blackberry world 2012
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BlackBerry 10 to get video editor, screen sharing according to forum leak
The BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha we wrapped our mitts around last week didn't tell us much about RIM's big QNX-based OS update (being loaded with PlayBook OS 2.0 and all), but Crackberry forum user Biggulpseh seemingly has the deets that the folks in Waterloo weren't ready to reveal. So-called internal documents reportedly detail a tilt-sensitive lock screen that pushes notifications to the user based on the device's movement (called "cinnamon toast"), a screen-sharing ability to ramp up the productivity of video calls and a robust video editor resulting from RIM's acquisition of JayCut last year. Biggulpseh says the images come from a "trusted source," and are part of a document that outlines upcoming features for the benefit of the firm's employees. Ready to dive in and let your imagination run wild? Hit the source links below, just don't forget your saliferous spices.
BlackBerry making games catalog fruitful with Jetpack Joyride, Sonic, and more
BlackBerry is leaping into the gaming ring with the announcement of major additions to its games catalog. Along with yesterday's launch of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light on PlayBook, RIM is adding Jetpack Joyride (and four more titles from Halfbrick), Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Smash Cops, Star Marine, Kami Retro and Galaxy on Fire 2 to PlayBook and BlackBerry 10.The announcements come from the BlackBerry World 2012 conference, running this week in Orlando.
Does BlackBerry 10's camera app get by with a little help from Scalado Rewind? (Update: Yes)
Impressed by the new camera tech on display in BB10? You're not alone. But did the folks at RIM have some help with the new "timeline lens" feature? Well, grab your salt shaker. If you recall, software that allows you to change the faces of those pictured via additional pre- and post-shot frames popped up in Scalado's Rewind last year. The ring UI that allows the user to navigate the extra frames from its border is quite similar to the functionality of BB10's editing feature. We've reached out to Scalado for further details on the matter and we're eager to hear its response. But until that happens, hit the video just past the break for a closer look at Rewind in action. Update: Our pals over at TechCrunch posted an official statement from RIM's Senior Manager of Public Relations Patti McKague on the matter. Our instincts were correct, as the two companies have been in cahoots over the BB10 camera app. Here's the full quote on the licensed tech: RIM has been working with Scalado on camera technology and has licensed some of the Scalado technology for the BlackBerry 10 platform. As shown during the BlackBerry World Keynote, RIM is planning a unique implementation of the technology on BlackBerry 10 to provide an incredible user experience, allowing for more customization by the user and enabling them to easily capture and share their perfect moments.
RIM: another limited-edition developer device coming later this year
Before wrapping things up at the BlackBerry 10 Jam keynote, Alex Saunders lobbed out a whale of a tidbit: the Dev Alpha may be joined by another, "very limited-edition" version of a BlackBerry 10 device much closer to the platform's official launch. According to the VP, developers who have received the Dev Alpha will be able to trade up to the new version at an unspecified time. With Alex accentuating the fact that there would be an incredibly limited number of these devices available, we imagine we'll see some extra strings attached to this offering, but no specifics have been revealed so far. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
RIM offers developers $10,000 incentive for certified apps
At BlackBerry World 2012, RIM is bumping up the stakes for its developers by putting more money where its mouth is, announcing a $10,000 guarantee to get potential coders excited to hop onto Team BlackBerry. If you get your app certified on App World and don't earn ten grand in the first year, RIM will cut you a check for the difference. Of course, incentive programs are nothing new in today's increasingly competitive development world -- Research in Motion has offered free phones and PlayBooks in the past, and Microsoft is known for throwing cash at big-name developers to beckon them to Windows Phone, for instance. The guarantee, however, is certainly a unique approach to entice new devs to BlackBerry 10. As these programs often do, there is one catch: to qualify, you'll need to not only earn quality certification, you'll also have to generate $1,000 on your own accord. All of this is part of a $100 million investment in its new ecosystem, and should help spark some developer interest in the lead-up to Waterloo's upcoming platform refresh. If you think you've got what it takes, start thinking up those million-dollar ideas right now. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
BlackBerry gets its game on at BBW, scores Jetpack Joyride and Sonic
One of the things BlackBerry has never really had going for it, is a deep games catalog. Now, that isn't about to change in one fell swoop, but things are about to get a lot better at BlackBerry World 2012. RIM's head of gaming, Anders Jeppsson, took to twitter to let the world know about the impressive pile of titles heading to the PlayBook and BlackBerry 10. The biggest names are certainly Jetpack Joyride, from Halfbrick (the studio behind Fruit Ninja), and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Other games in the pipeline include Galaxy on Fire 2 and Star Marine, while Tomb Raider fans can get down with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light starting today. Keep an ear out for more to hit during this week's BBW.
BlackBerry App Generator makes app building a breeze for smartphones and PlayBook tablets
Looking to get your goods on a BlackBerry smartphone or tablet now that the new OS has been shown off? If so, you're in luck. Mippin, the app creation platform, has announced that it will power the BlackBerry App Generator -- transforming content into full-blown apps for BlackBerry smartphones and PlayBook tablets. In a matter of minutes, users will be able to use their info, photos and what not to build applications without bothering with registration or submission fees. Software created via the generator can be fully integrated with BBM for sharing and other social experiences with fellow BlackBerry users. Martyn Mallick, VP Global Alliances and Business Development at RIM noted, "With the launch of BlackBerry App Generator Mippin and RIM are tearing down the barriers and finding new ways to encourage content publishers to create apps." Currently, applications can only be created for devices running BlackBerry 5 OS and higher. Don't fret, though, the outfit says support for BB10 will be on the way in no time.
RIM's BlackBerry World keynote roundup: the OS, the hardware, everything else (video)
So, if all of the news about BlackBerry 10 got a little too overwhelming for you then this is the place to be. There's detailed impressions of the company's new development device, cool new software features and we've even found out how to DJ using a PlayBook. If you want to catch up on everything that went down today, head on past the break and don't forget, you can always relive it blow-by-blow with our liveblog.
BlackBerry 10 camera app gets 'timeline lens,' bad photographers get a do-over
Thorsten Heins is on stage at BlackBerry World 2012 and has just unveiled the new BB10 camera app. It is designed to capture those "magic moments" you miss by not hitting that shutter quick enough. If you miss it by a couple of seconds, you can cycle back through the camera's cache with a circular "timeline" lens and take your pick from the previous seconds worth of frames. It's eerily reminiscent of technology used in the Nikon 1 series, although the implication here is that as soon as the camera app is loaded, it'll start recording frames for your ease of use.
RIM shows off BlackBerry 10 touch keyboard with gesture support
What's the best thing about the BlackBerry platform? Most would say it's the keyboard, which continues to be world-class in the company's most recent handsets, like the Bold 9900. One of the big questions on the fans of the BB faithful in the new operating system was how the company could re-create that magic on a touchscreen. Well, Thorsten Heins just showed us how on-stage at BlackBerry World, showing off a new, smart touch keyboard that is said to adapt to your touches. It has elements of predictive text, like many other keyboards, but it also relies heavily on gestures. For example, to get to numbers and special characters, just swipe upward from below and the keyboard layout changes. You can swipe up and down to cycle through these layouts and, like SwiftKey, swipe left to delete whole words. It doesn't exactly blow many of those aftermarket Android options out of the water but it certainly looks like it could be among one of the best stock keyboards out there.
Pacemaker DJ app for BlackBerry PlayBook impressions (video)
Back in 2008, a nifty little box of tricks elbowed its way onto the market -- the Tonium Pacemaker. A gadget about the size of an OG PSP, with a complete DJ set-up hidden inside. It was a brave idea, and one that was fondly received. A few years down the line, mixed with a sprinkling of business politics, and sadly the Pacemaker's time on stage would come to an end. Like all good performances though, the show wasn't completely over. In true musical fashion its back for an encore, reinvented and more importantly -- right now at least -- in our hands. We spent sometime with the reincarnated Pacemaker DJ app, to see what life is like after hardware.
BlackBerry 10 developer toolkit released in beta, adds Native and WebWorks SDKs for app-building flexibility
Will BlackBerry 10 be the hallowed OS that heals Waterloo's recent wounds or yet another RIM-shot to highlight its foibles? Only the fickle tide of consumer interest will certainly tell. But while the success and awareness of that new platform undoubtedly rests on the company's shoulders, a great deal of it also hinges upon crucial developer support. To spur things along in that latter department, RIM's released its developer toolkit in beta today. The tools, launched ahead of forthcoming BB 10 devices and the nascent ecosystem that they'll depend upon, are designed for flexibility, allowing third parties to choose between the Native SDK with its OS-specific APIs or the WebWorks SDK for HTML5 and CSS. The company's even gotten a head-start and partnered with the likes of Gameloft, which has already committed to optimizing 11 of its software titles for use on the platform. There's still a long road to US recovery ahead for the ailing BlackBerry brand, so let's hope this latest call-to-arms isn't lost on the dev community. Click on past the break for the official PR.
BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha hands-on
Behold the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha. Research in Motion is now following in the footsteps of tech giants like Nokia, Intel and Qualcomm by pushing out a device solely dedicated to serve the needs of its developers. Considering the level of importance RIM is placing on the launch of its latest OS, the QNX-based BlackBerry 10, this is a critical move for the Canadian company as it works to recruit interested parties from other platforms while strengthening its existing relationships. Emulators and development kits are nice, of course, but they can't take the place of an actual working device -- and the Dev Alpha will be the primary vehicle to drive BB 10 developers until the final production smartphones begin shipping sometime this fall. Our time with the Dev Alpha was brief, and we weren't able to glean much out of the experience. Why? When we were given the opportunity to play with it, the device was more of a miniature PlayBook than a BB10 phone. In fact, it even had PlayBook OS 2.0 loaded rather than the next-gen BlackBerry platform. So what did we find out about this mysterious device?
BlackBerry 10 dev alpha unit unveiled: 4.2-inch screen, 1280 x 768 resolution
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. In this instance, it just leaves us wanting more. The image you see above is RIM's official dev unit for its just launched BlackBerry 10 platform. If it looks familiar, that's because you've seen it not too long ago when leaks of the much anticipated device began to hit the world wide rumor-mongering web. Waterloo's still keeping us in the dark as to the glorified guts this austere fella's packing, but it did confirm these alpha units will feature a jaw-dropping 4.2-inch, 1280 x 768 display that bests the 720p panels found on other similarly-sized handsets -- there's no word yet on if it's PenTile, though it likely doesn't matter much at that resolution. We've also learned the device sports 16GB internal storage and 1GB of RAM. No, this isn't your mother's BlackBerry and for good reason too, as the beleaguered mobile titan's got quite a bit of its continued prosperity riding on this QNX-based slab. Wondering where its QWERTY cousin is? We are too, but without any official announcements, you'll just have to stay tuned to see what fruits this week's BlackBerry World will bear.
Live from the 2012 BlackBerry World keynote with Thorsten Heins!
It's the moment many of the BlackBerry faithful (and plenty of other curious tech enthusiasts, for that matter) have been waiting for: the BlackBerry World 2012 general session, with fresh CEO Thorsten Heins taking charge. Will we finally hear more about this QNX-based BlackBerry 10 we've been so anxious to see? Is he going to whip out a mysterious new device out of his front pocket? We're here at the Marriott World Center to bring the news to you as it happens, so keep your eyes peeled down below! May 1, 2012 9:00 AM EDT
BlackBerry Curve 9220 hands-on
We're just beginning our sojourn through this year's BlackBerry World, and we've already found a rare gem that may not get a lot of face time here in the States: the Curve 9220. This little 3G-less beaut takes advantage of BlackBerry OS 7.1, but it isn't going to attract the spec-hungry folk -- it packs a 2MP camera and features a 2.4-inch non-touch display with 320 x 240 resolution. It very well may, however, gain the favor of anyone looking for a budget-friendly BBM device. Seeing as this is the phone's major selling point, we made sure to take a few minutes to play with its keyboard. Compared to the QWERTY-laden legends that have graced BlackBerry devices for years (the Bold 9900 and Tour come to mind), the 9220's keyboard has some big shoes to fill, but unfortunately you won't be blessed with the same kind of experience that you'd have when using one of its elder brothers. Due to the phone's petite size, the individual keys -- arranged in standalone formation and without frets -- are a bit cramped and felt a little too slick for our taste. Of course, this isn't poised to be the latest and greatest that Waterloo has to offer, but for the low price of 10,990 rupees (about $210), it's still a pretty sweet deal for messaging lovers on a shoestring budget. Head below to view the phone from every angle. Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.
BlackBerry Music Gateway hands-on (video)
The music streaming accessory market is immensely saturated, but RIM is hoping to add its own flavor with its latest version of the BlackBerry Music Gateway. We took a brief look at this year's BlackBerry World in Orlando, and were impressed by both its size and ease of use. A tiny dongle no larger than the Bold 9900's display, the device easily pairs up with any Bluetooth-enabled phone, tablet or music player and lets you push your tunes into a home or car stereo -- provided it offers ports for RCA cables, that is. NFC is also added into the mix this time around, which means you can impress friends by simply tapping your BlackBerry to the Gateway to initiate the pairing sequence. While it's not bringing anything drastically new to the table, its $50 price tag makes it a tempting offer for anyone whose FM transmitter is picking up nothing but static in a densely populated city. If you fall into that category or are just looking for something to bedazzle close friends and relatives, don't hesitate to check out our gallery below and video after the break.
BlackBerry Music Gateway streams audio over Bluetooth, pairs with NFC for RIM-made remote control
It's not the QNX-based smartphone you've all been waiting for, but it should give crackberry devotees something to bop along to. Outed just one day before the company's showcase officially kicks off in Orlando, Waterloo's trotting out its BlackBerry Music Gateway: a car / home stereo accessory that pairs with your BB handset or PlayBook tablet to wirelessly stream audio over Bluetooth with an NFC assist. The $50 peripheral, set for a June release, is meant to turn your RIM-built device into an easy-to-use remote at a distance of up to 30 feet. For that convenient near field communication control, however, you'll need to be packing one of the company's NFC-enabled phones, like the Bold 9790 or Curve 9360/ 9380. Splashiest news to come out of BlackBerry World 2012? We sure hope not. Consider this the trickle before the eventual PR deluge.
