• blackberry,  rim,  rumors

    Rumor: New BlackBerry Handsets On the Horizon

    May 10, 2011 /

    Late last week a friend of my told me that she was interested in renewing her contract with Sprint and what new BlackBerry phone she should get.

    While reading up on the Windows Phone event I just wrote about, I noticed that BGR.com also had written an article about the upcoming BlackBerry handsets that should be arriving at US carriers this summer.

    I think my favorite model is the GPS/Wi-Fi enabled edition of the Curve.  Call me crazy, but I was addicted to my Curve 8330 that I used in the six months between my Palm Treo 755p and my Palm Pre.  I also liked the Verizon exclusive BlackBerry Storm2.  It is the only smartphone that I liked using the on screen keyboard on.  (Hey, I just said to call my crazy!)

    If you are interested in reading about what to expect from Research In Motion this summer, check out BGR’s featured article.

    [via BGR.com…]

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  • apple,  ipad,  playbook,  rim,  touchpad

    iPad Competitor “Cat Fight”

    March 3, 2011 /

    I just finished reading John Paczkowki’s Digital Daily post titled “HP to RIM: Our iPad Challenger Is More Original Than Your iPad Challenger”, in which HP and RIM fight over who’s Apple iPad clone is more original.

    Mr. Paczkowski writes:

    “Isn’t this ironic. Hewlett-Packard and Research in Motion, two companies that haven’t officially launched their first tablets yet, talking smack to one another the day before Apple debuts its second.”

    Read the full article on Digital Daily.com.
    [Editor’s Note: I’m sorry, but I had to replace the original article’s Dr. Seuss art with the two women locked in a “cat fight” because that was the first thing that popped into my head when I read the headline.  My apologies for my sense of humor.]
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  • blackberry,  rim

    RIM: BlackBerry Play Book App Development Too Difficult

    February 26, 2011 /

    BlackBerry maker, Research in Motion, is clearly fighting an up hill battle for “mindshare” among customers and potential customers.

    The latest problem for the company, whose handsets are in decline due to strong sales of the Apple iPhone and phones based on Google’s Android OS, could be coming from the very people RIM needs the most: application developers.

    Jamie Murai, a small BlackBerry application developer has recently posted an open letter to RIM stating his displeasure with the tools for BlackBerry PlayBook application development. Mr. Murai writes:

    “On a more serious note, being the underdog, you need to make your process AT LEAST as simple as Apple’s or Google’s, if not more so. You need to make your tools AT LEAST as good as Apple’s or Google’s, if not more so. You have failed at both.”

    Ouch!  I encourage you to read the full open letter to get the full context of what Mr. Murai is talking about, but the bottom line gets summarized nicely with the quote above.
    At least you don’t need to have a BlackBerry smartphone to use all the features of the new PlayBook, like Palm was planning to do with the Treo and the Foleo.  Oh, wait – you do need to pair a PlayBook with a BlackBerry.  Nevermind.
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  • blackberry,  rim

    BlackBerry’s “Bridge” to Nowhere [Repost]

    January 13, 2011 /

    My friend and fellow gadget addicted blogger Jimmie Geddes has a new RIM BlackBerry Playbook article up on GadgetsOnTheGo.net.  The following is Mr. Geddes’ post republished here:

    I wrote about RIM’s PlayBook back in September comparing it to Palm’s never released Foleo. At CES RIM showed off the PlayBook running it’s “Bridge” software that tethers your BlackBerry via Bluetooth to the PlayBook in order to use the Email, Calendar, Messaging, and BBM apps on the PlayBook. If you don’t have a BlackBerry you will not be able to use Email, Calendar, Messaging, or BBM.

    RIM should not be building “Bridge” software, especially when that “Bridge” only bridges itself to a BlackBerry. You’ve got to wonder what’s going on if you’re buying a device from a company that needs to build software to get Email, Calendar, and Messaging working, and only working by using a separate device from the same company.A tablet should not have to rely on a phone to do Email, Calendar, Messaging, and in RIM’s case its very own BBM. A bridge to nowhere is still a bridge to nowhere.

    Today a former RIM executive has gone on the record with Business Insider saying the PlayBook will flop. One of the main reasons is:

    ” * The first Wi-Fi-only version won’t be able to connect to a lot of corporate BlackBerry email accounts unless the user also has a BlackBerry phone near the PlayBook and uses the PlayBook’s tethering capability.

    This last point sounds completely insane, given that corporate email is the entire reason the BlackBerry exists. But Reddy just got back from CES, and said that this is what the BlackBerry booth team told him. We’ve contacted RIM for comment, and haven’t heard back.”

    Additional Comments

    I can’t agree with Mr. Geddes more about RIM’s “Bridge” software.  Seriously, RIM?  You need to tether a PlayBook with a BlackBerry to gain access to messaging applications?  Didn’t you guys learn anything from Palm’s Foleo/Treo tethering disaster?  Maybe you guys should shelf the PlayBook and focus on getting the QNX OS ported over to new BlackBerry handsets, BlackBerry handsets; which I’ll point out, are your core competency.  There will be time to chase the iPad later.  For right now, you need to be worried about losing smartphone marketshare to handsets running Google Android and Apple iOS.

    [Via GadgetsOnTheGo.net…]

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  • att,  blackberry,  blackberry os,  blackberry tablet os,  rim,  torch

    AT&T Slashes Price of RIM BlackBerry Torch, PlayBook Priced Below iPad

    November 11, 2010 /

    Oh, really?  What’s going on with RIMM and AT&T?  This morning Barron’s Tech Trader Daily blog noted that AT&T has cut the price of the new BlackBerry Torch to $99.99 down from $199.99.  A 2-year service agreement is required.  The BlackBerry Torch was introduced back on August 3.

    The Torch, you will recall, looks like a second cousin for HP’s Palm Pre smartphone that was released back in mid-2009.  Those interested in the Torch, and yes, it is available in red, should head over to the AT&T Wireless website.

    Research in Motion Co-CEO Jim Balsillie also has been reported as saying that the Berry-themed tablet, the BlackBerry PlayBook will go on sale at Target and Best Buy retail locations and that the device, when it does become available in early 2011, will sell for less than $500.  The cheapest non-3G, Wi-Fi only Apple iPad starts at $499.

    The price cut on the Torch, while unexpected by me, isn’t too surprising.  Interest in the new slider BlackBerry hasn’t exactly lit the fire that RIM was hoping for.  As for pricing the PlayBook below the Wi-Fi Apple iPad’s $499 price tag, well, I think that anyone releasing a table in the next 12 months is looking for something, anything, that might resonate with consumers and get them to purchase their product verses and iPad.

    [Via Tech Trader Daily…]

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  • blackberry,  blackberry tablet os,  rim

    Briefly Noted: RIM BlackBerry Playbook

    October 25, 2010 /

    BoyGeniusReport.com is reporting some new information about RIM’s BlackBerry tablet, the Playbook.

    First up, RIM finally gave a live demo of their Playbook tablet at the Adobe MAX conference.  If you didn’t get a chance to make it to the conference today, you can check out a video that has been posted to YouTube.

    Secondly, if you can’t wait to get your Playbook on, you can now download the Playbook simulator for Mac OS X and Windows PC when you sign up as a developer on the BlackBerry website.

    Game on!

    [Via BoyGeniusReport.com…]

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  • android,  dataviz,  docs to go,  google,  rim

    Documents To Go 3.0 for Android Released

    October 25, 2010 /

    DataViz, Inc., a leading provider of Microsoft Office compatibility solutions, on Friday (10/22/10) announced the immediate availability of Documents To Go 3.0 in the Android Market and through www.dataviz.com. Documents To Go continues to be one of the top selling productivity applications in the Android market as well as one of the top downloads with its free “view only” edition.

    What’s New in Documents To Go 3.0 for Android?

    DataViz continues to offer both paid and free versions of Documents To Go, both of which have been updated significantly in version 3.0.   While the free version remains limited in its capabilities, it now adds the ability to view PowerPoint files, which was originally in the paid version only.  In addition, the free application is now ad-based.  Once the Full Version key is purchased, the advanced features become available, and the ads disappear.

    The Full (paid) version contains a myriad of new features and enhancements including:

    Google Docs

    Google Docs users can now access all their stored files right from within Documents To Go.  Changes can then be made to these documents and saved back into Google Docs for “anywhere access.”  New files can also be created in Documents To Go and saved up to the Google Docs “cloud.”

    Desktop Synchronization

    Version 3.0 also offers a desktop application that provides Windows customers with the ability to easily transfer files from their computer to their Android-based device over a USB cable.  Users can then select individual files or entire folders to synchronize and all updates made in either location will be automatically synchronized.  As always with Documents To Go, 100% of the original file formatting will be maintained via DataViz’s acclaimed InTact Technology™.

    Revamped User Interface and File Browser

    Documents To Go 3.0 has added tools to browse and manage files on an Android device. Mobile workers can now view, edit, create, delete, rename, sort, filter, star, sync, backup and send files from one centralized application.  ‘Live Folders’ continue to keep recently used and favorite files in a conveniently accessible location.

    Multitude of Optimizations and Enhancements

    PDF To Go now includes pinch to zoom, multi-touch, rotate page and more.  Rendering speed and quality improvements were made to Slideshow To Go.  In addition, Office 2007 password protected files are now supported.


    “DataViz is excited to continue innovating our Documents To Go product line and are encouraged by the success and growth of the Android platform,” says Bonnie Boyle, Documents To Go Business Manager.  “This release was the culmination of customer requests for features and our own desire to remain the best of breed in the Office category on the Android platform.”

    Pricing & Availability

    Documents To Go Full Version Key (3.0) is now available either in the Android Market or through www.dataviz.com for $14.99. All customers who purchased Documents To Go Full Version Key 2.0 will receive a free update to version 3.0 via an on device notification through the Android Market.  The Documents To Go Desktop software is compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 and can be downloaded from the DataViz website at www.dataviz.com/getdesktop.  For more information:  http://www.dataviz.com/products/documentstogo/android/index.html

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  • blackberry,  blackberry tablet os,  blackpad,  citrix,  rim

    Citrix Receiver Coming to BlackBerry PlayBook

    September 29, 2010 /

    In a community blog post yesterday afternoon, Citrix Vice President of Community and Solutions Development, Chris Fleck, stated that the Citrix Receiver application is headed for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook.

    “The planned Citrix Receiver for PlayBook will provide a great user experience while making all the company virtual apps and desktops available on-demand anywhere.” He also notes, “PlayBook users will get the freedom to get work done from anywhere with access to any business app they need.”

    Mr. Fleck also writes:

    “No doubt the PlayBook will do a good job with email and the browser will work well for browsing, but with the 7″ HD display, business users will also want access to all their business apps or even their full Windows 7 work environment. One way to enable that will be the Citrix Receiver for PlayBook, just as 100 million users use Citrix everyday to get virtual apps and desktops delivered to their PC, Mac, thin client or smartphone. The highly regarded Receiver for iPad for example is now one of the top app store business downloads and is used by professionals everywhere to be more productive without the chore of lugging a laptop.”

    Alan’s Comments

    Having Citrix standing behind your product will no doubt put corporate buyer’s minds at ease because Citrix is recognized as a secure way to deploy applications to a mobile workforce.  With the PlayBook’s connection to RIM’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server and Citrix’s secure application delivery platform, it looks like they are ready for their play date.

    You can read the full post on the Citrix Community blog.

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  • blackberry,  blackberry tablet os,  blackpad,  rim,  tablet

    RIM Unveils the BlackBerry PlayBook

    September 28, 2010 /

    New Professional-Grade Tablet Delivers Unmatched Power and Web Performance

    San Francisco, CA – BlackBerry DEVCON 2010 – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today redefined the possibilities for mobile computing with the unveiling of its new professional-grade BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet and BlackBerry® Tablet OS.
    Perfect for either large organizations or an “army of one”, the BlackBerry PlayBook is designed to give users what they want, including uncompromised web browsing, true multitasking and high performance multimedia, while also providing advanced security features, out-of-the-box enterprise support and a breakthrough development platform for IT departments and developers. The incredibly powerful and innovative BlackBerry PlayBook is truly a game-changing product in the growing tablet marketplace.

    “RIM set out to engineer the best professional-grade tablet in the industry with cutting-edge hardware features and one of the world’s most robust and flexible operating systems,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry PlayBook solidly hits the mark with industry leading power, true multitasking, uncompromised web browsing and high performance multimedia.”

    Availability

    The BlackBerry PlayBook is expected to be available in retail outlets and other channels in the United States in early 2011 with rollouts in other international markets beginning in (calendar) Q2.
    RIM will begin working with developers and select corporate customers next month to begin development and early testing efforts.

    For more information, visit www.blackberry.com/playbook.

    BlackBerry PlayBook pictures and specs after the break…

    The Tablet You’ll Want to Take Everywhere

    This beautifully designed and incredibly powerful tablet is ultra portable, ultra thin and super convenient for both work and play. Measuring less than half an inch thick and weighing less than a pound, the BlackBerry PlayBook features a vivid 7” high resolution display that looks and feels great in your hand. With such a unique mix of utility, performance and portability, you’ll want to take it everywhere.

    The New Benchmark in Tablet Performance

    At its heart, the BlackBerry PlayBook is a multitasking powerhouse. Its groundbreaking performance is jointly fueled by a 1 GHz dual-core processor and the new BlackBerry Tablet OS which supports true symmetric multiprocessing. Together, the abundant processing power and highly sophisticated OS enable the BlackBerry PlayBook to provide users with true multitasking and a highly-responsive and fluid touch screen experience for apps and content services.

    Uncompromised Web Browsing

    With support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, Adobe® Mobile AIR® and HTML-5, the BlackBerry PlayBook provides customers with an uncompromised, high-fidelity web experience and offers them the ability to enjoy all of the sites, games and media on the web. For more than a decade, the mobile industry has worked to bridge the gap between the “real web” and mobile devices through various apps and technologies and, in fact, a significant number of mobile apps today still simply serve as a proxy for web content that already exists on the web. The BlackBerry PlayBook closes that gap and brings the real, full web experience to mobile users while also opening new and more exciting opportunities for developers and content publishers.

    High Performance Multimedia

    The BlackBerry PlayBook features premium multimedia features to support high-quality mobile experiences. It includes dual HD cameras for video capture and video conferencing that can both record HD video at the same time, and an HDMI-out port for presenting one’s creations on external displays. The BlackBerry PlayBook also offers rich stereo sound and a media player that rivals the best in the industry.

    BlackBerry Integration

    For those BlackBerry PlayBook users who carry a BlackBerry smartphone*, it will also be possible to pair their tablet and smartphone using a secure Bluetooth® connection. This means they can opt to use the larger tablet display to seamlessly and securely view any of the email, BBM™, calendar, tasks, documents and other content that resides on (or is accessible through) their smartphone. They can also use their tablet and smartphone interchangeably without worrying about syncing or duplicating data. This secure integration of BlackBerry tablets and smartphones is a particularly useful feature for those business users who want to leave their laptop behind.

    Enterprise Ready

    Thanks to the seamless and secure Bluetooth pairing experience and the highly secure underlying OS architecture, the BlackBerry PlayBook is enterprise ready and compatible (out-of-the-box) with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server. When connected over Bluetooth, the smartphone content is viewable on the tablet, but the content actually remains stored on the BlackBerry smartphone and is only temporarily cached on the tablet (and subject to IT policy controls). With this approach to information security, IT departments can deploy the BlackBerry PlayBook to employees out-of-the-box without worrying about all the security and manageability issues that arise when corporate data is stored on yet another device.

    QNX Neutrino Reliability

    The BlackBerry Tablet OS is built upon the QNX® Neutrino® microkernel architecture, one of the most reliable, secure and robust operating system architectures in the world. Neutrino has been field hardened for years and is being used to support mission-critical applications in everything from planes, trains and automobiles to medical equipment and the largest core routers that run the Internet.  The new BlackBerry Tablet OS leverages and builds upon the many proven strengths of this QNX Neutrino architecture to support a professional grade tablet experience and to redefine the possibilities for mobile computing.

    Key features and specifications of the BlackBerry PlayBook include:

    • 7” LCD, 1024 x 600, WSVGA, capacitive touch screen with full multi-touch and gesture support
    • BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
    • 1 GHz dual-core processor 
    • 1 GB RAM 
    • Dual HD cameras (3 MP front facing, 5 MP rear facing), supports 1080p HD video recording 
    • Video playback: 1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV
    • Audio playback: MP3, AAC, WMA 
    • HDMI video output
    • Wi-Fi – 802.11 a/b/g/n 
    • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
    • Connectors: microHDMI, microUSB, charging contacts
    • Open, flexible application platform with support for WebKit/HTML-5, Adobe Flash Player 10.1, Adobe Mobile AIR, Adobe Reader, POSIX, OpenGL, Java
    • Ultra thin and portable
      • Measures 5.1”x7.6”x0.4” (130mm x 193mm x 10mm)
      • Weighs less than a pound (approximately 0.9 lb or 400g) 
    • Additional features and specifications of the BlackBerry PlayBook will be shared on or before the date this product is launched in retail outlets.
    • RIM intends to also offer 3G and 4G models in the future.

    * This feature will require a Bluetooth connection, obviously, between your BlackBerry smartphone and the BlackBerry PlayBook.

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  • blackberry,  blackpad,  rim

    BlackPad To Be Announced This Week?

    September 26, 2010 /

    Tomorrow is the kick-off of Research In Motion’s BlackBerry DevCon in San Francisco, California.  During the keynote session, BlackBerry fanatics are expecting the unveiling of a new device, the BlackPad.

    “The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 22 that RIM will unveil the BlackPad at its 2010 BlackBerry Developer Conference, which runs from Sept. 27 through Sept. 30 in San Francisco.

    While RIM did not comment on the report or the tablet number for eWEEK, the Journal said the 7-inch-screen BlackPad, which will sport two cameras, including one for video conferencing, will feature a new platform built by QNX Software Systems.” (eWeek.com…)

    With the Apple iPad very much a consumer product, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab clearly leaning in the same direction, we have to wonder if the BlackPad will have the features to get enterprise customers excited.  iOS and Android have proven to be very flexible mobile operating systems and we’ve seen what developers can do with them.  However, the QNX-based operating system rumored to power the BlackPad will be completely untested, as far as we know, and I for one, will be looking to see if application developer will be willing to adopt yet another OS to write applications for.

    We’ll cover be covering all of the goodies that are unveiled this week from RIM.

    [Graphic via PCWorld.com…]

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