So the quarterly results are clearly hurting RIM’s stock, which dove to $116 this morning, but some analysts agree that the mediocre Q1 report is just a calm before the Storm Thunder. A lot of new products are on the way from RIM which demand R&D and marketing dollars now for successful launches later this year, causing many to brush off this quarter’s performance. Of course, the confirmed AT&T delay makes us wonder how much wind the 3G iPhone will take out of the BlackBerry Bold’s sails. What do you guys think? Is this just a slump before the big show, or a sign of the End of Days for RIM? Do lower stock prices make now a perfect time to buy?
Monthly Archive for June, 2008Page 2 of 11
Ever feel like your BlackBerry’s camera is a bit dated when it still makes a shutter noise when you take a picture? BerryAnnoying just launched recently, so you can take your pictures without the annoying sound. Sure, RIM should have functions like that already built in, but plenty of software developers get by on that premise.
Vodafone, Cisco and RIM are partnering up to bring a unified communications solution called Vodafone Business One for small and medium businesses sometime later this year. In short, this service will allow your your mobile and landline to share a number and voicemail box, as well as enabling enterprise UMA calling for Wi-Fi calls while you’re in the office area. Solutions like this already exist, but it’s cool to see RIM getting directly involved with one. Who knows? In the long run, maybe fixed-mobile convergence will be just another one of RIM’s base services. I guess that would be their Mobile Voice System. For more info, and one helluva flash site, head on over to Vodafone Business One.
SpotJots just launched their BlackBerry app today, offering location-based social networking that includes voice, picture, music, video and text sharing. It’s a pretty cool app, plugging into the Google Maps and letting you explore all of the jots folks around the world are posting. If you’re already locked into Facebook, you can not only post your jots there, but also to Blogger or Typepad accounts… oi, no WordPress? C’mon, now. The mobile app also lets you keep tabs on buddies and the jots they’ve been making recently. It’s like a personal, GPS-powered social radar. Hip stuff, now you just have to convince your friends to try it.
I was going to sit on this one until next week’s podcast, but it was just too good to hold out on. Member of Parliament David McGuinty is heading up a little something called Bill C-555 (a.k.a the Get Connected Fairly Act), which is aiming to eliminate extraneous wireless costs like data overages and system access fees for Canadian consumers and enterprises in the hopes of increasing adoption and overall quality of life. Best part of all? He wants all Canadian mobiles to be unlocked. A noble cause indeed, and one that BBCool is most certainly behind. If you’ve got 13 minutes, it’s always awesome to hear about the Canadian wireless landscape sucking just a little bit less. Go ahead and learn more about Bill C-555 and even sign the petition if you’re north of the border. Fight for your right to MP3, rock the iTunes vote, and viva la RSS.
Things have been pretty hectic with WES over the last couple of months, but we finally managed to catch up on some lingering reviewables around the office today. Both the BerryBUDDY and OtterBox have had to deal with changes in BlackBerry casing, like the bulking of the BlackBerry 8330, and the new camera orientation on the newer BlackBerry Pearl. Check the update to our BerryBUDDY and OtterBox reviews to see how they’ve adapted. If you’re packing a newer Pearl or Curve, these two might be worth your while.
Not like you need any more reasons to pick up a BlackBerry Bold when it comes out, but until July 26th., Canadians activating a new BlackBerry will also be entitled to 200 Air Miles, or 500 if you’re getting two devices. Sweet deal! My mum’s taken three trips to Australia from Air Miles alone, so clearly every little bit adds up. Even if you’re not willing to shell out the clams for a BlackBerry 9000, no doubt plenty of other devices will be going on the cheap as a result of the launch. Heck, I hear the BlackBerry 8100 is going for free on Rogers, so why not get 200 Air Miles along with it?
Doug’s had his time gushing over the BlackBerry 9000 at WES, and now Engadget’s finally getting some one-on-one time with as well. They’re impressed with the keyboard and snappy response time, but had a few complaints about the theme (which is easily changeable), and the video performance (possibly spoiled by the sheer size of the iPhone’s screen). It’s a good point about video – those of us with the BlackBerry tunnel vision are totally blown away by the Bold’s resolution, but in a broader context, it might not be so hot. Camera quality was ho-hum, but hey, 2 megapixels isn’t that big of a jump, and nobody’s really getting the BlackBerry 9000 to take stellar pictures anyway. Maybe the BlackBerry Javelin will be a different story… Keep an eye out for the BlackBerry Bold sometime mid-August, or early July if you’re outside of the U.S.
Basement devs, start your engines. If you aren’t one of those companies that are super-cozy with RIM and getting the Java Desktop Environement well in advance, it’s now available for open download. HTML e-mail viewing, spell check and BlackBerry Maps integration are all a part of the new package. Maps opens up some options… Since Google opened up its maps API, a lot have companies have been able to do some great stuff with it. I’ve always been a fan of BlackBerry Maps, and think there are some similar opportunities there.
(via BerryReview)
Orange launched the pink Wi-Fi BlackBerry Pearl in Spain the other day, no doubt to the fanfare of many mujeres. Wi-Fi BlackBerrys might be old hat in Spain, considering they were the first to host them, but something tells me the novelty of coloured cases still hasn’t worn off. Pink has been a definite factor in pulling in the female demographic, but of course, it’s not all frivolous – the BlackBerry 8120 makes use of Orange’s UMA service, Único Empresas, for cheap calls over Wi-Fi. For more info, hit up Orange Spain.
