RIM

BlackBerry's new look: Fresh, sleek, and misguided

For all the talk of revolution at Research In Motion's developer conference this week, something about BlackBerry Jam Americas felt rather familiar.

Think of it this way: a once-mighty tech company, elbowed out of the smartphone revolution by Apple and Android, making a new push to get back into the game.

Amid high pressure to deliver, the company puts all its energy toward marketing the user interface -- a slick new way of moving through the operating system, giving users live updates on important events without making them dig through menus.

That describes the scene yesterday in San Jose, … Read more

RIM's finances: Doom and gloom abound

Research In Motion's developer powwow this week delivered a small dose of good news as the company touted 80 million subscribers and kept its BlackBerry 10 timelines, but the bad news is on deck later today: fiscal second-quarter financial results.

To say expectations for RIM's second quarter are low would be a major understatement. Wall Street is expecting RIM to report a loss of 47 cents a share on revenue of $2.5 billion for the fiscal second quarter, and a miss wouldn't surprise anyone.

In fact, analysts are more focused on RIM's cash burn rate … Read more

RIM Speedwagon keeps on lovin' BlackBerry 10 developers

We may not have BlackBerry 10 yet, but we've got a heartfelt power ballad to last us until the much-delayed OS finally makes an entrance.

Three RIM vice presidents -- Alec Saunders, Christopher Smith, and Martyn Mallick -- joined up to create a band for a passionately geeky version of REO Speedwagon's "Keep on Loving You." A really, really geeky version, that is.

Saunders, vice president of developer relations, lip syncs his way through gems such as "A whole new mobile computing platform may be one tough proposition" and "We'll have BlackBerry 10, both in full touch and QWERTY editions." … Read more

RIM CEO Heins to developers: We have a 'clear shot' at No. 3

Research In Motion has had a hard slog over the past year, but is poised to reclaim its spot among the top mobile ecosystems, CEO Thorsten Heins said today during a press briefing at BlackBerry Jam.

Heins said the company's decision to bet everything on its new BlackBerry 10 operating system would allow the company to begin growing its user base once again in the United States and North America, where it has rapidly lost ground to devices from Apple, Samsung, and Microsoft, among others.

"We have a clear shot at being the No. 3 platform in the … Read more

Why it's possible to still believe in RIM's BlackBerry 10

Research In Motion's BlackBerry Jam developer conference in San Jose, Calif., could either be considered the rebirth of a company or a last gasp attempt to keep developers interested in the platform. There's not much in between.

Given that binary reality -- BlackBerry 10 either does well or RIM dies -- it's worth checking in on both sides of the equation. Watching RIM CEO Thorsten Heins talk all things BlackBerry 10, which will be tested by carriers in October, I couldn't help but root for RIM. Yes, I realize RIM faces long odds, but we all … Read more

BlackBerry 10 OS will have work, personal profiles

SAN JOSE, Calif.--During RIM's heyday, no device was better than a BlackBerry at keeping corporate information secure. Despite moves by companies like Yahoo to cease supporting BlackBerry phones, RIM is determined to make its upcoming overhauled BlackBerry 10 operating system as work-friendly as possible, for both the user and their company.

The feature in question, called BlackBerry Balance, has a handy behavior that lets you press a button to toggle between personal and professional profiles.

BlackBerry Balance isn't entirely new. In fact, bits and pieces have existed for company IT managers since BlackBerry OS 6. However, the … Read more

RIM to begin carrier testing of new devices next month

Carrier testing on new BlackBerry devices will start next month, Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins told developers today at BlackBerry Jam Americas.

"BlackBerry 10 is on track," Heins said. "Our sales forces are getting ready. Better devices are in testing."

Heins made his remarks during the company's US developers conference. The event gave the company a chance to show off details about the upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system -- and to woo developers back to its platform. An updated software developer kit today will give software makers early access to new features in the … Read more

BlackBerry 10 Beta 3: Messenger, navigation show promise (hands-on)

When it comes to BackBerry 10 OS, RIM wants you to go with its Flow. The new navigation theme is something that the BlackBerry-maker has stressed since it first unveiled its reinvented BlackBerry ecosystem last May.

So far, RIM has given us a few peeks of flow and other software elements, all of which it hopes will reinvigorate faithful followers and draw new customers. RIM has certainly refined the software in four months, and will release its third beta update to developers today. The BlackBerry 10 OS Beta 3 package will include APIs for developers to harness apps like Blackberry Messenger. … Read more

Finding flaws in the iPhone 5

Monday's CNET Update is a bit scratchy:

Apple sold more than 5 million iPhone 5 units as of the first weekend. That's a million more than the launch of the iPhone 4S. But looks like Apple could have sold many more if there was enough supply. Several retail stores in major cities had only 8 or 10, according to reports, and didn't get enough to fulfill preorders.

When you have millions of people around the world racing to be the first to have one, there are high standards. So there's been quite a bit of press … Read more

RIM pushes BlackBerry 10 into the spotlight at BlackBerry Jam

Research In Motion and its next-generation BlackBerry 10 operating system will get another chance to prove their worth at the company's annual developer conference, kicking off Tuesday in San Jose, Calif.

In a move that will surely disappoint analysts, shareholders, and the RIM faithful, we don't expect the company to show off any new devices at BlackBerry Jam Americas (known last year as BlackBerry Developer Conference,) but they will want to provide more details about the OS, hoping loyal and new developers recommit to BlackBerry over iOS and Android. In addition to selling developers on the brand new … Read more

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