We first tipped our hat that Skype was coming to BlackBerry 10 back at the global launch event on January 30th. Now I’m happy to announce that Skype is available for the newly launched BlackBerry Q10. BlackBerry Q10 and Skype are the perfect pair allowing you to chat with other Skype users from the palm of your hand.

While you’re on the go with your BlackBerry Q10 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.

Skype System Requirements:

Skype runs on the 10.1 Operating System on the BlackBerry Q10. As this new version of the BlackBerry 10 operating system launches on the BlackBerry Z10 in the coming weeks, BlackBerry Z10 owners will have the ability to download Skype for BlackBerry from BlackBerry World. We will be talking more about BlackBerry 10.1 on BlackBerry Z10 at BlackBerry Live, so stay tuned and keep it locked to Inside BlackBerry for more information.

Did you just pick up your brand new BlackBerry Q10 and want to give Skype a try? Download it from BlackBerry World and Let us know what you think about the app in the comments below.

So… you’ve been hearing all of this talk about the new BlackBerry Z10, and even though it’s designed to deliver the best touchscreen typing experience, you’re a physical keyboard enthusiast at heart. You’ve been holding out, waiting to get your hands on a shiny new BlackBerry 10 smartphone – and you know the BlackBerry Q10 is just right for you.

You’re not alone! The anticipation is mounting around the world for this highly-anticipated smartphone, and we’re getting one step closer to getting it in your hands.

Today, Carphone Warehouse customers in the United Kingdom will be able to pre-order the BlackBerry Q10 on O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Three, EE and TalkMobile. Plus, the handset will be available for purchase in Carphone Warehouse stores from the end of April. For those of you in other markets, we’ll have details on availability to follow soon. In the mean time head by our global availability tracker for BlackBerry 10 to see where you can pick up a BlackBerry Z10 today!

We showed it off originally on January 30th when we officially launched the BlackBerry 10 platform. There, we showed you some of the amazing capabilities built in to BlackBerry 10, like messaging in the BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry Balance and BlackBerry Remember. In case you need a refresher – watch this video and prepare to start drooling.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Are you a BlackBerry physical keyboard fanatic? Is this the BlackBerry 10 device you’ve been waiting for – let us know in the comments below.

Based on its recent analysis of the mobile device management market, Frost & Sullivan has recognized BlackBerry with the 2012 Latin America Frost & Sullivan Award for Competitive Strategy Leadership. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 allows administrators to secure and manage BlackBerry, iOS, and Android devices – meeting the challenges that BYOD presents to IT departments and businesses in a fast-paced mobile ecosystem. In addition, BES 10 enables customers to create and manage groups, manage user profiles, provision devices, and more, all from a single unified and web-based interface.

“BlackBerry follows a very aggressive competitive strategy, leveraging its strong client base and brand awareness in the enterprise segment,” said Frost & Sullivan Technology Team Leader Fernando Belfort. “The presence of large enterprises and multinational companies in its client base encourages it to leverage its up-selling strategy, offering clients end-to-end mobile solutions, including highly effective mobile device management capabilities.”

BlackBerry’s smartphones are known to be the most secure in the market; BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 further solidifies this reputation. “BlackBerry has demonstrated its ability to address the enterprise mobility needs of different verticals in Latin America,” noted Belfort. “BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 provides a solution that is robust, integral, secure, easy to implement and based on a distinct payment model, underlining the company’s astute competitive strategies.”

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

“It is an honor and privilege for BlackBerry to be the recipient of this prestigious award. Latin America is a very important market for BlackBerry and one in which we enjoy a leadership position in the enterprise segment. With BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, we look forward to continuing to provide our customers with best-in-class solutions that meet their enterprise mobility management needs in a way that BlackBerry is uniquely positioned to deliver,” said Bareck Aman, Regional Director for Enterprise Strategy and Sales in Latin America for BlackBerry.

You can learn more about the award at the Frost & Sullivan website. We’re excited about the award and equally excited to see businesses not only in Latin America but around the world upgrading to BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 in order to take advantage of the multi-platform capabilities.

What feature of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 makes your life easier as an administrator or business? Share in the comments below.

It’s official – the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is now available for purchase from Verizon Wireless in the United States.

Since we first unveiled the BlackBerry Z10 on January 30, we’ve been providing details about many of the amazing features of BlackBerry 10 and we can’t wait for you to try them out!

BlackBerry Balance makes it easy for professionals to leverage one device for work and personal use by keeping personal and work data separate and secure. And, BlackBerry Hub offers a unified communications solution by managing all of your conversations from social media, texts, emails and calls in one place.

The BlackBerry Z10 is also designed to provide an effortless typing experience that adjusts to your writing style as you go, helping you to type faster and more accurately with the least amount of effort.

Tell us what feature you are most excited to try in the comments below!

On the heels of our U.S. launch of BlackBerry 10, we are thrilled to share more exciting news. As of yesterday, the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is available for purchase from T-Mobile in the United States.

We’ve been receiving great feedback from our customers since we first unveiled BlackBerry 10 on January 30th and we can’t wait for you to try it out. With more than 100,000 applications available right now on BlackBerry 10 such as Amazon Kindle, Open Table and the Wall Street Journal there is definitely something for everyone including a slew of business apps designed for working on-the-go.

We also have a great line of accessories available for life on the move including the leather swivel holster, the extra battery charger bundle with a cable included for charging on the go and the mini stereo speaker for music listening and hands-free calling.

Do we have any T-Mobile subscribers out there picking up their BlackBerry Z10 smartphone today? Let us know your initial thoughts below!

Last week we held an incredible BlackBerry Experience Event in New York City to celebrate the launch of BlackBerry 10 in the United States; we know that anticipation and energy have been high since we first unveiled the platform on January 30th. As of Friday, March 22nd, our U.S. fans are able to purchase BlackBerry Z10 smartphones from AT&T, with Verizon and T-Mobile following later this month.

BlackBerry 10 is a brand new mobile computing platform that learns and adapts to the way you work. The BlackBerry Hub keeps all of your communication unified and organized, accessible at any time with a quick and intuitive gesture. The flow of the experience is unparalleled, providing slick navigation and access to the information that you need. And with BlackBerry Balance, you can use your BlackBerry Z10 smartphone for both your work and personal life without compromising on the user experience.

When managed with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 – our next-generation enterprise mobility management solution – you can use your BlackBerry 10 smartphone to access behind-the-firewall corporate data, enterprise apps, and get your work done when you’re on the move.

We’re very excited for the U.S. launch of BlackBerry 10, and we look forward to the additional launches of BlackBerry 10 in markets around the world. Learn more at www.blackberry.com/blackberry10, and let us know your thoughts once you pick up yours!

So far we’ve enjoyed a truly exciting start to 2013, which has included the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 launches, the BlackBerry Experience Forum events, and partnerships with businesses that are upgrading to BlackBerry 10. We can’t wait to bring this excitement with us to this year’s BlackBerry Live conference kicking off in Orlando, Florida on May 14, which is less than 8 weeks from today! (Can you believe it?)

To help you save on registration fees, we’re offering an Early Bird Rate which includes $150 USD in savings on a Full Conference Pass. This pass gives access to both BlackBerry Live and BlackBerry Jam Americas and includes:

• BlackBerry Live 2013 Keynotes
• BlackBerry Jam Americas Keynotes
• Breakout Sessions and Hands-on Labs
• Admission to the Monday evening Welcome Reception in the sponsor showcase
• Admission to the BlackBerry Appreciation Event
• Admission to the sponsor showcase during open hours, Tuesday – Thursday
• Breakfast, breaks and lunch, Tuesday – Thursday
• Access to the Jam Space in the conference area
• Complimentary access to Wi-Fi internet in the conference center
• Access to BlackBerry Live On-Demand, the online portal for conference content, until the start of the 2014 conference
• Registration gift upon check-in onsite

You’ll want to act fast to take advantage of this offer before it expires on Friday, March 22. In addition, if you’ve attended some of our past BlackBerry events you may be eligible to save an additional $150 USD through the Alumni Discount.

We’re also pleased to announce that a session catalog preview is now available! Start preparing your trip by using the BlackBerry Live Budget Planner, submit your nominations for the BlackBerry Achievement Awards, and convince your boss to let you experience BlackBerry Live 2013!

Did you attend last year’s conference? What tips or advice would you share with a first-time BlackBerry Live attendee? Share in the comments below.

Since the official launch events on January 30th, we’ve been launching BlackBerry 10 in markets around the world. Early reviews are in and the feedback has been positive, with anticipation growing in the United States – particularly among business users who have long appreciated the features and benefits of the BlackBerry platform.

BlackBerry 10 is designed for those who are active, connected, and who want to get things done quickly. It learns how you work to intelligently filter, prioritize, organize, and predict what you need. Beyond the beautiful hardware design of the BlackBerry Z10, BlackBerry 10 excels with the flow of apps to enhance your experience, and offers unified communications with the BlackBerry Hub. BlackBerry 10 also comes with the redesigned Documents To Go, deep integration with cloud storage providers like Box and Dropbox, as well as useful business apps like Cisco WebEx Meetings and Splashtop remote desktop, which are available on the BlackBerry World storefront.

For businesses and professionals, security and reliability are critical. BlackBerry Balance allows BlackBerry Z10 smartphones to be leveraged for both work and personal use – keeping personal and work data separate but maintaining a seamless experience that allows you to access both worlds side by side.

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, our next-generation enterprise mobility management solution, allows IT departments and administrators to manage not only BlackBerry 10 smartphones, but also iOS and Android devices – all from a single unified and web-based console. With BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry Balance, and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, your business will have an advanced and secure mobile ecosystem

Beginning today, B2B customers can work directly with their T-Mobile sales representative to pre-order their new BlackBerry Z10 smartphones, with delivery expected as early as the end of this week. If you’re a business that doesn’t have a T-Mobile sales rep, find one on the T-Mobile web site. For consumers and end users, sign up for updates on when you’ll be able to purchase your BlackBerry Z10 from T-Mobile online or in-store.

The growth of workplace mobility has increased the demand for business applications and thus the opportunity for enterprise developers. With the BlackBerry 10 platform, we are committed to supporting the development of enterprise-grade mobile apps, as well as the BlackBerry developer community behind them.

Today, we’re pleased to announce the first BlackBerry & SAP Mobile Apps Challenge to provide innovators like you with an opportunity to reach millions of business users. By participating, you will gain access to BlackBerry and SAP virtual boot camps and expert coaching. In addition, finalists will gain valuable marketing opportunities, public exposure and could win up to $10,000 in prizes.

This initiative represents a longstanding partnership between BlackBerry and SAP and our mutual commitment to mobile innovation in the enterprise. Here’s some more information on how you can participate:

If you have an application or an idea that you would like to submit, you can enter the BlackBerry & SAP Mobile Apps Challenge today! Stay tuned to the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog for updates and announcements – we look forward to your submissions.

What SAP applications does your organization use for business? Share with us in the comments below.

Name: William (Bill) Archer

Occupation: VP Sales – Telecommunications Market (emphasis on Mobile/Wireless)

Twitter Account: @W_Archer

1. Tell us a bit about yourself! (background, education, family, etc).

   I’m a proud Canadian, based in Vancouver. I travel frequently worldwide. I’ve lived in the United Kingdom for several years and really enjoy the ability to do what I do globally.

2. Why are you a #TeamBlackBerry fan?

I started my relationship with BlackBerry while living in the United Kingdom because I wanted a device (BlackBerry 7100) that could handle email. I didn’t want to be tied to my desk as I travel quite a bit. As a Canadian ex-pat, I also wanted to promote some of the best Canadian talent while working abroad. My relationship with BlackBerry really grew from there. Now it’s all about simply getting things done quickly and efficiently. “BlackBerry People Are Do-ers” is a reality that keeps me using the platform and recommending it. Since using my BlackBerry 7100 (which I still have), I’ve owned a BlackBerry Pearl 8100, BlackBerry Bold 9000, BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Torch 9800/9810, BlackBerry PlayBook 64 GB, and BlackBerry PlayBook LTE 32 GB.

3. What’s your favorite BlackBerry app?

I can’t pick just one. There are several apps I use regularly – mostly travel-related because of the amount of time I’m away from home. I really value BlackBerry Travel quite a bit. The built-in applications like Twitter are also helpful. In my opinion, foursquare has really evolved from a toy into something good to use daily. I also have OpenTable for quick reservations that I can share with clients when needed. World Clock, Xobni, XE and Roboform are also apps I use often. Oh – and “Dilbert” for good measure.

4. How do you use your BlackBerry smartphone and PlayBook tablet for work?

If it weren’t for my BlackBerry I would be stuck with my laptop and looking for a connection everywhere. The obvious benefits of a handheld device synchronized with my email, in addition to having all of my contact’s phone numbers and details, is priceless! I couple these smartphone benefits with my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet – the ability to quickly present and augment discussions with diagrams and backing materials on my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet are valuable tools.

5. What picture is your current BlackBerry wallpaper (and why)?

I recently installed BeWeather (really nice application!) and it changes with the weather to show me how much rain we’re getting in Vancouver. I look forward to the bright yellow sunshine avatar, actually. Before the BeWeather app, I had a simple dark background because I like simplicity as a design theme.

6. What’s your favourite BlackBerry smartphone model, and why?

To be honest it’s a toss between my BlackBerry Bold 9900 and my BlackBerry Torch 9810. The keyboard on the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is beautiful, but I want the large screen real estate of the BlackBerry Torch 9810. The slider aspect really makes it the best of both worlds. It’s one of the reasons I’m really curious about the full touch version of the BlackBerry 10 devices: If the typing experience is as good as Vivek Bhardwaj makes it seem, then perhaps I’ll finally convert to all-Touch (finally!).

7. If a friend were in the market for a new smartphone and/or tablet, what would you say to convince them to join the BlackBerry family?

There are a couple of things that come into play – although any device is a very personal thing! Your smartphone of choice will be with you more than anything else day in and day out. If you think about it – I would wager that most BlackBerry users have their phones near them more often than their eye glasses, significant other, and even their clothes… BlackBerry is for hyper-connected people that do things. People that multi-task like crazy and just want to get things done. Everything else is a distraction. My BlackBerry devices do everything I need them to do and their synchronization abilities are perfect for my lifestyle.

8. What are the “Top 5” things you keep in your purse/briefcase/backpack at all times?

My briefcase has a lot of strange stuff in it…I normally carry some currencies from where I travel, my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, a rapid-charger (for both my PlayBook tablet and my BlackBerry smartphone), my favourite pen and old-school paper pad (I like to doodle my presentations instead of ‘present’ them). Headphones for airplanes and my smartphone, too.

9. What are some of your favourite blogs and websites that you visit often?

There are three BlackBerry blogs I look to for information in order CrackBerry, BerryReview, and N4BB. On my BlackBerry devices CNN, BBC, Globe & Mail, National Post and CBC are all bookmarked. Twitter is an invaluable daily feed of news and information, too.

10. Any interesting facts people would be surprised to know about you?

I studied Music at University, not comp-sci or business. All this ‘high tech’ work I do is the other thing I did in parallel back then. However – I have kept up my music and do write and play still – as often as I can. I built a home studio last year with the ability to play and record.


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