News and Rumors

Great news for PlayBook owners. In a conference call to investors RIM released some major details regarding the PlayBook 2.0 update.

Here are the details:

• Built-in native email and PIM
• Robust enterprise features including BlackBerry Balance to allow management of personal liable devices
• Android App Player
• BlackBerry Video Store - 10,000 movies, TV shows to buy, rent, same-day release as DVD and HDMI output to your TV
• New gaming, major media and productivity Apps

All of this will be available sometime in October, as an OTA update. Clearly there are some major changes, and enhancements with this update.

Lots to talk about.Let us know in the forums.

Today RIM has announced their second quarter results for the last three months. The results are not as good as RIM or its investors would have liked.

Here are some highlights taken from the press release on Marketwire:

• Revenue in the second quarter was $4.2 billion and service revenue surpassed $1 billion for the first time
• GAAP net income of $329 million or $0.63 per fully diluted share; adjusted net income of $419 million or $0.80 per fully diluted share
• The BlackBerry subscriber base grew 40% year over year to surpass 70 million
• RIM's largest roll-out of BlackBerry smartphones was initiated with 7 new smartphones launched with over 90 carrier and distribution partners in 30 countries during the latter part of Q2
• Approximately $780 million was invested as part of a consortium of companies that successfully bid to acquire intellectual property assets from Nortel
• BlackBerry smartphone shipments in Q3 are estimated to grow between 27-37% over Q2 shipments

Q2 Results:

Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 was $4.2 billion, down 15% from $4.9 billion in the previous quarter and down 10% from $4.6 billion in the same quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 73% for hardware, 24% for service, and 3% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 10.6 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 200,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.
"We successfully launched a range of BlackBerry 7 smartphones around the world during the latter part of the second quarter and we are seeing strong sell-through and customer interest for these new products. Overall unit shipments in the quarter were slightly below our forecast due to lower than expected demand for older models," said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion. "We will continue to build on the success of the BlackBerry 7 launch to drive the business as we focus our development efforts on delivering the next generation, QNX-based mobile platform next year."
The Company's GAAP net income for the quarter was $329 million, or $0.63 per share diluted, compared with GAAP net income of $695 million, or $1.33 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and net income of $797 million, or $1.46 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year. Adjusted net income for the second quarter was $419 million, or $0.80 per share diluted. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude the impact of a pre-tax one-time charge of $118 million for the Company's cost optimization program that was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. Details on the cost optimization program are available in the Company's press release dated July 25, 2011 as well as in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for the fiscal period ended August 27, 2011, which will be filed shortly.

Q3 and FY2012 Outlook

Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 ending November 26, 2011 is expected to be in the range of $5.3-$5.6 billion. Gross margin percentage for the third quarter is expected to be approximately 37%. BlackBerry smartphone shipments are expected to be between 13.5 million and 14.5 million units. Adjusted earnings per share for the third quarter, excluding the impact of charges related to the Company's cost optimization program, is expected to be in the range of $1.20-$1.40. Adjusted diluted earnings per share for the full year fiscal 2012, excluding the impact of charges related to the Company's cost optimization program, is expected to be towards the low end of the previously guided range of $5.25-$6.00.

We will be reporting more on this as more information comes in through RIMs official conference call and webcast.

RIM keeps dropping VPs like hotcakes.

Today, John Vandermay (VP of BES Software) announced he was leaving. He will be joining Gemcom Software International Inc., a Vancouver-based mining software company, as vice president of product development.

Although Mr Vandermay had only held his position for 18 months, he is now the fifth senior executive to leave RIM in the last six months.

Is this the foreshadowing of a disaster for RIM?

RIM always seems to have something new up their sleeves. The latest is what seems to be a patent for rotating keys on a physical keyboard. This could be an updated patent to the rotating keyboard patent that was seen in August 2010. The patent explains the ability to set custom keyboard designs for specific variations and scenarios.

The abstract of the patent:

The BlackBerry PlayBook seems to be conquering every area within enterprise computing. Today RIM has introduced the availability of the Citrix receiver for the BlackBerry PlayBook.

The Citrix reliever allows users to access applications and desktops hosted by their company's Citrix server. Now applications like Microsoft Outlook, and Microsoft Word will be able to run directly from the PlayBook. If available, users can also access their Citrix desktop with a couple of simple touches. You could look at the Citrix receiver as an extension of your desktop at work.




Some Key features include:

• Multitasking – similar to the PlayBook’s multi-tab browsing experience, the Citrix Receiver allows for multitasking between virtualized apps and desktops, and between multiple desktops themselves – all on the tablet’s seven-inch screen
• Single “Sign On” Access – one single sign on access point provides full access to virtual apps and desktops
• IT Controlled Built-in Enterprise App Hosting – IT managers can give self-service access to enterprise apps, much like you select apps from BlackBerry App World
• Security – the unique FIPS-certified BlackBerry PlayBook tablet security protocols protect your data when using the Citrix Receiver
• Peripheral Integration in High Definition – by pairing a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, you’ll gain full access to your remote desktop and apps on the PlayBook’s brilliant HD screen

This is a really big step in a positive direction for RIM's PlayBook as it now opens the doors to communicate with one of the most effective application hosting systems in the market today.

Download it here

Let us know what you think in the forums.

With the launch of several BlackBerry OS 7 devices recently, it seems many developers were left with apps that weren't compatible with this newest software.

For many apps,, including GetGlue, this was actually a simple solution of adding OS 7 devices to their compatibility list.

Today, AdaptiveBlue Inc. updated the device compatibility for GetGlue. If you have a OS 7 devices, you can download it now.

BlackBerry Master Control Program (BBMCP) has been floating in beta testing waters for over 3 years now. After 2 successful beta builds, they've decided to make the latest an official build. This is useful tool for BlackBerry device tweaking & tinkering.

The new v1.0 does bring a few small changes including:

Back in July we wrote about some new features that that were to be included in RIM's new BIS 4.1. We were never sure whether or not these features would make it into the final release. Now thanks to a KB( Knowledge Base) article we now see that all of the features initially reported will be included.

Here is a recap of some of the key features included in BIS 4.1.

Improved large email and native attachment support
Subscribers using BlackBerry smartphones with BlackBerry® 7 installed can:
receive email messages that are up to 11MB in size
download attachments in their original format that are up to 8MB in size
view up to 300KB in an HTML email message

No interruption to email flow on SIM swap
Subscribers who insert a new SIM card in to their BlackBerry smartphone, including SIM cards from a different wireless service provider, no longer experience email flow interruptions. The BlackBerry Internet Service only stops sending email to a smartphone when the subscriber deletes all data from the smartphone, not when a new SIM card is inserted in to the smartphone.

Due to this change, before selling a smartphone, subscribers must delete all data from the smartphone (security wipe) to protect personal information, including email messages and synchronized contacts and calendar events. For more information on performing a security wipe, please see KB28225.

Note: This functionality will be available when BlackBerry Internet Service 4.1 is released in all regions.

Inbox priming for new account integrations
When a subscriber adds an email address to a smartphone, the inbox on the subscriber’s smartphone is pre-populated with up to 20 existing email messages from the email account.

Additional language support
Latvian and Lithuanian are supported by the BlackBerry Internet Service. Emails received in these languages can now be viewed on BlackBerry smartphones.

As you can see there are some significant changes. One thing to note here is that the message receive size has increased to 11MB for OS 7 devices. This will reduce the amount "Truncated Due To Size Messages".

Let us know what you think in the forums.

Last month we reported news of a leaked QNX based device. However, those reports turned out to be fake.


Now more details have been circulating regarding this mystery device. Code name "Knight" the BlackBerry Bold 9980 (R47) has been causing quite a stir among BlackBerry fanatics. The device is now said to be an exclusive for owners of the luxury car Porsche. A video showing some hands on interaction with the device has also surfaced.


The device appears to be running OS 7, and shows some details that hint towards the device being manufactured by RIM. Other than its hideous look the hardware is said to match that of the Bold 9900, and 9930.

BlackBerry users are divided on what to think of this mysterious device. Some say its fake while others think its legit. Now with new details emerging, and the hands-on video, its clear that this is something worth keeping an eye on.

What do you think about this mysterious new device? Talk about it in the forums.

Sprint has announced that they have delayed the launch of the the BlackBerry Curve 9350.Sprint says the delay was due to "unexpected circumstances", and the release will now be sometime in October.
Sprint has not given any specific in regards to the new launch date. However, rumors are circulating that the new release date will be October 2nd.

Where you planning on purchasing the 9350 from sprint? Let us know in the forums.

Normally when a carrier has a sale on an older device, it's because they're trying to clear inventory to welcome a new or updated model of that device.

WIND Mobile is having a weekend sale on the BlackBerry 9780. You can pick up the device for $400 outright, or $0 on a WINDTab+.

Could this be a sign of an upcoming BlackBerry Bold 9900 launch for Wind?

With many new BlackBerry devices launching on carriers worldwide, you wanna make sure you're picking the right device. Inside BlackBerry posted ealier five (5) things you should know about the 9900/9930.

I've personally had my 9900 for almost a week now & i keep learning new/cool things about it daily.

Evernote has been around for quite some time now on BlackBerry devices. Now its available to download on the PlayBook.

Item Description

Evernote turns your BlackBerry® Playbook™ into an extension of your brain.

This award winning app lets you remember and recall anything that happens in your life. From notes to ideas to snapshots to recordings, put it all into Evernote and watch as everything instantly synchronizes from your BlackBerry® phone or tablet and to your Mac or PC.

Easily search for notes created on your desktop or web using your BlackBerry® devices. Whether from last week or last year, all your memories are in one place, available whenever you need them. You can even search for printed or handwritten text within your snapshots - great for business cards, whiteboards, and wine labels.

How to use Evernote

There are tons of ways to use Evernote for your personal and professional life. Here are some ideas:
- For research and class notes
- For client and sales meetings
- To stay in-sync with your desktop notes, web clips, and files
- To snap photos of whiteboards and business cards
- As part of your GTD system to help you stay organized
- To record quick voice memos

In short, to remember everything.

Evernote for BlackBerry® Playbook™ works best when used together with our downloadable versions for BlackBerry® phone, Windows and Mac. Best part: it s free!

Download it here

Do you use Evernote? Let us know in the forums.