Tag Archives: BlackberryPlaybook

BlackBerry will shutter its app store on December 31st, 2019

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While there's little doubt that BlackBerry's in-house mobile platforms are finished (the last BB10 device shipped over 2 years ago), it's now giving holdouts some not-so-subtle hints that it's time to move on. The company has announced that it's shut...

BlackBerry 10 not coming to BlackBerry PlayBook tablets

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BlackBerry 10 not coming to BlackBerry PlayBook tablets

If you were hoping your BlackBerry PlayBook would get a taste of BlackBerry 10, think twice. Despite earlier plans, Thorsten Heins just revealed that the newer OS isn't coming to his company's tablet due to "performance and user experience" concerns. The executive didn't discuss the long-term future of the PlayBook, but it's clear that the current model is at the end of the road. When the company's earnings are back in the red, devoting attention to a long-struggling device isn't likely to be high on the priority list.

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Thorsten Heins: tablets aren’t a good business model, BlackBerry aiming to lead mobile computing in five years

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Thorsten Heins tablets aren't a good business model, BlackBerry aiming to lead mobile computing in five years

Holding out for a post-RIM version of the PlayBook? That waiting likely won't end any time soon. BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins used an interview yesterday to discuss the mobile environment five years out. Seems he's feeling particularly bullish about his own company's prospects. "In five years, I see BlackBerry to be the absolute leader in mobile computing -- that's what we're aiming for," he told the interviewer. "I want to gain as much market share as I can, but not by being a copycat."

Not being a copycat may likely involve staying away from the crowded tablet market. "In five years I don't think there'll be a reason to have a tablet anymore," according to the CEO. "Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such. Tablets themselves are not a good business model." This certainly isn't the first time the exec has expressed caution about the space in the wake of the PlayBook's lukewarm reception. Heins has mentioned in the past that the company won't jump back into tablets unless it sees the potential for profits.

Update: BlackBerry has since issued an official response to the interview,

The comments that Thorsten made yesterday are in line with previous comments he has made about the future of mobile computing overall, and the possibilities that come with a platform like BlackBerry 10. We continue to evaluate our tablet strategy, but we are not making any shifts in that strategy in the short term. When we do have information about our PlayBook strategy, we will share it.

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Source: Bloomberg

BlackBerry exec allegedly confirms a new BB10 tablet will launch in 2013 (update: not true)

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BlackBerry exec allegedly confirms a new BlackBerry 10 tablet will launch in 2013

The company formerly known as RIM is currently rolling out two devices running the new BlackBerry 10 OS, and apparently that's not all it's got in store for 2013. Know Your Mobile India reportedly heard from the Head of Developer Relations for Asia Pacific at BlackBerry, during the recent Z10 launch in India, that a "BB10 tablet is definitely coming later this year." We already knew that BB10 was to be shoehorned onto the PlayBook, and the same exec confirmed that it's still in the works, so your old slate won't be left with outdated software when this new hardware arrives. We've reached out to BlackBerry for confirmation or comment, and will update you when we hear back.

Update: Well, that was quick! The exec mentioned above has told us he was misquoted, and that BlackBerry has no immediate plans for a new tablet, instead focusing fully on the Z10 and Q10 for now. Sorry, folks -- no PlayBook 2 for you.

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Via: Unwired View

Source: Know Your Mobile India

The Weekly Roundup for 01.28.2013

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The Weekly Roundup for 12032012

You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 7 days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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RIM plans 36-hour event giving away cash, PlayBooks to game developers porting to BlackBerry 10

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RIM plans 36hour event giving away cash, PlayBooks to developers porting to BlackBerry 10

While RIM has already taken to directly rewarding developers who write for BlackBerry 10 in order to stock up its app catalog, it's about to offer a slightly stronger incentive for the gaming crowd. An upcoming Got Game Port-a-Thon starting November 16th will give producers $100 for every game successfully ported to the upcoming platform, with the perks climbing the more titles make the leap. Three or more ports net a BlackBerry PlayBook, and the first handful who port five or more get a Dev Alpha device to test their creations in a truly native environment; particularly avid developers porting 10 or more games will even score a trip to the Game Developers Conference this March. The catch, as you'd imagine from the telethon-inspired label, comes from the fixed timeframe. There's just 36 hours open for submissions once the event starts, which will have most developers scrambling to get their code ready in advance. If RIM gets all its developer ducks in a row, however, we'll have no shortage of fun (or distractions from work) when the first BlackBerry 10 devices hit the shelves.

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RIM plans 36-hour event giving away cash, PlayBooks to game developers porting to BlackBerry 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 19:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink MobileSyrup  |  sourceInside BlackBerry Developer Blog  | Email this | Comments

RIM’s PlayBook disappearing from online retailers in the US

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RIM's PlayBook no longer available from US online stores

If you want to get your hands on RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, you might be running out of time. It seems that the QNX-based device is no longer available in the US from retailers like Wal-Mart, Best Buy, RadioShack and Staples, with Amazon and RIM's own online store being the exceptions. We're wondering if this means newer PlayBooks are in the works -- we've already seen updated 4G LTE models out in the open and recent OS updates indicate the company hasn't given up on the much-maligned PlayBook. Potential upgrades include the upcoming BlackBerry 10 OS, and hardware improvements wouldn't be a bad idea (Perhaps a flip-out keyboard addition a la Microsoft Surface?). In any case, RIM might want to move fast if it wants any chance of competing in the increasingly crowded tablet space.

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RIM's PlayBook disappearing from online retailers in the US originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 04:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceComputer World  | Email this | Comments

BlackBerry PlayBook 2.1 update goes live with SMS, portrait email

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BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 with Bold 9930

RIM's attention around its QNX-based platforms might revolve around BlackBerry 10 as of late, but don't think that it's leaving BlackBerry PlayBook users behind. A PlayBook 2.1 update is rolling out today that fills in some of the gaps left by 2.0 earlier this year. Habitual messagers can now start SMS text messages directly from the tablet when tethered through BlackBerry Bridge; they also get overdue support for a portrait view in email, calendars and contacts. If communication isn't the cornerstone of your life, you'll still find a few niceties such as Android App Player support for the camera and in-app purchases, device encryption that extends to personal data and wireless printing beyond the local network. For now, you'll have to be an owner of the original, WiFi-only PlayBook to leap on the 2.1 train today -- those who sprang for the usually carrier-bound PlayBook 4G LTE should get their upgrade within a month.

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BlackBerry PlayBook 2.1 update goes live with SMS, portrait email originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceInside BlackBerry  | Email this | Comments

RIM applies for patent on tablet with concealable keyboard, keeps your QWERTY love a secret

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RIM applies for patent on tablet with concealable keyboard, keep your laptop a secret

RIM just can't quit keyboards, and neither can many of its fans: even the BlackBerry PlayBook has an official Mini Keyboard case. It almost shouldn't be a surprise, then, that the company is applying for a patent on a tablet design with a stealthy keyboard built-in. The layout hides a full, hinge-attached QWERTY keyboard from critics (and accidental key presses) underneath a back-mounted cover. When an owner's urge to use physical buttons becomes overwhelming, the keyboard swings into action and relies on the cover as a kickstand. It's a clever solution to lugging around a separate keyboard or specialized case, but it's hard to say if RIM will implement what it's learning into a finished product -- the firm isn't in the best position to experiment with new tablet concepts, and we've already seen a few imminent solutions to the concealed keyboard problem from other vendors. That said, the patent does show that the folks in Waterloo would like to keep a love of keyboards alive in the tablet era, even if it requires some subterfuge.

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RIM applies for patent on tablet with concealable keyboard, keeps your QWERTY love a secret originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Sep 2012 20:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink N4BB  |  sourceUSPTO  | Email this | Comments

RIM promotes UK and Ireland head in preparation for BlackBerry 10

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Thorsten Heins is assembling his crack team for BlackBerry 10, hiring and firing to assemble the lineup of business heavyweights he needs. RIM's UK and Ireland chief Stephen Bates is the latest to move, being promoted into the newly-minted role of European Managing Director, while former product manager Rob Orr will take his place. A RIM spokesperson told ZDNet that the moves are to ensure the company's BB7 legacy devices remain strong sellers in a key market while preparing the region for the advent of BB10.

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RIM promotes UK and Ireland head in preparation for BlackBerry 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 04:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceZDNet  | Email this | Comments