Review: BlackBerry Bold 9900 and Playbook tablet

            

BLACKBERRY PLAYBOOK: It's probably unfair to compare it the Apple's superior iPad device.


REVIEW: The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is solid proof that not all smartphones are equal.

That's a bad thing for developer Research In Motion.

Instead of enthralling me, my few weeks with the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and BlackBerry Playbook reminded me how good other smartphone platforms are, such as the Apple iPhone, Google Android and Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 Mango.

While the Bold 9900 is packed with the latest and greatest Research In Motion software, the basic design concept of the Bold 9900 is fundamentally flawed, compared with the competition.

The BlackBerry, once a favourite of company executives, was an innovative business solution which included mobile email when most other cellphones could do little more than make and answer calls and send and receive text messages.

With the Bold 9900, Research In Motion has basically ignored the trend of large touchscreens introduced by Apple when it launched its first iPhone in 2007.

The Bold 9900 follows the same configuration as the original BlackBerry from 1999, although at less than 1cm thick, it is far sleeker. It has faster internal parts and software too, but it still resembles a pocket calculator.

The Bold 9900 does have a touchscreen, but at 480 pixels high and 640 pixels wide, it's far too small to run in the same race as the competition.

The same goes for the keyboard. Phones like Google's Android Milestone and LG's Windows Phone 7, with their slide-out keyboards, beat it hands down.

The handset was not configured correctly, which led to all sorts of hassles in getting it to recognise my Telecom SIM and accept my Xtra email password. It all meant I soon became disinterested.

For a $1099 phone, I expected much more.

The BlackBerry Playbook, however, was a different story, although I know I didn't use it to its potential.

The Playbook is Research In Motion's foray into the tablet computer market. It looks, feels and works like an iPad, although it's probably unfair to compare it with Apple's superior device.

The main thing I use any portable device for is web browsing, and I found the Playbook's web browser was quick and easy to use over a home wi-fi connection. If I had to rank it, I'd say it would probably sit below the iPad and the Samsung's Android Galaxy tablet, but above just about every other Android tablet I have used.

But that will probably change when big manufacturers like Hewlett Packard and Asus release their Windows 8 tablets in the second half of the year.

In the meantime, the Playbook is a good option for some basic consumption-based mobile computing.

What makes or breaks a mobile computing device is whether software developers have taken it into their fold and are writing specialist applications for it.

It's preferable if the app store is heaving with good apps, as in the case of Apple's, Google's and Microsoft's eco-systems, but sadly in the Playbook's case there are minimal apps.

One good one, which I couldn't test because of configuration problems, links the Bold 9900 with the Playbook and allows you to view your emails on it, but disables the function when you move the phone away.

The high-definition seven-inch liquid-crystal display images at 1024 by 600 resolution. It has 1GHz dual-core processor with one gigabyte of ram, and a built-in memory of either 32GB or 64GB.

There is a three-megapixel camera facing forward and a five-megapixel one facing rear. It also has Micro USB and Micro HDMI ports, and Bluetooth connectivity.

The 32GB PlayBook retails for $949 and the 64GB model for $1099.

From:http://www.stuff.co.nz

VMware Workstation Error

"VMware Workstation cannot connect to the virtual machine. Make sure you have rights to run the program and to access all directories it uses and rights to access all directories for temporary files." Error
 

Few days back my friend have this some error in his VMware and he cant move his cursor out of VMware frame or nigher he can use VMware. so we try to kill VMware progress from Task Manager, but after kill all VMware progressand restart VMware have new error "VMware Workstation cannot connect to the virtual machine. Make sure you have rights to run the program and to access all directories it uses and rights to access all directories for temporary files." and we cant get solution of it even try many things.

But if you have same problame dont get penic its just a simple solution, we found that after 45min ... Just restart your system and everything will be start working as before.

I post this error here even its small because when we have this error, we do google and we dont get any big help ... 

Blog Copyright 2011-2012 Rushi Pandya(INDIA)
http://pandyarushi.blogspot.com/

BlackBerry Messenger for iOS and Android denied

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has denied a rumoured shift to rival smartphone platforms for its flagship BlackBerry Messenger service.

Following slowing sales of its handsets - originally designed for business users, but typically now the reserve of chat-hungry teenagers - in the face of the success of Google's Android and Apple's iOS platforms, rumours pointed to work to port the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) instant-messaging service to the rival platforms.

                      

With BBM proving the jewel in Research in Motion's increasingly tarnished crown, it was a risky strategy: moving what is increasingly proving the single unique feature of BlackBerry handsets onto rival devices could severely cut into already slow handset sales, but would have the potential of giving RIM a significantly larger target market for a subscription-based messaging service.

It's a risk too far for RIM's board, however: the Wall Street Journal, chief executive Thorsten Heins has declared that RIM should be concentrating on its first-party offerings and not seeking licensing agreements for its technologies with third parties.

Quoting an anonymous source 'familiar with the matter', the WSJ claims that Heins would refuse to even contemplate the plan - despite his forerunners' Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie actively developing the idea. "It was not up for discussion", the source claimed.

Instead, RIM is to concentrate on its upcoming BlackBerry 10 software, a revamp of its increasingly outdated operating system which has seen the BlackBerry brand lose market share to the app-driven Android and iOS platforms.

From:http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/

BlackBerry's call to stop missing out

RESEARCH in Motion (RIM) ­recently introduced its BlackBerry Curve 9320 and BlackBerry Curve 9220, which offer faster speeds, ­enhanced ­functions and longer-­lasting battery life.

RIM Indochina’s managing director Nicholas Horton said in a press ­statement that the new BlackBerry Curve smartphones are a great upgrade for first-time smartphone users as well as existing Curve customers looking for a step-up in speed and functionality.

The two models offer the best keyboards in their class for quick and easy typing. There is even a new dedicated BBM key to bring the power of RIM’s popular mobile social network up in an instant.

Customers can easily interact with their social network contacts in real time. They can post updates on ­multiple social networks ­simultaneously and capture updates from news sources (RSS), social apps and instant messaging apps, all in one ­consolidated view via the new preloaded Social Feeds 2.0 app.

The integrated ­camera includes a flash and supports video ­recording. Pictures taken with the Curve 9320 can be tagged with their ­location, thanks to the the built-in GPS.

The new BlackBerry Curve smartphones also feature a built-in FM ­radio which does not require a data plan or data service.

The new smartphones also allow up to seven hours of talk time or up to 28 hours of music playback (30 hours for the BlackBerry Curve 9320) or FM radio listening with ­headphones.

The BlackBerry Curve 9220 will be available from June 4 through ­BlackBerry authorised partners and carriers in Malaysia.

In the meantime, ­BlackBerry smartphone owners can get to interact with some of Malaysia’s top entertainers and celebrities such as Bunkface, ­Jehan Miskin, Julie Woon, Liyana Fizi, Megan Tan and Nur Fazura in the Stop ­Missing Out! campaign.

For a chance to go for a movie or shopping with their favourite celebrity, all ­Blackberry owners have to do is send a picture that best describes how the ­smartphone has kept them connected with the people and things they love.

To know what the outings and activities with the celebrities are, just keep the browser pointed to www.StopMissingOut.com.my from June 1 to June 7. RIM will unveil all the prizes on offer on a daily basis.

The Stop Missing Out! campaign runs from June 1 to July 1.

RIM Malaysia & Brunei country director Annamalai Muthu, who launched the smartphones and ­campaign, said that Asia is a growing market for BlackBerry devices and it will soon surpass North America as the leading market.

From:http://www.thesundaily.my

Curse of the BlackBerry: Why RIM Should be Worried

RIM seems to be fighting an uphill battle with its flagship brand, BlackBerry, after more bad publicity - this time with serious, human consequences after a man was stabbed in the neck at a press party in London.


The smartphone makers have had repeatedly bad press and the general consensus points to the BlackBerry brand as struggling to survive as not much can improve its floundering reputation.

BlackBerry has lost $7bn (£4.1bn) in value in 12 months. Stock prices over the same period are down more than 75 percent.

The BlackBerry event that saw one partygoer rushed to hospital with serious neck injuries after he was stabbed with a broken bottle was poorly managed and overcrowded. It  was billed as a press event but turned into a free-for-all and was swamped with teenagers taking advantage of the free spirits and beer on offer.

                       

The result? Reports of people who were sprayed with blood and images emerging online of pools of it on the floor in the bar area. As well as a man in critical condition in hospital with glass in his neck.

This may not be RIM's fault directly. Rather, it just seems to be the Curse of the BlackBerry - the hardest of luck amongst tech giants.

The platform's highly attractive BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) system was partly blamed for being used as a tool in the August riots across English cities last year. That was not something the company could pre-empt but it brought a lot of unwanted attention.

Two months later, widespread service outages left the company red-faced. It blamed a server crash in the Slough data centre.  Thousands of BlackBerry users were left without any service at all. They were also left stranded with little to no response from RIM as the issues continued.

In December 2011, two RIM executives were left stranded after their drunken behaviour forced a plane en route to China to land in Canada. The pair had to be restrained with handcuffs.

They were both sacked, of course, but the damage had been done to the brand. And the PR disasters continued.

That very week, RIM was under investigation in Indonesia after a cut-price set of smartphones nearly caused a full-scale riot in Jakarta. Several people ended up in hospital as a result.

The list goes on: the dreaded PlayBook, which was given more negative reviews than Bio-Dome; a compromising letter leak; and some dubious leadership decisions.

So, tech companies, heed the warnings of RIM. The Curse of the BlackBerry could strike at any time.

From:http://www.ibtimes.co.uk

6 Good apps for the BlackBerry Playbook

Summary: The BlackBerry Playbook is a good value for the cheap prices available, but needs good apps. This short list contains my favorites and the most heavily used apps on my Playbook.

You remember the BlackBerry Playbook? That’s the 7-inch tablet from RIM that hasn’t exactly set the tablet world on fire. It was panned at launch for the lack of functionality, but with the release of Playbook 2.0 a while back became a solid tablet. With a starting price of $199, the Playbook is a solid competitor to the Kindle Fire, although without the big ecosystem from Amazon.

Related: BlackBerry Dev Alpha device and BB World demos show RIM isn’t out of the game yet | RIM’s challenge: Platforms don’t sell, gadgets do | First look: BB 10 | BlackBerry 10: Best feature nobody’s talking about
The hardware of the Playbook is very good, so it is a good buy for what it delivers. There is not a huge selection of apps in the App World, but I find all that I need to cover my needs. The arrival of some Android apps in the store is a nice benefit, although RIM doesn’t make it easy to discover those in the market.
Playbook owners quickly developed a method to sideload many Android apps onto the Playbook, but RIM has stated it will do away with that practice with the 2.1 release in the future. It has been confirmed that any Android apps that have been sideloaded will still run after that release is applied, so get them loaded soon if you plan to do so.

The six apps I use most often on my Playbook provide most of the functionality I require on a daily basis. I use many of the preinstalled apps as I find them quite good, but those are not included on this list. It is compromised mostly of third-party apps with the exception of one from RIM.

1. Blaq. I am a heavy Twitter user and the first thing I install on most gadgets is a good app to use the service. Blaq is the Twitter client recommended most often by Playbook owners, and with good reason. It has an attractive UI that makes working with Twitter enjoyable and simple. It handles multiple Twitter accounts for those with multiple personalities, and updates in real-time. It is a solid performer and a good deal for $1.99.



2. GeeReader Pro. I work with Google Reader RSS feeds all day, and this app is as good as any for doing that. It is robust enough to make tracking thousands of feeds a breeze, and fully syncs with Google Reader online. The article view is customizable on the fly, allowing for optimum reading of full articles. $1.99.



3. Evernote. I am a heavy Evernote user and access it on all mobile devices I use. The Playbook app is not as full-featured as the Android and iOS apps, but it is still a decent method to see all of my notes in the cloud. For those needing the full features of other versions on the Playbook, it is possible to sideload the Android app and use that. Free.



4. PressReader. This app does an amazing job of presenting full newspapers for reading on the go. It automatically retrieves subscribed newspapers, and the reading experience is awesome on the 7-inch screen of the Playbook. The text rendering is very crisp, making it possible to read at most zoom levels. There are free trials for many of the periodicals, after which a fee is required. The app is free.



5. Podcasts. This app is part of the Playbook system, but is good enough to make this list. It handles audio and video podcasts nicely, and I use it all the time. Listening to podcasts while doing other things is a good use for the great multitasking on the Playbook. Free (installed with Playbook 2.0).



6. Kindle. I must have the Kindle app on all devices I use, and sadly Amazon never released a version for the Playbook. It is possible to sideload the Android Kindle app, and that is what I use. It is the same version as that on all Android devices, which is pretty darn good. The Playbook is the perfect size for long reading sessions, and the Kindle app is how I do it. Free (must sideload).



From:http://www.zdnet.com

Playbook, BlackBerry security features offer RIM a fragile lifeline

Officers with the Chatham-Kent police force in southwestern Ontariouse RIM's PlayBook in their cruisers to run checks on vehicles and suspects. The Playbook's big draw is RIM's acclaimed network security, a feature that Apple Inc. and RIM's other competitors can barely match, and cannot beat — at least not yet.

Along with firearms, radio and other standard-issue gear, Constable Ken Koke’s police cruiser comes equipped with portable technology made by Research In Motion Ltd. that he says has become an important tool in policing rural Canada.

Koke, with the Chatham-Kent police force in southwestern Ontario, uses RIM’s PlayBook to run checks on vehicles and suspects. Unlike his old laptop, the tablet is portable enough to take out of the car to record evidence at crime scenes.

But for law enforcement officers like Koke, the big draw is RIM’s acclaimed network security, a feature that Apple Inc. and RIM’s other competitors can barely match, and cannot beat — at least not yet.

‘Despite the adversity and displacement RIM is experiencing … a hardcore contingent still see no solution better than BlackBerry’

Police, along with insurers, the military and thousands of government agencies, remain important customers for the struggling BlackBerry maker as a data breach could invite litigation, compromise reputations or even endanger national security.

“Despite the adversity and displacement RIM is experiencing across its enterprise customers, it’s obvious that a hardcore contingent still see no solution better than BlackBerry,” said John Jackson at CCS Insight, which advises wireless companies.

The loyalty of that core customer base is a rare bright spot for RIM as it fights a tide of defections to flashier devices.

Its still-unrivaled leadership in secure communications could also pique the interest of a potential buyer for the Canadian company, whose shares have sunk 80% since February 2011.

“When I go in the street I have my handcuffs, I have my sidearm, and I have my BlackBerry. It’s part of my gear and not something I would leave the station without,” Koke said. “The PlayBook is a natural extension of that.”

NICHE NOT SAFE

But it’s far from clear if that niche will be big enough to rescue RIM, which faces a continuing decline in sales for its once-ubiquitous BlackBerry, and whose compact PlayBook never took off with consumers.

RIM does not specify what proportion of its sales go to security focused government, legal and military customers, and analysts don’t break that market out of the broader “enterprise market,” which they believe has stagnated in recent years to make up about a quarter of RIM’s 77 million BlackBerry users.

Unlike Apple and other rivals, security-focused RIM has built direct connections between its servers and those of carriers and big customers, and its private network offers encryption that others need help to get.

But the niche is not as safe for RIM as it used to be, given the arrival of smaller providers such as Good Technology, a private outfit based in Sunnyvale, California, that help companies beef up security on their employees’ iPhones and Androids.

Such offerings may not be as convenient for a corporate IT manager as RIM’s out-of-the-box security, but they have enabled many companies to let their employees use personal devices in the workplace.

The BlackBerry’s secure approach is “becoming less of an advantage for RIM because, frankly, organizations are being forced to put solutions in place to allow secure access to documents and apps and other things on (Apple’s) iOS and Android devices,” said Tyler Lessard, who left RIM six months ago to join Fixmo, a small mobile security company.

To fight this challenge, RIM is taking an “if-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them” approach, offering to manage other devices via a service it calls Mobile Fusion. Even if it no longer sells every device, the thinking goes, RIM can still profit by keeping office communications secure.

Several analysts say RIM’s strength in security and network components could attract takeover interest from companies that deliver online content such as Akamai Technologies Inc. or Amazon.com Inc. Amazon took a look at RIM last year, but decided not to bid after RIM made it clear it wanted to fix its problems on its own.

Ken Dulaney, vice-president for mobile devices at research firm Gartner, said RIM’s connections into hundreds of carriers worldwide represent an “intriguing” asset that could hold value to Amazon or Akamai, the company that powers Apple’s iTunes store.

At a current valuation of less than US$6-billion, a fraction of its 2008 peak of US$84-billion, RIM might look cheap to a company such as International Business Machines Corp. IBM could use RIM’s assets to expand corporate services on to mobile platforms, said Northern Securities analyst Sameet Kanade.

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins is putting his hopes on a new generation of phones, due later this year, as well as possible asset sales. He has not ruled out a sale of the entire company

RIM’s customer base alone could tempt buyers such as Cisco Systems Inc., he added, but cautioned that prospective buyers could also choose to build such capabilities internally.

Security aside, the larger market for smartphones and tablets is turning away from RIM, which now has less than 7% of the global smartphone market, according to Gartner, down from 13% a year ago.

CEO Thorsten Heins is putting his hopes on a new generation of phones, due later this year, as well as possible asset sales. He has not ruled out a sale of the entire company.

“The rules have changed,” said David Krebs, vice-president for mobile and wireless practice at VDC Research. “They’re not acting from a position of strength today.”

A LOYAL CORE

But at the same time, the most security-conscious customers prefer the tried-and-true RIM approach.

Aviva Plc, one of Britain’s largest insurers, has handed out PlayBooks to scores of risk assessors, the type of traditional road warrior that first worshipped the BlackBerry.

“For any role in Aviva that’s collecting data, why would we use anything but the PlayBook,” said Paul Heybourne, who heads the company’s global technology innovation efforts.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon, RIM’s single largest customer, this month approved six recent BlackBerry models for use on its secure networks, meaning some quarter of a million military and intelligence staff can upgrade to more modern devices. Counterparts in Britain and Australia followed soon after.

David Paterson, RIM’s vice-president for government relations and public policy, said BlackBerry sales to the U.S. government are still growing.

“There is no mass exodus,” he insisted, even after Washington’s main procurement agency, the General Services Administration, loosened its BlackBerry allegiance to adopt an approach more open to RIM’s rivals.

If RIM fends off its challenges until new phones and tablets are ready — and if the market embraces the new devices — its future could brighten. If not, a takeover could loom.

From:http://business.financialpost.com

OnStar Releases App for BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930

Those of you with cars powered by OnStart should be happy to see them starting to support BlackBerry for their mobile apps. They released their first app for the Bold 9900 and 9930 at first but hopefully they will expand beyond that. Once you download the app you can use it with your 2010-2012 Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC to access real-time info and do things like unlock the doors remotely.

Unmatched control to:

• NEW!  Find a destination on your phone and send it directly to your OnStar Turn-by-Turn or In-Dash navigation system (OnStar Directions & Connections subscription required).  Your directions will be downloaded and available upon vehicle start, and you are on your way.  
• Lock/unlock your doors from any distance
• Start your vehicle remotely (based on vehicle capability)
• Control your Chevrolet Volt charging and charge mode settings
• Activate your Horn & Lights to help locate your vehicle
• Contact an OnStar Advisor, Roadside Assistance or your Preferred Dealer

Unprecedented connectivity to:

• View real-time fuel information, including fuel range, gallons of gas remaining and your lifetime MPG
• View your Chevrolet Volt battery state of charge, electric range, electric miles and MPG
• Check your current lifetime mileage
• Check your remaining oil life
• View your current tire pressure information
• Access account information

From:berryreview.com

RIM intros BlackBerry Curve 9320 with dedicated BBM key

Struggling phone maker Research in Motion announced today a new budget level smartphone, the BlackBerry Curve 9320, aimed at first time smartphone owners as well as those looking to upgrade from older curve models, like the highly popular BlackBerry 8520 among the youth of today.

It's essentially a BlackBerry 9220 with 3G connectivity, featuring the same 2.44" non-touchscreen display with a resolution of 320x240 pixels, an improved 3.2MP rear camera with flash and the same curved full qwerty keyboard design. There is also a dedicated BlackBerry Messenger button and it runs BlackBerry OS 7.1.

Helping move along that OS is a single-core 806MHz processor, 512MB ROM, 512MB RAM and a 1450mAH battery, which RIM claim is good for seven hours of talk time or 18 days in standby. Connectivity is provided by HSDPA and WiFi , and also includes GPS and a pre-installed FM radio. Storage is expandable up to 32GB via microSD.

It is clear the Canadian firm has aimed this phone at the lower end of the consumer market in the hopes of continuing the success of their BlackBerry 8520: "The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 is designed to make it incredibly easy for users to stay socially-connected," said RIM's executive VP of smartphone sales said in a statement. "The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 will be especially popular with customers upgrading to a smartphone for the first time and existing Curve customers looking for a step up in speed and functionality." 

The new model will be available in the UK from May 14, with further releases in other countries including India due next month. RIM has not published prices yet, but UK operator Three has revealed it will be charging £139.99 on pay as you go. Those on contract can grab it for free from £15 per month.

From:techspot.com

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