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The Engadget Interview: RIM's T.A. McCann on how BB10 is going social
In case you missed Thorsten Heins keynote yesterday, RIM's betting on BB10 becoming the next big thing in mobile computing. Part of Thorsten's plan to put BB10 on top involves deep integration of third party social apps like Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare into the new OS. BlackBerry has always been a productivity platform first and foremost, but with RIM touting BB10's abilities as a social platform, we wanted to know more about the plan to make it happen. So, we sat down with T.A. McCann, RIM's VP of BBM and Social Communities, to find out how he's going to reach his CEO's goal of a flowing, social OS and the challenges of getting there.
BlackBerry App World to sell music and movies, open to BB 10 app submissions on October 10th
In addition to sharing new details about its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 OS, RIM used today's BlackBerry Jam keynote to make an announcement about App World. The company just revealed that in addition to applications and games, the store will sell music, movies and TV shows -- a move that brings it more in line with rival stores like Google Play and Apple's App Store. That should please App World's 80 million subscribers (a nice little figure RIM dropped in its keynote just now). Another stat: there are currently 105,000 apps in the store, with 3 billion downloads logged since the store's opening. And, RIM says, BB 10 applications will join the herd soon: the company will begin accepting submissions on October 10th. Get it? BB 10 on 10/10? Clever, Thorsten.%Gallery-166503%
BlackBerry's new Dev Alpha B handset runs BB10, we go hands-on
BlackBerry's Dev Alpha handset proved to be quite the popular item when it was revealed earlier this year. It was so popular, in fact, that the company ran through the 5,000 it constructed in short order. So, it had to build a whole new batch of developer handsets to meet the demand, and thus was the Dev Alpha B born. We got our mitts on this new bit of kit and had a chance to see how it handled RIM's latest incarnation of BB10, so join us after the break for our impressions.
RIM reveals more details about Blackberry 10
Well, it's finally here. Sort of. It's been a long and winding road for BlackBerry 10, and as has been RIM's way, the company continues to out new BB10 details just a bit at a time. As you may recall, we got a good look at RIM's original Dev Alpha hardware back in May, and were able to swipe our way through a good bit of BB10 a month later. It's BlackBerry Jam time now, though, and RIM gave us a more thorough look at the OS than ever before, and we got to see it running on a new Dev Alpha B handset. We couldn't pry loose any details about the hardware inside the new dev phone (other than it's got a BB10-standard 1280x768 screen), but we did get a few fresh facts about the software running on it. Once again, RIM reminded us that the software we saw was not the final version, but that shouldn't deter you from reading on past the break and seeing a video of BB10 in action.
BBM for BlackBerry 10 gets a retooled UI, predictive keyboard with language detection
Everyone's favorite messaging service, BBM has broke from cover in its new BlackBerry 10 digs at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012. The software is sporting a redesigned UI, which places the focus on your contacts' photos instead of the regular ol' list of names. Speech bubbles that we've all become familiar with are still here and emoticons get cozy as well. Another new feature is the predictive keyboard that's capable of detecting the language that you're typing in and offers the appropriate suggestions that you may need -- even if you're switching back and forth.
RIM: BlackBerry 10 carrier testing starts in October, OS remains on schedule
Worried that RIM might face any further delays of BlackBerry 10? Don't be. CEO Thorsten Heins just confirmed at his BlackBerry Jam presentation that carrier testing for the new OS should begin this October, and that the platform launch is still slated for early 2013, as we were told this spring. As he's mentioned in the past, Heins believes carriers are "excited" about the BlackBerry update, implying that this is what's driving the certification process months in advance. Whether or not optimism is alive and well among providers, the news could be a relief for carriers and BlackBerry developers alike, either of which is likely keen to minimize the shift towards an Android-and-iPhone duopoly in the smartphone space.
Live from Blackberry Jam Americas 2012!
Details about BlackBerry 10 have been trickling out for months now, but BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 is finally here, and we're hoping to get a longer look at RIM's next-gen OS. Company CEO Thorsten Heins is kicking things off with his keynote this morning, so join us after the break as we bring it to you live. September 25, 2012 11:30 AM EDT
BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 starts tomorrow, get your liveblog here!
You may think that RIM's down and out, but Thorsten Heins thinks he has the Canadian mobile giant back on track, and he'll be telling us why at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012. The show starts at 8:30AM Pacific Time tomorrow, so keep it locked on our liveblog and see what he has to say as it happens. We can't say for certain precisely what he'll be talking about, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that BlackBerry 10 will be heavily involved. Tune in tomorrow to find out!
BlackBerry 10 hands-on (video)
Like any good show pony, BlackBerry 10's been trotting around the world, strutting the fairly limited elements of its known UI in an effort to court developers. The platform, without question the nail upon which RIM's fate and fortune hangs, had its big coming out party this past May at the company's showcase in Orlando, an event at which we also got to meet the Dev Alpha -- a glimpse into future hardware design -- and espy three main features of this new OS: camera, keyboard and app switching. What we didn't get, however, was any actual hands-on time with the software, leaving most members of the tech press to take Waterloo for its word. Cut to the present and on this segment of RIM's dev-focused Jam tour, nearly two months later, we finally got a chance to cut through the smoke and mirrors of the company's polished powerpoint presentations to get some honest-to-goodness, up-close and personal time testing the software. So join us, won't you, after the break, where we'll delve into our first impressions of this Hail Mary in Motion.
Is this RIM's BlackBerry 10 development device?
You know the drill -- grab yourself a spoonful of Morton's and get ready for another supposed leak of a gadget. This time around, you're looking at what's claimed as being one of Research In Motion's BlackBerry 10 "Development Alpha" devices that'll be handed out during next week's BlackBerry Jam -- just like the company promised a month ago. Images of the device first surfaced over at CrackBerry's forums and, as the site points out, the touchscreen candy bar seems to share its design DNA with the PlayBook. Keeping in mind that it's likely to remain a testing device for devs, don't bank on it ever hitting store shelves. That said, we're now curious how pivotal a role RIM's famous tactile keyboards will play on its next-generation phones -- if any. Head over to the source links below if you'd like to catch more photos from Mr. Blurrycam and extra information in the meantime.
RIM putting BlackBerry 10 test units in developers' hands in May
It's telling, perhaps, when a VP for your company uses the word "finally" while discussing plans to release test models for your upcoming mobile operating system -- but it's certainly a pretty accurate sentiment when dealing BlackBerry 10. Talking up RIM's plans to release up to 2,000 prototypes running the OS at the BlackBerry Jam conference in May, executive Alec Saunders had this to say: "It's tangible evidence of the company making progress to finally shipping the device." Barring any further setbacks, the operating system formerly known as BBX is set to hit before year's end.[Thanks, Neil]
