BlackBerry Packager For Android Launched

Are you a developer who wants to resign, repackage and submit your Android apps to a dying BlackBerry platform for use on devices that are barely selling? RIM's made it easy for you with the BlackBerry Tools SDK and ADT plug-in, and the BlackBerry Packager for Android.
                                            OK, it's not quite that bad. If you're serious about submitting your apps for use on the BB PlayBook, the tool will check them for compatibility, sign, package and prep for submission. And it's nice to see RIM make it easy on devs.

BlackBerry Curve Touch and Bellagio Info Leaked

When any tidbits pertaining to any unheralded phone or device is revealed to the devs,then don't be surprised if the news makes the headlines.Probably the same happened with RIM when it revealed the information regarding two future BlackBerry Phones -BlackBerry Curve Touch 9380 and Bellagio 9790 to its devs who have now spread it around the internet.
                                                 The main reason this info was revealed to the dev's was to intimate them regarding the resolutions which are expected on both the  BlackBerry devices.From the bits & pieces received it can be deduced that the Bellagio will be sporting a 2.4 Inches screen along with a screen resolution of 480 * 360 P with a PPI of 245,where as the Curve is expected to come with a larger screen of 3.2 Inches identical resolution which means a lesser PPI of 189.While Bellagio is expected to a full touch type BlackBerry,Curve will be sporting a keyboard interface.We can expect some statements from RIM pretty soon enough I guess.

RIM Outage Victims Provided Compensation In Apps Instead Of Cash

After Resuscitating from the Outage which crippled BlackBerry's Web based communications leaving the BBM,Web,EMail users literally stranded for almost 4 days after an apparent failure in the failswitch mechanism. The issue which was initially prevalent in the Middle East countries,along with India & South Africa also engulfed U.S,Canada & Puerto Rica into this messy affair.
                                                            After RIM managed to the clear the backlogs which were created due to the apparent glitch was removed & the company had issued an official statement claiming that the services are fully restored & up and running.While users were expecting for some kind of a compensatory cash package,to everyones dismay RIM has announced that it will be provided a package of 12 apps as a compensation.Totaling almost $100 in the BlackBerry App store,these apps include SIMS 3,Vligno plus which are premium apps which will be provided given free with a customer support offered for one month.The Entire App list includes the following:

• SIMS 3 – Electronic Arts 
• Bejeweled – Electronic Arts
• N.O.V.A. – Gameloft
• Texas Hold’em Poker 2 – Gameloft
• Bubble Bash 2 – Gameloft
• Photo Editor Ultimate – Ice Cold Apps
• DriveSafe.ly Pro – iSpeech.org
• iSpeech Translator Pro – iSpeech.org
• Drive Safe.ly Enterprise – iSpeech.org
• Nobex Radio™ Premium – Nobex
• Shazam Encore – Shazam 
• Vlingo Plus: Virtual Assistant – Vlingo

                                                  In a statement made by Research In Motion's(RIM)CEO Mike Lazaridis:

“We are grateful to our loyal BlackBerry customers for their patience,” RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said in a statement. “We have apologized to our customers and we will work tirelessly to restore their confidence. We are taking immediate and aggressive steps to help prevent something like this from happening again.”

Well the disgruntled users have something to cheer about rather than to be left high & dry.Probably this comes as a tactical move by RIM to prevent its users from shifting over to Apple's iOS whose timing was absolutely perfect with the Outage which eclipsed RIM.The entire cost of the Outage due to a Snag in the server as well as back-up server system has slapped RIM with losses which amounts to a staggering $100M.
                                                                             

Free Windows Phones To Frustrated BlackBerry Users

Trying to capitalize on the Blackberry outage fiasco,Microsoft has decided to give away free Windows Phone to the frustrated BlackBerry users who are completely cut off from any form of Web service.The outage glitch which has almost entered the fourth day today due to a failover switch issue seems far from being rectified even though RIM has identified the issue & is currently being rectified.The glitch has also Affected U.S,Canda & Puerto Rico where services are slowly recovering back to its feet.

                                                          This offer is not for everyone,but just to the frustrated Blackberry users who has to respond to "Ben the Pc guy's tweets" & enlighten him as to why you need to upgrade to the Windows Phone.The lucky 25 BlackBerry people will receive 25 Windows Phone from Ben if they managed to provide the right reasons. 

BlackBerry Services Back Online:Hackers Not Involved

This comes as delightful news for the BlackBerry users who had their services down for the third straight day.With U.S & Canada also joining this list,it appears that they have finally got hold of the situation & already they are claiming that the BBM,Web & Email services have already started to function in places where its services were affected.
                                                      Still there are people who claim that the BlackBerry services are still down,but the good thing is that the bits & bytes have started flowing slowly once again now that they have started to clear the hug backlog created due to a failover switch issue.While U.S & Canada BlackBerry services are back online,those with the EMEIA network like India,Africa,Middle East & Latin American countries,the services are still down for a record straight 4th day.
                                                        With media speculating that the result of the BlackBerry Outrage was due to security breach by a bunch of Hackers,the RIM quickly released a press statement claiming that its services were not infiltrated & users will be able to recover most of the data and nothing will be lost.However RIM has not announced any compensation for the BlackBerry users and neither has it issued a deadline for this outage to be fixed permanently. 
                                                                       

Blackberry Server Crash Hits America:Hits Panic Button

The BlackBerry server Offline issue which happened in the Middle East & some European countries has finally hit America & the RIM has pressed the panic button.With RIM scratching its head over and over again trying to identify the main cause of this server issue as its users are left without any access to BBM,Emails or Webacess for a third straight day.Based on the official statement released by the RIM,it can be implied that its engineers had an idea regarding this menace -but it looks like they are still trying to narrow it down.Meanwhile Canada has also started to experience the same issues and has joined the club.

                                                 Earlier it was indicated that the issue was identified as a core switch failure within RIM's Infrastructure and even though failover switch was implemented it didn't work as it had been anticipated,which means there are huge backlogs building up.Although not most of the users are experiencing all three issues together,for instance BBM works for some while Web Doesn't,for one the web works where as email doesn't etc.The rule of the thumb states that since its all three services are routed via their server,the fault most definitely lies within it.Lets hope they can fix the issue soon. 

BlackBerry services Affected As Server Goes Offline:Email Web BBM Out Of Service

An apparent server crash took RIM's BlackBerry handset to be cut off from all sorts of communication.The Web,Email & BBM were rendered helpless in Europe,Middle East & Africa at roughly 11 a.m.EST.RIM has launched an investigation into this issue although it hasn't fixed a timeline to render fixes for the issue.
                                                          In the time all that Blackberry users could receive was apologies from the RIM rather than the constant buzzing & vibration of the phone which for sometime has apparently been pretty silent.The Texting services seems to be unaffected and as the rule of the thumb states,fingers are pointed at the Canadian company both Bahrain operator Batelco and Vodafone Egypt who inturn have pointed at RIM's servers.The timing of this event is almost ironic as in a few days Apple will be launching its iOS 5 which will feature iMessaging feature to the iPhone,iPad & iPod which will Apple's new messenger service expected to go head on with BBM.

Blackberry Tag With NFC Unveiled By RIM For BlackBerry SmartPhones: Now Users Can Share & Connect

Research In Motions,more commonly known as RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsille unveiled RIM's Blackberry Tag today @ the GITEX conference in Dubai.The BlackBerry Tag With NFC support will allow Blackberry users to connect with One another & share multimedia files.Jim Balsille had quoted:

                      "BlackBerry Tag is an exciting and innovative feature that makes sharing contact information and multimedia content effortless and seamless. "BlackBerry Tag opens a new dimension to the BlackBerry platform that is powerful, simple and intuitive and we think it will be welcomed by both users and developers."

The BlackBerry tag which will be pre-packaged with the next BlackBerry 7 Os Update will allow users to not only share document but also will be able to add one another instantly in the BlackBerry Messenger ie BBM.The users can share contact information, documents, URLs, photos and other multimedia content by simply tapping their BlackBerry smartphones together.Google's Android & Apple's iOS users are eagerly waiting for the their versions of the BBM,there doesn't seem to be any confirmation regarding it.

                                        BlackBerry tag also takes advantage of the Near Field Communications concept,the same technology which will enable your phone to be used as a digital wallet.Click here to read more about it.The NFC was included in BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930 as well as the curve series 9350/9360/9370 Smartphones and have the privilege to be the first BlackBerry device to feature this concept.Also there are plans to expose the BlackBerry Tag via the Api's on the BlackBerry platfrom which would enable developers to "tap & share" their applications using their own app.