If you have a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha, chances are you're seeing the above message on your device. You see, the devices appear to have an internal self destruct timer in place. No matter, just go ahead and reboot a few times, it'll stop and surely RIM will fix it in the next update.
Presumably, the reason for this is that RIM originally intended to be shipping BlackBerry 10 devices in October with developers by now (Sept. 1st) having swapped their Dev Alpha for limited edition version. Since BlackBerry 10 was delayed until Q1 2013, the assumed timer on the devices was never reset.
It's a long weekend, so I'm sure we'll not hear anything from RIM about it until a later time but it's an easy fix -- just slightly annoying if you were planning on working on an app over the weekend.
Thanks, Rezn!
Sparro Sep 1, 2012 at 12:10 am
It would be a real good surprise if RIM were to deliver BB10 in September and gave us all a good surprise!
varunsain Sep 1, 2012 at 12:24 am
So sad but so good!!
BlackBerry PlayBook 32GB & Torch 9810
http://www.twitter.com/varunsain
southlander Sep 1, 2012 at 12:26 am
If this was (or is) fixable why would RIM not have addressed it beforehand? Surely something like this would have been brought up with all the attention on the dev tours taking place, etc.
Bla1ze Sep 1, 2012 at 12:33 am
How do you know it's not fixing itself? Maybe that's what the reboots are doing, when connected to the internet, it's phoning home and updating the timer info or whatever else triggers it.
The devices are enabled for logging, they do send anonymous log info BACK to RIM so there isn't any reason the fix couldn't come down from RIM as well in the same manner. Assuming you enabled the logging feature, which there isn't really any reason not to.
When something goes wrong, any normal person with common sense would try a reboot first before proclaiming the sky is falling. If they do indeed fix themselves, why even bother mentioning it?
Camfella Sep 1, 2012 at 1:42 am
??????? You wrote the blog! You brought it up!
Bla1ze Sep 1, 2012 at 1:46 am
lolwhut?
Because I wrote the blog post, I can't reply to comments on it in the comment section? I know it's Friday night and all but, uhh.. You been drinkin? Puffin on them tweeds? lol.
My reply was directed at the question as to why it wasn't fixed before this, not why even post about it.
m_warden1 Sep 1, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Don't worry bla1ze Friday was a full moon if I remember correct( it has sent everyone into a tail spin of craziness) (I think it spilled over today also but I should probably post that on a different forum haha)
Long and short it all makes sense to me... Phone stops working... Restart phone... Phone works again... Developer happy again yayy.
Storm 1 (retired)
Storm 2 (retired)
Torch 9800 (active)
Playbook 32gig (active)
BruvvaPete Sep 1, 2012 at 12:21 pm
I'm not trying to defend Bla1ze because he can defend himself, but fella, you are a true and downright stinking turd. I thought I flushed you a while ago, but you crawled right back up the sewage line. So tired of you.
Camfella Sep 1, 2012 at 6:09 pm
You're tired of me? Who gives a shit? You always disappear when I ask the tough questions, so you're useless. Blaise dissed the guy, I responded, and Blaise ended up giving an explanation/apology to the guy, so mission accomplished!
southlander Sep 1, 2012 at 2:44 am
I do not know it's not fixing itself. But it is evident (since this was sort of posted as "news") -- that this is something RIM has not warned anyone about. Or have they?
I don't know. Just seems kind of out of the blue and something that either is "forgotten" and poorly planned for. If it's worth a blog post I think it is worth RIM mentioning and saying "hey this is going to happen; here is the fix".
Bla1ze Sep 1, 2012 at 3:47 am
@ardiri is looking into it further, so hopefully it'll be resolved soon with a note about why. And I wasn't ouright disgreeing with you, it should be ackowledged was just thinking out loud the reasons why they may never have addressed it. But from the sounds of it, it was something that was just genuinely overlooked or was thought to of have already been taken care of in later OS'
southlander Sep 1, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Yeah I imagine RIM is a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I know how that is.
kfh227 Sep 1, 2012 at 12:58 am
I see this as the kind of thing that poor requirements could cause. Probably developers saw it coming. But culture probably prevented this info from trickling up through the management chain so it could be fixed.
See this crap alot.
all3n7 Sep 1, 2012 at 12:53 am
What!! Long weekend.. Indeed, thought RIM are working hard to deliver the goods... Timer should had been reset, right when thor decided to delay the release... Hmmmm...
troy lee Sep 1, 2012 at 12:58 am
Troy~£€€ will blackberry 10 look like dev alpha?
ardiri Sep 1, 2012 at 1:20 am
were the devices that showed this error updated to the 10.0.6.368 build?
https://developer.blackberry.com/blackberry10devalphas/update
the message may be showing on the earlier builds - dating back to the blackberry world in may (when it was planned) when they were running build 10.0.4.197. just an observation.
if this is the issue, maybe try doing an update via the above link.
// Aaron Ardiri
http://www.mobile1up.com/
Cronk, Caveman HD for BlackBerry PlayBook
nyland Sep 1, 2012 at 1:52 pm
I think you are on the right track. My BB10 Alpha crashed last week (or rather a program I am working on crashed) and when I restarted the BB10 the OS was back to 10.0.4.188. So I upgraded it [again]. Last night the same thing happened and I got the "device program has ended" error when I restarted, and the OS version was back to 10.0.4.188. When I upgraded to the latest OS the error message was gone.
tw_ Sep 2, 2012 at 2:59 am
My Dev Alpha is on 10.0.6.545 and I got the same message. A reboot fixed it for me. It is still on 10.0.6.545.
abayomii Sep 1, 2012 at 1:46 am
RIM should have a rethink on the availability of th BB 10......it will be very interesting if they can have the device out by october. If RIM is actually putting the device up for sale next year, I bet a whole lot of people would have been contented with the iphone5 "THE EXPENSIVE SMART-TOY"
RIM please you guys can still perform wonders *winks*
MaxPayne79 Sep 1, 2012 at 2:26 am
captain bla1ze, if u no longer need the phone, u can always mail it to me. :) i live in the t-dot n cheap(er) shipping.
BruvvaPete Sep 1, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Hey! (sharp elbow to the ribs). Git in line! (psst. I got him a bottle of fine tequila)
MaxPayne79 Sep 1, 2012 at 1:28 pm
lol... ok.
Snoek Sep 1, 2012 at 9:09 am
maybe RIM prepared a new beta build of BB10 for the Dev Alpha's and this has to have happened in order for them to get it across to dev's?
Kandoo-BB Sep 1, 2012 at 9:59 am
FYI update servers were down for about an hour this morning 9 am eastern.
donsil Sep 1, 2012 at 11:48 am
It is such a shame that Blackberry can't seem to get its act together. I am a diehard and will wait for the new OS and phones. Most other friends and colleagues are bolting. Why is the release such a secret? I hope this limping company gets bought by someone with more resources and sense.
BruvvaPete Sep 1, 2012 at 12:33 pm
A fence post makes more sense than you do.
Rootbrian Sep 2, 2012 at 4:04 am
Seemingly so, we hope you get bought out and purchased. Then how would it feel to have nothing? Get the hell out of here. You have no authorities to make that business decision. You aren't even on the fucking board of directors.
Carllam Sep 1, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Way to go Crackberry on releasing unnewsworthy blogs that negatively impact and impinge on a fragile company's reputation. Adding fuel for speculation of a companys prospects to a fanboy site isn't the best approach. Perhaps next time consider sensors?
BruvvaPete Sep 1, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Think again Massengill. The guy is merely preparing devs for something that might hinder progress and people are dressing down CB for it? Are you people menta!?
nyland Sep 1, 2012 at 1:55 pm
I am actually quite happy for the post. I got the error last night, and if I had not read this post, and that there is a solution, I might have gotten frantic. So thank you for the community help - which is what it is really all about!
Thunderbuck Sep 1, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Agreed. I panicked when I first saw it (after some puzzling instability, but it IS an Alpha device, after all).
Seeing a report on here at least informs me that the error I encountered isn't unique. And, yes, rebooting once seems to have cleared it. Presumably we'll be seeing an OS update soon.
Carllam Sep 2, 2012 at 4:10 am
Getting frantic over a troubled alpha is like crying over spilled milk. Most of us on the development workflow will have the simulator installed anyway.
It's not puzzling to expect instability on the alpha, I've had 1/6 blinks on my alpha several times and they come as no surprise. Please don't misconstrue- it is puzzling that a developer tool known to be in alpha, ergo unstable and unrefined, will get blog coverage as opposed to crackberry alpha devices forum coverage.
Realistically any news about alpha trouble doesn't reflect brightly on an organization realigning priorities to the general public and it can be especially confusing to folks who don't have the alpha or have it and don't use it for development.
Even more puzzling are folks coming here for alpha support as opposed to "official channels" such as the blackberry support forum or development support forums on rim or tweeting a bb evangelist. I'm just saying.
Rootbrian Sep 2, 2012 at 4:10 am
Obviously you don't have a dev alpha device, or a blackberry device and are just discrediting the blog. Get a damn life and discredit somebody else, or troll on some other place on the dark internet.
Carllam Sep 2, 2012 at 4:29 am
Who are you addressing and why are you playing the Internet bully? If you are addressing me, then you sir are in error. And so in terms of "discredit", let's be clear despite some questionable blogs, I respect the blog staff. However you yourself have done adequate damage. http://ytpartist.deviantart.com/art/Rootbrian-Motivator-122615296
vlicaros Sep 1, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Its a big secret because this maybe something that could save RIM and they don't want anyone stealing their ideas. Look at what Apple is doing with Samsung with the patent lawsuits. Wouldn't you want your new big idea to be kept under wraps till u actually release??
Xopher Sep 1, 2012 at 2:47 pm
I woke up this morning and saw the message on my Dev Alpha's screen. First place I looked was on CB and saw this post. A quick reboot later, and the Dev Alpha is back up and running. I was beginning to think I wasn't going to be able to do any testing this weekend, and would have to wait until next week to contact RIM. Thankfully, that is not the case. I'm glad it was posted here, otherwise I'd be wondering for a while.
gsjones Sep 1, 2012 at 3:21 pm
First got the message last night and a quick reboot allowed everything to come back up normally - today, the same warning. Possibly something in the coding RIM forgot to replace when the updates came out.
sheldork Sep 2, 2012 at 10:42 am
I changed the year to 2011 until RIM sees this error & gets working on it.
nathanpc Sep 1, 2012 at 3:58 pm
At least now we know the screen that will appear when our Dev Alphas get retired by RIM...
Rootbrian Sep 2, 2012 at 4:14 am
The awesome part about this blog entry, is that it'll be found on google when people are having issues. :)
GO CRACKBERRY, GO RIM!
BerryClever Sep 3, 2012 at 2:44 am
I don't really know why people are upset about CrackBerry reporting this. From the comments, there are people who use the Alpha device and they visit CrackBerry.... so why wouldn't CrackBerry report on it? RIM is a big company with some trouble, but they will sink or swim with the release of BB10 (I hope swim). If they don't they will probably get bought out but there OS will probably live and we can still enjoy it.
Either way, whether they sink or swim, bought out and used or bought out and redone, this article will not affect their outcome. BB10 will affect their outcome. Most people see that an Alpha device saying "device program has ended" understands that it is *Alpha* and it would be give out for *testing*. People understand that it is not a retail version and this couldn't have any affect on future versions. The only people that will bash RIM because of it and pretend it will happen on future BB10 phones are people who already made up their minds on RIM and are in love with the fad that is the iPhone or the "non conformist" group that loves Android (which is, imho, a horrible crap OS that I regret ever getting).