BlackBerry Sync | get in sync with the latest BlackBerry news » RIM Press Release

T-Mobile launches BlackBerry Curve 8900

BBSync — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:57:47 +0000

(stay tuned for actual press shots from RIM…)

Early this morning T-Mobile Germany and RIM announced the release of the BlackBerry Curve 8900 (formally known as Javelin). Available Mid-November, the Curve 8900 is the latest upgrade in the Curve series of smartphones. It features a large 2.4″ high resolution display, 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, enhanced media player with podcast support, EDGE, Wi-Fi, OS 4.6 and a thinner desig with full QWERTY keyboard.

The Curve 8900 will cost 359 Euros ($450 USD) with no contract or 4.95 Euros with 24 month contract. Now that T-Mobile Germany has announced this new Curve. Announcements from AT&T, Maybe T-Mobile USA? and Rogers can’t be too far behind.

Interesting enough in this announcement they didn’t make any comments to a newly re-designed trackball? Originally it was said that the Curve 8900 would launch with an Atomic trackball. I wonder if thats still a go?

RIM Press Release:

T-Mobile and RIM launch the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone in Germany
- Expansive feature set, striking 480×360 pixel display, 3.2MP Camera with autofocus, flash and video recording, enhanced media player with podcast support

- Thinnest full-QWERTZ BlackBerry smartphone

- Global connectivity with fast Internet access on broadly available EDGE and Wi-Fi networks

- Easy to use navigation with built-in GPS

BONN, GERMANY and WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - Nov. 12, 2008) - T-Mobile Germany and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today launched the BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8900 smartphone. The new BlackBerry Curve 8900 has an expansive feature set that keeps users easily connected with their office, friends and family. In addition to exceptional phone, email, messaging, organizer, web browser and multimedia applications, the new BlackBerry Curve 8900 also features global connectivity support, built-in Wi-Fi(R) and GPS, a fast processor (512Mhz) and a dazzling hi-resolution display, enabling customers to remain productive and entertained while on the go.

In a sleek and new style, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone from T-Mobile Germany has on-the-go video, text and maps, a full QWERTZ keyboard and an intuitive trackball navigation system that allows users to enjoy an exceptional communications experience. Its full-featured media player supports media streaming and can play all your favorite songs and videos. With its new 3.2 megapixel camera, including auto focus, digital zoom and flash, you can take sharp, print-quality pictures to capture the moment and immediately send them to a friend or post them on the Internet. The microSD/SDHC expandable memory slot supports up to 16GB, giving users plenty of storage that is easily interchangeable.

Enhanced web browsing and multimedia features

The BlackBerry Curve 8900 is a quad-band smartphone, providing global connectivity that is compatible with T-Mobile’s nationwide EDGE network for fast data access and web browsing. The handset can be used in conjunction with T-Mobile’s web’n'walk plans for Internet browsing and accessing emails using BlackBerry(R) Internet Service and BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server.

At approximately 110 grams and 109 x 60 x 13.5 millimeters, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 from T-Mobile Germany is the thinnest full QWERTZ BlackBerry smartphone to date and comes with a sleek and refined design that feels comfortable for either one-handed or two-handed use. Its large, striking 2.4 inch HVGA+ display (480×360 pixels) projects vivid color and makes information easier to read. The BlackBerry Curve 8900 provides flexible connectivity and helps people find their way, combining built-in Wi-Fi(R) (802.11 b/g) support and GPS capabilities.

E-Mail Push Service, free of charge for six months

T-Mobile Germany is currently offering a special promotion for customers who purchase the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone and subscribe to BlackBerry(R) Internet Service with T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Webmail plan for individuals and small enterprises. The offer, which is initially limited until December 31, 2008, is available with many rate plans and is open to consumers and business customers who take out a new contract or extend an existing contract. For example, customers can currently try out T-Mobile’s BlackBerry Webmail S plan (which costs EUR 4.95 a month and includes a volume of one megabyte for six months) free of charge.

The BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8900 smartphone will be available from T-Mobile Germany from mid of November 2008 and will cost a one-time charge of EUR 4.95 with a 24-month contract on the Relax 200 Plus rate with BlackBerry Webmail S and EUR 359.90 without contract.

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Rogers officially launches Pearl Flip in Canada! $49/3YR

BBSync — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:36:43 +0000

Rogers Wireless and RIM officially announced the BlackBerry Pearl Flip for Canadians this morning. The Pearl Flip will be available starting tomorrow (November 4th) for $49 with three year term at most Rogers locations and online.

Starting off the Pearl Flip will only be available in Black, however the pink version will follow within the next few weeks. Click on over for the press release from RIM.

Rogers and RIM Announce Availability of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 Smartphone in Canada
Rogers to offer first BlackBerry flip smartphone from $49.99 on Canada’s most reliable wireless network

TORONTO, ONTARIO and WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - Nov. 3, 2008) - Rogers Wireless (TSX:RCI)(NYSE:RCI) and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) are launching the BlackBerry(R) Pearl(TM) Flip 8220 smartphone, the first BlackBerry(R) phone to come in the popular flip form factor. The BlackBerry Pearl Flip will be available in a stylish black finish from Rogers Wireless starting November 4, with the stunning pink BlackBerry Pearl Flip coming soon.

The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip provides flip phone fans with all the power of a BlackBerry smartphone in a fun and familiar design. You can send a message to your friends or family, make a call, browse the web, snap a picture, watch a video or listen to your favorite song. It’s all in your control with a simple flip. The quad-band EDGE based BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone presents a sophisticated look with a sleek design and a chrome-finished frame surrounding its smooth, luminescent face. It features two high-resolution, light-sensing color displays, including an external LCD that makes it easy to preview incoming emails, text messages and phone calls without opening the handset.

“Rogers Wireless continues to bring best-in-class handsets, such as the exclusive BlackBerry Pearl Flip, to the Canadian market, representing a cross-section of the best in smartphone technology, messaging solution as well as design and style,” said John Boynton, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Wireless. “The BlackBerry Pearl Flip offers discerning customers the ultimate full-featured flip paired with the leading mobile messaging solution on the market.”

“The BlackBerry Pearl Flip packs an impressive range of features into an exciting new design and we are very pleased to be working with Rogers Wireless to bring this powerful new smartphone to customers in Canada,” said Mark Guibert, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Research In Motion. “The BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone is a natural choice for customers who are looking to replace their existing flip phone with something more powerful.”

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone from Rogers Wireless has numerous advanced features including:

- Spacious SureType(R) QWERTY keyboard that makes typing messages and dialing numbers fast and easy

- Large 240 x 320 internal LCD that displays messages, videos and web pages with impressive detail and contrast

- Built-in Wi-Fi(R) (802.11 b/g) with support for Rogers TalkSpot service

- 2 megapixel camera with digital zoom, built-in flash and video recording(i)

- Advanced media player for viewing pictures, listening to music and watching videos

- Externally-accessible microSD/SDHC memory card slot that supports up to 16GB for plenty of storage

- Enhanced HTML browser with RTSP support for online streaming video from sites like m.youtube.com and www.zoovision.com

- BlackBerry(R) Maps, delivering maps, local searches and step-by-step directions quickly and easily

- DataViz(R) Documents To Go(R) preinstalled, enabling customers to edit Microsoft(R) Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the smartphone

- BlackBerry(R) Desktop Manager software, which includes Roxio(R) Media Manager for BlackBerry(R), a powerful media manager application that allows users to easily manage media files on their computer and transfer them to the smartphone; the BlackBerry Pearl Flip also comes with the new BlackBerry(R) Media Sync application for customers that want a simple way to sync their iTunes(R) digital music collections with the smartphone(ii)

- Premium phone features including voice activated dialing, enhanced background noise cancellation, a low-distortion speakerphone, and Bluetooth(R) (2.0) support for hands-free use with headsets, car kits, stereo headsets and other Bluetooth peripherals

- BlackBerry(R) Internet Service support that allows access to up to 10 supported personal and corporate email accounts, including most popular ISP email accounts

- BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server support for enterprise deployments with advanced security and IT controls

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone will be available in black from Rogers starting November 4, from $49.99 with activation on any combination of 3 year voice and data plan with minimum combined monthly service fee of $35 per month from Rogers. Some conditions apply. The pink BlackBerry Pearl Flip will be available in the coming weeks.

For more information please visit: www.BlackBerryPearlFlip.com or www.rogers.com/pearlflip starting November 4.

About Rogers Wireless

Rogers Wireless provides wireless voice and data communications services across Canada to more than 7.7 million customers under both the Rogers Wireless and Fido brands. Proven to operate Canada’s most reliable wireless voice and data communications network, Rogers Wireless is Canada’s largest wireless provider and the only carrier operating on the global standard GSM and highly advanced HSPA technology platforms. In addition to providing seamless roaming in more than 200 countries/areas with its GSM based services, Rogers Wireless also provides wireless broadband services across Canada utilizing its 2.5GHz fixed wireless spectrum. Rogers Wireless is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX:RCI)(NYSE:RCI), a diversified Canadian communications and media company. For further information, please visit www.rogers.com.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry(R) wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld(TM) product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. 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.

(i) Video recording requires microSD card, which may be sold separately.

(ii) Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

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BlackBerry Curve 8350i to hit Latin America

BBSync — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:16:47 +0000

NII Holdings has announced they will bring RIM’s new PTT enabled BlackBerry Curve 8350i to Latin America in 2009. In case you forget the Curve 8350i is the new iDEN smartphone that will be seen soon on the Sprint-Nextel network. It features a durable body with 2.0 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi and OS 4.6. Skip over for the press release.

RIM Press Release:

NII Holdings and Research In Motion to Launch New BlackBerry Smartphone with Industry-Leading Push-to-Talk Service in Latin America
The powerful and feature-rich BlackBerry Curve 8350i will enable NII subscribers in Latin America to communicate instantly

RESTON, VIRGINIA and WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - Oct. 27, 2008) - NII Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:NIHD) and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced that Nextel Argentina, Nextel Brazil, Nextel Mexico and Nextel Peru will launch the BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i smartphone during the first quarter of 2009. The BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i will be the first smartphone in Latin America to offer the industry-leading Push-to-Talk (PTT) service, International Direct Connect (IDC) and Wi-Fi(R) capability, making it a powerful and flexible wireless solution for the mobile business user.

The BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i smartphone and the industry-leading Push-to-Talk service will provide one-touch, instant and effective communication between NII subscribers in their home markets and with over 10 million iDEN subscribers in North and South America. In addition to enabling seamless access to personal and corporate email, the BlackBerry 8350i will also come with built-in Wi-Fi, a 2-megapixel camera, an internal antenna and a host of other features to help subscribers in Latin America push their business to new heights.

“Our high-value customers in Latin America demand high-performance wireless solutions that enable them to stay ahead of the game with enhanced productivity and flexibility,” said Greg Santoro, chief marketing and strategy officer, NII Holdings. “This powerful and feature-rich smartphone is a push for performance solution that combines the power of Push-To-Talk with the BlackBerry platform’s popular features. It will be the must-have handset for subscribers who need flawless instant communication tools to extend the reach of their business.”

“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone will offer customers an exceptional communications experience together with the popular push-to-talk service from NII Holdings,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing at RIM. “We are pleased to build on our successful relationship with NII Holdings in bringing this feature-rich smartphone to customers in Latin America.”

The BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i smartphone is designed to deliver the features and services every team needs-day-to-day and year-over-year. Combining BlackBerry(R) data services such as email, messaging, organizer and Internet access with the immediate connectivity of Push-to-Talk, this new smartphone will help teams accomplish tasks and goals more effectively-saving both money and time.

With an eye toward productivity and to facilitate adoption, the BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i smartphone is designed to easily integrate into the IT networks of organizations that use the BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Solution to address key business requirements such as:

- Centralized management and support for IT departments with wireless IT policies

- Advanced security features like AES and Triple DES encryption and password protection

- Business grade functionality that further supports communication and collaboration.

The BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i is designed to deliver the file storage space the working world requires. In addition to its 128-MB of onboard memory, the smartphone will accept microSD/SDHC cards for up to 16 GB of storage. Users will be able to store spreadsheets, images or pictures, and with the preloaded DataViz(R) Documents to Go(R) software users will be able to edit Microsoft(R) Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents directly on the smartphone, making them more productive and prepared wherever they go.

The BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8350i smartphone will also feature built-in Global Positioning System (GPS). When used with BlackBerry(R) Maps or other location-based applications and services workers can access turn-by-turn directions and other navigation features so they can keep moving in the right direction.

About NII Holdings, Inc.

NII Holdings, Inc., a publicly held company based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of mobile communications for business customers in Latin America. NII Holdings, Inc. has operations in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile offering a fully integrated wireless communications tool with digital cellular voice services, data services, wireless Internet access and Direct Connect and International Direct Connect(TM) a digital two-way radio feature. NII Holdings, Inc., a Fortune 1000 company, trades on the NASDAQ market under the symbol NIHD and is a member of the NASDAQ 100 Index. Visit the Company’s website at http://www.nii.com.

Nextel, the Nextel logo, Nextel Online, Nextel Business Networks and Nextel Direct Connect are trademarks and/or service marks of Nextel Communications, Inc.

About Research In Motion (RIM)

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used herein, words such as “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information available to Research In Motion Limited. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, possible product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, the initiation or outcome of litigation, acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, significant fluctuations of quarterly operating results, changes in Canadian and foreign laws and regulations, continued acceptance of RIM’s products, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party networks to provide services, dependence on intellectual property rights, and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in RIM’s periodic reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory authorities. RIM has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. 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.

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BB Dev Conf: Day 2 brings tons of press releases

BBSync — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:11:26 +0000

Being day two of RIM’s first ever Developer Conference brought lots of press releases. RIM introduced the Application Center similar to Apple and Google’s App stores. This will allow developers to sell applications and receive payments via Paypal. The App Center wasn’t a very big surprise after it was leaked weeks ago.

Check out all the press releases RIM sent out today:

RIM to Launch BlackBerry Application Storefront and BlackBerry Application Center

New online distribution channels to benefit consumers, carriers and developers as market for BlackBerry applications continues to grow

Santa Clara, CA - BlackBerry Developer Conference – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced two major distribution initiatives for BlackBerry® smartphone applications at the BlackBerry Developer Conference. A new online application storefront and a new on-device application center will help application developers and carriers reach millions of BlackBerry® smartphone users worldwide and will provide consumers with greater choice, enhanced application discovery and an easy method for managing installation, upgrades, and purchases.

RIM plans to launch the application storefront in March 2009 and BlackBerry application developers can begin submitting their applications and content for inclusion in the storefront in December 2008. The storefront will allow developers to set their own prices for applications and developers will retain 80 percent of the revenue generated from their applications. RIM is working with PayPal, a leading global online payment service, to provide consumers with a convenient and trusted way to pay for applications within the new application storefront, right from their BlackBerry smartphone. Organizations that have deployed BlackBerry® Enterprise Server or BlackBerry® Professional Software will retain control of what applications can be downloaded to BlackBerry smartphones within their corporate deployments.

RIM is also working with its carrier partners to provide carrier-customized, on-device application centers to help foster after-market application downloads. The BlackBerry application center will allow each carrier to offer a convenient catalog right on the device where a customer can discover and download applications. RIM has already worked with carriers successfully to provide this type of on-device distribution system for individual software applications, such as the popular Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones application. The new BlackBerry application center will allow a carrier to build on that success with a broader catalog and provide customers with a convenient and easy method to purchase and download applications.

“The BlackBerry platform enjoys strong roots in the enterprise market and we continue to invest for growth and success with our enterprise channel partners, but the introduction of more consumer-friendly features in BlackBerry smartphones has clearly helped generate a groundswell of interest with new developers that has already resulted in the introduction of thousands of consumer and lifestyle oriented applications for BlackBerry smartphones,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “The new BlackBerry application storefront and BlackBerry application centers will further support the growing BlackBerry ecosystem and help bridge consumers with developers and carriers as more and more innovative and interesting applications arrive.”

RIM is already working with carrier partners on plans to roll out the BlackBerry application center on future BlackBerry smartphones. For more information on the BlackBerry application storefront, interested developers should visit www.blackberry.com/storefrontinfo and sign up to receive periodic updates.

RIM Takes Push to a New Level with BlackBerry Web Signals Technology for Third Party Content Services

Online content providers can now push notifications to BlackBerry smartphones and enable streamlined mobile access for their customers

Santa Clara, CA - BlackBerry Developer Conference – Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the availability of the new BlackBerry® Web Signals technology for the BlackBerry developer community.

BlackBerry Web Signals leverages RIM’s unique push technology to allow online content providers to automatically notify BlackBerry smartphone users when relevant content has been published and to allow streamlined, one-click access to the online information. With online content services powered by BlackBerry Web Signals, BlackBerry smartphone users can spend less time searching the web and more time connecting directly to the content that matters to them personally. Content providers will offer a range of services powered by BlackBerry Web Signals that enable customers to stay connected with news, weather, sports, entertainment, financial information and more.

“BlackBerry Web Signals technology allows content providers to engage their customers on a whole new level and to make mobile web access a much more interactive and personalized experience,” said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President at Research In Motion. “Push technology makes a night-and-day difference to the mobile experience and BlackBerry Web Signals will help online content providers add value for their customers while driving significant additional traffic to their web sites.”

BlackBerry Web Signals technology leverages BlackBerry push APIs to enable content providers to push relevant and timely alerts to BlackBerry® smartphone users based on a customer’s opt-in preferences. Several members of the BlackBerry developer community are already set to launch services powered by BlackBerry Web Signals technology:

“CBC is pleased to be working with RIM on this unique service for BlackBerry smartphone users,” said Steve Billinger, executive director, CBC digital programming and business development. “CBCNews.ca is Canada’s favourite destination for online news and information. Through our multiple mobility services, we deliver the day’s headlines and breaking news to Canadians when, where and how they want to access them. With the innovative CBC service powered by BlackBerry Web Signals, users can have instant notification of breaking news and access it as it happens.”

“The BlackBerry Web Signals technology allows our customers to access their favorite music and get alerts, right on the home screen of their BlackBerry smartphone, of new tracks from their favorite artists on Dada.net,” said Daniel Cohen, Vice President, Business Development, Dada Entertainment. “A large number of our customers use BlackBerry smartphones, and this new technology makes it easier than ever for them to experience The Dada Music Movement wherever they go.”
-more-

“Thumbplay adds thousands of pieces of new entertainment content every week,” said Are Traasdahl, CEO and Founder of Thumbplay. “With BlackBerry smartphones being the most popular handsets used by our members, the new Web Signals technology is a terrific way for us to keep many of our customers up-to-speed on the latest music, games and videos.”

“washingtonpost.com readers will soon have the opportunity to receive enhanced breaking-news alerts on their BlackBerry smartphones, making it even easier to access our coverage wherever they are.” said Peter Barclay, Director of Mobile Services for Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive. “With the new Web Signals technology, users can see when a new story has been posted to the site. The washingtonpost.com icon on their BlackBerry smartphone’s home screen will change to reflect a breaking political story, sports piece or other topics of coverage that users sign up to receive.”

RIM Updates BlackBerry Developer Tools

Latest Versions Further Support Innovative, Streamlined Mobile Application Development for BlackBerry Smartphones

Santa Clara, CA- BlackBerry Developer Conference - Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced new versions of various BlackBerry developer tools that further support innovative, streamlined mobile application development for BlackBerry® smartphones. The developer tool updates include a new public beta of the BlackBerry® JDE® Plug-in for Eclipse, as well as new releases of the BlackBerry® Plug-in for Microsoft® Visual Studio®, BlackBerry® MDS Studio, and Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit™ for the BlackBerry platform.

“RIM continues to support innovation on the BlackBerry platform by providing developers with robust tool sets that include new capabilities and the latest advances in mobile application development,” said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Platforms at Research In Motion. “Corporate, commercial and entrepreneurial developers have the flexibility to choose the right tool to support their skill set and feature requirements, whether they are mobilizing their organization’s business systems or creating new and innovative mobile applications for consumers.”

The developer tool updates, available today, include the following:

BlackBerry JDE Plug-in for Eclipse is designed for developers who want to create and test robust wireless applications for the BlackBerry platform from within the familiar Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE).New features with this latest public beta include deeper integration with Eclipse and standard Java projects, pre-processing capabilities supporting a multi-build environment, support for the BlackBerry JDE component pack version 4.3.0 to version 4.7.0, and the ability to install updates of the BlackBerry JDE Plug-in for Eclipse through the standard Eclipse software update mechanism. The plug-in is available for download at www.blackberry.com/developers.
BlackBerry Plug-in 1.1 for Microsoft Visual Studio, enables enterprise developers to mobilize back-end enterprise systems by creating mobile applications from within the familiar Microsoft Visual Studio environment that take advantage of the features of BlackBerry® Mobile Data System (BlackBerry MDS). The BlackBerry Plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio features a visual user interface designer that enables developers to quickly create and customize user interfaces for their mobile applications using a visual drag-and-drop approach.New features with version 1.1 include the ability to integrate customized mobile applications with core BlackBerry smartphone applications, as well as compatibility with Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 and Windows® Vista®. The plug-in is available for download at www.blackberry.com/developers.
BlackBerry MDS Studio 2.0, which is available as a standalone application and as a standard plug-in for Eclipse, enables rapid application development for enterprise developers to mobilize back-end enterprise systems and takes advantage of the robust feature set of BlackBerry MDS. It features a visual user interface designer that enables developers to quickly create and customize user interfaces for their mobile applications using a visual drag-and-drop approach.New features with BlackBerry MDS Studio 2.0 include support for collaborative development, fully integrated JavaScript debugging, hotkeys support, mobile application access controls and GPS location notifications. The new application and plug-in for Eclipse are available for download at www.blackberry.com/developers.
Plazmic Content Developer’s Kit 4.6 (Plazmic CDK) for the BlackBerry platform is a suite of tools for graphical content designers that simplifies the creation of rich, interactive and colorful media for BlackBerry smartphones. This tool enables the creation of custom themes, including unique user interfaces, home screen icons, wallpaper graphics and fonts. It also optimizes rich media content for efficient delivery and use on BlackBerry smartphones.New features with Plazmic CDK 4.6 include support for the BlackBerry® Bold™ and BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip smartphones, and the ability to create animated content using Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) for use in themes, games, applications and web portals. The new version is available for download at www.plazmic.com.

As announced earlier this month, BlackBerry JDE v4.7 (which enables mobile application development for the BlackBerry® Storm™ smartphone) is available in public beta and BlackBerry JDE v4.6 (which enables mobile application development for the BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphones) is generally available.

Mobile applications built for BlackBerry smartphones can leverage the market-leading features of the BlackBerry® platform, including efficient wireless connectivity, push technology, and best-in-class security.

Developers can visit www.blackberry.com/developers for the latest developer tools, as well as news, community forums, instructional videos, support, downloads, sample code, and other resources for mobile application development on the BlackBerry platform.

RIM to Bring the Power of the Web to BlackBerry Application Development

Announces New Developer Tools and Support for Gears to Enable Next Generation Web Application Development

Santa Clara, CA – BlackBerry Developer Conference - Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to introduce powerful new tools and technologies for web application developers to build highly-responsive, interactive, standalone web applications on BlackBerry® smartphones. The new tools and technologies will include a new plug-in for Eclipse developers and new features for the BlackBerry® Plug-in for Microsoft® Visual Studio® that support web development capabilities; as well as support for Gears, enabling web applications to run as standalone applications on BlackBerry smartphones.

“As the BlackBerry Browser evolves to provide customers with a richer, more desktop-like experience, we are introducing powerful new web development tools and technologies to help developers create a more robust and optimal web experience for BlackBerry smartphone users,” said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Platform at Research In Motion. “Supporting web technologies and services is part of our ongoing commitment to providing best-in-class tools and services for mobile application development on the BlackBerry platform.”

New Developer Tools for Web Development, planned for availability in 2009, include a new plug-in for Eclipse developers and new features for the BlackBerry Plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio that support web development capabilities, enabling developers to create rich, dynamic BlackBerry applications that leverage the push capabilities, security and efficiency of the BlackBerry® platform. Developers will be able to build applications using HTML, JavaScript and XML that get packaged and executed as native Java applications on BlackBerry smartphones.

Gears Support, planned for availability in 2009, will enable developers to create highly-responsive, standalone web applications on BlackBerry smartphones that can be used both in and out of network coverage. Support for Gears will include local cache, database and multi-threaded JavaScript execution, which allows web application functions to run in the background.

RIM also separately announced the availability of BlackBerry Web Signals today, which leverages BlackBerry push APIs to enable content providers to push relevant and timely alerts to BlackBerry® smartphone users based on a customer’s opt-in preferences.

[Source for all PR's- RIM.com]

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T-Mobile BlackBerry Pearl Flip Now Available!

BBSync — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:54:07 +0000

RIM has just announced that their first BlackBerry first phone, the Pearl 8220 is now available from T-Mobile in the United States. The Pearl Flip 8220 will be available starting today for $149.99 with two year contract at all T-Mobile stores. Within in the next few weeks a red colored model will be available as well. In case you haven’t seen what the Pearl 8220 is like just yet check out this hands on review by BerryReporter.

Check out T-Mobile’s website for details >>

Press Release (via RIM):

T-Mobile USA Launches First BlackBerry Flip Phone

New BlackBerry Pearl Flip Features Most Popular Mobile Phone Design in U.S.

Bellevue, Wash., and Waterloo, Ontario - T-Mobile USA, Inc., and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM: TSX: RIM) today announced the BlackBerry® Pearl™ Flip 8220 smartphone—the first BlackBerry flip phone—is now available in the U.S., exclusively from T-Mobile.

The new BlackBerry Pearl Flip smartphone maintains the popular features and benefits of the BlackBerry Pearl; plus it packs numerous enhancements into the sleek and popular flip design. The spacious keyboard allows easy typing and dialing while the flip design helps protect the large, vibrant internal screen and provides the satisfying finality of ending a call by closing the phone. Customers will also appreciate the external display for previewing calendar reminders, e-mail, text messages and phone calls at a glance.

“The flip phone remains the vastly dominant and preferred design for mobile phones in the United States,” said Leslie Grandy, vice president of product development, T-Mobile USA. “Being the first company in the U.S. to offer the unique BlackBerry experience on a flip phone is a huge benefit for T-Mobile customers.”

The combination of rich multimedia capabilities and RIM’s powerful mobile e-mail solution together with support for text messaging, picture messaging, enhanced Web browsing and built in Wi-Fi® makes the BlackBerry Pearl Flip ideal for balancing a busy lifestyle by enabling customers to share pictures, check the latest sports scores or access social networking sites, including Facebook® and Flickr®.

“The BlackBerry Pearl Flip takes all the advanced features and refined usability that customers have come to expect from BlackBerry smartphones and makes them available in a friendly and innovative design,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing, Research In Motion. “Whether they are sending text messages or e-mail, listening to music or simply making phone calls, customers are going to love using this phone.”

In addition to the new flip design, the BlackBerry Pearl Flip also provides an advanced multimedia experience through video recording and playback, a 2.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom, stereo Bluetooth® support, and an easily accessible external memory card slot.

The Wi-Fi-enabled phone provides connectivity for both voice and data, as well as support for T-Mobile’s Unlimited HotSpot Calling service offering unlimited, nationwide calling over any accessible Wi-Fi connection including T-Mobile® HotSpot locations nationwide and great in-home coverage.* Whether through a Wi-Fi connection or the T-Mobile network, customers can quickly surf the Web, view pictures, send and receive messages, download documents, and access attachments.**

Key features of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip from T-Mobile include the following**:

First BlackBerry smartphone to offer popular flip design
Wi-Fi-enabled (802.11 b/g) supporting Wi-Fi calling and fast Web browsing
Support for Unlimited HotSpot Calling, offering unlimited nationwide calling over accessible Wi-Fi networks
T-Mobile’s myFavesSM support to stay in touch with those who matter most, with quick, one-click access for instant messaging, e-mailing, texting or calling to your Fave 5 SM from the Home Screen
Enhanced SureType® keyboard to support text messaging, picture messaging, instant messaging (six popular clients), personal e-mail (access up to 10 supported e-mail accounts), and corporate e-mail
2.0 megapixel camera with digital zoom, built-in flash and video recording (requires microSD card)
Advanced media player for pictures, music and video with full-screen video playback
Stereo Bluetooth® support (A2DP/AVRCP) and 3.5mm stereo headset jack
Media management software included on the BlackBerry Tools CD, which allows transfer of music files including sync of desktop iTunes music files***
Enhanced HTML browser for high-performance browsing with a more desktop-style depiction
Internal QVGA 2.4-inch diagonal screen, 320 x 240 pixels and supporting 65K colors
128 MB of flash memory, 256MB microSD card included, and support for up to a 16 GB microSD/SDHC card
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE/Wi-Fi network including support for international roaming
Dimensions: 3.9” x 1.96” x 0.68”
Weight: 3.6 oz

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is now available in T-Mobile retail stores and select authorized dealers, online at http://www.t-mobile.com or by calling 1-800-T-MOBILE. Available at launch in black, the phone is also planned to be available in red in the coming weeks.

*Unlimited nationwide Wi-Fi calling requires Unlimited HotSpot Calling mobile plan, qualifying rate plan, broadband Internet connection and wireless router. Regular plan minutes are used when call does not originate on Wi-Fi network. For more information about Unlimited HotSpot Calling, visit http://www.t-mobileathome.com/.

**Use of some device features may require a specific plan and incur separate, additional charges. See T-Mobile.com for rate plan information, charges for features and services, and other details.

***Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

About T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. operation of Deutsche Telekom AG’s Mobile Communications Business, and a wholly owned subsidiary of T-Mobile International, one of the world’s leading companies in mobile communications. By the end of the second quarter of 2008, 125 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 31.5 million by T-Mobile USA — all via a common technology platform based on GSM, the world’s most widely used digital wireless standard. T-Mobile’s innovative wireless products and services help empower people to connect to those who matter most. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile among the highest in numerous regions throughout the U.S. in wireless customer care and call quality. For more information, please visit www.t-mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG.

About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM
operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. 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.

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. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and are used by T-Mobile under license. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. Neither RIM nor T-Mobile assume any obligations or liability and make no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

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Run down of what happend at CTIA Fall 2008

BBSync — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:58:22 +0000

Well CTIA Fall 2008 was huge for RIM this fall. We saw tons of press releases, two new BlackBerry models and new services. Unfortunately no sign of the long awaited BlackBerry Javelin or Storm/Thunder but they should come before the years finished.

Here is a run down of what happend at CTIA Fall 2008 starting off with:

- A Look at RIM’s CTIA Fall 2008 booth

- Introducing the iDEN BlackBerry Curve 8350i for Sprint-Nextel

- Introducing the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220

- Meet the Red colored Pearl Flip 8220

- RIM and TiVo partner up to bring TiVo control on BlackBerry

- RIM and Windows Live Search come to BlackBerry

- MySpace and Ticketmaster also join BlackBerry apps

- Slacker Personal Radio coming to BlackBerry

So overall it was a great success and I’m sure there is more to come before 2008 is done.

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Slacker coming to BlackBerry (Streaming Radio)

BBSync — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:20:02 +0000

If your like me and haven’t heard of Slacker before it’s a personal radio that provides access to over 100 expert programmed stations or 10,000 artist stations online. Slacker is currently only available in the United States, but hopefully they will come to Canada some day.

Slacker and RIM today announced plans to bring users in the United States free or premium (paid) based streaming radio to your BlackBerry. More details on the launch aren’t available just yet but you should see it before the end of the year. It sure would go nice with a brand new BlackBerry Bold or Thunder/Storm :-)

RIM Press Release:

Slacker and RIM Partner to Enable Slacker to Provide Personal Radio on BlackBerry Smartphones

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Slacker, Inc. and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans for Slacker to provide a free Slacker Personal Radio application, exclusively for BlackBerry® smartphones, that will enable listeners to hear their favorite Slacker radio stations wherever they go - even when not connected to a wireless network. The application will be previewed this week at the BlackBerry booth (booth 614) at CTIA in San Francisco and was highlighted in today’s CTIA keynote address by Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO of RIM.

The Slacker application will provide BlackBerry smartphone users in the U.S. with a robust, high-fidelity personalized music discovery and listening experience pulling from over 100 expertly programmed Slacker stations, over 10,000 artist stations or their own custom-created stations.

Slacker’s unique caching technology will allow listeners to access Personal Radio stations using their BlackBerry smartphones without ever having to manage playlists, research new artists or deal with complicated software again. The Slacker application for BlackBerry smartphones will work with Free Slacker Basic Radio and Slacker Premium Radio.

“From the inception of Slacker, our mission has been to give listeners the music they love wherever they are,” said Dennis Mudd, CEO of Slacker. “Working with RIM allows us to provide our listeners with added flexibility and convenience to make the most of the Slacker Personal Radio service.”

“BlackBerry smartphones have evolved with advanced communications and multimedia capabilities to become modern lifestyle devices that are used in highly personalized ways and the free Slacker Personal Radio application is a great example of a mobile entertainment application that can add value to the user’s mobile experience in a meaningful way,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO of Research In Motion.

Slacker Personal Radio, available online at www.Slacker.com, enables listeners to personalize over 100 professionally programmed stations or create, edit and share their own Personal Radio stations. Slacker listeners also have easy access to artist profiles, album reviews and cover art within the Slacker Web Player, on Slacker Personal Radio Players and soon on BlackBerry smartphones.

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RIM & TiVo partner up to bring mobile TiVo control

BBSync — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:50:27 +0000

RIM has showed us at CTIA Fall 08′ that they have lots planned for this year. The first announcement this morning was that TiVo will be coming to BlackBerry. The new service is expected later this year, along with some other goodies (cough *Thunder/Storm* cough).

“TiVo subscribers will soon be able to wirelessly control their TiVo DVRs using a BlackBerry smartphone - anytime, anywhere - and that is a powerful example of how our respective technologies can complement each other to serve our mutual customers,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO of Research In Motion. “As the BlackBerry smartphone continues its evolution as a modern lifestyle device, the importance of home entertainment integration will continue to grow and TiVo will be the key in providing consumers with greater flexibility in accessing television content.”

RIM Press Release:

RIM & TiVo Partner to Provide TiVo Mobile Entertainment Services on BlackBerry Smartphones

ALVISO, CA and WATERLOO, ON. – TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, today announced a partnership to bring customized TiVo services to the BlackBerry® wireless platform.

The new relationship brings TiVo and RIM together to develop a variety of mobile entertainment services that marry RIM’s leading BlackBerry® smartphones with the content delivered to consumers through the Emmy-winning TiVo® service. Initially, BlackBerry smartphone users will gain the convenience of being able to discover what shows are on and schedule television recordings while away from the living room and on the go. Future collaboration between the companies will focus on software applications that further simplify mobile access to video content.

“TiVo continues to transform and revolutionize the way people control and watch television and broadband video,” said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo Inc. “RIM and TiVo share a commitment to great user experiences, which cause our products to become seamlessly integrated into the consumer’s lifestyle. We also share a vision for the future of mobile entertainment services and we look forward to a variety of future innovations as a result of this relationship.”

The first software application from RIM and TiVo is expected to be available later this year.

[RIM]

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iDEN BlackBerry Curve 8350i for Sprint is official!!

BBSync — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:57:17 +0000

This week at CTIA Fall 2008 has been interesting so far for RIM. Early this morning start with the launch of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 and now RIM is proud to announce the much needed iDEN BlackBerry Curve 8350i. Finally his brings a upgrade to iDEN users on Sprint-Nextel’s aging iDEN network. This new Curve will sport both Wi-Fi and GPS along with a 2.0 megapixel camera, MicroSD memory card slot and stereo Bluetooth. This new Curve will also be the first Curve to operate on RIM’s new OS 4.6 as seen in the Pearl Flip and Bold.

Pricing has been announced yet, but you can expect to find out more within the next few months…

Press Release:

Sprint to Deliver Industry-Leading Push-to-Talk Services on New BlackBerry Smartphone

Operating on the fastest national push-to-talk network, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i will be the first from Sprint to offer built-in Wi-Fi capabilities and Group Connect, allowing instant group conversations with up to 21 people nationwide

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and Waterloo, ON – Sprint customers seeking the benefits of industry-leading push-to-talk services and the power of BlackBerry® smartphones will have a new version of the coveted combo available later this year. Sprint (NYSE: S) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced plans to deliver the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i – the newest Nextel Direct Connect-capable BlackBerry smartphone – by the end of 2008.

The BlackBerry Curve 8350i will be the latest BlackBerry smartphone to utilize iDEN technology and feature Nextel Direct Connect, the only national push-to-talk service in the industry to offer sub-second call setup and connection to the world’s largest push-to-talk community with millions of users and integrated business solutions, including one of the largest selections of GPS-enabled solutions. With Nationwide and International Direct Connect, Sprint customers will be able to instantly connect within the US and to users in other eligible countries including Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru. The BlackBerry Curve 8350i will also be the first BlackBerry smartphone from Sprint to offer Group Connect, allowing customers to instantly set up group conversations with up to 20 other participants.

“Smart phones in general, and BlackBerry products in particular, have become more important to both business people and consumers lately,” said David Chamberlain, Principal Analyst with analyst firm In-Stat. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i with PTT capability rounds out Sprint’s options to fill communications needs of many industries particularly those in the blue-collar segment of construction, field services, transportation and manufacturing.”

“Sprint is the undisputed leader in push-to-talk services, and with the launch of the new BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone, we are keeping our promise of expanding the Nextel Direct Connect capabilities and options for our customers,” said Danny Bowman, president of Nextel Direct Connect. “The BlackBerry Curve 8350i will be very attractive for business customers who need instant, convenient push-to-talk services to communicate now with employees, customers and suppliers but also want the capabilities of a high-end smartphone.”

In addition to delivering the unmatched push email and messaging capabilities of the BlackBerry solution, the BlackBerry Curve 8350i will provide rich multimedia, organizer and Internet browsing capabilities, as well as access to thousands of other mobile applications. The smartphone will also include built-in Wi-Fi® capabilities, allowing customers to browse the Internet and download email attachments quickly and easily. When connected to a Wi-Fi network, customers will also be able to send and receive emails or surf the Internet while talking on the phone.

Other key features include:

Integrated GPS – Built-in capabilities for assisted autonomous GPS capabilities
2 Megapixel Digital Camera – with 5x digital zoom, flash and video recording*
DataViz® Documents to Go® – preloaded software makes it easy to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents directly on the smartphone
Internal Antenna – improves design appeal and durability
Speakerphone – optimized for exceptional sound quality with Direct Connect
Advanced Media Player – great for listening to music, watching videos and showing pictures
Removable/Rechargeable 1400 mAH Battery – provides exceptional battery life
Expandable Memory – microSD memory card slot allows plenty of storage for pictures, videos, music and documents
Bluetooth® – version 2.0 with support for (A2DP) stereo Bluetooth and more
Additional Messaging Capabilities – support for instant messaging and multimedia messaging including audio, pictures and text to email addresses and capable phones

“The BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone will offer customers an exceptional communications and multimedia experience together with the power and convenience of the popular Nextel Direct Connect service,” said Mark Guibert, vice president of corporate marketing at RIM. “We are pleased to build on our successful relationship with Sprint to bring this powerful new smartphone to Sprint’s customers.”

Customers can find more information on the BlackBerry Curve 8350i smartphone and sign up to be notified of commercial availability from Sprint at www.sprint.com/instantconnectbb. Pricing, service plan details and an exact availability date will be announced at a later date.

Nationally, the Nextel National Network continues to operate at best-ever performance levels based on internal metrics. Internal performance metrics show double-digit percent improvement year-over-year (i.e., March 2007 to March 2008) for drops (i.e., where a customer’s voice connection fails or drops during a call) and blocks (i.e., where a customer is unable to make a voice connection) for the Nextel National Network. Customer issues related to dropped and blocked calls, and voice quality combined, have decreased more than 60 percent year-over-year (i.e., March 2007 to March 2008). This level of improvement translates to a more reliable calling experience for our customers. Customer calls on the Nextel National Network are successfully connected and maintained better than 99 out of 100 times.

For more information about Nextel Direct connect, please visit www.sprint.com/nextel.

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