BlackBerry Q10 arrives at T-Mobile June 5th for $100 down

BlackBerry Q10 arrives at TMobile June 5th for $100 down

US wireless carriers have been quite cagey about the availability of BlackBerry’s Q10, with most committing only to a vague June release. But as of today, T-Mobile is the first to officially lock down a hard date for non-enterprise customers: June 5th. Starting next Wednesday, UnCarrier subscribers will finally get a chance to call the Q10 their own, with a choice to either pay $100 upfront (with a 2-year payment plan) or $580 outright for a crack at BB10 in portrait QWERTY form. For the money, prospective owners are getting a 3.1-inch, 720 x 720 Super AMOLED touch display, BlackBerry’s famed physical QWERTY layout and, of course, the gesture-heavy BB10 OS. Not included in the box? A complimentary Chief Creative Officer business card with your name on it and Alicia Keys’ dignity.

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Source: T-Mobile

The Daily Roundup for 05.23.2013

DNP The Daily RoundUp

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours — all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

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BlackBerry software chief on updates and BB10 for healthcare and financial services

BlackBerry software chief on BB10 software updates and a focus on healthcare and financial services

During BlackBerry Live this week we got to speak with Vivek Bhardwaj, BlackBerry’s Head of Software, about the future of BB10. In light of the the platform’s first major software update rolling out to its devices, we asked about the plans for future releases. Bhardwaj told us that the plan is for them to come at a regular cadence of one major code update per year, with other, incremental updates for specific devices sprinkled in as needed. A particular focus is to do so while delivering devs fully realized hardware and to avoid fragmentation in the code base — making it easier to create BB10 apps.

While he wouldn’t dish details about features coming to BB10 in those updates, Bhardwaj did explain that he’s working on making BB10 a platform particularly suited for use not only in cars, but also in the healthcare and financial services industries. That focus is a part of the mobile computing ethos espoused by CEO Thorsten Heins meant to have BB10 devices be users’ personal, portable computing terminal that is simply plugged into a screen — whether it’s a desktop monitor, a car or somewhere else — that delivers a uniform experience. When asked whether those screens would include TVs, Bhardwaj didn’t rule it out, but he did say that home experiences weren’t a priority because it’s a crowded space and BB10 “is all about getting things done.” As a result, the number one focus is building out a compelling automotive platform, with healthcare and financial services coming in a close second. So, folks thinking BB10 was BlackBerry betting on consumers instead of the enterprise, think again. The more things change, the more they seem to stay the same — at least when the folks in Waterloo are involved.

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BlackBerry announces BBM channels, gives dedicated messaging streams to brands and users

BlackBerry Live 2013 isn’t just about new phones and OS versions. CEO Thorsten Heins just announced BBM channels, a way for people, companies and brands to provide streams of content in BBM. The new service allows users to search for and subscribe to preferred channels, comment and share posts with friends and also have one-to-one chats with channel administrators. Users can create and curate their own channels as well, with metrics to track the amount of traffic they’re receiving. So, it’s essentially Twitter, only with a decidedly BlackBerry flavor.

Following the initial announcement, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton appeared onstage to chat a bit more about the new platform and explained that the service will provide his F1 team the ability to communicate more directly and easily with fans. Excited to join Mr. Hamilton on the BBM channel bandwagon? Well, the beta’s available for download now for BlackBerry devices running BB 5 and up, and the full release is slated to arrive later this summer.

Gallery: BBM Channels

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BlackBerry announces BB 10.1 rolling out to US Z10 users later this month (updated)

BlackBerry announces

BlackBerry Live 2013 has begun, and Thorsten Heins just revealed the first bit of good news for BlackBerry users. The latest version of BlackBerry’s OS, BB 10.1 will be rolling out to the Z10 on US carriers beginning later this month. While the new software is mostly about tweaks to the OS for folks with a Q10 in their pocket, Z10 users will get an HDR camera mode, support for contact suggestions, PIN-to-PIN messaging and email with attached messages when they get the update. Additionally, notifications are improved with per-account message notifications and users will finally be able to paste phone numbers into the dialers as well. We still don’t have an exact delivery date, as it’ll vary by carrier, but at least you know you’ll get the new software goodies in the next couple weeks.

BlackBerry’s Enterprise Service is also getting bumped to version 10.1 and is available as a free download right now. Most users won’t care much about the mobile-management platform, but IT pros will definitely appreciate the simplified deployment tools that can manage not just BB10 devices, but also Android and iOS handsets. There’s also a shiny new dashboard that offers all sorts of data and statistics. And, really, who doesn’t love piles of data?

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BlackBerry Q5: a QWERTY handset built for emerging markets

BlackBerry Q5: a QWERTY handset built for emerging markets

This morning at BlackBerry Live in Orlando, Thorsten Heins kicked off the company’s major annual event with a brief mention of the latest BB10 device, the Q5. It’s a handset Heins is convinced will be a “big hit” for its target audience. The portrait QWERTY handset follows in the footsteps of the recently unleashed Q10, merging a 3.1-inch touch screen with hardware keyboard, but has a more specific bent: it’s made for emerging markets. Due to be launched in a trio of colors (i.e., black, red, white and pink), the Q5 is being positioned as a low-end device that combines affordability, BB’s signature physical keyboard and, of course, BB10. It’s due to rollout this July in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. As for pricing, the company’s remaining mum on that end, but with summer fast approaching, we should know soon enough.

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WhatsApp comes to BlackBerry Q10, expands its BB10 footprint

WhatsApp comes to BlackBerry Q10, expands its BB10 footprint

After becoming available on the Z10 just last month, it was only natural for WhatsApp to eventually expand its horizons within BlackBerry 10. And with the Q10 finally nearing its time to take off around the globe, what better time to make the renowned messaging app also compatible with the latest in physical QWERTY keys from the Waterloo-based company. As usual, it won’t cost you a dime to get WhatsApp installed on that BlackBerry Q10 of yours, however a yearly fee of about $1 will be due if you’re planning on using it for longer than the first twelve months. Either way, it’s up for download now, so pay the source link below a visit if you’re one of the lucky few to have RIM’s BlackBerry’s new jewel in your possession a little earlier than others.

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Via: N4BB

Source: BlackBerry World

T-Mobile will carry the BlackBerry Q10, business registration begins April 29th

T-Mobile will carry the BlackBerry Q10, business registration begins April 29th

More details on the BlackBerry Q10’s release in the US are starting to surface. T-Mobile confirmed in an email that its business customers will have the opportunity to register for the device starting next week on April 29th, with availability and pricing details to follow “at a later date.” General consumers will likely have to wait a little longer, if T-Mobile follows the same launch strategy that it did with the Z10. Of course, registration doesn’t actually equate to pre-orders or actually purchasing the phone yet — all we’ve heard from official channels is that it’ll be coming towards the end of May — but it’s still a solid confirmation that QWERTY fans will at least be able to get their BB10 on in the very near future.

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BlackBerry Patent Featuring Slider Smartphone Might Hint At BB10 Torch

BlackBerry Patent Featuring Slider Smartphone Might Hint At BB10 Torch

The BlackBerry Q10 has yet to be released in North America, but it looks like a new patent awarded to BlackBerry may very well hint at a new BlackBerry 10 device.

We’ve already seen the touchscreen-based BlackBerry Z10, the QWERTY-keyboard equipped BlackBerry Q10, but a new patent awarded to BlackBerry might hint at a new slider phone. The USPTO document was initially filed back in December 2011 and doesn’t go into detail as to what BlackBerry has planned for this device. Instead, it features a design for a device that looks like a BlackBerry Z10 with a physical keyboard tucked underneath the display, similar to BlackBerry’s Torch series of devices. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: More Light On Nokia And HTC Microphone Snafu, BlackBerry Q10 Confirmed To Cost $249 On Contract,

    

BlackBerry awarded design patent for portrait QWERTY slider, could be a BB10 Torch

BlackBerry awarded design patent for portrait QWERTY slider, could be a BB10 Torch

Could BlackBerry be prepping a return to slider form for future BB10 hardware? From the looks of this recently awarded design patent, we’d be willing to wager the Waterloo-based outfit’s seriously considering it. The USPTO doc, initially filed back in December 2011, is as plain as they come, outlining a multi-perspective design for a handheld electronic device that looks to be a combo of the Z10’s all-touch candybar aesthetic with a physical QWERTY keyboard hiding underneath à la the Torch series. With BB diehards about to get a first taste of the Q10’s more traditional design, it’s reasonable to assume that a portrait QWERTY slider’s next up on the 2013 horizon. And with the company’s annual showcase, now renamed BB Live, set for mid-May, it’s likely we’ll be hearing about the next phase of BB10’s portfolio and potentially this prospective gem in particular.

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Source: USPTO