A friend pointed out that RIM is really starting to make themselves known to Android developers and other developer communities on Meetup. Until now they have been using it to court BlackBerry developers with meetups all over the place and a few web developers but now they are clearly sponsoring Android developer meetups in anticipation of the Android Player for the PlayBook. We know that RIM is releasing the Android Player to developers at least before DevCon but other than that this is another sign that it is coming soon.
On RIM’s Meetup.com sponsorship page for the “Android Player for BlackBerry PlayBook it states that they are sponsoring 50 meetups across the country. Here are the details:
While we all wait somewhat patiently for the Android App Player to officially make its way to the BlackBerry PlayBook, it looks like RIM is still rallying the troops on the Android front. RIM is sponsoring 50 Android developer events on Meetup in order to get the Android love flowing on the PlayBook. The sponsored events will allow for a BlackBerry rep to visit with groups in order to help convert Android apps to run on the PlayBook as well as get listed in BlackBerry App World.
Android Player for BlackBerry PlayBook is supporting 50 Meetups across the country to get the word out about converting your Android App to run on the BlackBerry Tablet OS and host it in BlackBerry World. They’re thrilled to have your Meetup participating in this program! In addition to having a local Blackberry rep come visit your Meetup, they’re making a financial investment in your Meetup Group over the next 3 months to help your Organizer make it even better!
It looks like there is a good amount of interest thus far, so lets hope things go well and plenty of developers hop on board. Still no official word on just when we’ll see an official release of the Android App Player, but as always, fingers crossed that it’s not too much longer.
NHCBBA was just on the phone with T-Mobile and found out there is a PROBLEM with the BIS system… (CONFIRMED) They stated that this is problems with connecting to the RIM Servers to SEND email and other things on the RIM NETWORK. NHCBBA started to have trouble over this past weekend with not being able to send out any Email from our Blackberry 9780 and 9530 phones. We had just posted a story on that RIM is make a BIG upgrade from 4.0 to BIS 4.1. So it might be happening as we speak here in the USA.
Please keep us updated if your having trouble on your Blackberry’s also send us a email (Tips@nhcbba.com), BBM or comment below
Back in July we got a sneak peak at the BIS 4.1 feature set from N4BB along with tentative rollout dates for Asia Pacific on Sept 10th, Europe on Sept 23rd, and North America on October 8th. We just confirmation from one of our sources that these dates have not changed except for North America getting slightly pushed off to October 10th, 2011 which is oddly a Monday. Sadly there is no word about the different PlayBook interface system hinted in the last leak. The official change log for the rollout is below:
Product Overview
BlackBerry® Internet Service Email 4.1 (BIS-E 4.1) represents the latest service update to RIM’s retail email offering targeted at the Prosumer segment. BIS-E 4.1 introduces Message Improvements, Inbox Priming, BIS Account Management Updates, Carrier Admin Reporting, and additional language support.
A new rumor has surfaced that suggests the upcoming QNX BlackBerry ‘Superphone’ will have video chat capabilities. We’ve heard rumors ourselves and even gave you a few specs, which basically suggests the first BlackBerry ‘Superphone’ will be a “Mini-PlayBook”. In the sense that it will nearly be identical to the PlayBook and include a front-facing camera, but of course be much smaller in size.
As 2012 draws near on the horizon, RIM will soon make a monumental change. This impending change will mark the end of the traditional java-based BlackBerry OS and usher in QNX as the new platform for phones and other devices. The java-based OS’ required carrier testing before getting approved and later pushed to BlackBerry customers. This has caused serious delays in the release of OS packages and even devices (supposed reason for BlackBerry 7 delay). With QNX, RIM has sought to end this vexatious problem.RIM was able to split the QNX OS within itself to separate the network stack. Thus, carriers do not have to evaluate the entire OS package itself. The network stack is also exchangeable, and only a change with the network stack would cause the carrier to re-evaluate the OS package. Consumers should then be able to receive critical updates as soon as RIM is ready to release them. By ridding themselves of the middle-man, RIM should generate more efficiency and consumer satisfaction.
Updates to the QNX OS will also likely have a standard of Over-The-Air (OTA) for devices across the board. We have seen this already being used for updating the BlackBerry PlayBook. It should then be painless for consumers to quickly update their QNX BlackBerry ‘Superphone’. Essentially, breaking users free from the need of BlackBerry Desktop Manager. What other features would you like to see implemented in QNX?
RIM is making several people smile today. They’ve announced that BlackBerry App World is now available in Albania, Armenia, Benin, Algeria, Belize, Burkina, Ghana, Bosnia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Morocco, Serbia, Tunisia and Zambia.
If you’re in one of these country, we are happy to see you be able to join in on all this App World goodness!
We have all been there, patiently waiting for that OS update from our carrier. With RIM’s Java-based OS carriers have had to test, and retest the OS to allow for network compatibility. These long delays caused by carrier testing have always been a contributer to the slow roll out of updates from RIM.
This has all changed with the implementation of RIM’s QNX based OS. QNX allows RIM to separate certain parts of code that often times the carrier would have to test. This separation, and elimination of carrier testing allows for faster OTA updates. This type of update can already be seen in how the BlackBerry PlayBook updates itself. A user is alerted that there is a update for the device, and they simply click on install.
This type of quick updating is absolutely crucial with new devices, as bugs are found all the time shortly after a new release. We have seen affects of quick OTA updates within the PlayBook, as many of those updates have quickly resolved issues, and enhanced the user experience.
What do you think of the new approach to updating? Let us know in the Comments below we might talk about in our weekly news show.
One of the great things about BlackBerry devices is the ability to password protect the device itself, as well as certain applications or areas on the device from prying eyes. Browse BlackBerry App World you’ll find a whole host of third party apps that allow you to password protect files, folders, photos, BBM, website passwords etc but the BlackBerry itself has one built in already – Password Keeper. You can also download a BlackBerry app that lets you save billing information, credit card details etc to save you time in filling out forms. Of course this is also password protected with a master password. You also would not want anybody accessing that kind of information, bringing me to the point of this post. ElcomSoft, a sotware company, has developed the first commercially available product that allows you to access passwords that are stored in Password Keeper as well as the information stored in BlackBerry Wallet.
Always welcome news for me and the Enterprise BlackBerry faithful, late last week Google updated the Google Apps Connector for BES. It’s great to see that this is a product Google plans to keep up-to-date and shows that BlackBerry and BES is critical to the business user.
In addition to supporting BES 5.0 service pack 3, version 4.0 of the Google Apps connector brings some of my favorite business features. Theses new features are Free/Busy look-up and support for read receipt.
Night Hawk Computers Blackberry Alliance 