If you missed BlackBerry 10 Jam in Florida, don’t worry. You still have a chance to be able to attend. BlackBerry 10 Jam is taking the show on the road around the world. We’ll tell you what you can expect and what the dates are. Check it out…

BlackBerry has given new meaning to the old saying: “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed, then Mohammed must go to the mountain.” They are bringing the mountain to you. Be a part of the building, learning, and have fun networking.

Here’s what BlackBerry 10 Jam is about and what to look forward to in the description:

The upcoming BlackBerry® 10 OS will impact mobile productivity, gaming, socializing and more.

BlackBerry invites you to join us for the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour – a series of full-day events dedicated to providing the developer community with insights on the BlackBerry 10 platform; its strengths, the vision, and how developers can make apps that stand out to app-hungry BlackBerry users.

Attendees will gain insight on building applications for the launch of the new BlackBerry 10 platform later this year. Beginner and master mobile application developers will be able to attend in-depth breakout sessions focused on HTML5 + BlackBerry® WebWorks™ and Native C/C++ development for the BlackBerry platform. Developers will be able to interact with development experts who can provide guidance, tips and tricks, and other information to help developers get started building apps for BlackBerry 10.

A limited number of BlackBerry® 10 Dev Alpha devices will be available to qualified developers at each city in the World Tour. During the event registration process, apply to receive a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device, available only to developers attending BlackBerry 10 Jam. If you received a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device at a previous BlackBerry developer event, you do not qualify for this offer.

What’s in it for you?

• Be one of the first to develop for the BlackBerry® 10 platform.
• Discover the power of BlackBerry 10. Learn about the unique capabilities of BlackBerry 10 to set your application apart.
• Collaborate with your community. Learn, share and network with your fellow developers. Make valuable connections that will make you even more successful with BlackBerry.
• Get one-on-one expert guidance. Jam with BlackBerry platform experts and build a better app.
• A limited number of BlackBerry® 10 Dev Alpha devices will be available to qualified developers* at each city in the World Tour. During the event registration process, apply to receive a BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device, available only to developers attending BlackBerry 10 Jam!

Here are the dates and the locations:

North America

June 5 – Austin, TX, USA
June – California
June – New York
June 21 – Toronto, ON, Canada

EMEA

May 29 – Milan, Italy
May 31 – Barcelona, Spain
June 12 – Paris, France
June 13 – London, UK
June 26 – Moscow, Russia
June 28 – Berlin, Germany
July 3 – Warsaw, Poland

Asia Pacific

July 4 – Delhi, India
July 6 – Beijing, China
July 9 – Singapore, Singapore
July 10 – Jakarta, Indonesia
July 12 – Sydney, Australia

Latin America

August – Buenos Aires, Argentina
August – Mexico City, Mexico

So again, if you missed the Jam in Florida, be sure and catch the next Jam session nearest you.

[via: BlackBerry Developer Blog]

Though the BBW 2012 has passed, Thorsten Heins did a great job in his keynote at this year’s BlackBerry World. The turnout was huge, the excitement was there, and there were many reasons to look forward to the next upcoming months. I wanted to wait until I had some time to really think about the Keynote before posting it.

I listened and watched as the BlackBerry World 2012 Keynote took place online, and even though we lost connection for a bit, it was so intense to watch Thorsten Heins talk about the BlackBerry, the culture, the people, the new mobile platform BlackBerry 10, and where they are headed. As a consumer, I am really excited for the moment I’ll be able to hold a BlackBerry 10 myself. Developers were given one at BlackBerry 10 Jam, as a prototype, and even as an Alpha prototype, it’s very promising.

There are many reasons we hold on to our BlackBerry devices. The email which BlackBerry does better than anyone and BBM because we love to be social and network socially as well. I have tried other operating systems and they fall short to me when compared to a BlackBerry. The iPhone and iPad are somewhat super simple and the use of iTunes discourages me. I don’t want to be having to use iTunes for my device. Android is great for those who are into games and fun, but for me, I became frustrated with the uncaught exceptions, closing of apps, etc. It also has several games and applications I don’t have a need for or want to use. The BlackBerry for me is a great tool and with the BlackBerry PlayBook they are able to meet my needs and then some. I’m not discouraging others from other mobile device OS, but for me the BlackBerry is the one I feel best with.

The Keynote was exceptional when it came to seeing what they’ve done. Thorsten spoke of the culture of those who use BlackBerry, he showed us the Alpha prototype, he and Vivek showed us the virtual keyboard and the amazing camera feature. I’m especially loving the camera feature as you can single out a face and turn back the seconds to find the expression you wanted. Never again miss a “Magic Moment”. I’m really loving the keyboard and the “Magic Moment” camera ability. I know we’ve all had those moments where we’ve missed that one perfect moment.

Thorsten and Vivek also showed us the “Flow”. BlackBerry 10 can run different things at once, flowing effortlessly from one app to another seamlessly. This is a nice touch, very  much like the BlackBerry PlayBook does now. I was also impressed with the numbers of smartphone users using their phones in different areas, and the BlackBerry users using those features more.

There were a lot of great points brought up at BlackBerry World and even some new apps and games that were released during the event. With the changes BlackBerry is making going forward, it’s clear to see they mean business. Thorsten even spoke of how they would make sure they release a finished product. We also were shown the BlackBerry 10 Porsche running the BlackBerry 10 platform. I really admired the way that Thorsten said that the BlackBerry 10 is not just an OS, it’s a mobile computing platform! Just think, your phone, your PlayBook, your car, your home, your world.

After watching and reading, I’m just really anxious to grab my own BlackBerry 10 device. I love the idea of bringing more of the world into my hands. What are your thoughts about BlackBerry 10? What were your favorite segments of the Keynote? What feature or features are you looking most forward to?

[via: BlackBerry YouTube]

It’s that time of year that we, BlackBerry users, get very excited about. Two major events are taking place in Orlando, Florida and we’re very excited and anxiously awaiting to see what RIM has in store. What is BlackBerry World and BlackBerry Jam? Check it out…

BlackBerry 10 Jam is:

BlackBerry® 10 Jam is where app developers will meet in May to learn about the innovations coming to the BlackBerry 10 developer platform. This special developer conference will bring you over 80 breakout sessions, instructor-led labs and roundtables focused on HTML5, Native, Adobe® Flash® & Adobe® AIR®, and Android™ development platform. We will give you the opportunity on day three to share best practices, success stories and demos with other developers, key influencers and BlackBerry experts through collaborative and fun sessions.

Why attend Jam?

• Be the first to develop for the BlackBerry 10 platform.
• Get a snapshot of the new things you can do with the BlackBerry 10 development platform. Learn about the unique capabilities of BlackBerry 10 to set your application apart.
• Collaborate with your community. Learn, share and network with your peers. Make valuable connections that will make you even more successful with BlackBerry.
• One-on-one expert guidance. Jam with BlackBerry platform experts and build a better app.

Who will be there?

Anyone who is excited about developing for the upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform will be at this BlackBerry 10 Jam conference, from beginner to master mobile application developers for various software languages including HTML5, Native, Java and Adobe Flash/AIR.

Developers will be able to take part in instructor led labs, information sessions and more. Sessions and labs will be dedicated to:

• BlackBerry® Native SDK – a C/C++ environment with support for open source libraries
• HTML5+BlackBerry® WebWorks™ – HTML5 tools with an added layer for app enhancement through BlackBerry WebWorks
• Adobe® Flash® – The AIR® SDK for BlackBerry allows developers to build apps with Flash+AIR tools
• Android – the Android runtime will run applications that have been packaged from APK files to BAR files and submitted to BlackBerry App World™

I’m really looking forward to see what apps come ported over from Android, how many apps get tweaked and ready for BlackBerry 10, and what new apps and updates will be announced and made available.

Keynote Speakers will include:

• President and CEO of RIM: Thorsten Heins
• CIO of RIM: Robin Bienfait
• Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at RIM: Alan Panezic

There’s also a Super Session which includes the following Keynote Speakers:

• Vice President, Developer Relations and Ecosystem Development, QNX Software Systems Limited: Alec Saunders
• Vice President, BlackBerry Application Platform and Tools, RIM: Christopher Smith

Those developers who registered are also going to receive a developer prototype device. This is a tool for developers to prepare for BlackBerry 10 and is not a BlackBerry device for end users. There’s also an unconference day on Day 3 that allows you to suggest or address certain content you need more information or guidance with.

There will be many session speakers as well. It’s going to be a very interesting and great experience for those who attend, and we will be anxiously awaiting the news and surprises that will be revealed.

Now onto BlackBerry World.

What is BlackBerry World?

The BlackBerry World™ conference is the largest annual gathering for the BlackBerry® ecosystem, and the place where the community behind innovative BlackBerry solutions comes together to learn, share and network.

BlackBerry World brings together a wide range of audiences in the world of mobile technology:

• Business leaders and executives
• IT Administrators and IT Decision Makers
• Mobile Application Developers
• BlackBerry Channel Partners, including those who sell to consumers, small- and medium-sized business, and enterprise customers
• BlackBerry Alliance Members, including ISVs, content providers, developers, system integrators, hosters, professional services providers, and platform providers

BlackBerry World 2012 Highlights?

• Be the first to know about the latest innovations and information on the BlackBerry solution, including the BlackBerry® 10 Platform, BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion, BlackBerry® PlayBook™ Tablet OS 2.0, BlackBerry® 7 OS, and more
• Discover innovative ways to boost business productivity, get the most out of your IT investments, and extend IT infrastructure to overcome development challenges
• Get the answers you need from BlackBerry experts, industry leaders, carriers, and vendors to help you learn everything you need to know about value-driven wireless solutions
• See live demonstrations of mobile technology at work
• Take advantage of the unparalleled networking opportunities to enhance and develop your business relationships
• Leave with expert insight about the benefits of the BlackBerry solution
• And more

Why attend?

There are so many reasons for BlackBerry users to attend BlackBerry World. This is your opportunity to find out about the latest developments for the BlackBerry solution, meet with BlackBerry experts, form new business relationships, and get answers to your IT, business, and application development questions. As part of the BlackBerry ecosystem, you cannot afford to miss this event.

BlackBerry World offers unique opportunities for Business Leaders, Enterprise Developers, and IT Professionals:

• Get the specific BlackBerry knowledge you need to help you do your job better, including deployment best practices, developer tools, tips and tricks, and learning how to implement and manage the latest technology in your organization
• IT Administrators can get a more in depth education in the BlackBerry Training Courses
• BlackBerry users can become BlackBerry Certified at the conference
• Everything you need to know about the BlackBerry solution is all in one place
• Take in all of the great Breakout Session content - with an abundance of sessions, you’ll find the information you need to take your mobile strategies to the next level
• Gain access to the wireless marketplace in the Solutions Showcase, where our conference sponsors will be onsite to show you how you can enhance your deployment
• Get insight into the big picture from industry leading analysts and experts
• Network and learn from your peers – find out what’s working for them in today’s competitive landscape and how their learning can be applied to challenges that you face

Keynote Speakers:

• President and CEO of RIM: Thorsten Heins
• CIO of RIM: Robin Bienfait
• Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at RIM: Alan Panezic

There are also several session speakers who will give insight and provide support. I’m really excited  to see what comes out of the BlackBerry World 2012 and BlackBerry 10 Jam events.

If you want to keep up with the latest with us, you can catch the live webcast of Thorsten’s keynote presentation here on Tuesday May 1st at 10 a.m. EST.

The BlackBerry Help Blog and Inside BlackBerry have posted an event that you should check out. The event will happen twice so if you can’t make the first day, you’ll have the next day to catch it. Michael Clewley, the senior product manager for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, will be available. Check it out…

Where? The BlackBerry Community Support Forums

When? Wednesday, March 7th and Thursday, March 8th from 9:00 to 5:00 PM ET.

If you have a question you’d like to post to the board to ask Michael, be sure and register before Wednesday, March 7th here. If the Insider Events aren’t an event you’re familiar with, then check out the link here to see how these sessions work. Keep in mind that any questions asked during the event should be related to the BlackBerry PlayBook and its support.

[via Inside BlackBerry Help Blog, Inside BlackBerry]

At BlackBerry DevCon Europe 2012 we watched CEO Thorsten Heins introduce Vivek Bhardwaj and he was demonstrating OS 2.0. Vivek also tried to demonstrate the Bridge and OS 2.0 with “Open On” but it didn’t work. RIM wouldn’t leave you waiting, so they followed up with Vivek and posted the video showing how it works.

I’m really anxious for BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, and RIM did announce there’s a Bridge 2.0 coming as well. What the Open On feature does is that it allows you to take a picture or a file, then choose from the menu to Open On and you can choose the BlackBerry PlayBook to open the file on. Very nice and convenient, and a great way to implement the bigger screen. What are your thoughts?

RIM’s new president and CEO welcomed those attending to the very first BlackBerry DevCon Europe 2012. This is exciting and it was great to see such a huge turnout in Europe. This is an important event for BlackBerry and for the developers. Check it out…

About DevCon:

The BlackBerry® Developer Conference is the showcase for the latest innovations and breakthroughs with the BlackBerry® Development Platform. Thousands of BlackBerry enthusiasts come together to collaborate with platform experts from the community and attend sessions, demonstrations, hands-on labs and keynotes — all focused on developing leading mobile applications, no matter your skill level.

It’s an amazing opportunity to connect with BlackBerry experts, get tips and discover ways to build for the BlackBerry platform whether in native or using web standards that allows you to extend your work onto other platforms. You’ll walk away ready to reach a community of 70 million subscribers!

Who attends?

Attendees will be coming to the conference from all over Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Anyone who is excited about developing for the BlackBerry platform will be at BlackBerry DevCon, including corporate, commercial and hobbyist developers, business leaders, faculty and students, BlackBerry partners, BlackBerry enthusiasts, and key leaders from RIM.

BlackBerry DevCon is the ideal event for BlackBerry developers and partners, for beginner or master mobile application developers, and is customized for several types of developers:

• Web developers
• Native developers
• Adobe® developers
• Java developers

Opportunity:

BlackBerry DevCon meets a need for developers and partners who are invested in the tremendous potential of apps for the BlackBerry smartphone and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet. Learn how the BlackBerry Development Platform offers even more choices in development tools, greater integration options and APIs, more profitable monetisation tools, and valuable partner support.

Updates:

BlackBerry DevCon previews and demonstrates tools that help developers create apps on their terms, with maximum choice and support, giving you the opportunity to develop for both the BlackBerry® smartphone and the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet. Discover tools that can make apps more profitable, technologies that lead to developing Super Apps and hot topics such as BlackBerry® 7 OS, the BBM™ Social Platform, Adobe® Flash® & Adobe® AIR®, the BlackBerry® WebWorks™ HTML5 platform, BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet OS, the Cascades™ UI framework, getting ready for the BlackBerry® 10 Platform, and more.

CrackBerry posted the Keynote video we’re sharing with you. I like the way Thorsten welcomes everyone and even acknowledges he’s home. He also stresses it’s the very first DevCon in Europe and how they sold out and thanks everyone. He is also letting them know that BlackBerry is committed to empowering their developers and giving them the opportunity to grow with them. During the welcoming and keynote, we are shown the numbers which are very impressive and see some really interesting facts.

• There are over 6 Million software developers in Europe
• BlackBerry is the Number One Prepaid Smartphone in the Netherlands, U.K., and Spain
• BlackBerry is the Number One Smartphone in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and South Africa
• There are 75 Million BlackBerry subscribers worldwide
• Over 180 Million BlackBerry smartphones sold worldwide
• 25,000 PlayBooks will be given away, so everyone attending will be receiving a BlackBerry PlayBook
• 13% of BlackBerry Developers make $100,000 or more from BlackBerry App World apps
• 2 Billion BlackBerry App World Downloads
• 6 Million BlackBerry Apps downloaded every day
• BlackBerry OS 7 has downloaded more apps than any other OS prior to it making it the most profitable from apps
• Seamless Experiences with the BlackBerry smartphone, the Cloud Servies, the BlackBerry PlayBook and embedded content with BlackBerry 10
• One Company, One Platform, One Vision: The acquired companies of QNX, TAT, Gist, Certicom, Torch, ScoreLoop, Tiny Hippos, Newbay, and Tungle
• The Road to BlackBerry 10
• The BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0

Thorsten introduced Vivek Bhardwaj, Head of Software Portfolio EMEA, Research In Motion, to show what OS 2.0 brings to the platform and to users.

Vivek goes through the PlayBook showing how OS 2.0 integrates the inbox to combine the social networks in one. He also displays the pinch to filter, walks us through the calendar, and even looking at our contacts. Even searching for contacts on the PlayBook is easily done with collaboration. He shows us how easy Bridge is with OS 2.0 and demonstrates the remote control feature using a BlackBerry device with the BlackBerry PlayBook. Vivek tried to show Open On, but it wouldn’t work during the presentation.  (Don’t worry, RIM won’t leave you hanging. It works eventually, and there’s a video to prove it).

Thorsten continues the keynote:

• The smartphone market is still relatively young

He also stresses that RIM is focused on listening to their developers, committed to empowering them and committed to the platform. He’s enthusiastic and highly charged, and I love the sense of commitment. It’ll be very interesting to see what type of apps start making their way to the BlackBerry PlayBook.

You can watch the entire general session from BlackBerry DevCon Europe 2012 from the BlackBerry DevCon Europe site here, but we included CrackBerry’s video of the keynote for you.

What are your thoughts?

[via BerryReview & CrackBerry]

RIM is sponsoring a really intriguing event by developers for developers that will be an intensive two day workshop event utilizing the BBM Social Platform. Developers alongside RIM’s developers will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and create the latest generation of apps using BBM. Check it out…

Thanks to Mac from PocketBerry who noticed the announcement for the event, it’s going to be an interesting event with great outcomes.

What are the Qualifications?:

• Have an idea for a new BlackBerry® application that incorporates BBM
• Have the capability to build a BlackBerry smarthone app with your idea
• Have a laptop with all the software, accessories and equipment needed to build your app including a laptop loaded with BlackBerry® Webworks™ or BlackBerry® Java®
• Be a resident of the United States, District of Columbia (excluding Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and Florida) or Canada (excluding Quebec)
• Be able to travel to attend the BBM Apps Hackathon Event (“Event”) from August 10 – 13, 2011 and be able to confirm such availability within 48 hours of potential winner notification
• Understand that the Event will be filmed and that by participating in the BBM Apps Hackathon Contest, consent to the filming of your developer story and the use of your image

Where and what does it entail?

• Aug 11-12, 2011 at the Ace Hotel in New York City
• Fast-paced exclusive workshop
• Turn your App idea into reality
• Interact with BlackBerry® product experts through presentations, Q&A and development
• Don’t worry, your idea is still your idea. All intellectual property remains with the original owner
• You could be one of ten chosen to win* a trip to the BBM Apps Hackathon Event!

We’ll be curious to see what new apps will come from the event, as we’ve seen a few already. There’s no purchase necessary, so if you’re a developer and want in on the BBM Social Platform, what are you waiting for? Want to know the questions you’ll need to answer?

The Third Annual BlackBerry Developer Challenge has come to the last round.  This year the BlackBerry Partners Fund announced that $1.5 million dollars worth of prizes were available. There is no cash award, but the prizes available that will help your app be successful. If you’re curious as to what apps are available list here.  The regional Finalists have been chosen and the winners are:

North America

• Poynt by Multiplied Media Corporation in the category of Maps and Navigation
• Vayyoo by Vayyoo Inc in the category of Photo & Video
• Dictionary and Thesaurus - Dictionary.com by Dictionary.com, LLC in the category of Reference & eBooks

Latin America

• Waze (LATAM) by Location World in the category of Maps and Navigation
• Navita Sports by Navita Tecnologia in the category of Sports & Recreation
• Vlingo Plus – Voice App by Vlingo Corporation in the category of Utilities

Europe/Middle East/Africa

• CamCard (Business Card Reader) by IntSig Information Co., Ltd in the category of Business
• UbiNav EU by Ubiest S.p.A. in the category of Maps & Navigation
• n tv mobile by LINEAS Informationstechnik GmbH in the category of News

Asia Pacific

• Ramadhan Pocket Guide by VEELABS INDONESIA, PT in the category of Utilities
• Forum For BlackBerry® by Remko Weingarten in the category of IM & Social Networking
• Love Indonesia by Love Indonesia in the category of Shopping

Congrats go out to the Regional Finalists. I know there’s several that are amazing that aren’t listed but of the winners, I love Poynt, Vayyoo is pretty neat, and Vlingo Plus is one of my favorites. I always keep that on my phone, it’s a lifesaver when you’re driving. Forum For BlackBerry has gained some popularity as well, and I really like the idea of being able to find a forum that meets your needs and interests. The challenge was for Super Apps. What other apps do you use that you would call a Super App?

[via: BlackBerry Partners Fund]

In this webcast, you’ll learn how the BlackBerry Push Service can:

• Push any type of data, text or images without restrictions. Developers can even send large amounts of data (more than 8 KB) by using multiple pushes that get reassembled on arrival.
• Use true push technology to turn your app into a Super App.
• Deliver data to BlackBerry smartphones in the background, providing the user with an always-connected BlackBerry experience.
• Create network-efficient apps. Unlike competitor apps that repeatedly poll servers for new data, BlackBerry Super Apps optimize data usage and battery life.

If you are interested in attending, be sure to sign up! RIM usually makes the presentation available on demand a day or two after the live webcast, so if you can’t make it that option is also available, from the registration link.

For more information on becoming a BlackBerry app developer, or to see what other tools RIM has made available for development, be sure to check out the Developers section at BlackBerry.com.

From The Land Down Under, BlackBerry presents Developer Day for Developers. A big shout out goes to Thomas for letting me know about this event. The event is free for developers and has many benefits. The event will not teach you to build likeable apps, but lovable apps, apps that BlackBerry refers to as Super Apps!

When? March 24th, 2010

Where? The Hilton Sydney, 488 George Street, Sydney Australia

What? Here’s the agenda to explain what you can look forward to:

As per the BlackBerry Developer page. This is created to help you design a best in app experience. If you are able to make it, we recommend it. It is a first come, first serve basis. This event also goes in with what we’ve been hearing about Super Apps, so if you attend, please let us know what you have learned from it. We’re very interested and can’t wait to see what type of Super Apps come from these events.

[via: BlackBerry Developer]