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RIM Unleashes New Be Bold Campaign Commercials Promoting Actions and Tools

Susan — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:06:24 +0000

I’m really impressed by the amount of advertising RIM is placing out there, and these commercials carry some great lines such as “I’m about Action, not Distraction” or “We need Tools, not Toys”. It’s nice to see some commercials about different professions and how they use their BlackBerry. Check it out….

The first commercial you are introduced to BlackBerry Advocates, the Martinez brothers who are Global DJ’s and music producers. They talk about how they use their BlackBerry devices and that they need tools, not toys.

The second commercial introduces you to BlackBerry Advocate, John Hansburg, a food buyer for celebrity chefs. He too talks about how he uses his BlackBerry in his daily business, and also says he’s about action, not distraction.

I’m sure you’ve seen this one, as it’s been on for a while on the airwaves, but it’s really impressive. RIM deserves Kudos for putting so much effort into the advertising that we haven’t seen in a while, great job RIM! What do you think about the videos so far?

Video: Meet The Newly Appointed RIM President and CEO: Thorsten Heins

Susan — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:05:25 +0000

BlackBerry has posted an interview with the new President and CEO of RIM, Thorsten Heins. Thorsten Heins has been with RIM since 2007. He was one of RIM’s Chief Operating Officers prior to this promotion. We have the interview by RIM, some background on Thorsten Heins, and highlights from the video.

According to the article on Inside BlackBerry, here’s some background on Thorsten Heins:

“ Mr. Heins came to RIM in December 2007 from the industrial conglomerate Siemens AG. He joined Siemens in 1984 after graduating from the University of Hannover in his native Germany. At Siemens, Mr. Heins rose through the ranks of R&D customer service, sales and product management positions. After serving as Chief Executive Officer of various business divisions in the communication business, Mr. Heins moved to Chief Technology Officer and member of the Group Board of the Siemens Communications Group. He came to RIM after being impressed by the level of innovation displayed by founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. He became Senior Vice President for the Handheld Business Unit. He played key roles in the creation of RIM’s product portfolio. Prior to today’s announcement, Mr. Heins was one of RIM’s two Chief Operating Officers.”

I find the video gives the thoughts of Mr. Heins in various areas and as I listened, I got the feeling he’s looking to keep the consumers in mind and the employees a part of the process. The video highlights Thorsten Heins views on RIM’s strengths, the next five years, growth and enthusiasm, BlackBerry PlayBook v2.0, the best people, motivation, himself, and his proudest moment. I did find Engadget’s article to be somewhat closed minded. They posted their article with some thoughts on what they heard but as I include those, I’ll add what I heard in parenthesis. Please leave comments as to what you gather from the video and Engadget.

From Engadget:

“We have taken this to totally new heights and that journey isn’t over yet.” (The BlackBerry PlayBook was a real shot for RIM and OS 7 is different with compass, NFC, and Tag, but the big change is coming with BlackBerry OS 2.0 for PlayBook and the BB 10)
“If we continue doing well what we’re doing, I see no problems with us being in the top three players worldwide in the next years in wireless.” (As of lately with involving the consumer, more advertising, more involvement with the public)
“At the very core of RIM is the innovation. We always think ahead. We always think forward. We sometimes think the unthinkable. And that is fantastic.” (Major ideas, and if there’s any proof needed, just look at the BlackBerry Porsche and the BB 10)
“Internally, from a process perspective, I think we need to get a bit more disciplined in our own processes.” (Doing what they do best but doing it better)
“We are a great innovative company, but sometimes we innovate too much while we’re building a product.” (Finishing a product and getting them out quickly)
“What we need to get a bit better at here is to have a little bit more of an ear toward the consumer. I want the strengthen this by bringing really good marketing expertise in.” (Listening to the consumers and filling their needs)
“…With the ‘Be Bold’ campaigns, starting right now, I find this really exciting. I’m getting good feedback and we want to continue driving this.” (The BE Bold campaign has given more coverage to BlackBerry from what we’ve seen in the past)
“Don’t lose focus on what the present is. Congratulations to the team; we’ve seen great success with PlayBook 2.0 at CES. We are heading absolutely in the right direction.” (Being excited with the advances and seeing where the future is taking them)
“BB 10, needless to say, we have to ship on time. I can’t wait to see it.”
“I’m also very performance driven. When we decide on getting something done, I want it to be done on time at good quality and at good cost. That defines our customer satisfaction.” (How can one argue that they’ve taken strides in what they’ve accomplished and where the products are going)

I found the interview to be a good snapshot and hopefully the company can continue to drive the extra mile. One thing everyone needs to remember is BlackBerry is communication and they do it great. They’re not as open as Android, which is a very positive thing. They’re not as closed as Apple who is extremely proprietary. They are BlackBerry. I know for me, all my needs are met with the BlackBerry. I believe they chose Sunday to announce the new CEO as it was the start of a new week as well as a start for a new era.

What are your thoughts on the interview?

[via: Inside BlackBerry, Engadget, & YouTube]

RIM Announces Thorsten Heins as the New President and CEO of Research In Motion

Susan — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:38 +0000

The Press Release made it official, and Inside BlackBerry has posted the announcement. Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis step down from their Co-CEO positions as Thorsten Heins steps up to the plate. I know Thorsten must be excited and elated to be taking RIM across the threshold and into a new era.

Today must be a very sad but yet happy time for Research In Motion. While Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis have taken the company through different devices, they have had their share of trials and tribulations, and the time has come for someone new to try and fill the shoes and take RIM into the new era. I’m sad to see them step down, but it’s time for a new outlook and leadership, someone who can keep up with the technology and bring enthusiasm to the team, as well as listen to consumers and employees alike. I respect Mr Balsillie and Lazaridis for the strides they’ve taken, and we congratulate Thorsten Heins on his new position and look forward to the new changes he will bring with RIM.

The announcement from FaceBook and Inside BlackBerry from BlackBerry was somewhat surprising. We all knew something would change but it just seemed so sudden.

From Inside BlackBerry:

”

The Board of Directors of BlackBerry® maker Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, becomes Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of Board’s New Innovation Committee. Jim Balsillie, former Co-CEO, remains a member of the Board. RIM Board Member Barbara Stymiest has been named the independent Board Chair. Prem Watsa, CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings, has also been named to the Board. For more information, please see the official RIM press release.

A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 8 am ET, January 23, 2012, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1) 416-644-3414 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml.”

Press Release:

Research In Motion Names Thorsten Heins President and CEO

•    Board Acts on Recommendation of Co-CEOs to Implement Succession Plan
•    Mike Lazaridis Named Vice Chair of the Board
•    Jim Balsillie Remains a Director
•    Barbara Stymiest Named Independent Board Chair
•    Prem Watsa Named Independent Director

Waterloo, ON – The Board of Directors of BlackBerry® maker Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that, acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee. As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.

Mr. Heins said he looks forward to continuing to work with Mr. Lazaridis, globally recognized as a technology pioneer. He said, “Mike created a whole new way of communicating and I look forward to continuing our close collaboration.”

On the transition to CEO by Mr. Heins, Mr. Lazaridis said, “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the Board and told them that we thought that time was now. With BlackBerry 7 now out, PlayBook 2.0 shipping in February and BlackBerry 10 expected to ship later this year, the company is entering a new phase, and we felt it was time for a new leader to take it through that phase and beyond. Jim, the Board and I all agreed that leader should be Thorsten Heins.”

Jim Balsillie remains a member of the Board. “I agree this is the right time to pass the baton to new leadership, and I have complete confidence in Thorsten, the management team and the company,” he said. “I remain a significant shareholder and a Director and, of course, they will have my full support.”

Mr. Lazaridis said that he decided to move from Co-Chair to Vice Chair of the Board in order to return the public’s focus to what is most important: “the great company we have built, its iconic products, global brand and its talented employees.”

Mr. Lazaridis added, “Thorsten has demonstrated throughout his tenure at RIM that he has the right mix of leadership, relevant industry experience and skills to take the company forward. We have been impressed with his operational skills at both RIM and Siemens. I am so confident in RIM’s future that I intend to purchase an additional $50 million of the company’s shares, as permitted, in the open market.”

Mr. Heins said he believes that RIM has tremendous potential. He joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.

“Mike and Jim took a bold step 18 months ago when RIM purchased QNX to shepherd the transformation of the BlackBerry platform for the next decade,” Mr. Heins said. “We are more confident than ever that was the right path. It is Mike and Jim’s continued unwillingness to sacrifice long-term value for short-term gain which has made RIM the great company that it is today. I share that philosophy and am very excited about the company’s future.”

Mr. Heins said that RIM has a strong foundation on which to build. “We have a strong balance sheet with approximately $1.5 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter and negligible debt. We reported revenue of $5.2 billion in our last quarter, up 24% from the prior quarter, and a 35% year-to-year increase in the BlackBerry subscriber base, which is now over 75 million.”

Mr. Heins said, “BlackBerry 7 has been well received. We are very excited about PlayBook 2.0 and BlackBerry 10. The reception of our products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show was encouraging.”

He continued, “RIM earned its reputation by focusing relentlessly on the customer and delivering unique mobile communications solutions. We intend to build on this heritage to expand BlackBerry’s leadership position.”

Mr. Heins said that RIM has grown quickly. “As with any company that has grown as fast as we have, there have been inevitable growing pains,” he said. “We have learned from those challenges and, I believe, we have and will become a stronger company as a result.

“Going forward, we will continue to focus both on short-term and long-term growth, strategic planning, a customer- and market-based product approach, and flawless execution. We are in the process of recruiting a new Chief Marketing Officer to work closely with our product and sales teams to deliver the most compelling products and services.”

Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair. John Richardson, formerly Lead Director, will remain on the Board. Prem Watsa, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, also was named to the Board, expanding it to 11 members.

Speaking on behalf of the Board, Ms. Stymiest said: “We believe that Thorsten is the right executive to succeed Mike and Jim. He has 27 years of telecommunications experience, including four years at RIM in senior management positions. As a Board, we have been impressed with his outstanding management skills, his leadership and his accomplishments within the company.”

Ms. Stymiest also expressed the Board’s respect and admiration for Messrs. Lazaridis and Balsillie, the company they built, and the steps they have taken to position RIM for the future.

“They created RIM, nurtured it, and in the process not only built an iconic brand, but literally pioneered the smartphone industry,” she said. “It is Canada’s largest tech company and one of the largest in the world.”

Conference Call and Webcast
A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 8 am ET, January 23, 2012, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1)416-644-3414 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml. A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 10 am ET by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4509630#. A replay of the webcast will be available on your personal computer or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by clicking the link above. This replay will be available until midnight ET, February 6, 2012.

About Thorsten Heins
Thorsten Heins, 54, is a respected business leader with 27 years of broad experience and expertise in wireless networks and consumer electronics devices. Mr. Heins has a global reputation for his organizational and leadership skills and his ability to build successful organizations that deliver on their commitments. Prior to today’s announcement, Mr. Heins was one of RIM’s two Chief Operating Officers and, before that, Senior Vice President for the Handheld Business Unit. He played key roles in the creation of RIM’s product portfolio. Mr. Heins came to RIM in December 2007 from the industrial conglomerate Siemens AG. He joined Siemens in 1984 after graduating from the University of Hannover in his native Germany. At Siemens, Mr. Heins rose through the ranks of R&D customer service, sales and product management positions. After serving as Chief Executive Officer of various business divisions in the communication business, Mr. Heins moved to Chief Technology Officer and member of the Group Board of the Siemens Communications Group. He came to RIM after being impressed by the level of innovation displayed by founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. Mr. Heins is married with a daughter and a son. Away from RIM, he is usually outdoors bicycling, motorcycling, skiing or hiking.

About Barbara Stymiest
Barbara Stymiest has served as a director of RIM since March 2007. She has an HBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, and an FCA from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario. Ms. Stymiest joined Royal Bank of Canada in 2004, where she served as a member of RBC’s Group Executive, which is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the company. Prior to that, she held positions as Chief Executive Officer at TSX Group Inc., Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer at BMO Nesbitt Burns and Partner of Ernst & Young LLP. Ms. Stymiest is currently a Director of George Weston Limited, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, the Royal Ontario Museum.

About Prem Watsa
Prem Watsa is the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited, a financial services holding company whose corporate objective is to achieve a high rate of return on invested capital and build long-term shareholder value, since 1985. He is also Vice President of Hamblin Watsa Investment Counsel Ltd. since 1985. Mr. Watsa formerly served as Vice President of GW Asset Management from 1983 to 1984 and in various positions, ultimately as a Vice President, with Confederation Life Investment Counsel from 1974 to 1983.

About Research In Motion
Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.RIM.com or www.BlackBerry.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities laws, including: statements relating to the new role of RIM’s Vice Chair and its new Innovation Committee; the anticipated timing of the launches of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software and BlackBerry 10; Mr. Lazaridis’ intention to purchase additional RIM shares, as permitted, in the open market; RIM’s plans, strategies and expectations going forward; RIM’s intention to recruit a new Chief Marketing Officer; and the anticipated benefits of the Company’s efforts. The terms and phrases “will”, “continue”, “innovating”, “look forward”, “shipping”, “expected”, “entering a new phase”, “committed”, “intend”, “take the company forward”, “potential”, “transformation”, “build”, “expand”, “going forward”, “in the process” and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances, including but not limited to general economic conditions, product pricing levels and competitive intensity, supply constraints, new product introductions, RIM’s expectations regarding its business, strategy and prospects, RIM’s confidence in the cash flow generation of its business, and applicable regulatory requirements and RIM policies relating to purchases of RIM securities. Many factors could cause RIM’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks relating to RIM’s intellectual property rights; RIM’s ability to enhance current products and develop new products and services in a timely manner at competitive prices; risks related to delays in new product introductions, including the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software and BlackBerry 10; risks related to intense competition, including RIM’s ability to compete in the tablet market; RIM’s ability to manage inventory and asset risk, including its ability to manage BlackBerry PlayBook tablet sell-through programs; risks relating to network disruptions and other business interruptions, including costs, potential liabilities, lost revenue and reputational damage associated with service disruptions; RIM’s ability to realize the anticipated benefits of its cost optimization program and Cost Optimization and Resource Efficiency program; RIM’s reliance on carrier partners, third-party manufacturers, third-party network developers and suppliers, including the suppliers RIM has selected for its BlackBerry 10 smartphones; security risks and risks related to the collection, storage, transmission, use and disclosure of user and personal information; RIM’s ability to successfully maintain and enhance its brand; RIM’s reliance on key personnel; potential charges relating to the impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets on RIM’s balance sheet; RIM’s ability to expand and enhance BlackBerry App World; risks related to third party manufacturers and RIM’s ability to manage its production processes; risks related to RIM’s international operations; risks related to encryption technology; potential defects in RIM’s products; RIM’s ability to manage growth; and difficulties in forecasting RIM’s financial results, particularly over longer periods given the rapid technological changes, evolving industry standards, intense competition and short product life cycles that characterize the wireless communications industry. These risk factors and others relating to RIM are discussed in greater detail in the “Risk Factors” section of RIM’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F and the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” section of RIM’s MD&A (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM’s forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

[via: Inside BlackBerry]

RIM Previews BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES 2012

Scott — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:23:08 +0000

RIM just sent out a press release to let us know they’ll be showcasing BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES 2012. The new PlayBook OS will bring the much anticipated native applications for email and contacts, as well social network integration. PlayBook OS 2.0 will also bring an awesome (and much needed) function to BlackBerry Bridge that will allow you to use your BlackBerry smartphones keyboard to control your BlackBerry PlayBook. The update is still on track for release next month (February 2012). Press release is below…

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA–(Marketwire – Jan. 9, 2012) – (CES 2012) – This week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) will be previewing new features of BlackBerry(R) PlayBook(TM) OS 2.0 that will enable customers to stay even more connected and productive in their personal and professional lives.

“BlackBerry PlayBook is already recognized for delivering powerful performance, true multi-tasking, advanced web browsing and HD multimedia in an ultra-portable design,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “With BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 we are building on this strong foundation, as well as leveraging our strengths in communications, social integration and productivity, to allow people to use their BlackBerry PlayBook in new ways throughout the day.”

CES 2012 attendees who visit the BlackBerry booth at CES (South Hall 3 Booth # 30326) will get a sneak peek of upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 functionality including:

Advanced Messaging Experience:

– New unified inbox – a powerful unified inbox within the built-in
messaging app allows users to quickly manage their personal email and
work email accounts as well as the messaging capabilities of popular
social networking sites like Twitter(R), LinkedIn(R) and others – all in
one place.
– Multi-tasking within email – by extending the BlackBerry PlayBook
tablet’s multitasking capabilities to ‘tabbed email’, users are able to
reference one email while they compose another.
– Rich-text email composing and editing – new features within the Messages
app enable users to benefit from full support of fonts, formatting and
editing of email threads, offering a robust email experience similar to
that of a PC or laptop.
– Inbox management tools – allows for powerful inbox search across
multiple email accounts, as well as the ability to set out-of-office
messages and email signatures directly from their tablet.

Deep Integration of Social Relationships:

– Innovative people-centric calendar – in addition to standard calendar
features that help users plan and organize their day, the powerful
built-in Calendar app provides the unique ability for users to view
their calendar by who they are meeting with that day and review valuable
information about that contact. Information is consolidated
automatically from social networking sites about that contact and/or
their company.
– Relationship-centric contacts app – more than just an address book, the
new built-in Contacts app serves as a social hub – merging and
consolidating information from multiple sources (including email and
social channels) into one contact file for each person in their address
book. Each contact file includes information such as recent status
updates, conversations, related news articles and mutual contacts that
are kept up-to-date automatically.

Making Your BlackBerry Smartphone and Tablet a Powerful Pair:

– Remote control for the BlackBerry PlayBook – new BlackBerry(R)
Bridge(TM) features allow a user’s BlackBerry(R) smartphone to act as a
keyboard and mouse for their BlackBerry PlayBook – effectively providing
a wireless remote control for their tablet. Perfect for pausing a movie
when a BlackBerry PlayBook is plugged in to a TV with an HDMI
connection, or for using the tactile QWERTY keyboard on a BlackBerry
smartphone to compose a message or document on the BlackBerry PlayBook.
– Opening content on the BlackBerry PlayBook – BlackBerry Bridge allows
you to take documents, emails, multimedia files and web pages found on
your smartphone and open them quickly and directly on the BlackBerry
PlayBook so you can use the larger high resolution display for an
optimized viewing and editing experience.

Improved Mobile Productivity:

– Updated document editing capabilities – updated Documents To Go(R)
functionality makes it easier for users to create and edit documents
while on the go. Improvements include: enhanced support for the virtual
keyboard, the ability to view and update embedded charts and chart
sheets within spreadsheets, a new formula wizard with over 100 functions
as well as the ability to edit presentations including text, bullets and
formatting.
– Print To Go application – this app allows users to wirelessly “print”
from their laptop or PC directly to their BlackBerry PlayBook over Wi-
Fi(R). A digital printout is created on the BlackBerry PlayBook so that
users can view, sort and manage their digital printouts as though they
were physical sheets of paper. The Print To Go app is the perfect way to
consolidate info from various related sources like a hotel web
confirmation, an airline boarding pass email, the show event schedule or
even a map of the destination city and make them available for quick
access on the go.
– Increased control and manageability of corporate data – the combination
of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 with BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and
BlackBerry Balance will help to overcome many barriers to widespread
tablet deployment, including device manageability and the ability to
secure, manage and control confidential corporate information on the
device. Plus BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 supports dedicated shelf space
inside the BlackBerry(R) App World(TM) storefront to allow IT
departments to control distribution of enterprise applications and to
make those approved enterprise applications easily available to the
organization’s end users.

New Apps and Content:

– Your favorite apps plus thousands more – many exciting new applications
built for the BlackBerry PlayBook will be made available on BlackBerry
App World with the availability of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. From
gaming and lifestyle to business and productivity, RIM is showcasing
some of the latest apps available for the BlackBerry PlayBook at CES
2012 including Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Groupon, Thomson Reuters,
Zinio and many more.
– Video store – a catalog of thousands of movies and TV shows will be
available through the integrated BlackBerry Video Storefront(i) with new
releases to be made available for purchase or rent the same day they
come out on DVD. Users will be able to begin watching media as soon as
they start to download the file, so users won’t have to wait for the
entire file to transfer before they can enjoy great entertainment on the
tablet’s high resolution display, or on an HDTV via the BlackBerry
PlayBook tablet’s HDMI output.
– Enhanced web browsing – the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 browser also
includes a new reading view, which is designed to make web sites even
easier to enjoy by eliminating page clutter at the touch of a button.
What’s left is a cleaner format that is great for reading online news
articles, blog posts, or websites that contain heavy amounts of text.
Availability

The BlackBerry(R) PlayBook OS 2.0 software update will be available as a free download for all BlackBerry PlayBook users and is expected to be available in February 2012.

(i) BlackBerry Video Store will initially be available in the United States. Support for other countries is expected to be added later this year.

RIM officially unveils BlackBerry OS 7.1 at CES 2012

Scott — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:16:27 +0000

RIM has kicked off CES 2012 with the announcement of BlackBerry 7.1 OS. BlackBerry 7.1 brings the same look and feel of BlackBerry 7, but bring NFC via BlackBerry Tags, Mobile Hotspot, and an FM Radio for the new Curve models. It is expected OS will begin rolling out over the next little bit from major carriers. The full press release is below…

Press Release:

RIM Showcases New BlackBerry 7.1 OS at CES 2012
New BBM, BlackBerry Traffic and BlackBerry Travel Updates Also Released

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA–(Marketwire – Jan. 9, 2012) – (CES 2012) – A wide range of software improvements await BlackBerry(R) 7 smartphone customers at the BlackBerry(R) booth (South Hall 3 Booth # 30326) at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012). Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) is showcasing the new BlackBerry(R) 7.1 OS as well as updates to the BBM(TM) (BlackBerry(R) Messenger), BlackBerry(R) Traffic(TM) and BlackBerry(R) Travel(TM) apps. The new OS and app updates make seizing and sharing the moment even easier.

BlackBerry 7.1 will begin rolling out from carriers around the world beginning today and over the coming weeks(1). The new releases of BBM, BlackBerry Traffic and BlackBerry Travel will be available on BlackBerry(R) App World(TM) beginning today.

“BlackBerry 7 delivered a next-generation platform for our customers around the world and the range of software updates announced today build upon the strengths of that platform to further enhance the mobile experience and make life easier, from managing daily tasks to planning big adventures,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion.

Life Is Better Shared

The BlackBerry 7.1 OS incorporates a new feature called BlackBerry(R) Tag that can change the way BlackBerry users share information and content. By simply tapping their NFC enabled BlackBerry(R) smartphone against another NFC enabled BlackBerry smartphone, users can make sharing easier than ever. They can instantly invite a friend to BBM, exchange contact information, documents, URLs, photos and other multimedia content, and they can also pair their BlackBerry smartphone with an NFC enabled Bluetooth(R) device.

Support for BlackBerry Tag is just one of a number of enhancements in the updated BBM app (version 6.1) being released today. Additional features allow users to personalize their experience even more with support for animated avatars (animated GIFs)(2), a dozen new and fun emoticons to spice up conversations, and the ability to customize chat bubbles with different colors. In addition, the new BBM app allows users to add customized personal messages of up to 160 characters in their online Profile, more than double the length supported in previous versions. Users can also now set the picture for their BBM avatar directly from the camera app – simply snap a picture and select “Set as BBM Display Picture” from the menu.

Make Things Happen

With BlackBerry 7.1, users can be productive from virtually anywhere. They can now turn their BlackBerry smartphone into a mobile hotspot that can be shared by up to 5 Wi-Fi(R) -enabled devices, including laptops and tablets(3). The 7.1 update also supports carrier implemented Wi-Fi calling services (UMA/GAN where available), allowing users to make Wi-Fi calls from their BlackBerry smartphone that don’t eat into their airtime minutes.

Getting to any location is now so much easier with the new BlackBerry Traffic (version 3.0), a free app from RIM that is being released today. BlackBerry Traffic determines a user’s estimated time of arrival (ETA) based on current traffic conditions, and now includes hands-free turn-by-turn voice guidance.

Planning, booking, managing, and sharing travel activities are also easier than ever thanks to the updated BlackBerry Travel app that is being released today. The new version adds support for contextual deals, such as offers for hotels and car rentals, or for arranging limo services to and from the airport. BlackBerry Travel can automatically keep track of a user’s bookings and schedule and quickly notify them if their flight is delayed or cancelled, and can then help them find a new flight right away. The automatic trip scanning feature pulls the travel details into the app, allowing the user to see all their travel updates in one place.

Seize the Moment

Sometimes it’s nice when someone (or something) does the thinking for you. The Universal Search capability has again been enhanced to help users find what they are looking for. It now includes an auto-suggest feature that intelligently filters Bing(R) search results to offer users a variety of relevant Web sites based on their search terms.

Love a good deal? Now finding and taking advantage of them is so much easier thanks to BlackBerry(R) Maps – an essential app that comes preinstalled on BlackBerry smartphones and has been enhanced in the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update. When users launch the new BlackBerry Maps application they can discover special offers, coupons, and discounts from nearby vendors. Users can immediately act on the deals presented to them by clicking to call the vendor or clicking to get the best route to the location where the deal is offered(4).

Customers with a BlackBerry Curve 9360 or 9380 smartphone will find a nice surprise with the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update in the form of an FM radio. The FM radio circuitry is already built in to the Curve 9360 and 9380 models and BlackBerry 7.1 provides users with a new app that allows them to tune in and enjoy local FM radio stations. Listening to the FM radio does not require a data plan or use data services.

For more information about the BlackBerry 7.1 OS update, visit www.blackberry.com/bb7. For more information and to download the new versions of BBM, BlackBerry Traffic and BlackBerry Travel visit BlackBerry App World at www.blackberry.com/appworld.

1. The BlackBerry 7.1 OS update is subject to carrier certification. Please
check for availability with your service provider.
2. The animated avatar feature is supported on BlackBerry smartphones
running OS 5.0 and higher.
3. Mobile hotspot feature requires BlackBerry 7.1 and may require an
additional data plan. Please check with your service provider.
4. Please check with your service provider for availability of this
feature.

BBM Canada smacks RIM with Trademark Lawsuit for BBM name

Scott — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:26:56 +0000

It feels like RIM just can’t win these days. RIM just lost the court battle to use the trademark BBX for their next-generation platform, and now a Canadian company called BBM Canada is suing RIM for trademark infringement for the term BBM in Canada. According to RIM’s website they own the trademark to BBM in the United States (link) but that isn’t stopping BBM Canada from suing RIM. They will be taking RIM to court on January 11th, 2012. BBM Canada wants RIM and employees to stop using the term BBM, and pay up for damages to their brand for infringing their trademark.

Jim MacLeod, president and CEO of BBM Canada said “We want our name back… I find it kind of amazing that this wouldn’t have been thought about before they decided to use the name. The same thing goes for BBX.”

Nothing like kicking somebody when they’re down, eh?

[via MobileSyrup]

Anonymous source claims BlackBerry 10 is a failure, RIM fires back….

Scott — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:17:25 +0000

You know I’m getting really sick of writing negative news surrounding RIM. BGR published a post earlier today that one of their sources at RIM says BlackBerry 10 is already a fail, and won’t be able to compete with compete with iOS and/or Android, at all. The post also goes on to say that RIM’s co-CEO lied during the Earnings Call last week, when talking about BlackBerry 10 smartphones and the reason why they won’t launch until mid-2012. According to Mike Lazaridis, RIM wouldn’t be launching them until the LTE chipsets are available. The source claims that RIM just doesn’t have a working BlackBerry 10 smartphone yet, and they need more time to get it right.

Here’s a paragraph from the BGR story (link):

Our source has communicated to us in no uncertain terms that the PlayBook 2.0 OS developers have been testing is a crystal clear window into the current state of BlackBerry 10 on smartphones. No email, no BlackBerry Messenger — it’s almost identical. “Email and PIM [is better] on an 8700 than it is on BlackBerry 10,” our contact said while talking to us about RIM’s failure to make the company’s new OS work with the network infrastructure RIM is known for.

Then only a couple hours later, RIM actually responded to CrackBerry’s inquiry about the story with this statement (link):

“RIM made a strategic decision to launch BlackBerry 10 devices with a new, LTE-based dual core chip set architecture. As explained on our earnings call, the broad engineering impact of this decision and certain other factors significantly influenced the anticipated timing for the BlackBerry 10 devices. The anonymous claim suggesting otherwise is inaccurate and uninformed. As RIM has previously explained, and as Mike Lazaridis reiterated on the earnings call, we will not launch BlackBerry 10 devices until we know they are ready and we believe this new chip set architecture is required to deliver the world class user experience that our customers will expect. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply false. We appreciate the interest in our future platform and we will continue to work hard to deliver that platform as soon as possible. At the same time, we also remain very excited with the success of our recently launched BlackBerry 7 smartphones and we believe these products offer a very compelling choice for both new customers and the almost 75 million BlackBerry users around the world.”

So what do you make of the news today? Do you believe that RIM is really sucking that bad, or is it just blown way out of proportion? If you would like to read another view of all this news, check out Luis over at BerryReview, he laid it all out quiet well.

RIM announces BlackBerry 10 Smartphones Won’t Arrive Until Mid-2012

Scott — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:29:29 +0000

During RIM’s earnings call yesterday, a big bomb was dropped when the two CEO’s announced that the first BlackBerry 10 (formally BBX) smartphone won’t launch until mid-2012. While we had always hoped for an early launch in the beginning of next year, RIM Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said they are waiting for a certain chipset for their BB10 smartphone, that will allow LTE, efficiency and battery. It is rumored that RIM will launch 5 new BlackBerry 10 smartphones, but it looks like we’re all stuck with BlackBerry 7 smartphones until Mid-2012…

Research In Motion Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results

Scott — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:21:54 +0000

Research In Motion Limited (RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported third quarter results for the three months ended November 26, 2011 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).

Highlights:

Revenue of $5.2 billion, up 24% from last quarter
BlackBerry smartphone shipments of 14.1 million, up 33% from Q2
GAAP net income of $265 million or $0.51 per share diluted; adjusted net income of $667 million or $1.27 per share diluted
Subscribers up 35% year-over-year to almost 75 million
Cash flow from operations of approximately $895 million
Total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments of $1.5 billion

Q3 Results:

Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 was $5.2 billion, up 24% from $4.2 billion in the previous quarter and down 6% from $5.5 billion in the same quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 79% for hardware, 19% for service and 2% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 150,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

“Despite the challenges faced in the third quarter, the BlackBerry subscriber base grew to almost 75 million customers around the world. In addition, RIM launched a range of new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones globally and introduced holiday promotions that helped drive growth in the installed base of BlackBerry PlayBook users,” said Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, Co-CEOs at Research In Motion. “RIM continues to have strong technology, unique service capabilities and a large installed base of customers, and we are more determined than ever to capitalize on our strengths to overcome the recent execution challenges surrounding product launches and the resulting financial performance. As part of our commitment to improving our performance to better meet the expectations of shareholders and customers, we continue to evaluate ways to improve in several areas of the Company’s operations. It may take some time to realize the benefits of these efforts and the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry.”

The Company’s GAAP net income for the quarter was $265 million, or $0.51 per share diluted, compared with GAAP net income of $329 million, or $0.63 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and GAAP net income of $911 million, or $1.74 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year. Adjusted net income for the third quarter was $667 million, or $1.27 per share diluted. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $54 million ($40 million after tax) to revenue related to the service interruption experienced in the third quarter, $485 million ($356 million after tax) for the PlayBook inventory provision taken in the third quarter and $7 million ($6 million after tax) for the Company’s cost optimization program that was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. These charges and their related impacts on GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share are summarized in the table below.

Reconciliation of GAAP revenue and net income to adjusted revenue and net income

(United States dollars, in millions except per share data)

For the quarter ended November 26, 2011

—————————————-

Revenue Net Income Diluted EPS

(before (net of (net of

taxes) income tax) income tax)

—————————————-

As reported $ 5,169 $ 265 $ 0.51

Adjustments:

PlayBook Inventory Provision(1) – 356 0.68

Cost Optimization Program(2) – 6 0.01

Q3 Service Interruption(3) 54 40 0.07

—————————————-

Adjusted $ 5,223 $ 667 $ 1.27

—————————————-

—————————————-
Note: Adjusted revenue, adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and thus are not comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other issuers. The Company believes that the presentation of adjusted revenue, adjusted net income, and adjusted diluted earnings per share enables the Company and its shareholders to better assess RIM’s operating results relative to its operating results in prior periods and improves the comparability of the information presented. Investors should consider these non-GAAP financial measures in the context of RIM’s GAAP results.

(1) During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company recorded a pre-tax provision of approximately $485 million, $356 million after tax, related to its inventory valuation of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. The charge was predominantly non-cash.

(2) Cost of sales, research and development, and selling, marketing and administration expenses included approximately $7 million in total pre-tax charges, $6 million after tax, during the third quarter of fiscal 2012 related to the cost optimization program to streamline operations across the Company. Included in the cost of sales, research and development, and selling, marketing and administration expenses for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 were approximately $1 million, $3 million, and $3 million, respectively, of pre-tax charges related to the cost optimization program.

(3) During the third quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company experienced a service interruption which resulted in the loss of service revenue and the payment of service credits in the quarter totalling approximately $54 million, $40 million after tax, related to the interruption in the availability of the Company’s network.

The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $1.5 billion as at November 26, 2011, compared to $1.4 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of $87 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations was approximately $895 million and uses of cash included strategic purchases of intellectual property assets of approximately $375 million, and property, plant and equipment expenditures of approximately $205 million.

Q4 Outlook

Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 ending March 3, 2012 is expected to be in the range of $4.6-$4.9 billion. Gross margin percentage for the fourth quarter is expected to be approximately 38%. BlackBerry smartphone shipments are expected to be between 11 million and 12 million units. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter is expected to be in the range of $0.80-$0.95.

Conference Call and Webcast

A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 5 pm ET, December 15, 2011, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1)416-644-3415 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry(R) PlayBook(TM) tablet at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml. A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 7 pm ET by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4466493#. A replay of the webcast will be available on your personal computer or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by clicking the link above. This replay will be available until midnight ET, December 29, 2011.

RIM announces BlackBerry 10 will replace the BBX name

Scott — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:59:57 +0000

Oh RIM you need to smarten up. RIM has just announced via Twitter that the original BBX name, which was given for the next-generation platform, has been renamed to BlackBerry 10. Why you ask? Why 10? Well we aren’t sure. RIM had issues the BBX trademark from day one, and for some reason didn’t secure it before announcing the name to the public. RIM has announced at BlackBerry DevCon Asia that BBX will now be called BlackBerry 10. It will be very interesting to see where BlackBerry 8 and 9 come into play. If we had to guess OS 7.1 will become BlackBerry 8, and 9 hopefully will just get skipped. What are your thoughts on the name change? We’re not impressed here at BBSync.

Via N4BB