Today during the BlackBerry Jam Keynote, Songza announced that due to overwhelming support and demand from BB10 users they will develop a native version of their popular streaming app. They app will be a BBM connected application and allow use of NFC.

That brings us to the following question. Is the Android strategy for BlackBerry Working? It certainly seems so. First Songza, next maybe Skype or Kindle. Personally from speaking to developers and users, I can clearly see the approach is working and I am intrigued to see how this plays out. Also a lot of respect to Songza for building native for BB10

So let us know in the comments what you think?  Is the Android approach paying off  or you wish it was gone from your BB10 device?

The post Songza Developing Native App For BlackBerry 10, Is The Android Approach Working? is from N4BB.COM

A lot of family and friends of mine are vivid BlackBerry users. Some are in countries where phone subsidies don’t exist. Purchasing a phone can be very expensive so people are always looking for that perfect deal. BlackBerry 10 will soon bring two more devices that are scheduled to be introduced for those markets. These devices are also great for the markets like the U.S. because you can get the device for a much lesser price or even free on a two year contract, making them an easier sale.

We have seen already seen the rumored R- Series Qwerty device and we have been told of a mid range full touch screen device coming soon after. We have asked plenty of times about the Qwerty vs All touch debate but I was wondering if that matters in this mid range or low end segment. I love the idea of BlackBerry attacking both segments but wanted to know what you guys think.

If you are looking forward to the R- Series or the Mid Range full touch which one would you choose and why ? Lets start a debate in the comments!

The post Mid-Range Devices Are Coming With BlackBerry 10, Which One Are You Interested In? is from N4BB.COM

The BlackBerry Z10 is the first all-touch smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10. It’s the re-designed, re-engineered, and re-invented BlackBerry platform that creates a new and unique mobile computing experience. BlackBerry 10 offers a faster and smarter experience that continuously adapts to you and your life on the go.

If you haven’t yet taken the dive to experience how unique BlackBerry 10 is, here is a list of ten reasons you should buy the BlackBerry Z10, so you can keep moving and making the most out of every day.

1.) Manage your conversations in one central hub

The BlackBerry Hub is designed for today’s hyper-connected multi-taskers, allowing them to conveniently keep track of all their conversations, whether in their personal or work emails, BBM, Facebook or Twitter accounts. Easily “peek” into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere in your phone, so you’re just one swipe away from everything that matters to you. You have the choice to filter messages as well, should you wish to focus and zero in on one task or one conversation at any given time.

2.)  Type fast and accurately

BlackBerry is known for making the best physical QWERTY keyboards, and with the BlackBerry Z10, it is bringing this expertise into touch screen smartphones. The BlackBerry Z10 keyboard is not only elegant and efficient; it is also intelligent and adaptive. As you spend time with it, it learns the words that you often use and how you use them. It understands the way you think and type, even if you are someone who switches back and forth between languages and dialects.

3.) Take great photos & create instant HD music videos

The BlackBerry Z10’s camera brings new features to help you take even greater photos. With Time Shift, you can easily capture perfect group shots, where everyone looks their best. Even if some of your friends blinked at some point, you can zero in on their faces and backtrack until you are able to compose the exact perfect moment. After you save it, you can then use Picture Editor to add filters and effects, to make it even more special. And if you have a series of photos you’d like to share, the Story Maker feature lets you create an HD movie from them, complete with effects and the soundtrack of your choice.

4.) Bond with your loved ones overseas using BBM Video with Screenshare

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) has been well-loved for connecting families, especially those who are separated by distance and timezones. BBM on the BlackBerry Z10 is brought to a whole new level, as it allows two BlackBerry 10 users to video chat. A unique feature allows them to share screens with each other during the video chat, allowing them to look at, comment on, and laugh over photos of friends and loved ones together.

5.) Do true multi-tasking

You know your phone is really multi-tasking when an app is able to continue running, even after you shift to another task or app. Open up Youtube, let your selected video run while you peek into your updated Twitter feed, proceed to the BlackBerry Browser to do a quick internet search, then go back to Youtube to continue enjoying your video. Each of these tasks gets its own Active Frame that doesn’t pause even after you send it to the background, unless you want it, thus making efficient use of your time.

6.)  Browse more websites on the go

The new BlackBerry 10 browser, which sets the industry benchmark for HTML5 support on smartphones, is incredibly fast. Scrolling or zooming is fluid and responsive. The browser supports multiple tabs if you like opening multiple web pages at the same time, and includes a reader mode, which lets you do away with unnecessary images and ads and just focus on the text. Should you read something you’d love to share, you can easily send the links to your BBM contacts and social networking accounts.


7.)  Be truly mobile

If you find yourself on a long trip with no time to sit down, you can worry less about your BlackBerry Z10 running out of memory or battery, as you can easily just carry an extra memory card or battery. Expand your smartphone’s internal storage with a memory card, and store more photos, videos, files and music, among others. The battery is replaceable as well, liberating you from having to constantly look for charging stations, and you can focus on more important tasks – such as having fun!

8.)  Easily connect your BlackBerry Z10 to your TV

Back from your vacation and raring to impress your family with the photos and videos of your adventures? Hook up your BlackBerry Z10 to your LCD TV with a micro HDMI cable. No need for extra adapters or a complicated set-up.

9.)  Enjoy more apps coming into the BlackBerry platform

The BlackBerry World catalog just keeps growing, recently passing the 100,000 apps benchmark. Top brands and application providers are joining BlackBerry every day. Developers who have jumped onboard have found the BlackBerry 10 tools are easy to build with and that it provides opportunities for app differentiation that they do not see on other platforms.

10.) Hold on to inspiration

BlackBerry Remember is a dream app that lets keep on top of all your files, tasks and notes, whether you’re planning a big work-related project or a family get-away. With BlackBerry Remember, you can flag content as soon as inspiration hits. For instance, if you’re browsing through your photo album and find a photo you’d like to flag, all you have to do is tap ‘Share,’ select ‘Remember’ and add a description. You can also snap photos, take videos, record voice notes and attach documents directly within the BlackBerry Remember application. Need to flag something but don’t have time to type notes? Add a voice note instead! BlackBerry Remember is a nifty tool for keeping you organized while you keep moving.

The post Ten Reasons to Buy a BlackBerry Z10 is from N4BB.COM

With the BlackBerry Z10 and Q10 being pretty much available to everyone and their hyper-connected dog, its natural to wonder what’s next.  Well, it is rumored that BlackBerry will be coming out with a new tablet later this year, along with a new flagship smartphone dubbed the “Aristo”.  Despite the latest news which may lead you to think that BlackBerry is done with tablets, I believe otherwise. While it’s easy to dismiss Thorsten Heins by thinking of the future as an extension of the present, he is thinking about the future in a fundamentally different paradigm of mobile computing. This may or may not include tablets in a significant way.  Just because buggy whips were a good business model at one time, doesn’t mean it will always be.

Anyway, when talking about this mythical new tablet, this begs the question, “How will it be better than the original PlayBook?”.

With the BlackBerry software tackling its own new set of goals, BlackBerry’s hardware team must surely be working equally as hard. We’ve compiled a list of not what we expect to see in the new BlackBerry tablet (PlayBook 2?), but what we’d reasonably like to see.

1) Wi-Fi AC: Years in the making, this new wireless standard aims to improve upon the currently prevalent Wi-Fi N in almost every single way.  This new standard aims to push more data transfer to the 5GHz band, adding more bandwidth, more streams, which translates into a more awesome Wi-Fi experience.  This hardware will make wireless display streaming, like the kind you see here, much more possible using technologies like Miracast.  BlackBerry has the chance to show they are on the bleeding edge by being the first to make tablet with a Wi-Fi ac chipset.

2) NFC: While the 4G LTE PlayBook comes with an NFC antenna, you can’t use it.  However, this is even better than nothing.  With BlackBerry Tap using NFC, we’ve seen easy device-to-device transfers can be initiated by bumping them together.  Tablets are no exception.  I’d like to see NFC on the next BlackBerry tablet for sure.  This will allow the functionality of many NFC-enhanced apps, BlackBerry Tap, and countless software possibilities.

3) Autofocus Cameras:  Despite seeming like a no-brainer, the previous PlayBooks shipped with only fixed-focus cameras.  While I am fully aware of the ridiculousness of taking a picture with a smartphone, people still take pictures with tablets.  Also, no matter which way you look at it, a badly focused picture is always a crappy picture.  If the tablet is to truly be as useful as it can be, I’d like see autofocus capability on both cameras (at the very least on the rear camera though).  While the effect of slightly blurry video chatting is not an issue with the currently poor state of video chatting image quality, the day may soon approach when 30fps 720p video chatting becomes commonplace.  Plus, taking self-shots doesn’t have to mean garbage fisher price images.

4) 1440×2560 Screen Resolution:  About half a year ago, BlackBerry decided to help out its developers and stick to a certain screen resolution of 720p.  For a tablet, however, this resolution would not be competitive with other tablets out there.  It would then make sense to simply double the horizontal and vertical pixels of the screen, allowing apps to scale perfectly.  For either a 10″ or 7″ tablet, this resolution should be adequate to stay in the spec race while not giving developers a hard time.

5) Wireless Charging: It’s been around for ages and it’s time for BlackBerry to make the leap.  While potentially a gimmick, wireless charging has its conveniences.  This can be especially true for BlackBerry’s typical users who are largely on the go and would rather not have to worry about wires Incorporating this technology into the next tablet would also reaffirm BlackBerry’s commitment to providing fully featured products.

I believe that software is really going to play the key role in the success of future BlackBerry devices, but that isn’t saying that the original PlayBook hardware is good enough for a current tablet.  With adequate memory, a decent chipset, and some items from this list, the first BlackBerry 10 tablet has a fighting chance to be the tablet to beat this year.

The post N4BB Hardware Wish List: PlayBook 2 is from N4BB.COM

If you’ve got a BlackBerry 10 device or a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, you may be aware of one of the best features of the platform, the ability to sideload Android apps on to your device. I’ve read many articles from nearly all the top BlackBerry blog sites about how easy and great it is. It seems like an easy enough process, yet I still have never done it. I probably never will. Here’s why.

Technological Infidelity

I think it’s awesome that you can sideload apps. In fact, it’s one of the things that makes BlackBerry 10 so awesome.  For some reason, however, it’s always seemed like cheating on my BlackBerry. I was talking to Lucas about this and compared it to being in a relationship with a person who doesn’t mind if it’s a little bit more open ended than what we’re all used to.

Imagine if your significant other was perfectly fine with you being with other people. That would be pretty awesome right? You would experience whole new levels of fun and excitement, as well as learn so much more. It would be a great time. However, if it were me, I would still think somewhere in the back of my mind that I’m being unfaithful to my true love. The girl I’m in a relationship currently has everything I need, and while all the extra stuff would be great, I don’t really need it.

It’s the same with BlackBerry. I know they are okay with us sideloading apps, and many other users are also OK with it as well. I’m simply not. BlackBerry 10 has what I need available as part of the OS or as a native or ported app. Why go elsewhere for a little bit of fun on the side? Fun that I could very much do without? Speaking of ported apps…

Mobile Piracy

Apps are made by people. Some of these apps are free, others cost money to download, and still others allow you to make purchases within the app itself. I used to be against paying for apps, but after meeting some developers and realizing that this is how they make their living, I’ve changed my mind.

Now I feel if I were to side load an app, whether it be one made by a young college student in his dorm room or a big corporation such as Netflix, that I’m participating in some form of piracy. Once again the argument could be made that BlackBerry has made this feature available, so there is technically no harm in it, however I can’t get past the feeling that I’m in violation some how.

What prevents these app developers from going through the easy as pie process of porting their apps to BlackBerry 10? We’ve all seen it done before, sometimes in practically no time at all. And even if they decide not to port, do we really need that one little application so much that we’re willing to meet in a digital dark alley and procure it through a mysterious being with an abundance .bar files in his trench coat?

What are your thoughts on side loading apps to BlackBerry 10 or the BlackBerry PlayBook? Drop me a comment below and let’s start a dialogue!

The post Are You Cheating on Your BlackBerry with “Pirated” Apps? is from N4BB.COM

Last week I was one of the lucky few who received a BlackBerry Q10 review unit. My personal preference for a full keyboard had me waiting for this device since the company announced that they have acquired QNX. I have been using a BlackBerry Z10 for the past few months and I came to the belief that BB10 is made for a full touchscreen device. Then this past Thursday I un-boxed the first Qwerty BB10. It was love at first sight. Before I continue let me make it clear this is NOT a review of this device but more of my experience with it as my primary phone this past week. Our full review will be available end of this week and its one you definitely do not want to miss.

As I was setting up the Q10 i couldn’t help but wonder how will the OS behave in a much smaller screen. The “smartphone” has evolved from full keyboards to 5 inch screens and phablets. Surprisingly that has not been a major issue with me. BlackBerry did a very good job trying to make the real estate work with out compromising the experience. Let’s be honest, if you are coming from a Z10, you WILL miss that beautiful 4.2 inch display.

BlackBerry is known for their device quality and the Q10 doesn’t disappoint. I read somewhere that the device doesn’t feel like a high end model. I just want to emphasize that the device uses premium materials including the glass weave which is an exclusive material to BlackBerry. If we consider the plastic casing on the S3 a premium high end material then the Q10 is out of this planet. The keyboard is beautiful and works amazing. Typing on a Q10 resembles a lot typing on the Bold 9900. The keys are a perfect size which makes typing a paragraph a breeze. I do miss the track-pad but not because of need but more of a habit. The screen is extremely good and very precise which makes navigating through the device a very pleasant experience.

The OLED screen is beautiful but no where near the experience on the Z10. Colors look very good but not as bright or crisp when comparing the two side by side. I wanted to make this statement to be fair and honest but I have not noticed anything on this screen that would make me say its not a top notch display. We all forget that the Z10 has one of the more impressive displays available on any smartphone and we have been spoiled by it. Another favorite of mine is the dark theme. We all know that the reason behind it is the consumption of battery but hey its actually pretty cool. I absolutely love the dark BBM and when you combine it with the animated gif’s its just looks awesome.

The device I received had Skype pre-loaded. Make sure you check out our video on the app here. Playing around with the app I realized that its running a lot smoother than most of the android port apps on the Z10. Intrigued by it I side-loaded a bunch of Android apps to compare the performance. My results were crystal clear. The Android run time has been worked on and it performs admirably! Using Skype has been a pleasure and the app works and works extremely well. I never realized how much fun it  would be having this app on my device and I applaud BlackBerry for working with Skype to bring us a solution.

My biggest issue with this device is the lack of apps. I don’t mean apps that are available on iOS or Android but lack of apps that are available on the Z10! To be fair this device hasn’t officially released yet and I am sure all the partners are in the process of making sure their apps are perfected for the Q10. But still no WhatsApp, no Kindle , no Espn ScoreCenter and worst of all no BlackBerry Travel. This device is a businessman’s dream and not having the BEST travel application available is an issue. Again I strongly believe that BlackBerry will make it available for Q10.

The Q10 battery life is AWESOME. Nothing much to explain or say here. This device lasted me 8 hours on frantic use. I’m talking beyond high usage. The Z10 would die after 3 and half hours of what I call “frantic” usage. On a normal day the device easily gets a full day’s worth of battery life. I hope BlackBerry improves the Z10 battery life as well because as of now its night and day.

One thing I really don’t want to get lost with all the new phone talk is the new BlackBerry Premium headset. 

The ear-buds sound beautiful and are designed even better. They fit excellent in your ear , something that I still struggle with when using my Beats By Dre ear-buds. I am a huge fan and can’t see myself using any other earphones as long as these work. I am not sure if they are available for sale yet but I strongly recommend picking up a pair if you can!

Last but not least I love the Active Actions feature on the Q10. I can pick up my phone start typing “Twitter ” then type my tweet and press post all with out having to access the app. It works great, it saves time and for people who are all business this is a feature you MUST have.

So after a week of using the Q10, I have decided that I will make the permanent switch. Superior battery life, a cool, yet functional dark theme, Active Actions and of course the best Qwerty keyboard make the Q10 a force to be reckon with. It is a time saver and the hardware feels right in your hand. BlackBerry got this one right.

Do you have a Q10? Are you using a Dev C? Let me know what you think in the comments

Stay tuned for our in depth review coming soon!

The post BlackBerry Q10 First Impressions and Why I’m Making the Switch is from N4BB.COM

BlackBerry still has a long road ahead. Although, the company been impressing some unlikely tastemakers. Jefferies’ analyst, Peter Misek, was a longstanding bear.

In more recent notes, Misek has been quite bullish on BlackBerry. The tide does seem to be changing as BlackBerry has been able to get back in the black after one quarter of Z10 sales.

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still bears on the company. Vlad Deshkovich on Seeking Alpha has devised his key points for a bull versus bear case:

Bull Case

• BlackBerry is in the black. That reason alone is enough to believe that the company is back. Many in the investment world, including myself, doubted that the company could generate a profit. Yet I was proved wrong when BlackBerry generated a post-tax income of $94 million. Although BlackBerry lost revenue from the previous quarter, efficiency programs instituted by the management have allowed it to generate a profit.
• BlackBerry posted a 40% gross margin. This level of profitability is indicative of good administration and an efficient supply chain.
• BlackBerry made a name for itself selling secure phones to large enterprise customers. An order for 1 million BlackBerry Z10′s by Brightstar Corporation, as well as several smaller orders, is proof that there is still demand for BlackBerry units. If BlackBerry can root itself securely in the enterprise market, it will continue to be profitable.
• BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins stated that 55% of people who bought a Z10 internationally switched over from different operating systems. The fact that this proportion of people are willing to switch over to BlackBerry 10 means that it is being well marketed and welcomed in various markets.
• The BlackBerry app store has grown to include over 100,000 apps. Apps are the lifeblood of the smartphone industry: BlackBerry’s dedication to improving the quality of the app store will pay off.

Bear Case

• BlackBerry lost 3 million subscribers from the previous quarter. Although the Z10 has been selling well in most markets, BlackBerry’s subscriber base continues to shrink. With fewer subscribers there is less revenue; this trend needs to reverse if BlackBerry wants to be succeed.
• BlackBerry 10 launched well in most markets, but dropped the ball in the most important one of all, the United States. BlackBerry had poor sell-through throughout the States, as well as reportedly receiving improper floor space in carrier’s stores. The United States market is one of the largest and most developed smartphone markets in the world. It is in BlackBerry’s interest to have its new products gain traction domestically.
• As BlackBerry learned before, the phone market is incredibly fast-paced and dynamic. Every day companies pour money into R&D departments to bring about sleeker and more powerful devices. As BlackBerry continues to expand into a larger variety of markets, industry titans Google (GOOG) and Apple (AAPL) are nearby. BlackBerry will need to continue to innovate, as well as enter different segments of the market in order to remain profitable.

Do you feel there is any truth to the bear case? Let us know in the comments as to which side you stand.

The post What a Bull and Bear Case for BlackBerry Might Be is from N4BB.COM

BlackBerry 10 is probably the most controversial mobile platform out there today. People love to have an opinion of this company, especially the media.  Heralded by some as the generation of mobile, it is also dismissed by others as the last gasp of a company desperate to stay relevant.

Most tech media articles today tend to err on the side of sensationalism, making it seem as if somehow BlackBerry is being sold for parts while simultaneously making the comeback of the century.  Regardless of these claims, the facts are that BlackBerry is still around after numerous claims of their doom years ago, while still not laughing all the way to the bank.

I’ll give a brief, chronological review of the BlackBerry platform post-Z10 launch to help you make your own realistic opinion of where BlackBerry is headed.  Let’s get started.

Past

With the global (but not so global) launch of BlackBerry 10 in late January, the day had finally arrived where someone could actually buy a BlackBerry 10 smartphone, the BlackBerry Z10.  At least, this is true if you lived in the UK. After years of expecting the QNX-based operating system on future BlackBerry smartphones, the day has finally come. The Z10 wasn’t just another one of BlackBerry’s smartphones though. It clearly marked a tons of firsts for BlackBerry.   The first BlackBerry device to run a non-java based OS. The first ultrahigh resolution screen on a consumer smartphone with over 350ppi. The highest HTML5 score for any release browser, ever. I could go on for hours.  This is clearly the most important BlackBerry  smartphone that the company has ever launched.   I say this because this isn’t a real BlackBerry as they are perceived today.  This is a completely new smartphone platform that just so happens to be by the same company that made previous BlackBerry smartphones. Any resemblance to older BlackBerry smartphones is purely for nostalgia and an attempt for BlackBerry to stick to their roots.

The initial reviews of the smartphone have mostly settled on “favourable, but not good enough” for the Z10.  Some reviewers have loved it, while others have hated it.  The main argument seems to hinge on whether it is good enough to switch from the iPhone, or from one of the newer Android smartphones.  On the issue of switching platforms to BlackBerry, reports have surfaced about many Z10 sales going to those who switched from the iOS and Android platforms.  While this could either mean that those from Android and iOS are leaving their respective platforms in droves, it is probably referring to the lower number of sales for current BlackBerry users.

When talking about security and BlackBerry smartphones, its still the same story.  BlackBerry comes out on top over any smartphone platform yet.  Some tech media have jumped the gun to propose that the security-conscious Pentagon will be switching to iPhones from BlackBerry.  These reports have simply confirmed that the Pentagon will be moving to multiple devices.

Despite not forming lineups to hand over 600$+ for a smartphone, reports of the Z10 sales have been good in the UK and Canada.  After only a couple months, the platform managed to break the 100,000 app count milestone.   In late March, BlackBerry managed to pull a surprise profit, and beat Wall Street’s expectations.  This is at the same time as they announce that 1 million Z10s have been sold already.  This also comes as BlackBerry posted a subscriber loss as well.  I’ll do you a favour and help you interpret the news; it means the Z10 has decent sales.

Present

More recently, BlackBerry 10 was reported to be not secure enough for the British government in its present state, see here too for more misleading and premature reporting.  Many blogs included (irrelevant) mentions to the iPhone in some areas of government, implying that the security of the iOS platform approaches that of BlackBerry without back-end services built into the BlackBerry service.  A update from CESG attempted to clarify that they have not even begun to test the security of the new platform, yet they have confidence in the new platform.

The BlackBerry Z10 also launched in the important US smartphone market.  According, the US market has geared up on some reports of very high returns of BlackBerry Z10s and a survey that indicates that Americans are largely unaware of the launch of BlackBerry 10.  The  allegedly high return rates have been denounced by BlackBerry, with Verizon also supporting BlackBerry’s claim.  BlackBerry has followed up their talk with some action, filing requests for investigation on the the announced data.

Pre-orders have already started for the Q10, BlackBerry’s latest smartphone with a physical keyboard.  BlackBerry has launched a neat in-browser demo of how BlackBerry 10 would be like on your current (and potentially non-BlackBerry Z10) smartphone.  As far as advertising goes, BlackBerry and Microsoft have been spending quite a bit on ads for their respective platforms to take on the industry leaders: Google and Apple.  Efforts by the media to convince people that the new BlackBerry Z10 lets people on your contact list know you’re watching porn, despite it just being a media sharing feature that’s been in place for years.

Future

So is it time to sell the company or is BlackBerry the next Apple?  Without my trusty crystal ball, I’m unfortunately unable to give you a spoiler.  I will, however, say that you most likely won’t see either scenario in the next few years. I know, boring, isn’t it?  What you can take home from the past few months is that the BlackBerry Z10 isn’t bad, many people want a few apps they’re used to that aren’t there, sales are decent, and contrary to popular belief, BlackBerry isn’t going to be sold by tomorrow night.

It has been all too common for tech media to regurgitate negative reports and to correct to themselves the day after on the subject of BlackBerry.  Unfortunately, the truth about the company’s success has become mutually exclusive from anything interesting.  Therefore, I find it best to ignore any wildly positive or negative reports when it comes to BlackBerry.  For the time being, the future of BlackBerry will be “steady as she goes” relative to the fast pace of the smartphone industry.  The arrival of the next full touchscreen offerings this fall from Blackberry, Apple, Microsoft and Google should mark an inflection point in market share for all companies involved, and when the competition will truly heat up.

The post BlackBerry 10: Past, Present and Future is from N4BB.COM

Ever since I got my first BlackBerry over 5 years ago, the feature I’ve loved the most is BBM, and that’s probably the same for most of you. It keeps me connected with my family and friends, it’s fast, reliable and secure but more importantly, it’s free if you have a data plan.

There are lots of applications out there that in theory do what BBM does, but I have yet to find one that’s even close to being as good as BBM. It’s so good, even Apple wanted to have one of it’s own and released iMessage, a service that, like BBM, let’s iPhone users text each other for free.

They might both have the same main objetive but, which one is better? Here are 5 ways in which BBM is better than iMessage:

1. Set Avatars, change status, etc.

This might not be the most important feature on BBM, but it’s defintiely something that users love having and iMessage users probably want. On BBM, you set your avatar with any image or animated GIF you want. You can also change your status to one of the predefined or personilize it, and you can set a custom personal message that all your contacts will see. So if let’s say, you want to announce something to all your contacts, but don’t wish to flood them with messages, just change your status and they’ll all be able to see it.

2. BBM Groups

Before you say “wait, iMessage can do that!” let me say, there’s a difference between a group chat and a BBM group. With BBM Groups the idea of group chats changes completely and it’s a lot more reliable and organized.

BBM Groups allow you to chat with a group of contacts on BBM. The group is always there and contacts can share calendar appointments, photos, lists and more with the entire group. You can also setup several groups, say for your family, co-workers, etc.

If you don’t like the idea of a BBM group (I honestly don’t know who wouldn’t!), you also get the possibility of just creating a group chat. You could also setup group chats, this is not the same a BBM Groups. Group chats are less feature packed compared to BBM groups, and work better when you just need to share something with a group of people, but don’t need to keep a BBM group active after you’re done.

3. BBM Video Calls and Screen Share

And here’s where BBM get’s the crown. The new BBM has included two awesome features, BBM Video Calls and Screen Share. While iOS can do Facetime, it’s not exactly part of iMessage. And you definitely can’t screen share.

BBM let’s you video call your contacts from within the app, directly from their chat screen. During a video call, thanks to the new Screen Share feature, you can show photos or your browser, or review a business document. You can even share the view from your camera. This can come quite in handy in almost any situation, business or personal.

4. BBID Synchronization

This feature was also added not too long ago, making BBM even better than it was. For all BBM users, you probably remember how much of a hastle it used to be to backup and restore your contacts and groups. This has been solved with BBID.

You can now sync your BBM contacts and groups with your BlackBerry ID, so when you switch your device all you have to do is long in to your account and all your contacts will be automatically synced. Pretty awesome, right? No need to worry about backing up, it’s done for you.

And yes, I know iOS backs up your information, but it’s not as smooth as BBID and if you don’t keep track or set it up, you could lose your contacts. With BBID it’s all taken care of.

5. Customize chat colors and more

Once again, this might not be the most important feature ever to have on a chat application, but we appreciate it, so thank you BlackBerry. You can set chat bubble colors for each contact, making it easier for you to not mess up and send the wrong message to the wrong person (we’ve all been there, and it sucks).

It’ll also integrate SMS and BBM so you no longer accidentally text a contact you already have on BBM, which is free. The only way iMessage helps with this is by setting the iMessage bubble blue, while the SMS bubble is green. That has got to take some developer skill to get that done….not.

There are lots of other things I could mention, but let’s leave it at that. What do you guys think and what would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!

iMessage backdrop on featured image via iMore

The post 5 Ways BBM is Better Than iMessage is from N4BB.COM

The BlackBerry Z10 just went on sale at Verizon Wireless on March 28th. The Z10′s are shipping with OS 10.0.9.422, which is significantly behind many other carriers.

This is greatly hindering its new BlackBerry Z10 customers. OS 10.0.10 has made significant battery life improvements and many apps only support that version.

Verizon Wireless customers who just purchased the Z10 will be victims of the poorer battery life, no access to WhatsApp and more. Verizon, what were you thinking?! You need to get on the ball and have pushed out OS 10.0.10… yesterday.

The post Hey Verizon Wireless, Why Haven’t You Updated the BlackBerry Z10′s OS? is from N4BB.COM

BlackBerry is set to to announce their Q4 FY2013 earnings on March 28th. Within the last few months the company’s stock has more than doubled on growing optimism for BlackBerry 10.

The initial demand for BlackBerry 10 has been a “surprise” to CEO Thorsten Heins. Surprisingly, the first BlackBerry 10 device, BlackBerry Z10, had sold out within two days in emerging markets like India.

Though, keep in mind the BlackBerry Z10 had only been available for about a third of the quarter. This will likely result in poorer than expected results.

As Tefris from Seeking Alpha opines, one of the biggest metrics to look at in the Q4 results will be subscriber growth. “This is because despite BlackBerry’s waning popularity in the developed markets, the company has managed to tap the international markets to add subscribers every single quarter in the past year, except the last one. In Q3, BlackBerry lost a million subscribers as demand in emerging markets dropped to the extent that it was unable to compensate for the sustained subscriber erosion in the U.S. and the U.K. It will be unfair to expect the BB10′s launch in a few developed markets to have turned the tide, but the extent of subscriber loss in Q4 will give investors a sense of what is happening in the emerging markets, where cheap Android smartphones are getting more popular and WhatsApp is fast emerging as an alternative to BBM. If the subscriber loss deepens, BlackBerry will need to push out cheaper BB10 models soon, in order to stabilize its business at the low-end, or risk a much larger collapse in market share.”

Additionally, it will be important to keep note of their cash position. BlackBerry has had close to $2 Billion in cash reserves, with an expectation to save over $1 Billion by the end of FY2013.

Although, BlackBerry has likely begun to burn through some of these cash reserves as it markets BlackBerry 10 and builds channel inventory. A continued use of the cash is likely to complete the rollout of the entire BlackBerry 10 device portfolio in 2013.

BlackBerry 10 is now nearly 100% to market. Though, it will still be an uphill battle for the company. However, if BlackBerry can continue to preserve cash reserves despite operating losses and manage to keep the hype and demand BlackBerry 10, we could see much better results by next quarter’s earnings call.

The post BlackBerry’s Subscriber Growth an Important Factor for Q4 FY2013 Earnings is from N4BB.COM

With the BlackBerry Z10′s subtle texturized backing and the hot red of the Limited Edition Developer version of the Z10, one of our readers has asked how a hybrid of the two would look like.  With a simple switch of the battery doors, the phone instantly looks different and less…er…red.  I think it looks amazing.  Is this the best looking BlackBerry you’ve ever seen?

Thanks to our reader bendiep1991 for the inspiration!

The post The Z10-Limited Edition Hybrid: The Best Looking BlackBerry Ever? is from N4BB.COM

Today while I was getting some morning reading done I stumbled across a very peculiar article. Business insider editor Nicholas Carlson wrote an article titled ”The CEO Of BlackBerry Says The iPhone Is Out-Of-Date”. I want my readers to read this exact article word by word.

So here it is

“ In an interview with the Financial Review, BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins says Apple is behind the times.

“The rate of innovation is so high in our industry that if you don’t innovate at that speed you can be replaced pretty quickly. The user interface on the iPhone, with all due respect for what this invention was all about is now five years old.”

Speaking of out of date, here’s a chart from 2009 showing BlackBerry/RIM’s marketshare”

Then, Mr. Carlson proceeds to posts a chart about BlackBerry’s market share drop and ends the article with “Maybe this Apple pile-on is getting a little out-of-hand?”

Here comes my issue with this article. To benefit his point and lets be clear, his actual BlackBerry dislike, Mr. Carlson left out a very important quote from Mr. Heins

Here is the full quote from BlackBerry’s CEO,

“The rate of innovation is so high in our industry that if you don’t innovate at that speed you can be replaced pretty quickly.” “The user interface on the iPhone, with all due respect for what this invention was all about, is now five years old.” and then proceeded to praise the iPhone by saying, “Apple did a fantastic job in bringing touch devices to market, they did a fantastic job with the user interface, they are a design icon. There is a reason why they were so successful, and we actually have to admit this and respect that.”

So Mr. Heins comments were taken out of context. He was speaking in terms of UI where BlackBerry actually challenges the normal user interface  structure of competing platforms. Mr. Heins didn’t take a shot at Apple. He just praised the innovation of his own company while praising the other company as well. Oh and to quote him again “RESPECT” Apple, their innovation and what they did for the industry.

BlackBerry 10 is selling extremely well and I guess this upsets some people.

Let us know your opinion in the comments.

The post Business Insider Exemplifies That The “Hate BlackBerry” Bandwagon Lives On is from N4BB.COM

A few days ago, BlackBerry announced its largest order in company history from an “established partner”. An order for one million BlackBerry 10 devices has been placed.

While quite the accomplishment, let us clarify on it further. The order wasn’t for one specific device. Had the partner placed an order for one million BlackBerry Z10s, you can bet that BlackBerry would have certainly boasted much more. Though, a sale for one million devices is still quite a feat.

The order for one million devices is across the entire BlackBerry 10 device portfolio (however many devices that includes is unknown). Who then was the buyer?

BlackBerry wasn’t keen to announce the partner in their press release. This is pretty much industry standard practice. Whomever was the buyer, likely hadn’t yet given permission or completely did not approve of being in the announcement.

This has led to many speculations into who the buyer might have been. Perhaps the buyer could have been a US carrier. Although, the US market has a lot of uncertainty to the success of such a new mobile platform, especially BlackBerry. There would have to be a lot of instilled faith for a carrier to place such a large order.

Analyst Brian Blair from Wedge Partners says he agrees it may not be a carrier, “We don’t believe any carriers would take that much risk out of the gate without some indications of demand.”

Then perhaps the buyer may have been a global distributor. “It would be easier for a distributor, particularly a global one, to commit to a million units over an extended period and across numerous devices,” says Blair.

It has been suggested that Brightpoint could likely be that “established partner”. It is one of the largest mobile device distributors world-wide and has had a long-standing relationship with BlackBerry.

The purchase for the one million BlackBerry 10 devices will probably not make it to the year-end and Q4 earnings call on March 28th. Since the order was for multiple devices (Z10, Q10, and whatever else BlackBerry may release this year) we likely will see those orders spread across multiple quarters.

Nonetheless, this looks to be just one more achievement to add to the success of BlackBerry 10. Let us know in the comments who you think the buyer may have been.

The post One Million BlackBerry 10 Devices Ordered By…? is from N4BB.COM

I’ve used every major mobile platform available. Each platforms mobile content stores have their strengths and weaknesses. BlackBerry World, as Ronen from BerryReview points out, still lacks essential features like coupon codes and in-store gift cards.

BlackBerry developers were able to offer a workaround before when apps were able to be downloaded OTA. With BlackBerry 10, the apps have to be installed directly from BlackBerry World or side-loaded.

Developers and users are feeling the brunt of the lack of a coupon system. BlackBerry World has these missed opportunities by dragging their feet:

• Developers are unable to offer flash sales through different channels like Twitter
• Developers cannot give away copies of their app to create buzz or easily limit the number they give away
• Websites like BerryReview and ourselves cannot easily run a contest to giveaway applications or offer readers discounts
• Developers cannot offer discounts for beta testers, survey respondents, or long standing customers
• Developers cannot easily give websites review copies of their software

Imagine walking into a retail store and seeing a purchasable BlackBerry World gift card sitting next to an iTunes gift card. It is this tidbit of market oversight that must be quelled.

Hopefully BlackBerry will pick up the pace and make BlackBerry World a viable competing marketplace to roval that of Google and Apple. I can’t imagine it to be that hard of a process to initiate. What say you Team BlackBerry?

The post BlackBerry World Needs Coupons and Gift Cards is from N4BB.COM

The former Co Ceo Jim Balsillie has liquidated all of his stock holdings of his former company. For those  interested you can find the SEC filing here. Mr. Balsillie was a valuable asset to the company formerly known as Research In Motion and  helped the company grow great ties with carriers that now play a pivotal role in the success of BlackBerry 10. Problem was  the former Co Ceo always spoke big but never delivered. Any one remember his infamous “60 days” quote?

From every loyal BlackBerry fan we want to wish the best to Mr. Balsillie but we are looking forward to the company being lead by Mr. Heins with out any influence of the former regime. We know that Mike L. is still with the company but hey , he created RIM! lol.

So how do you feel about Jim Balsillie cutting ties with the company? Does it mean anything about the future of BlackBerry or maybe some one with a lot of pride wanting to part ways?

Sound off in the comments!

The post Jim Balsillie Cuts Ties With BlackBerry is from N4BB.COM

There has been a bit of a media fluster over an incident that occurred with BlackBerry’s new Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys. According to Keys, her Twitter account was hacked.

But having her account hacked wasn’t the biggest news. Twitter followers caught one of her tweets as being sent from an iPhone. This comes after Keys was crowned the Global Creative Director at the BlackBerry 10 launch event in NYC.

Keys came under fire that same day from BlackBerry users when her Twitter account tweeted photos from Instagram (an app BlackBerry users have yet to enjoy).

However, what hasn’t been taken into account are the social media teams celebrities hire to manage their accounts. When a celeb doesn’t have the time or personal willingness to deal with fans they hire a PR team to do it for them.

We’ve heard this may have been the case in this incident. Perhaps, it was a simple mistake by one of the team members managing Alicia Keys account.

But all of this begs the question: should it matter if Alicia Keys openly used an iPhone? Or, should she be all BlackBerry all the time and nothing less? Sound off in the comments Team BlackBerry and let us know your thoughts on the matter.

The post Should it Matter if Alicia Keys Openly Used an iPhone? is from N4BB.COM

I’m going to let you in on a little dirty secret. Yes, I have a confession to make. I haven’t entirely been a sole BlackBerry user. No, I have also been using an iPhone 4, 4S, 5, Samsung Galaxy S3, Note 2, and Lumia 920 over the course of the last few years.

But not anymore. Not only did I want to get a feel for what those mobile platforms were like, but they had essential apps for my livelihood. The biggest ticket app for me being Skype.

Running N4BB takes up a lot of time, but it isn’t my only project. I also manage employees for a range of other websites and services. Skype is our solution for meetings when we can’t meet in an office.

This one of many things that drew me away from the idiosyncrasies of BlackBerry OS 5, 6, and 7. However, that has all changed with the release of BlackBerry 10 on the new Z10.

I’ve been rocking the Z10 for a couple of weeks and am still as giddy about it since when I first received it. The Z10 is insanely comfortable to hold, doesn’t easily slide on surfaces due to its rubberized back door, and has plenty of RAM to keep things blazing fast.

The IPS panel for the LCD on the Z10 lets you view on-screen at any angle in vivid clarity. It blows away the Galaxy S3, which I thought had a magnificent screen.

SwiftKey was my favorite keyboard to use on Android. I could pump out messages as fast or faster than a physical QWERTY device. Since BlackBerry has utilized the SwiftKey technology in BlackBerry 10, I’ve fallen in love with the BB10 keyboard.

As with orignal SwiftKey, the BB10 keyboards predictions are spot on. I’m a firm believer that I could compete well enough against a physical QWERTY user, one-handed. Though, don’t challenge me to do it blindfolded.

Now, I’m not saying all of this just for the fact that I write about BlackBerry. It has been my moto since day one to keep N4BB as unbiased as possible. I believe we’ve done fairly well at keeping our coverage intelligent without the blindness of overt fanboyism (even though we’re huge fans).

I don’t bullshit, often. In all honesty, the BlackBerry Z10 has or will have all that I need. My past devices have since been collecting dust. It makes me happy to say I am once again solely a BlackBerry user. No more carrying around two devices!

Check out Ross’ review on the Z10 here and BlackBerry 10 here.

The post BlackBerry Z10 is All I Need is from N4BB.COM

Lets all be honest, one of the main reasons we love BlackBerry is that one little, yet amazing app called BBM. While i was in Jam Europe i spoke with many BlackBerry employees who were very eager to get feedback on the new BBM for BlackBerry 10 devices.  I personally think the new video chat feature is amazing and something that was long overdue!

I am very interested to see how you guys feel so below you can vote on features you would like to see or features you would like gone!

So there it is. If you think there is a feature I missed please feel free to email me, niko.g@n4bb.com or leave us a comment!!!

The post Can BBM Get Better? You Tell Us! Poll! is from N4BB.COM

BlackBerry dropped a solid $4 million to reach millions during the Super Bowl. Once the first ever BlackBerry Super Bowl 30 second ad was aired, it was met with positive and negative feedback.

The commercial didn’t show a single capability of BlackBerry 10 or the Z10. Instead, they chose to show “what it can’t do”. While some found it amusing, others thought it was a poor choice of marketing.

Motley Fool writer John Bromels has three reasons why it was a fumble:

1. Where Was the Rationale?

While the ad itself (featuring a guy whose smartphone can perform amazing feats, like setting him on fire or making him disappear in a puff of smoke) was well-made and reasonably entertaining, the ad’s tag (“It’s quicker to show you what it can’t do!”) was a poor choice for showcasing an unfamiliar product. 

Evidence shows that people don’t switch brands (whether laundry soap or smartphones) unless they have a very compelling reason to do so, usually either price or quality. This ad highlighted neither. While showing what the phone can’t do may well be “quicker,” it’s not “smarter,” because as a viewer, I still have no idea why I should pick the BlackBerry 10 overApple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone or one running Google’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android.  None of those phones can make me disappear in a puff of smoke either, and odds are I already own one.  Missed opportunity.

BlackBerry should have taken a leaf from Apple’s playbook. Cupertino’s recent “Orchestra”commercial isn’t one of their most memorable, but it highlights a specific feature of the iPhone 5: a noise-canceling “background microphone” that improves voice quality. This has long been a complaint about smartphones in general (“I can access my stock portfolio, but I can’t hear the people I’m talking to!”), and provides a compelling case to buy the phone.

What’s especially galling here is that the BlackBerry 10 has a great feature that really could make people sit up and take notice: the “time warp” camera, in which you can “roll back” the expression on someone’s face in a photo, in case they blink or twitch. If you haven’t seen it,check it out here: it truly does look really cool. Apple’s taken a few hits for not upgrading its camera enough in the iPhone 5, so this could be a great selling point for shutter bugs. What did we get instead? Elephant feet.

2. Where Was the Phone?

Aside from a one-second closeup at the end of the commercial, we didn’t see much of the actual device. It was covered by the guy’s hand for most of the ad. It’s really hard to sell me on a product when you’re not even showing me what it looks like or how big it is (4.2″ screen, incidentally, which may be why they didn’t tout that. In an era where bigger is starting to be better again, this only beats the iPhone 5 by a measly .2 inches and loses handily to many Android phones). Plus, the thing looks an awful lot like an iPhone. Wouldn’t I just be better off getting an iPhone?

I’m not sure. The commercial made no reference to the price, which may not be completely finalized (Verizon says it will be $199 with a two-year contract), nor did it show much of the screen interface (beyond a couple of sideswipes). In a press release, Frank Boulben, BBRY’s Chief Marketing Officer, explained why:

“In our debut appearance at the Super Bowl we knew that it wasn’t feasible to communicate the rich experience of BlackBerry 10. We decided to use the light hearted spirit of Super Bowl ads to showcase what BlackBerry 10 can’t do. We wanted to let people know that BlackBerry is back and that BlackBerry 10 is worth checking out.”

Well, I am not convinced.

3. For That Matter, Where IS the Phone?

But let’s say that you were convinced, based on the commercial, that BlackBerry 10 was “worth checking out.” You head down to your local wireless store to do so. What do you find? Well, not a BlackBerry 10. The phone won’t be released in the US until sometime in March — probably late March. That means there’s going to be almost a two-month delay between the ad and the product, by which point we’ll all be thinking about other things. At least Microsoft waited until the Surface’s launch was imminent before advertising it! Same with Samsung and the Galaxy Note II! Wouldn’t it have been better to drop the $4 million in ad buys during March Madness? They wouldn’t reach 100 million viewers all at once, true, but they would reach a few million multiple times. And BlackBerry will have to buy ads in March anyway.

What is your take on the BlackBerry Super Bowl ad? Do you agree with Johns reasons why it fumbled? Sound off in the comments.

The post BlackBerry’s Super Bowl Ad Fumbled? Motley Fool Gives 3 Reasons Why it Did is from N4BB.COM

Are you the proud owner of a beautiful new BlackBerry Z10? Well, if you are on of those few lucky people you might be interested in loading your phone with some awesome apps. Remember alot of apps have been announced but not yet available for your device. Before we get into it I want to remind all of you that you can still side load android apps. If you need help click here to to find out how!

Now if you powered on your new phone you will see that Facebook , Twitter , Foursquare and LinkedIn are all pre installed. Aside from that and some amazing native apps you will need to go to the new BlackBerry World storefront and get to downloading. Here are some of my must have apps

Untappd

This app is a social network for beer lovers everywhere. This app is native to the Platform and works excellent. So download it , head to a local pub and check in with your first beer

ScoreCenter

Espn’s very highly regarded live score app finally makes its way to BlackBerry. Built in HTML5 technology is extremely smooth and very easy to use. You can add your favorite teams and follow all live games right through your Z10

Nobex Radio

This is one of my favorite apps. Beautiful UI build with native cascades. Listen to lice radio from your home town all the way across the globe. Very Very smooth and very easy to use

Unity

Ok , we all know that this is an app developed by our own Ross Cheriton but i have to say its an absolute must have! Beautiful UI build in cascades , this app provides all sorts of conversion rates.  This is an app engineers have dreamed about!

Flixter

You guys know this app from BB7. You can find movies near you , buy tickets and also view trailers. Its now faster , better looking and a much better experience on the Z10.

N4BB

We worked very hard on providing you an app with the quality you have come to expect from us and i believe we have succeeded. The app is available in BlackBerry World and was build in cascades. Everything N4BB now in  the confinement of an app!  ENJOY!

NY Times

The best the NY times has to offer! Perfect for NY Times digital subscribers. I admit i wasn’t a subscriber but after spending a little time with the app i paid the 99 cents for the first four weeks and then only 3.75 every week. Much cheaper than buying an actual newspaper.

The Score

Another evolutionary step for the app formerly knows as ScoreMobile. The app made its way from the traditional BBOS to the PlayBook OS and now to BlackBerry 10. Its simple and a perfect way to get live scores from all different kinds of sports

StubHub

This is a fantastic app for our platform. You can browse and purchase tickets for all kinds of events. Really nice ui and very simple to use. I am sure you guys will love it

Last but not least for all my friends who are making the switch from android this is an app you will want!

GoogMusic

This is an app that allows you to access all of your music from the google cloud. I love it ! all my music right at my fingertips ready for me to press the play button, doesn’t get any better than that.

So there you have it. I suggest you keep it close here on N4BB as more (about 1000) more of the top apps get set to release on BlackBerry’s new platform

The post Niko’s BlackBerry Z10 Must Have Apps is from N4BB.COM

Research In Motion’s last earnings report beat the street, which prompted their stock to shoot up to $15.50 in after hours on December 20th. However, that all changed when RIM CEO Thorsten Heins announced that users will no longer be required to purchase a special BlackBerry plan.

This special BlackBerry plan, known as BIS, accounts for roughly 40% of RIM’s service revenue. In total, BIS and BES service revenue account for 90% margins. Anything lost will certainly hurt RIMs bottom-line.

An estimated $2.4 billion per year is at risk of loss from BIS alone. This revenue is crucial for the success of RIM, but the company understands it can no longer require service fees from customers for an outdated system.

BlackBerry competitors such as Google, Apple, and Nokia do not require users to have a special plan in order to use their devices. This has prompted Seeking Alpha to devise 6 ways RIM can recoup any lost service revenue:

(1) Apps, Music, and Movies in BlackBerry World

Under the razor/razor blades model, a popular mobile platform can drive digital content sales in the form of apps, music, and movies. One great example is Apple’s (APPL) iTunes store which now drives $12 billion of sales a year, and it is one business model that Amazon (AMZN) is trying to copy by selling the Kindle Fire tablets at a loss.

RIM’s BlackBerry World is already a popular place for apps for BlackBerry users, and with the announcement of adding music and video, BlackBerry World is setting up to make a noticeable impact on RIM’s revenue when BB10 becomes popular.

(2) Support for iOS/Android in Enterprise

Under BlackBerry Mobile Fusion (or later, “BES 10″), companies are able to securely manage their mobile assets from different manufacturers under a single solution. Currently, RIM’s server supports the management of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android, and RIM has stated that it will consider adding support for the Microsoft Windows Phone if it becomes popular.

Similar to existing BlackBerry users under corporate BES, companies under this model pay RIM a per-user subscription fee regardless of mobile OS. As mobile devices from various vendors penetrate into more companies and into deeper layers of employees, this will prove to be another growth opportunity for RIM’s MDM solution – world renown for its manageability and security.

(3) BBM Money

RIM recently launched BBM Money in Indonesia, a peer-to-peer funds transfer solution based on the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) platform. It has potential to turn into a significant revenue stream once this service becomes available in more places in the world.

(4) NFC Payments via RIM’s Secure Element Manager (SEM)

Approaching commerce from another angle, RIM developed a proprietary solution for securely managing identities for NFC payments. This solution is already available in Canada from CIBC and Rogers, and it has also recently been approved for use by VISA. The mobile payment industry is still in its infancy and RIM is situated at its forefront.

(5) OS Licensing

BlackBerry 10′s underlying RTOS (real-time operating system), QNX, is already being licensed within various vertical markets, including nuclear power plants, network switches, industrial machinery and about 60% of our cars. From here, RIM has a repository of experience and expertise on how to make a business model out of OS licensing.

In terms of the new BlackBerry 10 platform, RIM is building the first line-up of hardware themselves as “aspiration models.” RIM hinted in the past that once the BB10 platform has proven itself, it may be open to licensing it at a fair price.

And licensing will not be limited to smartphones. As BlackBerry invades various other verticals such as PC, automotive, home appliances, medical devices and other M2M opportunities, we do not expect RIM to build all of the hardware themselves, which means licensing may be a big part of RIM’s revenue in the future.

(6) Cross-platform BBM

There have been rumors about RIM creating a version of BBM for Android and iOS at various times in the past. It may make sense to do that at some point, but RIM isn’t about to give away its crown jewel for nothing. Will there be a subscription model? Or may be an ad-supported version of BBM for other platforms (while the BB10 version remains ad-free)?

Regardless of how it plays out, it’s no secret that monetization of BBM will be a big part of RIM’s master plan.

The above initiatives are some of the more obvious paths RIM can take to replace, or even grow, its service revenue. There are probably other less obvious ways that we haven’t thought of yet, but one thing is for sure – if BB10 gets the users, the money will follow.

Once again, everything is riding on a successful launch of BB10. This whole discussion is irrelevant otherwise because RIM is still collecting service fees on the old BB7 devices, albeit from a declining user base.

Ironically, this begs the question: Given how dramatically upset the investors were when they heard about the uncertainty around BB10′s service revenue, does it mean the market is already expecting a successful BB10 launch that warrants this discussion in the first place? All will be revealed in a few more days.

The post 6 Ways RIM can Restore Lost Service Revenue is from N4BB.COM

We previously saw Forbes list their 5 ways BlackBerry 10 will beat the iPhone. Seeking Alpha is now putting forth their 10 reasons BlackBerry 10 will save Research In Motion:

1. 80 million subscribers - Research in Motion, Ltd is reported as having 80 million subscribers. These subscribers have used RIM and its services despite being promised a new smartphone previously and being disappointed; 80 million subscribers who are still around and loyal to RIM. Apple lost its loyalty through its planned obsolescence and as reported here. Anecdotally, the reporter spoke to a master electrician and small business owner, who was thrilled to know that Blackberry had a new smartphone. The master electrician said “thank you for letting me know, I have an upgrade on my plan and I was a heavy user of Blackberry back in the day.” RIM is also present in emerging markets, where it can compete effectively as the newcomer on the block. There is a reason Apple was speaking to China Mobile.

You can’t buy consumer loyalty. RIM does not need too.

2. Secure e-mail - BlackBerry is reported as having secure e-mail servers. If you ever wondered if your handheld device was secure, well, BlackBerry is touted as having some of the best security in mobile cellular technology.

3. Dual Profiles or a Business Telephone with a Secret Identity - BlackBerry 10 is reported to have the ability to have a profile for work and personal profile. These profiles are not accessible to each other and will run separately. Thus, a BlackBerry 10 user may use their telephone for work-related purposes and still have a personal profile separate from their work life.

4. Early Release of BlackBerry 10 to “Influencers” - RIM has early released BlackBerry 10 to “influencers,” i.e. people who are likely to influence their organizations or others to purchase the telephone. RIM has a great marketing idea here, really who does not want to have the newest cool gadget before anyone else could get it.

5. Innovative OS - a.) a Digital Keyboard that Learns From Your Mistakes – the BlackBerry 10 has a virtual keyboard that learns how you strike the keys and assist you in typing. Everyone, well nearly everyone, is not able to touch type with both hands on a cellular telephone keyboard as a computer keyboard. So, mistakes are common. RIM thought ahead and designed software to help you. b.) Multiple Windows Open at Once with Social Media Just a Slide Away – the BlackBerry 10 is reported as having the ability to run at least (4) open windows which can then be brought to the foreground. The BlackBerry 10 is reported as having the ability to run a window and with the slide of the finger expose social media, such as e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook along the margin of the screen which show messages received and allow for access to said applications.

7. VISA approved Blackberry 10′s NFC or “electronic wallet” - the BlackBerry 10 is reported that it may support use of NFC to use your VISA card to pay for items.

8. Target marketing to Business and Government - RIM may be targeting business users of telephones as well as government where theenhanced features such as pre-approved government security and as stated above should sell well. If so, then RIM likely has an edge with business and government users when compared to an Apple iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S III. Business and government users want security, ease of use, functionality, and ability to communicate, which Blackberry 10 appears to offer. Business and government users are not as much looking for the entertainment and other functions present in iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III.

9. Reported Able to Communicate to iOS and Android environments- the BlackBerry 10 is reported to be able to communicate with the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III which may mean that beyond a hardware win that RIM may likewise have a software win, and perhaps software market.

10. QWERTY Physical keyboard model too - The BlackBerry received its name from the QWERTY physical keyboard. Users of BlackBerry were lightning fast using the keyboard. Many, many people would like a return to this physical keyboard. Having traveled in Southeast Asia, the reporter will state that Southeast Asians like to text, a lot. Said reporter has seen the speed at which older models of cellular telephones are used to generate lengthy text messages. Imagine a new BlackBerry 10 with a full QWERTY physical keyboard. Maybe the QWERTY keyboard is old school, but it is an old school which this reporter believes will sell.

RIM has very likely winner in the BlackBerry 10 because it has loyal customers to sell to who will likely upgrade, new features which allow it to penetrate business and government markets relatively untouched by iPhone and Android, and have software advances regarding security, managing iOS and Android software along with a VISA pre-approved NFC payment option. RIM is likely to surprise everyone.

It is really nice to see these publications list ways BlackBerry 10 is going to beat this phone or it will be a success for this reason. Let us know in the comments if you agree with these 10 reasons.

The post 10 Reasons BlackBerry 10 will Save RIM is from N4BB.COM

Research In Motion has taken quite a hit the last few years. This has lead Android and iOS to become the top dogs in the mobile space. However, BlackBerry 10 has a fighting chance. Forbes has hypothesized five things that would let BlackBerry 10 beat the iPhone:

Exclusive and Revolutionary Apps

On January 3, Harris Interactive released the results of a new poll that asked consumers about their smartphone priorities. Social media, texting, e-mail, navigation and free downloads proved to be the most popular features.

While all of those features are different, there is one thing they have in common: none of them are exclusive to Android or iOS.

If Research In Motion wants to attain and maintain a large fan base, it needs to create at least one exclusive and revolutionary feature to add to that list. It must produce something that no other smartphone maker has thought of, and it must be a feature that is not easy to copy. It needs to be something as big as social media and as important as texting and e-mail. With it, Research In Motion would instantly grab the world’s attention.

The World’s Best Camera

In developing the new Lumia phones, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) worked hard to provide them with the best smartphone camera every created, among other unique features. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was particularly pleased by the Lumia 920, arguing that it “crushes” the iPhone 5.

This is a solid endorsement. However, while Lumia sales are beginning to pick up, they are still a far cry from the iPhone. The Nokia brand — which has been damaged by a plethora of lackluster releases — will take time to recover.

If Nokia had chosen to develop a less-than-stellar camera for the Lumia handsets, it would have had one less standout feature to attract customers. Consequently, unit sales may have been lower.

Unfortunately for Research In Motion, BB10′s camera is currently laggy and glitchy. If these problems are not fixed by the time the first BB10 devices are shipped, the company could be in trouble.

Seamless Controls

One of the best things about iOS is that it is instantly intuitive. There’s no learning curve. Consumers are able to pick up the iPhone and start using it without second-guessing their actions.

If at any time they have to stop and think about what they are doing while using BB10, the OS is doomed.

An Operating System that Changes Everything

Android and iOS are popular because they changed the way consumers interact with their phones. Prior to their release, mobile phones were limited to RAZR flip phones and other primitive and repetitive concepts.

Research In Motion cannot afford to simply release another ”good” or “great” OS. It needs to build the best mobile OS of all time. That is no easy task, but it is vital if Research In Motion has any hope of taking the lead.

Genuine Consumer Appeal

One of the biggest problems with BlackBerry is that it does not have any consumer appeal. While the brand may have a few million loyal followers, most people prefer Android and iOS. Both platforms have cool phones, cool commercials and likable manufacturers. iOS is obviously limited to Apple smartphones, but Android can appear on any device.

This is a bigger problem for Research In Motion than investors may realize. Unlike Microsoft, which can afford to spend five years catching up to Android and iOS, Research In Motion no longer has that luxury. It must compel users to buy its devices right now.

Research In Motion needs to come out with the coolest and most attractive phones ever produced. It must launch them with the most brilliant marketing campaign in the history of smartphones. Otherwise there is no way that the company will be able to convince consumers to part with their Android or iOS handset.

Some of the things are pretty straightforward. Though, do you believe they’re on the money? What things do you believe BlackBerry 10 will need in order to beat the iPhone and even Android phones?

The post Forbes’ 5 Ways BlackBerry 10 Can Beat iPhone is from N4BB.COM

The mass media has reported on RIM and BlackBerry like a roller-coaster ride fluctuates. For a while it was all doom and gloom. Lately, the general consensus is beginning to shift and look more positive.

During CES 2013, RIM was there to demo BlackBerry 10. Forbes editors were able to capture the action and give 10 reasons to hope for BlackBerry 10:

1.) First a crucial factoid:carriers apparently like it. So far 150 of them from around the world are testing BlackBerry 10 in their labs, according to CMO Frank Boulben, which means they’ll almost certainly carry the phone. He expects 200 carriers to offer BB 10 by the summer of 2013.

2.) The phone is launching with more than 70,000 available apps, along with new features to BlackBerry Messenger that RIM will disclose at launch.

3.) The phone takes away a physical “home” button – a bit like Nokia’s Lumia phones. It relies on lots of swiping gestures and shortcuts for one-handed use by on-the-go business types.

4.) The mobile platform, based on software by QNX, allows users to have two personas on the device– one for work and one for private life, with separate background images and a password that can stop kids from accidentally calling someone’s boss. Users can swap between the two with a single gesture, and decide what content is deemed personal and accessible, or private and professional on the same device.

5.) A new feature called BlackBerry Hub. This is a neat amalgamation of all notifications that users access by swiping in an “L” shape, up and to the left. When writing an email and a new one comes in, users can also swipe slightly to “peek” at the content, before continuing with their email. No need to press a button or delete any draft of the email.

6.) BlackBerry Hub’s integration with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and LinkedIn — with potential for other developers to allow their apps to integrate with the Hub too. Users don’t have to go into any of these applications to update their profiles or comment on these networks, but do it all in the Hub.

7.) Quick context and aggregation. BlackBerry has created an apparently seamless system that allows you to get relevant information on people in your calendar. Swipe down to see the next appointment, then tap to see previous meetings you’ve had with the person, or what they last said to you in an email, or what a Google search on them brings up, or their LinkedIn profile — all within a couple of windows and without opening a browser. “It follows your train of thought,” says Boulben, who described this experience as “BlackBerry Flow.”

8.) A keyboard that learns. This applies to the touch-screen version of BlackBerry 10, since RIM is bringing out a second BB 10 device with a physical keyboard. The application scans every email or instant message you’ve sent and builds an algorithm to better predict what words you’ll type — rumor has it RIM partnered with A.I. startup SwiftKey on this. Predicted words hover on the “frets” between the key rows, and you select them by flicking up with your thumb (see video below). Swipe down on the keyboard to get punctuation symbols; swipe backwards across the keyboard to erase a word. If you tend to type between the O and P, the keyboard will learn this and shift the touch actuator to lie between the two keys.

9.) Language. Start typing the word “je” and the BlackBerry 10 keyboard automatically suggests French words. “There is nothing more frustrating than writing in one language and being corrected in another,” says Boulben, who is French.

10.) A few other things we don’t know about. Boulben said RIM would unveil a couple of extra features at its Jan. 30 announcement, and the handset he showed me was not the finished product.

These BlackBerry 10 “factoids” seem pretty spot on. It’s great seeing a renowned publication like Forbes educate its readers on BlackBerry 10. Do you agree with Forbes’ 10 reasons to hope for BlackBerry 10? Check out the video below on Forbes’ hands-on with BB10.

On a BlackBerry? Click here for mobile YouTube video

The post Forbes’ 10 Reasons to Hope for BlackBerry 10 is from N4BB.COM

Recently, Microsoft has been pretty public in their distaste for Google. Windows Phone users have allegedly been purposely blocked from using Google Maps, and having a standalone YouTube app.

Google offered this on Google Maps: “The mobile web version of Google Maps is optimized for WebKit browsers such as Chrome and Safari. However, since Internet Explorer is not a WebKit browser, Windows Phone devices are not able to access Google Maps for the mobile web.”

Although, FireFox uses Gecko and not WebKit yet Google Maps still works. This has outraged Microsoft, who believes Google is intentionally trying to hurt the Windows Phone platform.

What could it mean for BlackBerry 10 if Google were to begin limiting support? Both Windows Phone and BlackBerry 10 are fighting for the “third spot” in the mobile space.

Imagine if many Google products were not available for BlackBerry 10. Google has already ceased development work on stand-alone BlackBerry apps, such as its age-old Java Gmail app. Could you live without an official version of Google Maps, Google+, Google Chrome, Google Drive, Google Music, Google Reader, Google Voice, and even YouTube?

via Technogasm

The post Google Might Try to Hurt BlackBerry 10 is from N4BB.COM

After yesterday’s leak of the possible BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha C or R-Series, it got me thinking that I’ve seen the design somewhere before. Then it clicked, I had seen the same form factor from the HTC Cha Cha.

The HTC Cha Cha is otherwise known as the ‘Facebook phone’. Really, the only reason why is due to the dedicated Facebook button on the bottom-right of the device.

Interestingly enough, leading up to the Cha Cha’s release there were swarms of rumors that Facebook had been working on a phone. It’s been said by some analysts that Facebook has to break into the mobile industry. If not, there could apparently be dire consequences for the company.

What if Facebook and RIM had been working together on some type of phone? It wasn’t until after the release of the HTC Cha Cha that we saw RIM introduce a dedicated BBM button on their devices.

Conspiracy theories aside, it would have made sense for Facebook to approach RIM and utilize their excellence in messaging. As James Kendrick of ZDNet hypothesized, it could have entered “Facebook into the mobile space with panache.”

Whatever the hidden storyline might be, one cannot deny that the unknown BlackBerry device pictured above has a striking resemblance to the HTC Cha Cha. Why do you think RIM chose that form factor? Who took design ideas from who?

The post Facebook BlackBerry Phone – Was This It? is from N4BB.COM

There is a reported 70% of current BlackBerry subscribers who plan to make the switch to BlackBerry 10. If true, that could mean a near instantaneous subscriber base of nearly 60 million to BlackBerry 10.

Even a mere 50% switch over rate would be some pretty impressive numbers. What could this mean for game and app publishers? EA and Gameloft have been fairly good about porting their games to the current PlayBook OS. From what we’ve heard they’ve seen a fairly good purchase rate simply from PlayBook owners.

However, companies like Zynga, Glu Mobile, and others haven’t even given BlackBerry a chance. As shown in figures found by Seeking Alpha, Zynga’s business model is on the decline.

BlackBerry users haven’t had access to games like Words with Friends, Draw Something, and more. BlackBerry 10 opens the doorway for all of these games to be easily ported to the BB10 platform.

Imagine what instant access to 40+ million users could mean for a company selling an app at $0.99 or more. There is some serious revenue possibilities with BlackBerry 10. Lets hope these companies wise up and see the available dollar signs.

The post Could BlackBerry 10 Boost Zynga, Glu Mobile, and More? is from N4BB.COM

Research In Motion is in an odd situation. They’re stock has recently increased by 100% as more analysts predicting good things for BlackBerry 10.

More and more people seem to want RIM to win. Carriers are especially excited for BlackBerry 10 as it adds to their catalogue of mobile devices to users.

Although, RIM’s troubling times aren’t completely over just yet. Anton Wahlman from The Street points out 4 possible risks to BlackBerry:

1. Contracts required. BlackBerry 10 is “last call” for RIM, at least in many countries. Many people have already left, mostly for Apple and Google smartphones, while others maintain two phones but are looking to consolidate to one. Yet others might be willing to sample BlackBerry 10 before they decide.

What could RIM do to throw cold water on its last chance in the market? How about requiring a two-year contract for its new, unproven, platform? Exactly. If RIM really wants to pick up a gun and shoot a big hole through its head to punctuate its last chance for survival, it should sell BlackBerry 10 through carriers requiring you to sign a two-year contract on an unproven platform.

If BlackBerry 10 is going to have a snowball’s chance in hell of succeeding, it must do what Google did with its Nexus, or what Apple does with its iPhone: Offer the option to sell a carrier-independent device, SIM-unlocked and contract-free, directly from its own Web site, as well as Amazon, Best Buy and so forth.

People want to try BlackBerry 10. They don’t want to sign a two-year contract for the privilege to sample an unproven platform.

2. Special plans required. One of the most annoying things about BlackBerry to date has been that it needs a special data plan for the data service. You can’t just stick a regular generic data SIM card from an Android or iPhone into a BlackBerry, and expect the data service to work. You need to change the carrier’s data plan, and it sometimes costs more.

Actually, the problem here isn’t that it costs more — it doesn’t have to — but just the fact that you need to change the plan with the carrier. For people who switch SIM cards between devices often, this is a total no-no.

That was BlackBerry of the past, operating system 7.1 and older. But what about BlackBerry 10? We don’t know. RIM has not said if their new devices will need a special BlackBerry-only data plan or not. For RIM’s sake, it had better not.

3. Someone else launches a great keyboard smartphone. Hello? Ask BlackBerry users why they still use one, and I imagine that almost 100% of them say the superior keyboard is the reason.

With the stiff competition breathing down their necks on all other fronts, RIM had better pray that an Android or Microsoft smartphone doesn’t hit the market soon with a competitive keyboard. If that happens, it’s likely all over for RIM.

4. Insufficient app support. This is a well-recognized hurdle. Even giant Microsoft, with tens of billions of dollars in the bank and a willingness to spend it on developers, is terribly behind Android and iOS in terms of the apps.

I have been using Windows Phone 8 for over six weeks, and I have been using Windows Phone 7.5 for over a year. The app quantity as well as the quality are simply not in the same league as Android and iOS.

The basic Windows Phone OS is fine enough — as BlackBerry 10 could very well be — but for me it’s just not a competitive option as long as many of the critical apps simply aren’t available, and others are inferior to the versions playing on Android and iOS.

Advice for RIM: Take Every Advantage You Can

Some factors are beyond RIM’s control. For example, it’s probably doing everything in its powers to convince developers to join the BlackBerry 10 platform, and if the competition gets its thumb out of its butt and launches a great keyboard device — well, too bad.

But there are other things RIM can do to maximize BlackBerry 10′s probability for success regardless. Here is one simple area of advice:

Make versions of BB 10 with really, really big batteries.

BlackBerry is all about serious people, whether they are working for a large enterprise or they are independent professionals and contractors. Nobody buys a BlackBerry because they think they are “cool” or a participant in a fashion show. They buy them because they are a power tool.

You know what the most un-cool thing is about a power tool? Being out of power, that is what.

RIM should advertise the BlackBerry 10 keyboard smartphone as the device where you can do to the Hamptons for a week-long vacation, or survive a week under a hurricane, without needing to charge the device. Instead of a 1,400-1,900 mAh battery, a BlackBerry 10 should come with an integrated 5,000 mAh or bigger battery. Hurricane Sandy should be a BlackBerry commercial.

You should be able to talk and email incessantly for a week or more — not seven hours as with my current BlackBerry. Seven days, not seven hours.

Nobody will complain that the device would be 4 millimeters thicker than it otherwise would have been.

RIM botched the PlayBook launch in March-April 2011 in the most epic set of ways imaginable, and it was obvious to everyone outside the company. It was like watching a car crash live.

RIM now has the capability to botch the BlackBerry 10 launch too: Just ensure that in order to buy BlackBerry 10, you have to sign a two-year contract, that you have to have a special data plan to operate it, and that it offers no significant battery life advantage over the competition.

If RIM can just clear BlackBerry 10 off those mine-fields, and the competition doesn’t finally emerge with a competitive keyboard, BB 10 could become successful even with a moderate application catalog deficit.

Do you agree with Wahlman’s 4 possible risks to BlackBerry? Sound off in the comments!

The post The Street: Top 4 Risks to BlackBerry is from N4BB.COM

During the BlackBerry 10 Gold SDK Tweetup last night in New York City, RIM ran a few slides to humble-brag. In one of the slides it showed off the statistics about BlackBerry.

Any logical person looking at the facts can see that RIM is not a company on the verge of death. In fact, the company looks to still be very much profitable, which is one likely reason the Analysts are beginning to voice a hold or buy action.

RIM has 2.3 Billion in cash with zero debt (wish I had that kind of cash flow!), global subscriber base has grown by 5million over last year, BBM is still hugely popular, and they attract 90% of fortune 500 companies.

This is a company that is on the cusp of a historical platform release with all these positive figures behind them. Keep hope alive TeamBlackBerry, 2013 is just around the corner!

The post BlackBerry Facts – Why RIM Won’t Die is from N4BB.COM