Cars @ BlackBerry World: Jaguar w/ BlackBerry Integration and QNX Concept Corvette

Adding some additional flare to BlackBerry World's Solution Showcase exhibition hall this year, a couple of hot cars touting awesome infotainment and computer systems graced the show floor. In the above video, you can check out Jaguar's factory available setup, which runs a QNX dashboard display and was demoing a beta of Connect and View, which will be available in 2012 models from Jaguar and Land Rover. Be sure to watch the demo above and you can check out the full press release lower in this post (note: The RealVNC BlackBerry integreation shown in this video is still in beta - the frames per minute will be much higher upon official release). 

And below you can check out the QNX Corvette that was on display, where I get a great walk through of how QNX can be used in cars today, and also get a look at what it is coming tomorrow. Remember the article I wrote on how I wished my BlackBerry PlayBook could integrate deeply with my car? Turns out that's not a wish! With a QNX-based tablet talking to a car running QNX computers, the integration CAN go real deep.  Awesome stuff here. Video below.

QNX Concept Corvette and PlayBook Connected to Car Demo

Press Release for Jaguar Land Rover Connect and View

PIONEERING INTEGRATION BY JAGUAR LAND ROVER, RIM, DENSO AND REALVNC® Jaguar Land Rover joins with Research In Motion (RIM), DENSO and Real VNC® to unveil 'Connect and View', the latest generation of integrated mobile phone and in-vehicle infotainment systems.

The level of integration possible between a car and a BlackBerry® smartphone is taking a step further at the BlackBerry World™ 2011 conference today with the unveiling of an innovative new system that projects the display of a BlackBerry smartphone onto the central touchscreen of a vehicle.

Demonstrated on a Jaguar XJ connected with a BlackBerry® smartphone, the system, called Connect and View™, provides the usual making and receiving of calls via the phone but adds functionality that can allow applications, such as music and navigation applications operating on the smartphone, to be accessed and displayed on the large, central touchscreen fitted to the XJ.

The system only allows approved apps to be displayed and controlled, and data from the vehicle's systems can also be utilised by the smartphone. The system benefits customers with ease of use, greater functionality and the ability to access personal content from their smartphone within the vehicle's systems.

Bob Joyce, Jaguar Land Rover Group Engineering Director said: "We're proud to be a part of such innovation that has efficiency, convenience and clever integration at its core. The system will make a significant difference to the way our customers use the entertainment systems on our vehicles as well as their smartphones."

Connect and View™ is being showcased for the very first time at BlackBerry World and on the Jaguar XJ, which has been widely acclaimed for its class-leading technology and design. The XJ was recently awarded the 2011 International Luxury Car of the Year by the International Car of The Year jury.

Tom Blackie, Vice President of Mobile at RealVNC® software added, "We are excited to work with such prestigious brands as BlackBerry, Jaguar, Range Rover and Land Rover. Their choice to adopt VNC and the confidence to move towards production with our solution gives us great belief of the applicability of VNC to the automotive industry."

"We're pleased to work with Jaguar Land Rover, DENSO and RealVNC to support the integration of smartphones with in-car systems," said Tyler Lessard, Vice President, Global Alliances & Developer Relations at RIM. "Many BlackBerry applications can have practical benefits for in-car use, and Connect and View can help make those applications more accessible in a convenient and safe way."

Connect and View ™will be available in both Jaguar and Land Rover products in late 2012.