CrackBerry noticed the new BlackBerry Q10 page went live at AT&T this morning marked “Coming Soon” and we couldn’t be more excited! Here in the States BlackBerry Q10 is a legend, but it’s still unseen. That is until now. With Verizon and Sprint already announced it was only a matter of time before AT&T showed their love.

Should you be a legacy BBOS BlackBerry user holding out, or a BlackBerry Z10 owner like most of us, this news brings tears of joy to our faces. Knowing that the device will soon be in our hands builds glorious excitement. AT&T users can head over to the link below and get in the know today!

Source: CrackBerry

Register for BlackBerry Q10 updates at AT&T here!

I can’t say enough good things about this speaker. Every year BlackBerry offers a handful of new accessories to go with their latest line of smartphones. This year they set the bar much higher with BlackBerry 10, hence the accessories have to be just as impressive. First came the BlackBerry Z10 cases, 3 different styles: Transform, Flip Shell & ‘Microfibre’ Pocket cases. Now the Mini Stereo Speaker.

After spending a few weeks with this one I’ve found every possible use to my advantage. From clipping it to my visor in the car to make & take phone calls to rocking out to playlists while making my kids brunch. There’s not much I haven’t done.

The Mini Stereo Speaker is also a real “portable” accessory. While lots of other Bluetooth speakers claim to be portable fact is they’re just too large for the everyday user to toss those in their pockets. Purse or man-bag maybe, but that’s why I bring this point up. BlackBerry made the Mini Stereo Speaker a real portable accessory. It clips onto just about anywhere. It’s lightweight but appears to be strong enough to take a decent fall. I won’t be testing that out however because I actually like this accessory and I do not have spare. My final verdict, this is a great addition to my BlackBerry lifestyle. Most Bluetooth speakers will run you anywhere from $130.00 to 300.00. The BlackBerry Mini Stereo Speaker is priced at $99.99. Not to bad for all these features in a real portable package. Get your own at the link below.

Purchase the Mini Stereo Speaker from BlackBerry here!

In the shuffle of BlackBerry Live, receiving the new BlackBerry Z10 a couple months back and all the accessories we’ve been reviewing some of our favorite new games/apps for BlackBerry 10 didn’t get their proper reviews. One of those games is Critical Wave for BlackBerry Z10 by Grannies Games. It’s $0.99 and one seriously awesome action-shooter!

Critical Wave v2.1 Features:

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oLB3wVWcnU

Gameplay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-IV9rqkxJ4

FEATURES

- Bosses that keep growing each level

- Many enemy types and mini bosses

- Upgrades and powerups

- Scoreloop integration

- Varied and intense gameplay, guaranteed to give hours of fun!

The cool thing about Critical Wave for me is that while it’s reminiscent of many other shooters over the years, the game maintains it’s originality and for me is a brand new game with exciting visuals, hordes of enemies and for those who choose to activate it – 3D effects. I wouldn’t personally recommend turning this option on if you have any medical issues related to blood glucose, seizures etc. As it does tend to process quickly and at times will even make hardcore users dizzy. If you’re not afraid and love to take it to the limits then by all mean head over to the Options> choose Advanced> tick the 3D Effect box> Accept> Play.

So far I’ve only tried Easy & Custom modes, they also have Hard as well as a Tutorial and the furthest I’ve made it to is level 9. Game play begins on level 0, with Custom allowing you to tick options specific to your needs. Also includes scoreboards across the map and Scoreloop integration.

Press play and you’re live. Timing is everything. One false move and you’re dead! 3 lives to get you going so be careful. Different weapons include: Vulcan, Laser, Shockwave, Special & Escalation. As you progress you will collect money to upgrade your weapon strength at any moment. Each weapon has a maxed out point but also keep in mind some weapons work better with different enemies and bosses. Enemies include: Triangles, Kamikazes, Border Defenders and many more. Each appear at specific times, places and react differently, move differently and strike quickly!

I’ve had Critical Wave in my top 3 games for a couple months now. I tend to update that list as often as possible and yet CW as remained. Easily one of the best dollars spent in BlackBerry World. Grab your own copy below and see if you can beat my top score!

Purchase Critical Wave from your BlackBerry Z10 here!

Update – Hours after this post went up, a couple well known BlackBerry developers reached out to us and let us know there was a issue (See CB Forum post here) where Moog Music would delete documents in the BlackBerry Z10 device storage. This issue was resolved quickly thanks to the developer, BlackBerry and the magic of the CB Forums. The new version v1.0.1.2 cab be purchased/updated in BlackBerry World here. Likewise at the end of this post.

• Animoog product page: http://www.moogmusic.com/animoogbb
• Moog Music website: http://www.moogmusic.com/
• Moog Music on Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/MoogMusicInc/
• Moog Music on Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/MoogMusicInc/

Tuesday morning at BlackBerry Live, BlackBerry announced a great new feature for BBM called BBM Channels. It’s much like a collection of mini-mobile blogs within BlackBerry Messenger. The new feature is an extension of BBM and is compatible with devices running OS 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 7.1, BlackBerry 10 & BlackBerry 10.1. Get the full scoop on BBM Channels here. You can download BBM Channels to your BlackBerry at www.blackberry.com/beta

Once you’re all set up with BBM Channels, should you prefer to give the new beta a spin you can then join our Berryfication BBM Channel here: C00045DA1 or simply scan the barcode in the image below.

We will be bringing lots of great news, giveaways, product news and much more via our BBM Channel starting tonight. If you follow either Berryfication @berryfication or myself at @rezn you know that I tend to share links to products before anyone else. There’s a couple reasons why I do this one is because developers let us know about new products, many we test via sandbox, as well I still have a couple tricks up my sleeve. So we can’t stress the importance of joining our channel to get in the know right away. I will be limiting my personal Twitter account to information after we’ve shared it on the BBM Channel. That way we can keep it a treat for our fans and avoid being uncredited on other sources.

So what are you waiting for? Join up! And enjoy!

I can’t express how happy I am to see Innovatology is finally able to release their much anticipated Files & Folders for BlackBerry 10. I picked up the BB10 version when it originally launched but some issues with BlackBerry 10 caused the app to be pulled by Innovatology. This bug rendered the app inoperable on some OS’s. If you’re still having an issue with Files & Folders it is recommended that you first uninstall it, reboot your device, reinstall and make sure you’re running 10.0.10.822 (Z10) or 10.1.0.1055 (Q10).

Files & Folders Version 6.3 for BB10 Features (May 7th, 2013)

Note: a bug in older versions of BB10 may prevent apps from opening. Uninstalling and reinstalling the app, or upgrading to 10.0.10.822 (Z10) or 10.1.0.1055 (Q10) should fix this.

Changed in Files & Folders v6.3 for BB10:

• NEW! Support for BlackBerry Q10′s smaller screen and standard shortcut keys.
• NEW! Trial version now available too
• NEW! Support for BlackBerry Link Remote File Access!
  • Requires BB10 version 10.1 or newer.
  • Install BlackBerry Link on your PC, and configure Remote File Access.
  • Enable BlackBerry Link in your phone settings, then tap Goto in Files & Folders.
  • Your remote folder should appear in the list.
  • If the folder is empty, tap Refresh.
• ENHANCED! Improved media player:
  • Plays music and media per folder, with next & prev track buttons
  • The media player continues playing when Files & Folders is in the background
  • Added portrait/landscape rotation support
  • Added support for hardware play/pause button
  • Added support for Now Playing popup
  • Files & Folders now pauses playback if another app needs to play media
• ENHANCED! Huge performance improvement for thumbnails of pictures on the device
• ENHANCED! Support for BB10 minimized operation:
  • Files & Folders now continues uploads/downloads even if mimimized
  • Tweaks to optimize battery usage when minimized
• FIXED! Worked around many OS bugs
• FIXED! Many other improvements, tweaks, bug fixes
• NOTE: Temporarily disabled zip and unzip while we upgrade to a new, much better mechanism

If you find a bug, please contact us by e-mail (bb.support@innovatology.nl). If you just post a review in BlackBerry World, we are unable to reply and offer support.
Files & Folders for BlackBerry 10 is compatible with both Q10 & Z10 devices currently, it offers 2 different themes (light & dark) and connects you directly to files in 8 different areas: Phone (device files), SD Card, Dropbox, Google (including Drive), Box.net, SugarSync and your PC (multiples).

PlayBook users will be right at home with this product as most users own it for PlayBook. The BlackBerry 10 version comes in a FREE TRIAL or you can pick up the full version for $1.99 in BlackBerry World. Keep in mind that Innovatology rebuilt Files & Folders to run on BlackBerry 10 and will continue to bring updates on a regular basis. They also offer excellent support should you have any questions, concerns or requests.

Pick up Files & Folders for BB10 here!

Download Files & Folders TRIAL for BB10 here!

BlackBerry New-App Wednesday – May 15th, 2013

BlackBerry let us know that the New-App Wednesday is officially out! With lots of great new products in multiple categories. A big standout for many users familiar with EA were excited to see Dead Space for BlackBerry 10. Priced at just $2.99 and maybe more fun the second time around. Dead Space is currently available for BlackBerry Z10.

Some of the other highlights that we’ve had time with include the game Little 3 Kingdoms, as well as the apps Bonfire Reader and Art Camera Native. I went through the Wednesday release and downloaded quite a few others. Check out the full scoop below.

BlackBerry Live is currently underway in Orlando, bringing together BlackBerry enthusiasts, business leaders, IT decision makers, developers and partners from around the world. Whether you’re at the show or have been streaming from home, we wanted to share the latest in BlackBerry 10 apps.  Don’t miss out on this week’s latest BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 apps in BlackBerry World:

BlackBerry Z10 Apps:

Gaming:

• Doodle Kingdom (JoyBits Ltd)
• Dead Space for BlackBerry 10 (Electronic Arts Inc.)

Navigation & Travel:

• P$ Service (Medias Transcontinental S.E.N.C.)*
• Asia Air Deals (TONY GML)*

Lifestyle:

• SG Lottery (sh2sg)*
• Ocado (Ocado Limited)
• Funky Pigeon (Funkypigeon.com)

BlackBerry Q10 Apps:

News & Information:

• · News24 (24.COM ONLINE STUDIO)

Photo & Utilities:

• · Magnum Photos (Magnum Photos)
• · Nedbank (Nedbank Limited)

Lifestyle & Entertainment

• · CineTrailer (DDM Srl)
• · E! Online (E! Entertainment Television Inc.)
• · Cineplex (Cineplex Entertainment)

Navigation & Travel:

• · Waytag (Waytag)
• · Wisepilot for Q10 (Appello Systems AB)
• · Rocketman (2028990 Ontario Inc.)

Sports:

• · Sports Tracker for Q10 (Sports Tracker)

*Also available on BlackBerry Q10

BlackBerry Dev Picks of the Week:

Here are the top 5 ‘must-haves’ apps according to our developers here at BlackBerry:

1. 1. Little 3 Kingdoms “Safe to say I am addicted to this game”
2. 2. Who Am I: Hidden Object Adventure “My kids really enjoy this, neat clues and also has 3D graphics”
3. 3. iChangi for BlackBerry 10 “Love this! Perfect for travelling”
4. 4. Bonfire Reader “A must have for lovers of eBooks”
5. 5. Art Camera Native “The filters on this are stunning”

Latest App News: Keep an eye out for BNL Mobile Banking, Wikitude, H&M and Endomondo apps which will be available on the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 in the upcoming weeks.  Also coming soon to the BlackBerry Q10: BBVA, LFP, Zara, and CNBC Alarm Clock apps!

Finalists for the Best Built for BlackBerry App Awards will be this week at BlackBerry Live!
For a look at all BlackBerry 10 apps, head to BlackBerry World.
For the latest BlackBerry news, press releases and headlines follow @BlackBerryNews on Twitter.

Multiplatform developers Union let us know today that they will be publishing their entire catalogue of games to BlackBerry 10 this month. This is awesome news for anyone that loves high quality games. Union games have continued to impress us since they first started porting to BlackBerry PlayBook.

The first wave of games to hit have already begun to show up on BlackBerry Z10.

Pick up Samurai II: Vengeance for $0.99 here: https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/62107/

Pick up CreaVures for $2.99 here: https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/18561213/

Pick up Dark Nebula: Episode One for $0.99 here: https://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/135864/

Pick up the first wave of Union games for BlackBerry Z10 (Q10 coming soon) here!

BlackBerry’s final press release from Marketwire today let us know that BlackBerry will begin letting developers & partners team up with Flurry and Flurry Analytics for BlackBerry 10 via Flurry Analytics SDK and the Flurry Analytics Dashboard which will enable them to bring users the highest quality applications.

Customers and users are already quite impressed with the BlackBerry 10 platform. Adding Flurry Analytics SDK will only improve what we’ve already come to cherish, keeping the future bright for partners and developers. More great news! Get deeper with the full press release below.

Analytics helps by telling you two very important pieces of information:

Who is using your application?

The Flurry Analytics service will report the following information about the user/user’s device by default:

• Locale set on the device
• Time Zone
• Approximate location
• Device name (ex “BlackBerry Z10”)
• Device OS version
• Carrier

And can also be configured by you to report:

• The version of the app being used
• The user’s geolocation (with permission from the user)
• The user’s gender (if supplied by the user)
• The user’s age (if supplied by the user)
• The user ID (if used by your application)
  
  

May 14, 2013

BlackBerry and Flurry announce Flurry Analytics for BlackBerry 10

BlackBerry developers now have access to industry leading analytics tool

ORLANDO, FLORIDA–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry Live 2013 – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) and Flurry announced today Flurry Analytics for BlackBerry(R) 10 is expected to become available by the end of Q2. Flurry Analytics is a tool developers can easily integrate with their apps to enable access to user data. It provides developers a consolidated dashboard across multiple platforms for convenience and control with a deeper understanding of audience demographics, customer acquisition, user engagement and purchasing patterns. Flurry Analytics will enable BlackBerry 10 app developers to establish performance benchmarks against category and overall market as well as deepen customer insights to improve monetization and retention strategies.

“We’re excited to work with Flurry to provide our partners and developers with the Flurry Analytics SDK and the Flurry Analytics Dashboard, which will help enable them to bring high quality apps that customers can enjoy on the BlackBerry 10 platform,” said Martyn Mallick, VP Global Alliances and Business Development.

“Flurry is proud to support the vibrant BlackBerry 10 developer community as they adopt the new platform,” said Simon Khalaf, Flurry CEO. “Flurry is equally proud to support platform providers so committed to innovation in the mobile app ecosystem.”

Developers can register to download the SDK here: http://www.flurry.com/flurry-analytics.html.

Additional information for developers, including instructions, can be found here: http://devblog.blackberry.com/2013/05/flurry-analytics-blackberry-10/.

About Flurry

Flurry helps app owners measure, advertise and monetize apps in the new app economy. The company’s comprehensive measurement and advertising platform reaches over 1 billion monthly unique smartphone and tablet devices across iOS, Android and other platforms. More than 100,000 companies use Flurry advertising and analytics services across more than 300,000 apps.

Well it’s not exactly BBM updated. But BBM Channels does add new layers of social communications, news, interaction and so much more.

I’ve had a little bit of time to play around with BBM Channels, added most of the featured channels, even accepted a couple private invites. I’m already preparing our own channel. And my excitement lies in the ease of use. From a channel creation process this looks like it will be easier than building even a web application for your blog. Just add a couple images for your channel and away you go!

As for interacting and being involved in other users channels I admit I love this new addition to BBM! They’ve even made it available to the older BBOS devices running 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 7.1 & now BlackBerry 10 and 10.1.

So far as a follower to a BBM Channel you can get direct news the moment the Channel admin posts it. You can add a thumbs up/like as well as leave a polite comment. Hopefully BlackBerry users can keep their trolling attitudes clear of this new environment, as BlackBerry has already made it clear that foul language and/or innuendo will not be tolerated. As long as you can abide by that simple request we think this will be a wonderful new place to get great content and share our own! Get the full scoop below.

May 14, 2013

BBM Now Lets You Tune In to the People and Communities That Matter To You with BBM Channels

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – For the times when you want to share experiences beyond your friends or engage the communities you care about, BlackBerry(R) is taking its globally popular mobile social network, BlackBerry(R) Messenger (BBM(TM)), up a notch with new functionality called BBM Channels. BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today announced the beta launch of BBM Channels, a new social engagement platform within BBM that will allow people to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about.

“BBM is the best way to stay connected, and with today’s announcement, we’re again expanding the capabilities of the service to provide a deeper real-time engagement experience for people to connect with brands, business, and communities that matter most to them,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of Software Product Management and Ecosystem at BlackBerry. “With over 60 million highly engaged customers using BBM, content creators have a great opportunity to build deeper relationships, enhance their brands, and connect in new ways.”

BBM Channels allows individuals and groups to create a dedicated channel and share information and updates with the immediacy that BBM offers. BBM customers around the world will be able to connect and share information, broadcast about themselves to their channel, or join their favorite communities and share their experiences of the channel with their BBM contacts.

Starting today, BBM customers can connect and share the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team on their BBM Channels. BlackBerry is working with leading global brands around the world to help them build and promote exciting new BBM Channel offerings.

BBM Channels features:

– Create a channel – Create, edit and publish in an instant, and there are

no limits to the number of followers you can have in your channel.

Securely manage your channel from either a BlackBerry smartphone or the

web.

– Discover channels – BBM Channels includes a carousel that lets you

discover new channels. You can share channel invites within a BBM chat,

and people can be added or invited using the channel’s PIN or QR code.

– View – View profiles for each BBM Channel you choose to follow.

– Subscribe – Subscribing to a channel allows the channel owner to send

you timely and relevant updates, giving the subscriber instant access to

your news, deals, events or whatever you want to communicate.

Subscribers can choose to receive notifications when new posts are

available.

– Participate – Participate and engage in conversations with your favorite

people or communities by “Commenting” and “Liking” posts from channels

you subscribe to. Channel owners have the option to directly chat one-

on-one with a subscriber.

– Monitor engagement – Easily use built-in measuring tools to assess and

monitor follower engagement and interaction.

Today, BlackBerry also announced plans to bring BBM to iOS(R) and Android(TM) users this summer. BlackBerry expects that iOS and Android users will also be able to experience BBM Channels later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play.

BBM with BBM Channels is now available in beta for BlackBerry(R) 10 smartphones, as well as BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry(R) 5 OS through 7.1. For BlackBerry OS customers(i), BBM Channels is part of the new BBM version 8, which also offers enhanced navigation tools, with tabbed viewing for quick and easy access to contacts, chats, groups, recent updates and BBM Channels. Furthermore, it allows the option to share your enhanced profile information with BBM contacts or within invitations. The beta releases can be downloaded for free on BlackBerry Beta Zone(ii). Customers can sign up to BlackBerry Beta Zone for free at www.BlackBerry.com/betazone. For more information about BBM, please visit www.blackberry.com/bbm.

(i)BBM requires a BlackBerry service plan on BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS.

(ii)BlackBerry Beta Zone is not available in all markets.

In some of the most wild news today, BlackBerry announced that they will finally bring their smoking gun BBM to cross-platform. Yes that’s right iOS and Android users will finally have access to the most intuitive and secure instant messaging client in the world, BBM. An application some users say they have stuck with BlackBerry because of. But the way I look at it, as of now is that it would make iPhone a lot more attractive as a BlackBerry user. Plus I’ll then be able to BBM my Mom on her Android, friends on their iPhones and so on.

We honestly didn’t think BlackBerry would bring BBM cross-platform. But with BlackBerry 10 phones currently in our hands and our thirst constantly being quenched I see no reason that BlackBerry users will go to another platform just for BBM. As you can’t experience everything BlackBerry 10 has to offer with only BBM in your arsenal. Get the full scoop below!

May 14, 2013

BBM for iOS and Android to Launch This Summer

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today announced plans to make its ground-breaking mobile social network, BlackBerry(R) Messenger (BBM(TM)), available to iOS(R) and Android(TM) users this summer, with support planned for iOS6, and Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher, all subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play. BBM sets the standard for mobile instant messaging with a fast, reliable, engaging experience that includes delivered and read statuses, and personalized profiles and avatars. Upon release, BBM customers would be able to broaden their connections to include friends, family and colleagues on other mobile platforms.

In the planned initial release, iOS and Android users would be able to experience the immediacy of BBM chats, including multi-person chats, as well as the ability to share photos and voice notes, and engage in BBM Groups, which allows BBM customers to create groups of up to 30 people.

“For BlackBerry, messaging and collaboration are inseparable from the mobile experience, and the time is definitely right for BBM to become a multi-platform mobile service. BBM has always been one of the most engaging services for BlackBerry customers, enabling them to easily connect while maintaining a valued level of personal privacy. We’re excited to offer iOS and Android users the possibility to join the BBM community,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, Software Product Management and Ecosystem, at BlackBerry.

BBM is loved by customers for its “D” and “R” statuses, which show up in chats to let people know with certainty that their message has been delivered and read. It provides customers with a high level of control and privacy over who they add to their contact list and how they engage with them, as invites are two-way opt-in. iOS and Android users would be able to add their contacts through PIN, email, SMS or QR code scan, regardless of platform. Android users would also be able to connect using a compatible NFC-capable device.

BBM has more than 60 million monthly active customers, with more than 51 million people using BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps. Almost half of BBM messages are read within 20 seconds of being received; indicating how truly engaged BBM customers are.

Today, BlackBerry also announced BBM Channels, a new social engagement platform within BBM that will allow customers to connect with the businesses, brands, celebrities and groups they are passionate about. BlackBerry plans to add support for BBM Channels as well as voice and video chatting for iOS and Android later this year, subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play.

If approved by Apple and Google, the BBM app will be available as a free download in the Apple(R) App Store(SM) and Google Play store. Additional details about system requirements and availability will be announced closer to the launch.

BlackBerry has continued to keep their minds open and shown equality among women and multiple cultures the world over. Their new BlackBerry Scholars Program is designed to help young women engage their talents in multiple areas while offering full. four-year tuition scholarships to those outstanding women who qualify. BlackBerry will also provide mentorship and professional opportunities for those scholars who qualify.

Read all about how BlackBerry does it better below.

May 14, 2013

BlackBerry Scholars Program Established to Engage More Women Across the Globe in Areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math

Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, Champions Women’s Education and Empowerment

ORLANDO, FLORIDA and WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – Today, BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) launched the new BlackBerry Scholars Program, designed to inspire more women to enter and develop careers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The program was unveiled by BlackBerry’s Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys, at BlackBerry Live in Orlando, Florida.

The BlackBerry Scholars Program will provide full, four-year tuition scholarships to outstanding women globally who are seeking degrees at accredited colleges and universities in the areas of STEM with a particular interest or aptitude in the area of mobile computing. This scholarship program is the first step in BlackBerry’s long-term commitment and multi-tiered strategy to engage young women at every step of their education from high school to college, and as they rise through the workforce.

While significantly more women enroll and graduate college than men, only 8.6% of women graduate with computer engineering degrees. When they enter the workforce, 25% of US IT jobs are held by women, and 56% of these women eventually leave the field of technology for other careers. As more than 55% of BlackBerry customers are women, BlackBerry aims to champion this generation of female leaders as they strive to achieve their ambitions in this highly-competitive industry.

“Women are underrepresented in fields of science and tech, and we feel strongly that it’s time to support a change,” said BlackBerry Global Creative Director, Alicia Keys. “It’s important to connect the dots for young women in high school and college and show them that careers in science and technology are within their reach. And when women do land these jobs, it’s vital they receive the tools and support they need to advance in their careers. I’m proud BlackBerry is demonstrating leadership in women’s education, both in school and in the workplace, and giving back to its most loyal users in such a profound way.”

In addition to providing full, four-year course tuition, BlackBerry will also offer mentorship and professional opportunities for each of the scholars. The scholars will be selected based on their academic merit and passion for entering the mobile computing industry. A panel of inspirational and accomplished women, led by Alicia Keys, will choose the applicants from the pool of nominations submitted before the deadline of 5pm EDT on June 26, 2013.

For more information about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, please visit www.blackberry.com/scholars.

More goodies! This one is for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 10. Which is now BES 10 Version 10.1 and available for download today. Check out the full press release below.

FULL PRESS RELEASE:

May 14, 2013

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Version 10.1 Now Available for Download

Multi-platform Enterprise Mobility Management solution adds new “Regulated-level” IT policy controls, simplified implementation with single-server deployment

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today announced BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, an update to BlackBerry’s multi-platform Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution that provides device and app management for BYOD and corporate-owned BlackBerry(R), iOS(R) and Android(TM) devices. Today’s update brings new “Regulated-level” IT policy controls and settings for government agencies and customers in regulated industries who require an advanced level of security, control and logging of BlackBerry(R) 10 smartphones. It also allows customers to support BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry OS smartphones from a single server.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 is free to download and existing BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server 5 customers can exchange their client access licenses for free through 2013(i). To date, 12,000 BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 servers have been installed by customers around the world.

Key features of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1

– Regulated-level EMM. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1

provides customers with an optional set of extended IT policy settings

and controls that restricts the use of a BlackBerry 10 smartphone for

work only (does not allow personal apps and content).

– Simplified deployment for a lower total cost of ownership. Following a

simple installation process, customers will be able to use BlackBerry

Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 to manage BlackBerry 10 smartphones,

BlackBerry(R) PlayBook(TM) tablets, iOS and Android devices, as well as

earlier model BlackBerry smartphones. Upgrading to BlackBerry Enterprise

Service 10 version 10.1 is simple and intuitive, and existing BlackBerry

Enterprise Server 5 customers can quickly upgrade to BlackBerry

Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 with no firewall changes.

– Dashboard & reporting. New dashboard capabilities provide an “at-a-

glance” graphical view of information and statistics associated with the

customer’s complete fleet of devices, providing administrators with

immediate access to the information they need. The dashboard displays a

high level overview of information such as a device deployment summary

by platform and carrier, device compliance state, application

deployments, and more.

– High Availability. All components of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

can now be deployed in a highly available active/passive configuration,

similar to the high availability support offered by BlackBerry

Enterprise Server 5.0. It offers simple, easy to configure threshold

settings and improved failover performance.

– BlackBerry Support is now included as standard. Care(ii) now comes as

standard with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 deployments(iii),

providing 12×5 telephone access to BlackBerry experts, responsive online

support, access to training, productivity and diagnostic tools. Extended

technical support offerings are available.

“The new Regulated-level EMM options in BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 give our government and high-security customers the advanced settings they need to have complete control of the BlackBerry 10 smartphones connected to their networks,” said David J Smith, EVP, Enterprise Mobile Computing. “Extending BlackBerry security, device and application management to iOS and Android frees our customers from the need to invest in multiple device management technologies, giving them an easy and cost-effective upgrade path to a solution that supports their entire mobile environment globally.”

“BlackBerry remains the only mobile solution that has a significant focus on security and business,” said Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst, Enderle Group. “This allows BlackBerry to stand out positively in a market dominated by consumer focused solutions and appeal to those that rank work and productivity as more important. They also provide the fastest solution which has proven critical to those where seconds mean dollars or lives.”

On the Road Map for Enterprises

Announced in March 2013 and scheduled to be available at the end June 2013, a further update of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 is intended to extend BlackBerry security capabilities for data-at-rest and data-in-transit and provide complete separation between work and personal data and applications for iOS and Android devices. Subject to approval by the Apple App Store and Google Play, as applicable, the new BlackBerry Secure Work Space for iOS and Android solution would include client applications that secure email, calendar, contacts, tasks, memos, browsing and document editing for the device provisioned with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. It would also introduce BlackBerry’s single outbound port solution, aimed at greatly simplifying firewall configuration and giving customers a more secure, simple, cost effective and VPN-less infrastructure to reliably manage all of their mobile devices. Additionally, customers would be able to “app wrap” to secure additional applications to run within BlackBerry Secure Work Space through simple interfaces made available with the product. The solution is currently in closed beta with BlackBerry customers and partners worldwide.

For companies that don’t require behind the firewall app and browsing access, application management, or advanced security and controls, BlackBerry 10 smartphones support ActiveSync, providing organizations a fast and easy solution for synchronizing with Microsoft(R) Exchange(R), IBM(R) Notes(R) Traveler, Novell(R) GroupWise(R), Hotmail(R), Microsoft(R) Office365(TM), and Google Apps(TM). This is an attractive option for SMBs and larger companies that don’t require the comprehensive controls and settings offered by BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and are looking for a fast, cost effective way to connect BlackBerry 10 smartphones to their enterprise messaging systems.

Availability

The BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software is available as a free download at http://us.blackberry.com/business/software/bes-10.html. Annual client access licenses (CALs) are free for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 customers trading up existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 CALs through 2013(i), or can be purchased for $59 per year per device. For Regulated-level EMM capabilities, additional carrier charges may apply.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software is also available as a sixty (60) day free trial including 20 CALs and can be downloaded here.

The BlackBerry 10 Ready Program continues to run with offers, information and resources to help organizations make the transition to BlackBerry 10 fast, easy, and cost effective. A new free upgrade offer from BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4 to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 is now available, saving customers the $995 software upgrade fee. BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 is required in order to manage BlackBerry OS smartphones through BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, and existing customers can still take advantage of the free license exchange program at http://ca.blackberry.com/business/blackberry-10/blackberry-10-ready.html, which is available until December 31, 2013.(i)

(i) Terms and conditions apply. Subject to change without notice. For more information visit: www.blackberry.com/licensetradeup.

(ii) For customers wanting access to higher levels of support, priority queuing, account management and strategic services, BlackBerry Technical Support Services are available.

(iii) Deployment includes installation of the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software and purchase of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Client Access Licenses. Only new 10.1 annual licenses are eligible for Care, which is for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 support only.

With so much news today about BlackBerry 10/10.1 it may be easy to overlook some details. But one thing we won’t look over is the new BlackBerry Q5 coming to select markets. They’ve already announced it will come in 4 color options: Black, White, Red & Pink. This will be a lower end BlackBerry 10 smartphone, but by the looks of it they won’t slack on the beautiful graphics. From the looks of this new Q5 it would appear to be very thin as well. Reminds me of the Casio calculator watches that I loved as a kid. What color will you choose?

FULL PRESS RELEASE HERE:

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) today introduced the BlackBerry(R) Q5, a new youthful and fun BlackBerry(R) 10 smartphone for selected markets. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone features a QWERTY keyboard with discrete keys in a stunning youthful design that is confident, fun, and bold. Every feature, every part of the BlackBerry Q5 has been built to provide a fast, effortless experience that flows and moves with you to help you explore, create, and share while on the go.

“BlackBerry is excited to bring a new BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone, the BlackBerry Q5, to our customers in selected markets around world,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of BlackBerry. “The BlackBerry Q5 gives you the best of everything with its cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 functionality and a physical QWERTY keyboard. It is for youthful fans that are passionate, confident and bold, and it makes it easy for them to have fun, create, share and stay connected.”

As part of the BlackBerry 10 experience, the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone offers a powerful and unique mobile computing experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Features and apps work seamlessly together, allowing your every move to flow into the next. Highlights of the BlackBerry Q5 smartphone include:

The evolution of the classic BlackBerry Keyboard

The BlackBerry Q5 features a classic BlackBerry Keyboard with discrete keys that has been re-engineered and elegantly designed to help you type fast, accurately and with the least amount of effort. Plus with Instant Action shortcuts you can type to perform tasks faster. The BlackBerry Q5 smartphone gives you the best of both worlds – a classic QWERTY keyboard for optimized communications and a 3.1″ touchscreen for all the rest.

Create the perfect shot with BlackBerry Time Shift mode and Story Maker

Create the picture perfect shot with BlackBerry(R) Time Shift mode, then create and share your story, weaving together your photos, videos and music into a movie with BlackBerry(R) Story Maker.

Share and be seen with BBM Video with Screen Share

Instantly switch your BBM(TM) (BlackBerry(R) Messenger) chat to a BBM Video conversation and catch up face-to-face. You can even share your screen, whether it’s a photo, a page in the browser, an idea, or a view from your camera.

Stay close to what’s important to you with BlackBerry Hub

With BlackBerry(R) Hub, all of your messages and social conversations are only one swipe away. There’s no need to stop what you’re doing. Simply peek into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere with a swipe to effortlessly flow in and out of your messages and conversations.

BlackBerry World delivers a rich, thriving app and content ecosystem

Discovering and sharing great apps and content is easier than ever with recommendations based on similar purchases, and access to more than 100,000 apps on the BlackBerry(R) World(TM) storefront.

Pricing and Availability

The new BlackBerry Q5 smartphone will be available in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia (including the Asia Pacific region), and Latin America, with expected availability beginning in July.

For more information BlackBerry 10, please visit www.blackberry.com/blackberry10.

For those of you who haven’t sneaked an early peak at BlackBerry 10.1, BlackBerry let us know that the update was coming. We’re already hearing that many users have already gotten it. CrackBerry has already confirmed that many of the Canadian carriers are already showing 10.1 here. Those carriers include: Bell, TELUS & Rogers so far. A great many users couldn’t wait and went a head and installed leaked versions of this OS which we never recommend doing nor do we condone it. Also those who own the BlackBerry Q10 will also be familiar with the treats found in BlackBerry 10.1. Either way you can bet we’re excited to see and experience the new OS on our Z10′s as soon as possible. Get the full details of 10.1 below!

BlackBerry 10.1 for the BlackBerry Z10 Smartphone – It Keeps Getting Better to Keep You Moving

BlackBerry® 10 is designed to learn and adapt to the way you work. It helps you be faster, more efficient and more effective. It keeps moving with you to help you be more successful. And now there’s an update. With BlackBerry 10.1, it keeps getting better. BlackBerry 10.1 introduces a number of enhancements to make the overall BlackBerry 10 experience even better and updating to BlackBerry 10.1 is free and easy to do from your BlackBerry Z10 over a Wi-Fi network.

Highlights of BlackBerry 10.1

BlackBerry Hub manages all of your conversations

BlackBerry Hub helps you stay organized, in control and on top of all of your conversations, and with BlackBerry 10.1, it just keeps getting better. You can now view emails that are attached to another email, get contact suggestions when you start addressing a message, and send PIN to PIN messages for direct communication between BlackBerry smartphones.

Personalize your Notifications

BlackBerry 10.1 allows you to set up personalized notifications for your contacts and accounts. Customize ringtones, vibrations and the LED light for calls or message from each of your friends, family or colleagues. You can also set up a different notification for different accounts (such as for different email accounts, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

Click to call

You can now click on a phone number in an email or BBM message to call the number or copy and paste it right onto the dialer screen in the phone app.

Better cursor control

BlackBerry 10.1 offers better cursor control making it easier to accurately place the cursor and select text. Just tap once to bring up the cursor control, grab the blue circle and drag it around to the insertion point that you want. Improved visual feedback lets you know where you’re pointing. You can also tap either side of the circle to move forward or backward one character at a time.

Improved picture capturing

BlackBerry 10.1 adds an HDR (high dynamic range) shooting mode for taking beautiful images in tricky lighting conditions. High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode takes multiple pictures at different exposure levels and layers them automatically to produce a single photo that combines the best of the dark and light areas. It also includes improved red eye and golden eye reduction in the picture editor.

More to discover with BlackBerry 10.1

You’ll find a number of new enhancements across the BlackBerry 10 OS like landscape support for the calendar, easier international dialing and so much more. The first step to discovering these new features on your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is to update your BlackBerry 10 software.

Updating is easy

Updating to BlackBerry 10.1 is free and easy to do. To update your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone to BlackBerry 10.1 look for the alert in the notifications section of the BlackBerry Hub. You can also check for software updates through the software updates section in the Settings menu or through the BlackBerry Link desktop software. The download will happen in the background and the update will be applied without needing to back up your smartphone. All of your information remains safe. For more information on how to update your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, visit www.BlackBerry.com/update.

Availability

BlackBerry 10.1 comes preloaded on BlackBerry Q10 smartphones, and will be available as an update for BlackBerry Z10 smartphones as a free download. Please check with your local carrier for availability.

Helpful Links:

For more information on BlackBerry 10, please visit: BlackBerry 10.

In other great news The Keep Moving Experience will also be available for streaming via live stream, and features the talents of Alicia Keys, Alabama Shakes, Miguel, Maria Gadu amd Cefric Gervais. This will be available beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET also at www.blackberrylive.com.

Full Press Release below

May 14, 2013

BlackBerry to Webcast Keynote and Alicia Keys Performance from Orlando

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – May 14, 2013) – BlackBerry(R) (NASDAQ:BBRY)(TSX:BB) will webcast news from its annual conference in Orlando today. BlackBerry President & CEO Thorsten Heins will kick off the show with a keynote presentation accessible via live stream beginning at 9 a.m. ET on the BlackBerry Live website: www.blackberrylive.com.

The Keep Moving Experience produced by Alicia Keys, BlackBerry’s new Global Creative Director, will also be streamed live and include performances by Alicia Keys, Alabama Shakes, Miguel, Maria Gadu, and Cedric Gervais. The entertainment from Universal Studios will be accessible via webcast beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET: www.blackberrylive.com.

harmon.ie let us know recently that their Office 265 Client Apps were now ready for BlackBerry 10 smartphones today. Including both Q10 & Z10 models. We couldn’t be more excited about these products, so I figure it best that you read everything their is to know about harmon.ie. Get the full skinny below.

Users demand the same productive experience from their applications wherever they are, and on whatever device they are using. With these newest smartphone apps, harmon.ie and BlackBerry are targeting the busy information workers who want to actually “use” their device and not just “bring” it to work. Now, these workers can securely and efficiently access, edit and share documents from the cloud and collaborate in real-time in a social environment.

Key harmon.ie for BlackBerry Benefits:

- Access to SharePoint on the go – Access and navigate SharePoint sites from your mobile device. Anytime, anywhere.
- Improved project management – Get real-time updates as colleagues edit important documents such as proposals and contracts.
- Reach out to the last document  contributor with one click. No more need to call or email to check on project progress.
- Significant productivity boost – No need to wait till you are back at the office. Accessing the information you want and share it with colleagues from the road.
- Drive adoption of SharePoint social networks  – Users can access their social network by locating colleagues from their SharePoint and local mobile device contact lists.

Key harmon.ie for BlackBerry Features:

- Document sharing, browsing and managing
- Real-time collaboration
- Social features such as searching for people, viewing social profiles and an enhanced view of colleague profiles
- Authentication and security including Windows and Form-based authentication support and passcode lock support.

See the Full Press Release here!

Download harmon.ie Office 365 Client Apps for BlackBerry 10 here!

Well we’re almost there now. BlackBerry promised the best apps for BlackBerry 10. And this morning I noticed the Skype Preview was available on my BlackBerry Z10 running an OS10.1. Which is a leaked OS. We don’t usually recommend installing leaked Operating Systems. However for those users like myself that are willing to take that risk, Skype’s new preview for BlackBerry 10 will now be available to you on Z10 too.

One of the best treats to go along with the Skype Preview is a FREE 3-Month Unlimited World Subscription from BlackBerry! If you have a Q10 or Dev Alpha C you’ve likely already taken advantage of this deal. With this voucher users can make calls to up to 60 countries worldwide. So what are you waiting for? Z10/Q10 users on 10.1 go get your Skype on!

Download Skype Preview to your BlackBerry 10.1 Z10 & Q10 here!

Yes it’s no surprise that I love my BlackBerry Z10. Maybe more than the BlackBerry Q10, however this I cannot admit to as I haven’t received my Q10 just yet. Sure I’m impatiently waiting, but the BlackBerry Dev C has whet my appetite. So as for the accessories right now you may have noticed we’re reviewing them constantly! So many great products to protect your new BlackBerry Z10. But this time we’ve got our hearts set on our Mom’s, your Mom’s, Fashions to keep Mom’s looking great from Mother’s Day and throughout the year.

We thought it best to start this guide off first with one of our favorite new accessories. The new BlackBerry Mini Stereo Speaker. It’s pocket-sized, loud, wearable, wireless via Bluetooth version 3.0, takes calls hands-free and is a ton of fun to use. I must say this one was a nice surprise and has come in handy for me, especially in social circles and situations where I want to show off YouTube videos, watch current events, movies, full length videos, songs and more.

The BlackBerry Mini Stereo Speaker clips right onto my manbag strap, square in the middle of my chest. It’s neat to be able to amplify the BlackBerry Z10 speaker to a loud wireless speaker which comes in at about half the size of the Z10 and about twice as thick.

Another standout feature for me and likely our Moms will be the Call Tasks feature. I clipped the Mini Stereo Speaker onto my visor inside my Subaru, connected to my Z10, dropped the BlackBerry into my pocket and I was ready. No need to access your BlackBerry. Make a call at the press of a button and your voice.

As you motor-on you can make calls, answer calls, end, mute, redial last number, increase/decrease the volume. You can even handle simultaneous calls. Examples include answer a second call, return to the first call, toggle between calls, join two call and ignore a call. Yep all this can be done by the press of button and in certain instances the sound of your voice.

The new BlackBerry accessories are really top shelf. After spending a few weeks staring at them while I patiently waited for the Z10 to arrive all I could do was imagine what life would be like with the option to switch through each case.

The Transform Cases were an immediate crowd pleaser. But ultimately my favorite would go on to become the Microfibre Pocket. The Flip Shells are also quite perfect for those days that you’ll need your Z10 for about half the day. Especially with the Sleep magnet inside the flap. Much like the Pocket Cases it still offers a fair amount of protection too.

Transform Cases let you lay your Z10 out in a landscape display. This is useful for watching YouTube videos, Movies purchased over BlackBerry App World, or just keeping your BlackBerry Z10 close by. I really believe Mom’s will find something useful with any of the 3 case styles that BlackBerry currently offers for this device.

The new BlackBerry Z10: the gift of organization and style, perfect for Mother’s Day

The sleek, elegant BlackBerry Z10 is a great gift for the hyper-connected and tech-savvy mom looking to balance work and family, capture memories and keep the kids entertained. Whether it’s scheduling a weekend full of activities or snapping the perfect picture, the BlackBerry Z10 has everything busy moms want and need. Just take a look at some of these highlights below!

Stay Organized
BlackBerry Hub is a single place to keep track of all her conversations, from personal or work email, to BBM™ messages, to social media updates and notifications. Moms can also “peek” into the BlackBerry Hub from anywhere on the phone, so they are only ever one swipe away from what matters most. Most users have found the Hub to be a gorgeous and intuitive experience.

Capture Precious Moments

Time Shift lets Mom pinpoint and adjust elements of a picture to get that perfect shot. With Time Shift mode, scroll back a few frames to open one kid’s eyes and then forward to catch another kid smiling – creating the picture perfect family moment. Built-in photo editing features in Picture Editor allows Mom to apply filters and enhance your photos quickly and easily. This feature will keep not only Mom’s happy, but it will make their friends envious of her new BlackBerry Z10 too. No other smartphone does photos like this.

Share Those Precious Moments

Once she has a photo, tap “share” and easily send through social channels, email, text and more. BlackBerry Story Maker makes it easier than ever to share travel experiences with friends and family at home. It enables her to pull in videos, photos and music to make an HD-quality movie in minutes. Then share with friends on Facebook, Twitter or via BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). Just wait till she thanks you for this feature. Who wouldn’t adore this unique feature?

Entertain

Get access to a wide range of entertainment options with BlackBerry World. Download or rent movies and television shows to watch while waiting in a waiting room or at home connected to the TV via HDMI. Grab some music or a new game. She can also access BlackBerry Newsstand for the latest magazine issues from Condé Nast, Hearst and many other major publications.

To really show your appreciation for Mom, package the BlackBerry Z10 with an accessory like we spoke of before!

BlackBerry Z10 Cases

BlackBerry Flip Shell: When closed, the flip closure and hard shell protect both the front and back of the smartphone. With two different orientations, Mom can remain productive in any environment. It is available for $24.99.

BlackBerry Transform Shell: The ultra-thin shell folds in half, so when it’s time to charge or sync your BlackBerry smartphone, just fold the shell and pop your smartphone on the dock. Flexible design also functions as a stand for movie viewing and reading! It is available for $34.99.

BlackBerry Microfiber Pocket: Mom can protect her BlackBerry smartphone and extend battery life with the high-grade, hand-crafted microfiber BlackBerry Pocket, with a slot on the outside of the pocket for easy carrying of, and access to, credit cards and ID. It is available for $24.99

Yes you read that right. Seidio and Berryfication have teamed up to offer one lucky person 5 Seidio Accessories (including Combos, Holsters, Ultimate Screen Guards etc). You win you choose which products meet your fancy. Pretty cool right? And as you can see from our previous post after sampling 2 of their brand new cases for the BlackBerry Z10 we couldn’t be less thrilled about this Giveaway.

Currently SEIDIO offers all these accessories for BlackBerry Z10 users:

The Ultimate Screen Guard – Crystal Clear – single pack for $9.95 here
The Ultimate Screen Guard – Crystal Clear – two pack for $14.95 here

Convert with Metal Kickstand Combo – for $54.95 here
Convert with Metal Kickstand Value Pack – for $74.95 here
Convert Add-on Kit for use with Seidio SURFACE with Metal Kickstand – for $29.95 here

The PRIME Battery Power Case – for $49.95 here

Spring-Clip Holster – for  $29.95 here

SURFACE Case – available in 4 color options – for $29.95 here
SURFACE Combo – available in 4 color options – for $49.95 here
SURFACE Case with Metal Kickstand – available in 4 color options – for $34.95 here
SURFACE Case with Metal Kickstand Combo – available in 4 color options – for $54.95 here

ACTIVE with Metal Kickstand – available in 5 color options – for $34.95 here
ACTIVE Combo with Metal Kickstand – available in 5 color options – for $54.95 here

ACTIVE Holster – for $29.95 here

SURFACE Holster – for $29.95 here

All you need to do to qualify to is leave a comment letting us know which of Seidio’s new BlackBerry Z10 accessories looks the best to you and why. One lucky winner will receive 5 Seidio Accessories of your choice. The winner will be announced next week! Good luck to everyone. Big thank you to Seidio once again.

I have been dying to review the new Seidio cases for BlackBerry Z10. Luckily enough I was able to obtain both the ACTIVE Combo & SURFACE Combo Cases. As per usual Seidio wastes no time and sent me the cases previous to the Holsters. Those came shortly thereafter, and in my opinion rounded off the ACTIVE Case with Metal Kickstand off nicely.  The ACTIVE Case is available in 1 of 2 options & each is available in 5 colors: BLACK, GLOSSED WHITE, GARNET RED, AMETHYST & ROYAL BLUE. The options are the ACTIVE Case with Metal Kickstand for $34.95 & the ACTIVE Combo with Metal Kickstand for $54.95 which includes their patented ACTIVE Holster which retails for $29.95 alone.

FEATURES

ACTIVE^® with Metal Kickstand case
- Overall thickness of only 2.2 mm
- Magnetic kickstand provides convenience by easily snapping back in when not in use
- Interior casing made from impact absorbing polymer and exterior skeleton provides extra protection at impact points
- Easy to put in and pull out of your pocket or purse and grooves for easy gripping
- Compatible with ACTIVE^® holster

The built-in metal kickstand can be used in landscape orientation for a hands free experience when viewing multimedia, managing photo slideshows, and displaying clocks and calendars. ACTIVE^® with Metal kickstand does not support device in portrait orientation

ACTIVE Holster^®
- Felt-lined holster with face-in design keeps your BlackBerry Z10 safe
- Unique spring clip lifts for quick access and easy removal
- Adjustable swivel belt clip with 7 rotating angles
- Magnet in holster enables BlackBerry sleeper function
- For use with ACTIVE^® with Metal Kickstand cases only

Seidio Cases have always been somewhat of a treat for me. I’ve owned 2 or more for every BlackBerry device I’ve had rolling all the way back to the Storm 9500 & Bold 9650. Move forward to 2013 and we find RIM has become simply BlackBerry and the hardware is the best it’s ever been. This gave technology companies like Seidio a chance to do something different. Taking the Z10 and giving it a sleeker more attractive line of accessories.

I just had to go with their newly available ‘GLOSSED WHITE’ ACTIVE Case. After having enjoyed their 4 other colors on varies BlackBerry’s over the years I just couldn’t resist something new all the way around. And I was not disappointed. Allow me to take you through my experience..

Unboxing, Installation & Removal – SEIDIO sends their review unit products in a smart red box. However they do not ship retail units with screen protectors or lint free cleaning clothes. You  can purchase their Ultimate Screen Guard from Seidioonline.com however separately. It comes in a Crystal Clear one-pack for $9.95 here. As well as a Crystal Clear two-pack for $14.95 here. I highly recommend picking one of them up.

Now for installation. First step is always to clean your BlackBerry Z10 with a lint free cloth. As I said this is not provided but most users have one already. If not you can pick one up for just a few dollars just about anywhere. Once clean you’ll want to slip the Z10 into the polymer interior casing first. Only thing to pay attention to hear is to make sure you don’t put it on upsidedown. The final step is to lay the polymer piece with Z10 intact on top of the exterior skeletal casing and carefully ease into each of the four corners. The soft polymer will fit easily underneath all the way around. And voila! You’re ready to hit the town!

Removal is extremely simple to do as well. Once you’re ready to take the case out just place your dominant thumb un the top left or right corner with your index finger on the polymer area showing on top. Now ease the case out of the corner. Repeat this process on the side pieces of the skeleton as well as the other corners until finished.

To place your ACTIVE Case into the ACTIVE Holster just set the bottom half into the base then close the spring clip over top. It’s a perfect fit!

Days of usage and play – As I mentioned earlier Seidio’s Cases are a staple for any BlackBerry user. The ACTIVE Case is lightweight, tough for rugged users, and a great way to express your individuality as a BlackBerry 10 user.

During this review I knocked my Z10 to my hardwood floor and had no anxiety as I watched it fall. This isn’t the first time I’ve dropped it since getting the case. But since the ACTIVE Case does such a good job with shock protection and the screen is wrapped with both polymer & skeletal layers, I had no doubts that my BlackBerry would come out unscathed. And it did!

Day to day use has been an absolute pleasure. I’ve owned the ACTIVE Cases in Black, Royal Blue & now the Glossed White with my Black Z10 and it’s stunning. The texture is smooth and hasn’t shown any sign of smudge, grease or dirt in the 2 weeks I’ve used it. However the black areas of soft polymer does grab a light coat of dust. Lint falls right off and a quick bit of air will remove the light dust immediately so the positives far outweigh the negative. The magnetic kickstand is my favorite new addition to this series. It’s designed to give you a great way to display your Z10. Perfect for watching films, YouTube videos and much more. The only negative is the stand can not be used while you’re device is connected to USB or any charger. This seems to be more of a flow to go with the design of the Z10 as BlackBerry did place these ports on the left side below what would be considered the bottom of the device while in landscape. A small gripe in my opinion but some users will be quick to point this out.

Overall – I couldn’t be more impressed. BlackBerry is doing such an amazing job with the design of these high end BlackBerry 10′s that they basically opened the door wider for quality accessories to be crafted. Seidio delivers a product that’s Built for BlackBerry. It withstands decent falls, bangs, light elements, fits nicely into front/back denim pockets, manbags, purses and more. Plus the Glossed White ACTIVE Case provides an exclusive texture that is easy to clean and will not show dirt or dust easily thanks to a sleeker feel than the darker colors. The other 4 colors: Black, Garnet Red, Amethyst & Royal Blue have a more matte feel to them and in exchange thanks to their texture also show less dirt and grime after time. Overall this one is a must-have in my opinion. With so many positives that I have no reason to build a list of cons.

Great work Seidio! Grab your own ACTIVE Case or ACTIVE Combo at the links below!

Pick up Seidio’s ACTIVE Case w/ Metal Kickstand for BlackBerry Z10 here!

Pick up Seidio’s ACTIVE COMBO w/ Metal Kickstand  for BlackBerry Z10 here!

BlackBerry continues to build BlackBerry World with some incredible apps & games.  Paw Print Games brought one of their classics Kami Crazy. Rock N Roll Games brought Fly Kiwi Fly! – Classic the original and Gameloft introduced us to The Dark Knight Rises.

My favorite of the bunch has been out for a while and on my Z10 for a bit over a month now, PicFrames by Active Development Limited. It’s a simple app that let’s you sort out some nice collages. An Android port actually but very well done.

Check out the full list plus a nice list of BlackBerry Dev’s favorites too below!

Happy Wednesday!  BlackBerry 10 continues to welcome top app partners from around the globe.  Here are some of the latest BlackBerry 10 apps you won’t want to miss:

Business Tools:

• Harmon.ie: Office 365 and SharePoint Client (Harmon.ie Corporation)

Gaming:

• The Dark Knight Rises (Gameloft Inc.)
• Kami Crazy (Paw Print Games Ltd.)
• Fly Kiwi Fly! – Classic (Rock N Roll Games)

Photos & Video:

• PicFrame (Active Development Limited)

Navigation & Travel:

• KLM for BlackBerry 10 (Air France-KLM)

BlackBerry Dev Picks of the Week:

From inside the walls at BlackBerry, here are the top 5 apps our developers deem ‘must-haves’:

1. 1. Hairy Tales (Arges Games SRL)

“If you love solid puzzles with great graphics, this is up your alley”

1. 2. Guess the Icon- Iconmania (SolverLabs)

“A simple ‘Guess the Word Based on Icon’ game but with loads of celebrities, places and logos to keep you guessing”

1. 3. Bike Rental (o2 Interactive)

“A must-have for bike aficionados everywhere”

1. 4. Flight Stats- Global Flight Tracker for BlackBerry 10 (TrustBe)

“This app has saved me a TON of headaches”

1. 5. PicFrame (Active Development Limited)

“Amazing photo effects—neat shapes, borders, frames etc”

Latest App News: Keep an eye out for Real Soccer 2013, Six Guns, Modern Combat 4, Tuenti and KOOORA apps which will be available on the in the upcoming weeks.

Nominations have closed for the Best Built for BlackBerry App Awards. Stay tuned to find out the finalists!

For a look at all BlackBerry 10 apps, head to BlackBerry World.

Ever since point was originally released on BlackBerry smartphones most BlackBerry users have come to expect it will always be there. I even found myself adding 2 to 3 other applications to make up for what Poynt did for me previously. The option to sideload this Android version hasn’t been tough to find in the past, but it’s to see they’ve added it to BlackBerry World now themselves and of course it’s still FREE.

FEATURES

- Movies – search by theater, movie, top 10 or genre; sort by name or rating; view trailers; view Rotten Tomatoes rankings; add to calendar; send details to contacts; buy movie tickets

- Restaurants – Search by name, cuisine type or nearby; click-to-call; get directions; view website; view hours and prices; reserve a table

- Gas Prices (US/UK/Canada ONLY) – view best prices by grade or stations nearby; click-to-call; get directions; view station amenities; send details to contacts

- Events – search by category, venue, performer, event or nearby; get directions; send details to contacts; add events to calendar

- People – lookup by name or reverse lookup by phone number or address; click-to-call; get directions; send details to contacts

- Businesses – search by name; get directions; click to call; add

details to contacts

- Offers (US ONLY)- Find Offers nearby or by keyword

Poynt is free and available in India, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Spain, Australia and Germany Happy Poynting!

Like I said so far it’s nice having access to Poynt from BlackBerry 10. It is however the Android port which makes sharing to BBM, Blaq, Twitter for BlackBerry, Facebook for BlackBerry all not possible. Hopefully the company will built a native application in the future. They did get their start and popularity from BlackBerry. No matter grab the FREE download below.

Download Poynt FREE to your BlackBerry 10 device here!

Here’s a great product. Something quite different from the norm. PhantomSkinz quickly brought their popular screen protection and premium full body kits to BlackBerry Z10 phones. And like most great blogs, we just had to check them out for ourselves. PhantomSkinz sent over one kit from each line of their Chromatics: Black Metallic Wood Full Body Kit – Wood Grains, Lime Green Full Body Kit – Metallic Colors, Gun Metal Carbon Fiber Full Body Kit – Carbon Fibers.

I jumped right into the Lime Green Metallic Kit. Each kit comes with a bevvy of goodies: 2 Ultra Clear Matte Finish Films, Precision Cut Skin, Application Spray, Microfiber Cloth & Full Instruction Booklet.

Product Details

Once you get past the application processes is when you really do get to enjoy this product and stylize your BlackBerry 10 to the fullest. BlackBerry Q10 users can get a jump on a pre-order for either the Ultra Clear Matter Finish Films here, or the Chromatics here. One thing I was slightly worried about was if my phone would still fit into my favorite cases. So far it does fit in the couple cases I’ve tried this week. But I wouldn’t chance putting your Z10 into one of the snuggly fit cases.

Installation & Removal - Now with their Chromatics the installation is absolutely dry. No need to wet the device or hands for this process. Save that for the Ultra Clear Matte Finish screen protectors. I’m not going to walk you through all the steps. Because the resources at PhantomSkinz.com are excellent for this. Instructions included in each pack as well.

But I will say that you’ll have the luck using a blog dryer like the instructions call for. Placing the 4 sides of the Chromatics on is a bit tricky. Take your time and take breaks if you start to get shaky. The end result will be worth the 20 minutes it takes to get things done. Also keep in mind that you should keep the piece that you pull each adhesive off of so that you can replace it should you want to change out of it later.

After a week of use – I do love the Lime Green more in person than I expected. The back of your Z10 will become a bit more slick than you’re used to. But it’s got a grip to it as well. Each of the BlackBerry Z10 Chromatics will set you back $29.95 a piece. They do include 2 Screen Protectors with each kit. Or you can purchase the screen protectors alone for just $14.95 for 2.

Final thoughts – Very original and a cool addition to any users BlackBerry. Unlike a case these let you choose from going bare to show off that cool Chrome, Wood or Metallic color of your choice, or pop it in a case to double up on protection for those klutzy days and every style is a blast to show off. PhantomSkinz surely gets my vote for cool new accessory!

Purchase Ultra Clear Matter Finish Screen protectors for Z10 here: http://phantomskinz.com/blackberryz10.aspx

Purchase some PhantomSkinz Chromatics for your BlackBerry Z10 here!

New App for BlackBerry Server Admins Released

A new app has been released for BlackBerry Server administrators. It’s called IT Manager and allows admins to manage their BES from their BlackBerry devices.  It can be downloaded now from BlackBerry World and supports the BlackBerry Z10, Q10, Bold, Curve and Torch devices.

This is a very handy app for making changes to your BES without having to go into the office.  The app is easy to use and requires no server changes to setup.

Features include:

• Creating & Deleting Users
• Setting User Activation Passwords
• Remove and Wipe Devices
• Set Password and Lock Devices
• Add and Remove Users from Groups
• Set User and Group IT Policies
• View IT Policies Rules
• View Server and BES Instances Status
• Support for managing BES 5.x and BES 10
• Manage multiple BES Servers Simultaneously

The app is also available for iOS devices with more admin features like SSH, Telnet, VNC, RDP, Windows, BES, AWS and Google Apps, these features will also be coming soon to BlackBerry 10 devices. The IT Manager app will also be on display in the exhibits hall at the BlackBerry Live conference next month.

The IT Manager app costs $99/year and can be downloaded with a 7 free day trial from here:

http://www.itmanager.co/

BlackBerry let us know that the highly anticipated BlackBerry Q10 will arrive at Canada’s most popular carries in less than a week! That’s right starting the first of May 2013 Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility & TELUS will all begin selling this tasty hunk of technology. The word in the social clouds is that users, analysts, bloggers and so on will likely make the BlackBerry Q10 their daily driver. Many of the current Legacy owners as well as some of the Z10 owners have plans to get this gorgeous device.

Packed with 16 gigs of Internal Storage, a 3.1″ Touch Display, 8mp Rear Camera, 4G LTE Ready. With a 720×720 Resolution, 330ppi, QWERTY Keyboard & Touchscreen, Up to 14.4 Days of Standby on 3G, Up to 13.5 hours of talk time on 3G add in 1080HD Video Recording, the BlackBerry 10 Operating System and of course the BlackBerry Q10 comes in your choice of Black or White.

I don’t know about you. I absolutely love my BlackBerry Z10. However just typing these features out while looking at different angles of the Q10 has my muscles twitching just to get one in my paws! Get the full scope below!

The new BlackBerry® Q10, the first BlackBerry® 10 smartphone to feature a classic BlackBerry® QWERTY Keyboard, will be available in Canada starting May 1 on Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility and TELUS. The BlackBerry Q10 combines the power of the BlackBerry 10 platform with a large, re-engineered physical keyboard and stunning touchscreen display – the largest ever on a BlackBerry QWERTY smartphone.

“We’re thrilled that the BlackBerry Q10 will soon be available to Canadians,” said Andrew MacLeod, Managing Director for Canada. “The new BlackBerry Q10 combines the power of BlackBerry 10 with a classic BlackBerry keyboard to help people communicate and collaborate faster and more efficiently. We’re seeing strong momentum behind BlackBerry 10 from carriers, customers and partners around the world. The BlackBerry Q10 will accelerate this trend.”

Availability:
The BlackBerry Q10 smartphone will be available in Canada starting May 1 on Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility and TELUS starting at $199 with a 3 year contract. It will also be available on Virgin Mobile Canada, Fido, Koodo Mobile, and Sasktel, and available in select retail locations, including Best Buy, Future Shop, TBooth Wireless, The Source, Walmart Canada and WIRELESSWAVE.

Highlights of the BlackBerry Q10:

Meticulous attention has been paid to every detail of the BlackBerry Q10 smartphone’s design, from its beautiful and distinctive form to its elegant and ergonomic QWERTY keyboard, which features a wider layout and larger sculpted keys. With the BlackBerry Q10 smartphone’s advanced hardware, communications and multimedia features, along with long battery life, you can confidently stay ahead and take action all day long.

The re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry 10 platform offers you a powerful and unique new mobile computing experience that continuously adapts to your needs. Every feature, every gesture, and every detail is designed to keep you moving forward towards your goal, and includes advancements such as:

• · The ever present BlackBerry® Hub, which  brings all your conversations together in one easy to manage place that you can access at any time from any app with a simple “peek”, so you’re always only one swipe away from what matters to you.
• · BlackBerry® Balance™ technology, which elegantly separates and secures work applications and data from personal content, protecting what’s important to you and the business you work for..
• · BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger), which lets you share things with the people that matter to you in an instant. BBM in BlackBerry 10 includes voice calling and video chat, and lets you share your screen with another BlackBerry 10 contact.
• · BlackBerry® Remember, which helps you tackle tasks quickly with a new way to collect, organize and action all the information sitting in different places across your smartphone.

Helpful Links:

For more information on the BlackBerry Q10 smartphone please visit this BlackBerry Q10.

BlackBerry, BlackBerry Q10 and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.

Get the Full Story & Sign up for Updates here: http://global.blackberry.com/smartphones/blackberry-q10.html

Source: BlackBerry PR

BlackBerry let us know about their fist “New-App Wednesday for BlackBerry Q10 Apps & Games! Most of us in the US haven’t had a chance to check out the Q10 yet. However a few developers and enthusiasts such as myself received our BlackBerry Dev Alpha C’s this last week. So some of these apps can be checked out on the Dev devices. But very few since the device is meant to be used to test your own applications.

But that doesn’t make us any less excited about having a BlackBerry Q10! Especially after BlackBerry managed to make me fall in love with this intuitive touch-screen. Just image that technology along with their classic keyboard (scratch that ‘new keyboard’ design). Ah a match made in heaven. And this is just the beginning. See the full list of new must-have products for BlackBerry Q10 below!

Things are a little different this Wednesday — as we approach the launch of BlackBerry’s newest BlackBerry® 10 smartphone, the BlackBerry® Q10, we’re excited to share with you apps that will be available from launch, including Skype! Download the Skype (Preview) to your BlackBerry Q10 here!

Check out the following BlackBerry Q10 apps you’ll be sure to love:

Social:

• · BlackBerry Messenger
• · Facebook
• · Foursquare (Foursquare)
• · LinkedIn (LinkedIn Corporation)
• · Twitter (Twitter, Inc.)

Entertainment:

• · Maxim (Maxim)
• · Nobex Radio (Nobex Technologies Inc.)
• · Soundtracker (South Ventures USA)

Business Tools:

• · Box (Box, Inc.)
• · Canvas Business Forms Mobile Productivity (Canvas)
• · Dropbox
• · SalesNOW (Interchange Solutions Inc)

News & Photography:

• · New York Times (The New York Times)
• · Paper Camera (JFDP Labs Ltd)
• · Press Reader (NewspaperDirect, Inc.)
• · USA Today (USA TODAY)
• · Wall Street Journal (The Wall Street Journal)

Gaming:

• · Angry Birds (Rovio Entertainment Ltd)
• · Bejeweled 2 (Electronic Arts Inc.)
• · Need for Speed Undercover (Electronic Arts Inc.)
• · New York Time Crosswords (Magmic)

Latest App News: Keep an eye out for ATP Tour, Cut the Rope and Viber apps which will be available on the BlackBerry Z10 and the Q10 in the upcoming weeks.

You can also submit your nominations for the Best Built for BlackBerry App from now until April 28th. The top 4 nominations will be voted on between May 1st and May 10^th, and the winners will be announced at the BlackBerry Live Developer Tweetup on May 15, 2013 in Orlando, Florida.

For a look at all BlackBerry 10 apps, head to BlackBerry World.

For the latest BlackBerry news, press releases and headlines follow @BlackBerryNews on Twitter.

Source: Brodeur Partners

Every year there’s a few cases that I consider staples in my collection. Sure I might have what most people would consider an abundance of accessories but this one has never let me down. The case I’m referring to is Case-mate’s popular Tough Case for BlackBerry Z10. This is a case that has always brought a few things in one great package: Style, Protection & Simplicity.

Product Description

• Dual layers of silicone and polycarbonate hard shell combine for secure protection
• Form fit feature covers back and corners
• Impact resistant, flexible plastic shell
• Access to all ports and functions

I got this case prior to the US launch of the BlackBerry Z10, prior to a review package from Case-mate. That should give you an idea how important this case is to me. It’s lightweight and simple. But don’t let me spoil it yet. Read on for my full review.

Installation & Removal - Last years Tough Case for BlackBerry Bold 9930 was a bit tricky in this area. Though it took finesse it was worth having on in the end. And this new Tough Case fits on a lot easier. The Tough Case is two pieces. Slip your thumb nail in any of the areas that the case separates, add a couple finger tips to ease the 2 pieces open and carefully remove the pieces to get your Z10 inside.

The smaller inner piece is a softer silicone around the base you’ll fit the left side of your Z10 in from the bottom and carefully edge the right hand side into place. Now you can take your Z10 and pop it into the harder polycarbonate piece.

Removal is the same process as installation. Just take note that you’ll need to ensure your BlackBerry doesn’t fall to the ground as you take the polycarbonate shell off. The Tough Case is a great fit in my opinion.

After 2 weeks of usage – I’ve got about 30-40 accessory options for the BlackBerry Z10 now. One of my top 5 has been the Tough Case. I expected this would be popular from day one and had to force myself not to use it during periods where I’m trying out other cases. One of the many challenges of owning a quality product.

One complaint I have is the case does pick up greasy prints after a few days. Not that it’s not expected but they do take a little moisture to remove, not a quick swipe over your blue jeans. A lint free cloth (like those you find in a screen-protector pack) with a tad of water will do the trick.

Final thoughts – Between the advances BlackBerry has made with the aesthetics of the BlackBerry Z10 and Case-mate’s long running knowledge of protection together this is a match made in heaven. The pros far outweigh the cons in this situation.

PROS:
- Easy to install and remove.
- Thin compact design feels great on and provides a medium-strong protection.
- Stylish and attractive much like the Z10 alone.

CONS:
- Shows greasy finger smudges after a few days which require a lint free cloth and a tad of water.

The Tough Case for BlackBerry Z10 runs for $35.00 from www.case-mate.com and is available in Black/Black only at the moment.

Purchase Case-mate’s Tough Case for BlackBerry Z10 here!

BlackBerry PlayBook users will recognize the name PressReader from their beloved tablet. However as many users have said, since getting a BlackBerry 10 device most of us have neglected our PlayBooks. Sad but true. The BB10 OS is far to0 much of an advance forward and is difficult to put down. But the good news here is that one of the best apps on our PlayBook and many other smart devices has done a wonderful job making the Z10 version of their newspaper app. And it’s FREE!

FEATURES

PressReader brings over 2,300 full-content newspapers and magazines from 100+ countries to your BlackBerry® 10 smartphone.

Choose from a growing list of the world’s most popular publications, including:

✓ The Washington Post

✓ USA Today

✓ Los Angeles Times

✓ Chicago Tribune

✓ International Herald Tribune

✓ Globe and Mail

✓ National Post

✓ Vancouver Sun

✓ Irish Independent

✓ Irish Times

✓ The Guardian

✓ The Herald

✓ Hamburger Morgenpost

✓ Der Tagesspiegel

✓ Il Messaggero

✓ Bangkok Post

✓ Kommersant

…to name just a few.

With PressReader, you can hold the digital edition of your favorite publication in your hands and read it from cover to cover, just the way the title was printed — with no compromises in quality, fidelity or content.

Main Features:

✓ Flip pages like you’re reading real publications

✓ Pan, zoom or rotate pages, articles and photos and view in stunning clarity

✓ Easily navigate publications using tables of contents

✓ Open full articles in easy-to-read text view

✓ Authorize PressReader as part of your existing PressDisplay.com subscription

* Additional titles can be purchased individually for $0.99 per issue, or downloaded in conjunction with a paid subscription on PressDisplay.com.

I’ve had some time to get used to my Z10 as well as the PressReader application on here. And it’s great. One of the superior free products with of course in-app purchases for Newspapers, Magazines etc.

A simple a great feature of this application is the option to automatically download new issues. They don’t have the local paper for my hometown of Reno, NV yet nor our popular FREE Reno News & Review but I have faith that our city will eventually catch up to the way of the future.

My style for reading newspapers is to grab a few different major cities like San Francisco, NY, Boston and then read through the articles that interest me. I’ve never been so much of a front to back reader however PressReader makes getting right to the best parts of your favorite newspaper very easy. It’s affordable too.

At just $0.99 an issue or you can find special paid subscriptions at PressDisplay.com. This is a great product. Grab your own copy below!

Download PressReader to your BlackBerry Z10 FREE here!

FEATURES

- Two layers of defense for enhanced durability

- Soft touch finish for comfortable grip

- Express yourself with a variety of color combinations

SPECS

Measurements

- Length: 5.27 in (133.86 mm)

- Thickness: 0.09 in (2.29 mm)

- Width: 2.76 in (70.10 mm)

- Depth: 0.51 in (12.95 mm)

- Weight: 1.1 oz

What’s Inside

(1) Clear Screen Protector, Microfiber Cleaning Cloth, Applicator Card

When I got this case I wasn’t sure what to expect but I liked the look of their latest styles for BlackBerry Z10 devices.  Incipio sent the package right away so I was able to wear the cases while the excitement was still fresh in my memory. So far I don’t have a favorite because I love them both quite a bit.

The DualPro Case is lightweight and offers medium protection. I’ve spent over a week using this case and my only complaint is that it does show my greasy fingerprints after a days worth of use. But it’s nothing that the microfiber cleaning cloth (included) can’t handle. Let’s look at my daily drive, installation, removal & my after thoughts shall we.

Installation & Removal – I remember some of Incipio’s cases being a bit tough in this simple (or should be simple) process in the past. The SILICRYLIC on Bold 9650 was a bit tough to put on for example. This has be resolved with both cases that I got for the Z10. Which is a huge relief. The other case being their [OVRMLD] with Holster for BlackBerry Z10.

It’s clear they’ve made a distinctive style for themselves with BlackBerry. Products bearing the ‘Built for BlackBerry’ symbol. As for installation the DualPro consists of 2 pieces. 1 soft silicone core which you’ll easily slip your Z10 into. A snug fit. Then you’ll place this piece into the 1 hard shell piece, also fitting easily and quickly into place. Removal is just as easy. You can hold one finger at any place the hard shell and soft silicone piece and another at the adjacent side, adding light pressure to separate the two. Next easily remove your Z10 from the 1 silicone piece.

After 7 – 10 days of use - I really enjoyed using this case. I’ve received nothing but compliments since day one. Using the Gray/Gray goes well with my daily denims, sweatshirt & black scarf quite well. For the most part I wear dark grays, blues or black clothing. This gives the case some pop too since it’s a lighter shade of gray than my clothing. Accessorize right?

As I said it’s a lightweight case. Protection is medium which I prefer for my daily case. Pocket drops both front and back go well. Same with placing the case in your man-bag or purse. Everything is included from the case, microfiber cloth to the screen protection. At $29.99 I say it’s well worth the value. Incipio has upped the ante with their line-up for BlackBerry Z10 phones. And this is just the beginning. I’d surely recommend it myself. Grab your own at the link below!

Pick up your Incipio DualPro Case for BlackBerry Z10 here

Our Contest Winner is Zach The Z Man!

Zach you can email us at sitesupport @ berryfication.com and we’ll get your new Case-mate Case shipped out to you! Congratulations!

When it comes to Twitter many of us are abusers, hardcore social junkies because of the halls of tweeps waiting to converse, discipline & lol your behavior. There’s still many users who haven’t actually gotten the hang of Twitter though and these users are quick to call it dumb or say “I don’t get it”. All they really need is to find other users that love what they love, hobbyists’ if you will. And they’ll rue the day they ever disregarded the lifestyle.

With the recent slew of Twitter rules for 3rd-party development reigning down on the good vibes, we’ve seen a lot of 3rd-party developers call it quits, move to App.net or just focus their time elsewhere. Building and maintaining an excellent Twitter client is expensive and will likely take the majority of your time away from other projects. So when I first saw the development of F16Apps NeatlyApp for BlackBerry 10 I made sure to ask for a copy and kept my eye on it. Built using Cascades and available for just about every mobile device sets it apart. Each update makes this client better and more gorgeous. I had a chance to play with iPhone and view Android versions as well, and each is unique in it’s own way. Using code to match that smartphone for which it was created. Let’s dig into the BlackBerry 10 version which is built on their own Cascades, shall we.

FEATURES

Smart Timeline – Looks exactly like twitter regular timeline but you will notice it is not sorted by time, it is sorted with what is important to you, the more you use the application the more it learns from you and make the timeline more efficient with important tweets first.

Topics Timeline – Neatly collects similar Tweets together in a “Topic”, in each topic you will have list of users wrote tweets about this topic, the topics are contextual, for example you will find Apple, iPhone and iPad in one topic.

Custom timeline – You will create a custom timelines by selecting users and select what they say, in same time custom timelines has filters where you can select Tweets that has media or location only to show.

Direct Messages - Threaded direct messages will help you followup with your friends with what you were talking about, it looks like chatting so you will be able to connect more efficiently.

Super Lists - Using Twitter’s Lists we will add Smart and Topic timeline to it, so you don’t miss the amazing features of Neatly

Tweet View - You will see everything about the tweets with the full view of the location and media preview, Neatly support multi image preview in one tweet

Search – Search bar integrated in almost every part of the app, so at any moment of time you can find a keyword in the list.

Conversations – In conversation you will be able to list all the tweets in the conversation + the contributors in this conversation.

Extended Profile - Now before you follow you can know the “Common and matching” between you and the people on Twitter, you will know social status, common friends, active friends and set visual indicator for tweeps tweets.

Multi users – The best of all you can use Neatly with as many account as you like.

Settings – If you have to follow someone and you don’t want to see his/her tweets simply mute him/her. Your timeline is crowded about event you are not interested in, simply mute this topic. Are you sick of “who ever ousted whoever in x”, easily mute the source of this tweet.

Visual Markers - Usually when you are busy, you skim the timeline but what about important tweeps, just asssign visual indicator for them then all their tweets will be “take another color” that your eyes can easily spot while skimming your timeline.

PREVIOUS v1.2.4.1 UPDATE INCLUDED

* Load More

* Instant Reply (Swipe from right to left on a tweet in a timeline – can be turned off from settings

* Help Screen (Find it in the settings)

* The App opens in “Regular” by default

* More Notification Options

* Manual Auto Refresh option

* Timeline Options

* Faster Page Loading Times

* Bug fixes

UPDATE v1.2.7.1

** Corrects the Login Crash

LAST UPDATE v1.2.9

*** Bug fixes. Swipe to reply (Instant reply)

F16Apps are working hard to make sure this client is solid. Remember they went native with BlackBerry 10 and have built the client with Cascades. It is absolutely stunning! The UI and graphics remind me of what I had hoped BlackBerry 10 would offer. And here it is! I’ve seen about 9 updates since the first BAR file was given to me with each one adding stability and features. The latest came just yesterday Bug fixes. Swipe to reply (Instant reply) was included there.

I generally like to use 3 or more Twitter clients at any given time. I am a heavy user. Right now that list contains NeatlyApp of course, Blaq for BlackBerry 10 (in private beta) & Twitter for BlackBerry 10. Each brings something unique. But I’m reviewing Neatly right now and I strongly believe it is well worth your money. Especially at the super low price of a dollar. It’s always good to have at least 2 clients in case one goes down for any reason.

NeatlyApp for BlackBerry 10 is 80% OFF it’s original price right now, making it just $0.99 in the US. That’s a steal for a client that has this much money, investment and passion packed into it.

Load up NeatlyApp and you’re asked to set up your primary Twitter account. This shouldn’t be anything new. Just follow the steps and you’ll be set up in no time. Soon as your set up NeatlyApp takes you through a stunning tutorial of all screenshot-like-cards loaded with all the info needed to understand the uniqueness of the app. What sells users is that the client actually comes out looking just like these images. It does take a little bit to get used to the flow. Or at least it did prior to all these updates.

I really love the theme options. Currently they have a light and dark theme. Not sure if any others are planned but they would be welcomed that’s for sure. Also you’ll notice that F16 covers just about every feature. These include: Refresh Intervals, Font Size, Themes.

More Notification Options include LED (red, green, blue, yellow, cyan, magenta, white or none), Vibration & Toast. Timeline Options include: Show Username, Show Real name, Instant Reply (swipe to left), Read It Later, Mute Hashtags, Mute Sources, the Help Guide shown in this review, Multiple accounts, Tweet Markers, Social Stats and more.

I really like this client. Purchase NeatlyApp from BlackBerry World for just $0.99 on sale at the link below.

Purchase NeatlyApp for BlackBerry 10 at 80% OFF here!

Huge news today. One of the most talked about BlackBerry 10 devices, the BlackBerry Q10 was announced for pre-order by Rogers, Future Shop, Telus & Best Buy. Personally I can’t wait to get my hands on this one. This year I will likely carry 2 BlackBerry devices. One Z10 and one Q10. They’re both just too wonderful not to. Check out the full scoop below!

Links to releases:

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/category/blackberry-10/blackberry-10.aspx

https://shop.telusmobility.com/blackberry_q10.php

http://www.rogers.com/web/content/os-blackberry#TRAIN-185?cm_sp=homepage-pre-_-q10-soon-en-0913-_-slot3

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/press/future-shop-announces-pre-order-availability-for-new-blackberry-q10-smartphone/pc8207.aspx?path=ab1c4d62b30b27a73648116cf0f510e3en08

As a reminder, you can view the BlackBerry Q10 smartphone spec sheet here:

http://ca.blackberry.com/content/dam/bbCompany/Desktop/Global/PDF/Media-Gallery/blackberry-10-pressroom/BlackBerry%20Q10%20spec%20sheet.pdf

Source: Brodeur Partners

If you haven’t played this genre of photo-puzzle-games yet then you may live under the bridge with that warty troll. Because they’re all the rage. Mostly Android & no BlackBerry has a couple. The best one I’ve had a chance to spend some days on is Brian Scheirer’s Visual Connection. One thing VC does different than the others is not place the letters used in the bottom half of the screen. Which at first I wasn’t sure about. But with a few rounds it’s helped me not overthink my answers. Although I’ve needed help with some of them. No doubt. And still VC is one of the best bucks you’ll spend in BlackBerry World.

FEATURES

- 300 Levels

- Addictive

- Hours of entertainment

- Fun for all ages

- Earn/Buy coins for hints and level skips

- Extra challenging without a letter bank, so you can’t just unscramble the letters

- Guest mode option to allow others to play on your device without affecting your progress/coins

- Specifically for BlackBerry, optimized for PlayBook, Z10 and Q10

It’s not one of those games you’re going to let marinate on your BB10 either. Soon as you open Visual Connection you won’t forget it’s there. So far I’m about 90 levels deep. Had it installed for a little over a week. I play it at least once a day which is better than a lot of games.

The set-up is easy, like it says: 4 pictures one word. You look at the pictures and find the commonality in them. Type in the word. In the top of the screen is the amount of letters your word will be. I try not to overthink this as it can make you a tad crazy. But that’s half the fun now isn’t it?

Other options are using Coins for hints. Each right answer will add 3 coins to your stash. Or you can purchase more coins ($0.99 for 200, $1.99 for 500 or $2.99 for 850 hints). I don’t need them all too often but when I do need a hint it is nice to have those coins there. Below Coins is your Hint button. It will cost you 60 Coins to use a hint so be sure you want to cash in. Only when I’m really stuck do I go there. The last option is a Skip. The Skip will run you the most coins which is 90.

But looking back on the hours of fun and “OMG! I can’t believe that was the answer” moments and I’m thinking this was one of the best bucks spent. Brian Scheirer is a talented developer. It’s games like this that will keep BlackBerry 10 thriving in the hands of consumers. Grab you own copy below!

Pick up Visual Connection for $0.99 for your BlackBerry 10 here!

Most BlackBerry users will remember Devcellent from their very popular Email++ application last yet on Legacy devices. The latest release to catch my attention was their HUB++ Disco LED Edition. This app is like a cool cross between Email++ and BeBuzz. I always love to set unique LED colors to my email, text and special contacts. Each update has brought more unique features & fixes.

FEATURES

- The only app with Disco LED in market. Yes, we figured it out!

- Custom LED, Compose your own LED!

- Custom SMS/Email notifications that includes Disco LED, Audio, Vibrate and Preview

- Preview popups are loaded with quick actions such as Mark Read, Flag and Delete

- Customize notifications down to the bones per Account or per Filters

- Filters allows for matching based on sender, to, cc, subject and content keywords

- Filters can also take auto actions such as Mark Read, Flag, Forward and Delete

MORE..

- Clean and Stunning UI built in Cascades Native Platform

- Many LED color combos to choose from

- Choose Disco patterns

- Choose Disco speed

- Queued notifications for simultaneous LED alerts

- Over 40 preloaded audio alerts

- Choose your own audio

- Set the audio alerts to loop forever

- Custom vibration lengths

FEATURE GUARANTEE

As you may know we are known for listening to our users. There hasn’t been a single case when we did not implement a feature as soon as the BlackBerry platform provided the APIs for it or a user requested for a useful feature. Try emailing us!

ROADMAP

While we cant share what we are planning to do next, you can rest assured that as more APIs are made available by BlackBerry, we will be the first to use them to build in more features in to HUB++. Did we mention all upgrades are free? Woot!

SUPPORT GUARANTEE

Emailing is believing! Email our support staff at support@devcellent.com and get a response within hours in 99% of the cases. We have fixed 100% of the issues so far. Don’t take our words for it but ask others who emailed

Application set-up is just about as easy as opening the application. Each step is simple to set up much like native features, LED, Vibration, Tone & so on.

Page 1 introduces activating HUB++. You can set to dismiss Notification Shortcuts by pressing the Volume Up key. Customize the Message Preview Timeout from 5 seconds to infinite. Toggle Message Preview, Vibrate & LED. Note: You will need to turn off System Notification for anything you set or would like to activate in this app.

Page 2 brings Account Rules: Here you can set LED on/off,  Preview on/off,  LED color (can include Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Cyan, Magenta, White, User Defined, Rainbow, Canada, USA, UK, & multiple mixtures of the main colors). Also Pattern and Speed can be customized for LED. Then last of all is your Tone, pick from preset in the app, and anything in your phone, native & music you downloaded. Calls (includes Cell & BBM Calls) can only customize the LED. So you’ll want to select your tines and vibrate via Native.

Page 3 is your Filters. Choose from Emails & Text/SMS so far. With this feature you can weed out annoying spammers or set up specific Filters for friends, family colleagues with Partial or Exact info inside the From, To, Cc and then make them a Priority or Ignore them. Subject & Body can also be set via Partial or Exact info.

The only downfall at the moment is just that you do have to leave this app running in an Active Frame for it to work. Many apps are in this state but rumors are saying updates to the OS will change all this. And besides keeping apps running, if there’s a great on I’d recommend keeping alive it sure would be HUB++ Disco LED Edition! Pick up your own copy for $2.99 below!

Purchase HUB++ Disco LED Edition from your BlackBerry 10 here!

Happy Friday! BlackBerry promised BlackBerry 10 would have the apps users wanted! And it’s surely the apps users are getting. Being a media guy isn’t always my strong suit. However over the years I’ve worked hard at mixing my support for users, love for design, passion for passionate developers into the guy known best as rezn. With a lot of ridicule for being the BlackBerry guy over the years I honed in on my defenses. I’ve studied and spent plenty of time with iPhones, Google/Android & Windows phones. As well as their users. What drives them to sell well, why do people have a misconception that BlackBerry is old news, and how we can change how some big ticket blogs approach the latest BlackBerry news? All it takes is one troll to leave a poor comment about BlackBerry in big ticket blog site and it’s gloves off for many users. But is this the best approach? No I don’t think it is. Most of those users have a lack of education about smartphones and will be easily sold whatever is in their carriers pockets come upgrade day. In Reno, NV it’s mostly been about iPhone and Android over the years. But I was so happy to hear that some of our local Verizon Wireless stores were doing a wonderful job at promoting BlackBerry 10 and seemingly being very excited about the device and new OS. So on that positive change, we’ll say baby steps and allow me to intro some of the fantastic new products in the week ending Saturday April the 5th.

Okay first things first Magmic released Texas Hold ‘em King for the Z10 recently. The game looks brilliant on the BB10 HD widescreen display. But that’s not new news about anything from the powerhouse known as Magmic.

Next up was a handful of games from Marmalade. GRave Defense HD & Rolly Poly both originally on the BlackBerry PlayBook, one called Save the Earth which is new to me & Talisman Prologue. These 2 I hadn’t a chance to play yet but judging from all their other products you can almost guarantee greatness with their name on board.

My favorite ‘new game to BlackBerry (BB10 only)’ is Ruzzle by MAG Interactive! Easily one of the best word games out now. The gameplay is similar to Scramble With Friends and let’s you connect to friends online both random and via Facebook. Add in that Ruzzle is already a well established product on multiple platforms with 35 million users, plus you can be sure to find a bundle of Facebook pals already playing it! Things get fast paced and the achievements add some real hutzpah to my constant need to pick-up-&-play. The price tag is $2.99 which sits pretty nicely for a game of this caliber. If you know me on Facebook feel free to challenge me.

Big ticket app of the bunch has got to be MLB.com At Bat 13 by MLB Advanced Media, LP. If your a Baseball fan, who isn’t, then you will likely throw down the cash for this one. At $19.99 you’re surely paying a premium price for a premium app.

A couple others that I have had a chance to check out were Occipital 360 Panorama by Occipital, Inc. And one of my favorite apps ever BlackBerry Travel for BlackBerry 10! Oh this app is such an awesome app for traveling, finding hotels, car rentals and so much more. Best of all it’s made by BlackBerry and absolutely FREE! A good week for apps and games both as you can see below there’s a few others that are well worth downloading. Nice selection of genres.

Happy Wednesday! BlackBerry recently announced that over 100,000 BlackBerry 10 apps are now available in BlackBerry World. As the number of BlackBerry 10 apps in BlackBerry World continues to grow, check out this week’s latest apps:

Gaming

• ·         Texas Hold ‘em King (Magmic)
• ·         GRave Defense HD (Marmalade)
• ·         Rolly Poly (Marmalade)
• ·         Save the Earth (Marmalade)
• ·         Ruzzle (MAG Interactive)
• ·         Talisman Prologue (Marmalade)
• ·         MLB.com At Bat 13 (MLB Advanced Media, LP)

Photography:

• ·         Occipital 360 Panorama (Occipital, Inc.)

News & Magazines

• ·         Al Jazeera Arabic For BlackBerry 10 (Al Jazeera)
• ·         LexPress (Groupe Express-Roularta)

Utilities:

• ·         CNBC Alarm Clock (CNBC)
• ·         MyVodacom (Vodacom Pty Ltd.)
• ·         PagesJaunes (PagesJaunes)

Lifestyle & Entertainment

• ·         eBay (eBay.com)
• ·         BlackBerry Travel for BlackBerry 10 (BlackBerry)
• ·         Kayak (Kayak.com)

Social

• ·         Zeebox (Zeebox)

Latest App News: Kobo Books, Carrefour and Auto Trader Canada apps are coming to BlackBerry World!

For a look at all BlackBerry 10 apps, head to BlackBerry World.

For the latest BlackBerry news, press releases and headlines follow @BlackBerryNews on Twitter.

Wow! Did you even know Navigation apps could be this good? I honestly hadn’t even given Mireo’s DON’T PANIC a second look until the developers reached out to us. Had I known it was a navigation application I would have picked it up on day one. DON’T PANIC is already a well established navigation app for companies moving cargo or fleet, as well as Web Maps, of course smartphones like Samsung, iPhone, Android all found here & now BlackBerry 10! Read on for my thoughts..

FEATURES

So turn right here, prepare for heavy traffic there, and so on. It’s been done before. Sure. Some companies are quite fantastic at making their navigation apps affordable, well known & simple to get started. So where does Mireo stand against BlackBerry Maps, Waze, Wisepilot etc? I’d say right near the top. Meaning the best in my opinion.  Although you’ll find it’s priced accordingly for the features you may want to add like TMC Live Traffic Alerts, specific maps for your area, comedic voices from the likes of Doug Benson. You’ll also get a 7 day trial to get you started off so you’ll know pretty quickly if this is the nav app of your dreams.

I was immediately in love with the UI, very iOS with native BlackBerry 10 elements. Yes this navigation app works great in both landscape, or portrait. The HUD is far superior to anything I’ve experienced on a BlackBerry before. TeleNav was always my go to for the last 4 years or so. But I got to say I’m sticking with DON’T PANIC from this day forward. Inside the HUD you’ll find quick access to Search, Volume, mph or km/h display, Time, TMC Status, Battery, Settings, Menu quick key. I do like it best is landscape. Gives a widescreen view and sorts all the HUD icons nicely at the bottom. Portrait places access icons on the bottom and info icons at the top.

Features included in the basic product like Day, Night or Automatic themes, optional 2D, 3D maps, fluid POI access with just about everything accessible plus includes Foursquare venues. They’ve thought of it all really. You can send your location to BBM for all your friends to see your location or for check points. 2 fingers on the screen and you can get a full view of the roads up to the city and into the continents.

Route Planning lets you quickly select from Navigate To, Add as Via Point, Add as Destination & Set as Start. Place options include Find Closest POI, Find Foursquare Venues, Add to Favorites, Set as Home & Send Location. Open up the destination of your choice to find most of these same options. Everything moves at lightening speeds. Which is pretty much necessary for a high quality navigation application.

Do I think you should check it out? Yes. Without a doubt. And do not forget to spend a few extra dollar dollar bills as Doug Benson would say on the Comedic Voice of his truly. You won’t be disappointed. Two big thumbs up!

Check out Mireo DON’T PANIC for all their supported smartphones here: http://www.mireo.hr/en/navigation-apps

Download your 7 Day Trial to Mireo DON’T PANIC for BlackBerry 10 here!

After some serious ups and downs (mostly downs) we’re happy to report some great news for BlackBerry thanks to Thorsten Heins President and CEO announcing BlackBerry’s return to profitability recently! Things are really looking bright. My local friends are walking into T-Mobile, Verizon & AT&T stores to buy BlackBerry Z10′s. The emails for high quality app reviews are flooding our Z10′s, and I have stacks of accessories with more in route to review, giveaway and experience.

To be honest as a known enthusiast and friend to many BlackBerry employees I feel like it couldn’t happen to a better bunch of people. They’ve all been wearing their hearts on their sleeves for years and they’ve made many of us just as passionate about their future.

Read the company’s Q4 Fiscal 2013 year-end results below:

President and CEO Thorsten Heins announced BlackBerry returned to profitability this morning on the company’s year-end results call this morning, for the quarter that ended March 2. In the face of numerous challenges, BlackBerry has gone from a significant operating loss in the first quarter of the year to an operating profit in the fourth quarter. Today, BlackBerry has an exciting new mobile computing platform, is profitable and has a healthy balance sheet.

Other highlights from the Q4 results:

• · Revenue of $2.7 billion
• · GAAP income from continuing operations of $94 million, or $0.18 per share diluted
• · Adjusted income from continuing operations of $114 million, or $0.22 per share diluted
• · Shipments of 6 million smartphones, including approximately 1 million BlackBerry 10 units
• · Subscriber base of approximately 76 million
• · Cash flow from operations of $219 million, cash and investments balance of $2.9 billion

“It was a year for change and we delivered significant positive change,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO.

• · With only a few weeks of availability, and in only a couple of countries, BlackBerry 10 made a strong entry into the high end of these markets with approximately 1 million BlackBerry 10 units.
• · Today, our launch is accelerating: 223 carrier technical acceptances have been completed, and over 60 carriers are now launched across 40 countries with more than 30 countries to come.
• · For the BlackBerry Q10, our first Lab Entry was achieved in late February, and Q10 is now testing with over 40 carriers in 20 countries. As mentioned at our launch in January, availability of Q10 will commence in April.

A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 10 am by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering pass code 4501383# or by clicking the link above on your BlackBerry® 10 smartphone, personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet. This replay will be available until midnight ET April 11, 2013.

For the latest headlines, follow @BlackBerryNews on Twitter.

Source: BlackBerry Media Relations

MobileFun.co.uk was kind enough to send me the Tech21 Impact Snap Case with Cover for BlackBerry L-Series.  I cracked the box open and slid my Tmobile Z10 inside to see how the case would work in my life.  I spent more than a week with it embracing my new beloved Z10.  In short, it does what it’s supposed to do, but I found that it got in the way more often than I’d like.  Read on for all the details.

Features

•Designed for the Blackberry Z10

•Shock absorbent material will protect your phone

•Slim line design

•Easily clips onto the back of your Blackberry to provide comprehensive protection to your device

•Access to all ports and features of the Blackberry Z10

First Things First: The case itself

The retail packaging is very nice.  Two-piece, clear plastic top with and orange-translucent plastic backing holding a piece of cardstock.  Once you’ve taken the case out, the front of the card stock shows an explosion, while the back shows off the benefits of the case and the D30 material.  It’s easy to separate the front from the back of the retail package with just a squeeze in the middle on both sides.  I hate having to take scissors and knives to retail packaging to get my prize out.  I’m always afraid I’ll jab, poke, and cut whatever’s inside.  Kudos on this aspect.

The case boils down to being a flip-style case.  The part that the Z10 snaps into (and it does snap in; it fits very snuggly) is plastic with holes for the camera, media controls, and the speaker at the bottom. Both the top and the bottom of the phone are exposed so there’s no need for a hole for the headset jack.  There is a softer orange-colored material (The D30) that keeps the BB from rubbing up against the plastic so you do no get scratches on your beautiful device.  The cover portion is leather and sealed into the plastic.  It is well stitched and the microfiber inside makes sure that your screen is protected when the cover is flipped and closed.  Within the cover is more D30 material for shock protection.  To make sure the cover stays closed, there is a magnetic closure mid way down the cover.  The magnet seals to a metal piece inside the plastic backplate.  I never had any issues with the cover accidentally opening and I could, on occasion, open the cover one-handed, so it’s not too strong of a magnet.

The packaging says, “Access to all ports and controls.”  Unfortunately that’s not true.  You do have access to all controls, but not to any ports if the cover is closed.  While I don’t know what it would do to the integrity of the cover, I would like to have seen a cutout for the port areas; USB and MicroHDMI.  Outside of that small complaint, I like the quality of the case very much.  There’s no logo on the front and only at the bottom of the backplate is there any identification that it is from Tech21.  Inside the leather cover, at the bottom, is another logo that says D30 Impacet Protection.  The back of the retail packaging talks a lot about D30.  The claim is that the “D30 impact material absorbs and then dissipates shock force away from your phone when dropped.”  As the Z10 is my only Z10, I did not attempt a drop test.

Last issue… When the cover is closed you can’t see the LED.  That’s just not helpful.  BB’s are known for their notification light and I need to be able to see that at all times.  Often I’ll need my phone on silent and will rely on the LED to tell me if I have something in the HUB.  The other option is to leave the cover open which leaves the screen exposed so why have a cover in the first place…

Secondly: Daily use

The first time I put my Z10 into the case, I knew it wouldn’t fall out.  Once it’s in there, it’s in there.  I did try shaking the case to make my phone fall out, but to no avail.  The case is definitely not bulky and I typically carry my phone in my front right pocket.  It fit just fine and protected my phone from the evil rivets that jean companies insist on placing at the top of pockets.  There are now subtle marks on the plastic backplate to show where the rivets intended to scar my Z10.

Initially, I had quite a bit of trouble adjusting to opening the cover and then swiping to wake up my phone.  I often had to resort to two-hands to get to my phone;  not what BlackBerry intended.  That’s not a Get Stuff Done style.  Unfortunately, The cover won’t flip around and use the magnet to stay open.  There’s too much pull back.  Plus, it takes a fairly tricky maneuver to get the cover open and flipped all the way back with one hand.  One handed ease of use is not high on the daily use rating.  Once I got  the general hang of how to get that done, the case became less of a bother.  I still wasn’t always able to open the cover one-handed, but probably could 85% of the time.

Charging was another matter.  To be honest, my Z10′s battery life has been all over the place.  I’ve had 12 hours and I’ve gone 6 hours before needing a charge.  However, as mentioned before, you have to open the cover to charge the phone.  That, of course, exposes the screen which is why the cover is there in there in the first place.  I tried flipping the cover to the back and plugging in my standard BlackBerry OEM microUSB.  What happens is the soft leather gets in the way.  It often gets pinched and the plug won’t settle into the port.  So, I laid the case out flat.  That left just enough area to plug in my charger.  It’s either that or take the Z10 out of the case.

Remember how I said the phone fits snuggly into the case?  Well, it’s snug.  It takes some force to get the phone out, which is great for the protection factor, but the quickest and most intinctive way I found to push the Z10 out was to push on the camera lens area.  That’s the only exposed place to push out from the back.  I really wasn’t too keen on pushing on the camera lens, so I worked around it.  I ended up pushing the part where the metal for the cover’s magnet is away from the phone and then worked up and down that side to unhinge the Z10 from the grasp of the case.  I like that the phone is in there so tight, but a hole in the backplate towards the upper-center might have helped for releasing the Z10.

To Sum Up: The case for a case

I’m thinking I’m just not going to be a full case guy on the Z10.  I have one for my PlayBook, but my use situation is entirely different.  On my phone, I want to be able to access the screen at all times without having to flip back a cover.  When a message comes in, I want to get right on to seeing what it is.  Fumbling around with the cover caused more trouble than the protection is worth to me.  I’ve had my PlayBook for two years and the screen is unscratched.  I’ll take my chances with the glass on the Z1o.  In the end, the Tech21 Impact Snap with Cover is great quality case.  The case is priced up there just below OtterBox.  For the protection benefits, I think the case is worth the cost.  I just don’ t need that kind of protection.

You can find out more info at http://www.tech21.uk.com/Category/blackberry_z10.

To buy, check out http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/tech21-impact-snap-case-for-blackberry-z10-black-p37737.htm

A big shout-out to MobileFun for allowing me the opportunity to review the case!

BlackBerry Z10 case

We’ve maintained a fantastic relationship with Case-mate over the years. If you’re not familiar with their story, allow me to elaborate. “In 2006, Case-Mate began with a simple desire – to craft a portfolio of classically-styled technology accessories inspired by a thoughtful approach to elegant materials, detailed assembly, and finishing detail. Our products are uniquely designed to protect, adorn and enhance the mobile devices of the distinctly well-styled individual.”
- Case-mate Find out more here.

Features:

Protective 2-Piece Design

Slim Profile

Soft Inner Liner

Brushed aluminum inlay that shows off more of your device

Form fit feature

Access to all ports and functions

Product Description:

Sophistication is in the details. The Brushed Aluminum collection impresses with a blend of metallic, sporty look and sleek luxurious feel. The brushed aluminum effect evokes a look of modern and natural sophistication

One of the first products they sent was the highly attractive & modern Gunmetal w/Black Brushed Aluminum. It’s a bit reminiscent of last years Brushed Aluminum Cases for BlackBerry Bold 9900/9930. But with the new design of the BlackBerry Z10, Case-mate has their modern approach. Just the name alone lets previous users know that they’re getting a very high quality product.

In my days using Case-mate products I can only recall a couple issues. The one I let them know about was resolved promptly. It involved a piece of hard silicone bridging two points together. Said piece  wore out a bit too quickly and snapped. My other issue was with my Brushed Aluminum for the Bold 99xx, Being that it was the thin branded “Barely There” I already knew it offered mild protection. So when I dropped it for the tenth time or so, I wasn’t terribly surprised the case created a dented-crack, I had little to complain about since I had owned the case for almost a year. I think 6 months is plenty of time to get a new case. You may disagree with me, but that’s how I feel. That’s also about as long as it would take for me to brick a BlackBerry Legacy via files, downloads etc. Never by negligence.

– Installation & Removal – Case-mate has never been a burden when it came to getting one of their cases on. And nothing has changed this round. The Brushed Aluminum comes in one piece that separates into two. If you just hold one hand at the back base of the case, while gently tugging at each of the four corned and four sides (please remember it is clipped together so it is possible to break it). But with just the right force you will begin to see it open up. I found using my thumb nail along the opening areas made the separation process a breeze. If you don’t like using your finger nails (which I have none anyways) you could likely use a small coin. NOTE: I wouldn’t recommend trying this especially with your device inside the Brushed Aluminum. Don’t get impatient. Use care with these products and they won’t break on you.

Removal is a tad trickier because now your Z10 is inside the case. The easiest way I’ve found to take it off is to hold the phone (with case on) upside-down, screen facing you. Now place your thumbs one on each side near the Z10′s ports (power HDMI). Slightly apply pressure inside that area pressing bit on each of the separating pieces. Once it opens  you can then begin to slightly move your nail or finger tip along either path then gently separate.

– Day 1 – 7 with Case-mates new Brushed Aluminum Case for BlackBerry Z10 – Unboxing was like a kid at Christmas. I really love seeing a stack of Case-mate accessories.  The Aluminum one is quite glossy to the eye with a light matte glaze to keep it from gliding all over the place. Trademark CM on the back along a nice bezel resembling the actual BlackBerry Z10. Along the inside is a soft inner liner with the words “Crafted Not Made” The quality feel very nice and sturdy.

With the slim profile of the Z10 and the lightweight sophistication of the Brushed Aluminum Case, they outsmarted the previous years before consumers had their paws wrapped around the Z10′s. Glides right into a front or back denim pocket, however I didn’t attempt to sit down with mine back there. I did drop it a few times just being negligent with my phone. Never got any noticeable scratches, dings or dents.

– GIVEAWAY & Afterthoughts – Another great design by Case-mate. They’ve continued to do what every accessory maker would love to achieve make cases that everyday users recognize. Even if it had a Yugo hidden beneath it. Fortunately this time we’re rocking the block harder than Redman with out BlackBerry Z10 safely snug inside.

Of course I got a couple of these babies. Once for myself and one to share with an awesome BlackBerry fan! NOTE: This giveaway is limited to BlackBerry Z10 owners residing in North America (Canada, United States) & United Kingdom. So long as your email is attached to your Disqus.com account, Plus YOU LEAVE A COMMENT, then we’ll be able to contact you when you win!! WOOT!

Give us a week or so to post the winner and remember you get a brand new Case, not the one I’ve had in my pocket for the last week. Enjoy, retweet, Facebook, Pin it etc. We like that stuff.

Pick up your own Case-mate Gunmetal w/ Black Brushed Aluminum for Z10 here!

BlackBerry Travel is final here for BlackBerry Z10 users, and it’s just as gorgeous as we could imagine. If not more. The best part about it is BlackBerry Travel is an absolutely free service. That once you use it you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Some Berryfication readers might recall my prediction that the app would be available near the U.S. launch of BlackBerry 10.. and not to pat myself on the back.. but I was right!

Full Scoop below!

Today, BlackBerry announced the BlackBerry® Travel™ app is now available for BlackBerry 10 smartphones. It is available as a free download on the BlackBerry® World™ storefront. BlackBerry Travel for BlackBerry 10 makes it easier for customers to easily plan, book, manage, and share their travel arrangements with friends, colleagues and on social and professional networks while on the go. Features include Automatic Trip Scanning, Travel Notification in BlackBerry HUB, Hotel and Car Rental Booking, Itinerary Management, Social Sharing, Search Flights, and Time-Saving Tools. New features include:

• Trip Status Sharing – Post your trip updates on BBM, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  With Trip Status Sharing, you can keep your friends and colleagues up-to-date on your travel adventures immediately as they unfold.
• Flight Status Sharing – Share this information with your colleagues, friends and social networks.  If your flight is delayed, cancelled or changed terminals, you can easily and quickly inform others and make sure they know when and where to pick you up from the airport.
• Price Alerts, Change Offers and Upgrades – This service with BlackBerry Travel helps ensure you are always getting the best hotel deal. It automatically notifies you if there’s a better price for the hotel room you booked, a comparable hotel for a cheaper price, or if there’s a much better hotel for slightly more. In many cases, you can cancel your original booking without penalty and re-book the better deal through BlackBerry Travel.
• BlackBerry ID – With BlackBerry ID, you’ll never have to login to BlackBerry Travel again.  You’ll have instant access to all of its features as soon as you launch the app.  Even on your first time using BlackBerry Travel, BlackBerry ID will automatically fill in the registration form for you.

Let’s rewind just a bit as I did have a nice stack of accessories from BlackBerry. Find everything here. A few of the L-S1 Batteries, 1 Z10 Battery Charger Bundle, 1 Z10 Flip Shell Cases (white) & (black), 1 Z10 Transformer Hard Shell, 1 Z10 Leather Pocket and 1 Z10 Microfiber Pocket (grey) cases. I tried most of them on and plan to carry the Microfiber Pocket & Flip Shell Case tomorrow. BlackBerry really did think of every little detail. The cases look and feel almost as good as the phone itself. I can’t wait to break these in a bit more and of course share some giveaways with users.

Now before I wrap up this quick post about my first 12 hours I’d like to give AT&T a knock for having really great service out here. I remember thinking and telling users that I was impressed with the 4G LTE they provided us during the Alpha stage. But those SIM’s did not provide the ability to text or make phone calls. This final BlackBerry Z10 is rocking speedy on AT&T’s network. I’ll have more to say in the next couple days as I spent most of my time downloading my apps, games and moving some of the data from the Alphas.

In closing let me just say I couldn’t be happier for BlackBerry right now. The blood, sweat, tears, joy, compassion, support, social media they put into this was truly everything. It’s all riding on these BlackBerry 10 devices doing well. They need to hear that what they’ve done for the user is incredible. I know I’ve waited so long just to hold one that you can almost go a little batty waiting for that moment. Stay tuned for more from Berryfication, myself and the other bloggers on their thoughts, favorite products, features, accessories etc.

If you’re in the Tri-State area (NYC area) tomorrow night be sure to join BerryReview at Best Buy Union Square. More info here: http://www.berryreview.com/2013/03/20/in-the-tri-state-area-join-us-midnight-tomorrow-best-buy-union-square/

You can Pre-Order your new BlackBerry Z10 from AT&T directly here.

All U.S. Carriers that will be available can be Pre-Ordered here

This week is a huge week for BlackBerry and the US. With the BlackBerry Z10 officially launching on Thursday midnight (read: Friday March 22nd) in NYC, a bevvy of accessories stacking up here & finally an official BlackBerry Z10 in my hands, I’m sure you can only imagine. BlackBerry shot us a line about their “New App Wednesday” today so I thought I’d better get this one out. I haven’t honestly had time to check out any of the new games or apps myself. But I’d put money on a few of them. Check out the full list below. And expect lots of feedback on my time with my new BlackBerry Z10!

Here are this week’s new Z10 Apps:

Gaming:

• ·         Signal to the Stars (Marmalade)
• ·         Apalabrados (iStockManager)
• ·         Pawn Stars (AE Olecom)
• ·         Need for Speed (EA Games)

Lifestyle & Utilities:

• ·         LFP (Liga de Fútbol Professional)
• ·         NearGuide Mejores playas de Surf de España (HINNESTIC)
• ·         Fly Delta Airlines (Delta Airlines)

Business & Productivity:

• ·         Tempo (Open Text)
• ·         VFS Global Visa Information (Digit Secure India Private Limited)

News & Magazines:

• ·         Al Jazeera English for BlackBerry 10 (Al Jazeera)
• ·         Guardian Media (SiMedia)
• ·         The Times and Sunday Times (News International Limited)

Latest App News: Batman Dark Knight and the Vogue Stylist app are coming to BlackBerry World this month!

For a look at all BlackBerry 10 apps, head to the BlackBerry World .

For the latest BlackBerry news, press releases and headlines, follow @BlackBerryNews on Twitter.

Once again BlackBerry has blessed us with a great selection of products to suit every user. Can’t wait to see what strikes next week!

Once again XLabz brings their latest for the BlackBerry PlayBook & BlackBerry 10 handhelds - The Movie Quiz Game; a game where users get to guess 100s of movie posters from the biggest Hollywood blockbuster films of all time! Big up to XLabz for taking something as simple as a movie poster adding a filter to distort and bringing some magic to our favorite movies of all time. This game is tough to put down, simple to pick up, and FREE to all!

• 5 free levels with 30 movies in each level
• Each level has a mix of specially morphed movie posters across all genres and films from different periods of time
• 5 movie packs with movies from specific genres with 50 movies each, which can be bought as in-app purchases: Comedy, Action, Sci-Fi, Animation and Teen
• Help options like Hints, Ask Facebook and Twitter friends and Resolve.
• Users can earn hints as they keep playing and can also buy hint packs as in-app purchases

Whether it’s a new app or game XLabz never disappoints. I found this one in BlackBerry World over the weekend so I was able to spend a couple days honing my skills before XLabz sent the official info. I already picked up all the extra packs, my kids have lined up to play it & my lady put her iTouch down and downloaded a copy to her PlayBook as well.

So what are you waiting for? Go get your own copies already and guess some posters right the first time!

Download The Movie Quiz Game FREE for BlackBerry Z10 here!

Download The Movie Quiz Game FREE for BlackBerry PlayBook here!

When BlackBerry wrote me last week and invited me to go to the BlackBerry House during SXSW in Austin, TX it wasn’t just the allure of seeing a bunch of BlackBerry fans in one place that got my mojo flowing. It was the chance to see Robert Rodriguez praising the new BlackBerry Z10, hearing a true film making legend speak about 2 of my very favorite things: BlackBerry & Film. Having worked in video stores for much of my early 20′s I learned a lot about movies, especially cult classics like El Mariachi, Desperado & From Dusk Till Dawn. So let’s just say I am ecstatic about RR’s love for his new Z10!

FULL SCOOP on Robert Rodriguez’s Two Scoops:

Acclaimed filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, Spy Kids, Sin City) kicked off his BlackBerry Keep Moving Project today. Rodriguez is known as ‘the one man film crew’ because he often assumes the role of producer, director, writer, editor, cameraman and composer on his films. He is teaming up with BlackBerry to create an unfinished three act short film entitled “Two Scoops.”

With his BlackBerry Z10 smartphone, Robert will use social media to invite aspiring filmmakers to collaborate with him and contribute different story elements in each act in order to complete the film. The film will use green screen technology and be finished in post-production by Robert and his team after the online contributions have been reviewed. He will pick one main contribution per act, as well as a number of smaller contributions that will be featured throughout.

“Two Scoops” (see trailer here) is an action packed story about twin girls who run an ice cream truck and just happen to be giant monster hunters in their spare time. Beginning today through April 3rd fans can upload a film of themselves acting a certain part in the movie or share a photo to be featured as one of the “missing townsfolk” in posters dotted throughout the film. More information about how fans can submit to the project and about the storyline of “Two Scoops” can be found on the BlackBerry Keep Moving Hub.

Of course like BlackBerry said to us we’ll keep you posted on this project as things unfold!

Here’s a great BlackBerry World Promotion worth mentioning. Thanks to CrackBerry & forum member  Driftdreams for pointing it out. Should you not own this game already I must say you should! N.O.V.A. 3 is the much anticipated follow-up to N.O.V.A. 2, only on PlayBook. This update is currently only on the Z10 but even at it’s full price tag of $6.99 I couldn’t find anything to complain about since the last update.

The only obvious difference I can see from the FREE & Paid versions is a slight difference in the version numbers. And if you’ve already paid for it like I did then I’d keep the one you have for now. As for the gameplay let’s just say N.O.V.A. has never looked this good before. Now go snatch up your FREE copy while you still can!

Download your FREE copy of N.O.V.A. 3 from your Z10 here!