Despite the fact that NFC is still a growing technology, there has been quick adoption of it in various parts of the world and one company that has proven they'll be making use of it whenever and wherever possible is RIM. A new venture between Research In Motion, Orange and SITA in cooperation with the Toulouse-Blagnac airport in France will take 50 frequent flyers and have them partake in NFC trial testing throughout the airport. As noted in the press release:

"With NFC technology, the mobile phone simplifies the passenger’s journey through the airport, says Jean-Michel Vernhes, CEO of Toulouse-Blagnac airport. It now becomes a personalized tool displaying the right information at the right time. It also enables passengers to better manage their journey, so they can choose how they spend their time at the airport. For T-B airport, the approach is to give to flyers access to leading-edge technologies that enhance and facilitate their experience at the airport in providing new Premium services."

The trial testing of NFC in the Toulouse-Blagnac airport is just a starting point for further NFC usage within airports as a whole. The trial testing information will ultimately be put to use in an upcoming smartphone application planned for 2013-2014.

Continue reading article

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

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

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

Although they're not the first to have it in the UK, Virgin Mobile have joined the likes of Telefonica and Vodafone having now integrated BlackBerry App World carrier billing.

We've launched carrier billing with Virgin Mobile UK today! BlackBerry App World now offers carrier billing with 42 partners!^AK

Source: BlackBerryDev

Here in the UK we saw RIM kick off their new marketing campaign just two weeks ago with a TV advert suggesting that "There are people who don't, and people who do" -- and that same concept is staying in place with two new, shorter commercials that have cropped up on BlackBerry UK's YouTube channel.

This time the adverts are targeting specific features and devices.

The first is promoting BBM Music on the BlackBerry Curve 9320, which is perfect timing as the device is now available on all UK networks. The second commercial features the BlackBerry Bold 9790 and its NFC payment capabilities. The last video focuses on the BlackBerry 7 web browser and the Bold 9900.

Although NFC has been around for a while now on BlackBerry Samrtphones it is one of those features that we don't really see in everyday use. Does this new advert mean NFC payments are going to be more readily available soon? Let's hope so as although the public may well need educating on the technology I strongly believe it is something we will see a lot more of in the near future.

It is also great that RIM are not sitting back, happy with their one TV commercial and are targeting the consumer from various angles.

Do you think they are on the right path? See the other videos below and then sound off in the comments!

Continue reading article

Anyone that doubts the future of Research In Motion and the BlackBerry brand need look no further than the developing markets outside of North America to see that not only is RIM not dead, it is in fact flourishing in other parts of the world. South Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico are all huge contributors to revenue, with Nigeria soon to be added to the list. Robert Bose, head of RIM for Central Europe, Middle East and Africa, revealed at BlackBerry World that within the next two months a BlackBerry office will open in Lagos, making Nigeria a specific target market.

Nigeria currently has a very small smartphone market at this time with only 5% of phone users owning one. However, BlackBerry is the number one smartphone brand with half of that market already using the RIM made devices. With inexpensive unlimited internet plans and the high popularity of BlackBerry Messenger in this region (97% of BlackBerry users in Nigeria use BBM) combined with inexpensive phones such as the BlackBerry Curve 8520, it's no wonder the brand has gone viral. It's not just a matter of money, however. BlackBerry was voted as the most popular phone among teenagers and there was even a series of Nollywood films released last year called BlackBerry Babes focusing on how your social status can be harmed if you don't own a BlackBerry. All of this, without any direct representation of the brand.

Don't let yourself be fooled by the popularity low-end devices. High-end devices such as the Bold 9900 sell just as well as the more inexpensive Curve line. "A lot of people expect that the only devices we would sell in Nigeria would be the 8520 or the cheapest phones,” says Waldi Wepener, RIM's regional director for East, Central and West Africa. “But we sell as many at the high end. Because Nigeria is not a subsidized market, and operators don't subsidize devices down to zero, the price of the device at the user level is very visible. And that doesn't hold back the market.”

So what does all of this mean for RIM and BlackBerry? There is currently a market of 100 million phone users, with 5 million of those people using smartphones, and half of that number are BlackBerry smartphones. It's only a matter of time until the population begins to migrate en masse to smartphones, which opens up tens of millions of new users for RIM in the next few years. And that's just in Nigeria. Research In Motion already has stores opening across India and the Middle East where BlackBerry sales have been thriving. Of course, winning back the North American market is still important and most would agree that it's crucial to RIM's survival for the long run. But that is a battle that will take a lot of work and won't be won overnight. It's good to know that in the meantime, BlackBerry and Research In Motion aren't going under, they're simply winning over other markets while rebuilding their image back home.

Discuss more in the forums

Source: ITWeb

They may be a week behind some of the other UK networks, but Vodafone UK now have the BlackBerry Curve 9320 available. From £112 on PAYG + V.A.T (£135), the Curve 9320 -- as we have already detailed -- is a real BlackBerry Bargain. With the latest version of software, 7.1, and its glorious traditional hardware keyboard the Curve 9320 is the perfect device for those of you who put social networking and communication at the forefront. Keep reading for the full press release.

Continue reading article

With the BlackBerry Smartphone being so popular here in the UK, one predicament that many parents may well have when buying a lower end device for their children is do they go down the contract route or Pay As You Go (PAYG). I thought I would have a look at the options and compare the costs over a two year period, as this is how you get the best deal on a contract.

For my little experiment I have only used one carrier and that is T-Mobile UK. The reason I have chosen them is due to them offering the best option when is comes to BIS (BlackBerry Internet Service) on PAYG.

The device I have used for the comparison is the new BlackBerry Curve 9320 as I strongly believe this will be the most successful handset with the younger generation over the next year or so.

Continue reading article

While many are awaiting the release of BlackBerry 10 devices, there are still parts of the world where BlackBerry 7 smartphones have yet to land. RIM's current flagship device, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has made its way into Russia. However, if you're a consumer wanting to get hold of the device you're out of luck as this launch sees it only available to business customers on the Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) and Vimpelcom carriers.

There is no indication on whether it will be available to consumers in the future. For more information on purchasing the BlackBerry Bold 9900 in Russia, contact visit or contact Mobile TeleSystems or Vimpelcom carriers.

Press Release

Moscow, Russia - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the BlackBerry® Bold^TM 9900 smartphone will be available for business customers in Russia through RIM authorised carrier partners Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) and Vimpelcom.

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet and the first to offer the perfect union of a high-performance keyboard and touch display integrated within the iconic BlackBerry Bold design. It supports high-speed networks around the world as well as Wi-Fi® connectivity. With its industry-leading keyboard, responsive high-resolution touch screen and high-speed browser capabilities, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 continues the tradition of delivering the world's best mobile communications experience with a highly refined and integrated suite of phone, email, messaging, social and business apps to keep customers connected and productive throughout the day.

The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is also the first BlackBerry smartphone to include built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), a new technology that is enabling many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to make mobile payments, pair accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone.

"We're excited to launch the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone in Russia together with our partners MTS and Vimpelcom," said Paul Lucier, Managing Director for Russia at Research In Motion. "The Bold 9900 features the new BlackBerry 7 operating system and provides users with an outstanding communications, web browsing and multimedia experience. IT managers will also benefit from the renowned enterprise-grade features of the BlackBerry solution."

Next-Generation BlackBerry 7 OS

The BlackBerry® 7 operating system introduces a next-generation BlackBerry browser that is among the best in the industry. Combining the dramatically improved performance of the advanced WebKit browser engine, together with the powerful hardware enhancements of the BlackBerry Bold 9900, means that browsing results are up to 40% faster than BlackBerry® 6-based smartphones and up to twice as fast as BlackBerry® 5-based smartphones*. Additional enhancements to this next-generation BlackBerry browser also include optimized zooming and panning for smoother web navigation and optimized HTML5 performance for incredible gaming and video experiences.

For information about pricing and availability, please contact: Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) or Vimpelcom.

* Testing was performed by RIM and measured average page load speeds using pre-release BlackBerry 7 software.

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

Press Release

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - May 17, 2012) - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced that CESG, the National Technical Authority for Information Assurance in the UK, has approved the BlackBerry® 7 operating system for government use. The approval enables public sector workers to utilise the enhanced performance and rich functionality of the latest BlackBerry smartphones available in the UK.

The BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution from RIM is the only mobile solution approved by CESG to protect material classified up to and including 'Restricted'.

Stephen Bates, UK Managing Director, RIM, said: "We're pleased to see CESG taking such positive steps to help ensure UK government workers have access to the latest suite of BlackBerry 7 smartphones. Thanks in part to our industry leading security credentials, BlackBerry smartphones are widely deployed in UK public sector organisations including the Ministry of Defence (MoD), most of Central Government and more than half of the UK's police forces, NHS and local government organisations. BlackBerry smartphones are enabling greater efficiencies and improved citizen service by providing access to data such as patient records, the Police National Computer and other government systems at the point of need."

Continue reading article

In Stuttgart, Germany a few days ago the BlackBerry Porsche P'9981 was honoured at the Plus X Awards by receiving the gong for Smartphone of the Year 2012. The Plus X Awards celebrate innovative technologies, as well as sports and lifestyle products that are "viable for the future and possess at least one 'Plus X' factor" (as quoted from the Award's website).

The BlackBerry Porsche P'9981 won the award for combining the Porsche Design's classic and 'puristic' design with RIM's own innovative BlackBerry technologies. Axel Kettenring, Managing Director RIM Germany, says: "We are very proud to receive this seal of quality. Receiving the Plus X Award for the Porsche Design P'9981 smartphone confirms we are operating at the cutting edge with our demand for design and quality."

Even if the Porsche P'9981 isn't a BlackBerry device that the majority of our readers will own, it's nice to see it win quite a prestigious award. Don't forget there contest is still open to those who would like a chance of winning CrackBerry Kevin's very own Porsche Design BlackBerry. Today is the last Day to enter, so if you'd like a chance to win check out the link below.

For a chance to win CrackBerry's Kevin's Porsche P'9981

Source: Porsche Design Press Release, via: @BBEMEABusiness

Here in the UK we got to see the premiere of RIM's new TV advertising campaign at prime time on Saturday night. Judging by the responses on Twitter, viewers had a mixed reaction, however I'm personally impressed that RIM is trying something a little different.

They today released the following press release regarding the campaign:

Continue reading article