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Apple lets you trade in some of its rivals' smartphones
Yes, the rumors of Apple expanding its trade-in program were true -- the company's stores (both online and retail) are now willing to take your competing smartphone in return for credit toward a new iPhone. If you live in Canada, France, Italy, the UK or the US, you can trade in certain Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices (the BlackBerry Z10, Lumia 1020 and Nexus 5 are among the examples). We can't imagine that you'll be too eager to use this option -- you may either remain loyal to a platform, or can find a buyer who'll offer more -- but it could be useful if you're determined to ditch an old phone in an eco-friendly way. Just be sure to call if you're going to try this soon. We've reached out to a number of stores, and only a few were aware that non-iPhone trade-ins were live. It could take some time before every store is up to speed. Photo by Will Lipman.
BBM Protected users can chat securely on Android and iOS
While BBM Protected has been keeping enterprise users' chats secure since last year, it only used to work if it's installed on both parties' phones. Now, though, the feature can keep convos secure even if only one of the chatters has it. In fact, the other person doesn't even have to be a BlackBerry user: Protected now works even on iOS and Android devices. Considering you can't exactly force, say, clients to ditch their iPhones, Samsungs and HTCs, among other brands that carry Android, this is definitely good news. Those who absolutely have to chat through secure methods only need to start a Protected convo, and the message above will appear so long as the other person has the BBM app. Hopefully, company execs can stop worrying about employees unknowingly leaking sensitive info by using unprotected apps. Unless, of course, they're the ones being reckless.
BlackBerry's first tablet in years is a secure Galaxy Tab S
BlackBerry's first experience with tablets was more than a little traumatic, but it hasn't completely given up on the idea. The company's SecuSmart wing has teamed up with IBM to launch the SecuTablet, an extra-secure version of Samsung's Galaxy Tab S 10.5. Reportedly, the slate's included security bundle prevents sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands while allowing personal apps. Yes, you can watch YouTube on the same device that carries your classified documents. You aren't likely to find this in stores (certainly not at its $2,380 price) as a result, but ongoing German government tests hint that you may well see it in the field -- and there's a real chance that it will outlive its ill-fated predecessor.
The best smartphones from MWC
The 2015 edition of Mobile World Congress is coming to a close today and, as much as we'd like to stay longer in lovely Barcelona, it's time to say goodbye. While this year's event may have seemed a little underwhelming, we did see major announcements from HTC and Samsung -- two companies battling it out for Android smartphone supremacy. But that wasn't it: BlackBerry, Microsoft and Huawei also unveiled new handsets, though perhaps not as exciting as the One M9 or Galaxy S6 and S6 edge. Regardless, let's take a look at the mobile devices that stood out at MWC. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.
Apple now ships more smartphones than Samsung, if you ask Gartner
When we last checked in on the battle for the top spot in the smartphone market, Apple and Samsung were neck and neck. If you ask Gartner, though, it isn't quite so evenly matched. The analyst group estimates that Apple managed to edge past Samsung in the fourth quarter of 2014, shipping 74.8 million phones to Samsung's 73 million. That isn't exactly a cavernous gap, but it's been a long time since any research firm unambiguously declared Apple the biggest vendor -- over three years, if you're wondering. Having said this, the changing of the guard isn't completely surprising. Apple had two brand new iPhones in the fall to goose its sales, while Samsung was grappling with both surging Chinese competitors (including chart rivals Lenovo, Huawei and Xiaomi) and a flagship phone that was getting long in the tooth.
Taking the plunge with BlackBerry's cheap Leap
BlackBerry spent a long, long time courting the world's business buffs, and for a while its phones were corporate icons as much as they were communicators. Now the folks in Waterloo are making another play for all the "young, mobile professionals" out there... or at least ones that don't give a lick about what's ticking away inside their phones. See, the Leap is BlackBerry's latest attempt at clawing into youngsters' pockets and it comes bearing a few familiar-sounding parts from years past. That might not be a dealbreaker considering the Leap'll cost you only $275 without a contract, and you know what? The thing actually makes a pretty good first impression.
BlackBerry will release a curved-screen slider phone later this year
BlackBerry's recovery relies on the company's reinvention as a software and services business, which has enabled its hardware designers to go a little bit wild. At Mobile World Congress, BB's handset chief Ron Louks just pulled out a prototype of a handset that looks like the holy union between the Leap and the Passport. There's no name for the device just yet, but the company describes it as a "dual-curved, all-touch display with a keyboard," with that latter component situated on an old-fashioned slider beneath the display.
BlackBerry aims at young professionals with the low-cost Leap
We're here at BlackBerry's cozy MWC press event waiting anxiously for CEO John Chen (or anyone, for that matter) to pull back the curtain on the oft-rumored BlackBerry Leap. So far, all we've gotten is a recap of progress to date and some security-minded endeavors, but surprise, surprise -- the $275 Leap just popped up on BlackBerry's global devices site for all to see.
BlackBerry wants to bring some of its best features to every device
BlackBerry has only been willing to give out tiny pieces of its smartphone experience so far, like BBM and its enterprise servers, but it's going to be much more liberal in the near future. It's launching BlackBerry Experience Suite, a collection of apps and services that bring some of its biggest features to Android, iOS and Windows gear in hopes of making them mainstays of the working world. Some of them are more behind-the-scenes features that keep your corporate info both secure and separate from your personal affairs. However, others are very conspicuously borrowed from BlackBerry 10 smartphones. The company is promising the BlackBerry Hub (which unifies BB10's messaging), universal search and even its own input method -- yes, you may get a BlackBerry keyboard on your phone without resorting to a Typo case. The suite won't be available until later in the year, but it may be just the ticket if you or your office wants to try BlackBerry features while keeping the hardware and apps you already use.
Android for Work is ready to make your phone office-friendly
Remember Android for Work, Google's big effort to make your smartphone safe for business? It's finally ready for prime time. The officially launched initiative lets you keep work-related accounts and app info separate from personal affairs while maintaining security -- you don't have to worry that higher-ups will peek at (or worse, delete) your vacation photos. You'll only get full flexibility if you're using Android 5.0 Lollipop, which lets you create work profiles, but an app will grant you access to corporate-approved tools if you're running Android 4.0 or later.
BlackBerry's latest update brings Amazon Appstore to its phones
All BlackBerry 10 phones will soon get features previously available on the BB Classic and Passport only, thanks to the platform's latest update. One of the most notable changes is the addition of Amazon's Appstore, giving users access to a bevy of Android apps. The update also equips the phones with BlackBerry Blend, which consolidates emails, text messages, BBM, contacts and calendar, and keeps them all synced across devices and even across operating systems (it works on Mac, Windows, Android and iOS). There's BlackBerry Assistant, as well: a virtual secretary like Siri and Cortana that responds silently if you type a question, speaks when you ask out loud and adds context to its answers if you're using a Bluetooth headset and it thinks you don't have access to the screen. These features, along with a bunch of other ones, are coming to all available BB 10 devices in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East starting today, but it's slated to make its way to North America in the future.
BlackBerry drags Typo back to court over another iPhone keyboard
Sorry, Typo, you aren't getting away with paying a fine. BlackBerry has filed another complaint against the Ryan Seacrest-backed peripheral maker over claims that the Typo 2 iPhone keyboard also infringes on patents. Not surprisingly, BlackBerry doesn't believe that a few minor design changes (such as a battery indicator and a lock key) put Typo's eerily familiar-looking keyboard in the clear -- it wants a ban on Typo 2 sales. We've reached out to Typo to see what its response will be, but something tells us that the odds of a successful courtroom defense are even lower this time around.
BlackBerry Passport and Classic come to AT&T on February 20th
BlackBerry fans on AT&T, your long wait for a new phone is almost over -- the carrier has announced that both the Passport and Classic will reach its stores on February 20th. As promised, AT&T's ever-so-slightly customized (but still oddly shaped) Passport will cost you $200 on contract, $22 per month on Next 24 or $650 up front. If you'd like something a tad less squarish, the Classic will cost you $50 on contract, $14 per month on Next 24 or $420 outright. These BlackBerrys certainly aren't the cheapest devices in AT&T's roster, but they're also the network's only modern phones with hardware keyboards. If you still aren't a fan of typing on glass, they're your best bets.
Daily Roundup: Google's robotic dog, one-way trips to Mars and more!
In today's Daily Roundup, we marvel over the impressive stabilization abilities of the latest robot from Google-owned Boston Dynamics, get all the details on why people want to go on a one-way trip to Mars and review BlackBerry's latest phone, straight out of 2011. All that and more past the break.
BlackBerry Classic review: A love letter to fans and few others
Let's put Apple, Samsung and all their ilk aside for few moments: It really wasn't that long ago that a homegrown Canadian company called BlackBerry (well, RIM at the time) basically ruled the mobile world. The outfit's slow decline has been chronicled, opined upon for years, and yet, some of BlackBerry's most ardent fans still clamor for the days when QWERTY keyboards and teensy trackpads were uber-efficient status symbols instead of the relics they are now. Enter the BlackBerry Classic. The name says it all, really: It's a paean to BlackBerry's halcyon days, and it's got a look plucked straight out of 2011, to boot. We took one for an extended spin to see how BlackBerry's throwback formula holds up today, and (very long story short) it's mostly the past mashed up with a touch of the modern. The bigger question, as usual, is whether or not it's worth your time. I suspect you already know the answer, but read on for my full impressions.
Judge fines Typo for continuing to sell its BlackBerry-like keyboards
Apparently, BlackBerry took Typo to court again (and won), but not because of the latter's new product, if that's what you were thinking. A federal judge has just ruled in favor of the Canadian phonemaker after it accused Typo of making at least two bulk sales of its original BB-like physical iPhone keyboard (even processing 100 warranty replacements) despite an injunction banning it from the market. If you recall, BlackBerry sued the Ryan Seacrest-backed company due to its uncannily similar QWERTY keypad and won an injunction against it in March. The judge has ordered the accused to pay $860,000 for the violation, but the phonemaker originally wanted $2.6 million plus its lawyer's fees, so Typo really got off easy.
Daily Roundup: Apple Watch battery life, Russian combat bots and more!
One of the biggest complaints about smartwatches is their mediocre battery life. It sounds like the Apple Watch will be no different. In other news, internet activist Barrett Brown was sent to prison for five years and Russia showed off some "combat robots" that still have a lot to prove, fortunately. Catch up on today's top stories after the break.
BlackBerry CEO demands Apple make iMessage cross-platform
BlackBerry is doing its best to mount a comeback in the face of overwhelming competition from iOS and Android devices. The BlackBerry Classic is a step in the right direction, but the fact remains that app support is a huge problem, and porting apps to BlackBerry's platform just isn't a high priority for, well, basically anyone. But rather than letting the market dictate what devices are the most important to support, BlackBerry CEO John Chen is hoping regulators will step in and force companies like Apple to make its exclusive apps available on all platforms. No, I'm not kidding -- Chen wants Apple to make iMessage a standalone app on non-Apple platforms, including BlackBerry. Chen even goes so far as to say companies like Apple and Netflix are "discriminating against BlackBerry customers" by failing to make their services available universally across all platforms. Of course, Chen is in a great position to make such accusations thanks to the fact that BlackBerry brought its once-exclusive BBM messaging service to iOS and Android in 2013. That said, it's hard to imagine BBM would have ventured across the aisle if BlackBerry wasn't horrifically desperate for the tech crowd to consider BlackBerry a legitimate option whatsoever, so take Chen's perceived openness with a massive boulder of salt.
BlackBerry's CEO doesn't understand what net neutrality is
Think that net neutrality means all companies have the same, unfettered access to the internet without throttling or "fast lanes?" BlackBerry's CEO John Chen doesn't agree! In a letter to the Senate, he dismissed the need for tight "Title II" government oversight of wireless internet providers by calling it "excessive," without elaborating further. Then, he then took the conversation in a different, BlackBerry-centric direction. He said that rather than being just about internet freedom, wireless internet regulation needs to revolve around openness for devices and apps -- BlackBerry neutrality, if you will.
BlackBerry's gold-hued Passport is even more audacious than usual
BlackBerry's Passport is already a fairly exclusive device by dint of the company's small market share, but the Canadian smartphone maker just kicked things up a notch. It's now selling a very limited edition (just 50 units) Black & Gold Passport that lets you flout convention with more gusto than usual. The gold-colored trim, while eye-catching, sadly isn't real like we've seen in some third-party mods -- c'mon, BlackBerry! However, you do get both a real soft leather back and an engraving that lets everyone know how rare your phone is. And despite the tiny production run, this is decidedly more affordable than the Porsche Design BlackBerrys aimed at celebrities and oil barons. It'll cost you a (relatively) modest $899 to score the Black & Gold Passport in the US, and $999 in Canada.
