Posted on July 20, 2009, at 4:09 PM .
Inside BlackBerry has a great post up today about the latest BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac. This is something Mac users everywhere have been dying to get their hands on and RIM is finally delivering.
Key features that will be released with the first build include:
- Sync your iTunes® playlists, calendars, contacts, notes and tasks
- Add/Remove applications
- Update your device when new software becomes available
- Backup and restore your device data with such features like automatically scheduled backups and optional encryption (security is #1 as always…)
- Manage multiple devices
- It will support Mac® OS 10.5.5 and above.
Make sure to get notified of the release at BlackBerry.com/Mac. We’ll let you know as soon as a release date is set.
Screenshots are available after the jump
Posted on July 20, 2009, at 12:28 PM .
It seems Nokia is on a downward spiral while the other major smartphone manufacturers are fast gaining market share. Nokia, the leader of global handset distribution, has dropped the most in market share over the the past 5 years.
Despite only selling 3% of the world’s mobile phones, Apple and RIM are dominating when it comes to profitability. Together, the two companies make up for 35% of the total industry’s operating profits. Analysts are saying that if RIM and Apple’s market share were to climb to 5%, it could translate to them owning roughly 58% of the total operating profits.
It just goes to show that we’re entering a new economy of mobile devices, where ubiquity isn’t enough. You have to be constantly innovating and offering not only hardware with new features, but a system of delivering innovative software to the customer. Nokia has the Ovi Store, but I doubt developers are seeing any significant revenue from it.
The software truly makes the hardware these days.
[Via]
Posted on July 20, 2009, at 12:10 PM .
The BlackBerry Storm has been dropping in price all over the Internet. The reasons are two-fold in that the Storm is coming on its first birthday, which will always mean a price drop, and the Storm 2 will be launching, further dropping the price.
Just recently, Verizon began offering the BlackBerry Storm for $99. AmazonWireless is offering the device for $49.99 and the lowest price actually comes from the BlackBerry Cool device page.
If you check out the BlackBerry Cool smarpthone page, you can get the BlackBerry Storm for $29.99 for new Verizon subscribers. At that point, the phone is basically free.
[Via]
Posted on July 20, 2009, at 12:01 PM .
A new free theme called ‘SodaBerry’ is a Today Plus theme with a bottom dock. The theme looks really clean and it’s incredibly easy on the eyes.
Sadly, the theme is only available for the BlackBerry Bold. We’ll be sure to keep you informed if this becomes available for more devices.
The theme was developed by RedZapper, with the icons designed by Alistair Roberts. RedZapper have recently updated the theme with the following:
- Shadow around icons in application screen removed (see new screenshot below)
- Emails go into one inbox, SMS/MMS goes into another inbox. You may want to keep both the email and SMS/MMS icons on the home screen.
- Modded more icons. Default icon background added for non-modded icons.
Download SodaBerry OTA for free for your BlackBerry Bold.
[Via]
Posted on July 20, 2009, at 11:49 AM .
RIM’s Annual General Shareholders’ meeting was last week, July 15th, and some of the best news to come out of it was actually from a child in the audience. While he probably isn’t a shareholder, he had a good question for the RIM executives.
“Are you going to make a phone more for kids so that my Mom will let me get one?” the kid asked.
While Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis didn’t have a concrete answer for the kid, they seemed optimistic. “There’s lots of opportunity and, you know, if the current BlackBerrys aren’t acceptable to your mother, hopefully the next ones will,” Lazaridis said.
This is an interesting market as children are becoming more tech savvy at increasingly younger ages. Who knows, maybe in 10 years your 5 year old will be hooked up to a BES and getting push email.
Other news at the AGM included a chat about the sponsorship behind the U2 360 Tour, to get more consumers interested in BlackBerry devices.
[Via]
Posted on July 20, 2009, at 11:30 AM .
The BlackBerry Storm 2 seems slated to release around the same time that the BlackBerry Storm 1 launched last year. According to a BGR source, a leaked roadmap for the device pegs a launch date around October or November.
I’ve heard that the BlackBerry Storm, while a big disappointment from the Internet, was actually well received by your average consumer. It had one of the lowest return rates that Verizon has ever seen.
Let’s hope the Storm 2 is everything the BlackBerry Power Users have wanted in a touchscreen device. The expectations are huge.
[Via]
