Items tagged with RIM
Those waiting patiently for BlackBerry's Z10 launch -- the wait is almost over. T-Mobile USA is set to become one of the first U.S. carriers to ship the handset, with business sales set to begin on 3/11. In other words, those with the right connections could have a Z10 in their hands by next week. That will almost certainly set off a domino effect, with more carriers (likely AT&T next) shipping it soon after. Of course, the Z10 is already on sale in 20 nations, but the U.S. isn't one of them. The handset faces its stiffest competition in this market, where Android and iOS are dominating in every possible way. Moreover, the Z10 won't come cheap. It'll run T-Mobile users $249.99 on a basic...
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A mobile operating system is arguably only as strong as the ecosystem it fosters, and that explains why Nokia is charging so hard to get Instagram onto Windows Phone. BlackBerry knows that BB10 is going to live or die based on the apps that ships alongside of it, and early adopters will be glad to know that the new Z10 now has access to Twitter and LinkedIn programs. The updated editions bring native support of each to the new OS, and Twitter v10.0.1 and LinkedIn v10.0.1 are available as free downloads in the BlackBerry World storefront. Tried 'em? Let us know how it's going. What’s new in Twitter v10.0.1: Doing more on the Compose Tweet Screen – An enhanced Compose...
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We've always heard that you can't take it to your grave, but one has to wonder why the former co-CEO of Research In Motion chose now to dump every last bit of remaining RIM stock. Jim Balsillie has liquidated his shares in RIM, leaving him zero shares, zero power to vote, and zero percent of class. He sold everything. A year ago, he still help 5.1% of the whole company, and now, he's powerless over it. In December of 2011, Balsillie had 26,840,490 shares of RIM stock. Even with RIM's amazingly low stock price of around $11, he's still coming out with nearly $300 million. But the timing here makes you wonder: does the man that helped form the company have no faith left? You could assume that him...
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We're pretty sure the executives at RIM, er, BlackBerry, have nothing personal against Japan. It's a fine country, and we're pretty sure the top brass there have given it a visit in recent years. But that said, Japanese citizens patiently awaiting BlackBerry 10 are going to have to swallow some bad news this week. Despite shipping in the company's native Canada, and promises to hit the U.S. market in a few months, BB10 won't ever make it onto Japanese shelves. Here's the quote being given out by the company's spokespeople: "We are in the process of launching BlackBerry 10 globally in key markets and we are seeing positive demand for the BlackBerry Z10 in countries where it has already launched....
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Although he doesn’t mention any hard numbers, BlackBerry (the company formerly known as RIM) President and CEO Thorsten Heins (pictured) is apparently very happy with how the launch of the BlackBerry 10 OS and its accompanying pair of phones is going. In a release posted on BlackBerry’s site, Heins said that yesterday was the best launch day ever in Canada for a BlackBerry device--by a long shot. “In fact, it was more than 50% better than any other launch day in our history in Canada,” he said, adding that “In the UK, we have seen close to three times our best performance ever for the first week of sales for a BlackBerry smartphone.” It remains to be seen if...
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During the BlackBerry 10 launch event today, CEO Thorsten Heins announced plans to change the company's name from Research In Motion to BlackBerry. The company has also changed its tagline to "One brand. One promise." The company's stock ticker will change to BBRY to reflect the new name. "We have reinvented the company, and we want to represent this in our brand….We have transformed ourselves inside and out, and we have defined a revision, a dedication to the boundless opportunities in mobile computing," Heins said. "Our customers use BlackBerry. Our employees work for BlackBerry, and our shareholders are owners of BlackBerry. From today on, we are BlackBerry everywhere in the world,"...
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Research In Motion (RIM) has been trying to drum up some buzz for its BlackBerry 10 platform by expanding its BlackBerry World app store catalog with lots of new music, movies, and TV shows. It now feels much more fleshed out with prices that are in line with the industry average. Individual songs in BlackBerry World sell for between $0.99 to $1.49 per track; entire albums go for $7.99 to $11.99. If you're on the fence about a particular tune, song previews are available in 30-second increments. Movies and TV shows range in price from $2.99 to $3.99 if renting, and from $9.99 to $19.99 if buying outright, though most are priced at $4.99. There's also a collection of apps, games, and themes to...
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In advance of its BlackBerry 10 launch, Research in Motion has made some much-needed changes to how its store handles pricing. It's still not ideal, but those using British £ or Euro € currency stand to see fairer prices. Currently, the lowest price someone in the UK can see is £1; after the change, that will become £0.75. On the Euro side, the new lowest will be €0.89, from €0.99. It's mentioned that those interested in changing their currency of choice are free to, although it will take up to 24 hours for the updated pricing to be reflected through the store. This leads me to an area where I think price-handling could be improved. It seems a little foolish that...
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Chinese computer maker Lenovo is reportedly taking a long, hard look at acquiring Research In Motion (RIM), a Canadian handset and mobile software company. Lenovo, which is jockeying for position with Hewlett-Packard (HP) as the world's largest PC supplier, has already spoken with RIM about its interest in acquiring the company. The two sides, along with RIM's bankers, have also talked about different combinations of strategic ventures, Lenovo CFO Wong Wai Ming said. A transaction of this size would require clearing a lot of red tape, particularly since RIM is Canada's largest listed technology company. RIM is about to launch its much-anticipated BlackBerry 10 platform. The Canadian company has...
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One thing Samsung doesn't lack is a funny bone. Ask Apple, which has been repeatedly bopped on the head with it through a series of advertisements, both on TV and out in the wild. Want a second opinion? Talk to Research In Motion (RIM), Samsung's latest target in a new ad poking fun at people who refuse to give up their BlackBerry devices. The ad starts off with a group of developers discussing "Unicorn Apocalypse," a game that promises to be the biggest mobile game the company has ever launched. The team leader also announces a new smartphone policy, giving developers the freedom to use any smartphone they want at work. Cue the comedy. In one scene, a developer asks a co-worker if she's going...
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On many occasions Thorsten Heins, CEO of Research In Motion, has said he is willing to consider several different options for the company moving forward. It's no secret that RIM wants to license its upcoming BlackBerry 10 software. Another option Heins has considered is much bigger, and it involves selling off the production of BlackBerry hardware. For now, Heins indicated the company's focus is on a successful launch of its BlackBerry 10 platform. The launch event is scheduled to take place next week. In an interview with German newspaper Die Welt, Heins said, "The main thing for now is to successfully introduce Blackberry 10. Then we’ll see." Thorsten Heins, CEO of Research In Motion...
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What's in a name? Depends on who you ask, of course. RIM has been hard at work for months now, with BlackBerry 10 looming large for a 1/30 debut. In preparation for that, the company has shifted the naming slightly on the outlet where you snag BlackBerry apps. BlackBerry App World has become the shorter, cleaner "BlackBerry World," and RIM says that the "naming change reflects a shift in the type of things you can purchase from the store as we transition to BlackBerry 10 and beyond." Moreover, this change allows RIM to focus on selling more than just apps. This outlet will also have Videos and Music. Of course, "iTunes" has stuck around despite selling much more than just music, but overall,...
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RIM is getting ready to launch its BlackBerry 10 operating system in about two weeks. In an effort to try to boost the new platform's app store, RIM held two Port-A-Thon events last week. One of the events was focused on BlackBerry while the other focused on Android developers. RIM's vice president of develop relations, Alec Saunders, tweeted about the success of the two events, saying, "Well there you have it. 37.5 hours in, we hit 15,000 apps for this portathon. Feel like I've run a marathon. Thanks to all the devs!" The Port-A-Thon events offered developers a number of incentives. For developers who ported one to five apps at the BlackBerry event, $100 was offered. The first ten developers...
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Research In Motion (RIM) is in control of its own fate. If BlackBerry 10 flops, and by extension, the company's next-generation mobile plans, the Canadian company will only have itself to blame, and not any of the major wireless carriers. That's because BlackBerry 10 reportedly has the backing of all four major wireless carriers in the U.S., including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Lining up the big names in wireless is a big deal for the struggling handset maker. Overshadowed by uber popular iOS and Android smartphones, RIM has largely lost its relevance as a major player in the smartphone market, though it's doing a little better internationally. Still, BlackBerry 10 is viewed as...
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