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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!

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Remember this BeBold commercial? It features a bunch of fancy glow-in-the-dark Night Bikes and of course a BlackBerry Bold or two. The bikes are pretty badass and I'm sure this ad left many people asking just where to find one. Well - if you've been looking everywhere for a fancy new light-up ride -- you're in luck. 8bar bikes, the company that provided the bikes for the commercial, has finally made them available to the public. There isn't too much tech involved here - just a basic bike with a special paint that glows after being charged from a light source (they note UV light is best). While the bike itself will run you about $1600 USD, it does make for a sweet toy and is sure to keep you safe while creeping around the neighborhood after dark.

Check out more at 8bar bikes

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The Porsche Design BlackBerry P'9981 has been fairly camera shy since it's release, but a keen eye (thanks Dave!) spotted one in this ad for Britain's Got Talent. It looks like Kevin and Beyonce aren't the only ones with this sweet device -- apparently Amanda Holden has one of her own as well (or it looks that way at least). The P'9981 is only on camera here for a few seconds (around 0:25) but there is no mistaking it. Have you seen a P'9981 on tv or out and about? Drop a comment and let us know!

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Remember this catchy Vodafone ad from last year featuring the BlackBerry Boys? Well they are back this time for another round, only they aren't so happy as they were before. No, it's not what you think -- the BlackBerry Boys are sad because they are no longer alone in their exclusive love and use of BlackBerry. The younger generation is taking over, using things like BBM for dating, "sending pictures on the move" and more. If you feel like having yet another BlackBerry tune stuck in your head all day, check out the video above to see the Boys in their reprise.

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The latest promo video for the BlackBerry PlayBook has turned up in the CrackBerry forums and packs a load of features into just under 3 minutes. While it's more of a promo than and actual commercial (similar to the original PlayBook promo) it's a well done spot that shows off all of the new features in the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software. It puts the PlayBook into the hands of people during their daily routines and shows off how to use the tablet in various different ways.

It's definitely one of my favorites so far and would have made for an awesome teaser before the actual launch of OS 2.0. The video itself shows off the features of the PlayBook including native Messages, Calendar and Contacts, video chat, "open on", presenter mode, camera, browser and more. What's cool here is that unlike some of the other commercials from RIM that I harp on, this one actually does an awesome job of showing just what the PlayBook can do in both business and casual environments. We've seen plenty of ads that really just show one or two features of a device or don't dive too much into them at all, and that really does work to sell the device at all. This promo is not centered around just a few features, but rather packs them all in and does it well. Hopefully we'll see plenty more like this for new devices down the road. Check out the full promo above and let us know what you think in the comments.

Read our full BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Walkthrough

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RIM has posted up some more videos on their YouTube channel, this time some "tours" with the BlackBerry Bold 9900. In each of the videos, your guide takes you around the sites of Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Phillipines. During the tour the Bold 9900 is shown off as well as apps Wikitude, BlackBerry Maps and Facebook. The videos are pretty sweet in that we get a cool look at the respective countries, although I'm not quite sure just what RIM will use them for (if anything). So take a watch at all the videos (more after the break) and let us know what you think in the comments.

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RIM is really ramping up their "Be Bold" campaign going into 2012. We've seen plenty of Be Bold-ness around on Twitter and the like so far, and now they have rolled out some new commercials as well. Much like their BBM and Love What You Do series of ads, the Be Bold commercials show off BlackBerry users putting their phones to use in daily life. These are the first in what we expect are many Be Bold ads to come. Some are new while a few are older ads that have just been "boldified". Check out more after the break!

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I came across these BlackBerry Bold 9900 interactive videos on the BlackBerry YouTube channel and thought they were too cool not to post. While the videos are in Korean, you can still take part in the fun and click your way though on your virtual date. From the start you'll pick your gender (just be sure to pick before the video stops) then as each video ends you get to choose what to do next and you'll be taken through your day leading up to your date (The videos should open in the same window as you click through, so just be sure to hit play on each one). Some pretty cool stuff here that kind of reminds me of the old Choose Your Own Adventure books I used to read. Check out the video above to get started!

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If the commercial above looks a bit familiar, it's most likely because it's essentially the same ad used for the BlackBerry Torch 9810 last year. It seems that RIM just recut the spot to show off the BlackBerry Bold 9900 this time around. It does make it hard to believe that our buddy Diplo is using a Bold 9900 now and you would think they'd just shoot another ad to change things up. Tisk tisk RIM for being lazy :-)

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I'm a big believer that RIM and carriers can always do way more when it comes to advertising. I feel they never really show off the truly great features of BlackBerry phones and that is something on which they are missing the mark. The latest commercial from AT&T shows off not the newly released Bold 9900, but our good friend the Torch 9810. The ad runs through a few of the device features and capabilities with an amusing tone (and of course draws consumers in by stating it's "4G). Check out the full commercial above, then drop a comment with your thoughts.

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RIM has posted up their latest commercial, this time showing off the BlackBerry Torch 9850/9860. The theme of the ad is "Break Free" and shows off some BlackBerry use to get away. This is the first ad we've seen dedicated solely to the all-touch device but most likely not the last. While it's been a bit overshadowed by the BlackBerry Bold 9990, this is a good reminder that the 9850 and 9860 are still out there :-)

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The above video is a new promo from RIM that shows off the latest BlackBerry 7 devices and is actually pretty well done. It gives you that feeling that you want to own a BlackBerry and be part of the "BlackBerry Family" by picking up one of these new devices. I actually like this ad quite a bit and I'm not sure why RIM doesn't take the same approach to commercials here in the US, Canada or other parts of the world. As I've said many times before, RIM has always been a bit subpar when it comes to showing off the features of devices, so having an ad like this would be a great morale boost of sorts. It doesn't dive into what the device can actually do, but it give off that "happy frappy" feeling of owning a BlackBerry. What do you think? Would you like to see more ads like this across the board?  Let us know in the comments.

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RIM posted a new commercial for the BlackBerry Bold 9930/9900 to their youtube account a few days ago, showing off the harmony of the touchscreen + physical keyboard experience on what they refer to as the "new" BlackBerry Bold. You can check out the video above.

Personally, I'm LOVING that the iconic BlackBerry form factor now has a touchscreen. I use it all the time mixed in with my trackpad and keyboard use. I've tried going back to my touchscreen-less 9780, and now it just feels weird not to have it. That said, a few of my friends who have picked up the 9900 (including my gf), have mentioned on more than one occassion they wish they could turn the touchscreen off.  I guess they're so used to not having a touchscreen that they're not really using it all that much so more than anything they find it gets in the way with accidental swiping. That option doesn't exist of course, but for those who can't stand a touchscreen the newly announced BlackBerry Curves don't have one.

 

So to all the BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 owners out there, be sure to vote on the poll above and let us know where you're weighing in on this debate, and be sure to sound off in the comments!

Verizon BlackBerry 7

We've seen a lot of disappointed folks this week on Verizon that are concerned that Big Red won't be carrying any of the new BlackBerry 7 smartphones. We don't know the reason why Verizon hasn't announced officially which devices they will carry, but as one of the biggest wireless providers in the US, it seems silly to think they would drop BlackBerry all together. In any case, this tidbit of information posted in the forums today should help squash some of your worries. Christian Remde is a director, and he posted on his personal blog on Tuesday about his latest project, which happens to involve this exact subject. *Edit: Apparently between the time I wrote this and it was published, he edited out the BlackBerry portion of what you see below. Rest assured, it WAS there this morning.*

This week I'm directing for Invodo, an agency here in Austin.  One of their clients is Verizon Wireless and, in particular, I'm directing a web spot for one of Verizon's new Blackberry smart phones that are coming out in the next month or so.  Can't say too much about the actual device as I had to sign some NDA's, but it's a very cool project.

So fear not Verizon subscribers, you won't be left out of the loop when these new devices are released. As far as release dates and prices, well, those remain to be seen. Thanks for posting this in the forums xweb10!

For more information and to discuss in the forums

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There have been a few BlackBerry PlayBook commercials floating around that I'm sure most of you have caught during your prime time TV viewing. The latest caught my eye over the weekend. This ad features mostly BlackBerry Bridge but manages to sneak in a Video Chat cameo as well. Take a look at the ad above (sorry for the quality - we'll get a better version posted ASAP) and let us know your thoughts. Do you think it's a good move to run an ad with BlackBerry Bridge? Do you think they should show off other features as well? Sound off in the comments!