Showing posts with label BlackBerry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BlackBerry. Show all posts

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Huawei Doesn't Want BlackBerry


huawei-feature


Here's one company that BlackBerry need not consider as it works to narrow down the list of parties interested in buying all or part of its business: Huawei.



Asked if Huawei might consider acquiring BlackBerry or another handset maker to bolster that business, board member Chen Lifang said the company is simply not interested.



"No, we have not considered (an acquisition)," she told reporters in London, according to Reuters. "We want to rely on ourselves."



Which makes sense. Huawei has done very well for itself pursuing that strategy. Today, it's the third-largest manufacturer of smartphones by volume, after Samsung and Apple. And it has claimed that title by building devices for Google's Android operating system. So why would it bother with BlackBerry? It clearly doesn't need it, or the company's new BlackBerry 10 platform, which seems to have lost its bid for third place in the smartphone OS wars to Microsoft.



As Lifang said, "In manufacturing mobile phones, we have made very good progress."


Monday, March 9, 2015

2014 New Fashion Men/women Bluetooth Touch Screen Smart Watch Wrist Wrap Watch Phone for IOS Apple Iphone 4s/5/5c/5s/6 Android Samsung S2/s3/s4/s5/note 2/note 3 Blackberry Nexus HTC Huawei Compare to U8 Watch (Touch Screen Black)

2014 New Fashion Men/women Bluetooth Touch Screen Smart Watch Wrist Wrap Watch Phone for IOS Apple Iphone 4s/5/5c/5s/6 Android Samsung S2/s3/s4/s5/note 2/note 3 Blackberry Nexus HTC Huawei Compare to U8 Watch (Touch Screen Black)




  • 1,Touch Screen Bluetooth Watch,Connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously;
  • 2,Material: Steel + Silicon;
  • 3,Handfree Speaker Phone,Synchronize Phone Book,Message On Watch,Calls vibration;
  • 4,Time,Alarm Clock,Anti-loss;
  • 5,Music Player,Calorie Pedometer,NFC.

Specification:
1,Bluetooth Version:V3.0+EDR
2,Frequency:2.4GHZ;
3,Operation Distance: up to 10m
4,Support: iPhone,brand Android phone,Bluetooth Phone;
5,Charging time:about 2 hours;Talking time:about 6 hours;Standby time:about one week;
6,Battery type:Lithium battery.
Function Description:
1 Capacitive screen smart Bluetooth Watch;
2 When the Bluetooth connection, you can dial a phone number anywhere on the watch; Android or Apple systems can



Thursday, January 29, 2015

BRAND NEW OEM BLACKBERRY C-M2 3.7v 900mah BATTERY 8110 PEARL 8120 8100 PEARL FLIP 8220 8230

BRAND NEW OEM BLACKBERRY C-M2 3.7v 900mah BATTERY 8110 PEARL 8120 8100 PEARL FLIP 8220 8230





BSS - Blackberry 8100 Series C-M2 Std 900mAh Lithium Ion Battery Blackberry C-M2/ BAT-11004-001 battery, Standard capacity Lithium-Ion battery is the factory original 900 mAh capacity battery designed & built specifically for the Blackberry 8100/ 8110/ 8120/ 8130/ 8220 Pearl cell phone models.-Blackberry C-M2/ BAT-11004-001 Li-Ion Standard battery provides your Blackberry 8100/ 8110/ 8120/ 8130/ 8220 Pearl cell phone with the standard 900 mAh battery capacity that originally shipped with most B



Sunday, December 28, 2014

Head of BlackBerry's PlayBook Tablet Is Leaving


A senior BlackBerry Ltd. executive who was in charge of the largely unsuccessful PlayBook tablet is leaving the company.



David J. Smith, an executive vice president in charge of mobile computing, has resigned for personal reasons, a BlackBerry spokesman said. The move happened within the past few weeks, said a person familiar with the matter.



The spokesman added that Mr. Smith "continues to come into work every day and is committed to working with BlackBerry through a proper transition."



Mr. Smith couldn't immediately be reached.



Read the rest of this post on the original site


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

BlackBerry Q10 Unlocked GSM Smartphone – Black

BlackBerry Q10 Unlocked GSM Smartphone - Black




  • 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 3G: 850 / 1900 / 2100 4G: LTE 700 / 850 / 1700 / 1900
  • 3.1 Super AMOLED Capacitive Multi-Touchscreen + Full Physical QWERTY keyboard
  • BlackBerry 10 (upgradable), Dual-Core 1.5 GHz Krait Processor, Chipset: Snapdragon S4, Adreno 225 Graphics
  • 10 Megapixel Camera (3264 x 2448 pixels) w/ Autofocus & LED Flash + Front-Facing 2 Megapixel Camera
  • Internal Memory: 16GB, 2GB RAM + microSD Slot Expandable up to 64GB

The BlackBerry Q10 4G LTE follows the footsteps of many legacy smartphone featuring a 3.1 touchscreen plus a full physical QWERTY keyboard, and its fancy glass material.



Sunday, November 30, 2014

BlackBerry to Gartner: Not Dead Yet!


RIM_Bring_Out_Your_Dead


BlackBerry might be in trouble - ugly, worst-case-scenario trouble - but it's not yet in terminal decline, and the company has taken exception with a report claiming it is.



In a recent note to clients, research outfit Gartner advised those who use BlackBerry's smartphones and its enterprise server solution to develop contingency plans to replace them should the company perish. "All clients should immediately ensure that they have backup mobile data management plans and are at least testing alternative devices," Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney wrote. "Clients have three to six months to build a strategy."



Among Dulaney's suggested courses of action: Discontinue BlackBerry support for any employees except in cases explicitly approved by management; "Move completely away from BlackBerry devices."



Given BlackBerry's sad collapse and its decidedly uncertain future, that's not unreasonable advice. It's hard to imagine anyone who uses the company's products looking at its massive second-quarter loss and its now piddling share of the smartphone market and not concluding that some sort of action needs to be taken.



But BlackBerry feels it's all a bit hysterical. In a statement to AllThingsD, the company dismissed Gartner's recommendation as premature.



"We recognize and respect external parties' opinions on BlackBerry's recent news," a BlackBerry spokesman said. "However, many of the conclusions by Gartner about the potential impact of a sale or other strategic alternatives are purely speculative. BlackBerry is restructuring and pursing strategic alternatives to increase its focus on its core enterprise business. We remain steadfast in our mission to deliver the most secure and powerful mobile management solutions and smartphones to our customers."



That's great to hear, but hardly reassuring. BlackBerry's commitment to its mission and the resuscitation of its business isn't really in question. It's the viability of that business and the market's interest in its products that are concerning.






Tuesday, October 14, 2014

BlackBerry Sacks 250 Employees


Giant_axe


They're swinging the axe again over at BlackBerry. The struggling smartphone pioneer, which last year cut thousands of jobs, cut a few hundred more earlier this week.



In a statement to AllThingsD, a BlackBerry spokesman confirmed that the company sacked 250 employees working at a Waterloo, Ontario, product-testing facility this past Tuesday.



"These employees were part of the New Product Testing Facility, a department that supports BlackBerry's manufacturing and R&D efforts," spokesman Alex Kinsella said. "This is part of the next stage of our turnaround plan to increase efficiencies and scale our company correctly for new opportunities in mobile computing."



News of the layoffs follows a dismal first-quarter earnings report from BlackBerry, whose new BlackBerry 10 smartphones aren't gaining nearly the traction needed to pull the company out of the mud. BlackBerry employed about 12,000 workers as of March, following job cuts of about 5,000 last year.


Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Seven Key Designers of BlackBerry 10 Left the Company in January


TOPP_Founders


The Astonishing Tribe (TAT) has decamped BlackBerry.



Earlier this year, seven members of the Swedish design house acquired by the smartphone maker to help develop BlackBerry 10, left it to found a new design group called Topp. The seven - James Haliburton, Anders Larsson, Roger Andersson Reimer, Anton Boman, Michael Winberg, Oscar Olivestedt and Marcus Eriksson - played key roles in developing BlackBerry's next-generation OS, leading core framework and visual design, and stewarding product management for UI frameworks.



But as BlackBerry 10 headed toward an ill-starred launch plagued by delays, those seven TAT members began thinking about leaving and building a new venture of their own, sources said.



By late 2012, they settled on an exit strategy, and Topp was established in January of this year, with the seven founders leaving BlackBerry to join it as they wrapped up their respective commitments to BlackBerry 10's launch between January and March.*



"As a point of pride, the key guys in BB10 all stuck around until the product shipped," Topp co-founder and CEO James Haliburton, formerly TAT innovation director and UX program manager at BlackBerry, told AllThingsD. "We are grateful for the time at both BB and TAT, the people we worked with were truly amazing, but it was time for us to take on new challenges."



Haliburton would not say whether BlackBerry's declining fortunes played a role in his decision. But his departure from BlackBerry, along with those of his six colleagues, certainly isn't good news for the foundering smartphone pioneer. Losing good talent never is. And TAT, the boutique user-interface design outfit behind the original Android interface and a host of other impressive concept UIs, was certainly that. But, given BlackBerry's current circumstances, it's hard to imagine how they could have retained TAT's fleeing members, who clearly have big things planned for Topp.



"Collectively, our team has been involved in designing four platforms, including the original Android platform for Google and BlackBerry 10," Haliburton said. "We're continuing to design and prototype for emerging experiences and platforms. This is not just mobile, but also connected home, automotive, the Internet of things, and more."



BlackBerry did not respond to a request for comment.



* In leaving BlackBerry, Topp's founders followed a trail blazed by Hampus Jakobsson, another TAT member, who fled BlackBerry last August.



Correction: An earlier version of this post described the seven founders of TOPP as founding members of TAT. They were not.


Sunday, August 10, 2014

In Search of a Virtual Keyboard App


Q:



I'm a former BlackBerry user who has been struggling with the virtual keyboard on his Droid for years. I considered the new BlackBerry, whose virtual keyboard you praised, but want a phone supported by more app developers. I would appreciate your advice on which keyboard app is easiest to operate now.



A:



The keyboard app I personally find best on Android is called SwiftKey, which replaces the stock keyboard on Android wherever it appears. It does a particularly good job of learning your writing habits and predicting what word is likeliest to come next. It can even sync these personal predictions across your Android devices.



Q:



With iGoogle going away in a few weeks, what is your recommendation on a good replacement site?



A:



There are a number of sites which, like iGoogle, aim to be your browser's home page, consolidating personalized selections of news, weather, sports, stocks, calendar, search and more. My personal choice would be My Yahoo, which even has instructions for importing your settings from iGoogle. To find others, do a search for "iGoogle replacements."



Q:



I don't like the redesigned calendar app in Apple's iOS 7 for my iPad. Is there a way to restore the old calendar?



A:



Not that I know of, but there are many alternative calendar apps for iPads and iPhones, which can be found in the app store by searching for "calendar."



Email Walt at mossberg@wsj.com.


Wednesday, July 23, 2014

BlackBerry Lays Off 250 Employees From Its New Product Testing And R&D Department

blackberry-q5-keys



Layoffs at Waterloo-based smartphone industry pioneer BlackBerry cut deep last year, with around 5,000 employees being let go. Those cuts continue into 2013 as BlackBerry undergoes what CEO Thorsten Heins called a "complex transition" earlier this month, and the latest is that 250 employees of its core R&D and new product testing facility have been let go as of earlier this week, as confirmed by Canada's CTV News and by BlackBerry itself to TechCrunch.



That number pales in comparison to some of the massive cuts that came in big batches last year, including one 3,000 person block in August 2012. Last year, however, BlackBerry reportedly told its employees that if they were working on services or projects key to BlackBerry 10, they'd mostly likely be safe. These cuts appear to be closer to the bone, however, coming as they do at the heart of BlackBerry's innovation efforts, which is why it's perhaps more worrying for the company's overall outlook than the big sweeping trimming of potentially redundant or sub-optimal departments last year.



BlackBerry is saying the change to employee count is all about efficiency, in a statement provided to TechCrunch (included in full below), but it's hard to see a big batch of layoffs so near to R&D, which should be the lifeblood of any technology company, as a good sign. Heins' strategy of cost-cutting and efficiency has helped BlackBerry manage to stay relatively strong on revenue, however, and to keep a healthy cash reserve on hand.



BlackBerry has a number of products in the pipeline, apparently, including the leaked A10 (and the somewhat unimpressive Q5), a new touchscreen flagship that's rumored to be launched later this year. But that device looks to be quite far along already; this fresh report of staffing changes begs the question of how much more new hardware we have left to see beyond that.



The full statement from BlackBerry's Lisette Kwong follows:



I can confirm on the record, that BlackBerry on Tuesday informed 250 employees of their termination in Waterloo. These employees were part of the New Product Testing Facility, a department that supports BlackBerry's manufacturing and R&D efforts.



This is part of the next stage of our turnaround plan to increase efficiencies and scale our company correctly for new opportunities in mobile computing. We will be as transparent as possible as those plans evolve.



Sunday, June 8, 2014

Amzer Sun Visor Mount for Blackberry Pearl 8100, 8110, 8120, and 8130 – Black

Amzer Sun Visor Mount for Blackberry Pearl 8100, 8110, 8120, and 8130 - Black




  • Designed specifically for BlackBerry Blackberry Pearl 81xx Series.
  • Recommended installation location is on far left of passenger side Sun Visor.
  • Easy to install. No tools required. Slides on to your Sun Visor with ease.
  • Conveniently fits in your pocket making it the perfect travel accessory.
  • Easily transferred from one vehicle to another.

Slip your BlackBerry Pearl into the custom fit cradle. Snap the cradle onto the sturdy Visor Clip and secure onto the passenger side sun visor. Quick and convenient, no muss no fuss. The Visor mount can easily be transferred from car to car and can even be used as a belt clip holster. This is an ideal alternative for drivers who cannot mount their mobile phone to their windshield or dash. Safety first! With Amzer's Sun Visor Mount for your BlackBerry Pearl!



Sunday, May 4, 2014

BlackBerry to Cut 4,500 Jobs Following Gruesome Loss


BlackBerry_sinkhole


More ugly news from BlackBerry. On Friday afternoon, the company announced plans to sack 4,500 employees, as part of a massive restructuring intended to reduce expenditures by 50 percent by 2015. The reason: A horrific expected shortfall in second-fiscal-quarter earnings.



The foundering smartphone pioneer said on Friday that it expects to report revenue of about $1.6 billion for the quarter, far below the $3.04 billion for which Wall Street has been looking. It also warned of a GAAP net operating loss of between $950 million and $995 million for the quarter. That includes an inventory charge that could be as much as $960 million, and a restructuring charge of $72 million. Finally, the company said it shipped 3.7 million smartphones last quarter, down from the 6.8 million it shipped last quarter, which was itself a disappointing figure. Even worse, BlackBerry said most of those handsets don't even run the new BlackBerry 10 operating system on which it had hoped to mount a comeback.



"For the second quarter, the Company expects to recognize hardware revenue on approximately 3.7 million BlackBerry smartphones," BlackBerry said. "Most of the units recognized are BlackBerry 7 devices, in part because certain BlackBerry 10 devices that were shipped in the quarter will not be recognized until those devices are sold through to end customers."



Because of that, BlackBerry is abandoning plans for a few future devices, trimming its smartphone portfolio to four handsets from six.



"We are implementing the difficult, but necessary operational changes announced today to address our position in a maturing and more competitive industry, and to drive the company toward profitability," CEO Thorsten Heins said in a statement. "Going forward, we plan to refocus our offering on our end-to-end solution of hardware, software and services for enterprises and the productive, professional end user."



BlackBerry shares fell by 20 percent, to $8.72, after resuming trading. The shares had been halted for about 35 minutes before the preliminary results were announced. Prior to the news release, the shares had fallen more than two percent, to $10.27 a share. As of Thursday, the shares had fallen by more than 11 percent since the start of the year.



Here's the release:



BlackBerry Announces Preliminary Second Quarter Fiscal 2014 Results and Provides Business Update
BlackBerry Limited, a world leader in the mobile communications market, today announced certain preliminary financial results for the three months ended August 31, 2013 and provided an update on business operations.



Preliminary Second Quarter Fiscal 2014 Results



The Company currently expects to report revenue for the second quarter of approximately $1.6 billion, of which approximately 50% is expected to be service revenue. For the second quarter, the Company expects to recognize hardware revenue on approximately 3.7 million BlackBerry smartphones. Most of the units recognized are BlackBerry 7 devices, in part because certain BlackBerry 10 devices that were shipped in the quarter will not be recognized until those devices are sold through to end customers. During the second quarter, approximately 5.9 million BlackBerry smartphones were sold through to end customers, which included shipments made prior to the second quarter and which reduced the Company's inventory in channel.



As a consequence of the more intense competition the Company is experiencing in its hardware business, it expects to report a primarily non-cash, pre-tax charge against inventory and supply commitments in the second quarter of approximately $930 million to $960 million, which is primarily attributable to BlackBerry Z10 devices.



The current quarter will also include a pre-tax restructuring charge in the approximate amount of $72 million reflecting ongoing cost efficiency initiatives.



As previously disclosed, the Company anticipated generating an operating loss in the second quarter. The Company currently expects that its adjusted net loss, before giving effect to the inventory and restructuring provisions referred to above, will be in a range of approximately $250 million to $265 million, or $0.47 to $0.51 per diluted share. Including the inventory and restructuring provisions, the GAAP net loss is expected to be approximately $950 million to $995 million, or $1.81 to $1.90 per share. Adjusted gross margin is expected to be approximately 35-37 percent.



At the end of the second quarter, total cash, cash equivalents and investments is estimated to be approximately $2.6 billion. The Company has no debt.



The preliminary, unaudited information provided above is based on the Company's current estimate of results from operations for the second quarter of Fiscal 2014 and remains subject to change based on the Company's ongoing review of results, the subsequent occurrence or identification of events prior to closing of the review and any further adjustments made in connection with closing and review procedures. All figures in this release are in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated.



Operational Restructuring Designed to Enhance Financial Results



As part of the Company's focus on enhancing its financial results, and in response to the increasing competition in the smartphone market, BlackBerry also announced plans to transition its future smartphone portfolio from six devices to four. The portfolio will focus on enterprise and prosumer-centric targeted devices, including 2 high-end devices and 2 entry-level devices in all-touch and QWERTY models. With the launch of the BlackBerry Z30 - the next generation high-tier smartphone built on the BlackBerry 10 platform - this week, the Company will re-tier the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone to make it available to a broader, entry-level audience. At the same time, the Special Committee of the Company's Board of Directors continues to evaluate all strategic alternatives for the Company.



Furthermore, the Company also announced that it is targeting an approximate 50% reduction in operating expenditures by the end of the first quarter of Fiscal 2015. As part of this, BlackBerry will implement a workforce reduction of approximately 4,500 positions or approximately 40% of the Company's global workforce resulting in a total workforce of approximately 7,000 full-time global employees.



Thorsten Heins, President and Chief Executive Officer of BlackBerry said, "We are implementing the difficult, but necessary operational changes announced today to address our position in a maturing and more competitive industry, and to drive the company toward profitability. Going forward, we plan to refocus our offering on our end-to-end solution of hardware, software and services for enterprises and the productive, professional end user. This puts us squarely on target with the customers that helped build BlackBerry into the leading brand today for enterprise security, manageability and reliability."



The Company continues to see increasing penetration of BES 10 with more than 25,000 commercial and test servers installed to date, compared to 19,000 in July 2013.



"Our enterprise business continues to reflect the trust that governments and businesses have placed in the BlackBerry platform," added Heins. "Security matters and enterprises know the gold standard in enterprise mobility is BlackBerry."


Monday, March 10, 2014

BlackBerry World adds security badges to show users which apps pass safety testing


BlackBerry is increasing security within its BlackBerry World app store after announcing plans to add badges that show users which apps have passed malware and security testing.



BlackBerry already provides some app vetting, but the badges will verify apps that pass the company's own Guardian analysis program or Trend Micro's Mobile App Reputation service. Apps that fail either scan won't be removed from the store, but the company Correction: BlackBerry says it whatever action is needed if apps don't pass the test, while it hopes that validating those which pass will guide users away from apps that pose a threat.



bb guardian trend BlackBerry World adds security badges to show users which apps pass safety testing




"Given the complex nature and diversity of apps, it is implausible that any mobile vendor will be able to catch 100 percent of all malicious software," the struggling Canadian company warns. That said, the move is an improvement on leaving the BlackBerry World gate completely open for any kind of app... though developers can still flood BlackBerry World.



New App Vetting Logos Appearing in BlackBerry World [BlackBerry Business Blog]



Thumbnail image via Ethan Miller/Getty Images


Thursday, December 12, 2013

Shelly Palmer Talks About the BlackBerry Q10 on Good Day Wake Up


Shelly Palmer chats with Juliet Huddy and Ben Simmoneau on Fox 5 s Good Day Wake Up about the BlackBerry Q10.


Friday, December 6, 2013

Shelly Palmer Talks Cell Phones on Always Mountain Time Radio


Shelly made an appearance on Always Mountain Time radio and hit on a wide array of topics in tech: the Connected World, how small businesses have had to change over the years and the different types of media that businesses have to deal with. He also talks about cell phones: why everyone hates the iPhone 5, why you should love the Galaxy S IV, why the Lumia 1020 matters, and why you'd want to buy the BlackBerry Q10.


Thursday, November 21, 2013

AllThingsD Week in Review: BlackBerry Is Just Resting, and YouTube Goes Mobile First


RIM_Bring_Out_Your_Dead380


In case you missed anything, here's a quick roundup of some of the news that powered AllThingsD this week:


  1. Amid great uncertainty, BlackBerry publicly pledged this week that it's not dead yet and, in fact, will rise again. Meanwhile, a new suitor for the once-dominant mobile company emerged: Lenovo is confidentially exploring BlackBerry's books as it mulls a potential bid.
  2. Since April, Yahoo has made a big push around its Facebook-esque "stream ads" that show up within the scrolling feeds of the company's finance, sports and news pages. Sources this week said that it's an even bigger initiative than previously thought: CEO Marissa Mayer hopes stream ads will one day be Yahoo's greatest driver of new revenue.
  3. This week, security outfit QuarksLab claimed that Apple's messaging service iMessage was not secure, and could be opened up by either curious Apple employees or by a government mandate. But on Friday, Apple vehemently denied that claim.
  4. After a decent Q3 earnings report, Google showed a little bit more of its hand re video plans. CEO Larry Page announced new numbers that suggest mobile is more important to YouTube than ever.
  5. Sources said Twitter plans to significantly update its direct-messaging product in the near future, bringing it to the forefront as rival messaging apps like Snapchat and WhatsApp continue to thrive.
  6. Who wants an iPhone 5c? Apparently, about half the number of people who want the more expensive 5s. Make no mistake, it's still selling like an iPhone, but a growing chorus of supply-chain-trimming rumors suggest that Apple's expectations for the device might have been too high.
  7. A long list of tech titans and well known companies are supporting the nonprofit Code.org as it tries to bring computer science to more schools. But two names in its first educational program might jump out more than others: Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, who will be leading coding tutorials during Code.org's worldwide "Hour of Code."
  8. After Apple CEO Tim Cook hired and then fired retail head John Browett last year, the question of who would replace him became hotly debated. Now, we finally have an answer: Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who will join in the spring.
  9. It's already possible to send cash to friends or relatives online through services like PayPal or Venmo, but this week, Square unveiled its entry in the field. In All Things Reviewed, Walt Mossberg reviewed Square Cash and found it to be "simpler and more private" than its established competitors.
  10. IBM turned in disappointing earnings on Wednesday, and it's worse than a quarterly problem: The longtime No. 2 software-revenue company in the world, behind Microsoft, has now slipped in the rankings. Its replacement? A press-release-happy Oracle.


To stay on top of the latest, please follow AllThingsD on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to our daily email newsletter.


Saturday, November 16, 2013

The BlackBerry Q10 Review: Is It Right For You or Should It Be BlackBuried?


BlackBerry Q10




Back in the day, owning a smartphone (pretty much) meant owning a BlackBerry. If you needed to get work done on the go, a BlackBerry was THE phone to get. Being a "CrackBerry addict" was a badge of honor and, if a high school kid had one - he or she was absolutely in the "in" crowd because BBM was the "cool kids" social media tool of choice.



That was then. Today, in a world dominated by touchscreens and (most importantly) apps, having a BlackBerry screams to all the world about your "old school" roots or that the IT department at your job is so antiquated that it is forcing you to use this distant relative of a modern-day device.



Whether you're on iOS or Android - which, according to StatCounter, combine to make up over 60 percent of the mobile market - you have access to hundreds of thousands of apps. Apps define today's mobile experience more so than any other feature on your phone. Secondary mobile platforms, like Windows Phone and BlackBerry, simply can't compete; their app stores are suboptimal when compared to Apple and Google.



But do they need to compete?



Back in January, BlackBerry showed off its newest operating system, alongside its new flagship phone, the Z10 (which recently had its price slashed all the way down to $49.99 after poor sales in its first six months). The Z10 was a smartphone modeled after top-tier phones like iPhone and Galaxy S III, and featured a 4.2" touchscreen. But much like Windows Phone, a lack of app support and lackluster hardware made the Z10 a nonstarter.



Perhaps the last act of a desperate organization, BlackBerry recently launched the Q10, which is a return to the familiar BlackBerry form factor for hardcore BlackBerry fans. The Q10 has a keyboard and a small, but serviceable touch screen.



So - what makes the phone special? Is it worth buying? Should you switch from your iPhone or Android to a Q10? Is it worth an upgrade from older BlackBerry phones?


What Makes it Special?


The Q10 is the BlackBerry that should have come out three years ago. It's the next generation BlackBerry with a keyboard, and anyone who is a BlackBerry fan is going to want this phone.



The Q10 looks like your traditional Blackberry. It has a 720 720 pixel touchscreen that takes up the top of the device, and a physical keyboard on the bottom. The phone resembles the BlackBerry Bold, the most popular BlackBerry device of a generation long past. There's no track ball on the Q10 as the touchscreen renders it obsolete.



If you want flawless e-mail and texting with a physical keyboard - and don't need much more than that out of a smartphone - this is the device for you. I'd forgotten how nice it feels to type on a physical keyboard. I've been a glass keyboard user for quite some time, between my new Galaxy S IV and the iPhones I've had for the past few years.


What Are the Downsides?


Try as it might, BlackBerry is not an app-driven platform. If you're an app person, this isn't the phone for you; you're going to want to stick to an iPhone or high-end Android device. (But you already know this.)



We live in a world where new phones have to have all kinds of new capabilities. Apps really make the phone. Since Steve Jobs created the App Store and let third-party developers take his platform to the next level, having a bountiful app store is a necessity for a smartphone to succeed.



It is important to understand that the BlackBerry App Store does have apps for the most popular services: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Sports, News, Weather, etc. It just doesn't go deep and, to be frank, it never will.


The BlackBerry is not an AppPhone; Androids & iPhones are not BlackBerrys


If you hold up a Galaxy S IV next to the Q10, side-by-side, even a person who's never used a smartphone before will be able to tell that the devices are very, very different.


Side by Side: Galaxy S IV and BlackBerry Q10



It's easy to tell which is the better, more modern phone.



There's no contest. A 720 720 screen - even with a nice, physical keyboard - isn't enough to make up for the lack of screen real estate that the S IV (or other phones of its size) provides. The Q10 is not a device you will enjoy reading an eBook with, nor will you care for its web browsing experience. That said: in a pinch, it will do.


Should You Upgrade?


The BlackBerry Q10 has one purpose and one purpose only: If you're a BlackBerry Bold or Curve user, and you want the next-generation BlackBerry, it's here. The Q10 has 4G LTE, an app store with basic essentials and a decent camera. If you're sporting a Bold or Curve - or, if you already have an iPad or other tablet and simply need the best possible typing experience available on a handheld device. upgrade to the Q10 now.



If you're anyone else... $199 with a two-year contract will put you in a much more powerful, much more capable device running Android 4.2.x. Did I forget to mention the iPhone 5? Yep. That is not a device you should be considering right now. It's already two-year-old technology. If you're in the market for a smartphone or app phone right now, go with Samsung, Sony, LG or HTC. Apple has a lot of catching up to do.


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Blackberry A10 LCD Screen and Digitizer Leaked


We have heard many rumors about BlackBerry working on a new flagship smartphone called the BlackBerry A10. The device has even shown up in a short video and in some leaked pictures. The rumored specs are that the BlackBerry A10 will have a 5 inch display, a dual core processor 2GB of RAM.

blackberry-a10-display


Monday, October 7, 2013

Unlocked Red BlackBerry Q5 Now Available


The unlocked red blackberry Q5 is now available in the UK from mobile retailer Clove, the handset retails for 330 including taxes, and it comes with BlackBerry 10.



The BlackBerry Q5 features a 3.1 inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 720 x 720 pixels, plus a full QWERTY keyboard, it also features front and rear facing cameras.



Red BlackBerry Q5


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Blackberry ACC-11933-002 Leather Tote with Removable Carrying Strap for 8700c 8700g 8703e – Original OEM – Carrying Case – Non-Retail Packaging – Ecru Tan

Blackberry ACC-11933-002 Leather Tote with Removable Carrying Strap for 8700c 8700g 8703e - Original OEM - Carrying Case - Non-Retail Packaging - Ecru Tan




  • Proximity-sensing technology
  • Conserves battery power by automatically shutting off the screen
  • Can activate a different notification setting based on your preferences
  • Removable leather carrying strap

Take your BlackBerry 8700c 8700g 8703e with you whether you're at the office, out shopping, dining or clubbing - and do it in style, with the mini tote. When you slide your BlackBerry 8700c 8700g 8703e into place, the BlackBerry Leather Tote automatically shuts off the screen, which helps maximize battery life. You can even choose different notification settings (ring, vibrate or both) based on whether your device is in or out of this handy carrying case. Features : Proximity-sensing technology