IBM and RIM announced new hosting capabilities to support the BlackBerry platform. IBM will expand its portfolio of Managed Wireless Services for the BlackBerry platform leveraging its successful services offering that currently hosts more than 100,000 enterprise end users globally. The offering builds upon the strength of the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server product line with a far-reaching suite of services that include hosting, consulting, systems integration, and deployment of enterprise applications on the converged platform.

Ownership of wireless services in the enterprise has shifted from Procurement to the CIO. Like corporate data and telephony, the BlackBerry platform is considered by many to be fundamental to their business operations. Large organizations look to outsource these services so they can focus on their core competencies. Meanwhile, demand increases for innovative technology and infrastructure to help support the mobile Web, as wireless devices now outnumber landlines. IBM’s Institute for Business Value predicts more than one billion mobile Web users by 2011.

"We find that our enterprise clients increasingly need to extend wireless data capabilities beyond e-mail, and to leverage their enterprise investment on wireless device platforms," said Gary Cohen, IBM’s General Manager, Global Communications Sector. "IBM’s services will facilitate the deployment and ongoing management of enterprise applications on the BlackBerry platform. We are uniquely positioned to enable our enterprise customers to do so on a large scale. As the world’s leading IT services provider we are very pleased to be offering these services and to be working with RIM, an outstanding innovative leader in the wireless data marketplace."

"In today’s business world, BlackBerry is as essential to our organization as network connectivity, phone and e-mail. At Fluor, we count on BlackBerry to speed our decision making, help solve problems and improve execution," said Ray Barnard, VP and CIO, Fluor Corporation. "We count on IBM to deliver this essential service and to collaborate with our business partners to innovate on new mobile applications that further our competitive advantage."

"RIM is excited to support the expansion of IBM’s Managed Wireless Services for the BlackBerry platform," said Jeff McDowell, Vice President, Global Alliances at Research in Motion. "RIM believes IBM’s hosted services will help extend the reach of the BlackBerry platform globally and will help customers realize the full value of enterprise mobility."

Managing customers’ wireless applications in an increasingly mobile-centric world is a key focus of the new alliance between IBM and RIM. IBM now offers access to BlackBerry mobile applications for the full line of Web 2.0-powered Lotus collaboration and information on demand software on the market-leading BlackBerry platform.

[Full Article]

Right after the release of iPhone with touch screen concept many device manufacturer turn their heads in the same direction. All of the them BlackBerry was on top, in start there where rumors that BlackBerry Bold 9000 will bring touch screen technology in BlackBerry devices but after the final release of BB 9000 in last week with AT&T proofs this statement wrong but now right after one week here is the most awaiting Smartphone is in rumors. Below picture requires no clarifications regarding the functionality of BlackBerry thunder.

The BlackBerry Thunder, as it is codenamed now, (all you "reporting" on it as the Storm are incorrect) will launch in Q3 of this year. It is a full touch screen BlackBerry — no slide out keyboard — with only 4 physical keys. Those are the send / end phone keys, the BlackBerry menu key, and the back key. Here is the most interesting part, though: it will launch as a worldwide lifetime exclusive on Verizon and Vodafone! We’ve heard the unit will be a hybrid device with CDMA EV-DO Rev. C (for clarification, Rev C., known as UMB is practically dead. If the device will indeed launch with a 4G solution, our bet is on LTE), and GSM HSPA for traveling internationally. Verizon and Vodafone will have the same unit. Currently, the model number is the BlackBerry 9500, though it’s very early and that’s likely to change. This is HUGE for the Verizon lovers. For once they’ll get an exclusive device, but Verizon will have a sales quota for the device and if they don’t meet those numbers, we’ve heard the exclusivity will then dissolve and it’s over. This will be extremely interesting to see play out.

 Via [BGR]

In a report highlighting the recent boost in RIM’s stock price, it’s noted that AT&T will be "the exclusive carrier for the Bold in the US," though we have all ideas the other major US carriers will be following suit shortly, probably with redubbed handsets. We know, you’re hungry for a price to mull over, but sadly, it’s not meal time just yet.

As predicted, RIM’s new BlackBerry has arrived, right on cue, with a heady cocktail of HSDPA, Wi-Fi and GPS. Called the Bold (aka 9000), it’s also the first BlackBerry to get RIM’s latest OS with its high-contrast ’strip’ interface and a higher-res 480×320 screen, making it as sharp as the current iPhone’s.

Speaking of which, the Bold comes with Media Sync, a new app that’ll load tracks onto the BlackBerry’s memory card direct from iTunes. The new OS also means a much improved web browser, with added support for CSS, Javascript and video streaming. And, as ever, there’s a bog standard 2.0mp camera.

[Source]

Music is become life line for the new generations, Sony Ericson launched walk man series for music lovers and that was the great success. Now more any more customers are looking for music addition cell phones. Nokia has recently introduced special series of music editions cell phones with 8 GB memory.

Mostly people believe that BlackBerry is a professional device and it has nothing to do with the music or multimedia stuff. Probably I am one those who has these gut feelings about the blackberry devices, but I found really interesting article on Blackberry that can used as MP3 player.

With a BlackBerry, you’ve got a phone, the Internet, email, PDA functions, and music player built right in. If you have a Pearl or a Curve — or, soon enough, a BlackBerry 9000 — you’ve got a camera. And an e-book reader is just a download away. Today we’re going to talk about using your Blackberry as an MP3 player.

I’ve mentioned the inherent problem in the adoption of mobile music before. It’s tough to get the specialization of a specific device from a converged one. That is, the iPod will always be more functional than the MP3 player on your BlackBerry because of the very nature of the devices. But some people don’t need that higher level of functionality. They just want music.

External memory

Unfortunately, your BlackBerry isn’t ready to play music out of the box. My 8830 has under 50 MB “file total” onboard memory. I have 10 applications installed, plus a custom theme, and my free memory is down to just under four megs. That will fit, if I’m lucky, one song. So no go.

The only way for me to get music on my BlackBerry is to nab an external memory card. These come in sizes from 1 GB to 8 GB, but you’ll have to check which cards are compatible with your BlackBerry.

From there, you’ll have to install your card into your device. This will be done by taking off the battery shield. In some cases, as with the Curve, you’ll have to actually pop out the battery. With the 8830, the card is inserted above the battery, as you can see illustrated below.

Media player

Next, you’ll need a media player. Thankfully, your BlackBerry comes with one preinstalled. It’s pretty basic, and allows you to browse by artist, album, or genre. You can switch between your handset speaker and speakerphone, which is nice if you’re in a crowded place and don’t have a pair of ear buds. Unfortunately, there is no fast forward or rewind options.

If you’re serious about using your BlackBerry as an MP3 player, though, you’re best off downloading a multimedia player. There are a number out there that provide fuller features than the default player. Some of them, like BerryTunes, also allow you to listen to Internet radio stations. FlipSide is another quality player, and one we’ve reviewed in the past.

Music

Finally, of course, you’ll need yourself a decent collection of music tracks. Here’s the problem: A lot of music you purchase on the Internet, including the bulk of the tracks at the iTunes store, are DRM-protected. This means that you can only copy the song on a certain number of computers, and pretty much prevents you from transferring the files to a non-iPod device.

Don’t fret. This just means an extra step is involved. The most common way to remove the DRM from your iTunes music is to burn the files to an audio CD. From there, you rip the music from the CD back to your computer, and voila! You can now transfer the songs to your BlackBerry. An alternative to this is to purchase software like NoteBurner, which simulates the burning of a CD. This is particularly helpful if you don’t have a CD burner on your computer.

Other outlets for digital music are Rhapsody, MP3.com, Amazon, and Napster, among many others. You can also check out Puretracks, which launched a digital music service for BlackBerry.

Transferring files

Oh yeah, there’s that whole issue of transferring your music from your computer to your BlackBerry. This can be done in a number of ways.

First is through the BlackBerry Desktop Software. If you have the latest version, it will have Roxio, which will allow you to move your music from your computer to your device. Thankfully, it’s a rather painless process.

If you’re a Windows user and have your microSD properly installed in your BlackBerry, it should be recognized as as mass storage device once it’s connected via a USB. You can then transfer music via Windows Explorer with ease. Once again, make sure the files you’re copying aren’t DRM-protected. Alternately, you can copy the files right to your microSD card if you have the proper hardware.

Finally, you can just email yourself the music files (or have someone email them to you). The only problem there — and this is an enormous issue for Canadian users — is that OTA downloads can end up costing you money. Most U.S. carriers do not charge for overages. But some, like Verizon, can penalize you in other ways if you go over a certain limit (it’s 5 GB with them). Plus, OTA downloads, even on EVDO, can be painfully slow.

Via [BBgeeks]

Your personal e-mail address for receiving e-mails in real time on your mobile phone + 20 MB mailbox + Outlook Web Access + professional spam filter and virus protection!

With Cortado Connect, you can access 1 GB of free online storage at Box.net with your BlackBerry and so benefit from additional storage space for your documents, pictures, or music files. Cortado Connect also lets you conveniently manage the files both online and on the memory card of your BlackBerry and exchange files between them.

Easy setup! Absolutely free!

Cortado Connect for Box.net is a free service from Cortado. A Division of ThinPrint in co-operation with Box.net. Simply download the Cortado Client onto your BlackBerry and connect to the Cortado Server for activating the service. Additionally to the free Cortado Connect service, you can also try out the Cortado Premium Services Fax and Print for 10 days!

Cortado Connect can be used with BlackBerry handhelds with a firmware version 4.2 or higher. Furthermore, ONE of the following two requirements must be met to be able to connect to the Cortado hosting center and to use the Cortado services:

You are connected to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) in your company*, AND/ OR
Your handheld supports the BlackBerry Internet Browsing Service (BIS-B).

GET FREE DOWNLOAD

The Verizon BlackBerry Curve is finally released and available on sales for B2B and telesales channels.

If you are blackberry curve freak or currently looking for Verizon, waiting to order and can’t wait until Friday, the Curve is for sale now on their web site. No need to login, it’s up for grabs for all.  The online price is $219.99 with a $50 rebate, bringing the total to $169.99.

The Verizon Blackberry Curve is officially for sale on the Verizon web site. At the moment it seems to be “camera shy” with no product image displaying when you order. Based on reports and photos from those who persuaded Verizon CSRs in the Mid-West to ship them a Curve early, this is the silver model. Update 5/4/08 - 2:45pm EST: The Curve appears to have disappeared from Verizon’s web site. I am not sure whether this was a screw up on Verizon’s part or if it may re-appear later. Several subscribers report being able to place orders for both new and upgrade lines during the time the Curve was displayed.

Via [GearDiary]

BlackBerry is become popular in last few years, People believes that Blackberry has been introduced in last 2-3 years. When i dig down the history regarding blackberry, i found some really interesting facts. The BlackBerry is a wireless handheld device introduced in 1999 which supports push e-mail, mobile telephone, text messaging, internet faxing, web browsing and other wireless information services. Developed by the Canadian company Research In Motion (RIM), it delivers information over the wireless data networks of mobile phone service companies.

BlackBerry first made headway in the marketplace by concentrating on e-mail. RIM currently offers BlackBerry e-mail service to non-BlackBerry devices, such as the Palm Treo, through the BlackBerry Connect software. The original BlackBerry device had a monochrome display, but all current models have color displays.

Modern BlackBerry handhelds incorporate an ARM 7 or 9 processor, while older BlackBerry 950 and 957 handhelds used Intel 80386 processors. The latest GSM BlackBerry models (8100 and 8700 series) have an Intel PXA901 312 MHz processor, 64 MB flash memory and 16 MB SDRAM. CDMA BlackBerries are based on Qualcomm MSM6×00 chipsets which also include the ARM 9-based processor and GSM 900/1800 roaming(as the case with the 8830). The devices are very popular with some businesses, where they are primarily used to provide e-mail access to roaming employees. To fully integrate the BlackBerry into a company’s systems, the installation of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) is required.

[Source]

BlackBerries with SAP CRM natively integrated will be generally available within the next few months, and SAP will natively integrate the rest of its business applications into the BlackBerry.

RIM might be best known for mobile email, but that’s not stopping it having a crack on popularising other enterprise applications on the BlackBerry. The latest contender is SAP’s CRM products, which the company is now integrating with the BlackBerry platform.

The pair said their first joint offering will be a “native BlackBerry smartphone client that will merge the power of the SAP® Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM) application with core BlackBerry smartphone applications” like email and address book. Rather smartly, the twosome are promising that if you’re using SAP CRM and BlackBerry email, it won’t cost you too much time or effort to get this new system up and running.

Some SAP products have been available on the BlackBerry for a while, but this partnership will open up more applications to device users, and better data synchronisation. This is the sort of thing is playing to the BlackBerry’s crowd. While taking aim at the consumer market with social networking et al might help take the BlackBerry into pastures new, it’s these sort of good solid enterprise moves that will keep its natural user base from getting distracted by the likes of the iPhone or Windows Mobile.

Via [SmsText]

When we talk about BlackBerry the 1st thing which came into the user mind is bulky device with lots of keys on it keypad, but finally BlackBerry changed there style with a sleek, smart flip phone edition. The global smartphone industry today has two extremes. On one side, we see the fanatical corporate email-aholic type, the BlackBerry; and on the other side, a more easy-going, design-conscious being in the iPhone.

However whilst these two iconic handsets appeal to very different people, they both control a very reasonable share of the market that they perform in. RIM’s BlackBerry can and will cater for those who require a reliable, large handset for bashing out long emails to their subordinates; and Apple’s iPhone appeals to what is often a younger, connected, but still professional audience who want to combine their office-related duties with a lifestyle device. Is this RIM’s iPhone killer? Certainly, it might break a bit more ice with semi-professionals as the BlackBerry Pearl did, but there is no way that the Kickstart will win over iPhone customers. No way. A Now, I love BlackBerry: the best semi-professional phone I have ever used was a Pearl 8120 from BlackBerry — but this model simply can’t outdo the iPhone on looks, music integration, and recognition.

BlackBerry clamshell — a flip phone and codenamed the Kickstart! Let me repeat this. This isn’t fake, this isn’t a hoax. We’ve known RIM is planning to launch a flip phone within the year, and we now have the pictures to prove it! As you can see, it uses a SureType keyboard, has an external LCD, and a pretty decent looking internal LCD. It also uses the TrackBall for navigation and does have a camera. We’re hearing a release date before the end of the year. What do y’all think of it? Hit the gallery for all the pictures of the brand new BlackBerry flip phone! Via [BGR]

After so many rumors finally we have RIM released spec sheet for BlackBerry 9000. BlackBerry 9000 new pics has also released by e-bay and device seems bit different the then user expectations. BlackBerry fans were expecting that BB 9000 will come with the touch screen concept.

Boy Genius report: we’re setting it all straight right here with this internal RIM doc we just got a hold of. We’ve got the rundown on everything from language support, to themes, to the redone media applications. We’re talking the browser, the setup wizard, Wi-Fi, streaming video, and anything else you could want. The latest release date we’re hearing is  actually July now (go figure), and that RIM is working on those power problems with the quickness. As we’ve been told, the newer builds are definitely better but not quite there yet. We’ve got a good idea of when it’s going to be announced, but we’ll keep that one to ourselves for now. You know you want to jump over to our gallery

Via [BGR]