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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.
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.
Report: LTE PlayBook 'confirmed' at BlackBerry World breakfast
The 4G LTE BlackBerry PlayBook: now part of a complete Canadian breakfast. No huge shocker that we're finally seeing the much-discussed and long awaited new version of RIM's business-friendly tablet -- though the slate did leak out a bit earlier than expected. Canadian Review claims to have gotten confirmation device ahead of today's keynote. The new PlayBook is said to be rocking a 1.5Ghz dual-core processor and NFC. From the outside though, it should be difficult to distinguish the old from the new.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light ported to the BlackBerry PlayBook
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light has been generally recognized as a great downloadable game that should be played by as many people as possible, which is why we're confused about its launch on the BlackBerry PlayBook. Get it? Because no one owns a PlayBook.That's not true, we realize, but all is fair in love and bad comedy. Already a few happy PlayBookers and/or RIM and Square Enix employees have left gushing reviews on Guardian of Light's App World page, suggesting it's a solid experience even two years out and even on PlayBook. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is available now for $3.99 via the BlackBerry App World.
NFL's Denver Broncos embrace the iPad
The NFL Denver Broncos not only have Peyton Manning, but they're also getting a lot of iPads. A report in the Denver Post today mentioned that the team is in the process of moving the weekly team playbooks from the traditional printed copy to a digital version on the iPad. The team will purchase 120 top-end 64 GB iPads with Verizon Wireless 4G service every season, but expects to recoup the cost by not having to print and distribute those 500-page paper playbooks each week. The Broncos join the Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only teams that have embraced tablet technology. The iPads are running a digital playbook app called PlayerLync that gives players and coaches the capability of adding notes to video play highlights from the iPad. Those notes are saved on a server, and Broncos personnel can access that information from previous games. Even when the players and coaches aren't using the playbook app, changes can be pushed to the app automatically. The team is also planning to push game video to the iPads as soon as one hour after each game. The playbook can be erased remotely if the iPad is lost or stolen -- that's something that can't be done with a hard-copy playbook. The Broncos are also counting on using the iPad for business and player operations as well, being the first NFL team to integrate all facets of operations onto a tablet. You won't see the iPads on the sideline this season, though. The NFL doesn't allow them during games, although this season players and coaches can have the iPads in the locker room up to kickoff.
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 16th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Verizon announced that its LTE service now covers two-thirds of the US population, and T-Mobile dropped its 'nice girl' image in attempt to position its HSPA+ network as a viable competitor to LTE. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 16th, 2012.
Former RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie's very different rescue plan revealed
Sources close to former RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie have revealed his plans to save the company before he was shown the door, a plan that didn't involve handsets. He'd entered into talks with AT&T, Verizon and several European carriers to offer them use of the company's BlackBerry-exclusive network to provide limited data plans to featurephone users that included social networking and BBM -- with the aim of reducing the cellphone operators data burden and coaxing users to upgrade to smartphones. The company was working on Mobile Fusion; software that allowed enterprise and government users on iOS and Android devices to join RIM's system, which reportedly earns the company $1 billion per quarter. However, while talks progressed, company execs grew nervous and ousted him in favor of Thorsten Heins with a mandate to focus on BB10 and new devices rather than turning RIM into a service company. However, given that it's still losing money on its handset business, Heins has reopened the door to Balsillie's plan. It's just a shame Balsillie himself is keeping quiet, as we'd love to hear his thoughts in an executive-level edition of How Would you Change.
DingleBerry 4.0 cancelled, open-sourced in search of PlayBook OS 2.0 root exploit (updated: ok, maybe it's not cancelled)
DingleBerry arrived with an awesome name and even better functionality: the ability to root a BlackBerry PlayBook. For the moment, however, it seems the utility is little more than dust in the wind. We've received news that development of the famed exploit has been halted. If it's any solace to super users, the project may find new vigor, because the source code for DingleBerry 3.3.3 is now available for all to improve upon. Perhaps the cat and mouse game with RIM's security team was simply too burdensome for DingleBerry developers, as PlayBook OS 2.0 has remained impervious to root exploits. Whatever the case may be, if you'd like to take a swing at a new root method, be sure to hit up the source below.[Thanks, Joao]Update: DingleBerry dev Chris Wade reached out to us to clarify that version 4.0 is not cancelled -- regardless of what the official changelog says. Where exactly the confusion comes from we're not entirely sure, but we've been told the project was open sourced so that others, perhaps those with more free time on their hands, could take a crack at the PlayBook OS and not because it's dead.
Switched On: Angry Nerds
Oh no! The evil pigs of purchase inhibition taken the valuable eggs of smartphone desire and captured them within a complex structure. Fortunately, there are a number of powerful birds that can be slung through the air, space or various sets of children's movies to smash down the structure. Why can't they just fly through the air since they're birds, you may ask? Gee, you sure ask a lot of questions. Just plunk down your $0.99 and gear up for in-app purchases for these valuable premiums.
RIM CEO Thorsten Heins reportedly 'clearing house,' laying off numerous executives
With BlackBerry World only weeks away and RIM's earnings report merely hours away, it looks as if newly-appointed CEO Thorsten Heins will be leading it with quite the bang. While Heins has done a truly exceptional job of laying low (really low) during his first few months in the corner office, he's evidently been hard at work rearranging chairs... mentally, at least. According to The Globe and Mail's Iain Marlow, a trusted source has informed him that the BlackBerry maker's head honcho has begun "clearing house," with senior vice presidents and VP-level executives being informed of the imminent changes today. We're tracking down more on the story right now and will update this post as details flow.Update: The report is up in full, with an unnamed source explaining: "Lots of high level people within RIM were let go today. Quite a few. Big shake up." We're still awaiting official word, which is apt to be found buried deep within the eventual earnings release.
Zinio finally hits the PlayBook, becomes your Berry own magazine stand
Zinio's had a comfortable spot sitting on the Android and iOS stores for months, but up until now, it'd been steering clear of a certain App World. Fast forward to today and the digital magazine service is staying true to its tweet, at last making its way to that 7-inch BlackBerry slate. The PlayBook flavor brings along the usual traits, including over 5,000 mags in 33 different languages, multiple device syncing, as well as full subscriptions or à la carte issues . Early adopters have already taken the app for a spin, giving it mixed reviews, and you can do the same directly from your two-dot-oh slab or via the source link below.
Dolphin Browser arrives in BlackBerry App World, now with developer's permission
Everybody loves happy endings, so it's with this in mind that we bring you news of the official "sanctioned" arrival of Dolphin Browser within the BlackBerry App World. At version 7.2, this app isn't quite as fresh as its native Android counterpart -- which sits at version 7.5 in the Play Store and offers Sonar voice features -- but it still brings its webzine and gesture-driven mannerisms that many appreciate. As you may recall, this isn't the first time that the Dolphin Browser has graced the App World, but this time around, it was submitted by MoboTap -- so yeah, they know it's in there. If you happen to have a PlayBook and would like to try the alternative browser, be sure to hit up the source link.
HSPA+ BlackBerry PlayBook hits the FCC (update: LTE too)
RIM has been promising an HSPA+ capable BlackBerry PlayBook for over a year, and it looks like it's now one step closer to actually being released. A tablet from Research in Motion recently made its way through the FCC's approval process and, if the test reports are any indication, it's a tablet with built-in HSPA+ connectivity. Unfortunately, the FCC hasn't revealed much else just yet, but earlier rumors have suggested that the new tablet will also see speed bump of another sort: an upgrade to a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, as well as the addition of NFC. A leaked RIM roadmap that surfaced earlier this year also suggested that the tablet would be released in mid-2012. Update: And just like that, an LTE version has now also turned up on the FCC's site, operating on frequencies that could indicate support for either AT&T in the US or any of the big three carriers in Canada. Update 2: Now a second LTE version has turned up at the FCC, this one with support for Verizon's network.
BlackBerry Mini Keyboard ships March 23rd for $120, a match made in Canada
Work it. Anywhere. Any time. Those were the fighting words behind the BlackBerry Mini Keyboard promo shots we showed you a few days back. Now, backing up what we'd heard, RIM's officially (and very quietly) taken the wraps off its new PlayBook add-on, with a shipping date of March 23rd and a $120 price tag. The Canadian outfit is pushing this peripheral on the business-oriented consumer, but there's nothing keeping the average Joe from dropping some hard-earned cash on it. Folks looking to pair up the physical keys and multitouch trackpad with BlackBerry's revised OS can do so by heading over to its online shop. In the meantime, you can get acquainted by checking out the video tour after the break.
PlayBook controlled robo-buggy can see you smiling at it (video)
If iRobot tickled your fancy, but you don't have the budget for military-grade technology, how about this fella? So, it's not officially called PlayRobot, but if there was a naming convention, we guess that would be it. The buggy has a mounted camera, which relays video back to a PlayBook over a WiFi connection set up via a BlackBerry 9900. The six-wheeler is controlled by an on-screen joystick, much like many tablet versions of arcade games. It's an entrant into this weekend's Robot Challenge in Vienna, so thanks to that video link, at the very least, if it doesn't win they can't say they didn't see it coming.
Official BlackBerry PlayBook Mini Keyboard coming on March 23rd for $120?
While there's an array of unofficial third-party keyboards willing to pair up with your 7-inch RIM slate, an approved peripheral is likely to be the better option. At least, it's what the BlackBerry-authorized add-on aims to accomplish. Dubbed Mini Keyboard, which also doubles as a "convertible" case, it's said to start shipping on March 23rd for $120, packing a multitouch trackpad and claiming up to a month of juice on a single charge. Additionally, the device features 128bit encryption to put your paranoia at ease when you're using that shiny OS 2.0. We've yet to hear an official word from RIM about price and availability, however, the source below seems to be taking pre-orders now.
The Engadget Interview: RIM VP of Enterprise Alan Panezic at MWC 2012 (video)
This week at Mobile World Congress we had the opportunity to talk with Alan Panezic, VP of Enterprise at RIM about what the company is doing to keep existing business customers (and possibly even lure new CIOs) in the warm and secure embrace of its enterprise services while still giving users personal freedom to fully enjoy their devices. RIM's secret weapon? BlackBerry Balance on the PlayBook running OS 2.0 (of course) and BlackBerry Mobile Fusion on the server side. Take look at our video and remember -- that corporate PlayBook of yours may still lack BBM integration but IT professionals are people too, so be gentle with them!
Zinio caves to begging, says BlackBerry PlayBook app landing in March
Zinio's magazine app has certainly made the rounds -- Android slabs, the Kindle Fire, the iPad and even the ill-fated TouchPad have had their shining moment with the digital service -- but months of "consideration" for their platform have BlackBerry PlayBook owners feeling left out in the cold. Zinio, however, recently tweeted that a PlayBook app is coming "real soon," and one prospective customer decided to fish for more details by taking drastic measures: good, old, greasy bribery. The enterprising Twitter user promised to subscribe to more magazines if the company would tell him when the app is coming out and, well, it actually worked. PlayBook owners can apparently expect to read mags like Rolling Stone, Maxim and The Economist via the Zinio app by "mid March." Coupled with the release of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 on Feb. 21, it seems like RIM's faithful tablet owners are finally starting to get some much needed attention.
Pacemaker and RIM announce exclusive DJ app for PlayBook
We loved the original Pacemaker, and were sad to hear of its eventual discontinuation. News just in this morning, however, is that the DJ tool is back as a PlayBook app thanks to an exclusive collaboration with the tablet's maker. Details are sparse right now, as the information spilled at RIM's event this morning at MWC, but we do know that there will be auto beatmatching, vinyl mode with scratching, digital mode, looping, loop travel, pitch control, beat skip and "pro level" effects. All we have in terms of availability is that it will be out this spring, with no word on price. In the meantime we're going to start prepping up that music collection.
