Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog » Global

Enterprise Developers Take Over Times Square in New York City at the BlackBerry Experience Forum

Steph F. — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:33:22 +0000

The recent BlackBerry Experience Forum in New York City hosted a number of well-known app developers who showcased their innovations to a crowded room of attendees. “We have a number of developers in attendance who have blended together the enterprise and consumer sides of their applications to give our BlackBerry customers a great experience on the new BlackBerry 10 platform,” said John Mutter, Senior Manager of Enterprise Developer Partnerships.

Well-known enterprise developers shared the keynote stage with the BlackBerry leadership team to show the audience how their apps can help enhance business productivity, cost-savings, and organizational efficiencies. One of the keynote speakers was Meaghan Reinecke from Macadamian Technologies. Meaghan mentioned that “the BlackBerry Experience Forum is an excellent opportunity for Macadamian to be able to talk about the different services we can provide. We help our customers make excellent products by understanding that beautiful spot where business requirements meet the user experience, and where design meets powerful technology…right in the middle is where the magic happens!”

A number of partners also made announcements at the BlackBerry Experience Forum in New York City. NoteSmartly, a productivity platform, unveiled their official app on the BlackBerry Z10. CEO of NoteSmartly, Amit Kanodia commented, “We got an awesome integration experience with the BlackBerry 10 OS. The teams at BlackBerry were so helpful in getting our app up and running.” Similarly, Vishal Patel from IBM Mobile Technical Sales noted, “Working with BlackBerry has been excellent. IBM is now selling a new mobility platform which helps developers build and target applications for the BlackBerry platform.”

The app developer ecosystem is thriving at BlackBerry. Come and see for yourself as the BlackBerry Experience Forum continues its world tour. Register for an event near you today.

Developing Business Apps for Deployment in the BlackBerry 10 Work Perimeter

Luke Reimer — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:43:28 +0000

One of the key differentiators of the BlackBerry 10 platform is undoubtedly BlackBerry Balance. We’ve had an exceptional response from business decision makers, IT professionals, and customers on how this functionality helps to protect both corporate data and the employee need for a functional and engaging experience.

From an enterprise developer perspective, it’s important to consider how your app will be deployed within an organization. With BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry World for work, apps can be made available to employees for download and installation onto the work perimeter of the smartphone. In this scenario, your app is running in a secure perimeter with a VPN-like connection to corporate servers and data.

How will your app behave in the work perimeter? What do you need to plan for in advance? And, what are the benefits of developing enterprise apps that target the work perimeter? For the full scoop, check out our interview below with John Mutter, Sr. Manager Enterprise Developer Partnerships:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Check out the BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 session by RIM’s John Mutter titled “Enterprise BlackBerry World – So You’re Being Deployed within the Corporate Perimeter” to get even more details, tips, and tricks. Sessions can be accessed by registered attendees once the BlackBerry Jam On-Demand portal is launched.

Do you have tips for other BlackBerry developers working on enterprise apps? Share in the comments below.

Kicking Off BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 with the Enterprise Developer Partnerships Team

Luke Reimer — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:06:15 +0000

BlackBerry Jam Europe 2013 is in full swing this week and you can feel the excitement here in Amsterdam. App porting, partner demos, BlackBerry 10 experience centers, NFC code scavenger hunts, and much more have brought our beloved developers here this week from all over the continent. I was able to chat with Gregg Ostrowski, Sr. Director of Enterprise Developer Partnerships, here at the RAI convention center to get the scoop on this year’s conference:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

We’ll have much more on the way for our enterprise developers, including a chat about creating apps that are destined for the BlackBerry Balance enabled work perimeter of BlackBerry 10 smartphones. Keep it locked to the BlackBerry for Business and BlackBerry Developer blogs this week to stay on top of the action!

If you’re a developer at the conference, come and say hello at the social media desk! And if you’re not, say hello anyway on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Are You On the List? BlackBerry Experience Forum 2013

Steph F. — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:20:32 +0000

The time has come! The BlackBerry team is hitting the road to bring the power of BlackBerry 10 to cities across the globe. Many of our Canadian and American BlackBerry Experience Forum event locations are already at full capacity – a true testament to the enthusiasm surrounding the recent launch of the BlackBerry 10 platform. If you haven’t yet registered, what are you waiting for?

From Toronto to New York and Paris to Dubai, this travelling roadshow is the ideal opportunity to get up close and personal with the teams behind BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. Visit the BlackBerry Experience Forum website to view location availability and check out the registration details.

Why attend the BlackBerry Experience Forum?

Experience the power of BlackBerry 10 for yourself through hands-on demonstrations with the latest BlackBerry 10 devices and partner solutions. See the comprehensive BlackBerry business and productivity app portfolio, leading app management framework and discuss the specifics of your unique mobility needs with our team of experts. Aimed to connect with IT decision-makers, enterprise leaders, and enterprise developers – the BlackBerry Experience Forum has been created with our BlackBerry enterprise customers in mind. In addition to a keynote address hosted by the senior BlackBerry leadership team, we also have a series of breakout sessions that will dive into the details surrounding: device management, security, applications, unified communications and collaboration capabilities.

BlackBerry works to balance employee and corporate needs to keep your business moving. Join us at the BlackBerry Experience Forum and discover how.

Join the conversation about the BlackBerry Experience Forum on Twitter by using the hashtag #BEF13.

Tomorrow’s the Big Day: How to Follow all of the BlackBerry 10 Launch Event Action

Luke Reimer — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:42:01 +0000

BlackBerry 10 is launching in less than 24 hours and we couldn’t be more excited. The official launch event will happen simultaneously in multiple cities around the world including New York City, Toronto, London, Paris, Johannesburg and Dubai. Tomorrow we will unveil the BlackBerry 10 platform. To keep you connected to all of tomorrow’s action, we thought it would be helpful to provide a list of all of the BlackBerry social channels where you can get the most up to date information in real time.

How to Stay Connected to the Action

Twitter is a great first stop for real-time information and updates. @BlackBerry will be live-tweeting from the global launch event providing news and updates as they happen. @BlackBerry4Biz will be a great resource for business related announcements and updates, and @BlackBerryDev will provide up-to-date information for developers.

We will also be posting updates throughout the day on our LinkedIn Company Page, and the BlackBerry for Business LinkedIn Group will be a great forum to join in on conversation.

You can also check out our blogs regularly for more in depth updates and information about the newest BlackBerry 10 features:

The Inside BlackBerry Help Blog will also be providing tips, how-tos and walkthroughs.

How to join the conversation

We also want to hear from you. Leave us your initial thoughts on BlackBerry 10 in the comments below. If you’re tweeting, be sure to include the #BlackBerry10 hashtag. We’ll be back tomorrow with updates. Until then, let the countdown continue!

You could be a winner! Announcing the 2013 BlackBerry Achievement Awards

Steph F. — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:19:40 +0000

The BlackBerry Achievement Awards (formerly the Wireless Achievement Awards) are just around the corner! These awards bring together the exceptional business, entrepreneur, and developer communities, and recognize those who have taken advantage of all things BlackBerry. Designed for those using BlackBerry technology to help power innovation, the BlackBerry Achievement Awards celebrate where ideas meet execution.

Award Categories

Along with a brand new name, we’ve expanded the award categories to reflect our diverse BlackBerry customer base:

App of the Year
Putting Customers First
Mobile Innovation of the Year
Making the World a Better Place
Entrepreneur of the Year

To be considered for one of these awards, submit your entry on the BlackBerry Live (formerly BlackBerry World) conference web site. Consider nominating your business, your app, or send in a nomination for a company that you think we should know about.

Awards and Prizes

Five first place winners will receive, each: 1 plane ticket to BlackBerry Live 2013, accommodations for up to 4 nights, 3 full conference passes to BlackBerry Live 2013, and 5 BlackBerry 10 smartphones. Further details on prizing for the runner up (and prizing in general) can be found on the web site (conditions apply).

The Awards Ceremony will take place in Orlando, Florida during BlackBerry Live 2013.

Questions? Please contact achievementawards@rim.com.

The BlackBerry Experience Forum will give you hands-on time with BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

Steph F. — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 15:02:48 +0000

Since you’re a reader of the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog, you’ve likely already heard quite a bit about the upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform as well as BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 for enterprise mobility management. But that’s not enough – we want you to get hands-on experience with these solutions to really dig in and build your understanding of the impact that they can have on your business.

We’re pleased to announce that the BlackBerry Experience Forum will be kicking off in early February. These one-day events will provide an immersive and hands-on experience with solutions that tackle the challenge of finding the perfect balance between end user and corporate needs. We’re looking to demonstrate the power of the BlackBerry 10 platform in delivering flexible device management and airtight security with business apps that allow end users to easily get their work done on the go.

14 Events Globally

Hear from RIM executives and guest speakers, participate in interactive breakout sessions for business decision makers, IT decision makers, or enterprise developers, and check out a partner showcase to explore applications and value added solutions from developers, carriers, and solution providers. Not only will you learn about how BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 can solve your mobility challenges, you’ll also come away with tips and tricks on how to turbo-charge personal productivity with BlackBerry 10.

There are 14 events taking place across the globe. Head over to www.blackberryexperienceforum.com to register and to learn more about the events taking place near you.

Near Field Communication (NFC) opens the door to exciting engagements with your customers

Luke Reimer — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 17:57:56 +0000

Following on from our recent “de-bunking the myths of NFC” post, we wanted to share more examples of how your business can use Near Field Communications (NFC).

Our Better Business Hub is currently taking a deeper look into how businesses can use NFC. The opportunities offered by the technology for your business are wide-ranging. It can allow you to market your company and reach out to your customers in very innovative ways, some of which are demonstrated in the NFC video below.

Anything with an NFC-embedded chip (or Smart Tag), whether it be posters, advertising boards or business cards, can be used to take consumer engagement further and interact with your customers and new business prospects in a new, innovative, and exciting way. The beauty of NFC is that automating tasks on your smartphone is really simple, as we found out earlier this year when I experimented with NFC Tags.

Consider using NFC to share your company details, direct customers to online information about a new product, promote a video, or to signpost your social media profiles. The opportunities are endless and it is important to remember – NFC is so much more than just mobile payments.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Does your company use NFC? Where do you see potential for NFC in your business? Let us know in the comments.

Spain Welcomes the BlackBerry 10 Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition

Luke Reimer — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 19:18:06 +0000

Guest post from Astrit – Ed.

Last week the BlackBerry® 10 Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition was held in Madrid, Spain. 121 developers took part in some very interesting sessions, demonstrations, and workshops. With these events, Research In Motion® (RIM®) aims to help enterprise developers find out what the BlackBerry® 10 platform has to offer and provide experts in building applications to show developers the wide variety of tools currently available. These tools include BlackBerry® WebWorks™ using HTML5, CSS and Javascript®, and the NDK/Cascades™ leveraging C++. On this occasion, attendees also become versed in BlackBerry MDS-CS, BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10, and BlackBerry advantages in security.

Strategy Analytics Report: BlackBerry Achieves Highest Security, Lowest Total Cost of Ownership

Hajira N. — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:19:08 +0000

The ongoing consumerisation of technology has left organisations facing a bewildering choice of mobile devices and deployment options. Smartphones and tablets running multiple operating systems might offer increased choice for employees, but they create a new set of challenges for organisations. IT departments face the difficult task of balancing user choice with ensuring the security of corporate data and compliance with industry working practices. Furthermore, in a tough economic climate, they’re being asked to ensure the best value for the organisation at a time when costs are fragmenting across corporate tariffs, personal expenses and management software.

A tough balancing act

Security and cost are often the biggest areas of discussion and concern and many IT departments lack solid data on which to evaluate the different approaches to enterprise mobility. The UK’s Public Sector is a good example. Multiple departments handle areas as diverse as social security and national defence. Each one has different requirements for functionality and security. Within each department, there are different user groups that complicate the picture further. IT departments need to balance these needs but there is little third-party comparison of the various deployment options and mobile devices available, particularly when it comes to cost and security.

It will be a familiar picture for many organisations across all sectors. They are looking to their suppliers for best practices in enterprise mobility and to third parties for direct comparisons of the different approaches and technologies open to them.

Adding some perspective

Technology analysts and consultants Strategy Analytics have today published a report, commissioned by Research In Motion® (RIM®) that contrasts the different approaches to enterprise mobile deployments in the public sector. Based on interviews with IT decision- makers from across the UK public sector, it compares the BlackBerry® solution to deploying devices running on the iOS®, Windows®, Android™ and Symbian mobile operating systems and using a ‘Walled Garden’ approach to managing and securing these devices. The report looked at different solution set-ups, control options associated with these solutions, the suitability of different operating systems and the implications regarding total cost of ownership (TCO) for these different implementations.

The BlackBerry end-to-end solution delivers clear cost and security benefits

A single-vendor solution delivered clear benefits for organisations. The report found that BlackBerry provides a lower overall total cost of ownership across different user implementations. For example, a 100 user deployment the Walled Garden approach costs 39% more than the BlackBerry enterprise solution to deploy and manage. The TCO of a BlackBerry in a 100 user company factoring in all associated costs, is £294 ($454, €367) which is often cheaper than an alternative smartphone from a competitor.

The report provides a breakdown of where the cost benefits are realised, including:

BlackBerry running costs after one year are 14% lower than using a Walled Garden approach.
Network data plans for BlackBerry devices are on average lower than alternative smartphone plans*.
BlackBerry solution setups require fewer additional elements to get started resulting in lower CAPEX. Additional gateways, routers, firewalls and a Reverse Proxy Server and additional network layers (Access and Presentation Layer) are required for the Walled Garden setup.
Walled Garden Installation and setup costs are higher.

The report also found that the end-to-end architecture of the BlackBerry solution, including encryption for data-at-rest and in transit, mitigates the maximum amount of risk and offers essential support for corporate IT policies. The below chart references different threats an organisation can face with their mobile devices and what the threat level is for a specific solution:

In summary, Strategy Analytics found that:

“When looking to define a cost-efficient, long-term enterprise mobility strategy, we would caution all organisations across both the public and private sectors to look at the total cost of supporting multiple devices with multiple operating systems over several years.”

“The BlackBerry solution not only provided the most secure platform but also the lowest TCO when considering all elements of the network, required device management and the devices themselves.”

You can check out the full range of BlackBerry services and solutions here. The full Strategy Analytics report can be viewed here.

*Dependent on network provider