For the past few years we've been blogging about the results of the annual Milward Brown BrandZ survey, which through magic and voodoo and (we're assuming some science since they apparently conducted 2 million interviews), places a value and rank on the world's top brands.

The BlackBerry brand has faired pretty well in previous years. In 2009 BlackBerry ranked #16 on the Top 100. And we're talking Top 100 of all companies and brands here, not just in the tech category. In 2010 the BlackBerry brand climbed up to #14 on the Top 100. 2011 saw a drop to the #25, which arguably was still pretty awesome.

We all know BlackBerry has taken it's fair share of beatings over the past year, especially in the USA, so I expected to see the BlackBerry brand drop down the list this year. What I wasn't so sure on would be how much. Maybe #50? Maybe #75? With the 2012 report now available for download, it's no longer something to think about.

According to the Brandz survey for 2012, BlackBerry is off the Top 100 list altogether, and on the Tech Category list dropped to position 20 (we're guessing they must be ranking close to 101 on the list). The report says the value of the brand dropped 75%, down to just over $6 Billion from $24.6 billion a year before. That's a big drop. Bigger than I expected.

End of the day, I'm not sure the results mean that much for BlackBerry. There's brand value and then there's brand awareness. With 77 million subscribers and BlackBerry a household name, even though the value may have taken a hit this year I think awareness of the BlackBerry brand is at an all time high. And awareness equals the ability to impact value very quickly. This is why we saw the brand drop in value a lot in 2012. BlackBerry fell behind and quickly got punished. And it's why I predict we'll see BlackBerry climb way up the list next year, after we see a successful launch of BlackBerry 10. Let's getter done!

SwiftKey and Mobile Nations are giving you the chance to win a phone or tablet of your choice. SwiftKey is one of the leading aftermarket keyboard for Android, and in return for letting the SwiftKey guys know how you use your phones and tablets, you could bag the device of your choice, up to a value of $800.

Head over to swiftkey.com/survey to begin, complete the survey. If you're one of the lucky three (yes, three) winners, you could get your hands on your dream phone or tablet, even if it doesn't run Android. In fact, even if you don't currently own a device that supports their kick-ass keyboard, SwiftKey still wants to hear from you, and you could still be a winner.

The survey is open internationally for smartphone and tablet owners aged 18 and over, and it runs until midnight on Wednesday, June 6. Be sure to check SwiftKey's site for the full terms and conditions.

Head over to SwiftKey's survey page to get started!

We all know we have to pull our batteries from our BlackBerry once in a while, some more than others. S4BB dropped me an email to let me know that Restart me 3 is now available in App World to download. Some people may not be bothered about pulling the battery but for those of you who find it a hassle or use your BlackBerry with a case, this application may be perfect for you:

The app allows for the following features:

• Easy to use: restarts your device with just a single click.
• No-Brainer: avoids complicated key combinations to restart your device.
• Quick Reset: you can auto-restart your device or do it manually.
• Free your Memory: kills all the unnecessary applications running in background freeing your RAM. 
• Daily Restart Schedule*: e.g. wake up with a freshly rebooted smartphone every morning at 7:00 a.m. - * this feature is only available in Restart Me Pro 

The application is free or there is also a paid version which is set at $.99 and will allow a scheduled restart. Need more info or just looking for the download? Click the link below.

More info and to download Restart Me 3

"The iGrip Windshield Mount is the perfect addition to the BlackBerry PlayBook's already ultra-portable design"

Navigating the world and keeping people entertained is hard enough in a moving vehicle, but add a tablet or a cell phone and it becomes a daunting task. As I drive down the road, I'm constantly using my phone or tablet for directions and music, all while thinking that there needs to be a better way to hold my BlackBerry PlayBook to make driving safer. When I had the chance to take a look at the iGRIP car mount for the PlayBook, I jumped at the opportunity. Continue reading to see if the iGRIP car mount for the BlackBerry PlayBook can hold its own.

Read Full Review

We've written a few posts in the past about UK Police Forces taking up the BlackBerry solution in order to aid them in getting more Police Officers out on the streets policing instead of constantly being in the Police Stations filing paper work. One Police Force had even added the a fingerprint scanner attachment to their BlackBerry devices to be able to ID perps they've stopped on the streets a lot faster.

It seems that India is following suit in the city of Bangalore, where the police computer wing of Karnataka state police put up the proposal. It differs to the UK in that this BlackBerry solution is for the traffic police in order to help them produce on the spot fines for violating motorists.

There are currently 750 police officers in the traffic wing of Bangalore city police who have been issued with BlackBerry devices. They have also been provided with Bluetooth enabled printers so that documents can be printed on the spot. It is said that the implementation of this BlackBerry solution will also add another 250 police officers to aid in manning the traffic in the busy city.

News like this is just another testament to how reliable the BlackBerry solution is in providing people with the tools they need to carry out tasks without being tied to the desk.

Source: Times of India

The latest BlackBerry smartphone in the Curve family has made its way into the Philippines. The BlackBerry Curve 9320 was launched last night in Taguig City at a joint event by RIM and Globe Telecom.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 comes preinstalled with BlackBerry OS 7.1 which also brings an FM Radio for the device. It also has the dedicated BBM button which essentially brings back the left-convenience key, that RIM took away when the Torch 9800 came along. The Curve 9320 is a great upgrade to the Curve 85xx/9300 line that has been very popular with the teens and is also a great option for the budget conscious or even those looking to take the step towards the world of BlackBerry smartphones.

You can pre-order the BlackBerry Curve via the Globe Telecom website. The Curve 9320 is free on the BlackBerry Unli Surf 999 plan. This will get you unlimited surfing plus a P400 consumable every month for 2 years. In terms of calls and texts, with this plan you 200 texts and 10 mins to Globe Telecom numbers. It is pretty obvious this plan is aimed at those to consume more data than callls. Delivery is stated for mid-June and postage is free nationwide.

For more information and to pre-order the Curve 9320 from Globe Telecom
Check out our hands-on video with the Curve 9320

Source: Tech Pinas

I saw a few comments suggesting the Porsche Design BlackBerry that I gave away to a lucky reader might end up on Ebay, but that couldn't be further from reality. Thankfully, it found a great home with a deserving BlackBerry fan who appreciates it.

I shipped my P'9981 off to Toronto to CrackBerry member Houshinto, and he followed up with some photos of his P'9981, including a photo of it in its daily charging spot, next to its "protector". Gotta love it! I asked Houshinto for some background info on himself that I could share with CrackBerry Nation.

Turns out it's a really small world - Houshinto actually used to live in the same city I'm in (heck, his parents used to own a Chinese restaurant I've been to *many* times). CRAZY. Keep reading for a couple more photos and a bit more info on this lucky CrackBerry contest winner!

Continue reading article

If you're planning to attend one of the BlackBerry 10 Jam Road Shows, then you'll be pleased to know that registration has now opened for North America and Europe. Latin America dates have yet to be announced and registration will open soon for the Asia locations.

Remember there is a limited a supply of BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha devices and while non-developers are welcome to the event, only developers will be eligible to receive a Dev Alpha. Minors are also welcome, as long as they are accompanied by an adult and they register as a minor as per the terms and conditions.

The agenda for the event looks full-packed, seeing the afternoon go into the breakout sessions. These are separated into Native and Web sessions, so you'll have to decide whether you're going down the WebWorks route or Native route as you'll have to register for these sessions before the event.

If you're a developer it would be an event I'd recommend attending. It's free for one and there's a chance of you getting a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha. I have already registered for the London event and I am very much looking forward to the day.

Which locations are you planning to attend? Let us know in the comments.

Register for BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour

Welcome to another edition of our theme roundup my fellow theme addicts. I hope you all had a great weekend! Now it's time to get back to work and I have some great themes to show you in the roundup this week. Be sure to click on the jump and check them out.

If you developed a theme you want to share or see featured in the contest or discovered a really great one out there by all means shoot it on over to us! Submit your tips and suggestions to themeroundup[at]crackberry.com for consideration. I hope you enjoy this week's picks so be sure to click on the jump to check them out.

Continue reading article

I had a meeting yesterday morning with Everything Everywhere, the owners of T-Mobile and Orange in the UK. I wasn't initially going to post the details here on CrackBerry, but the more I think about it, the more the discussions I had may well be to RIM's advantage.

The meeting was about Everything Everywhere's plan to hopefully roll out 4G finally in Great Britain. (We are lagging way behind our American friends over the pond). I say hopefully as they are still waiting for the go-ahead from Ofcom and without the clearance we will stay on 3G. However, Everything Everywhere are confident that things will move positively and in the meantime they are preparing their current cell sites for 4G so a switch to the new technology will be swift once the green light is given.

So where does RIM come in you may ask? Well, we know that the first BlackBerry 10 device is scheduled for release in Q4 this year and of course for the U.S. market it will support LTE. Everything Everywhere have stated today that they 'hope' to have the HSPA+42 network in place late this year "subject to Ofcom spectrum liberalisation", so I presume the UK variants of the BB10 handsets will also have the same LTE capabilities. To cut a long story short, if Everything Everywhere are to support BlackBerry 10 devices from the offset they potentially could be some of the first 4G smartphones to launch in the UK giving RIM UK an extra selling tool.

With Everything Everywhere being the UK's biggest network, it maybe time for them to grow even more as they are the only carrier that are working towards rolling out 4G ASAP.

May be great timing for RIM? Or fate. Or their destiny!

We recently saw the BlackBerry 7 OS get approved for use by the UK government, now the same OS, along with OS 7.1 has been approved for use by Australian and New Zealand governments. It certainly is reassuring to know that our beloved BlackBerry operating systems is secure enough to get government approval. While not many consumers are hugely concerned about security, I, for one, like this about BlackBerry so I always like hearing news like this.

Continue reading article

If needing to know about BlackBerry Enterprise applications is your thing, then you may want to check out RIM's upcoming BlackBerry Enterprise application showcase. The event, to be held online on May 30th will offer a look at some of the enterprise solutions available from some of RIM's key partners including Citrix, SAP, and Box.

The BlackBerry® Enterprise Application Showcase is a one-day virtual event that highlights key partner applications that are designed to fully enable a productive mobile office. This virtual conference offers all of the same benefits you'd experience attending a physical conference, all without ever leaving your desk.

• Timely, Relevant Information - Gain key insights from the leading minds in enterprise mobility today.
• Savvy Keynote Speakers - See innovative apps from top enterprise partners Citrix, SAP, and Box.
• Instant Takeaway Collateral - Download all the relevant information to review and share
• Real-time exhibitor interaction - Visit booths and ask questions in a content-rich virtual 3D environment

Things will kick off at 10:30am ET and run until 2:30pm ET. If you're interested in learning more, you can hit the link below for further details and to get yourself registered if you do so with to attend the event.

Learn more and register for the BlackBerry Enterprise application showcase

If you happened to open up BlackBerry App World recently and noticed some changes you're not alone. In fact, RIM has sent out notification to BlackBerry developers letting them know that new category changes for applications are now in effect for BlackBerry App World and to adjust their apps accordingly if needed. The changes are as follows:

• News: The News category has been expanded to include magazines. This category is now called News and Magazines and includes Blogs as a subcategory.
• Beta: The Beta category is discontinued. The apps located the Beta category have been moved to relevant categories.
• Reference and eBooks & Education: The Books and Reference category has been divided in to separate categories so that these are now individual categories respectively. The Reference category includes Education. This new category is Education & Reference.
• Shopping: The Shopping category has been renamed Lifestyle.
• Maps & Navigation: The Maps & Navigation category now includes Travel and has been renamed Navigation and Travel.
• Music Creation (*NEW*): There is a new subcategory Music Creation available under the Music and Audio category.
• Children’s Categories (*NEW*): There are two new children’s focused categories: New Children’s Games category within the Games Channel, New Children’s Books subcategory within the Books category

While most of the changes are minimal, the removal of the beta section is a rather interesting one. RIM has spent a lot of time revamping the BlackBerry Beta Zone for their applications so it begs the question how BlackBerry 10 will handle betas, if at all. Then again, the beta section in BlackBerry App World was never really used by RIM themselves.

Via: BlackBerry Cool

SmarTone HK has officially released OS 7.1.0.428 for the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and the Porsche Design P'9981. While this is an official release, remember to use caution when updating your device. If you need help along the way, you can head into our help forums or check out some of our BlackBerry 101 articles including How to Install or Upgrade to a new OS. If you do install this OS, hit up the forums thread below for findings, fixes and more discussion. Thanks to everyone that sent this in!

Download OS 7.1.0.428 for the Bold 9900
Discuss more in the forums

Download OS 7.1.0.428 for the P'9981
Discuss more in the forums