There’s always significant anticipation for the BlackBerry Live keynote general session , and this year was no different as attendees, partners, customers, and developers were able to experience the vision for the future here at BlackBerry. App launches (including Skype for BlackBerry Z10 smartphones!), game demos, the launch of BBM Channels, a reinforced commitment to enterprise with an update of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, the 10.1 software update for the BlackBerry Z10, a new entry-level BlackBerry 10 smartphone coming for select emerging markets, and the future of mobile computing stacked together to pack one serious punch.

We hit the floor of the Marriott World Center to get reactions from attendees on all of the news, launches, vision, and announcements. Check out the video below for details:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

The most exciting element for me was all of the discussion around mobile computing. As a bit of a technology geek, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store. What was your favorite part of the keynote general session? Share in the comments below.

It’s time to get your business migrated to the latest enterprise mobility management technology. Whether you’re considering adopting a BYOD approach, looking to integrate enterprise apps into your processes and workflow, or everything in between, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 has got what you need.

We recently published an overview of the features of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1. The update includes a simplified deployment experience, more extensive EMM controls for customers in regulated industries, dashboard enhancements, and unified cross-platform administration. Today I’d like to focus on how you can upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, including some new offers and discounts that you can take advantage of.

So you’ve got a BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4…

If you’re still running BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 4, the first thing that you’ll want to do is upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 5.0.4. This way, you’ll be able to add on BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and take advantage of all of the fantastic functionality and consolidate your view to all your BlackBerry devices. The good news is that we’re offering upgrades from BlackBerry Enterprise Server 4 to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 for FREE (a $995 USD value)! Learn more and take advantage of the offer by heading over to www.blackberry.com/blackberry10ready.

Once you’ve updated to BlackBerry Enterprise Server version 5.0.4, read on to continue on your migration path to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1.

So you’ve got a BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5…

With BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1, you can now install the software on a single physical or virtual server and eliminate a separate server for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5. Head over to www.blackberry.com/bes10 and download a free 60-day trial, purchase licenses, or find a reseller.

If you’re updating your fleet of BlackBerry smartphones to BlackBerry 10 models, you can trade up Client Access Licenses (CAL’s) from BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 for free on a one-for-one basis until December 31st, 2013. Learn more and trade up licenses at www.blackberry.com/licensetradeup.

So you’ve got a BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10…

Good! Now all that you need is version 10.1. It’s available as a free download from www.blackberry.com/bes10 and can be installed quickly and simply onto your existing deployment. You’ll also need to migrate your BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 Client Access Licenses to version 10.1. As always, it’s easy to migrate and it won’t cost you a thing.

Get up and running with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.1! All of the details, including why you should upgrade in the first place, can be found at the newly redesigned www.blackberry.com/blackberry10ready.

Take a look below to find out about what we saw, and what is soon to be released on BlackBerry 10.

harmon.ie BlackBerry 10 Edition

harmon.ie for BlackBerry 10 enables secure mobile collaboration for BlackBerry 10 business users. This allows users to use full-featured SharePoint on-premise and Office 365 Apps across desktop and mobile. By providing fully functional, secure connectivity and offline document access, you can keep work moving from your BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

Gwava’s Retain™ for BlackBerry Unified Archiving

At BlackBerry Live this week, Gwava has announced the availability of its Retain Unified Archiving solution for BlackBerry 10 smartphones. Gwava’s Retain for BlackBerry provides unified message archiving, eDiscovery, and publishing for organizations looking for a mobile archiving solution for organizational or regulatory compliance.

This solution enables organizations to archive email and social messaging into one unified location. All messages are securely stored in a single database and can be easily accessed through the Retain web access archive viewer.

Skype

We’re happy to announce that Skype is available for the newly launched BlackBerry Q10 as well as BlackBerry Z10 smartphones. Skype is an excellent tool to use both for business communication as well as to stay in touch with family and friends.

While you’re on the go with your BlackBerry smartphone and the Skype app, you’ll enjoy the ability to have:

• Free face to face video and voice calls
• Instant messages
• low cost voice calls and text messages to landlines and mobiles over WiFi® or wireless network connections.

BoxTone Mobile Service Management

This week at BlackBerry Live BoxTone announced support for BlackBerry 10. BoxTone’s Mobile Service Management platform enables organizations to proactively monitor and support their end-to-end mobile environment. BoxTone delivers the control IT needs, supportability users demand and reliability the business requires for wide-scale, mission-critical mobile deployments.

The below applications were shown around BlackBerry Live, but have yet to be officially released. Keep your eye on BlackBerry World in the near future to get your hands on these quality apps.

HP ePrint

This week HP was showing off the Hp ePrint app for BlackBerry 10, giving you the ability to wirelessly print from your BlackBerry smartphone to any connected ePrint enabled printer. These print stations can be at your home, in the office or “on-the-go”. There are now 30,000 HP Public Print Locations at partners like FedEx Office, The UPS Store in addition to airports and hotels. This lets you easily print your digital content to your HP Printer via the Cloud or secure business network. This app will be available in BlackBerry World very shortly!

Reuters Eikon

Thomson Reuters Eikon is designed to provide a powerful and intuitive next-generation solution for you to consume real-time and historical data, connect with the financial markets community and execute financial markets transactions. In summer 2013 Thomson Reuters Eikon will be delivered on BlackBerry 10 and fully integrated into the core OS features for a smooth user experience. You will be able to set custom alerts for market data and automatically sync news with your desktop. There are plans for a new dashboard for BlackBerry that will make finding the news and quotes you’re looking for easier than ever.

We are truly excited about all of the releases and announcements at BlackBerry Live this week, and continue to work with partners to bring even more applications and functionality to the BlackBerry smartphones. These top-notch partner apps give you, the business user even more tools to stay productive throughout the day, so you can keep business moving while you are.

With the recent launch of the powerful BlackBerry 10 smartphones, SAP and BlackBerry have been working together to bring even more business critical apps to the new platform. SAP mobile finance apps are now integrated with core features of the BlackBerry 10 smartphone such as the BlackBerry Hub, Calendar, and more, to provide you with an exceptional user experience.

This week at SAP’s SAPPHIRE NOW and BlackBerry Live, we’re going to provide a peek at these new tools that are available to increase your mobile productivity.

SAP Customer Financial Fact Sheet

This app gives business customers the ability to stay up to date on their customers’ financial status anywhere and anytime. It connects directly with the SAP ERP system to provide the most relevant customer financial data to a BlackBerry 10 smartphone.

Features include:

• Display a list of all customers assigned to you, customers classified as critical, and recent customers
• View customer sales volumes for the past fiscal year
• View total outstanding invoices, credit info, and the average payment arrears for the last 12 months
• Retrieve original invoices in PDF format and access archived documents stored in the backend

Get a free demo of the app from the BlackBerry World storefront and give it a try.

SAP RealSpend

SAP RealSpend for BlackBerry 10 smartphones gives business customers access to real-time, accurate budget and spend information.

Features include:

• Access to the SAP ERP application
• Access real-time budget and expense information, including trends and projections
• Analyze and benchmark spend data by department, project, or expense type across any period of time
• Receive customized spending alerts
• Collaborate with team members to resolve issues

Download the demo version of the app today.

SAP CFO Vantage

Giving business executives the most timely and accurate information to enable key business decisions can have a great impact on day-to-day operations. SAP CFO Vantage does just that – so executives have the right tools and info to help increase productivity and improve decision-making capabilities.

Features include:

• Access to SAP financial data
• Access to critical media content
• Access to important analyst information
• View social media content in real-time
• Ability to communicate easily with team

We are truly excited about these new finance apps, which are another important piece of the executive’s application toolkit on BlackBerry 10. Currently the apps are available for BlackBerry Z10 smartphones, with BlackBerry Q10 editions on the way soon.

Do you use SAP tools in your work? How would taking these processes mobile speed up your work and provide benefit? Share in the comments below.

A Formula 1 display car, BlackBerry connected Bentley, and the Keep Moving truck are just a few of the highlights. Get hands on with BlackBerry Z10, BlackBerry Q10, and BlackBerry Q5 smartphones, check out the enterprise solution pods, and learn more about BlackBerry Training and Certification. Did I mention the BlackBerry Authentic Accessories pod, BlackBerry World booth, and the Porsche Design center? Check out the video below for the full scoop:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

What’s your favorite part of the BlackBerry Booth at this year’s BlackBerry Live conference? Share in the comments below.

Features of BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0

A value added service for BlackBerry Enterprise Service customers, BlackBerry Enterprise IM 3.0 is compatible with both BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 smartphones. Check out the list below for some of the key features that will keep your business moving:

• BlackBerry Security is built into both the app and the BlackBerry 10 platform, allowing you to discuss work matters confidently using your BlackBerry smartphone
• Chat with colleagues both one-on-one and in group conversations, allowing for flexible productivity
• Presence status is included to quickly indicate your availability
• Escalate a chat directly into a secure voice call from anywhere in the world
• Manage contacts by adding, editing, and deleting from your BlackBerry 10 smartphone
• Search for coworkers from your enterprise contact directory via the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) or Active Directory for Global Address Lookup (GAL)

Technical Requirements

You must be connected to an instant messaging platform* and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 in order to take advantage of the app and its functionality. Additionally, you’ll require a BlackBerry smartphone running version 10.1 of the BlackBerry 10 platform. Lastly, a BlackBerry Collaboration Service (BCS) 10.1 server component must be deployed by your IT administration.

*Note: Enterprise IM supports the following messaging platforms: Microsoft LyncTM 2010 and 2013; Microsoft Office Communication Server 2007 R2, or IBM Sametime 8.5 and 8.5.2.

Building on BlackBerry Enterprise IM for BlackBerry OS smartphones connected to a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, this updated BlackBerry Enterprise IM app supports regulatory compliance and delivers the security and controls required by many governments and industries. Messages are encrypted end-to-end, protecting the data as it travels through a corporate firewall.

Enterprise IM is definitely my preferred way to ask quick questions of my colleagues and to help everyone dodge email overload. Availability on BlackBerry 10 takes the productivity gains to a whole new level, and allows you to leverage your existing enterprise IM and BlackBerry Enterprise Service investments while expanding the offering to mobile devices for your employees.

Do you use enterprise IM to collaborate in your office? How would taking this functionality mobile benefit your work? Share in the comments below.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

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

What’s included in version 10.1?

• Regulated-level EMM. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 provides customers with an optional set of extended IT policy settings and controls that restricts the use of a BlackBerry 10 smartphone for work only (does not allow personal apps and content).
• Simplified deployment for a lower total cost of ownership. Following a simple installation process, customers will be able to use BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 to manage BlackBerry 10 smartphones, BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets, iOS and Android devices, as well as earlier model BlackBerry smartphones. Upgrading to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 is simple and intuitive, and existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 customers can quickly upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 with no firewall changes.
• Dashboard and reporting. New dashboard capabilities provide an “at-a-glance” graphical view of information and statistics associated with the customer’s complete fleet of devices, providing administrators with immediate access to the information they need. The dashboard displays a high level overview of information such as a device deployment summary by platform and carrier, device compliance state, application deployments, and more.
• High Availability. All components of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 can now be deployed in a highly available active/passive configuration, similar to the high availability support offered by BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0. It offers simple, easy to configure threshold settings and improved failover performance.
• BlackBerry Support is now included as standard. Care** now comes as standard with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 deployments***, providing 12×5 telephone access to BlackBerry experts, responsive online support, access to training, productivity and diagnostic tools. Extended technical support offerings are available.

Get the update

The BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 version 10.1 server software is available as a free download at www.bes10.com. Annual client access licenses (CALs) are free for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 customers trading up existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 CALs through 2013*, or can be purchased for $59 per year per device. For Regulated-level EMM capabilities, additional carrier charges may apply.

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

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

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

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Key themes for enterprises and government organizations included maintaining security while growing and developing a mobile strategy, maximizing mobility investments, and an overview of top government apps and solutions. Additionally, customers, industry experts, and BlackBerry leaders participated in an Industry Mobility Leadership panel to discuss challenges and solutions.

Be sure to explore the BlackBerry solutions for government, and to check out our recently redesigned upgrademyagency.com to learn more. We’ve got big plans this year to support governments around the world, who represent some of our most valuable and longstanding partners, with BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.

Check Out These Resources for BlackBerry in Government

• BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet for Government and Public Sector
• From ‘To Work’ to Telework: Small and Smart Mobile Solutions for Public Servants
• Advanced Security Features for Government
• Smartphones: A Savvy Strategy for Government Employees
• Success Story: US National Weather Service

Did you attend Government Day at this year’s BlackBerry Live 2013? Share your favorite discussion, solution, or speaker in the comments below.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

To learn more about what makes BlackBerry security unique and how we’ve built on our legacy of protecting mobile data with BlackBerry 10, head over to www.blackberry.com/security. What place does security have in your organization’s mobile strategy? Share in the comments below.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

To learn more about what BlackBerry has to offer in the government industry, head over to www.upgrademyagency.com. Stay tuned here on the BlackBerry for Business blog as we provide BlackBerry Live updates in real time over the week.