AT&T to Sell BlackBerry Z10 Starting March 22

If you have always wanted a BlackBerry device but just couldn't stomach giving up your AT&T contract to sign one with a carrier that carries BlackBerry devices then you will be pleased to know that AT&T is finally getting its very own BlackBerry device with the launch of the BlackBerry Z10 on March 22, 2013.

AT&T just announced that the touch-screen device will be available for pre-order starting March 12 and will officially go on sale in AT&T stores and online beginning on March 22. The smartphone will cost $199.99 with a new two-year contract with AT&T.

The BlackBerry Z10 is the very first smartphone to launch with the all new BlackBerry 10 software and is also the first BlackBerry product to operate on AT&T's 4G LTE network. The phone, which is a touch-screen, comes with a 4.2" high-resolution display and an 8MP camera that records 1080p HD video.

The launch of this device is actually a pretty big deal considering the fact that there is so much riding on its success. BlackBerry, which had previously dominated smartphone sales in the United States, has fallen significantly in favor in the U.S. over the last couple of years, due in no small part to the huge success of the iPhone and Android devices.

RIM has been working on the new BlackBerry 10 software in an effort to take on competitors, like Apple and Samsung, though the company has been hit hard by a long series of delays. However, RIM was finally able to debut the BlackBerry Z10 and the BlackBerry Q10 at an event in January. The BlackBerry Q10 comes with a physical keyboard whereas the Z10 does not.

The success of the Z10 in the U.S. market will give RIM a strong indication of the company's prospects. However, the Z10 does have some strong competition coming at it in the next couple of months, like the HTC One and the upcoming Galaxy S4 from Samsung.

In addition to AT&T, the BlackBerry Z10 will also be available on Verizon and T-Mobile. Sprint is not expected to be selling the smartphone and is instead expected to be offering the BlackBerry Q10, which comes with RIM's iconic QWERTY keyboard. The Q10 is expected to launch about a month after the Z10.

Source: CNET - BlackBerry Z10 goes on sale March 22 at AT&T

BlackBerry Curve Touch Gets Leaked

The BlackBerry Curve has been one of the most popular devices in BlackBerry's lineup of smartphones. The device has always had a solid keyboard as well as a lack of pretense to any kind of functionality aside from exquisite messaging, but things could be changing, and fast.

CrackBerry has just released a photo of what appears to be a BlackBerry Curve Touch. This new device, codenamed "Malibu", appears to be all touchscreen. This doesn't seem to be the rumored Apollo device as that device was said to have a functional keyboard nor the Sedona which is what has led CrackBerry to determine that this is the Curve Touch.

So far there are only specs for the CDMA version available now, but the good news is that they are right in line with everything that you would expect from a midrange device due out in the late 2011 / early 2012 time slot. Full specifications include:

• Qualcomm MSM 8655 800MHz CPU processor
• CDMA - EvDo Rev A radio
• 3.25" 480x360 HVGA display
• Trackpad and Navigation keys
• 5 megapixel camera with HD video recording
• 1GB Flash + 512MB RAM with Hot Swap Micro SD memory
• 802.11 b/g/n WiFi
• Autonomous and A-GPS
• NFC, Micro USB and Bluetooth 2.1
• Ambient Light Sensor and accelerometer

These are still technically "proposed" specs and could change at any moment. Despite that, people are getting very excited about the possibility of an all touch BlackBerry Curve. This could very well redefine everything people know or do not know about BlackBerry. Stay tuned in here as we will have all the details as they emerge.

Source: Engadget
Picture Via: CrackBerry

So You Want a New Smartphone?

It seems like everyone has a smartphone these days, and now you've decided to throw yourself into the mix, but which one do you choose? BlackBerry has always been thought of as a great business tool, but these days almost everyone has one. Apple's iPhone has been growing its presence in the business world and it's very trendy. Then there's the newest kid on the block, the Android, which seems to be all the rage these days. Which one is right for you? You are the only person who can make that decision, but here is a quick look at a few pros and cons of each phone to help you with your choice.

BlackBerry by Research in Motion

Facts:

• BlackBerrys have been on the market since 2002.
• They were originally made for the corporate world but have since become consumer devices as well.

Pros:

• BlackBerrys are very durable (something to keep in mind if you're always on the go).
• There are many different models available, many of which are pleasing to the eye.
• The phone's keyboard is easy to use and offers a number of shortcuts.
• BlackBerrys have an excellent battery life and out-perform the other phones in this category.

Cons:

• There aren't nearly as many apps for BlackBerrys as there are for the other phones.
• Blackberry Apps are more expensive than those for iPhone and Android.
• The phone can't seem to completely shake its corporate image. (This could be a pro or a con, but many average consumers see it as a con.)
• Web browsing on the BlackBerry is not as great as on the other phones.

iPhone by Apple

Facts:

• The iPhone debuted in 2007.
• The phone has a strong fan base, much of which came from Apple brand loyalty.

Pros:

• The App Store has more apps available for the iPhone than you could ever imagine.
• The iPhone uses Safari for web browsing and overall, it provides a much better online experience than the other phones.
• It has a sleek, shiny look that is very pleasing to the eye.
• Its operating system has a lot more features than those of the other phones.

Cons:

• The iPhone breaks very easily. A friend of mine purchased one about a year ago, dropped it on his kitchen table the day he got it and to this day, it still has a huge crack in it.
• If you're looking for a business smartphone, the iPhone may not be it. It's designed for the average consumer.
• The iPhone has a very short battery life which seems to get worse over time.
• Right now, AT&T is the only carrier for the iPhone.

Android by Google

Facts:

• You can find the Android operating system on a number of different devices.
• Android started out on Google-brand hardware which didn't last very long
• Android recently became the top-selling mobile operating system.

Pros:

• The Android Market may not have quite the apps the Apple App Store does, but it's giving the company a run for its money.
• You can choose from a number of different hardware options.
• Android offers Microsoft ActiveSync for corporate messaging.

Cons:

• Like the iPhone, many of the Android devices offer a very short battery life.
• Even though there are tons of Android apps out there, a lot of them are bad. Really bad.

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The Official iPhone Twitter App

If you noticed Tweetie 2 missing from the Apple App store yesterday, you weren't just seeing things. The app has been replaced by the new, official iPhone app for Twitter. The uniquely named app is called, well, "Twitter." Twitter actually bought Tweetie about a month ago, from creator Loren Brichter, and it looks like they basically added their own brand to it. The new app is being called "version 3.0."

According to CNN, aside from being absolutely free, the new app is basically the same as the old version of Tweetie, with no "big update" or "iPad support." Tweetie has been a popular app for iPhone users but if you were looking for big improvements, you might want to stick with what you have.

New features include viewing people's Twitter pages without having your own account, as well as signing up for a new account with the app. Once you do sign up, the app generates a suggested user list for you. "Top Tweets" have been added to search results and the "More" tab is a little different, with more popular options being moved to the main bar.

According to CNN, many developers worried about the future of their own applications when Twitter purchased Tweetie. Twitter, in turn, said they needed to have an official client. The company has been increasing its presence in the mobile world, in an effort to improve the user experience. The company's user-base has grown overwhelmingly lately and third party apps can often be confusing.

Twitter for Android was released in early May, as was the Twitter app for Blackberry, released by Research in Motion. iPhone, Android, and Blackberry make up the majority of the smartphone market, so now, no one has an excuse not to use Twitter...on the go!!

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Professionals Prefer Phones to... Everything

Smartphones are everywhere these days, iPhones, Blackberries, Androids and others, and apparently their owners are quite attached to them. At least that's what a new survey from RingCentral, a cloud computing business phone system provider says.

"This survey demonstrates the critical role smartphones play in business. The passion business professionals have for these devices reflects a major shift in the way we work, and the new reality is that businesses do not have to choose between mobility and professionalism," said the CEO of RingCentral, Vlad Shmunis.

So what exactly did the survey find? Well, only about 17% of professional smartphone users admit they'd never give up their morning cup of coffee for their phone and 40% of smartphone users said their phones, tied with intimate relationships, is the one thing they can't live without. Yes, that means some professionals see their phone as being just important as their significant others and would have a hard time deciding between the two. Just 3% said they couldn't live without checking social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

About 79% of those surveyed said they use their smartphone to conduct business more often than their home or office phones and 34% say they use their phones more often than their computer for business purposes. About 7% even say they leave their laptops at home when they travel if they can take their phones.

While some have wondered whether or not people would ever give up their computers for their computers all together, this survey certainly seems to lean in that direction. At least the two compliment each other well. When your phone allows you to browse the web, check email, and post on Twitter or Facebook, it can work in place of your laptop when traveling, especially since it might fit in your pocket and not require extra security effort at the airport. Of course, if you plan to do any heavy work, you'll probably need your laptop. And with the release of the iPad and what's sure to be a new fad in technology, business professionals have a new option all together.

Another Great Article:

Different Types of Projectors You Can Rent

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BlackBerry Owners Wish they Had an iPhone

Everyone I know who owns a BlackBerry claims to love it, but a new survey says otherwise. It seems as though almost half of BlackBerry users would rather have an iPhone. And nearly a third of BlackBerry users would switch to Google's Android-based phone, the Nexus One.

The study, conducted by Crowd Science, shows that Research in Motion's BlackBerry is still the most popular smartphone, at least in terms of market share, but even so, users would rather have a different platform. On the other hand, iPhone and Android users would not be so quick to switch platforms. 90 % of those surveyed said that if they were shopping for a new phone, they'd buy the same one they have vs. changing.

Crowd Science CEO John Martin says BlackBerry's brand just doesn't have the loyalty that other operating systems do. He says that the "allure of the iPhone" and the increasing popularity of Google's Android are taking away from what following the BlackBerry does have.

The study also found that most smartphone users say they use their phones for both business and personal reasons, but BlackBerry users were more likely to use them for business about 7 % of the time. BlackBerry devices are often known for having nice, quality keyboards, but Nexus One and the iPhone have on-screen keyboards that allow for a larger screen. This makes on-the-go media usage easier and could be a key factor in why people would rather switch. This has many smartphone makers wondering if they should ditch the keyboards.

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Verizon's Tethered Internet - Good, Not Great

On a recent vacation to Put-In-Bay, Ohio, a small town on South Bass Island in the south west of Lake Erie, I was pressed to find a solution that would allow me to stay connected to my office while still being 250 miles away. I, of course, always use remote desktop for working in the evenings and on other trips I’ve taken, the problem with this vacation was the location. It wasn’t exactly in a metropolis where WiFi connections are abundant. The solution was tethered internet access through my BlackBerry Storm.

I looked on Verizon’s website and found the service, and choked at the price of $60/month; but knowing I couldn’t go a week without the internet, I called Verizon to get the service. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that: not only did I get tethering for half price because I owned a BlackBerry (now making the service only $30/month), but I also could turn the service off and on for only the days I wanted it, I didn’t actually have to have it for an entire month. I had the service activated for a period of 8 days, for a grand total of $8.

$8 for internet access anywhere I had cell phone service. Now that’s a value… sort of. Upon arrival to the island I settling in to our cabin I hopped online. The internet was slow, but faster than I expected honestly. I was able to check my email, look up some local restaurants and reviews, get weather reports and maps for fishing; but when I tried to remote desktop back to my office… nothing. There simply was not enough bandwidth to get back home.

Several times throughout my trip I tried to connected, and several times I needed to connect, but I never could. I was able to check my email via a web interface, but that was the extent of my access to my office. This doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work for remote desktops in other locations, but… the fact that I had good signal strength and still couldn’t get connected makes me skeptical to rely on it for mission critical business.

I’m not saying that Verizon’s tethered internet wasn’t nice. It was. It was great to have. But… if you’re looking for a sure-fire way to work when you’re away from the office, I simply cannot recommend it. If you’re looking to just check email, do basic browsing, etc. then it is probably more than sufficient; especially if you’re only paying $1 for access.

New Blackberry Storm

The world is changing. Our businesses these days are no longer strictly in an office. We travel all over the globe doing business with people from almost any country. In this busy world, it is necessary to have a device that allows you to access anything you would need to work on the go.

The Blackberry Storm is one such device. It is the newest installment in the world of smartphones. It has cutting edge multimedia capabilities that give you access to anything you need. The storm has a high resolution 480x360 pixle color display, transmissive TFT LCD screen which is also light senseing and supports over 65,000 colors. A 3.2 megapixle camera with auto flash, auto focus, and 2x digital zoom is also inluded. The camera also has video capabilities. Since it is a smartphone, it needs easy to use data input and navigation. The Storm has a SurePress touch screen, an on-screen portrait Suretype and multi-tap QWERTY Keyboard, and dedicated Send, End, Menu, and eturn keys. The Storm is also Bluetooth capable with Bluetooth v2.0 enabled. This Blackberry, like most, is a media player. It supports video formats in MPEG4 H.263, MPEG4 Part 2 Simple Profile, H.264, and WMV. It has a 6hr talk time battery life and a 15 day stand by battery life which allows for long use. You will never get lost again because the Storm has stand-alone and assisted GPS as well as Blackberry Maps. The storm supports and expandable memory that supports a microSD card, 1 GB onboard memory and a 128 mb flash memory. The wireless capabilities are also very good. The Storm's wireless network sports UMTS/HSPA: 2100 MHz, 850 MHz and 1900 MHz GSM/GPRS networks in North America, a 900 MHz and 1800 MHz GSM/GPRS networks in Europe/Asia Pacific. You also won't have to worry about your device's security. The Storm has password protection, screen lock, sleep mode, support for AES or triple DES encryption when integrated with Blackberry Enterprise Server, FIPS 140-2 Compliant and optional support for S/MIME.

Needless to say the new Blackberry storm has everything you want and more in a smartphone. It is top of the line and will surley satisfy any of your needs while working on the go. The Blackberry Storm will run you around $199.99 for just the device plus extra for the plan. But in my opinion, well woth it if you work on the go and are in need of a capable smartphone.