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Lenovo debunks RIM deal rumors, says CFO was just chatting
Lenovo turned a few heads last week when its CFO mentioned RIM as a possible acquisition target or partner, and with many eyes peering in its direction, the company's felt the need to clarify its relationship with the BlackBerry maker. An English-language statement -- courtesy of The Next Web -- says Wong Wai Ming was "speaking broadly about M&A strategy," and only included RIM in this comment as the interviewer asked about Lenovo's interest in the company specifically. While it doesn't provide any more fuel for the speculation fire, there's no denial here, and it's worth remembering that Wong mentioned the two have talked about potential arrangements, according to the original Bloomberg report. Damage limitation statement deployed, we doubt Lenovo will be bringing this up again unless anything formal happens. In the meantime, RIM's got slightly more immediate matters to concern itself with.
RIM lowers minimum app prices on BlackBerry World
BlackBerry-toting penny-pinchers have cause to rejoice, as RIM is introducing lower price tiers in BlackBerry World, starting with the British Pound and Euro. New price tags have yet to take hold across the board, but the the UK will see their lowest level fall from £1.00 to £0.75 (around $1.20). When it comes to the Euro, prices will vary by country, and we spotted apps as low as €0.75 ($1) on Spain's version of the shop. According to RIM, the tweak takes currency exchange rates and VAT requirements into account, and is an effort to gain a competitive edge and catch the eyes of consumers. It's certainly a far cry from how things used to be.
BlackBerry Z10 priced at £480 SIM-free by purported Carphone Warehouse database leak (update)
With all the BlackBerry 10 leaks as of late, it seems inevitable that pricing info would get ousted in the lead up to January 30th. Thanks to an anonymous tipster, it appears that the SIM-free version of RIM's Z10 will cost UKers a cool £480 at Carphone Warehouse (for perspective, a 16GB iPhone 5 would run you just roughly £30 more). The leak comes from what's said to be a snapshot of the company's internal database, listing the white variant. The attached BLAZ10WHI model number also syncs up nicely with the previous slip from the retailer. At this rate, not much is going to be left to the imagination when RIM officially unveils its devices come Wednesday -- who likes surprises anyway, right? Update: We've updated the post to reflect that the phone was touted to us as "SIM-free," specifically. [Thanks, Anonymous]
RIM prepping Super Bowl ad to introduce BlackBerry 10 to the world
Get yo' popcorn ready. When your company is announcing the latest and greatest mobile OS, why not seize the opportunity to scrape up a few million bucks to make sure the entire world gets a proper introduction? Research in Motion will be forking out for a Super Bowl spot (which averages $3.8 million this year), as part of an effort to get the word out about BlackBerry 10. Let's just hope it's not shown the exact moment 40 million people head to the fridge. A little presser can be found past the break.
Global mobile phone shipments breached 1.6 billion units in 2012, Samsung, Apple and Nokia still on top
A charger on every nightstand and a phone in every pocket -- it could be a presidential slogan, but it's really just reality. According to research from Strategy Analytics, a staggering 1.6 billion mobile phones were shipped (not sold) globally in 2012, and 700 million of them were smartphones. Samsung, Nokia and Apple, in that order, were the biggest movers of handsets, though the latter two change places when it comes to smartphones -- Espoo only shipped 35 million to Cupertino's 135, while Samsung topped the trio at 213 million devices shipped. Surprising? Hardly -- smartphone sales climbed throughout 2012, and the aforementioned manufacturers have been kings of the category since last February. The numbers are telling though -- according to ABI Research, Apple saw less growth in 2012 than the previous year, and may hit a plateau in market share in 2013. Samsung, on the other hand, may have some room to grow -- capturing 34 percent of total smartphone shipments in Q4 with over 60 million smartphones moved. Apple nabbed 24.5% of the market with 47.8 million shipped iPhones, while Nokia and RIM took up the tail of the quarter with 86.3 and 6.9 million shipped devices, respectively. Statistic lover? You'll find full numbers (plus a little analyst speculation) in a trio of press releases after the break.
Lenovo CFO says 'RIM and many others' are on the table as possible deals
This one is expectedly drawing a big no comment from RIM, but Bloomberg is reporting today that Lenovo has at least considered the possibility of acquiring the company or forming some other type of strategic alliance. That word comes straight from Lenovo's Chief Financial Officer, Wong Wai Ming, who said at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos that "we are looking at all opportunities -- RIM and many others," adding that, "we'll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along that could benefit us and shareholders." That interest has apparently extended as far as speaking to RIM and its bankers about various possible arrangements, but it's not clear when that happened or how far along the talks went. He also unsurprisingly didn't offer any indication as to when Lenovo might make a decision on the matter. As Bloomberg notes, such a deal would also require clearing a number of regulatory hurdles, including a review by the Canadian government.
BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 now up for download (video)
BlackBerry's just served up fresh tools to replace its Mobile Fusion brand and help businesses manage employee phones: BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. BES 10, which is now available for download, not only supports the upcoming fleet of BB 10 phones and existing BlackBerry hardware, but Android and iOS devices as well. With the software, businesses can use a web-based interface to manage applications and data on company-issued devices or personal hardware that's welcomed into the fold. Also, Heins and Co. are baking in their BlackBerry Balance tech to help separate data and apps between work and personal life. Hit the break for a brief glimpse of BES 10 in action and more details in the press release.
RIM notes 'remarkable' number of app submissions, extends $10,000 incentive deadline
After unveiling its new BlackBerry World app hub (music and video still incoming), its dev blog has now announced that RIM will be extending its Built for BlackBerry scheme. Intended to draw in even more native apps for its new mobile platform, the final cut-off date has now been moved from January 21st to February 18th. Talking to German paper, Die Welt, CEO Thorsten Heins recently backed up claims that BlackBerry's new OS would launch with 70,000 apps, although we all know that quality trumps quantity -- something that RIM aims to address. If devs submit an app that makes over $1,000 but less than $10,000, the Waterloo phonemaker will fork out the difference -- app authors can also submit their programs for approval without charge. If you're hungry for some app-based paychecks, check on the detailed criteria at our second source link.
BlackBerry Z10 and iPhone 5 go head-to-head in video
German site Telekom-Presse has put together a video comparing the iPhone 5 with the upcoming BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, both in terms of physical design and software. The video plays out almost like an informercial for RIM's new device -- due to be formally unveiled next week -- lauding the way it handles certain tasks and navigation "better" than the iPhone, but offers some interesting takeaways beyond the presenter's very pro-BlackBerry 10 leanings. We were actually pretty impressed by the entirely gesture-based take on app switching, which lets you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see thumbnails of all running applications. Beyond that, though, it looks like RIM has simply devised different ways to handle things like centralized notifications. We'll have to see how useful something like different launcher screens for personal and business apps is in the long run, though. The video is in German, but we've embedded it so that you get an idea of how the Z10 differs from the iPhone 5 in operation. What do you think? Is there anything BlackBerry 10 is doing that you'd like to see in a future version of iOS? [Via TechCrunch]
Blackberry App World store makes early switch to Blackberry World, but no music or video yet
We're still a few days away from BB10's genuine debut, but RIM's decided to press on early with its app store changes. Starting with the webstore front (which is rolling out in the next 24 hours, depending on your territory) then moving on to the PlayBook and existing BlackBerry phones, the renamed BlackBerry World store will also offer up access to videos and music -- RIM reckons it'll be your "one-stop shop" for mobile entertainment, but those channels aren't live just yet. Test out the store's new offerings at the source link to the right.
Latest BB 10 leak confirms Z10 branding and Verizon support
As if you needed anymore confirmation that RIM's soon-to-be-released BB 10 touch device was making its way to Verizon, we now have the screen above. What's more, it also appears that the candybar-shaped handset will actually go by the previously rumored Z10 name, lending further credence to the many leaks that have come before. Aside from an obvious offering in white and black, there's not much else to go on, but we suppose that's what the upcoming January 30th launch event is for. Building a mystery? Not RIM.
BlackBerry 10 camera app flaunts filters, transformation tools (video)
What's better than a non-functional prototype? One that actually works, of course. The Gadget Masters have apparently been spending time with a pre-production version of RIM's upcoming Z10 smartphone, and plundered its camera app in the process. The ensuing video (after the break) didn't reveal any new features, but carries the novelty of actually manipulating an image with the app's tools. After snapping a picture of the carpet (daring!), our host leads us through a few filters, mentioning the app's ability to crop and transform images. It's not groundbreaking, but it's good to see a fully functional version of the app. After all, Thorsten Heins' big event is just around the corner.
Viber overhauls BlackBerry app to v2.3, promises VoIP calls are coming in April (video)
Doing its best Kate Bush impression, Viber's letting its BlackBerry users know that something good is gonna happen. Specifically, that the company is bringing VoIP calls to the platform, currently pencilled in for arrival in April. It's laid the groundwork for the new feature with version 2.3 of the app for RIM phones, which refreshes the UI and adds support for Arabic and Spanish language users. After the break we've got a short clip of a demonstration of the forthcoming feature, which mercifully cuts out before the feedback loop deafens us all.
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.
Leaked BB 10 sales training manual reveals a few more specs, promises 70K apps at launch
Crackberry claims to have gotten hold of an official Rogers BB 10 training manual that may or may not add to your anticipation of January 30th. The leak is a Powerpoint slideshow that apparently contains screenshots from an online course for sales people -- so there's been at least one twist in its journey before it reached us, and that's reason in itself to be a bit cautious. Nevertheless, the document repeats familiar claims from RIM about its new flagship smartphone having "best in class" HTML5 browser compatibility and performance. It also highlights the promise of 70,000 QNX apps in the re-named BlackBerry World, although we don't know how many of those are totally new, ported or perhaps cross-compatible with older QNX devices. Finally, a few more specs are detailed in the hope of enticing tech-minded shoppers, with reference to a Snapdragon S4 processor, a 1,800mAh battery and a 356 pixel density that tallies with what we've already seen of the 4.2-inch 720p screen. Check out the full pitch at the source links below.
The Daily Roundup for 01.15.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
BlackBerry Z10 shown in first hands-on video
We've had an early look at the BlackBerry Z10 already -- both from a leak of RIM marketing materials and from footage allegedly showing the handset's components -- but Austrian publication Telekom-Presse can lay claim to the first hands-on video with the phone. The seven-and-a-half-minute clip shows off the hardware in great detail -- including what looks to be a removable plastic cover on the backing -- and the narrator lists specs, including a 4.2-inch HD display, a dual-core 1.5GHz ARM Cortex A9 processor and 2GB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage. According to the video, the Z10 weighs about 125 grams (4.4 ounces). Of course, the hands-on also demos the BB10 operating system, and it looks to run quite smoothly as the user carries out such gestures as swiping to reveal the BlackBerry Hub. We'll get an even better look at the Z10 when it becomes official, but for now jump past the break for a look at the video (natürlich auf Deutsch).
CES 2013: Interview roundup
Our CES plates were jam-packed full of eye-opening conversations this year. We had the chance to speak to top tech luminaries, entrepreneurs, celebrities and fellow journalists. Much of that opportunity arose from the return of our stage, parked right in the middle of the Las Vegas Convention Center's Grand Lobby. We blew things out this year, packing the schedule from the show's opening on Tuesday morning to its close on Friday night. Below we have a list of the interviews we did at this year's show, both on-stage and off, so you can relive the thoughts, theories and comments that defined this year's Consumer Electronics Show.
BB 10 Twitter and Google Talk app integration leaks ahead of launch
Care for a sneak peek at BB 10's third party app integration? Well, if the screens above are to be believed (and we have reason to assume they're quite legit), standalone applications like Twitter and Google Talk could be ready to download on BlackBerry World at launch. From what we can glimpse, it appears the apps will be folded into BB Hub, the OS' new unified inbox, lending further credence to RIM's claims of a seamless "flow," as it doesn't seem likely social applications will be sandboxed. Design-wise, both apps offer a direct parallel to their current offerings on other rival platforms, albeit made to fit the straight and soft BB 10 aesthetic. We'll know much more in the weeks ahead as RIM prepares to reveal the full monty. For now, buckle in for a load of expected leaks.
Sprint joins BB10 bandwagon, plans to offer devices later this year
Ah, there you are, Sprint -- didn't speak up at first. Following confirmations by US carriers, Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T that they'd be carrying BlackBerry 10 devices this year, the Now Network has joined the fray. While we'll surely find out the full details from RIM come the OS's official kick-off on January 30th, details are currently slim. A rep for the company confirmed the news to BGR (and Engadget, for that matter) stating, "Sprint plans to bring BlackBerry 10 to our customers later this year. We will share more details soon." Notably, Sprint is the only carrier that hasn't committed to having devices upon the launch of the OS -- of course, being the Now Network doesn't always mean being first.
