With the upcoming launch event for BlackBerry 10 on January 30th, we are going on a BlackBerry 10 world tour, specifically aimed to connect with enterprise developers and business decision-makers. The BlackBerry Experience Forum (BEF) events are 14 full-day sessions where we’ll uncover how to make the most of every business opportunity with the BlackBerry smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10, designed to be smarter and faster.

Building on the success of the 2012 BlackBerry Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition, we’ve added a specific enterprise developer track to the BlackBerry Experience Forum to make sure we get the opportunity to connect with our vibrant enterprise developer community.

At the BlackBerry Experience Forum, you will learn how to benefit from one of the strongest platforms for business professionals. By taking advantage of the unique BlackBerry infrastructure, impressive technology is available – right at your fingertips – to use behind the firewall connectivity to push critical data and confirm delivery and acknowledgment. This capability has been designed to enable fast business decision-making. With BlackBerry 10, developers can take advantage of the innovative BlackBerry Hub functionality, where all key information is displayed in one central location. BlackBerry also offers standards based development and full enterprise grade management to deploy, upgrade and host your applications.

At BlackBerry, we understand the importance of security. We are also committed to supporting the development of enterprise-grade mobile apps. The BlackBerry Experience Forum is a prime opportunity to learn how to increase your productivity, manage your work flow and keep your executives up to date on key data points that can change how you do business.

After attending the BlackBerry Experience Forum, we are committed to having our enterprise developers walk away with sample applications – ready for you to use to get building your first app! We’ll also provide expert guidance on the right path for your applications to follow and show you how to take advantage of what’s already built in to our developer ecosystem. BlackBerry is committed to making the app development process a worthwhile experience.

Join us on our BlackBerry Experience Forum world tour – see for yourself how BlackBerry is the right tool to bring the solutions you’ve been looking for to your business.

If you have any questions about the BlackBerry Experience Forum, our enterprise developer ecosystem or how to get involved in BlackBerry development, please let us know by commenting below!

There has been an overwhelmingly positive response from the enterprise developer community – they’ve shared over Twitter, LinkedIn, and face-to-face how much a dedicated RIM partnership holds value for their work. We’re committed to getting out there and pulling alongside businesses looking to extend their investments and levels of productivity using mobile applications for business. Check out our wrap-up video below for an overview of the event series:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

To see videos and a summary of a few of the specific events, check out the links below:

• Spain Welcomes the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition
• BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition hits Washington D.C., we talk App Development and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10
• Connecting with Business Developers at BlackBerry Jam – Enterprise Edition in Washington, D.C. [VIDEO]
• A Wider Perspective on Enterprise App Development and BlackBerry App World on BlackBerry 10 [VIDEO]

We have more enterprise developer focused events planned for the future. With the launch of BlackBerry 10 just around the corner, this is just the beginning. Did you attend one of the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition events? Share your favorite aspect in the comments below.

When evaluating solutions to enable your business with mobile applications that go far beyond email, calendar, and PIM, the best practice is to ensure you are making the most of what’s available. I’ve worked in this post to establish a benchmark of how BlackBerry solutions can enable business collaboration and enterprise applications with four key elements.

Connectivity

Although this sounds pretty basic, it’s really the core of what’s needed to get things done. When leveraging the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, this aspect is built in from the ground up and really cannot be any easier. With a service called MDS-CS, you have that built-in “VPN-Like” connection to allow you easy access to the secure data stored behind the firewall. This is a key differentiator, as without this out-of-the-box connectivity behind the firewall, complex and potentially costly solutions would need to be created in order to achieve secure access to corporate data.

Push

Many of us are already familiar with the term “Push”. As a brief primer, push is a service that sends data to a device without the device having to send a request for that data. This is why you don’t have to manually check your email – new messages simply appear the moment that they arrive. It’s a great protocol for delivering information in real time and keeping you connected. But the story doesn’t end here – let’s look at what can be accomplished with Push technology in a business setting.

First and foremost, you have the ability to push data to an app and even notify the end user when something has arrived. Secondly, you can push that information directly to the BlackBerry Hub in BlackBerry 10. Consider how a business user works and the fact that they’re constantly in their inbox. When they wake up in the morning, they go to their inbox; before they go to bed, they are in their inbox. It follows, then, that your business applications should also have a presence here. For example, let’s say that you want to send your CEO the daily sales reports or business intelligence data. Put it right where they’ll be: the inbox! With the invocation framework introduced in BlackBerry 10 you can have them tap on the notification in their inbox and thereby invoke your app.

Secondly, Push also solves the issue that apps need to work offline. Executives often use their BlackBerry smartphones on flights and trips all around the world. Many “send” messages while in transit, and when they land their messages are sent without them even having to lift a finger. Your applications can work the same way; once you build into the workflow a system that can push down the requests to their devices, the requests will be waiting for them until your users have the downtime to go through and take action. They will absolutely love you if you make them more productive on the airplane, and especially if you design it so they do not need to go back to their PC to approve or interact with the information.

Management

Beyond building your enterprise app, it’s important to consider its deployment within your organization. With BlackBerry 10 we’ve created the App World for Work, which gives you the ability to host your confidential application behind the firewall, accessible only to employees within your business. This is enabled as soon as the device is activated against BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, when the BlackBerry Balance feature comes alive during device activation. You can then make it available through App World for Work and the employees can download it, or you can make it a mandatory application which will then automatically be pushed to employee devices. Employees also have the ability to manage available upgrades within App World for Work to ensure that the latest maintenance releases and enhancements are available.

If you’re building applications which you’re looking to sell to enterprise customers, you can either provide them the application to host in their environment or you can submit your application to BlackBerry App World and simply recommend that your customers flag the application for work. Administrators can select publicly available apps from BlackBerry App World, which makes the application appear in App World for Work as a recommended download for employees, manageable like any other internal applications.

Standards-based Development

Let’s face it, when building applications for mobile devices there are many different tools and languages available, and it can be daunting to make a selection. Even some of the MDM providers who try to enable enterprise applications require you to learn their tools in order to build, manage, and secure mobile applications. With the security elements already built into the BlackBerry Enterprise Solution, all that is left to do is build the app. We’ve made it easier than ever by supporting standards-based development. First with HTML5, CSS and JavaScript, you can write and in many cases reuse samples of code which can then be compiled with our BlackBerry WebWorks tool to create a BlackBerry app. Aside from being simple to build, the beauty of the BlackBerry WebWorks development solution is that it supports BlackBerry 6 and BlackBerry 7 OS, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, and the upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform. You can also go really deep to create customized extensions that leverage the core of the BlackBerry OS and hardware. We’ve got loads of samples for you to check out on http://developer.blackberry.com/

If you go a step further and would like to develop using our Native Software Development Kit, the core of the language is C++. Combined with our Cascades tool, you can build some serious applications that not only increase productivity at your company, but have a beautiful interface.

When you’re evaluating solutions to solve your business problems, take a look at Connectivity, Push, Management, and Standards-based Development to see how they can help you in your quest for designing and implementing functional and intuitive business apps. The Enterprise Partnerships team here at RIM is ready to help!

When IT departments want to solve business issues, they often evaluate all of the products available and find what solutions fit best for the particular problem that they are solving. With the introduction and availability of mobile applications to the general business community, the idea of evaluating the right tools at an in-depth level to solve problems often becomes a forgotten art. Unfortunately a lot of time gets wasted trying to use a hammer as a screwdriver with apps that appear functional, but don’t integrate with your infrastructure or lack on security and connectivity.

The BlackBerry® Enterprise solution contains tools geared toward the enterprise customer when it comes to enterprise application solutions, starting with straightforward connectivity behind the firewall. But it doesn’t stop there. Having the ability to push data to a mobile device offers up many opportunities for solving real business problems.

Take, for example, the idea that executives commonly need to be kept up to date on sales performance, inventory, or business intelligence. With the BlackBerry solution, it is very easy to push that out to your executives via a browser channel or a BlackBerry® WebWorks™ application. For example, you can build in notifications and an icon that shows when that new information is available for them, and once they click on the icon, it can change to show that it’s already been read until a new push is received. All of this can be done using BlackBerry developer tools that are readily available. As an added bonus, the information can be made available offline, such as when busy executives are flying. After all is said and done, you’ve got a fantastic example of a functional enterprise app without the hassle of creating a VPN connection and attempting to connect with company servers behind the firewall. Problem solved!

Tip: Check out sample code that allows you to push company data to devices.

Now let’s take that a step further and say you have a field service technician who needs to be able to respond in conformity with a specific Service Level Agreement (SLA). The BlackBerry push ability allows you to build in a confirmation that the technician received the notification, as well as acknowledgement back from the technician that the work order has been accepted. In this scenario you’re working towards a higher level of response for the level of service that your customers expect and demand. Again, the problem solved and response time, accuracy, and customer satisfaction can be improved.

We’ve designed all levels of the BlackBerry solution to help solve challenges like the examples mentioned above. The back end servers and management tools, the devices themselves, and the developer resources all come together to provide a straightforward opportunity to design and deploy enterprise apps.

What problems have you solved with BlackBerry enterprise apps? Share in the comments below.

We mentioned that the BlackBerry Jam Enterprise events are on their way last week in San Jose at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012, but now all of the details are here! These exclusive enterprise developer events will be taking place all around the world, beginning with Europe, North America, and Latin America. Geared towards the area of enterprise app development, including porting existing Java apps to the BlackBerry 10 platform, the sessions and hands-on workshops will help you create, port, and fine-tune exceptional enterprise apps for business.

The events will take place at the following dates and locations:

North America

• Toronto, October 23
• Ottawa, October 25
• Washington DC, November 8
• New York, November 13
• Chicago, November 28

Europe

• London, October 23
• Amsterdam, November 1
• Frankfurt, November 6
• Madrid, November 15

Latin America

Dates coming soon!

• Mexico City, Mexico
• São Paolo, Brazil

For more details and to register, check out the web site at www.blackberryjamenterprise.com. Will you be attending one of the BlackBerry Jam Enterprise events? What are you looking forward to? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Since the beginning of BlackBerry®, the enterprise has been a crucial area of focus for the core business of Research In Motion® (RIM®). This has continued throughout the years and with the ever-growing demand of mobile applications, we remain committed to the success of the enterprise developer. The application space is heavily directed by the consumer and end-user demand, yet they often fall short to the needs of the enterprise. RIM is in a position where it can meet both needs by being a “behind the firewall” solution and by maintaining a cloud-friendly approach. Rest assured we are committed to designing and producing great products for the enterprise and also providing the right platform to help transform your business for the better with mobile solutions.

Why should businesses develop for the BlackBerry platform?

The BlackBerry platform has a heritage of strengths and opportunities for enterprise applications. As we approach the launch of BlackBerry® 10, the opportunities to drive communication, efficiency, and to mobilize your workforce with enterprise applications are rapidly growing. Here are a few strengths of the BlackBerry platform for enterprise developers:

• The development platform is standards-based
• We provide an enterprise mobility management solution to complete the full picture of employee devices, corporate data, and enterprise apps
• Worldwide leader in mobile security
• Mailbox integration
• Push technology

The best part about BlackBerry in the enterprise is that is solves many of the challenges presented during the application development cycle. First and foremost, the problem of connectivity is taken care of as BlackBerry is the only “behind the firewall” solution. Additionally the development platform has been significantly improved approaching BlackBerry 10, and we support a standards-based strategy leveraging tools like HTML5, C++, and Eclipse.

Also included is a full set of management tools, security and APIs to allow you to take full advantage of BlackBerry smartphones. Tied together with the ability to push content to your users, this makes your possibilities for the functionality of enterprise apps endless. Imagine, for example, building your application to tie right into the mailbox of a BlackBerry smartphone, providing intuitive access to crucial information for executives and employees.

What is the Enterprise Developer Lab at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012?

For the first time during our BlackBerry® Jam events, we have created a lab for enterprise developers to bring their applications in and get consultation on how to improve, and more importantly, how to develop for BlackBerry 10. We are in the middle of a transition to this new platform, and we want to ensure that you fully understand the power that is at your fingertips as well as help you bring existing apps to BlackBerry 10. I have heard from several customers that it would be ideal to have someone available to guide them through the development process in order to take their app from Java® to BlackBerry 10; what better way to start by having a lab for enterprise developers to meet with the experts who can help get you started? Essentially you are getting a free consultation on building and customizing your application for your company on a brand-new, powerful mobile computing platform. We want to make you look like a rock star!

Why are we launching the Enterprise Developer Lab?

We’ve decided to launch the Enterprise Developer Lab as a way of getting closer to enterprise developers and helping to ensure their success. With the turbulent environment of the mobile space, we want to make sure that you have a chance to learn and try new things with assistance. We also recognize that some of these discussions are private to your organization, so one-on-one interaction is required to not let your company secrets out in the open. We believe in partnership, and building this lab as part of our BlackBerry Jam Americas conference is a great way for us to work together.

We look forward to your success while you develop the enterprise grade applications to help increase productivity and change the way that your business operates.

Come Jam with Us!

San Jose, California from September 25-27
Follow #BBJam and @BlackBerryDev on Twitter®, as well as the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog

BlackBerry® Jam Americas 2012 is quickly approaching, and coming with it are opportunities for enterprise app developers. There are some incredible business apps available for both BlackBerry® 7 smartphones as well as BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets – but some real excitement is on the way with BlackBerry® 10.

I run a team that is focused directly on the Enterprise Developer – we understand your challenges around security, management, and the need to support many different devices. We work to help you leverage the engagement elements of the BlackBerry UI to make apps that are not only appealing to the end user but also fully connected to the backend to access corporate data. My team is here to guide you through the process of taking your Java applications and porting them over with standards-based programming languages like HTML5 and C++. We work to ensure that you are able to design a highly successful application for your Enterprise. BlackBerry Jam Americas is a great event for you to attend in order to get the specialized attention that you require from my team and to meet up with fellow peers. We are eager to teach you the best practices learned from the many engagements with our Enterprise customers.

Developing for BlackBerry has never been easier with tools, community support, and plenty of options available. Access to corporate data, rich functionality, and a beautifully designed interface can come together to provide your business with fantastic opportunities to design custom applications, which can serve to mobilize processes and increase productivity. For an example, check out how IA Clarington Investments designed a custom CRM app to increase and mobilize sales productivity.

Beyond business apps themselves, the application management aspect is also critically important for enterprises. BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion, and the upcoming BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10, provides functionality to push apps to employee devices, provide optional apps for employees to choose from, and manage policies related to mobile apps.

Sessions that you won’t want to miss

Check out the following developer sessions being offered at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 – these have been hand-picked as relevant and engaging for enterprise developers in order to equip them with the tools, knowledge, and support to drive value for your organization.

• HTML5 Web Apps for Enterprise Supporting BlackBerry 6 and Beyond
• Porting your Java Apps to BlackBerry 10
• Building an App for Enterprise? That’s Only Half the Battle!

Come Jam with Us!

BlackBerry Jam Americas will be a fantastic opportunity to connect with other developers, explore opportunities, get more sneak peeks at BlackBerry 10, and get prepared to design incredible mobile apps. Check out the details below:

BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012
San Jose, California from September 25-27
Follow #BBJam and @BlackBerryDev on Twitter®, as well as the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog

Enterprise Developer Lab

As an added value for enterprise developers, we’ve set up an Enterprise Developer Lab where you can bring your laptop and application for one of our Wireless Application Architects to spend one-on-one time with you. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to make your app ready for the launch of BlackBerry 10. And you never know, you might just get to see it up and running on a BlackBerry 10 device right at the event! Just stop by the Enterprise Developer Lab and we’ll be happy to help you out.

Further Resources

• Why Attend BlackBerry Jam?
• Browse the Session Catalog
• Try out the Budget Planner

Will you be attending BlackBerry Jam Americas as an enterprise app developer? What are you most looking forward to? Share in the comments below.

When building custom enterprise apps for BlackBerry® smartphones connected to a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets connected to BlackBerry® Device Service, we’ve worked to make it simple to create this type of connection. A component is available called BlackBerry MDS Connection Service (or MDS-CS), which helps to provide a VPN-like connection to the backend, allowing your application to easily connect to important data. It connects apps on BlackBerry devices to information stored on an organization’s servers or web servers, processing push and pull requests for data. Data conversion, optimization, authentication methods, access control, and much more can be configured using MDS-CS.

Take this scenario, for example: You have a workflow application to provide your executives with the ability to approve a time-sensitive contract. In this instance, you can build an application for BlackBerry smartphones without trying to reinvent the connection; it’s already there. Unlike VPN connections, there is no need for the end user to invoke a session, nor do you need to build that into your app. It is simply just there.

Here’s a high level overview of the architecture that allows for that inherent connection in BlackBerry devices. Develop along these lines with confidence; MDS-CS will remain part of the future for the BlackBerry Enterprise solution.

Let’s get that app off of the drawing board and into the hands of a mobile workforce – don’t forget connectivity, and when it does come time, consider the elements that are already in place with BlackBerry smartphones and tablets connected through enterprise servers. Learn more by checking out the Feature and Technical Overview for MDS Connection Service.

Has your organization developed a custom application? How does it connect to back-end data? Share in the comments below.