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?
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.
IMO let us know that they have updated their BlackBerry Beta Instant Messaging app this week. The first release was decent as a cross platform IM client and this beta is throwing in more features. Check out the change log and new features below:
Voice IMs: send instant voice message IMs up to 30 seconds long
Send files from your device or capture pictures and send instantly!
Facebook Chat and Steam Chat support
Group messaging: create chat groups with other friends using imo (chat groups also available on the web, and on our iPhone, iPad and Android beta apps
The app is still waiting to go live in App World but you can pick up the beta directly at
With all of the new BlackBerry Smartphone excitement this week (be sure to check out our reviews of the Bold 9900/9930 and Torch 9860/9850/9810), we forgot to note on the blogs the BlackBerry PlayBook’s 120 day anniversary. Is it a milestone worthy of a joyous celebration? Not quite. Though the PlayBook is powerfully awesome and does have a ton of great things about it — I spent an hour last night watching music videos on the new Vevo app — we’re still waiting for some MAJOR features to hit, like Native Email and the Android App Player. And while our BlackBerry PlayBook forums have been buzzing with users anxiously waiting for the next monthly-ish update in what we thought would be a “steady cadence” of updates, it’s now looking like those shorter-term planned updates are on hold in favor of a much bigger PlayBook 2.0 re-launch.
A couple weeks back I noticed a few tweets about a new game called BlackOut by Elements Multimedia. Not one to shy away from a challenge I immediately fired up my PB and downloaded it. Boy am I glad I did. On the surface it may just be a simple memory game but it has a way of getting the old brain juices flowing. It’s certainly not one to miss if you’re in the mood for hours of mind boggling fun.
Click on the jump for more information and screenshots.
I am not sure what to make of this one so let us know if you figure out more info. Tim let me know that RIM has announced BlackBerry News App v1.1 in their official forums. The thing is nobody has spotted the app in App World yet though that has not stopped RIM from changing the description to reflect v1.1 and putting up knowledge base articles about it. My current theory is that this new version is only available for OS 7.0 devices in App World though this version simply brings it to closer parity with what Viigo use to have before RIM acquired it.
The new version 1.1 of BlackBerry News adds:
Language support for English, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese
Unified Search for BlackBerry News articles on the device
All New items folder view
Google Reader Import
BlackBerry ID for OS 7.0 support
Let us know if you spot the update at this link in App World for your device[qrcode pix=180]http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/21101?lang=en[/qrcode]
Today BlackBerry Beta Zone emailed everyone announcing the new update to BlackBerry Traffic. They have updated it to v2.0.1.84, this is an update from the v2.0.1.79 that was release last week.
We told you yesterday about this update but it seems like RIM has finally gotten around to announcing it. RIM has made the new BBM Social SDK 1.0 for Java official so you can now submit apps to App World with these features. They have also made the BBM Social SDK for WebWorks available in public beta so it does not look like you will be able to submit those apps but you can get started developing them.
The catch is that RIM will not make apps using the BBM Social API available for sale until BBM 6 is publicly available outside of App World. This is because BBM 6 is required for the SDK and APIs to work. RIM is saying that apps submitted and approved by July 8th will be available when BBM 6 launches. That means BBM 6 is right around the corner!
Check out more details about the announcement on RIM’s devblog including download links:
Follow Me On Twitter For Support and Updates: PlaybookRev Twitter
The Blackberry Playbook Youtube Downloader application being reviewed has many useful features. Besides acting as a Youtube video downloader the app can be used to watch videos privately as recently watched videos are not stored. Another plus is that bandwidth is transferred through private servers, rather than busy Youtube, so the videos are always loading quick and downloads are fast as well. When available you can draw 480P, 720P and 1080P MP4 videos and download them directly to your Playbook for later viewing.
You can download the app via a .Bar file and sideload it to your Playbook. http://playbookyoutubedownloader.com/TubeGrab.bar
Once you load the app this is your initial screen. Here you will see the recently watched videos (by everyone) and a search bar.
Night Hawk Computers Blackberry Alliance 