News and Rumors

RIM is getting the party started right with music innovator DJ Diplo. RIM has been pushing the tagline “Be Bold” to help promote their new Bold 9900/9930 series smart-phones. There have been a few new commercials over the past few weeks and here are some of them.

It looks as though RIM is recycling commercials as we already saw the "Night Bikes" commercial for the Curve 9350/60/70 devices. We see it again here with another "Night Bikes" commercial this time staring the Bold. Even the one with DJ Dipole I believe was used with the Torch. Enjoy.

It seems as though many people are just looking at the US market as a gauge for RIM's success. Although it is a big part it's not the only part to measure the success of RIM. The fact is RIM is very popular in other parts of the world, and actually account for more of RIM's market.

According to The Financial Express a publication from India, the BlackBerry brand was voted the second most aspirational brand in India. BlackBerry came in at second place before its competitors Apple and Nokia. BlackBerry also dropped in on the publications most visible Brands of 2011.

You may find yourself this holiday without the new BlackBerry P’9981 in your stalking this Christmas morning, but you can get something else that's also delightful to the eyes. The theme from the luxury device has been successfully extracted and can be installed on your OS 7 device. The Porsche Design BlackBerry P’9981 is said to start appearing at the luxury retailer Harrod's any day now, and will set you back a nice £1,275. If you install this on your device let us know.

Warning: This theme is NOT OS 7.1 compatible (OS 7 only). Also, installing this theme will overwrite your stock theme on your device.

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The legal battles never seem to cease for the BlackBerry maker RIM. Last month the company had to change the name of its future phone from BBX to BB10, and this time it looks as though the term BBM may be in danger of being removed. It seems as though everyone is after RIM these days.

Executives at the Tronto based broadcast industry group BBM Canada, are saying that the trademark BBM belongs to them. The company started in 1944 as a group of broadcasters, has had several names over the years. Some to include: Bureau of Broadcast Management, BBM Bureau of Measurement and now BBM Canada. It also uses bbm.ca as its website and has used the letters BBM in its logo for more than sixty years the group also owns the trademarks in both the U.S. and Canada.

In a statement to the press, president and chief executive officer of BBM Canada Jim MacLeod, stated the following: “We want our name back, I find it kind of amazing that this wouldn’t have been thought about before they decided to use the name. The same thing goes for BBX.” he also stated that “We don’t want to pile on the troubles of RIM – this predates RIM’s troubles – but from our point of view, this is a very serious situation, If the big guy who can throw the most money at it can take your trademark, why do you even have trademark law?” A court proceeding against RIM has launched after attempts to negotiate failed. This means that the BBM name as we know it may be changed.

RIM started its campaign for the name BBM back in 2010. According to the Canadian Intellectual Property Office they advised RIM in a letter in Febuary of 2010 that the trademark "was not registerable". Apparently someone in RIM's trademark department inst paying attention. First BBX now BBM, come on. Whats going on here? We will be watching this one very closely. I cant imagine not calling BlackBerry messenger BBM.

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So why am I writing about this defamation case today? And what does it have to do with BlackBerry? Well, first off, it's a most important story that affects the entire blogging community. Secondly, this ruling comes right before yet another recent un-verified sourced rumor about BlackBerry maker, RIM (Research In Motion), started by tech-blog site, BGR (Boy Genius Report). Essentially, BGR has on numerous occasions posted articles such as, RIM discontinuing WiFi PlayBook (RIM response here), Open Letter From Disgruntled RIM Employee (RIM response here), more disgruntled RIM employee letters, and the most recent, BlackBerry 10 is a failure that won’t be able to compete, company source says (RIM response here)...

Source

Scrapbook for the BlackBerry PlayBook has been upgraded to version 2.0. This is great app for adding a little spice to those dull pictures. Version 2.0 now comes with packs that can be downloaded. At this time there are there packs you may choose from. Travel, Christmas, and The 50's. In addition, you can now download Scrapbook Content Packs and connect to Facebook via BlackBerry Bridge. Some nice new features. If you have the app share some of your creations with us or post a comment.

As I was sitting, minding my own business on this lovely evening, I got an urgent BBM/email from AgentBlackBerry and TwistMyMind to immediately post about the app, BBM Music, being updated to version 1.1.0.12. They're currently at BlackBerry's BBM Ugly Sweater Event in New York City, so those of us that are nerding it up at home get to write stories up! There hasn't been much information on what has been updated in this version, so please post a reply in the forums to let BBOS know!

If you're new to BBM Music, this is what you can expect: Each month you can switch out up to 25 (of your 50) songs to freshen up your listening habits. The songs you have listened to can also be cached to your SD card to allow access to all your songs even when you're offline and can't connect to your wireless network. Even better: free trial for a whole month! After that, access to BBM Music will cost you only $5 per month. That's 10 cents per song if you never swap them out, and roughly seven cents if you swap out 25. I'm not sure where else you can pay that little for music right on your BlackBerry, which means one thing.. Go download BBM Music now!

• Step One: Download BBM Music from the App World.
• Step Two: Create your very own music profile and pick 50 of your favorite songs from millions up for grabs.
• Step Three: Add your friends! Invite your fellow BBM buddies and gain access to their 50 songs as well. The more friends you have on BBM Music means the more songs you can listen to.
• Step Four: Start listening. Grab some earphones or play through the speakers to allow everyone to enjoy and bring on the music.

If this sounds like the app for you, head over to BlackBerry App World and download (or update) now!

• Download BBM Music from the BlackBerry App World
• Share your updated version findings in the forums!

Microsoft and Nokia discussed potential takeover of RIM sources say. While RIM its self has approached Samsung, and HTC about potentially licensing BB 10. According to sources from the Wall Street Journal talks between Microsoft, Nokia and RIM began months ago while the takeover talks are still unclear its likely that the topic has come to the table at least a few times.

According to Reuters RIM “turned down takeover overtures” from Amazon because it wanted to fix its problems independently. Rumors of a possible takeover have circulated for some time now and each time shares have surged. After reports said Microsoft and Nokia mulled a joint bid, shares surged as much as 10.2 percent in German trading and as much as 11 percent in New York finishing the day a $12.52.

Whether rival handset makers like Samsung and HTC would be interested in BB 10 is uncertain. Why would they be? Google gives Android away, they just make profit from advertising and app downloads. That is something we do not see with RIM. Both HTC and Samsung use the Windows 7 OS as well.

RIM has declined to comment about any takeover talks at this time. They have also declined to comment about possibly abandoning the BlackBerry device to focus on enterprise software and services.