RIM introduces the BlackBerry Curve 9320 (Canada)

By Editor on May 10, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Research In Motion announced a stylish new smartphone for socially-connected customers. The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone features all the core BlackBerry messaging and social-centric features that keep people connected, and it offers global 3G connectivity backed by long battery life to allow users to make the most of their day.

Carlo Chiarello, EVP, Smartphone Business at Research In Motion, said that the new BlackBerry Curve 9320 is designed to make it incredibly easy for users to stay socially-connected. The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 will be especially popular with customers upgrading to a smartphone for the first time and existing Curve customers looking for a step up in speed and functionality.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 has everything a customer needs to stay in touch with the people and things that matter most to them. It features a dedicated BBM key, bringing the power of RIM’s popular mobile social network up in an instant, as well as the best keyboard in its class for quick and easy typing. It includes a built-in FM radio, allowing users to tune into their favorite local stations, and listening to the FM radio does not require a data plan or use data services. Designed to allow both 3G connectivity and long battery life, customers can get up to 7 hours of talk time or up to 30 hours of FM radio listening or music playback with headphones.

Customers can easily interact with their social network in real time, using preloaded apps for Facebook and Twitter. The new Social Feeds 2.0 app is also preloaded, allowing users to post updates to multiple social networks simultaneously and capture updates from news sources (RSS), social apps and instant messaging apps all in one consolidated view. The integrated camera includes a flash and supports video recording, and pictures can be tagged with their location thanks to the smartphone’s built-in GPS.

The BlackBerry Curve 9320 comes with the new BlackBerry 7.1 OS, which supports features such as Mobile Hotspot and Wi-Fi calling where available. Parental Controls is a brand new, on-device feature that provides parents and guardians with simple options to help protect children by restricting access to specific functions, features and applications.

Filed under Canada, Mobile, Mobile Smartphones and Devices · Tagged with 3G connectivity, Apps, BlackBerry 7.1 OS, BlackBerry Curve 9320, BlackBerry messaging, Carlo Chiarello, EVP, Facebook, Features, long battery life, Mobile Handset, Mobile Hotspot, Research in Motion, RIM, smartphone, Smartphone Business at Research In Motion, specs, twitter, Wi-Fi

Research In Motion appoints new COO and CMO (Canada)

By Editor on May 10, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Research In Motion announced key additions to its executive leadership team with the hiring of Kristian Tear as Chief Operating Officer and Frank Boulben as Chief Marketing Officer.

With deep experience in the mobile computing industry, Tear and Boulben will complement RIM’s existing executive team as the company continues to focus on expanding its global customer base and prepares for the launch of its new BlackBerry 10 platform.

Thorsten Heins, RIM’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said that Kristian and Frank bring extensive knowledge of the rapidly changing wireless global market and will help RIM as they sharpen their focus on delivering long-term value to their stakeholders. Most importantly, both Kristian and Frank possess a keen understanding of the emerging trends in mobile communications and computing.

Tear joins RIM from Sony Mobile Communications, where he served as Executive Vice President. He previously held a variety of operational leadership positions with Ericsson in Europe, Asia and Latin America. At RIM, Tear will serve as Chief Operating Officer overseeing all operational functions for handhelds and services, including research and development, products, global sales, manufacturing and supply chain.

Tear said that RIM is an important player in the mobile industry and I am excited to be a part of its future. He looks forward to working with the talented RIM employees and harnessing their ingenuity and creativity for the benefit of more than 77 million BlackBerry users around the world. He also looks forward to helping RIM attract a brand new generation of BlackBerry users.

Boulben is the former Executive Vice President of Strategy, Marketing and Sales for LightSquared. He joined LightSquared after serving as Global Director of Commercial Strategy for Vodafone Group and Executive Vice President of Brand and Consumer Marketing for Orange Group. Boulben will oversee global marketing efforts at RIM.

Boulben said that RIM is a pioneer in the mobile world and the BlackBerry brand is a global icon. They all know how fast the mobile arena evolves and with the BlackBerry 10 platform, I believe RIM will once again change the way individuals and enterprises engage with each other and the world around them. I could not resist the opportunity to be part of that transformation.

Filed under Canada, Mobile, Mobile Management and Administration · Tagged with BlackBerry 10 platform, Frank Boulben as Chief Marketing Officer, Kristian Tear as Chief Operating Officer, Research in Motion, RIM, Thorsten Heins

Six Technology firms sign privacy agreement (USA)

By Editor on February 24, 2012 · Leave a Comment

California’s attorney general, Kamala D. Harris, has said that six of the world’s top consumer technology firms have agreed to provide greater privacy disclosures before users download applications in order to protect the personal data of millions of consumers.

He added that the agreement binds Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Hewlett-Packard, and developers on their platforms, to disclose how they use private data before an app may be downloaded. Harris said that user’s personal privacy should not be the cost of using mobile apps, but all too often it is.

Further, he said that currently 22 of the 30 most downloaded apps do not have privacy notices.

Harris also said that most mobile apps make no effort to inform users about how personal information is used. He added that the consumer should be informed of what they are giving up.

In response to this, Google said that Android users will have even more ways to make informed decisions when it comes to their privacy.

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Amazon, Apple, Google, Hewlett Packard, Kamala D. Harris, Microsoft, mobile apps, privacy agreement, privacy disclosures, Research in Motion, Technology firms, USA, user data privacy

RIM’s second quarter results disappoint

By Editor on September 19, 2011 · Leave a Comment

BlackBerry’s handset and Playbook maker, Research In Motion (RIM), has suffered another setback with poor second-quarter sales of its older handsets. With the craze surrounding Apple and Google refusing to settle down, RIM was able to sell a mere 200,000 Playbook tablets, lesser than the estimated amount of 550,000.

According to reports, Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive, RIM, has said that overall, unit shipments in the quarter were slightly below their forecast due to lower than expected demand for older models. He further added they will continue to build on the success of the BlackBerry 7 launch to drive the business as they focus their development efforts on delivering the next generation, QNX-based mobile platform next year.

Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 was $4.2 billion, down 15% from $4.9 billion in the previous quarter and down 10% from $4.6 billion in the same quarter of last year.

Filed under Mobile Phones · Tagged with Blackberry, Playbook, Research in Motion, RIM, smartphones

Lenovo starts LePad sale in China

By Editor on March 29, 2011 · Leave a Comment

China’s Lenovo Group Ltd. has started the sale of its first tablet PC, LePad in China.

Lenovo’s move comes after other major electronics companies like Dell Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. have begun selling tablet devices to compete with Apple Inc.’s iPad. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. will start selling its PlayBook in North America next month.

The LePad has a 10.1 inch screen and runs Google Inc.’s Android software. Lenovo is selling four versions, starting at US$533 for a version with Wi-Fi wireless Internet connectivity and 16 gigabytes of memory. A version with 3G cellular connectivity and the same amount of memory starts at US$700.

As per Lenovo spokesman Jay Chen, the LePad went on sale in China on Monday and will go on sale outside China by June.

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with 3G, Android, Apple iPad, China, Dell Inc., Google, Lenovo, LePad sale, Mobile, Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., North America, Playbook, Research in Motion, Samsung Electronics Co, tablet PC, Wi-Fi

RIM shares fall in light of BlackBerry tablet development cost (Canada)

By Editor on March 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Research In Motion (RIM) shares fell by 12% in after-hours trading after the company stated that profits for this quarter will be much weaker than expected.

The company told that the developing of its new tablet-format Blackberry is responsible for the fall, as well as a migration of consumers towards cheaper handsets in its product range is the other reason for the same.

The share price fall came despite the Canadian firm reporting $934 million net profits for the last quarter, in line with expectations. Profits went up by 31% a year earlier.

Revenues of $5.6 billion increase of 36% – were slightly short of expectations, according to the results released after the close of trading on the Nasdaq exchange.

The company has seen its share of its core US market steadily erode by smartphone rivals.

Some 48% of its business now comes from outside the key markets of the US, Canada and the UK.But growth in these new markets has gone hand-in-hand with a shift towards lower-margin entry-point products, the firm conceded.

RIM is banking on its new tablet computer – the Playbook – to regain the initiative.

It will be half the size of Apple’s iPad and will be compatible with Google’s Android operating system.

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Android operating system, Blackberry, Canada, Google, Mobile, Playbook, Research in Motion, RIM, Tablet, U.S, UK

RIM expected to open BlackBerry factory in India

By Editor on March 28, 2011 · Leave a Comment

If reports are to be believed, Research In Motion is considering setting up a handset factory in India, and may develop the country into an export hub. Setting up such a plant may involve an investment of anywhere between $150-250 million to begin with.

As per RIM’s spokesperson, India is an important and strategic market for RIM and its exciting and fast-growing mobile sector offers major potential for further expansion. As part of RIM’s strategy in India, the company has been building its resources in order to support the growing opportunities.

The company added that RIM’s Chief Information Officer, Ms Robin Bienfait will be in India to meet with major Blackberry customers as well as a variety of current and prospective business partners.

RIM has had problems with selling its handsets in some Asian countries, including India where local regulations require that it make emails sent to and from its handsets available to the security services on demand. The BlackBerry phones have a status in the Asian markets that they have somewhat lost in Europe and the USA over recent years, and the company can be expected to look to the region to boost its long term growth.

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Asian countries, Blackberry, BlackBerry factory, chief information officer, Europe, India, Mobile, Ms Robin Bienfait, Research in Motion, RIM, USA

RIM withdraws ‘drunk driver’ software from Blackberry (US)

By Editor on March 25, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Research In Motion (RIM) has promised to get rid of a Blackberry software program designed to help drunk drivers avoid police checkpoints.

The move came a day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and fellow Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg and Tom Udall urged Google Inc., Apple Inc. and Canada-based RIM to remove such third-party software from shops stocked with applications for smartphones.

According to the senators, drunk drivers will soon have one less tool to avoid law enforcement and endanger their friends and families. They appreciate RIM’s immediate reply and urge the other smartphone makers to quickly follow suit.

The senators want to purge smartphones of applications that use driver-generated databases of speed traps, speed cameras, or even drunk driving checkpoints to help drunk drivers avoid police.

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Apple Inc, Blackberry, Canada, Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, drunk driver, Frank Lautenberg, Google Inc, Mobile, police checkpoints, Research in Motion, RIM, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, software, Tom Udall, U.S

Mosaid Technologies sues tech companies over Wi-Fi patents

By Editor on March 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Mosaid Technologies, a patents holding company has announced that it has initiated wireless patent infringement litigation against a slew of companies after it claimed that they have infringed and continue to infringe its patents relating to Wi-Fi technologies. The patents in suit are Mosaid’s U.S. Patent Nos. 5,131,006; 5,151,920; 5,422,887; 5,706,428; 6,563,786 B1; and 6,992,972.

According to John Lindgren, President and CEO, Mosaid, since 2008, they have licensed their portfolio of wireless patents and applications to 15 companies that have recognized the value of this intellectual property. They believe that all companies offering products that implement the Wi-Fi standard require a license to their wireless patents.

The companies named in the lawsuit are: AsusTek Computer; Murata Manufacturing; Ralink Technology; Realtek Semiconductor; Research in Motion; Wasp Barcode Technologies; Wistron; and Venture Research.

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with Asustek Computer, John Lindgren, Mobile, Mosaid Technologies, Murata Manufacturing, President and CEO, Ralink Technology, Realtek Semiconductor, Research in Motion, U.S, Venture Research, Wasp Barcode Technologies, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi patents, Wistron

RIM and North American carriers battle over m-payments

By Editor on March 18, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Research In Motion is reportedly battling with wireless carriers in North America over their diverging mobile payments strategies.

RIM and the carriers disagree over exactly where the key data related to mobile payments should reside on the next generation of smartphones, slated to come out later this year, as this will decide who will control the customers, revenue and applications that grow out of mobile payments.

Carriers like Rogers Communications in Canada, and AT&T and T-Mobile USA in the US are opposing RIM and other handset makers’ strategy to make phones that will store mobile payments data, known in industry parlance as ‘credentials,’ in the devices themselves.

According to officials representing some of the carriers, this would bind users to phone makers’ devices and potentially cut carriers out of the loop. The carriers believe they want to encrypt and store the credentials in the phone’s SIM card as these can be easily swapped from phone to phone.