Blackberry Development Talk

RIM previews BlackBerry 6.1.

Mar 22, 2011 News Leave a comment

EMEA Team Lead for Developer Relations at RIM, Sanyu Kiruluta, provided a preview of the latest BlackBerry 6.1. The BlackBerry 6.1 will include:

• APIs for the device magnetometer and digital compass;
• OpenGL-ES 2.0 support;
• Window API to overlay native app surfaces (media player, camera, browser, etc) with Java UI or OpenGL elements;
• Event-based geo-fencing location APIs;
• Enhancements to the barcode APIs for additional formats and custom decoding;

He said that the supporting tools for BlackBerry developers for the OS will be available soon. The release date for BlackBerry 6.1 is yet to be known.

Sany Kiruluta further added that BlackBerry has no intentions to be an advertising company and will offer a mediation platform with access to other networks. The company is planning to rope in more networks to its platform. RIM will share 60 percent revenue share with BlackBerry developers under the mediation platform system.

RIM strikes deal with Microsoft for cloud-service.

Mar 18, 2011 News Leave a comment

Research In Motion (RIM) has struck a deal with Microsoft for cloud-service. Microsoft in October has announced its own cloud-service initiative called Microsoft Office 365.  The deal will allows BlackBerry’s corporate clients to shift management of BlackBerry services like email traffic management off-site. And, it will help them substantially reduce their costs on operations.

“We’re embracing [that initiative] in a big way and we’re going out jointly with Microsoft to all our customers,” Jim Tobin, senior VP of RIM’s software and business services unit, told Dow Jones Newswires.

RIM expects around 20 to 25 percent of 55 million BlackBerry customer base to use cloud services by the end of this year.

Analysts are expecting cloud-service to be a major part of growth strategy for players in smartphone and Tablet market. RIM’s current strategy echoes that of rival’s HP which has also announced cloud-service initiatives in future.

RIM urges BlackBerry users to disable Java script.

Mar 17, 2011 News Leave a comment

With the unexpected problems unearthed from the Pwn2own hackers, Reasearch in motion (RIM) urges BlackBerry users and IT departments to turn off the Javascript in their mobiles.

If the users visit “maliciously designed” web site from the BlackBerry browser then hacker can access user’s data. BlackBerry OS 6 is designed in such a way that it can access the data in devices that utilize the WebKit browser engine. So devices with OS 6 installed in them are vulnerable to the virus.

According to RIM, hackers can get access to data stored on device’s media cards and built-in media storage but data on the application storage portion of the phone, such as user data stored by e-mail, calendar and contact applications will not be accessible. Till now no complaint has been reported.

Specific guide lines to disable Javascript are given to IT departments and users for BlackBerry devices including recent releases like Torch 9800,  Bold 9700 Curve 9300. If disabling Javascript doesn’t work,RIM has recommended its customers not to use BlackBerry browser till the vulnerability is patched.

RIM releases BBM Social Platform Beta for BlackBerry developers.

Mar 16, 2011 Blackberry Developer, Blackberry Development, News Leave a comment

Research In Motion (RIM) has released the BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) Social Platform- Beta for BlackBerry developers. The BBM Social Platform will allow BlackBerry platform developers to add social Super App features to their apps.

According to BlackBerry’s developer’s blog, the beta will aid developers to accomplish the following:

• Access and update fields in the user’s profile such as status, avatar and personal message;
• Create their own custom areas within the user’s profile for promoting recent application activity or storing trophies and achievements;
• Initiate and embed chats with friends;
• Initiate application-to-application background communication through BBM for sending and receiving application instructions, such as moves in a game or any other application state changes;
• Initiate file transfers;
• The ability to share applications virally with friends in their contact list.

The beta also includes special simulators for BlackBerry OS 5.0 and 6.0 that will allow for simulation of BBM communication between two instances of the simulator and help developers in testing the exact workflow and BBM integration on a live device.

While the recently released beta is for Java developers, RIM will release another beta in April 2011 which will provide full support for the BlackBerry WebWorks platform.

New Updates for BlackBerry developers from RIM.

Mar 9, 2011 News Leave a comment

RIM has announced some new updates for BlackBerry developers to make the app submission process simpler and easy. As per the new updates posted on its blog, BlackBerry developers will no longer be required to produce a notarized proof of identity to participate in BlackBerry App World. Now, they can simply fax or e-mail a copy of their driver’s license. However, businesses will still be required to validate their information through Articles of Incorporation, Business License, etc., to distribute their apps in BlackBerry’s app store.

The log post says that this is an interim measure and the company is looking for a sound long-term solution towards it. RIM is also working on providing a fully automated online process.

RIM has also extended the free BlackBerry PlayBook tablet offer deadline to March 31st to ensure that all BlackBerry app developers have an opportunity to participate and to get their apps submitted for BlackBerry PlayBook.

RIM introduces analytics services beta for Blackberry app developers.

Mar 3, 2011 Blackberry Developer, Blackberry Development, News Leave a comment

Research In Motion (RIM) made a commitment at its BlackBerry DEVCON 2010, that will give Blackberry developers access to its BlackBerry Analytics Service. Delivering on that promise, RIM has announced that the free analytics services is now available for app developers in beta. The analytic services is powered by Webtrends.

Interested blackberry app developers can download the BlackBerry Analytics SDK and start integrating the service into their applications. The service consists of the SDK, documents and a reporting interface that allows developers to access and view the data for their apps. The service will provide key insights like application use, frequency, user loyalty, and features used etc., to blackberry OS developers on customer usage pattern and interaction level with the app which will ultimately help them better their apps and earn more revenue from it.

“Feedback from our customers and development partners has always shaped our BlackBerry products and services, and so we understand the need for deep, rich and accurate analytics. We also know that access to such metrics is a top priority for BlackBerry developers as they try to make their applications stand out in an increasingly crowded market,” said Curtis Sasaki, vice president of product management at RIM.

“BlackBerry developers will now have better access to complementary, enterprise-class mobile analytics technology and services,” said Alex Yoder, CEO of Webtrends. “Webtrends has a truly powerful and incredibly comprehensive platform for creating, measuring and improving content across all digital channels, and mobile is no exception. We are thrilled to deliver insight and value to the BlackBerry developer community” he added.

RIM announces plans for an innovative gifting platform for carriers, BlackBerry developers.

Feb 17, 2011 Blackberry Developer, News Leave a comment

Research in Motion (RIM) announced that it will provide a new mobile gifting platform to carriers that will integrate BlackBerry App World and carrier billing systems to allow BlackBerry users to instantaneously gift apps, airtime and other services from one subscriber to another. The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain.

The gifting platform will allow gifting request and approval handling through the BlackBerry messenger. It will also allow carriers to easily sell its services to prepaid users.

“RIM is committed to aligning with carrier business models to deliver innovative and relevant mobile commerce solutions,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at RIM.

“There will be many usage scenarios and circumstances that can be accommodated through the BBM mobile gifting platform around the world, but the easiest for many people to readily envision and appreciate is the simplified act of a parent approving their child’s request for additional airtime minutes or an app purchase with a single click using BBM” he added.

The platform will also help BlackBerry developers as it would encourage gifting of apps between subscribers thereby boosting app downloads.

RIM makes lead commitments of US$150 million in VC fund for Blackberry developers.

Feb 15, 2011 Blackberry Developer, News Leave a comment

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced that it will be making a lead commitment of to US$150 million in BlackBerry Partners Fund II, a new independent venture capital fund dedicated exclusively on mobile computing.  The fund is expected to be launched in June, 2011 and will have a wider global mandate than the first Fund.

In a press release issued by the company, Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion said”We are very pleased with the positive impact of the first Fund on our mobile ecosystem and we look forward to BlackBerry Partners Fund II bringing additional resources and support to mobile innovators in a broader range of international markets”.

“We are very fortunate to have RIM as an anchor investor and partner in our Fund and greatly anticipate expanding our reach and the geographical scope of Fund II,” said John Albright, Co-Managing Partner of BlackBerry Partners Fund.

BlackBerry Partners Fund was first launched in 2008 with collaboration from Research In Motion, Thomson Reuters, Royal Bank of Canada and many other high profile investors. The Fund has since made 13 investments in mobile start-ups across the world. Companies working in the mobile ecosystem including Blackberry developers can benefit from this fund.

BlackBerry developers get new market in Nigeria.

Feb 9, 2011 Blackberry Developer, Blackberry Development, News Leave a comment

Research In Motion (RIM) has announced that the Blackberry App World, official application store for BlackBerry phones, that was initially closed to users in Nigeria has now been launched. BlackBerry owners in Nigeria can now download apps on their phones with any internationally recognized smartcard.

Most of mobile applications stores are usually closed for mobile users in Africa as these regions are not considered as major markets. However, with tough competition in major markets and growing popularity of smartphones in African countries has led to shift in strategies of app stores. The launch of Blackberry App World in Nigeria therefore is an important major milestone in the process of providing better access to mobile content for users in these regions.

Speaking at the Mobile Web West Africa conference in Lagos, Deon Liebenberg, RIM Managing Director for Africa said: “We are very pleased to offer this experience to our customers in Nigeria, which we see as a very exciting market going forward.”

RIM to hold BlackBerry Developer Day at MWC, 2011.

Feb 7, 2011 Blackberry Developer, Blackberry Development, News Leave a comment

Research in Motion (RIM) will be holding a BlackBerry Developer Day at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2011 in Barcelona, Spain.This 1-day event will be held on Tuesday, February 15^th, as a part of the MWC App Planet Application Developer Conferences.

The event is held to update BlackBerry application developers on the latest information on the BlackBerry development platform,specifically on monetizing apps on BlackBerry App World and integrate it with the BBM Social Platform. RIM will also be hosting many hands-on-labs for BlackBerry app developers covering BlackBerry WebWorks and Adobe AIR development on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

There is also a special event named AppCircus Spotlight which will provide BlackBerry developers with a unique opportunity to showcase their apps and win a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet!

Developers can get all the required information about the event on their desktop or directly on their smartphone.