Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, it was revealed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE likely supports simultaneous voice and data connections on Sprint's network, Samsung's Galaxy Ace 2 landed at Three in the UK and Vertu revealed a refresh to its Constellation series of luxury phones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 21st, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RIM's current chief Thorsten Heins has had to make some tough decisions in the first few months of his tenure -- and he could be making some particularly difficult choices about trimming the rank and file within the next two weeks. Assuming we take the claims of several contacts for Canada's The Globe and Mail at face value, "at least" 2,000 jobs are being cut on or before June 1st. The numbers could climb higher at that: Reuters is bracing for as many as 6,000 layoffs, and has described an unhappy routine of "Goodbye Thursdays" where more recent hires are let go. RIM has turned down comment on what it calls "rumors and speculation," and we'd hope for the sake of those possibly affected that it's not true. Having said this, it's hard not to imagine Heins wanting to streamline the BlackBerry maker as much as possible to adapt to shrinking market share and keep the company afloat until BlackBerry 10 potentially spurs a revival.

RIM may cut 2,000-plus jobs within two weeks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Been looking forward to porting your BBM addiction to iOS or Android in hopes of finally kicking that Crackberry to the curb? Take a seat -- it looks like RIM's private messaging service isn't going anywhere. According to a Wall Street Journal source, the firm's new CEO has shut down rumors of a BlackBerry Messenger port. "It was not up for discussion," the WSJ was told. According to a person "familiar with the matter," CEO Thorsten Heins decided that RIM shouldn't be pursuing licensing deals. Heins' apparent house cleaning might be a deal breaker for BlackBerry veterans looking to jump ship, requiring users to stick with RIM to maintain their dwindling BBM contact lists. Bummer? Sure is, but at least your pals don't need a security clearance to ping you.

BBM staying exclusive to BlackBerry, says WSJ source originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Research in Motion's head of global sales is leaving the company after serving the BlackBerry maker for 14 years. Patrick Spence joined the company before it had even produced its first smartphone before rising to his current position, based in London. Reuters hints that he was dissatisfied about being passed over for the vacant COO's position, due to be filled by former Sony Ericsson man Kristian Tear later this year. A spokesperson for the Canadian company said that Mr. Spence would be moving to a leadership role in another industry.

[Image Credit: Globe and Mail]

RIM's global sales head departs after 14-year stretch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 11:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We've been jonesing for a more international look at smartphone market share for the start of 2012, and IDC is now more than willing to oblige. In case you'd thought Android's relentless march upwards was just an American fling, Google's OS has jumped from 36.1 percent of the world's share a year ago to exactly 59 percent in the first quarter of this year. That's nearly two thirds of all smartphones, folks. As we've seen in the past, Android is siphoning off legacy users looking for something fresher: Symbian and the BlackBerry have both lost more than half of their share in one year's time, while Linux (led mostly by Bada) and Windows Mobile / Phone together lost small pieces of the pie despite raw shipment numbers going up. As for Apple? Even with all the heat in the kitchen, the iPhone's share grew to 23 percent, leading to a staggering 82 percent of smartphone buyers siding with either the Cupertino or Mountain View camps.

Continue reading IDC: Android has a heady 59 percent of world smartphone share, iPhone still on the way up

IDC: Android has a heady 59 percent of world smartphone share, iPhone still on the way up originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Navigating through airport security is hardly the most fanciful way of kicking off a vacation, but this summer, a handful of frequent fliers in France will take part in a field trial that aims to streamline the process and make it a bit more enjoyable. Fifty lucky travelers armed with BlackBerry smartphones will take part in a pilot study that tests the authentication technology recently developed by Orange and SITA. Upon their arrival at the Toulouse-Blagnac airport, the handset's NFC-capable SIM card will serve as an access pass to the car park, the premium access zone for departures and even the private lounge area. Smartphone integration will provide travelers with real-time flight information, and it's said that the handset will even remember the location of one's vehicle in the car park. As the system is hardware-based, the identity verification technology will even work when the smartphone is turned off. The Toulouse-Blagnac airport aims to have a broader NFC implementation available by 2013-2014, which may allow users to board flights and pay for goods with their mobile device. To learn more about the vision, you'll find the PR after the break.

Continue reading France's Toulouse-Blagnac airport to conduct NFC field trials for BlackBerry smartphones

France's Toulouse-Blagnac airport to conduct NFC field trials for BlackBerry smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 02:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Kodak hasn't caught a break lately, and that trend isn't easing up any time soon with a second rejection arriving in its main International Trade Commission (ITC) patent dispute with Apple and RIM. Despite having had its case remanded after a loss last year, Kodak is once more being told that BlackBerrys and iPhones don't violate a patent on previewing photos. The one violation was rendered moot through "obviousness," according to administrative law judge Thomas Pender. It's still an initial ruling, and Kodak is trying to put a positive light on the situation -- it's "pleased" there's still an infringement, even if the patent claim is invalid -- but the patent wars aren't looking good for a photography company that has already had to give up cameras to have a chance of staying afloat. Most of Kodak's hope, then, will be pinned on a second wave of ITC disputes that might stand a better chance of putting at least Apple's feet to the fire.

Continue reading ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent

ITC says again that Apple and RIM don't violate Kodak patent originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of May 14th, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of May 14th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 18:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fans of the Lincoln-Kennedy coincidences can appreciate similarly contrived dynamics in comparing Nokia and RIM (neither of which, contrary to the occasionally expressed opinion, has been murdered despite "Apple and Android" consisting of three words and 15 letters). Both companies are former smartphone market share leaders -- RIM in North America, Nokia globally. Both have had success in developing economies with efficient operating systems that they plan to support indefinitely. Both developed reputations for high build quality and good antenna design, and both were initially dismissive of the iPhone as they continue to see Android as the path to commoditization. And after precipitous market share declines, both hired new CEOs. Nokia, a European company, hired a CEO raised in Canada. RIM, a Canadian company, hired a CEO raised in Europe. These men now struggle with keeping their companies part of a viable alternative to the two dominant marketplace offerings.

Since embarking on their new operating system strategies, though, there have been many contrasts. While Nokia hired an outsider as a CEO, RIM hired an insider. Nokia decided to adopt a licensed OS; RIM decided to build its own (based largely on acquisitions). And now that both the Mobile World Congress and BlackBerry World conferences have passed, there's an opportunity to assess their comeback progress.

Continue reading Switched On: Clash of the troubled titans

Switched On: Clash of the troubled titans originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, Verizon Wireless brought its LTE service to 28 new markets and expanded its reach in 11 additional areas. We also saw Straight Talk introduce the Samsung Galaxy Proclaim, and it appears that Rogers will soon offer the HTC One S. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 14th, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 14th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's been a battle of epic proportions over a microscopic piece of plastic, but the warring sides appear to be working together to find a compromise. We're referring to the fight between Apple and a coalition formed by RIM, Motorola and Nokia as each group attempts to make their own nano-SIM design the ETSI standard. Neither entity has seemed willing to extend an olive branch and come up with any compromise -- until recently. RIM and Motorola have updated their design proposal in an effort to reach middle ground with Cupertino, and it appears that they were more than accommodating in the chip's refreshed look (seen above).

So how different can two nano-SIM designs be? Worlds apart, it turns out. For instance, RIM and Motorola have insisted from the beginning that a notch is necessary to allow for "push-push" mechanisms (push to lock the chip in place, push to pop it back out again); Apple, on the other hand, has been entirely anti-notch -- not a surprise, given the fact that the company uses SIM trays on the iPhone, therefore making the concept of a notch completely irrelevant. In its redesign, however, RIM and Motorola took elements from both sides of the fight and combined them. The new look retains Apple's simple rectangular style, but still makes room for a low-key notch on one side. It's difficult to say whether this move will be enough to gain the affection of Tim Cook's company and sway the vote -- Apple is still hard at work modding its own design, after all -- but it's nice to see both factions playing nice with each other prior to the next ETSI meeting on May 31st. Head to the source to see the difference between the original designs and the latest version.

RIM and Motorola modify nano-SIM proposal, hope to meet Apple halfway originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 00:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CSI: Waterloo? We're not sure how compelling that spin-off would be (inexplicable popularity of the David Caruso-headlined Miami version aside). So, you'll excuse us for scratching our collective tech head over this recently surfaced patent application filed by RIM in November of 2010. The claims of this bizarre USPTO doc describe an apparatus containing some form of a "display element" attached to a portable electronic device that would generate light on nearby objects, snap photographs and then display results indicating potential contamination. Sounds a lot like those UV wands forensics researchers use on crime scenes, non? Well, whatever it is Heins and co. may have brewing in their Canadian R&D labs, we just pray this isn't BB 10's killer feature. Hit up the source below to peruse the legalese for yourself.

RIM patent application shines a light on unseen filth, might make forensics mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We know almost too well how smartphones perform in US market share; what we don't usually see is how happy customers are once the shrink wrap's off. Going by a newly-expanded American Customer Satisfaction Index, it's the iPhone that most scratches the itch at a score of 83. Despite having just been added, Apple was noticeably ahead of a three-way tie between HTC, LG and Nokia at 75. You might not want to look if you're a freshly-minted RIM executive: the BlackBerry made its freshman debut on the charts at the bottom, or 69. Big carriers have their own reasons to wince, too, knowing that smaller carriers like US Cellular and TracFone scored higher on the happiness meter than incumbents hiking service fees. While there's definitely some wiggle room for your own experience to have been better or worse, if you were an iPhone owner on a regional carrier in the past few months, you were statistically the most likely to be on Cloud Nine.

Continue reading iPhone waltzes into top spot of US phone satisfaction index, small carriers trump the giants

iPhone waltzes into top spot of US phone satisfaction index, small carriers trump the giants originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's seldom the case that we get to look at world smartphone market share on a national level, but Kantar WorldPanel has given a rare peek that might give Windows Phone fans some good news to crow about. Even though things haven't always gone well for the Microsoft camp, Nokia phones like the Lumia 800 sparked a minor Renaissance in some countries in the three months leading up to mid-April: Windows Phone was up to between three and four percent in France, Italy, the UK and the US. The Metro interface must also be sehr gut for Germans, which nearly doubled Windows Phone's local share to six percent in that short space of time.

Kantar is eager to point out that it's still mostly a tale of Android and iOS successes, though. Google took extra ground in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US, while Apple was on a tear both on its native soil and in the UK. HTC's upbeat predictions may have played a significant part in Android's continued rise -- the One X cracked the British top 10 list despite having only been in shops for a few days. About the only underdog story not going well in early spring was RIM's, where the BlackBerry's share of the US was cut to a third of its year-ago glory at three percent.

Kantar: Windows Phone clawing back share thanks to Nokia, but Android still rules the roost originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 02:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Even after the many announcements at this year's BlackBerry World Conference, Waterloo is keeping that patent train a-rollin'. In a filing granted today, we get a glimpse of what RIM could have up its sleeve, er, on its hip. The claims detail flexible batteries built into holsters that recharge your phone when you're on the go -- all the while communicating to your BB's CPU to bring you alerts through its own speakers -- thus avoiding muffled sounds from covered parts. That's all well and good, but here's the real question: will these things eventually play nice with fuel cell-powered Berries?

RIM patent proposes battery-charging cellphone holster originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 20:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

By now, the crew in Waterloo have likely piqued your interest in what's to come for the world of BlackBerry. So far, we've gotten to see the company's developer handset, along with a few screenshots of the BlackBerry 10 software. One element that's remained elusive up until this point, however, was the home screen itself. All of that changed today, as Research in Motion is now providing a sneak peek of it and the full launcher. While you might mistake the home screen as being populated with widgets, in fact, these are open applications that will dynamically change based on your activities. Much of the interface will be gesture-driven, and as such, a quick swipe to the right will bring the full launcher to the forefront -- just hop the break for a glimpse. Similarly, a swipe to the left will reveal the unified inbox. The result is nothing revolutionary, but the BlackBerry 10 designers certainly deserve credit for the clean and functional interface -- it's but one more reason to be excited for what's next.

Continue reading BlackBerry 10 home screen and launcher officially previewed by RIM

BlackBerry 10 home screen and launcher officially previewed by RIM originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 20:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looks like RIM is more interested in fuel cell technology than we thought: the BlackBerry maker has just applied for two closely related patents for including a fuel cell in an electronic device, one for the frame and one for the fuel tank itself. Although the primary aim of either patent is to show how to fit a fuel cell into the tight space of a mobile gadget, they do show a more rectangular and modern device chassis than the last patent we saw, which had more than a slight whiff of the classic BlackBerry about it. Neither application is necessarily a roadmap for the future, and they don't mean your next BlackBerry smartphone will need top-ups of lighter fluid or methanol every few weeks. Still, they hint that fuel cells are at least somewhat more than a passing fancy in Waterloo.

RIM continues its fuel cell streak, applies for two more patents originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Listen up, maggots. Fresh off all the recent hoopla surrounding BlackBerry 10, Research In Motion announced that the U.S. Department of Defense has approved the use of six BlackBerry models on its networks. The smartphones receiving the green light are the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930, BlackBerry Torch 9810, 9850 and 9860, and BlackBerry Curve 9360. RIM added that DoD and Army personnel will be able to use several capabilities added by the military for its BlackBerry users last year, including universal search, near field communications, augmented reality and the potential land mine that is Social Feeds 2.0 (whaddya mean that was classified?). No word on whether a certain BlackBerry user-in-chief will be getting an upgraded version of his device as well. For more details, feel free to march into the PR after the break.

Continue reading Sir, yes, sir: BlackBerry 7 smartphones get DoD approval

Sir, yes, sir: BlackBerry 7 smartphones get DoD approval originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 21:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

RIM is utterly devoted to the physical keyboard, but how do you deal with sausage-fingered emailers who can't pick out individual keys? Thanks to this newly-granted 2009 patent, the company has the solution -- a trapezoidal keyboard designed to offer easier access of type-weary thumbs and wider keys for better accuracy. We hope that in a windowless office in Waterloo, some engineer will combine elements from all this patenting activity and come up with the next generation of mobile telephone.

RIM patents trapezoidal BlackBerry keyboards for slanty-thumbed texters originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 07:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The 9320 has visited more countries during its short gestation than some phones get to see in their whole lives, but it's finally arrived. The specs are pretty much what we guessed, with the socially-focused BB OS 7.1 onboard, a 3.2-megapixel camera and typical Curve features like a 2.44-inch 320 x 240 non-touch LCD display, 'super charged' 1450mAh battery, FM radio and a small, lightweight 103 gram QWERTY form factor. Same specs, different day, but then there's also microSD expandability beyond the 512MB of eMMC, which can't be taken for granted, plus a new feature in the form of a dedicated BBM key on the side. As for the 9320's cheaper sibling, the 9220 shown above, we've already been hands-on at BlackBerry World and spotted that one of its main sacrifices is the camera: it's only 2-megapixels and there's no flash. That's all 11,000 rupees ($210) and a police escort gets you.

Update: There's a potential treat for FCC watchers after the break -- because we think the Curve 9320 may have just received its wireless green card.

Update: UK carriers have just announced their intentions. Three will offer the device from PAYG for £140 ($225) from May 14th, while T-Mobile will also have a 24-month contract option at £15.50 per month.

Continue reading BlackBerry Curve 9320 now official: BB OS 7.1, 2.44-inch display, BBM button

BlackBerry Curve 9320 now official: BB OS 7.1, 2.44-inch display, BBM button originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 02:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple and Nokia agree that a smaller SIM card will aid them in their quest to create better phones for us all, but the two disagree about what that new SIM should look like. You see, Nokia claims that Cupertino's proposed card violates ETSI's -- the standards body that'll make the final call on the one nano-SIM to rule them all -- requirement that the nano-SIM design preclude people from fitting it into a microSD slot. Well, that complaint didn't fall upon deaf ears, as Apple apparently put SIM maker Giesecke & Devrient to work making a new version that solves the problem with some additional plastic in all the right places. Of course, this new design doesn't address Nokia's claims that its design is technically superior, so it's unlikely to win approval from its Finnish opponents. While Apple's new nano-SIM seems to eliminate one hurdle in its way, RIM's accusation that Apple's attempt to rig ETSI's decision in its favor has yet to be dealt with. That means it'll be a bit before we know if Cupertino's plan for nano-SIM domination will succeed. Stay tuned.

Sean Cooper contributed to this report.

Apple mods nano-SIM design, awaits Nokia's tiny rebuttal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 22:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looks like executive switches aren't the only thing happening at Research in Motion this morning. Earlier today, the Canadian company announced a partnership with TomTom that will see the GPS outfit's HD Traffic service make its way onto BlackBerry devices. Essentially, this means a handful of BlackBerry applications such as Traffic, Maps and Locate Services will now be powered by TomTom's offering -- a feature we've previously seen on iOS and even your browser. Notably, RIM says developers are going to have access to "mapping and traffic" for use within their own apps, which is bound to make a few of you some Berry happy campers. Hey, at least RIM's making an effort.

Continue reading RIM teams up with TomTom to bring HD Traffic to BlackBerry devices

RIM teams up with TomTom to bring HD Traffic to BlackBerry devices originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 12:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Changes are afoot at Research in Motion. The Canadian smartphone maker today announced the addition of two new names to top executive slots. Former Sony Mobile Communications executive VP Kristian Tear will be taking on the role of the company's chief operating officer. RIM's new chief marketing officer Frank Boulben, meanwhile, comes over from Lightsquared, after having worked for the likes of Vodafone, Vivendi and Orange. The news comes on the heels of word that new CEO Thorsten Heins has been "clearing house" at the ailing phone company.

RIM continues the executive shuffle with new COO and CMO originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Smartphones crossed an important milestone in March, based on Nielsen's estimates. Just over half of cellphone owners in the US -- 50.4 percent, to be exact -- had a smartphone of some kind, making dumbphones the minority for the first time. The smartphone tale of the tape shows that the OS split has largely tapered off since February. Android has only moved slightly and still sits atop the heap, claiming 48.5 percent of users, but Apple hasn't had to worry given that 32 percent of smartphone owners use an iPhone. As is increasingly becoming the familiar story, other platforms trailed well behind: RIM's BlackBerry sat at 11.6 percent, while Windows Mobile, at 4.1 percent, was more popular than its Windows Phone successor's 1.7 percent. Apple can still claim to be the top-selling individual smartphone maker in the country, suggesting Samsung hasn't translated its worldwide lead to the US just yet.

Nielsen: Over 50 percent of US mobile users own smartphones, Android and iPhone sitting pretty originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Blackberry 10 Dev Alpha we wrapped our mitts around last week didn't tell us much about RIM's big QNX-based OS update (being loaded with PlayBook OS 2.0 and all), but Crackberry forum user Biggulpseh seemingly has the deets that the folks in Waterloo weren't ready to reveal. So-called internal documents reportedly detail a tilt-sensitive lock screen that pushes notifications to the user based on the device's movement (called "cinnamon toast"), a screen-sharing ability to ramp up the productivity of video calls and a robust video editor resulting from RIM's acquisition of JayCut last year. Biggulpseh says the images come from a "trusted source," and are part of a document that outlines upcoming features for the benefit of the firm's employees. Ready to dive in and let your imagination run wild? Hit the source links below, just don't forget your saliferous spices.

BlackBerry 10 to get video editor, screen sharing according to forum leak originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 May 2012 23:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of April 30th, 2012

Refresh Roundup: week of April 30th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 May 2012 19:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Financial maven and maker of beautiful graphs Horace Dediu has found that between the top eight mobile phone vendors, Apple and Samsung share 99 percent of the total spoils. Of RIM, LG, Sony (Ericsson), Motorola, Nokia and HTC, only the latter made a profit -- claiming that left over one percent. The remaining six all recorded losses for the quarter, Mr. Deidu adding that several of those companies are carrying feature phone businesses that they should shed before they become an albatross around their neck.

Visualized: Apple and Samsung occupy the 99 percent... of phone profits originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 12:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading MasterCard gives PayPass blessings to HTC One X, 16 other NFC phones

MasterCard gives PayPass blessings to HTC One X, 16 other NFC phones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 22:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Hot off the heels of the BlackBerry 10 exhibit, RIM announced a partnership with Gameloft that will see the developer offer a number of mobile titles by the time the new platform launches. As RIM notes, these games will be designed to take advantage of "key" features within the fresh OS, including Scoreloop social gaming tools and multiplayer functions. Among the 11 games set to be released are Shark Dash, Ice Age Village, Oregon Trail and, of course, N.O.V.A 3: Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance -- all of which will range from free to $6.99. Let's not forget, though, that Jetpack Joyride and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will also be making their way onto the platform. All in all, not a bad way for the Waterloo-based outfit to kick things off.

Continue reading Gameloft set to offer 11 games on BlackBerry 10 platform at launch, more to follow

Gameloft set to offer 11 games on BlackBerry 10 platform at launch, more to follow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Again, not exactly a bombshell here, but a day after the 4G version of RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook was "confirmed" over a hearty breakfast at BlackBerry World, the company's CEO let it be known that the tablet is, in fact, on the way. According to Thorsten Heins at a press event this morning, the 4G PlayBook is due out before year's end. While he didn't specifically mention LTE, the executive prefaced that statement by saying that his company admittedly has a glaring lack of LTE devices. Should we put two and two together? Interpret it how you will.

RIM CEO: 4G PlayBook coming this year originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nokia has just announced that it is commencing patent litigation against HTC, Research in Motion and Viewsonic in the US and Germany. It's claiming that a number of its patents are being infringed and has registered complaints with the ITC and courts in Delaware, Dusseldorf, Munich and Mannheim. Espoo's legal chief Louise Pentland has said that while the company currently licenses its FRAND patents to "more than 40 companies," it had no choice but to lay some courtroom smack-down on the named offenders. It appears that after losing its global market share crown and billion-dollar losses, the company is finally going on the offensive with its deep patent portfolio. You can judge that for yourself when you read the official line after the break.

Update: We've received some clarification from Nokia on what exactly is on the docket here. "Four of the patents asserted against Viewsonic in Mannheim are standards essential. The rest against Viewsonic and all against HTC and RIM are implementation patents, not declared essential to any standard and so we have no obligation to grant licenses."

Continue reading Nokia gets it: launches patent lawsuits against HTC, RIM and Viewsonic

Nokia gets it: launches patent lawsuits against HTC, RIM and Viewsonic originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Before wrapping things up at the BlackBerry 10 Jam keynote, Alex Saunders lobbed out a whale of a tidbit: the Dev Alpha may be joined by another, "very limited-edition" version of a BlackBerry 10 device much closer to the platform's official launch. According to the VP, developers who have received the Dev Alpha will be able to trade up to the new version at an unspecified time. With Alex accentuating the fact that there would be an incredibly limited number of these devices available, we imagine we'll see some extra strings attached to this offering, but no specifics have been revealed so far.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

RIM: another limited-edition developer device coming later this year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

At BlackBerry World 2012, RIM is bumping up the stakes for its developers by putting more money where its mouth is, announcing a $10,000 guarantee to get potential coders excited to hop onto Team BlackBerry. If you get your app certified on App World and don't earn ten grand in the first year, RIM will cut you a check for the difference. Of course, incentive programs are nothing new in today's increasingly competitive development world -- Research in Motion has offered free phones and PlayBooks in the past, and Microsoft is known for throwing cash at big-name developers to beckon them to Windows Phone, for instance. The guarantee, however, is certainly a unique approach to entice new devs to BlackBerry 10. As these programs often do, there is one catch: to qualify, you'll need to not only earn quality certification, you'll also have to generate $1,000 on your own accord. All of this is part of a $100 million investment in its new ecosystem, and should help spark some developer interest in the lead-up to Waterloo's upcoming platform refresh. If you think you've got what it takes, start thinking up those million-dollar ideas right now.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

RIM offers developers $10,000 incentive for certified apps originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Those decrying the death of the BlackBerry keyboard can officially put their mourning on hold. RIM CEO Thorsten Heins addressed the matter during today's keynote -- but just in case the QWERTY-inclined weren't quite convinced by the sentiment, a spokesperson for the Canadian smartphone maker has brought some reinforcement, telling Phone Scoop that, while early BlackBerry 10 devices will be focused on the virtual, physical keyboards will also be making their way into the mobile OS's ecosystem. Now we can all type a collective sigh of relief.

RIM: Don't worry, BlackBerry 10 devices with keyboards are on their way originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The March smartphone market share tally for the US is in from ComScore, and it paints a familiar picture that's rosy for Apple, Google and Samsung, but not so flush-cheeked for everyone else. Android is still tops and jumped almost four points to 51 percent of new American buyers. Apple's still riding high after shipping 35.1 million iPhones, however, and moved up to 30.7 percent. As is often becoming the case, it was Microsoft and RIM that took the biggest hit, with the BlackBerry dropping as much as Android gained and tumbling down to 12.3 percent.

A total of 106 million Americans had a smartphone, nine percent higher than in December, and that was mirrored in the hurt dealt out among total cellphone market share. Outside of Samsung's gangbuster run in smartphones keeping it on top at 26 percent, the only other company to move up as an individual cellphone brand was Apple, which staked out 14 percent of the US cellphone space for itself. HTC, Motorola and LG are all shedding market share, with HTC no doubt hoping that the One X and One S will turn its fortunes around pretty soon.

ComScore: Android tips the 51% mark in US share, iPhone nips its heels with 31% originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 13:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One of the things BlackBerry has never really had going for it, is a deep games catalog. Now, that isn't about to change in one fell swoop, but things are about to get a lot better at BlackBerry World 2012. RIM's head of gaming, Anders Jeppsson, took to twitter to let the world know about the impressive pile of titles heading to the PlayBook and BlackBerry 10. The biggest names are certainly Jetpack Joyride, from Halfbrick (the studio behind Fruit Ninja), and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Other games in the pipeline include Galaxy on Fire 2 and Star Marine, while Tomb Raider fans can get down with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light starting today. Keep an ear out for more to hit during this week's BBW.

BlackBerry gets its game on at BBW, scores Jetpack Joyride and Sonic originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 11:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking to get your goods on a BlackBerry smartphone or tablet now that the new OS has been shown off? If so, you're in luck. Mippin, the app creation platform, has announced that it will power the BlackBerry App Generator -- transforming content into full-blown apps for BlackBerry smartphones and PlayBook tablets. In a matter of minutes, users will be able to use their info, photos and what not to build applications without bothering with registration or submission fees. Software created via the generator can be fully integrated with BBM for sharing and other social experiences with fellow BlackBerry users. Martyn Mallick, VP Global Alliances and Business Development at RIM noted, "With the launch of BlackBerry App Generator Mippin and RIM are tearing down the barriers and finding new ways to encourage content publishers to create apps." Currently, applications can only be created for devices running BlackBerry 5 OS and higher. Don't fret, though, the outfit says support for BB10 will be on the way in no time.

Continue reading BlackBerry App Generator makes app building a breeze for smartphones and PlayBook tablets

BlackBerry App Generator makes app building a breeze for smartphones and PlayBook tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

So, if all of the news about BlackBerry 10 got a little too overwhelming for you then this is the place to be. There's detailed impressions of the company's new development device, cool new software features and we've even found out how to DJ using a PlayBook. If you want to catch up on everything that went down today, head on past the break and don't forget, you can always relive it blow-by-blow with our liveblog.

Gallery: BlackBerry 10 preview shots

Continue reading RIM's BlackBerry World keynote roundup: the OS, the hardware, everything else (video)

RIM's BlackBerry World keynote roundup: the OS, the hardware, everything else (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 10:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

BlackBerry 10 is no joke on the multitasking front. The QNX-based OS may be a long time coming, but it really is offering something for the modern user that needs to switch between several apps. Instead of going the task list route, as webOS and Android have done, RIM's latest simply lets you swipe to reveal background tasks. Drag your thumb from left to right to peek at other apps that are currently running in the background. You can simply glance at them and go back to the foreground, or you can actually swipe back to go to programs launched earlier. It's slick, intuitive and perhaps the most familiar multitasking solution to those accustomed to the desktop metaphor. For more info check out our recent hands-on.

RIM demos simple app switching in BlackBerry 10, slide to reveal originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's the best thing about the BlackBerry platform? Most would say it's the keyboard, which continues to be world-class in the company's most recent handsets, like the Bold 9900. One of the big questions on the fans of the BB faithful in the new operating system was how the company could re-create that magic on a touchscreen. Well, Thorsten Heins just showed us how on-stage at BlackBerry World, showing off a new, smart touch keyboard that is said to adapt to your touches. It has elements of predictive text, like many other keyboards, but it also relies heavily on gestures. For example, to get to numbers and special characters, just swipe upward from below and the keyboard layout changes. You can swipe up and down to cycle through these layouts and, like SwiftKey, swipe left to delete whole words. It doesn't exactly blow many of those aftermarket Android options out of the water but it certainly looks like it could be among one of the best stock keyboards out there.

RIM shows off BlackBerry 10 touch keyboard with gesture support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.