ResearchInMotion
Latest
BlackBerry wants to lock down security for the Internet of Things
Say what you will about BlackBerry's current state of affairs, but in its heyday it was a workplace no-brainer because of its then-unparalleled security systems. Well, the Canadian company has plans to make that work in its favor with an encryption certificate based on subsidiary Certicom's elliptic-curved cryptography. As Reuters reports, this could secure numerous devices ranging from connected car systems to smart meters -- ease of security and authentication are the name of the game here. In fact, the outfit's already netted some support from across the pond with a contract that'll cover some 104 million household energy management gizmos and smart meters in Britain. BlackBerry also wants to beef up its research and development that could improve on computer data security. So in case you were wondering what the company formerly known as Research in Motion's been up to, now you know. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Inside look at BlackBerry reveals failed 'SMS 2.0' push, qualms over Z10 launch
We're familiar with much of BlackBerry's history, but there are a few unanswered questions: why did Jim Balsillie resign his board position, for example? And why did the Z10 launch ahead of Q10, to disastrous results? Thankfully, The Globe and Mail has addressed some of these mysteries through a detailed exposé. We now know that Balsillie left the board after BlackBerry axed an "SMS 2.0" plan that would have replaced carriers' text services with BlackBerry Messenger. Thorsten Heins wanted the company to remain focused on hardware, according to the newspaper. As for the Z10? Heins reportedly prioritized the all-touch phone over the objections of board members like Mike Lazaridis, who saw the Q10's keyboard as necessary for standing out in a crowded market. There's even more to the story than these two revelations, so you'll want to visit the source link if you're wondering just how BlackBerry ended up in such dire straits.
WSJ: BlackBerry sale likely to be wrapped up by November
Details about an eventual sale of BlackBerry are slowly but surely starting to pick up steam. Following a confirmation from the Waterloo-based company about it being open to seeking "strategic alternatives," The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that members of the board are "aiming to run a fast auction process" which could be finalized as early as November of this year. Sourcing the well-informed people familiar with the matter, the publication goes on to say that BlackBerry has narrowed its list of potential buyers, with the sales process "expected to begin soon." We'll see how long it takes for Thorsten Heins and Co. to find someone interested in the troubled brand, but something tells us it won't be much longer before this story reaches its climax.
Founder Mike Lazaridis to leave Blackberry May 1st as vice-chairman and director
On the heels of today's earnings release, Blackberry vice chairman Mike Lazaridis announced that he'll leave the company on May 1st. The exec founded the company formerly known as Research in Motion almost 30 years ago, with Jim Balsillie as its early CEO -- who resigned this time last year himself and recently sold off his remaining shares. Lazaridis said that he'll focus instead on his new Quantum Valley Investments venture, which recently backed a research center in his home town of Waterloo, Ontario.
BlackBerry Z10 review
One cannot overstate the importance of this phone. This, the BlackBerry Z10, is the device upon which the fate of BlackBerry (formerly Research in Motion) hangs. That's not to say that the company will disappear if the Z10 -- and the BlackBerry 10 OS that it contains -- is not a mass-market success. But if this phone does not do its job of extending the reach of the 'Berry OS beyond those die-hard loyalists who have clung on to their Bolds and Torches and Storms, it's safe to say that BlackBerry is in for some very hard times. The company hasn't exactly bet the proverbial farm on this BB10 release, but with massive financial losses tempered only by job cuts, plus an absolutely tectonic shift among the executive leadership and corporate culture architected by CEO and President Thorsten Heins, the phrase "make or break" feels pretty apt. So, then, is this the phone that's good enough to woo buyers away from the Galaxy S III or the iPhone 5 or any of the other delicious devices on the other platforms? The short answer is that no, as of now it isn't quite -- but of course it's a lot more complicated than that. Join us as we explore.
RIM's mobile payment solution gets thumbs up from Visa
The final pieces of the puzzle are falling into place just ahead of the big reveal on January 30th. The carriers are on board, there's apps galore and now Visa has approved RIM's Secure Element Manager (SEM) for its mobile payment system. Being given the green light means that BlackBerry wont have to worry about being upstaged by the flood of Android devices coming down the pipeline with NFC payment solutions embedded in them. It's also a major boost to the SEM platform developed by the Canadian firm which has already won the backing of many carriers in its homeland, like Bell, Rogers and TELUS, but has struggled to gain a foothold in the US. For more, check out the PR after the break.
IBM caps two decades as heavyweight champion of the patent world
Thinking about beefing up your IP profile? Try giving IBM a call. For twenty consecutive years, it's been awarded more patents than any other company. According to IFI Claims Patent Services, IBM was issued 6,478 patents in 2012. To put things into perspective, its closest competitor, Samsung, trailed Big Blue by nearly 1,500 patents. No small wonder the company is the tech world's intellectual property broker. Some of the year's biggest patent warriors made the top 50 list too. Both Apple and Google's patent awards grew significantly over previous years, surpassing 2011's numbers by 68 and 170 percent, respectively. The house that T.J. Waston built, on the other hand, grew only a meager 4.8 percent. Still, with patents in health, banking, defense, social networking, cloud computing and beyond, IBM probably has a few years left at the top. Ever onward, IBM. Ever onward.
'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."
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.
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.
RIM plans 36-hour event giving away cash, PlayBooks to game developers porting to BlackBerry 10
While RIM has already taken to directly rewarding developers who write for BlackBerry 10 in order to stock up its app catalog, it's about to offer a slightly stronger incentive for the gaming crowd. An upcoming Got Game Port-a-Thon starting November 16th will give producers $100 for every game successfully ported to the upcoming platform, with the perks climbing the more titles make the leap. Three or more ports net a BlackBerry PlayBook, and the first handful who port five or more get a Dev Alpha device to test their creations in a truly native environment; particularly avid developers porting 10 or more games will even score a trip to the Game Developers Conference this March. The catch, as you'd imagine from the telethon-inspired label, comes from the fixed timeframe. There's just 36 hours open for submissions once the event starts, which will have most developers scrambling to get their code ready in advance. If RIM gets all its developer ducks in a row, however, we'll have no shortage of fun (or distractions from work) when the first BlackBerry 10 devices hit the shelves.
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.
Rogers and CIBC kick off Canadian NFC-based mobile payments with mini event (update: full details)
Rogers and its banking partner CIBC have been making much ado over bringing NFC mobile payments to Canada since the spring, but the companies have been mostly silent on actual availability and let a rumored October 15th launch date pass by without fanfare. The two partners are at last ready to swing into action, at least symbolically -- a photo-op at a Tim Hortons in Toronto on Friday will officially represent the first instance of their payment system being used in the wild. What we've seen officially and otherwise hasn't changed, which means that event star and triathlete Simon Whitfield will be using one of two NFC-equipped BlackBerry phones with a special SIM card while he buys a meal that we imagine involves coffee and maple-glazed donuts. Rogers hasn't said how soon the less sporty among us will be making payments, although the limited choices of phones (two) and carriers (one) will only give a handful of Canucks a chance to join in. Update: Just as Whitfield's coffee is cooling off, Rogers has given out full details: the CIBC mobile payment option will roll out later in the month to at least 2,300 Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada, with 3,000 more joining in by December. It's called Suretap, as the earlier leak confirmed, and there's no sudden support for Android, Windows Phone or other platforms until 2013. A total of 17 merchants using MasterCard PayPass and Visa PayWave will be eligible to start.
RIM's latest milestone: BlackBerry 10 now being tested by over 50 carriers
Not much is going to make us excited about the BlackBerry world until RIM's latest devices actually ship, but today's announcement from Thorsten Heins is certainly good news in that regard. Today, he revealed that BlackBerry 10 units are now in the testing labs of more than 50 carriers, a necessary milestone that suggests the first BlackBerry 10 devices are still on track for a Q1 2013 debut. Naturally, it's a shame that the company is going to miss the holiday season, but if you have a BlackBerry fan in your life, we suppose there's always room for an IOU in their stocking. In the meantime, you'll find the full statement from RIM's CEO after the break.
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.
Rogers, CIBC may launch Suretap NFC-based payments on October 15th, require a unique SIM
Rogers and Canadian bank CIBC struck a deal for NFC-based mobile payments back in May, long enough ago that it was starting to fade out of the public consciousness. The alliance may be near refreshing our memory with a commercial launch in the cards. MobileSyrup has reportedly scored internal documents that has the two launching their e-commerce collaboration on October 15th under a slightly catchier Suretap name. Unfortunately, the text also suggests that the initial launch will require at least as much hoop-jumping from customers as for the original Google Wallet plans. Avoiding a traditional wallet will demand a BlackBerry Bold 9900 or Curve 9360 on Rogers, a CIBC MasterCard, nearby stores with PayPass terminals, a CIBC app and now a special NFC-enabled SIM card -- a set of criteria that disqualifies almost everyone, especially when there's supposedly a $50 ceiling on transactions. It remains a step forward for mobile payments in a country that has had very few options to start with, but we'd only anticipate widespread adoption once there's a much wider selection of devices and banks.
RIM opens BlackBerry 10 app submissions
Any BlackBerry 10 developers sufficiently entranced by their Dev Alpha units can now make good on the work they've accomplished so far. As promised, RIM is accepting app submissions for the platform ahead of its launch early next year. Fast-acting teams who jump in today should see their titles at the front of the queue when BlackBerry App World starts supporting the modern platform. They'll have to focus on full-touch hardware rather than mixed QWERTY and touch devices, however. There's no guarantee that RIM will see a flood of apps after opening its doors, but the company reminds us that there's incentives to move quickly -- 10,000 incentives, in fact.
RIM's PlayBook disappearing from online retailers in the US
If you want to get your hands on RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, you might be running out of time. It seems that the QNX-based device is no longer available in the US from retailers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, RadioShack and Staples, with Amazon and RIM's own online store being the exceptions. We're wondering if this means newer PlayBooks are in the works -- we've already seen updated 4G LTE models out in the open and recent OS updates indicate the company hasn't given up on the much-maligned PlayBook. Potential upgrades include the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS, and hardware improvements wouldn't be a bad idea (Perhaps a flip-out keyboard addition a la Microsoft Surface?). In any case, RIM might want to move fast if it wants any chance of competing in the increasingly crowded tablet space.
Interbrand: Apple, Amazon, Samsung fast becoming brand darlings, ousting crusty traditional labels
Interbrand likes to give the world's top companies a brand value, or a mix of their on-the-ground fiscal performance with an estimate of the premium they can ask through name alone. While there are a lot of traditional names in the consulting company's 2012 list, the surprise this year is just how aggressively technology has invaded the top of the charts. It's a good year to be a part of the mobile ecosystem: a very profitable Apple was by far the fastest grower and clinched second place in the list behind only Coca-Cola, while Kindle Fire creator Amazon (20th place) and Apple's frequent rival Samsung (ninth) also shot past brands as big as Disney and Toyota. A special nod goes out to 69th-place Facebook, whose IPO this year and its recognition put it past companies like Porsche almost overnight. Not everyone in technology came out a winner -- Microsoft, Nokia and RIM were among those that took a bruising -- but Interbrand's rankings hint that it's better to be making tablets than designer handbags.
BlackBerry PlayBook 2.1 update goes live with SMS, portrait email
RIM's attention around its QNX-based platforms might revolve around BlackBerry 10 as of late, but don't think that it's leaving BlackBerry PlayBook users behind. A PlayBook 2.1 update is rolling out today that fills in some of the gaps left by 2.0 earlier this year. Habitual messagers can now start SMS text messages directly from the tablet when tethered through BlackBerry Bridge; they also get overdue support for a portrait view in email, calendars and contacts. If communication isn't the cornerstone of your life, you'll still find a few niceties such as Android App Player support for the camera and in-app purchases, device encryption that extends to personal data and wireless printing beyond the local network. For now, you'll have to be an owner of the original, WiFi-only PlayBook to leap on the 2.1 train today -- those who sprang for the usually carrier-bound PlayBook 4G LTE should get their upgrade within a month.
