The Unofficial BlackBerry Weblog
Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder, and, one of the nicest guys in tech is not shy when it comes to offering his opinions on current technology and trends he sees coming down the pike.
In a Street Insider interview Woz states that “BlackBerry will eventually have to switch to the Android operating system.”
What do you think? Is Woz right?
[Via Street Insider]
The Roman Empire was not built in a day.
The same can be said for Research in Motion when it was on top, Apple and iOS when the iPhone reached number one, and, Android now that it is top dog. It took years for each of these platforms to best their competition and become the number one selling smartphone operating system.
I know that there is a lot of excitement and anticipation surrounding the release of BlackBerry 10 in Q1 next year, however, I have to admit that I am hearing some pretty lofty goals from die-hard BlackBerry fans that, even if BlackBerry 10 is to Android and iOS what Android and iOS are to the current BlackBerry OS, simply have no chance of coming true…
To make it plain, BlackBerry 10 will not take out iOS, Android, or Windows Phone no matter how good it is. BlackBerry 10 has no shot at besting the iPhone or Android and will have it’s hands full competing with Windows Phone for 3rd place.
SMRpodcast #95, Begging for Apps is now online and ready for download. This week we talk a lot about BlackBerry and explain whey so many tech journalists are wrong about the Kindle Fire. We also debate Verizon’s stance on Windows Phone, and, of course we’ve got our picks… A lot of really good picks, especially for Android users…
Have a listen!
[podcast]http://traffic.libsyn.com/simplemobilereview/smrpodcast-95_-begging-for-apps.mp3[/podcast]
Check us out on iTunes or subscribe to the SMRpodcast via RSS
Last week rumors that RIM was planning on getting out of the tablet game and discontinuing production of the BlackBerry PlayBook spread like wild fire, and, even though RIM put out a statement calling the rumors “pure fiction” and that the company “remains highly committed to the tablet market”, it’s not really all that difficult to understand why the rumors seemed so plausible…
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…
Verizon has updated VZ Navigator for both the BlackBerry and the Android Platforms and they are offering a free 30-day trial for new users. The new VZ Navigator VX has been enhanced with 3D city driving and real highway signs and views.
According to the results from a recent ChangeWave survey on Mobile Operating System Preferences of mostly North American respondents, the BlackBerry has hit its lowest level ever with just 4%of consumers planing to get a new smartphone within the next 90 days preferring to get a BlackBerry. Comparatively speaking, 48% of respondents planning to get a new smartphone in the next 90 days said they prefer to get an iPhone.
[Read more…]
Listen Now [podcast]http://traffic.libsyn.com/simplemobilereview/all-the-comforts.mp3[/podcast]
Hosts: Rod Simmons, Chris Ashley, Robb Dunewood
The blogosphere is buzzing right now with rumors that Research in Motion may allow Android Applications to run on the BlackBerry PlayBook and other QNX powered devices if they decide to use the Dalvik VM, the same Java Virtual Machine used in Android. We figured that this would be a good time to ask BlackBerry users what they think, so, we put up a poll…
We just heard that Research in Motion is tossing around the idea of allowing Android Apps to run on the BlackBerry PlayBook.
We know that RIM is working on a Java Virtual Machine that will allow legacy apps to run on the BlackBerry PlayBook, and, according to BGR, there is a good chance that RIM could use the Dalvik VM. Yes, the very Davlick VM used in Android that would allow devices running QNX to run most apps developed for Android.
There are various approaches to this situation — one where RIM uses the open source Dalvik VM and does not involve Google, and another (incredible) scenario where RIM and Google might reach an agreement (basically “certify” the device/platform) that would provide official support to Android apps on RIM’s QNX-based OS, and would feature the Android Market, Google’s Gmail, Maps, and other apps.
On two occasions I’ve said that Research in Motion should build a device that runs Android. Although the BlackBerry PlayBook won’t run Android, RIM giving it the ability to run Android applications, if they choose to do so, is about the next best thing.
