Author: Donny Halliwell

 

It’s that time of the week again, time for BlackBerry World Wednesday; and in this part of the world, summer is in full swing! I don’t know about you, but my weekend planning always starts on Wednesdays with a little mid-week daydreaming. And with summer weekends coming to an end, the heat is on to fill them all with summer adventures. BlackBerry World to the rescue! This handy list of sizzlin’ summer apps and games is the lifeguard you need to save your remaining summer weekends.

For easy browsing, the full list of apps is below, but for the real adventurer, exploring BlackBerry World is the only way to go.

Apps for BlackBerry Z10:

Photography:

• 360 Panorama (by Occipital, Inc.)

Apps for BlackBerry Z10 & BlackBerry Q10:

Books:

• Kindle for BlackBerry10 (by Amazon Services, LLC)

Movies and Events:

• Flixster (by Flixster Inc.)
• StubHub (by StubHub)

Games:

• Beach Buggy Blitz (by Vector Unit)
• Frisbee Forever (by Unity Games)
• Plants vs. Zombies for BlackBerry 10 (by Electronic Arts, Inc.)
• Super Stickman Golf (by Noodlecake Studios Inc.)

Music:

• SoundHound (by SoundHound Inc.)
• Songza (by Songza Media, Inc.)

Sports:

• Endomondo Sports Tracker (by Endomondo)
• MLB.com At Bat 13 (by MLB Advanced Media, LP)
• PGA Tour (by PGA Tour)

Travel:

• BlackBerry Travel for BlackBerry 10 (by Research In Motion Ltd.)
• GasBuddy–Find Cheap Gas Prices (by GasBuddy Organization Inc.)

Weather:

• AccuWeather for BlackBerry (by AccuWeather International)

 

With these apps and games, nothing can stand in your way. Get ready for the perfect summer.

 

Balancing personal and professional lives is difficult for most of us, but our BlackBerry Fan of the Month, Chantal, leads more than a double life – she’s also a student finishing her degree in HR!

BlackBerry is Chantal’s secret weapon. Chantal tells us that organization is the key to success in all three parts of her life. And she finds her BlackBerry Q10 smartphone is the perfect tool to keep her affairs in order.

Chantal loves using the Hub on the BlackBerry Q10 to keep her work, school, and personal emails in order. She even “plays” on her BlackBerry in her down time, listening to music and surfing the web. In her own words, Chantal can really “rock it” with her BlackBerry:

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1. How many years have each of you been on Team BlackBerry?
Since 2010

2. How many BlackBerry devices have you both had in total? Could you list them all out for us?
3 – BlackBerry Curve 9300, BlackBerry Bold 9900 and now a BlackBerry Q10 (also have a BlackBerry PlayBook 16GB)

3. How many BBM contacts does each of you currently have?
17 – I know it does not seem like a lot but I am also beta testing BBM Channels. I love social media and I am on Twitter all the time as well as LinkedIn. So the idea of the BBM Channels and being able to broadcast short tidbits of information really appeals to me.

4. What are your favorite BBM emoticons?
I love anything with smilies. Reflects my personality and positive outlook.

5. What is the best BBM either of you ever received?
During a chat where we were discussing ‘branding’ and I was given the following compliment; ‘So far, I would say your brand is smart, erudite and penetrating.’

6. If you could BBM your BlackBerry, what would you say?
You are my personal assistant and I’d be lost without you!

How do you think your BlackBerry would respond?
Thanks …you have a meeting coming up and need to prepare ‘x’ for it and don’t forget to send out that email.

7. Chantal, we know that you’ve already gotten the BlackBerry Q10 – how are you liking it so far?
I LOVE IT!! I love the HUB and how I can separate work emails, personal emails, my Twitter feed and LinkedIn feed. I also love the multi-tasking functionality of it. Having up to 4 apps running at once is great! I switch back and forth between Blaq (Twitter app), LinkedIn, Crackberry and the Web browser effortlessly.  The camera takes great photos too. The screen resolution is awesome! The gestures are easy and fast. I can definitely rock it with my BlackBerry Q10!

8. As a business woman, how does BlackBerry keep you organized with your work, and make you more productive?
My life is definitely busy. Between my family, working full time and also going to school part time (currently taking 3 courses) I need to be organized. My BlackBerry Q10 and the BlackBerry Hub keeps my emails organized and separated by work, personal and school (plus I sneak in my social media feeds too.)  I love how I can easily take notes with my phone while at the same time have a conversation on the phone. I can easily add reminders and little sticky notes for work or school assignments. When I am having fun with the family I can take great pictures to capture special moments.  I also use it to check weather in the morning before leaving the house and to get updates on traffic. My  BlackBerry Q10 is always by my side.

9. And finally: Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our Fan of the Month?
‘We’re constantly striving for success, fame and comfort when all we really need to be happy is someone or some thing to be enthusiastic about.’  (quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.)  My ‘someone’ is my family and my ‘some thing’ is my  BlackBerry Q10.

… [And] here is a little bit more of a background about me and my love of all things BlackBerry.
I have been a fan of BlackBerry for a long time…way before I got my first BlackBerry. Since owning my first BlackBerry in 2010 I would never switch. I go around work talking about my BlackBerry and about how much I love it. I even help other co-workers with their BlackBerry related questions. I also own a BlackBerry PlayBook (which I love as well). I mentioned above I have a family, work full time and I am also back in school after ….well…after a long time working on completing my HR degree. My life is hectic and organization is key! I love being organized. My BlackBerry is key in keeping me organized and knowing with the where, what, who and how.

I take a commuter bus to work daily and use that time to ‘play’ on my Q10. From the moment I sit down until I get off I have my BlackBerry Q10 in my hands mostly reading and updating my social media feeds. I also read news headlines, blogs, and listen to music. This ‘me’ time is rejuvenating and keeps me inspired.

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Be sure to check out the other awesome members of the BlackBerry Fan of the Month (FOTM) club:

January – Brian (@newshutr)
February – Ivan (@IvanSHarris)
March – Jane (@photosfromabb)
April – Josh (@BBbrodyBB)
May – Mark (@AllAboutMyBB)
June – JT (@jt_teran)
July – Kimberly (@kmcooley)
August – Mike (@flash0p)
September – Jon (@nerdologist_jon)
October – Guido (@FuriousGuido)
November – Ange (@Afl2277)
December – Zalman (@Zalman5K)
January 2013 – Arisham (@arisham2003)
February 2013 – Julie and Andrew
March 2013 – Gino (@eugenbaban)
April 2013 – Sergio (@icemanswimmer)
June 2013 – Heather (@heatherwight)

Keep sharing your FOTM suggestions with us, either by leaving a comment below, tweeting to us @BlackBerry on Twitter, or posting on our Facebook page. Stay tuned – our August FOTM could be YOU!

BlackBerry 10 users get ready because a big update to the Twitter app for BlackBerry 10 lands today. Whether you’re a heavy user, or just a fledgling Twitter fan– the update to Twitter version 10.2 brings new features and a refreshed design to improve the experience. For me personally, I love the new photo save option and the ability to add multiple accounts, so I can balance all of my Twitter personas in one convenient place.

Check out the list of highlighted features below and be sure to swing by BlackBerry World on your BlackBerry 10 device to download the updated app.

The new Twitter for BlackBerry 10 smartphones version 10.2 includes:

• Multiple Accounts – With Twitter 10.2 you can now add additional Twitter accounts within the app.
• Direct Message – Twitter 10.2 allows you to view, reply and send new Direct Messages right within the app.
• Improved Refresh – Improved refresh always maintains your current location in the timeline.
• Discover – Twitter 10.2 offers a new Discover page that delivers a stream of Tweets, accounts to follow and more. Simply pull to refresh or scroll to see more and discover even more fascinating people to follow. Plus the Activity page provides a view into what the people you are following are doing on Twitter including who they’re following and what tweets they’re favoriting.
• Photo Save – With Twitter 10.2 you can save pictures being shared on Twitter directly to your BlackBerry.
• Search Improvements – Now you can view your recent and saved searches and with Type Ahead, search suggestions are provided for you as text is entered in the search field.
• Refreshed UI – A wider timeline in all parts of the app provides a fresh new design and makes it easier to browse.

The Twitter experience on BlackBerry 10 keeps getting better and better with each update. Be sure to check it out for yourself and let the team know what you think of the update in the comments below.

The update is available as a free download from the BlackBerry World storefront and may take up to 24 hours to appear.

Among my favorite apps for BlackBerry OS 5 and higher devices, is the Twitter app. It’s an ideal way to stay connected with your Twitter network. Today, I’m happy to let you know that BlackBerry has released a new version of the app for those of you who have a BlackBerry device running BlackBerry OS 5 and higher. With it, it brings some new features designed to be appreciated by new users and seasoned social media veterans alike. The Twitter 4.2 app for BlackBerry smartphones will be available as a free download in the BlackBerry World storefront starting today. Check out some of the top features that will help you express yourself and stay connected.

Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones version 4.2 features:

• Image Viewing Enhancements – For those of you who love to stay in touch with a quick snapshot, you can now view more photos in the Twitter app for BlackBerry
• Retweet/Favorite Indicators – The latest Twitter update makes it easier for you to see what you’ve selected as a favorite or retweeted in your timeline. Tweets are now color marked in the top right hand corner of the Tweet.



• Additional Timeline Details – Visual indicators are now displayed so you can see more information in your timeline like who replied, their location, and if an article summary is available.
• Similar Profile Suggestions – We’ve added profile suggestions, so you can discover even more fascinating people when you view profiles. Under the profile tab, the app showcases other accounts to follow based on the person’s profile that you’re currently viewing.

Be sure to download this update today and if you’re new to Twitter, there’s no better time to give it a try. Check out the app now at the BlackBerry World storefront stay connected and express yourself 140 characters at a time.

Please be aware the app update may take up to 24 hours to appear in the BlackBerry World storefront.

Below is a special feature from Christa Botha of the BlackBerry PR team in South Africa — Donny

The youth of South Africa has once again independently voted BlackBerry as the ‘Coolest Brand Overall’ in the Sunday Times Generation Next 2013 Brand Survey Awards. Young voters also named BlackBerry the ‘Coolest Cellphone’ and voted BBM™ as the ‘Coolest Cellphone App’ for the third year running.

BlackBerry 10 launch

These accolades are a remarkable achievement for the BlackBerry team in South Africa, and shows there is plenty of momentum as we transition to BlackBerry 10.

Even in the face of growing competition, we’re still number one in South Africa. In fact, we have been the leading smartphone brand in South Africa for over 28 months, according to GfK Retail & Technology (March 2013).

Though BlackBerry 7 remains popular among the youth, we are seeing many of our young customers aspire to the new BlackBerry 10 platform. BlackBerry 10 is not only providing a whole new experience, but more choice for South African customers. We’re expecting the upcoming launch of the BlackBerry Q5 to be very popular in South Africa.

BlackBerry 10 builds on many of the strengths that made earlier BlackBerry platforms so popular with the youth .For example, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), which enables users to share text and voice messages, pictures and video clips – provides an even richer experience on BlackBerry 10 as it includes video chat, and introduces the ability to share your screen with other BlackBerry 10 contacts.

Engaging the youth

Alexandra Zagury, Managing Director for South and Southern Africa at BlackBerry says:

“We are delighted that BlackBerry is the coolest brand for the third year in a row and sincerely thank our young fans for their loyalty and support. Smartphones are a lifestyle choice in the youth market, so BlackBerry focuses on designing cool and stylish handhelds that are also packed with excellent features that keep young people engaged and connected, such as BlackBerry Messenger, social networking and plenty of apps.”

“Success in the youth market is not about selling products, it’s about sincere engagement with your audience. Young people want a relationship with the brands that they love and BlackBerry gives South Africa’s mobile and hyper-connected youth the tools to communicate and co-create with the world around them.”

Pictured above: BlackBerry® Youth Campus event

Best Buddies

We have invested in building a genuine relationship with the youth market in South Africa – for example, we launched the BlackBerry Buddies campaign in 2012 to help South African BlackBerry customers to get the most from their smartphones.

We also focus on direct engagement with the youth through campus events, campus ambassadors, secret gigs, extensive advertising and competitions.

Since it launched in market, BlackBerry has established its brand in the youth market, which is strongly associated with mobile cool. Young BlackBerry customers are important to our business and we continue to work hard to bring services and products that are relevant to young users to market.

For those of you who love the Angry Birds franchise and your new BlackBerry 10 smartphone, you’re in for a treat.

Angry Birds Space is launching for BlackBerry 10 today and bringing with it a new character with a ‘Rock Star’ personality. While the birds have been defying gravity in space for some time now, an update to the game introduces us to Slashbird inspired by a certain guitar god. Music aficionados will likely see the resemblance!

Angry Birds Space introduces you to new adventures on planets and in zero gravity, resulting in spectacular gameplay ranging from slow-motion puzzles to lightspeed destruction. With brand new birds, brand new superpowers, flying space pigs and a whole galaxy to explore, the sky is no longer the limit!

Head to the BlackBerry World storefront today to purchase and download Angry Birds Space. It truly is an awesome game, and be sure to checkout Angry Birds Star Wars as well, which has been on the BlackBerry 10 platform since launch. Which Angry Birds character is your fav? Let me know in the comments.

*Please note the app may take up to 24 hours to appear in the BlackBerry World storefront

BBM for All!

A few weeks ago we had some really exciting news for BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). You’ve responded about how excited you are for BBM Channels, and a large number of you are using the BBM Channels beta, which is great. I’ve also been happy to read your feedback on the news that BlackBerry plans to bring BBM to iOS and Android platforms later this year.

Now we’ve made it easy for you to share the news with your friends who might not have heard. Check out these avatars that you can save, download and set as your BBM or social network avatar to help spread the word. Simply follow the instructions below to add these images as your BBM display picture.

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To change your BBM Display Picture:

1. Right-click on the avatar of your choice and select “Save picture as” to save it to your computer.
2. Email the file to the email address associated with your BlackBerry smartphone.
3. Open the image on your BlackBerry smartphone.
4. Press the menu button to “Download Attachment”.
5. In BBM, set the new file as your profile picture.

Go forth, #TeamBlackBerry — spread the word about BBM and share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Well, we’re winding things down here are BlackBerry Live 2013 and on behalf of the entire BlackBerry social media team, I would like to say thank you so much for tuning in and following along with all of our coverage. For a rundown on all the news watch our wrap-up video below and checkout the keynote highlights post from earlier in the week.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

You’ll also definitely want to check-out what attendees onsite here at the show had to say about all the excitement and energy, here at BlackBerry Live 2013.

Melanie here, jumping into Donny’s blog post. Donny, Alex and Luke did a great job summarizing the week in the wrap video, but I think there’s one element they didn’t mention – the behind the scenes. Thanks to BlackBerry Story Maker, I was able to grab some videos and pics we made throughout the week that is just too good not to share. Check out BlackBerry Live through the eyes of the Social Media Team.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

There you have it — a BlackBerry Story Maker video showcasing BlackBerry Live 2013 from the social media team’s perspective! Let us know how we did in the comments — Thanks for a great week, we’re signing off!

Below is a special feature and first post from Trace Cohen, our new Senior Director, Social Media Marketing at BlackBerry! Be sure to welcome Trace in the comments and stay tuned for more! — Donny

My first BlackBerry Live conference, and I’m definitely inspired. I’m in the enviable position of having recently joined in the company of a brand with a groundbreaking product platform, a disruptive marketing organization, a stellar social media team, and a global top 10 social fan base — ~32MM followers and fans that are not only rooting for our success in a volatile category, but have armed themselves as ambassadors for our cause.

Say no more than a recent tweet by world champion cyclist Mark Cavendish “Got an hour to relax, so playing around with my BlackBerry Z10. This phone is a monster! I love it! And no, this ISN’T a commercial tweet.”

Got an hour to relax, so playing around with my BlackBerry Z10. This phone is a monster! I love it! And no, this ISN’T a commercial tweet.

— Mark Cavendish (@MarkCavendish) May 9, 2013

But there’s an even more specific reason it’s so thrilling to be here at this point in time. Humility and Ambition. BlackBerry has a mega-challenge ahead of it driving adoption of BlackBerry 10, but the organization is humble enough to recognize what we’re doing wrong, curious enough to learn what we don’t know, and ambitious enough to make it right.

Ambition is at the core of the BlackBerry brand. And it’s who BlackBerry customers are — multi-taskers, fast-moving and ambitious. We’re balancing family, friends and professional lives, we’re ‘up to stuff’ in our day-to-day lives, work or play, we’re always on-the-go. More than just a tag line, ‘Keep Moving’ is a promise to support our customers in achieving their ambitions. Be it a personal ambition of climbing Kilimanjaro, spending more time with your kids, or a career goal to build the most social brand ever (yep, that’s mine), our role as the social team is to provide you with what you need to achieve your ambitions. Social Media is integral to what we do at BlackBerry, because while we’re mobile from the ground up, our device is social at its core too — connecting you to the people and information you need to keep moving. Our social marketing needs to reflect that ethos, to behave in the same way our product does, and it’s our commitment to bring you the social connections, experiences, content and even insights you need, to get where you’re going.

More than lip service, we made some announcements that support just this focus at BlackBerry Live this week. Alicia Keys announced the BlackBerry Scholars Program, a four-year scholarship fund to support young women in achieving their ambitions to make a mark on the world, while encouraging women to embrace careers in technology. Our newly announced Keep Moving Projects turns the celebrity endorsement model on its head. Rather than paying artists or celebrities to say what we want them to say about our brand, we’re asking artists to approach us with projects they want to do, and we’re asking them how we can support them in achieving their goals and ambitions. We know we’re going to get more authentic content and experiences this way, people who want to work with us and engage with our product for the right reasons.

Stay tuned for mobile social developments in this space. So glad to be here, and working for you and together with you, be sure to let us know what you’re up to in your lives, and what we can do to keep you moving. We’d love to learn more.

Did you miss our first ever live broadcast at the 2013 BlackBerry Live conference? Well, you’re in luck; we recorded the hour-long session and are publishing the segments for all to see. Jeff Gadway is no stranger to the Inside BlackBerry blog, so we brought him on air to talk about the all the news to come out of the BlackBerry Live keynote.

Catch his take on some of the best announcements and the showing of strength from the BlackBerry leadership team. Watch the brief video below for all the details:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Let us know if you have any questions for Jeff in the comments below. For those of you perplexed by the “tie you to a chair” reference — check out this video from early on in the BlackBerry 10 marketing days where Jeff and I show off some features in a fun way. Thanks for being a good sport, Jeff!

This year at the BlackBerry Live conference, the social media team tried something new — for the first time we had a live one-hour broadcast featuring special guests from around the company. Topics ranged across consumer, enterprise and developer streams. It was a lot of fun having the chance to connect live with all of you, thanks to those who tuned in.

For those of you who’ve missed it, we captured all of the action and have broken it up into short segments for you to watch. Aman Bhalla, Product Manager for the new BlackBerry Q5 stopped by the studio to show us all around the funr and youthful new phone. Check it out in the video below

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Have you got questions for Aman? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll work to get them answered.

It’s been a week full of exciting announcements and surprise celebrity guests here at the BlackBerry Live conference in Orlando. Onstage during the keynote, Thorsten Heins welcomed Lewis Hamilton of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team to introduce BBM Channels. He later joined Nick Fry, Former CEO and Consultant to the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team in a panel session at the conference.

I was fortunate enough to have some time to chat with Lewis about how he’ll be using BBM Channels to connect with his fans and the source of his ambition and drive for greatness. Check out my brief video interview with him below:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

In the interview Lewis talked about how the team is always looking forward to new technologies in social media that allow them to connect to their fans. Fans are a big source of inspiration and with BBM channels, he’ll be able to connect with them in a new and highly engaged way.

BBM Channels allows individuals and groups to create a dedicated channel and share information and updates with the immediacy that BBM offers. BBM customers around the world will be able to connect and share information, broadcast about themselves to their channel, or join their favorite communities and share their experiences of the channel with their BBM contacts.

I then had the chance to talk with Nick Fry about synergies between the BlackBerry and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS brands and how to manage a large team in mission critical operations. BlackBerry is helping the team harness the power of every individual on the team, something that Fry says is essential.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

How will you connect with the brands and celebrities you’re passionate about on BBM Channels? Let us know your thoughts below and be sure to check out the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team BBM channel.

BlackBerry Live has seen some amazing demos and if you ask me, rolling a Bentley out on to the stage during the BlackBerry Live 2013 keynote definitely takes the cake. The car is an iconic symbol of passion and power; a car that only the truly ambitious covet. The task of embedding it with the latest mobile computing technology is quite ambitious as well.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Mark Rigley, of QNX, and Thorsten Heins showed off the power of the BlackBerry platform with a the first BBM Video call from a phone to a car. On the line was none other than Vivek Bhardwaj who was jokingly taking a vacation, while at BlackBerry Live. Check out that video conference and the gorgeous QNX Bentley in the video above.

In a true demonstration of the power of mobile computing, they were able to update software on the vehicle wirelessly via a BlackBerry 10 smartphone. What do you think about the QNX Bentley? Are you excited for the future of mobile computing?

If you missed our Tuesday morning brief, be sure to check it out to get the scoop on how we kicked off this year’s BlackBerry Live conference. Today we’re excited to check out the hands-on labs and breakout sessions, as well as the partner showcase. Be sure to visit us at the Social Media desk! Check out the video below for the details on what BlackBerry Live has in store for you today:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

To view a recording of yesterday’s general session keynotes, head over to the BlackBerry Live and BlackBerry Jam Americas web sites.

What are you most looking forward to today? Share in the comments below.

Today was an exciting day at the BlackBerry Live keynote in Orlando. We brought you all the action live as it happened here on the Inside BlackBerry blogs, and our social media properties. But there are a few awesome things that you may have missed – so we’ve taken the time to collect all the highlights here in one post! Talk about efficiency.

Thorsten Heins, kicked off the day reflecting on the year behind us and the years ahead. It’s been a long journey, but BlackBerry has built a world-class executive team who successfully brought BlackBerry 10 to market. If you’re familiar with the BlackBerry 10 experience, you already know that it’s a truly mobile experience that’s designed to be fluid and keep you moving while on the go. We’ve come a long way since he took this very stage last year and his message is clear.

“BlackBerry is firing on all cylinders!”

Thorsten took a few minutes to talk about our rapidly growing app ecosystem with BlackBerry World now containing 120,000 BlackBerry 10 applications! The news and announcements flowed throughout the event with an epic crescendo (more on that later). From the announcement of BlackBerry 10.1 availability on the BlackBerry Z10, bringing with it the Skype app to the all-touch smartphone, to the release of U.S. availability information for the highly-coveted BlackBerry Q10 smartphone – there was no doubt that we are committed to this platform and to our customers.

To round out the hardware announcements, Thorsten stood on a glowing red stage to unveil the fun, youthful new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone to be available in select markets around the world. The QWERTY keyboard phone, also running BlackBerry 10, was met with cheers from the crowd of attendees.

The focus quickly shifted to our strength in mobile computing as the QNX Bentley Continental show-car rolled onto the stage. Thorsten joined Mark Rigley, of QNX, in the passenger seat and delighted the crowd with a BBM Video call to Vivek Bhardwaj who was jokingly taking a much-needed (and well-deserved) vacation. They rounded off the demo by updating the car’s software wirelessly through a BlackBerry 10 smartphone – a true demonstration of the unique strength of the platform in machine-to-machine connectivity.

The show themes of power in the auto sector didn’t end there, we’d still see two more partners join the stage, with horsepower abound. Thorsten welcomed President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Johann Jungwirth, to talk about the future of the platform deployment in the auto industry. And, not to be out done, famed grand prix driver and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team member, Lewis Hamilton, rolled onto the stage with a stunning race car to introduce something very special.

Hamilton and Thorsten introduced a new way for brands, celebrities and others to connect with their fan base called BBM Channels. BBM Channels will bring the engagement power of the BBM platform to brands, something that will no doubt be a welcome way to connect with their user-base.

BlackBerry has been very effective over the past year in doing this – Frank Boulben , CMO at BlackBerry, took the stage at BlackBerry Live to discuss the year in BlackBerry marketing and the transformation of our brand in many different areas including social media. We have YOU to thank for that #TeamBlackBerry! He then welcomed Global Creative Director, BlackBerry – Alicia Keys to the stage to discuss the next phase of the Keep Moving projects and the BlackBerry Scholars program, a multi-level strategy to engage young women across the globe in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

The announcement that indisputably drew the biggest reaction from the audience was the introduction of plans to bring BBM to iOS and Android platforms later this year. The announcement made waves across the mobile community and definitely resonated with many. It’s a big step for our much-adored messaging platform that set the standard for mobile instant messaging with fast and reliable service and an added layer of engagement with delivered and read statuses.

The keynote was nothing short of a masterpiece for us here at BlackBerry, and it ended with the BlackBerry executive team taking the stage all at once for the first time. A wonderful photo-op and symbol of the strength of BlackBerry as we move to pioneer the future of mobile computing.

Did you tune in on the live stream or follow the action on our social channels? Which was your favorite moment from the BlackBerry Live 2013 keynote? Share it with us below in the comments.

If you’re already a fan of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), we’ve got some exciting news designed to make it easier for you to connect with your entire mobile social network. BlackBerry plans to make BBM, our wildly popular mobile messaging service, available for the first time to iOS® and Android™ users this summer, (subject to approval by Google Play and the Apple App Store, as applicable). This means that, once available, you can welcome your friends and family using these other mobile platforms to connect over BBM and share in the Team BlackBerry love.

As we’ve chronicled on our Inside BlackBerry blog for some time now, BBM set the standard for mobile instant messaging with fast and reliable service and an added layer of engagement with delivered and read statuses. You’ve shared with us your stories about how BBM has kept you connected when it mattered most to you. Upon release of the multi-platform BBM service, you can broaden that real-time connection to friends and colleagues on other supported mobile platforms.

In the first version of multi-platform BBM, iOS and Android users are expected to be able to experience the following BBM features:

• The immediacy of BBM chats
• Multi-person chats
• Voice note sharing
• BlackBerry Groups, where BBM users are able to set up groups of up to 30 people and share calendar, photos, files and more

The team here at BlackBerry has definitely been working hard to bring the much-adored BBM experience to a wider group of mobile users. In a recent press release at BlackBerry Live 2013, Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, Software Product Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry had this to say:

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community.”

BBM Quick Facts:

• More than 60 million monthly active users
• More than 51 million daily active users who are connecting with friends or colleagues an average of one and a half hours every day.
• BBM users send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps
• Almost half of BBM messages are read within 20 seconds of being received; indicating how truly engaged BBM customers are

Today, BlackBerry also announced BBM Channels, a new social engagement platform within BBM that will allow customers to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about. BlackBerry plans to add support for BBM Channels as well as voice and video chatting for iOS and Android later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play. If approved by Apple and Google, the BBM app will be available as a free download in the Apple® App StoreSM and Google Play store. Additional details about system requirements and availability will be announced closer to the launch.

That’s some pretty big news, indeed. Be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comments below, who will be the first person from your extended network that you introduce to BBM?

As the BlackBerry Live keynote news keeps flowing in I’m happy to introduce you to the youthful and fun BlackBerry Q5 smartphone, running BlackBerry 10. With a QWERTY keyboard and a confident design, this new BlackBerry smartphone has been built to provide a fast, effortless experience that helps you explore, create and share while on the go. Thorsten Heins just revealed the device onstage at BlackBerry Live, but we’ve got all the details ready to share with you below.

I’ve been using this device for a few days now and I’m already in love. It fits into my lifestyle perfectly offering the powerful experience I need and allowing me to flow seamlessly from task to task throughout my day.

Highlights and features of the BlackBerry Q5

• The evolution of the classic BlackBerry Keyboard:
  The BlackBerry Q5 features a classic BlackBerry Keyboard with discrete keys that has been re-engineered and elegantly designed to help you type fast, accurately and with the least amount of effort. Plus with Instant Action shortcuts you can type to perform tasks faster. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone gives you the best of both worlds – a classic QWERTY keyboard for optimized communications and a 3.1” touchscreen for all the rest.
• Create the perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode and Story Maker
  Create the picture perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode, then create and share your story, weaving together your photos, videos and music into a movie with BlackBerry Story Maker.
• Share and be seen with BBM Video with Screen Share
  Instantly switch your BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) chat to a BBM Video conversation and catch up face-to-face. You can even share your screen, whether it’s a photo, a page in the browser, an idea, or a view from your camera.
• Stay close to what’s important to you with BlackBerry Hub
  With BlackBerry Hub, all of your messages and social conversations are only one swipe away. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing. Simply peek into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere with a swipe to effortlessly flow in and out of your messages and conversations.
• BlackBerry World delivers a rich, thriving app and content ecosystem
  Discovering and sharing great apps and content is easier than ever with recommendations based on similar purchases, and access to more than 100,000 apps on the BlackBerry World storefront.

Here’s what Thorsten had to say in a recent press release on the new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone:

“BlackBerry is excited to bring the new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone to our customers in selected markets around world,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. “The BlackBerry Q5 gives you the best of everything with its cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 functionality and a physical QWERTY keyboard. It is for youthful fans that are passionate, confident and bold, and it makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.”

Pricing and Availability
The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will be available in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America, with availability beginning in July.

There you have it folks – if you live in the areas listed above, you can look forward to getting your hands on the new BlackBerry Q5 with BlackBerry 10. What do you think of this phone? Let us know your thoughts on this stunning new BlackBerry device in the comments below.

We’re here in sunny Orlando Florida for the BlackBerry Live conference. This is our biggest event of the year and promises to bring a lot of news, announcements, sessions and of course special guests. So, you’re probably wondering – “How can I stay on top of all the information?” Great news! There are a number of ways to stay connected and even follow the action live from wherever you’re tuning in.

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We will be live streaming the General Session keynote on BlackBerryLive.com
Tuesday May, 14th 9:00am-11:00am

And the Keep Moving Experience produced by Alicia Keys
Tuesday May 14th, 7:30pm-8:30pm
The Keep Moving Experience produced by Alicia Keys promises an unprecedented night of musical and artistic collaboration with Miguel, Alabama Shakes, Maria Gadú, and Cedric Gervais!

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Keep it locked to the Inside BlackBerry blogs because we’ll be bringing you all the action as it happens as well.

• Inside BlackBerry
• Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog
• Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog

Our social media properties are also a great set of resources for real-time information and updates. @BlackBerry will be live-tweeting providing news and updates as they happen. @BlackBerry4Biz will be a great resource for business related announcements and updates, and @BlackBerryDev will provide up-to-date information for developers.

We will also be posting updates throughout the day on our LinkedIn Company Page, and the BlackBerry for Business LinkedIn Group will be a great forum to join in on conversation.
You can also check out our blogs regularly for more in depth updates and information about the newest BlackBerry 10 features:

How to join the conversation

We also want to hear from you. Leave us your reaction BlackBerry Live in the comments below. If you’re tweeting, be sure to include the #BBLive and #BlackBerry10 hashtags. We’ll be back tomorrow with updates.