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RIM CMO says 'at least' six BlackBerry 10 devices will arrive in 2013
RIM first talked about plans for a batch of six different BlackBerry 10 devices -- split evenly between QWERTY and all-touch models -- last summer, but it's been relatively mum on the matter since then, focusing more on the sole device that will launch on January 30th. It looks like that is indeed still the number the company is looking at beyond that first device (and a QWERTY model to follow), though, with CMO Frank Boulben confirming in an interview with FierceWireless that RIM is looking to release "at least" six BlackBerry 10 devices before year's end. Those are said to cover a range of price points on the low, medium and high-end, but Boulben didn't get much more specific than that, nor did he offer any indication as to when we can expect those other models during the year.
BlackBerry 10 model RFH121LW hits the FCC, leaves much to the imagination
A day after a BlackBerry 10 device with AT&T LTE support hit the FCC, another mystery model has arrived. The RFH121LW's documents don't reveal much in the way of specs or connectivity -- or even images -- but this is just another reminder that RIM's big BB10 unveiling is around the corner. Those who like to poke through the paperwork can click through to the FCC filing via the link below.
Hands-on with Jolla's Sailfish OS (video)
We recently had the chance to spend time with David Greaves and Vesa-Matti Hartikainen of Jolla and take Sailfish OS for a spin. As you might recall, this open source mobile OS builds upon Mer (a fork of MeeGo that includes Qt) and uses the Nemo framework with a custom UI. Like any decent Linux-based OS, it supports both ARM and x86 devices. The company is also behind the Sailfish SDK which is in the process of being finalized but is still open to developer feedback (the source code is available). After seeing Jolla's various demo videos and noting some UI similarities with MeeGo (swipes) and, strangely, with BB10 (peek gestures), we were eager to experience Sailfish OS for ourselves. If you're wondering why the mobile OS is usually shown running on Nokia's N950 developer handset, that's because Jolla employs many ex-MeeGo engineers, so the OMAP-based phone was a natural fit. We were first given a walkthrough of Sailfish OS, then allowed to play with it. Many apps are still being worked on and some are still off-limits (we got in trouble for launching the camera), but what we saw was pretty solid. Take a look at the gallery below, then hit the break for our hands-on video and first impressions.
'Leaked' BlackBerry 10 info shows video chat and screen sharing in BBM, new task manager
Top dog at RIM Thorsten Heins heavily implied that video chat would be added to BBM when BlackBerry 10 showed up, and now possible confirmation of the feature has come from what are thought to be leaked presentation slides. Originating on CrackBerry's forums, the images have been taken down on various sites, leading us to believe they're legit and that strongly worded requests have led to their removal. Not only do they suggest BBM video chat is coming to BB10, but also the ability to screen share during these video calls. Another slide details a new task manager for the OS called "BlackBerry Remember," which can sync with Outlook and -- based on its description and what was uncovered in the gold SDK -- may include Evernote integration. We've contacted RIM for comment and will update you with any response, but until then, take a look at the slide above and the pair hidden after the break to assess for yourself whether they're the real deal. Update: Here's RIM's statement, which doesn't really come as much of a surprise: "We understand that there is a lot of excitement for BlackBerry 10. We will launch the platform on January 30th and until then we won't comment on speculation."
RIM's keyboard-packing BlackBerry N-Series gets the Mr. Blurrycam treatment
Well, well, well, here's a holiday treat for the BlackBerry enthusiast in your life. CN Beta has a pair of enticing images purporting to be the forthcoming keyboard-packing N-Series from RIM. The picture of the back, sadly, is the sharper of the two, but the above shot still gives a pretty clear look at what may well be the BlackBerry 10 handset for those power users who just can't say goodbye to the world of physical keyboards. Either way, it won't be too long until we know for sure. In the meantime, we'll see you after the break for a view of what the back of such a device just might hold.
Purported screenshot reveals listing for black and white BlackBerry Z10
While BlackBerry 10's final build has yet to be seen by the masses, its hardware has arguably received more views than PSY's Gangnam Style. After sporting the codenames London and L-Series, RIM's upcoming full-screen handset appears to have settled on the recently leaked "Z10" branding. Spicing things up is an alleged inventory screenshot from Carphone Warehouse obtained by N4BB displaying a product listing for a BlackBerry Z10. Sure, this could be nothing more than a placeholder for things to come, but at least now we have a new frontrunner in the Name RIM's next smartphone game. One thing's for sure, BB10 will officially be revealed to the world on January 30th and of course we'll be there to bring you the play-by-play.
BlackBerry Z10 shown off in allegedly leaked RIM marketing materials
Curious as to what RIM's upcoming L-series BlackBerry smartphone might look like? Well, UnwiredView's obtained what appears to be marketing material for that handset -- allegedly dubbed the Z10 -- showing off its front face in both black and white versions. From the leak we can see a few already confirmed aspects of the new BB 10 platform, such as its seamless app switching, notification peeking and what looks to be a contact profile running on the candy bar-shaped touchscreen device. Apart from those known bits, there's not much else new to glean, but thankfully the lead up to the final reveal is now just a little more than a month away.
Major UK networks confirm they'll carry BlackBerry 10 wares in early 2013
While our immediate attention is focused on the fast approaching tech-fest that is CES, let us not forget another important event taking place in January -- the eagerly awaited launch of BlackBerry 10. We don't know if its success will equal RIM's expectations, but just this morning all major UK carriers emailed us confirmation they'll be stocking BB10 handsets. Three and EE (Orange and T-Mobile included) announced availability next year, but nothing more specific; O2 told us BB10 gear will land on its network "in early 2013"; and retailer Phones4u, which covers all the carriers, specified a Q1 2013 window. Vodafone implied that it'll be offering handsets immediately after launch, but we've been in contact the network's PR folks just to confirm that's true and not confused wording. We'll update you with their response as soon as we hear back.
Leaked BlackBerry 10 screenshots reveal new UI, Siri-like voice interface
It's a little over a month until BlackBerry 10's official introduction, but that hasn't stopped leaked screenshots of the OS from circulating on the web. Some folks on the Tinhte Vietnamese forums, which also revealed hands-on video and gallery of the BlackBerry 10 L-Series, have just released pictures of RIM's revamped phone UI. Most notably, the images provide a sneak peek at a new "BlackBerry Hub" all-in-one message center along with an intriguing voice interface that reminds us a lot of Siri. We also get a preview of how apps like Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare will look; unsurprisingly, they seem pretty similar to their Android and iOS cousins. It certainly looks as if the redesign is a complete overhaul rather than just a quick paint job, but we won't know the full details until we see it for ourselves early next year. Until then, head on over to the source to get an early look at what could be RIM's savior.
RIM will unveil BlackBerry 10 on January 30th in New York
Just a few weeks until CES, and just under a month and half until we see BlackBerry 10 in its final, finished form. Invites to the US event have now been sent out, with calendars being circled for January 30th at a location somewhere in New York. Not only will we get the full details of RIM's new software, but those first devices that the new OS will arrive on. We'll be on hand ready to see exactly how the phone-maker plans to reverse its fortunes.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency planning to test BB10
Thorsten Heins' tearful late-night calls to the head of the US Customs and Enforcement Agency (ICE) seems to have done the trick. While the well-named bureau won't confirm if BlackBerry 10 has convinced it to abandon its well-publicized switch to the iPhone, it has admitted that it'll test RIM's new offering when it launches next year. Perhaps those forgetful G-Persons had their heads turned when they saw how deeply Evernote was baked into the new operating system.
BlackBerry 10 L-Series shown off in detailed hands-on video
It's not the first time we've seen it on video, but the folks from Tinhte.vn have now followed up their hands-on look at the BlackBerry 10 L-Series with what's certainly the most detailed video of the smartphone to date. That includes a comparison with the somewhat bulkier Dev Alpha B device (as well as an iPhone 5), a quick run through of the BB10 OS itself and a look at the removable back (which reveals a replaceable battery). Head on past the break to check it out for yourself.
RIM releases 'gold' build of its BB 10 SDK toolkit
RIM's reached yet another milestone in the slow-going march to its big January 30th BB 10 reveal: its SDK toolkit has gone 'gold'. Now, developers that've been courted by the Waterloo-based company at one of many BB Jam conferences around the globe can start building apps for the next-gen BlackBerry platform using final versions of APIs. As we learned back in May, devs interested in BB 10 will have the option to code natively for the unreleased OS using the Cascades framework, create HTML5-based "rich web applications" with WebWorks, or use the included toolset for Adobe AIR apps or Android ports. And just in case you were questioning industry support, RIM's also included stats in its associated PR (furnished by Five Points Research) that paint a positive picture, claiming 58-percent of those surveyed would "recommend BlackBerry 10 as a development platform." While it's nice to have those numbers as backup for its bravado, the company still has a ways to go turning the tide of consumer perception and elbowing past that other third place platform. Windows Phone 8, we're looking at you.
RIM teases upcoming BB 10 hardware ahead of January reveal
Lest you forget there's another mobile player hedging its bets on a big comeback, RIM's released a tiny teaser of its upcoming BB 10 handset via its site. The image, which appears alongside a tag promising a "Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented." experience, is part of a registration campaign for news updates on the unreleased platform. There's really not much to glimpse from the enshrouded peek Waterloo's offering up, but with the abundance of leaks that've sprung up over the past few months, we have a pretty decent idea what that hardware might look like. The big BB 10 reveal's set for January 30th -- a little more than one month away -- so you won't have to wait much longer to witness the full monty.
BlackBerry 10 L-Series phone surfaces in yet more leaked images
We may still be a couple of months away from its long-awaited release, but RIM's first BlackBerry 10 smartphone certainly doesn't seem to be shy of the cameras in the interim. Just last week, some photos turned up on the CrackBerry forums that offered a clear look at the new L Series model next to a BlackBerry Bold, and now another batch of images have made a brief appearance on Twitter before being promptly removed. Those latest, first spotted by TechSuplex, are unfortunately of the BlurryCam variety, but they do show the phone from a variety of angles, and the device in question was said to boot up in a snappy eight seconds. As CrackBerry notes, they also appear to be relatively recent, with the device sporting the new style icons that were just revealed this month. Hit the links below for a closer look.
That's an affirmative on BlackBerry 10 security certification, sir
RIM may be falling out of favor with certain government departments, but it's not removing the earpiece or pocketing the shades just yet. The National Institute of Standards and Technology has granted the BlackBerry 10 platform FIPS 140-2 certification, which basically means data security and encryption are top notch throughout. All you need to know is government agencies, and others with confidential info, can brandish BB10 handsets without worry when they launch early next year. Another piece of good news for Obama -- we're pretty sure he's due for an upgrade about now.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement drop Blackberry for iPhone, employees get early Christmas bonus
RIM may be banking on the release of BB10 and new devices to rejuvenate the flagging brand, but the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) isn't waiting around, opting to end their contract after eight years together. ICE stated that RIM "can no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency," and that it intends to purchase over 17,000 iPhones for its personnel at a cost of $2.1 million. Android was also interviewed for the role, but the agency decided that currently, Apple's closed ecosystem was the best choice, offering "reliable, mobile technology on a secure and manageable platform." While this isn't the first group (or likely, the last) to drop the Blackberry, we're wondering if the remaining million government customers in North America will stay loyal after this official stamp of disapproval. We imagine employees from other agencies might also care to make a case for switching -- nothing to do with free iPhones, of course.
RIM taps 7Digital to power official BB10 music store
RIM is already well acquainted with 7Digital thanks to joint efforts on smartphones and tablets, and now its chosen the firm to power the official music store of BlackBerry 10. Not only does 7Digital bring its tech and catalog of downloads to the table, but the duo are promising to integrate the service with BB10 to provide features including recommendations and social integration. When RIM's fresh slate of devices launch next year, folks in the Americas, Australia, Europe, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa will be able to purchase tunes from the new storefront.
Editorial: Betting on BlackBerry (or hoping)
Carrying a BlackBerry Storm requires a certain capacity to face scorn with pride. You have to have a thick skin for pity, too. Also condescension. And incredulity. BlackBerry's reputation is in the gutter, but that's better than being down the sewer, which it was before RIM started showing prototypes of the BlackBerry 10. On the strength of an undeniably cool interface, the BlackBerry brand has clambered back up to ground level, where it sits in delayed-launch limbo. RIM is smartly spending the extra time exposing BB10 prototypes to the smartphone-using audience (and, crucially, app developers). It is not only to escape scorn, pity, condescension and incredulity that I place an emotional bet on BlackBerry 10. More objectively, there appears to be clear and careful thought to identifying how current models fall short in today's smartphone landscape (admittedly obvious), assessing weaknesses in Android/iOS experiences, and targeting an imaginative feature set to both loyal and disenfranchised users. It starts with a newly holistic approach to the mobile work-life balance. And there is that amazing camera thing.
T-Mobile's holiday roadmap leaked: LG Optimus L9, HTC Windows Phone 8X spotted
According to a leaked roadmap on TMoNews, the magenta carrier appears to have a few tantalizing offerings coming its way this holiday season. A curious BlackBerry handheld dubbed the Armstrong, a color refresh of the Samsung Galaxy S II, a possibly Android-flavored Huawei Summit and the LG Optimus L9 are all slated to launch just on or before Halloween. Going into the next month, we see the HTC Windows Phone 8X making the pre-Thanksgiving cut with a potential debut of November 14th. Notably absent are the Samsung Galaxy Note II and the Nokia Lumia 810, but that doesn't mean they won't be there when December rolls around. Of course, this info didn't come through official channels, so we wouldn't bank on any of the handsets as holiday gifts just yet. Still, its nice to know they're coming, and you can get the full details on these and other devices at the source.
