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BBM to arrive soon on Android & iOS

May 15, 2013May 15, 2013 Bob Freking Leave a comment

In a twist of events, BB CEO Heins announced that their messaging service, BlackBerry Messenger, will arrive on both iOS & Android soon. BBM will support Android 4.0, iOS 6 and later versions, and most of all – it’ll be free.

The app will be available this summer (on the other side of the globe, that should mean June, July & August – not March, April & May). BBM for Android & iOS will first bring in messaging & groups, while the other features will follow. On the other hand, BlackBerry devices will have the edge of offering the full BBM experience out of the box.

BBM

BlackBerry’s decision can go in two directions. It could pull buyers away from BlackBerry since the company’s killer app is already available on other platforms; however, in a long-term effect, once BBM users from Android & iOS become more engrossed, they will crave for that full experience and eventually board the BlackBerry ship.

That strategy can enter full effect here in the Philippines, since telcos offer great plans & promos for BBM. At some point in the future, avid BBM users from iOS & Android will long for those convenient services – and boom! That could be BlackBerry’s win.

As we reported earlier, there are already 60 million active users in BBM right now. The launch to iOS and Android will certainly help grow this user base. The initial feature will just be BBM but regular updates will include BBM Vieo Calls, Channels, etc. before end of the year.

What do you think of the company’s big step? How will this affect BlackBerry? Will you join the social network while on Android or iOS? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

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Thorsten Heins: Tablets will be dead in 5 years

May 1, 2013May 1, 2013 Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

During an interview at the Milken Institute, Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins expressed his thoughts about how the mobile computing scene will be like in five-year’s time, and this is what he has to say, “In five years I don’t think there’ll be a reason to have a tablet anymore.”

playbook

Now some of you may think that Mr. Heins just got up on the wrong side of the bed during the day of this interview, but those who are keeping tabs on BlackBerry would know that tablet isn’t exactly a part of the company’s pressing agenda.

We really can’t blame him for thinking this way, especially considering the poor outing they got from their first (and likely the last) shot at the tablet market, the BlackBerry PlayBook. But it’s not like he hates tablets or anything; in fact, he’s not entirely closing his doors for future PlayBook successor. But he emphasized that the company will only release another tablet if it sees its potential to be profitable.

“Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such. Tablets themselves are not a good business model.” –Thorsten Heins.

Five years is a long time, and judging from the pace that technology is in, we’re pretty sure that a new technology will make his vision of “one mobile computing device to rule them all” a reality. But this begs the question, do you agree with his “tablet obsolescence in five years” prediction? Hit the comments field and let us know.

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Thorsten Heins: Tablets will be dead in 5 years

May 1, 2013May 1, 2013 Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

playbook

“Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such. Tablets themselves are not a good business model.” –Thorsten Heins.

source

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Google Chrome simplifies sideloading of Android apps to BlackBerry Z10

April 30, 2013April 30, 2013 Max Limpag Leave a comment

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One of the key features of the new BlackBerry 10 operating system that runs on newer devices like the Playbook, Z10 and Q10 is its ability to run some Android apps that have been converted into .bar files.

To install these apps, you need to “sideload” the files or transfer these to the phone via a laptop or desktop. If you’re on Windows, you can sideload the files using DDPB or VNBB10.

If you’re on a Mac, it used to be a bit more complicated to install Android apps and required that you type commands on the Terminal.

A Google Chrome extension, however, simplifies this task. Here’s a step-by-step instruction from BlackBerry portal CrackBerry.

FB MESSENGER ON Z10. I installed Facebook Messenger, which I use even for work messaging, into the BlackBerry Z10 by sideloading via a Google Chrome extension. (Photo by Max Limpag)

To sideload using your Google Chrome browser, all you need to do is:

1) Install the Playbook App Manager available at the Google Chrome Store,

2) Put your BlackBerry on Development Mode by going to Settings > Security and Privacy > Development Mode

3) Connect to your device by entering its IP address in the Device Hostnames/IPS field (if you can’t connect using the IP address listed in the Development Mode screen, try connecting using the IP address indicated in Settings > About then choose Network in the Category field. You will get a “The site’s security certificate is not trusted” warning, click on Proceed anyway and

4) Install .bar files into the device either by dragging the files into the upper right corner of the browser or clicking on the Install App button.

What’s great about the system is that you no longer need to use the data cable, you can connect to your BlackBerry device via Wi-Fi. When I first used this, however, I still needed my cable because the configuration of our office Wi-Fi prevented me from connecting to the phone. At home, I had no such problem and I was able to install apps to the device from my laptop via Wi-Fi.

Google Chrome sideload Android apps to BlackBerry

A Google Chrome extension simplifies the process of “sideloading” Android apps into your BlackBerry device.

I just installed some Android apps that do not have BlackBerry versions available in the BlackBerry App World into my BlackBerry Z10 using a MacBook Pro. These include the news reading app Zite, Facebook Messenger (which I now use even for work-related messaging), AirDroid, Facebook Pages Manager, Google Maps, the multi-protocol messaging app imo and Flipboard.

All the apps worked after installation. I encountered “500 cannot determine Package-Id” errors a few times during installing .bar files and these were because the files were not completely downloaded. I was downloading at a time when the office Internet connection had issues. I fixed the error by re-downloading the .bar files.

All the apps I installed worked although Facebook Messenger needed a couple of restarts before I could log in. Flipboard installed and ran but I still could not get past the log in screen (it is my 5th attempt as I write this, it still won’t log in.) AirDroid worked but I could not view text messages and when I tried to send one, the dropdown screen did not list my contacts. Bummer.

You can get .bar files from the GoodEReader site and this listing at the CrackBerry forum.

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BlackBerry Z10: P29,990

March 8, 2013March 8, 2013 ajay Leave a comment

Had my first glance of the new BlackBerry Z10 the other day which BB fans can now reserve at www.buybb10.com before its availability on March 19.Announced retail price is at a high-end P29,990 although this is expected to be bundled up with plans by Smart, Globe & Sun. What can I say … ’twas my first time to see a Blackberry without the physical QWERTY keyboard that the brand is known for. This one is all multi-touch!

Features to watch out for in this smartphone:

Lotsa power under the hood with Qualcomm S4 Plus dual core processor

2 GB of Random Access Memory (RAM) and 16GB of internal storage

LTE-ready

8 MP rear camera with a TimeShift feature that lets you choose the best out of the many frames taken in a single shot

4.2 inches screen display with 355 pixels per inch for extra vivid colors

Weight: 137.5 grams

Dimensions: 66 mm (width), 130 mm (height), 9mm (thinness)

The Z10 is powered by Blackberry 10, the “re-designed and re-engineered” BB platform that is supposed to be faster, smoother and more responsive.New features include the all-new browser, a cool predictive keyboard, the Blackberry Balance technology separating work applications from personal content, and the BB Safeguard technology for enhanced security, among others.

Of course, there’s also BlackBerry World with 70,000 apps but we think this is way, way behind Google and Apple with more than half a million apps in the market, thus providing a vast ocean of selection for its users.

We wish BlackBerry good luck for this product. Seen at the launch (from left): BB endorser Borgy Manotoc, BB Country Director for the Philippines Cameron Vernest, and Kristian Salvo, BlackBerry Philippines Business Manager.