CrackBerry.com - BlackBerry Jam

BlackBerry: The Next Great Entrepreneurs

Michelle Haag — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:16:18 +0000

Got a sense of humor? You might enjoy this new video from BlackBerry Jam 2013

As in previous BlackBerry Jam keynotes, Alec Saunders, Christopher Smith and Marty Mallick are back, but this time they aren't singing. Previously known for their hits "The Waiting", "Keep On Loving You", and "At Last", this year the guys did something a little different and put together a parody of a reality TV competition. If you aren't in Orlando right now, or if you missed the BlackBerry Jam keynote, this is your chance to see just what the Developer Relations team at BlackBerry has cooked up for your enjoyment.

While I personally always liked the BlackBerry band and admired them for putting themselves out there and doing something a lot of people didn't "get", I think this parody will appeal to a wider range of viewers. Take a look at the extended cut of the video above, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

BlackBerry Jam heading to Hong Kong and Barcelona!

Richard Devine — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:57:31 +0000

BlackBerry Live is in full swing in Orlando, but looking to the future BlackBerry has announced the next two stops on the BlackBerry Jam calendar for BlackBerry Jam Asia and BlackBerry Jam Europe. For those of you who are regulars to either conference, the venues have been changed up for the next conferences.

BlackBerry Jam Asia will take place this coming September 26 and 27 in beautiful Hong Kong, moving on from the 2012 venue of Bangkok, Thailand. For the first time too, the BlackBerry Jam Europe event will move away from Amsterdam, and instead take place in Barcelona, Spain. Usually set for early February, Jam Europe is moving forwards a little for 2014 and will take place over January 21 and 22.

To sign up for updates on both events, head on over to the BlackBerry Jam website. For a flavor of what to expect keep it locked to CrackBerry for our continued coverage of BlackBerry Live, which of course now incorporates the BlackBerry Jam Americas event. So, who's going to Hong Kong or Barcelona? Let us know!

Source: BlackBerry Jam

BlackBerry Jam: A developer preview from a developer [Weekend Coder]

Brian Scheirer — Sat, 11 May 2013 10:03:12 +0000

Alongside the consumer focused BlackBerry Live Conference is the BlackBerry Jam Americas developer conference. We all expect most of the exciting announcements to happen during the “Live“ side of the conference but there are some sessions that could lead to some interesting insight of the future of BlackBerry 10. So in this “Conference Special Edition” of the Weekend Coder series, I thought I’d highlight a few topics from a developer’s point of view. As well as give some conference pointers and tips for any fellow developers attending.

First it should be noted that there is a good spread of introductory level sessions in whatever platform you choose to develop (Air, Android, HTML/WebWorks, and Native) and you should definitely attend if you are new to that platform to get a good overview. I don’t expect you’d hear anything earth shattering in those sessions. Going a bit deeper, you’ll see there a wide variety of topics and a complete list of sessions can be found here. There you can see the more newsworthy goodies are in more advanced sections. Here’s my breakdown of the ones I think have a good chance of interesting news:

Get ready for it... the CrackBerry Live Show will be coming to you from BlackBerry Live!

Kevin Michaluk — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:28:38 +0000

If you can attend BlackBerry Live this year, definitely attend BlackBerry Live. If you can't make it, you'll want to do the next best thing and tune into the CrackBerry Live Show!

BlackBerry's biggest show of the year -- BlackBerry Live -- is coming up fast, and as always the CrackBerry team will be on location to report back all the news. With BlackBerry 10 phones now here and the BlackBerry Jam Americas developer conference happening as part of BlackBerry Live, we're expecting it be an awesome week in Orlando the week of May 13th to 16th.

This year we're taking our CrackBerry Coverage to a whole new level, with the introduction of the CrackBerry Live Show! We will have dedicated space within the conference center, right in the middle of the buzz. In addition to making it our home base while we blog away all week (you'll always know where you can find us), we will also be streaming a three hour live show each day. That's right, you will be able to watch us live! And if you miss the show, we will be cutting the show down into segments and you'll be able to watch them later on youtube.

CrackBerry's BlackBerry Developer Podcast - the 1/3 told story

Kevin Michaluk — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:30:49 +0000

Watch the first 20 minutes of our 60+ minute podcast above. We're going to sit down with Alec again just as soon as we can. Apologies!

The unthinkable happened. We screwed up. On Friday, April 12th, we recorded an awesome video podcast with a very special guest. BlackBerry's VP of Developer Relations and Ecosystem Development, Alec Saunders, joined myself, Chris Umiastowski and Rene Ritchie to talk all things BlackBerry 10 app related.

We spoke for over an hour. All was great. We talked about his role and the structure of the Dev Rel team at BlackBerry. We talked about the upcoming BlackBerry Live and BlackBerry Jam Americas event coming up next Orlando in May. And from there, Alec fielded a bunch of questions that we asked on behalf of CrackBerry readers.

First look at Education Apps - Coming soon to BlackBerry 10

James Richardson — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 20:00:56 +0000

While at BlackBerry 10 Jam I sat down with George, the man behind Education Apps Ltd. George already has a selection of apps available for various platforms including BlackBerry 7 devices, but what I was interested in was checking out what he has to offer for BlackBerry 10.

CrackBerry European Giveaway: Win a BlackBerry Z10 Transform Shell!

Richard Devine — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:09:18 +0000

BlackBerry Jam Europe is starting to wind down after two days of full on BlackBerry 10 excitement. We're not quite finished yet though. As we're in Europe, we thought a great way to sign off in Amsterdam would be a special giveaway for our fantastic European readers.

There was a lot of love between developers and BlackBerry - Here's a quick summary from BlackBerry Jam Europe

James Richardson — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:41:33 +0000

BlackBerry Jam Europe has drawn to a close and what a super event it was. This was my first time at a developer event of this scale and I must say that BlackBerry did an amazing job from start to finish. The venue for the Jam was organized to perfection. All the staff, both BlackBerry and outside agencies, were extremely efficient and as far as I could see there were no glitches over the two day festivities.

BlackBerry Jam Europe attendees weigh in on BB10

Simon Sage — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:05:43 +0000

Our very own James Richardson and Richard Devine killed it at BlackBerry Jam Europe while we've been buried in our BlackBerry Z10s. They've got their own thoughts on how the show went, but there's a whole sea of reactions from European developers and press about the platform worth highlighting.

Type and Go style actions heading to BlackBerry Z10 with BlackBerry 10.1 update

Richard Devine — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:00:21 +0000

As time passes, we're gradually beginning to learn more and more about the BlackBerry Q10, such as the new Type and Go feature that Vivek Bhardwaj kindly demonstrated for us. As a souped up version of Universal Search, Type and Go brings actions to key words typed onto the Q10. It's a fantastic feature, and sure to excite the heavy communicators among us.

We go hands on with SayIt for BlackBerry 10

James Richardson — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:50:27 +0000

We have mentioned SayIt a couple of times in the past - first for BlackBerry smartphones and then for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The voice recognition application is now available for BlackBerry 10 and over at BB10 Jam in Amsterdam we got to sit down with the developer who talked us through the app. We suffered a little with our internet connection unfortunately and some results took a while but the actual voice recognition was pretty quick.

BlackBerry Dev Alpha C Photo Gallery

Richard Devine — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:45:16 +0000

The BlackBerry Dev Alpha C was unveiled during yesterday's keynote presentation at BlackBerry Jam Europe. Our hands on discovered a pretty solid device, with an excellent physical keyboard as you'd expect from a BlackBerry device.

The response to the Dev Alpha C in Amsterdam has been phenomenal, with the testing booths packed with eager developers wanting to get their hands on one to start building great apps for the BlackBerry Q10.

But, we know there's sure to be a host of developers who qualify to get a Dev Alpha C that couldn't make the trip to Amsterdam. So, to follow up on our initial hands on, here's a few snaps of the device to tide you over until it arrives.

Missed the BlackBerry Jam Europe Keynote? Watch it back online at your leisure

Richard Devine — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:43:55 +0000

We know a lot of you guys joined us live on Tuesday morning for the BlackBerry Jam Europe keynote presentation, but at the same time we know that it was also the middle of the night for many of you. Never fear though, BlackBerry has posted the full keynote presentation video for BlackBerry fans and developers to watch back at their leisure.

Highlights of the 80 minute presentation include the introduction of the Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10, the unveiling of the Dev Alpha C and of course, 'the band getting back together.' 5:20 is the magic mark for Alec and the gang reforming for one last time. The video is embedded on the BlackBerry Jam Europe website, which you'll find by hitting the source link below. Enjoy!

Source: BlackBerry

Need an alternative Twitter app for BlackBerry 10? We go hands on with Neatly

James Richardson — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:34:30 +0000

As things stand currently there aren't many options for Twitter clients on BlackBerry 10. That will clearly change in the very near future, but if you fancy using something other than the 'limiting' native Twitter app, you may want to check out Neatly for BlackBerry 10.

We talk to the developers of Autumn Dynasty - Coming soon to BlackBerry 10

James Richardson — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:04:38 +0000

At the BlackBerry 10 Jam keynote in Amsterdam earlier today the developers of Autumn Dynasty made an appearance on stage to give a brief demonstration of their application on the big screen. The game is already available for the iPad and has become the number one strategy game in 25 countries!

First Look: Type and Go on the BlackBerry Q10 with Vivek Bhardwaj

Richard Devine — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:49:59 +0000

Something pretty cool was -- albeit briefly -- shown off during this morning's keynote at BlackBerry Jam Europe. Type and Go is the BlackBerry 10 iteration of Universal Search and will be coming to everyone who goes out and grabs a BlackBerry Q10. Type and Go is more than just search though, it takes key words such as Email and BBM and turns them into actions.

Limited Edition Red BlackBerry Z10 Photo Gallery

James Richardson — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:57:47 +0000

Over at BB10 Jam Europe today, all eyes have been on the two new devices that have been shown off - the Special Edition Red BlackBerry Z10 and the Dev Alpha C. Hopefully you saw our hands on video with the Red Z10 earlier and as I promised here are some additional photos of the handset.

Whether red is your color or not you have to admit this one looks good don't you?

First look and hands on with the BlackBerry Dev Alpha C

Richard Devine — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:37:41 +0000

During the keynote presentation this morning at BlackBerry Jam Europe in Amsterdam, Alec Saunders unveiled the BlackBerry Dev Alpha C device. Geared at developing for the forthcoming BlackBerry Q10, the Dev Alpha C is of course the first Dev Alpha with the full, physical keyboard.

Hands on with the Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10

James Richardson — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:30:59 +0000

Over at BlackBerry 10 Jam Europe in Amsterdam we saw earlier for the first time at the keynote the new Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10 that developers can get for free. Of course, devs need to qualify as we have already outlined.

I managed to 'find one' a short while ago and using my ninja powers we managed to spend a short time alone with it -- and what a beauty it is.

BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha C shown off at BlackBerry Jam Europe

DJ Reyes — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:18:17 +0000

The Dev Alpha C has just been shown during the General Session at BlackBerry Jam Europe. Many developers got themselves a Dev Alpha A or B in order to aid in their development to build for the BlackBerry 10 platform. However, it was to build for the BlackBerry Z10 model. With the BlackBerry Q10 coming later this year, developers will want to start building for that model so in comes the Dev Alpha C.

BlackBerry Android runtime to be upgraded to Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Bla1ze — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:45:29 +0000

One personal gripe I've had with the Android runtime on BlackBerry 10 and the BlackBerry PlayBook is the fact that it's stull running Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread. While I understand why this was done, I was wondering if BlackBerry would ever be updating the runtime environment to support newer versions of Android.

As it turns out and as was announced at BlackBerry Jam Europe, BlackBerry will be updating the Android runtime eventually to support Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. That's good news for developers looking to port Android apps and end users who will be using them as it will provide a much better overall experience when using the ported Android apps.

Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10 smartphone coming in red for developers

Bla1ze — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:00:11 +0000

If you're a BlackBerry developer, you're likely wondering what the BlackBerry 10 Limited Edition device will look. Wonder no more. As was revealed at BlackBerry Jam Europe, 12,000 of the Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10 smartphones are being built exclusively for developers who created apps in time for launch and they'll be coming in a glorious red color.

In addition to the limited color, the devices will also come with a special serial number. Finally, the deadline for acceptance of the limited edition device has been extended until February 28th if you haven't yet qualified. You can catch one more shot of the devices backside below or head on over to the registration page to claim yours if you're a developer who hasn't done so already.

BlackBerry developer tools and reward programs see updates at BlackBerry Jam Europe

Bla1ze — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:39:37 +0000

Not long into the BlackBerry Jam Europe opening session and BlackBerry is dropping lots of good things on us. First, it was announced that the BlackBerry 10.1 SDK is now available, which allows for building BlackBerry Q10 applications. Also, the BlackBerry World vendor portal for the BlackBerry Q10 is now open. Next, BlackBerry announced updates to the Built for BlackBerry program including a top Built for BlackBerry list on BlackBerry World to increase discoverability and marketability of Built for BlackBerry apps. Alec Saunders also showed off the Limited Edition BlackBerry Z10 in red, which will be available for developers only.

Catch the full press release after the break!

BlackBerry Jam Europe Keynote Live Blog!

Kevin Michaluk — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:58:47 +0000

Live Blog Below (moderated chat during keynote) | Click Here for Full Width Live Blog

Can't make it to Amsterdam for BlackBerry Jam? Why not attend the BlackBerry Mini Jam London?

DJ Reyes — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:05:00 +0000

BlackBerry Jam Europe is this week and there lots to look forward to. Plenty of developers are making their way to Amsterdam as well as a couple of Team CrackBerry. However, if you're not able to go to Amsterdam, perhaps you can make it to London for a BlackBerry 10 Mini Jam.

The event is brought to you by Skills Matter and is sponsored by BlackBerry. You will be able to get valuable tips and tricks from expert developers covering all the different developing platforms used to develop for the BlackBerry OS.

BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 Mobile Guide now available in BlackBerry World

Bla1ze — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 17:02:55 +0000

If you're headed to BlackBerry Jam Europe in Amsterdam, you'll likely want to go ahead and download the BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 Mobile Guide to help you keep track of the things that are happening. With it you can view the full breakout session catalog, read up on speakers, view conference maps or create your schedule before getting to the event.

In addition to all of that, the conference app will automatically update when there are schedule changes, and synchronize with your conference calendar in the My Scheduler tool on your desktop. Just remember, the app is for attendees of the event. If you're not going, you can still download it but it will have limited function. Thanks, Dave!

Download the BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 Mobile Guide

Keep it locked to CrackBerry for BlackBerry Jam Europe next week

DJ Reyes — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:46:28 +0000

With the unveiling of the new BlackBerry 10 devices this week from NYC and around the globe, the next big event to look forward to is BlackBerry Jam Europe. The event is being held in Amsterdam and BlackBerry has just announced that it is sold out. However, I'm sure lots of you have your tickets already and you are ready to rock and roll this BlackBerry Jam.

If you're not going rest assured you can get all the latest news that comes out of Amsterdam right here on the CrackBerry blogs. We'll be live blogging the keynote, so be sure to tune in next week for all the happenings from Amsterdam.

If you're attending, let us know. Don't forget to register for any breakout sessions you want to attend during the Jam. The BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 Mobile Guide is also now available for download from BlackBerry World. I recommend downloading it if you are attending.

Register for you BlackBerry Jam Europe Breakout Sessions
Download the BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 Mobile Guide from BlackBerry World

This year, BlackBerry Jam Americas 2013 is a part of BlackBerry Live

Bla1ze — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:20:01 +0000

If you're looking to attend BlackBerry Jam Americas 2013, you might need to adjust your scheduling just a little bit. As noted the other day, BlackBerry Live will be replacing the former BlackBerry World conference and to go along with that change BlackBerry Jam Americas will be held there as well:

This year, BlackBerry Jam Americas 2013 is a part of BlackBerry Live (formerly BlackBerry World)!

We've been overwhelmed with the dedication that the BlackBerry Developer Community has shown. We can't thank you enough for your support! BlackBerry Jam Americas 2013 is our way of showing that we're just as enthusiastic about your success as you've been about ours. We've made this year's event all about the latest on BlackBerry 10 and valuable insight into platform features, tooling, fast track development tips and pathways to profitability.

Join us, May 14-16, 2013 in Orlando, Florida for the most in depth content on developing outstanding mobile applications for the BlackBerry platform.

If you're looking to be kept in the loop about all things BlackBerry Jam Americas, you can head on over to the mini-site right now and sign up for updates or you can simply keep it locked to CrackBerry, where we'll let you know all the latest news as it arrises.

Last chance to register for BlackBerry Jam Europe in Amsterdam

Bla1ze — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:26:39 +0000

Planning on attending BlackBerry Jam Europe in Amsterdam? If so, you better act fast. RIM has now sent out their last call announcement for those who have not yet registered. The conference is filled with content specifically aimed at helping you build outstanding new apps for the BlackBerry 10 platform:

Join Research In Motion executives in the General Session and get a comprehensive overview of developing BlackBerry 10 apps
Take advantage of the valuable content, ranging from development basics to deep dive learning – view the Session Catalogue
Get your technical questions answered at Ask The Experts to help you perfect your apps
Visit the Jam Space where you can browse, buy, code, ask, post and more!
Network, connect and collaborate with BlackBerry experts, partners and fellow developers

Remember, this event is happening AFTER the January 30th launch of BlackBerry 10 on February 5-6th so there is sure to be plenty of new stuff to enjoy. You can hit the link below to get yourself registered today.

CrackBerry Podcast 092: Drooling over Glorious BlackBerry 10 L-Series Photos!

Kevin Michaluk — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:44:17 +0000

Following a fresh bunch of glorious (and unofficial) BlackBerry 10 L-Series photos showing up on the web (a video too), we fired up our podcasting machine yesterday to discuss and drool over them together.

We had a big crew for this one, and a lot to talk about. Simon Sage gave us his debrief on BlackBerry Jam Asia. Chris Umiastowski talked about shares of RIM breaking above $13. Bla1ze was blazed. Adam was podcasting this one a finger short thanks to an unfortnuate snowblower accident. As usual, I talked too much. We covered a lot of stuff. And we had Rene Ritchie there to keep us all honest and (somewhat) on track.

This is the CrackBerry Podcast. The #1 Freak'n BlackBerry Podcast in the WORLDDDD!!! So listen up. NOW!