During its BlackBerry DevCon 2011 conference on Tuesday, Research In Motion announced its next generation platform, BBX. BBX will be used on the company’s upcoming phones, tablets and embedded devices. RIM said developers can take advantage of HTML5 to bridge the gap between BlackBerry 6, BlackBerry 7 and the BBX platform. However, developers can use native code to create the most powerful BBX apps. The BBX platform includes BBX-OS and will support RIM’s BlackBerry cloud services. The platform takes advantage of the BlackBerry Cascades UI framework, which will be available this fall, and RIM hopes it will allow the company to introduce “super apps” that are deeply integrated with one another, push services and BBM. RIM also announced the native SDK for the BlackBerry Playbook, which allows developers to create 2D/3D games with OpenGL ES 2.0 and Open AL and more. BlackBerry WebWorks will allow developers to add support for BlackBerry 6, BlackBerry 7 and the PlayBook to their applications, too, and it is available on RIM’s developer website now. Finally, RIM introduced a developer beta of PlayBook OS 2.0, which supports the Eclipse Android development environment on the PlayBook. During the BBX presentation, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said RIM has sold 165 million BlackBerry smartphones to date and currently has 70 million subscribers. Read on for the full press release.

RIM Unveils BlackBerry BBX-Combines the Best of BlackBerry and QNX to Provide a Next Generation Platform for BlackBerry Smartphones and Tablets

Additional announcements and highlights from BlackBerry DevCon Americas 2011 include:

- BlackBerry WebWorks and HTML5 apps compatible with current BlackBerry smartphones and tablets will run on future BBX-based devices

- Native SDK for BlackBerry PlayBook goes gold; released for general availability

- SDK for Adobe AIR Now Supports Adobe AIR 3.0

- BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Developer Beta now available, includes BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA–(Marketwire – Oct. 18, 2011) - BlackBerry DevCon Americas 2011 – At BlackBerry DevCon Americas 2011, Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today unveiled BlackBerry BBX, its next generation mobile platform that takes the best of the BlackBerry® platform and the best of the QNX® platform to connect people, devices, content and services.

In addition, RIM announced a series of developer tool updates, including WebWorks for BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, the Native SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook and a developer beta of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 with support for running Android applications. RIM also provided direction for developers on how to best develop and monetize their BlackBerry applications for today and for the future.

“With nearly 5 million BlackBerry apps downloaded daily, our customers have made BlackBerry one of the most profitable platforms for developers,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM. “At DevCon today, we’re giving developers the tools they need to build richer applications and we’re providing direction on how to best develop their smartphone and tablet apps as the BlackBerry and QNX platforms converge into our next generation BBX platform.”

BlackBerry BBX

BBX is the next generation platform for BlackBerry smartphones and tablets. It combines the best of BlackBerry and the best of QNX and is designed from the ground up to enable the powerful real-time mobile experiences that distinguish BlackBerry products and services.

The BBX platform will include BBX-OS, and will support BlackBerry cloud services and development environments for both HTML5 and native developers. BBX will also support applications developed using any of the tools available today for the BlackBerry PlayBook – including Native SDK, Adobe AIR/Flash and WebWorks/HTML5, as well as the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps – on future BBX-based tablets and smartphones.

BBX will also include the new BlackBerry Cascades UI Framework for advanced graphics (shown for the first time today), and bring “Super App” capabilities to enable many advanced capabilities including deep integration between apps, always-on Push services, the BBM™ Social Platform, and much more.

BlackBerry WebWorks

Developers who want to support both existing smartphones (running BlackBerry 6 and BlackBerry 7 OS) and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets can monetize apps on both platforms today with BlackBerry WebWorks, which supports apps built on HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. The latest release, BlackBerry WebWorks SDK 2.2 (supporting both smartphones and tablets), is now available and includes updates for the new PlayBook OS SDK, PlayBook Simulator and more.

The BlackBerry WebWorks APIs are supported by the Ripple Emulator, a standalone, high-fidelity browser-like emulation tool that allows developers to test and debug their applications on multiple platforms and devices without having to compile or launch simulators. Starting today the Ripple Emulator is available in beta and can also be downloaded from RIM’s WebWorks Developer site at: http://developer.blackberry.com/html5.

Native SDK – Content Rich, Fast and Smooth Running Applications

RIM also announced today the immediate availability of the Native SDK for the BlackBerry PlayBook (1.0 gold release). The Native SDK allows developers to build high-performance, multi-threaded, native C/C++ applications and enables developers to create advanced 2D and 3D games and other apps with access to OpenGL ES 2.0 and Open AL, as well as device specific APIs. Applications developed with the Native SDK will run today on the BlackBerry PlayBook and will be forwardly compatible on BBX-based tablets and smartphones.

The Native SDK includes support for C/C++ POSIX library and compliance, device events like gesture swipes and touch screen inputs, access to code management systems using industry standard Eclipse CDT (C/C++ Development Tools) and advanced debug and analysis tools. QNX Momentics Tool Suite, an Eclipse-based integrated development environment, is included. It provides memory profiling, application debugging, and memory usage statistics to help developers debug sophisticated programs, including hardware accelerated OpenGL applications.

The Native SDK makes the development and porting of game applications to the BlackBerry PlayBook an extremely attractive proposition for developers. Well known game publishers, developers and major game engine companies have already started to bring their game titles and applications to the platform.

Scoreloop, the largest and fastest growing cross-platform social gaming ecosystem on mobile, is now available in beta for the Native SDK through BlackBerry® Beta Zone. The Scoreloop SDK provides everything a developer needs to easily integrate social capabilities into their native PlayBook applications and includes support for Leaderboards, Game Challenges, Awards & Achievements, and Player Profiles. Scoreloop’s fully customizable and cross-platform technology empowers developers to add as many or as few features as they want, from a simple leader-board to more extensive player achievements. It makes mobile games more social and profitable.

BlackBerry Cascades – Create Visually Stunning Interfaces

RIM today showcased BlackBerry Cascades, a rich user interface framework coming to a future release of the Native SDK. Cascades unleashes a new breed of design centric mobile applications and provides developers with an exceptional feature set for creating visually stunning interfaces with custom layouts, animations, effects and 3D graphics. These features, combined with a strong set of built-in core user interface components, will make it easy to build beautiful native applications with innovative user interfaces for the current BlackBerry PlayBook and future BBX-based tablets and smartphones. Cascades is scheduled to be made available in beta later this fall.

Adobe AIR 3.0 Support

Adobe Flash enables developers to produce visually stunning, highly functional applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook that can integrate with the underlying OS and will be supported on future BBX-based tablets and smartphones.

The BlackBerry PlayBook now supports the recently announced Adobe AIR 3.0 runtime. Among the supported features are Encrypted Local Store that gives developers the ability to use the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to encrypt and securely store sensitive information on the device, as well as store passwords, keys or credit card information safely within the app; StageText that allows developers to take advantage of native text controls and the native interaction behaviors of those controls; Multitouch and Gestures built into applications to provide great usability; and more.

PlayBook OS 2.0 – Developer Beta

RIM introduced today the Developer Beta version of the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. The Developer Beta includes the BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and the BlackBerry Plug-In for Android Development Tools (ADT), allowing developers to quickly and easily bring Android applications to BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

The BlackBerry Plug-In for ADT (an Eclipse plug-in) extends a developer’s existing Eclipse Android development environment to support the PlayBook, and includes the BlackBerry PlayBook Simulator for developers to test and debug their apps before submitting them to BlackBerry App World™. Developers can also test and debug their apps on a PlayBook running the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 – Developer Beta.

Android developers can also repackage Android apps for the BlackBerry PlayBook online by using the BlackBerry Packager for Android Apps. The web tool guides developers through a step-by-step process, allowing them to test their apps for compatibility with the PlayBook, and repackage and sign their apps for submission to BlackBerry App World, all without downloading any tools.

BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and the associated tools allow Android developers to easily expand their market to include BlackBerry PlayBook users, and hence increase their apps’ market potential.

The BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 – Developer Beta also supports Adobe Air 3.0 and Adobe Flash 11, as well as WebGL, a new web technology that brings hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to the browser without installing additional software. Developers will be able to generate rich, interactive 3D graphics within their BlackBerry WebWorks application.

For more information about the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 – Developer Beta and BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and associated tools, visit For more information about the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 – Developer Beta and BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps and associated tools, visit: https://bdsc.webapps.blackberry.com/android/bpaa/.

Increased Developer Productivity with Open Source Libraries on the BlackBerry PlayBook OS

RIM also announced the BlackBerry Open Source Initiative to port popular Open Source libraries to the BlackBerry PlayBook platform. Libraries already available include physics engines like Bullet Physics and Box2DX, scripting languages like Lua, multimedia libraries like OpenAL and SDL, gaming frameworks like Cocos2DX and general-purpose libraries like Boost and Qt. Also available under an Open Source license are a range of code samples that developers can use to get started quickly, as well as GamePlay, a new 3D native gaming framework.

RIM will continue to expand its involvement in the Open Source community to help increase developer productivity on the BlackBerry platforms. For more details on RIM’s Open Source activities, visit http://blackberry.github.com.

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ:RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “intend,” “believe”, and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section of RIM’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM’s forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

 

The ability to use your phone for NFC mobile payments across borders just became a reality. Gemalto announced that it has developed the first UICC-embedded software application that is approved by Mastercard’s mobile payment specification for NFC. Gemalto’s software provides a number of features, including the Trusted Service Management interface for PayPass payments, and the ability to manage and view your mobile transaction history. Your SIM, and ultimately your phone, can be linked to debit, credit, and prepaid accounts — users can even top up their prepaid cards using Gemalto’s software. You’ll also be able to set your account PIN directly from your phone. When we interviewed MasterCard’s vice president of mobile, James Anderson, last week, he said that the key to NFC was that it has to work wherever you are — whether you’re at home or away on vacation. That’s now possible. “Leveraging the interoperability of MasterCard PayPass, Gemalto’s effort will enable cross-border mobile NFC payment, adding ease to the fast-paced lifestyles of more and more consumers across the world,” Anderson said.  It’s unclear when Gemalto’s solution will land in the hands of consumers, but the company says it is already working with a first-tier financial institution and a major global carrier for a UK roll-out. Hit the jump for the full release

Gemalto Mobile NFC Payment Application First in the World Certified by MasterCard

Newly certified payment application set to trigger commercial rollouts of mobile contactless ecosystem

CARTES in Asia, Hong Kong , Mar 29, 2011 – Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces the world’s first UICC-embedded software application compliant with Mobile MasterCard® PayPass™ M/Chip 4, the brand new MasterCard payment specification designed for mobile near field communications (NFC). The software application and the UICC have both successfully achieved the compliance assessment and security testing certification in accordance with MasterCard’s highest chip security requirements.

This major breakthrough paves the way for mass commercial rollouts of NFC payment across the world. In the UK, Gemalto is already partnering with a global, first-tier financial institution and a world leading mobile operator, to implement the new MasterCard certified mobile payment application and carry out the solution’s first mass commercial roll out.

Gemalto’s software application embeds the Trusted Service Management interface for PayPass. This feature enables mobile account issuance and over-the-air management. Its user-friendly handset interface makes mobile NFC payment extremely convenient, for example enabling consumers to easily manage the new payment means and check transaction history. It also allows consumers to define their mobile Personal Identification Number (PIN), a code of their choice, through their phone. The mobile PIN is a new cardholder verification method used notably to secure operations such as account top-up from the mobile phone.

The Gemalto mobile NFC payment application can be configured so as to cover all card portfolios including debit, credit and prepaid. In the latter case, the software application enables consumers to top-up their prepaid accounts directly from their mobile phone – the utmost convenience for prepaid customers.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Gemalto to broadly expand the use of mobile payment services,” commented James Anderson, vice president, Mobile, MasterCard Worldwide. “Leveraging the interoperability of MasterCard PayPass, Gemalto’s effort will enable cross-border mobile NFC payment, adding ease to the fast-paced lifestyles of more and more consumers across the world.”

“This new certification from MasterCard makes Gemalto the first on the market for this mobile product and will enable banks and wireless operators to offer a secure, innovative and convenient payment means to their entire customer base,” added Jean-Claude Deturche, senior vice-president of mobile financial solutions at Gemalto. “Gemalto is committed to supporting its customers in their large scale deployments of mobile NFC payment, with a complete mobile contactless offer.”

About Gemalto

Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with revenues of €1.9 billion in 2010, and over 10 thousand employees operating out of 87 offices and 13 Research & Development centers in 45 countries.

Gemalto is at the heart of our evolving digital society. The freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain, and work-anytime, anywhere-has become an integral part of what people want and expect, in ways that are convenient, enjoyable and secure.

Gemalto delivers on the growing demands of billions of people worldwide for mobile connectivity, identity and data protection, credit card safety, health and transportation services, e-government and national security. We do this by supplying to governments, wireless operators, banks and enterprises a wide range of secure personal devices, such as subscriber identification modules (SIM), Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) in mobile phones, smart banking cards, smart card access badges, electronic passports and USB tokens for online identity protection. Moreover Gemalto delivers on emerging applications related to the ‘Internet of things’ by supplying wireless modules and machine identification modules (MIM) for machine-to-machine communication. To complete these solutions we also provide software, systems and services to help our customers achieve their goals.

As the use of Gemalto’s software and secure devices increases with the number of people interacting in the digital and wireless world, the company is poised to thrive over the coming years.

For more information visit www.gemalto.com, blog.gemalto.com, or follow @gemalto on Twitter.

Sorry, Stevie… it looks like your plan to keep Flash off iOS devices just hit another speed bump. We know Apple claims performance issues are the reason Flash is nowhere to be found on iOS devices — and we can’t say we disagree with the company’s assessment, in some cases — but we also know tons of Web video content still uses Adobe’s Flash platform and, well, we want the option to view it on our iPhones, iPads and iPods. There are several options for viewing Flash videos on your iDevice, but most methods involve a jailbreaking. Skyfire is a good non-jailbreak option of course, but it has a tendency to be a bit slow at times. Luckily, a group of developers has a new free method that doesn’t involve a jailbreak — in fact, you don’t even have to install an app. A simple bookmarklet is all you need to stream Flash videos right to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Hit the jump for a quick guide that will bring a plethora of embedded Flash video content to your iOS device of choice.

1. Navigate to http://iosflashvideo.fw.hu/ in Safari on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch
2. Hit the + button (replaced by the box/arrow icon on some iOS builds), select Add Bookmark and tap Save
3. Open your bookmarks and tap Edit
4. Choose the new iOSFlashVideo bookmark
5. Delete everything before “javascript:” and tap Done

Now you’re ready to rock.

Simply navigate to a page with an embedded video from Blip.tv, Flickr, Dailymotion, Break, MegaVideo or Vimeo. As usual, you’ll see an empty white space or instructions to download Flash Player where the video should be. Just open your bookmarks and tap the iOSFlashVideo entry, and a new thumbnail will appear where the empty space used to be. Tap the thumbnail and the video will begin streaming immediately via QuickTime.

Well lookie what we have here. One of our ninjas just hit us with the skinny on a big announcement from up North scheduled to hit the wire tomorrow. How does a 7.2Mbps HSPA embedded netbook for $299.99 CAD with a 2-contract sound? That’s right, Rogers is apparently ready to announce its first 3.5G embedded netbook offering tomorrow and it’s all set to attack that fresh (kind of) new HSPA network. The netbook, an HP Mini 110, will feature an Intel Atom processor, up to 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a keyboard that is 92 percent the size of a standard laptop keyboard. It will also require a data plan of course, starting at $25 CAD per month plus fees. If you decide to snag one of these puppies however, we definitely recommend going for one of the bigger monthly plans as $25 only gets you 500MB per month. At 7.2Mbps, or somewhere close at least, that’s just not going to cut it. Hit the jump for the full release.

Rogers Introduces Canada’s First 3.5G Embedded Netbooks

Rogers mobile Internet ready netbooks offer built-in mobile broadband technology for the ultimate access to your online world

TORONTO, ON – July 10, 2009 – Another innovation first from Rogers was announced today with the launch of mobile Internet ready netbooks.  Canada’s fastest network is now the mobile Internet service provider for the first 3.5G embedded laptops in Canada – exclusively from HP.

The HP Mini 110 netbooks now available include embedded mobile broadband technology to connect to the Web over Rogers 3.5G wireless network across Canada – three times faster than any other – offering customers the freedom to choose when and where they enjoy a true broadband Internet experience. With download speeds up to 7.2 Mbps, Rogers mobile Internet ready netbooks deliver the ultimate convenience and productivity for work or play online with just a few clicks – no need to search for WiFi or wired access.

“Just as voice communications have long expanded beyond finding a pay phone or waiting until you get home to make a call, as the Internet evolves from a source of information to an enabler of communication, mobile Internet ready netbooks are the perfect companion to our richly connected lives,” says Mansell Nelson, Vice President of Business Product Management, Rogers Wireless. “Rogers is proud to lead this innovative new product category and now offer our customers an even wider selection of wireless products to meet their mobile needs.”

The HP Mini 110 is available for $299.99, exclusively at Future Shop and Best Buy stores across Canada with a two year plan. Wireless data plans for Rogers mobile Internet ready netbooks start at just $25.00, plus $6.95 system access fee and other fees a month for 500 MB.

HP Mini 110 Series PC

• Featuring a 10.1-inch display and a keyboard that is 92 per cent the size of a standard notebook PC, the HP Mini 110 starts at 2.57 pounds and measures just over one-inch thick.Powered by an Intel Atom Processor, the HP Mini 110 supports up to 1 GB of memory and comes equipped with a 160 GB hard drive.

“Whether it’s for business or personal use, Canadians want a fast connection to the Internet whenever and wherever they happen to be,” says Jeff Cates, Vice President of Consumer Marketing at HP Canada. “Through this first-of-its-kind offering in Canada, HP wants to continue to deliver the technology our customers need to meet the needs of their increasingly mobile lifestyles.”

The Rogers 3.5G HSPA network is now available in more than 25 of Canada’s top markets from Victoria to Halifax, reaching more than 75 per cent of the population. For more information on current coverage areas, please visit www.rogers.com/coverage.