WebProNews

Tag: Blackberry 10

  • REO BlackBerry Is Going To Keep On Loving Developers

    RIM isn’t doing so hot with BlackBerry. BlackBerry 10 has some great new features, but most of them have already been seen on other platforms before. We don’t know which direction the market will turn next year, but things are not looking good for BlackBerry 10. Even so, the folks at RIM want you to know that they’re going to keep on loving you.

    Three RIM employees – Alec Saunders, Chris Smith and Martyn Mallick – have formed a band to craft a love ballad. It may feature the tune and general sentiment of REO Speedwagon’s 1981 hit “Keep On Loving You,” but the love in this case is being directed right at developers. Check it out:

    Th Foo Fighters being corporate shills for Apple earlier this month was bad, but I would take them over REO BlackBerry any day. In their defense, rewriting a classic ballad to express love towards developers is witty. Unfortunately, being witty won’t get RIM anywhere near the top.

    Beyond the cringe worthy promo, RIM is onto something here. They wouldn’t be anywhere without their developers. They’re going to need that developer support more than ever as they move to launch BlackBerry 10 early next year. If anything, the comments on YouTube indicate that BlackBerry fans are just as crazy devoted as iOS fans. RIM may just get through this yet.

  • RIM Announces New Features For BlackBerry 10

    Today marked the start of the BlackBerry Jam developers’ conference. This is the failing company’s last big chance to remain relevant in the smartphone world. It also marks the first public unveiling of BlackBerry 10, the company’s new smartphone operating system.

    The two main new features going into BlackBerry 10 are Flow and Hub. The two new apps are indicative of RIM finally embracing what smartphone owners want out of their devices. They offer a one-stop shop for all of their apps and communications.

    BlackBerry Flow is an activity monitor of sorts. It minimizes all of the currently running apps on one screen. It’s somewhat similar to Microsoft’s Live Tiles in Windows Phone 8. In this case, the app is contained in a small window that provides the most recent information from that app. RIM uses the example of seeing the most up-to-date BlackBerry Messenger update on the Flow screen.

    From there, users can access the BlackBerry Hub. It’s a all-encompassing message center that collects communications from multiple email accounts, BBM, social networking, and text messages. Once again, it seems like BlackBerry is taking a page out of Windows Phone here. It’s nice, however, and a much needed improvement over previous BlackBerry OS versions.

    You can check out both new features in action below:

    RIM is once again playing catch up by announcing that the Blackberry App World will begin offering music and movies. They have also redesigned App World to be easier to navigate. You can get a brief glimpse of the new App World below:

    Finally, RIM also announced a new Web browser that will be shipping with BlackBerry 10. The browser has been built around new Web technologies like HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. It also promises faster loading and built-in sharing. One of the more unique things about the browser is that it can access on board hardware and interact with it via HTML5. Check out the demo below to see for yourself:

    Overall, RIM hasn’t shown anything groundbreaking. These are features that should have been present in BlackBerry ages ago. RIM has been constantly playing catch up with iOS and Android in the past. Now they’re playing catchup with Windows Phone. It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.

    With that being said, the browser is really nice. I hope Apple and Google get it together in pushing better HTML5 support. Being able to access hardware functions through a browser is pretty cool.

  • RIM Expected To Announce Zero Growth Later This Week

    Maybe you’ve heard, RIM isn’t doing so hot these days. Apple was able to sell 5 million iPhone 5 devices in a weekend, and RIM can only sell 8 million BlackBerry devices in a little under a year. Despite the doom and gloom, the company is still growing its subscriber base. That growth, however, may be at an end.

    According to a report from The Globe and Mail, analysts are now predicting RIM will announce zero growth during this week’s second-quarter conference call on Thursday. More specifically, they expect the company to announce a loss in enterprise customers while gaining in the international market. It still won’t be enough to offset the potentially disastrous downwards spiral that RIM may be heading toward.

    Of course, BlackBerry 10 will be launching early next year. The company is pretty adamant that this is the phone that will put them back onto the path of profitability. The analysts aren’t buying it. Kris Thompson, an analyst of National Bank Financial, said, “Starting next quarter, we see the sub base in a downward spiral with BlackBerry 10 potentially slowing [the losses], but we’re not holding our breath.”

    So what will RIM need to do to get BlackBerry back on top? First things first, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins has to put on one heck of a show tomorrow during the BlackBerry Jam Americas conference. BlackBerry 10 needs the support of developers, large and small, if they are to survive.

    Once again, the analysts don’t see that happening. Mike Walkley with Canaccord Genuity points out that cheap BlackBerry devices do well in overseas markets, but the company’s more advanced smartphones aren’t selling anywhere. It’s those smartphones that developers have to support, but Walkley just doesn’t see the market supporting the BlackBerry 10 ecosystem.

    It might be high time that RIM finally acknowledges that the BlackBerry is no longer popular. Android and iOS are dominating the smartphone market, and leaving little room for anybody else. Walkley suggests that RIM “dramatically change its business model” and I couldn’t agree more.

  • BlackBerry 10 Smartphone Images Leaked Ahead Of RIM Event

    RIM is banking everything on the launch of BlackBerry 10. This is the device that will get them back in the game. The first BlackBerry 10 smartphone might be revealed next week, but a recent leak may have given us our first look at the device.

    Italian BlackBerry fan site, BlackBerryItalia, recently got a hold of some images they claim to be of the new BlackBerry L-series handset. It will most likely be the first handset to feature BlackBerry 10 early next year. Let’s take a look, shall we?

    BlackBerry 10 Leaks

    Upon first inspection, the supposed “Savior of RIM” is not all that impressive. It’s a smartphone… and that’s it. The design doesn’t seem far too removed from what we’ve become used to in the Android and iOS dominated market. It’s not a bad thing, but a little differentiation couldn’t hurt either.

    The true test, like with all smartphones, will come when we finally get a good luck at the operating system. Software sells hardware and RIM has to convince people that BlackBerry 10 is good for enterprise and entertainment.

    We’ll find out next week if RIM can recapture their old mojo at the BlackBerry Jam Americas event in San Jose. This is do or die time at the company and any screw up could be costly. Apple is raking in the dough with the iPhone 5 and Samsung is leading the Android pack. Microsoft is also showing off impressive hardware and software with the Nokia Lumia 920.

    Unfortunately, Microsoft and RIM are both in same boat here. They failed to establish themselves at the beginning of the smartphone race and are paying dearly for it. Both are offering competent alternatives to Android and iOS, but it may be too late. Relevancy fades quickly in the smartphone market, and RIM needs to prove they have what it takes to stay in the game.

    At least Microsoft and RIM signed a patent deal today. Even if BlackBerry 10 flops, Microsoft will get some licensing fees out of it.

    [h/t: CrackBerry]

  • Microsoft Licenses A Load Of exFAT Patents To RIM

    Microsoft has gotten its hands dirty in a few patent lawsuits, but the company largely prefers to license their technologies to other companies for a handy profit. That’s what the company just did today in their latest licensing agreement with struggling handset manufacturer RIM.

    The two companies announced today that they have entered into a patent licensing agreement that will give RIM “broad access to the latest Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT).” The technology in question is a modern file system that facilitates the transfer of large audiovisual media between PCs and electronic devices. In short, the new Blackberries will be using Flash Memory and want to use exFAT for larger file storage.

    So what does this mean for RIM and Blackberry fans? The new set of Blackberry phones will be caught up with the latest advances in Flash Memory. Microsoft’s General Manager of IP Licensing, David Kaefer, sums up the advantage to consumers:

    “Today’s smartphones and tablets require the capacity to display richer images and data than traditional cellular phones,” said David Kaefer, general manager of Intellectual Property (IP) Licensing at Microsoft. “This agreement with RIM highlights how a modern file system, such as exFAT can help directly address the specific needs of customers in the mobile industry.”

    This is just a standard licensing deal. There is absolutely nothing to see here. I bet many people would hope Microsoft would team up with RIM to help usher in the glorious return of BlackBerry, but it isn’t happening. It’s a shame since Microsoft’s knowhow in Enterprise software and RIM’s usually excellent hardware could really be a force to be reckoned with.

    For now, we’ll just have to wait and see how RIM manages the BlackBerry 10 launch. It’s already been hit with delays, and now won’t see the light of day until first quarter 2013. Catching up to current file Flash Memory standards probably won’t help much. I’m willing to be prove wrong though.

  • Yahoo Gives Employees Smartphones, But Not Blackberrys

    Poor RIM. Even in the enterprise space, where the company’s secure OS has managed to keep them relevant, companies in-the-know are beginning to come around to the idea that iPhone and Android smartphones can be used for business. It seems the security of Android, iPhone, and even Windows Phone devices has finally caught up to the high standards of business.

    This weekend, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer sent an email to all Yahoo full-time and part-time employees informing them that they will be getting a free smartphone. Even better, Yahoo employees get their choice of the most advanced smartphones on the market for each different OS – except for BlackBerry. Business Insider was able to obtain a copy of the email, which announces the “Smart Phones, Smart Fun!” program:

    We have a very exciting update to share with you today – we are announcing Yahoo! Smart Phones, Smart Fun! As of today, Yahoo is moving off of blackberries as our corporate phones and on to smartphones in 22 countries. A few weeks ago, we said that we would look into smartphone penetration rates globally and take those rates into account when deciding on corporate phones. Ideally, we’d like our employees to have devices similar to our users, so we can think and work as the majority of our users do.

    Moving forward, we’ll offer you a choice of devices as well as provide monthly plans for the data and phone.

    The smartphone choices that we are including in the program are:

    * Apple iPhone 5
    * Android:
    – Samsung Galaxy S3
    – HTC One X
    – HTC EVO 4G LTE
    * Windows Phone 8:
    – Nokia Lumia 920

    You will notice the email specifically states that Yahoo is moving away from BlackBerry phones, which it has historically used. In addition, employees are not even given the choice of receiving a BlackBerry as their smartphone of choice. It’s a glaring omission, given that, as of last month, RIM still holds around 10% of all smartphone subscribers while Microsoft’s Windows Phones hold only 4%. However, where Microsoft has been gaining or holding on to small amounts of market share with Windows Phone, RIM has been losing its chunk of the smartphone market at a breakneck pace this year. As Mayer said in her email, Yahoo wants its employees to use devices that Yahoo users do, and it appears that Yahoo users don’t prefer BlackBerry anymore.

  • 3,000 RIM Layoffs Coming Next Week

    Today it was revealed that Research in Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry line of products, will be laying off 3,000 employees starting next week.

    Boy Genius Report (BGR) cites unnamed source in its report, which states the layoffs will take place over the coming weeks. BGR’s source stated that “people are terrified” and that some are even packing up their desks in anticipation of being let go. Workers have been told that any employees not working on BlackBerry 10 products are in danger of losing their jobs.

    RIM provided BGR with an official statement regarding the coming layoffs:

    RIM announced on June 28 that it will reduce its global workforce by approximately 5,000 over the course of the remaining fiscal year. These are difficult but necessary changes to help achieve operational cost savings of over $1 billion. RIM remains committed to ensuring that the reductions made do not impact key programs such as BlackBerry 10, customer support or BlackBerry service levels.

    The last round of layoffs at RIM took place back in June. Before that, over 2,000 employees were laid off just before the start of 2012.

    The layoffs at RIM are part of cost-cutting measures necessary due to a dismal financial outlook. The company has failed to compete successfully in the smartphone market with Apple, Google, and Samsung.

    Despite the continuous flow of bad financial news coming out of RIM for the past year, the company continues to remain adamant that it can survive. RIM is banking everything on its BlackBerry 10 products, and a product roadmap leaked in July shows the company has an ambitious product release schedule planned for 2013.

    RIM did receive some good news this week, though, when a judge presiding over a patent lawsuit involving RIM reversed a $150 million verdict against the company.

    (via BGR)

  • RIM Might License BlackBerry 10 To Multiple Handset Manufacturers

    RIM is pretty much up sh*t creek without a paddle. In fact, they don’t even have a boat. They’re knee deep in the stuff and they need to find a way out. The company is banking all their hopes and dreams on the newest version of their operating system – BlackBerry 10. Unfortunately, their own hardware might not be enough which is why they’re turning to third-party manufacturers.

    Speaking to The Telegraph, RIM CEO Thursten Heins acknowledges that his company can’t compete with the OEMs that put out 60 handsets a year across all the different carriers. To combat this, the company is actively looking into licensing the BlackBerry OS to these OEMs.

    It gets really interesting when Heins says that they may not license BlackBerry directly. They may go the Android route and just provide a framework in which OEMs could build upon. That means that these supposed third party phones would run a form of BlackBerry 10 with a custom firmware built on top of it.

    It should be pointed out that none of this is set in stone yet. Heins said that on top of investigating the technical aspect of it, they also have to “model this from a finance perspective.” He says that the company is working financial advisors to see where such a partnership would take the company. No matter their decision, Heins said that RIM “will not abandon the subscriber base.”

    Personally, I think it’s a brilliant move. BlackBerry is actually a pretty solid operating system. The changes being made in BlackBerry 10 make it a good fit for enterprise and consumer solutions. The major problem with newer BlackBerry models has been that the hardware was lacking compared to the competition. A Samsung-made handset with the BlackBerry OS would actually be pretty awesome.

  • Ambitious RIM BlackBerry Product Roadmap Leaked

    Research in Motion (RIM) recently delayed the release of the BlackBerry 10, surprising no one considering the number of employees it had to lay off in the spring. Today, though, it looks as if RIM still has a plan to turn its business around and make a mobile market comeback miracle.

    BlackBerryOS has obtained what they claim is a picture of RIM’s product roadmap for its BlackBerry products. The image shows that RIM will be releasing its PlayBook 4G device on schedule this fall, followed by two different BlackBerry smartphones in the first quarter of 2013. One phone, codenamed London, will only have a touchscreen, but the other, codenamed Nevada, will have the classic BlackBerry physical keyboard. A product codenamed Nashville is scheduled for release in the middle of 2013, followed by a tablet codenamed the Blackforest, which BlackBerryOS claims is rumored to be a 10-inch BlackBerry tablet. A product codenamed Naples brings up the rear of RIM’s plan going into the fourth quarter fo 2013.

    BlackBerryOS reports that the London and Nevada smartphones will launch in Europe 3 to 4 weeks before North America (which, due to the messy wireless infrastructure of the U.S., is becoming standard for smartphones other than the iPhone). They claim that Europe has been more receptive to BlackBerry, and that an early European launch will give RIM time to build hype for worldwide sales.

    All of these product launches are, of course, predicated on the assumption that RIM will still be around in the first quarter of 2013. In fact, with all of the layoffs at the company, it is hard to believe there is anyone left to finish development on the BlackBerry 10. RIM announced even more job cuts during the presentation of its first-quarter financial results. That financial report also revealed a net loss of $518 million over the quarter, and a 33% drop in revenue.

    Take all of the delays, layoffs, and dismal financial reports together, and it is not at all clear that RIM in its current state will survive the year. Even if it does survive, it will be hard pressed to get back into the smartphone market, where it has been hemorrhaging market share for years. Though this leaked roadmap shows that RIM still has confidence in its products, that confidence might be misplaced, where pragmatism should be preparing the company for an acquisition.

    (Picture courtesy BlackBerryOS.com)

  • RIM CEO Denies That His Company Is In A Death Spiral

    To say that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has been having a tough time lately would be to campaign for the Understatement of the Year Award. The fact is that by pretty much any standard you care to use, RIM is in deep trouble. Their market share is dropping steadily toward zero. During their quarterly earnings call last week they announced $518 million in losses, yet another delay for their supposedly life-saving BlackBerry 10 platform, and a plan to cut 5,000 of the company’s 16,500 jobs. This is not a company that’s in anything remotely resembling good shape.

    Yet CEO Thorsten Heins, who replaced former co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis in January, insists that the company will navigate its troubled waters and come out successful on the other side. In fact, he told a local Toronto radio show, CBC’s Metro Morning, that “There’s nothing wrong with the company as it exists right now.” Now, before you think that Heins has taken leave of his senses, he went on to elaborate: “I’m not talking about the company as I, kind of, took it over six months ago. I’m talking about the company [in the] state it’s in right now.” In other words, while RIM might’ve been a mess when Heins came on the job in January, it’s in better shape now.

    That’s probably true enough. No doubt there were some significant internal issues in place at RIM that needed to be addressed, and Heins seems like the kind of person who could address those issues effectively. He went on to deny, though, that RIM is “in a death spiral.” That’s a much tougher sell. While Heins may have done a lot in the last six months to fix what was wrong with RIM, it isn’t at all clear that it will be enough. Sometimes patching the holes in the hull of a boat means the boat stays afloat. Sometimes, though, it’s already taken on too much water, and all you’re doing is delaying the inevitable. Heins clearly understands that RIM is in trouble – “challenged” is the word he uses. But he sees RIM as a company “in the middle of a transition,” and he remains “positive we will emerge successfully from that transition.”

    He may well be right about that. Provided that RIM can stay afloat until the BlackBerry 10 launch, and provided BlackBerry 10 performs well (very, very well), then RIM may yet navigate its troubled waters successfully. At this point, though, the odds of that look pretty long.

  • BlackBerry 10 Won’t Have a Physical Keyboard

    While RIM’s newest version of the BlackBerry won’t be ready until sometime later this year, they have confirmed that BlackBerry 10 won’t actually have a physical keyboard.

    While versions of the BlackBerry 10 operating systems will be available on devices with a physical keyboard at a later date, RIM spokesperson Rebecca Freiburger verified it is not part of the design right now.

    Actual details about the device itself are in short supply, there are many articles floating around by people who got a chance to sample the BlackBerry 10 software, and there is a consensus that it’s pretty nice.

    Take a look:

    There is a rumor floating around that RIM may release the first BlackBerry 10 devices sometime in October, but it has not been confirmed. It certainly seems like sooner would be better than later, at least for RIM.

    Just yesterday, we reported that RIM is downsizing departments by the dozen. The company is hoping to lean out their operations and reorganize in order to continue to compete in the consumer market.

    In April, after some substantial loses reported in their quarterly earnings, they experienced even more bad news as several top executives abandoned their positions at the company.

    Hopefully BlackBerry 10 will make it to the market before the company experiences any more major set back. Even then, it’s hard to say if RIM’s latest offering will be enough for them to stay competitive against the Androids and iOS’s of the world. We’ll keep you posted on any further BlackBerry 10 updates.

  • RIM’s $10 Stock: Lowest Price in Nearly a Decade

    With the release of the new BlackBerry 10 looming in the distance, Research in Motion (RIM) is struggling to keep its head above water. Shares of the company are presently trading at about $9.70, which is almost the lowest price in a decade. RIM’s market cap is at $5.09 billion or about fifteen times less than it was valued at in 2007.

    This news comes just as RIM’s CEO,Thorsten Heins released a letter letting his shareholders know they would be reporting a loss on their first quarter earnings report. Stiff competition and poor sales have resulted in the company sustaining losses in many areas, and the impact will reach far beyond just this quarter.

    RIM president and CEO, Thorsten Heins comments on the challenges which lie ahead for the company:

    “RIM is going through a significant transformation as we move towards the BlackBerry 10 launch, and our financial performance will continue to be challenging for the next few quarters. The on-going competitive environment is impacting our business in the form of lower volumes and highly competitive pricing dynamics in the marketplace, and we expect our Q1 results to reflect this, and likely result in an operating loss for the quarter.”

    “We are continuing to be aggressive as we compete for our customers’ business – both enterprise and consumer – around the world, and our teams are working hard to provide cost-competitive, feature-rich solutions to our global customer base. On the positive side, we expect to further increase our cash position in Q1 from the approximately $2.1 billion we had at the end of fiscal 2012.”

    “Although we are facing challenges, we remain excited about BlackBerry 10 and believe that this platform coupled with the results of the strategic review will create long-term value for our stakeholders. We will provide another more detailed business update when we report our first quarter results in June.”

    Hopefully BlackBerry 10 will be enough to save RIM’s business, but it certainly doesn’t look good as things stand right now. Industry analyst, Brian Blair of Wedge Partners commented on RIM recently and believes the Government and enterprise movement away from the BlackBerry platform to competitors like iOS and Android will prove to significant for RIM to overcome.

    Brian Blair, analyst for Wedge Partners, comments on the impending decline of RIM’s business:

    “Our view is that the next four quarters show a steep decline in quarterly units and a gradual decline in overall subscribers, which at around 73 million, is the last of the growing, positive metrics for RIM,”

    “We continue to see a mass exodus away from the BlackBerry platform in the consumer segment, in the enterprise, and in government, and there is nothing that will stave off this decline in 2012.”

  • RIM Appoints New Operating and Marketing Leadership

    RIM Appoints New Operating and Marketing Leadership

    Research In Motion (RIM) announced today that it has hired a new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Kristian Tear will take over former COO Jim Roan’s position and Frank Boulben has been named the new CMO. This news comes just a month after a poor earnings report was announced and executives began fleeing the company.

    “Kristian and Frank bring extensive knowledge of the rapidly changing wireless global market and will help RIM as we sharpen our focus on delivering long-term value to our stakeholders,” said RIM President and Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins. “Most importantly, both Kristian and Frank possess a keen understanding of the emerging trends in mobile communications and computing.”

    Tear, pictured above, is leaving his position as executive vice president for Sony Mobile Communications to accept the new COO role at RIM. He will oversee operational functions for RIM handhelds and services, including research and development, products, global sales, manufacturing, and supply chain.

    “RIM is an important player in the mobile industry and I am excited to be a part of its future,” said Tear. “I look forward to working with the talented RIM employees and harnessing their ingenuity and creativity for the benefit of more than 77 million BlackBerry users around the world. I also look forward to helping RIM attract a brand new generation of BlackBerry users.”

    Boulben is a former executive vice president of strategy, marketing and sales for LightSquared. Boulben will oversee marketing efforts worldwide. RIM’s marketing efforts could certainly use a clear vision, judging from the recent “Wake Up” debacle in Australia.

    “RIM is a pioneer in the mobile world and the BlackBerry brand is a global icon,” said Boulben. “We all know how fast the mobile arena evolves and with the BlackBerry 10 platform, I believe RIM will once again change the way individuals and enterprises engage with each other and the world around them. I could not resist the opportunity to be part of that transformation.”

    Boulben sounds confident, but it is clear that RIM is in need of a shake-up if it hopes to stop hemorrhaging users and compete with Apple and Samsung in the smartphone market. RIM has been on a downward spiral for a while, and its upcoming Blackberry 10 smartphone, though met with positive reviews, hasn’t turned around industry expectations for the company.

    What do you think? Will these new appointments save RIM from performing large cutbacks and settling into a new defensive position as a software licenser and patent troll? Leave a comment below and let us know.

  • BlackBerry 10 Camera Lets Users Turn Back Time

    Instead of being excited for the most advanced BlackBerry phone ever revealed, the tech press greeted the BlackBerry 10 with a collective “meh,” and proceeded to speculate as to whether the phone was enough to save the company from death or becoming a full-time patent troll. But among the many announcements in the BlackBerry World 2012 keynote presentation was the demonstration of a remarkable camera feature RIM has been developing for its latest smartphone.

    The feature, demonstrated in the video below, allows users to detect where faces in photos are. Users can then select each face and skip back or forward in time, frame-by-frame, to get the perfect expression for the picture. Each face can be individually adjusted. That this type of “magic moment” software, as RIM has referred to it, hasn’t been seen before is interesting, as the cameras on phones have been able to record video for years now.

    I can’t help but think of it as cheating, though. Photographs are meant to capture a moment in time, and this warps that concept. I know that software such as Adobe’s Photoshop has been able to do similar things for some time, but being able to easily combine several seconds worth of time into one “best” image, and do it without video editing software, is a big change for the average smartphone user. I suppose this is the future of picture taking, though I think we may need a new name for it other than photography. Any suggestions? Leave a comment below and let me know.

  • First BlackBerry 10 Phone Coming In October?

    The first of Research In Motion’s long-awaited BlackBerry 10 smartphones may be coming in October, according to a recent report. The latest update to the BlackBerry platform was originally slated to launch late last year, but has seen repeated delays.

    Citing inside sources, N4BB.com is reporting that RIM will announce the first BlackBerry 10 device in the middle of August, and that it will release sometime in the first half of October. Interestingly, the first device in the BlackBerry 10 lineup is said to forego a physical QWERTY keyboard in favor of a touchscreen-only interface. Those wanting a more traditional QWERTY BlackBerry will reportedly have to wait until the first quarter of 2013. Even then, though, the keyboard is likely to be of the slide-out variety, rather than the more familiar half-keyboard, half-screen BlackBerry we’re used to.

    The report also says that RIM will be making a major marketing push for the BlackBerry 10 platform. That should come as no surprise. RIM has struggled significantly in the last few years, partly due to delays in the BlackBerry 10 OS, and partly due to inability to keep up with Apple’s iPhone and the Android platform. BlackBerry has suffered severe losses to both platforms – especially iOS.The BlackBerry 10 OS – which will also be coming to the PlayBook tablet – could be RIM’s lifeline if it turns out to be successful.

    What do you think? Should RIM lead off with a touchscreen-only BlackBerry? Do you think BlackBerry 10 will be enough to save RIM? Let us know in the comments.

  • RIM Losing More Execs Following Poor Earnings Report

    Late last month Research In Motion, makers of BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, announced the departure of several of their top executives following a dismal earnings report. Former co-CEO Jim Balsillie left his position on RIM’s board, while CTO David Yach retired and COO Jim Roan “has decided to pursue other interests.”

    Now it seems that Balsillie, Yach, and Rowan were not the only heads to roll in RIM’s shakeup. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that several other top executives have departed as well. Citing “people close to the firm,” the Journal says that Vice President for BlackBerry Messenger Alistair Mitchell and Senior Vice President for the BlackBerry platform Alan Brenner were leaving the company as well.

    The news in RIM’s earning report for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011 was, to put it mildly, pretty bad. RIM’s revenue for the year was down 7%, while its revenue for the fourth quarter was down 19% from the previous quarter, and 25% from the fourth quarter of last year. What’s more, they shipped 11.1 million BlackBerry phones in the fourth quarter, down 21% from the third quarter.

    In addition to the departure of the executives, RIM announced some other changes they would be making. Most notably, they stated their intention to refocus their business strategy on the enterprise market and those sections of the consumer market most closely associated with it. While this was believed by many to signal RIM’s exit from the consumer market, they later released a statement saying they were not doing so.

    It’s hard to deny at this point that RIM is in pretty dire straights. Their last two major products – BlackBerry 7 and the BlackBerry PlayBook – performed well below expectations. To say that the company’s hopes rest entirely on the upcoming BlackBerry 10, set to release later this year, may be an overstatement, but not much of one.

    What do you think? Are the shakeups at RIM too little, too late, or can they turn things around? Let us know in the comments.

  • RIM Giving Developers Next BlackBerry In May

    Poor RIM, they have been nothing but down lately. The company is hoping to make a turnaround in a big way with their new handset release. Developers will find out before anybody else if their new product could truly turn the company’s fortunes around.

    Bloomberg is reporting that developers will be receiving RIM BlackBerry prototypes in May. About 2,000 of the devices will end up in the hands of developers at the BlackBerry Jam conference in Orlando, Florida. Alec Saunders, RIM’s vice-president of developer relations, said it’s a “huge step on our path to eventually launching BB10.”

    This is coming on the news that Apple is finally selling more iPhones than BlackBerry devices in Canada. While that was definitely a major blow for the company, they have been on the downward spiral for a few years now.

    In January, RIM hired a new CEO after the two former CEOs stepped down after an embarrassing global outage of BlackBerry phones that affected millions of users. To make matters worse, RIM is now facing a class action lawsuit for those same outages.

    As perhaps a way to make up for all of this, RIM offered free apps, announced new products and even created a super hero team to combat the negative press. It doesn’t really seem that none of it is working. A recent study of mobile development trends has BlackBerry developer interest even below that of Windows Phone.

    From all this negativity, it’s obvious that RIM needs a hit to get back in the game and they’re hoping that BlackBerry 10 is that hit. We got our first look at the device at the beginning of February. The BB10 from the image looks like your average touch-interface smartphone. If they’re hoping to get back into the game, they had better bring something better than just improved hardware. They need the OS and software in the form of apps to prove they can still compete in a world that already has iOS, Android and Windows 7 (soon to be Windows 8 phone) all vying for market supremacy.

    Regardless, I’m a “glass half-full” kind of guy and I still have a soft spot in my heart for my old BlackBerry phone. It had one of the best QWERTY keyboards of any mobile device on the market. Even if the new BlackBerry is a bust, they can always sell, right?

  • First BlackBerry 10 Image Hits The Web

    First BlackBerry 10 Image Hits The Web

    BlackBerry fans everywhere have been eagerly anticipating the new BlackBerry 10 smartphone since RIM announced the BlackBerry 10 operating system back in October. Now it looks like a photo of the phone may have been leaked.

    The above image was obtained by CrackBerry, and purports to be a photo of the BlackBerry London, the first “Superphone” to run the BlackBerry 10 operating system. The image doesn’t give many details about the phone. The information offered on the slide is extremely generic, and in fact tells us almost nothing about the device itself.

    Assuming this is genuine, though, the BlackBerry London looks like a fairly solid entry in the smartphone market. As we reported yesterday it, along with PlayBooks running OS 2.0, will have access to Android apps that have been ported using RunTime, which has the potential to vastly expand the BlackBerry App World catalog.

    There’s no word yet on when this phone might hit the market – again, assuming the photo isn’t a fake. RIM has said that the BlackBerry 10 would release sometime this year. Stay tuned for more news as it becomes available.

  • BlackBerry RunTime Brings Android Apps To PlayBook OS 2.0

    Research In Motion, the embattled makers of BlackBerry, made news at CES earlier this month when the announced new operating systems for their BlackBerry phones and PlayBook tablet. One new feature that hasn’t gotten much attention is RunTime. RunTime allows Android developers to repackage their apps so that they will run on the upcoming PlayBook OS 2.0 and the forthcoming BlackBerry 10.

    A post on the BlackBerry developer’s blog today lists several requirements for developers who want to bring their apps to BlackBerry devices. Among other things, they must remove all references to Android from both the application and its description, as well as any links to the Android Market. Though apps may be submitted at any time, the post also requests that as many apps as possible be submitted by February 6th so that they can be in the BlackBerry App World storefront by the time PlayBook 2.0 launches.

    What do you think about Android apps coming to BlackBerry devices? Let us know in the comments.

  • RIM’s New CEO May Be Willing To License BlackBerry OS

    Despite the competition between RIM and Apple, the two have always had one thing in common when it came to their smartphones. Both companies offered their phones as an integrated software/hardware platform. Unlike Google’s Android operating system, which is open source and available to any manufacturer that wants it for free, BlackBerry and iOS software has only ever run on BlackBerry phones and Apple’s iOS devices, respectively.

    That may be about to change for BlackBerry, though. In an interview with the Globe and Mail, newly-minted RIM President and CEO Thorsten Heins spoke of numerous changes coming to the BlackBerry platform. One of those changes was a potential willingness to license the forthcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system to other handset manufacturers. While he insisted that BlackBerry would remain an integrated hardware-software platform, he also said that he would be willing to entertain licensing offers from other manufacturers if the offers made good strategic sense for RIM.

    BlackBerry 10, which is set to release sometime this year, is the next major iteration of the BlackBerry mobile operating system. It employs technology obtained by RIM in their purchase of QNX Software Systems, a company acquired by RIM in 2010. The software was originally named BBX until a lawsuit by BASIS Software forced them to abandon the name in favor of BlackBerry 10.

  • Blackberry’s Newest Phone May Already Be a Bust

    Blackberry has been on the ropes for some time. After almost single-handedly creating the smartphone industry (along with Palm) the company ruled the roost for several years, only to be upstaged dramatically by Apple’s iPhone, then by a spate of phones running Google’s Android operating system. Blackberry has been losing market share steadily ever since.

    Part of the problem has been a consistent failure to produce competitive products. Attempts at a mulit-touch smartphone had less than stellar results, while the PlayBook tablet was effectively a bust. Fans and investors had been holding out hope, however, that the upcoming Blackberry 10 would be the company’s salvation. Last week, however, RIM’s CEO announced that the launch was delayed, and that the phone would not be available until late 2012. RIM cited the need to wait for new dual-core processors for the device to become available.

    Now, however, BGR is reporting that the Blackberry 10 is simply not working. They cite a “most trusted source” who says that RIM was flat-out lying about waiting for the new chipset, and that the Blackberry 10 was simply a lousy device that would not even have been able to compete with earlier versions of the iPhone and Android, much less Apple or Google’s latest and greatest.

    If BGR’s source is correct, this could have serious implications for RIM. A failed attempt at a new smartphone at a time when Apple and Android are already ascendant could push Blackberry out of the smartphone/tablet market for good. There have been some indications that RIM might be aware of this fact, and may be beginning to position itself for a transition into primarily software-based solutions company. The company announced last month that it was developing Blackberry Mobile Fusion, a software platform that would integrate RIM’s vaunted security features with iOS and Android devices.