Remember Kik Messenger, the cross platform instant messaging (IM) application that took the world by storm signing up over 1 million users in 15 days only to be eventually pulled from BlackBerry App World, blocked from push notifications on RIM’s back end, and ultimately taken to court by RIM for patent infringment? Well, Kik Messenger is back and kicking with a new BlackBerry client, but, we aren’t supposed to tell you about it.
Archives for September 2011
Best Buy now selling the BlackBerry PlayBook for $299
The 16 GB model BlackBerry PlayBook is now on sale for $299 at Best Buy. This is $200 off the regular price of $499.
[Via Best Buy]
Rick Mercer Report: I love my BlackBerry
Canadian comedian Rick Mercer from the Rick Mercer Report pokes a bit of fun at the BlackBerry. You may remember him from the BlackBerry Helmet parody a few years ago.
Will Amazon’s Kindle Fire force RIM to discount the BlackBerry PlayBook even more?
Research in Motion’s first stab at a tablet device, the BlackBerry PlayBook, isn’t really doing all that well. The hardware is pretty good, but, the software has been weighed, measured, and found wanting. We’ve seen pricing on the PlayBook drop 40% to 50% and even more in some cases, and, although RIM is calling the decrease in price special discounting to improve sell through (it’s all semantics as far as consumers are concerned), the PlayBook today will cost you significantly less than it did a couple of weeks ago.
Meet Alec Saunders, RIM’s new VP of Developer Relations and Ecosystem Development
Research in Motion made it public today that it has named Alec Saunders their new VP of Developer Relations and Ecosystem Development. Mr. Saunders was interviewed over on the Inside BlackBerry Developers blog which you can read here. He had this to say on his own blog…
Over the last few days I’ve been in San Francisco at the Mobilize conference, and speaking with developers. It’s clear from those conversations that the primary problem we face is lack of support from application developers. My team’s job is to correct that – to win the hearts and minds of mobile developers again.
We certainly hope that Alec Saunders and his team succeed…
What the Android App Player for BlackBerry PlayBook won’t do…
Research in Motion officially announced Android application support for the BlackBerry PlayBook back in March before the tablet was released, and, 7 months later we still don’t have an Android App Player. RIM did say, however, during their Q2 Fiscal 2011 earnings call, that we would see preview of the Android App Player next month during BlackBerry DevCon and that the Player would be released along with BlackBerry Tablet OS 2.0 shortly thereafter.
RIM is actually talking more about the Android App Player and starting to detail the features and functionality it will support when it comes to Android. What RIM has been saying, however, has those anxious to get their hands on the Android App, asking less about when the Android support will be available, and, more about just home much Android support PlayBook users will get…
[Read more…] about What the Android App Player for BlackBerry PlayBook won’t do…
RIM releases official statement on discounted prices for the BlackBerry PlayBook
We’ve been seeing deeply discounted prices on the BlackBerry PlayBook going back two days before RIM’s Q2 Fiscal 2012 earnings call where co-CEO Jim Balsille said that you would see price cuts on the device. RIM recently released this statement to BGR clarifying that BlackBerry PlayBook retail pricing hasn’t changed and that the discounted price are a result of promotional plans to help with PlayBook sell through…
[Read more…] about RIM releases official statement on discounted prices for the BlackBerry PlayBook
Quick Tip: How to Reboot a BlackBerry Without Removing the Battery
As nice as of an operating system as BlackBerry 7 is it is still based on a BlackBerry OS that has been around for years, and, unfortunately, like its predecessors requires rebooting after the installation and updating of many popular applications. Having to reboot your BlackBerry just because you installed an app is annoying, but, having to pull the battery out of your device to do so, makes the process irritating.
With today’s Quick Tip we wanted to remind BlackBerry users that if you simply need to reboot your device pulling the battery is overkill. You can perform a “soft reset”, or, reboot your BlackBerry by pressing the Alt, right Shift, and Delete buttons simultaneously. So long as your device isn’t locked up this keyboard shortcut for rebooting your BlackBerry is lot less hassle than physically pulling the battery…
RIM launches Jobs in Motion app in BlackBerry App World and in Android Market
Research in Motion commissioned UK based jobs search site, All The Top Bananas, to build an internal job postings and search app for the BlackBerry named Jobs in Motion. This news by itself is really no news at all. What was, “unexpected”, to say the least, is that All The Top Bananas also built a version of Jobs in Motion for Android devices and it is available in Android Market. I’ve got to admit… I didn’t see this one coming.
Download Jobs in Motion for BlackBerry on BlackBerry App World.
Download Jobs in Motion for Android on Android Market.
eBay v2.0 for BlackBerry now availalble in BlackBerry Beta Zone
We just heard that eBay v2.0 for BlackBerry is now available in BlackBerry Beta Zone and now includes the ability for BlackBerry users to sell on eBay directly from the App.
eBay 2.0 for BlackBerry features include:
- BBM Connected –Post a recently purchased item as your personal message or share a listing with your BBM contacts and chat through BBM. You can even invite them to download the application if they don’t already have it.
- New User Interface – The user interface has been completely redesigned and updated, while maintaining core eBay design and functionality, to provide users with a closely integrated BlackBerry /eBay experience.
- Sell from your device – Create and publish a listing on eBay from just about anywhere. With core integration to your BlackBerry Camera and photo library, you can upload an image to the listing you created, directly from your BlackBerry smartphone.
- Improved buying experience – Looking for a collector’s item? The advanced search makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. Modify your search with your preferences and indicate whether you’re looking for a new or used item, which country sites you’d like to search and more!
To download eBay v2.0 for BlackBerry, head over to Beta Zone…