t all bad. This year RIM released upgrades to all their major product lines including the Curve, Storm and soon Bold series devices. RIM has also partnered with one of the most popular bands in history and sold a record number of devices in some of the toughest economic times we have seen.

Jim Balsillie has the following to say about the year in hindsight: “Bottom line is that this year is no different than any other year,” Balsillie says. “This year has had its particular challenges, but it’s also had its particular blessings because our sector has been vibrant in an economy that has not been very vibrant.”

As RIM continues to expand globally, capitalizing on partnerships with carriers around the world, the future looks very bright for the company.

“We’re very fortunate that we have the strength of position, having been here long enough, and having built this enough that you’ve built enough value and you’ve built enough credibility that you’ve got a couple in the bank, whatever that is.”

While everyone is optimistic and things look great in the foreseeable future, Balsillie is still knocking on wood:

“To me it’s like driving to the airport and you say wow, we’re making good time, or saying with five minutes left in the game that the goalie’s got a shut- out, it’s the great curse,” he says. “It’s like someone telling you that if you par out these next three holes, you’re going to shoot a record score. You’re going to go bogey, bogey, bogey.”

Let’s hope that 2010 will be an even better year.

SmrtGuard available on Indosat as white labeled solution i-Guard

2009-10-30T13:32:49Z

Founder of SmrtGuard Robert Kao and the Indosat team.

SmrtGuard and the Indonesian carrier Indosat, have announced the launch of the i-Guard service, a white label version of SmrtGuard. With this white labeled version of the service, users can wirelessly backup and restore personal data, as well as personally track and remotely wipe their smartphone in the event of theft or loss.

Personally, I would love to see North Americans getting a white labeled version of SmrtGuard as well. There are a ton of BlackBerry consumers that would benefit from this service, but aren’t in the know when it comes to purchasing applications. Relationships with carriers can go a long way to bringing these great apps to people who don’t know about them.