Bancolombia is a group of financial services companies with more than 130 years of industry experience in Colombia. The bank offers a wide range of products and services to a diverse clientele of over seven million customers, both individual and corporate.

Bancolombia wanted to provide their executives and sales representatives – both of whom are frequently on the road – with uninterrupted access to email, documents, and other important functions. In addition, the bank wanted to provide corporate customers and other individuals in the financial sector with consistent access to financial reports and the Colombian stock market.

To improve internal communications, Bancolombia equipped over 2,200 employees from 800 branches with BlackBerry smartphones, including built-in email, calendar and task management functionality. “Our employees can now use email as if they were sitting in front of their desktop computers,” said David Zuluaga Arango, Infrastructure Analyst at Bancolombia. “In addition, our managers can approve vacations and other administrative processes by email and our sales force can update their calendars and close agreements with customers, all with their BlackBerry smartphones.”

Employees now communicate with their work groups using BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). The organization has added additional users from other departments, including sales and administrative staff, and has implemented the BlackBerry Enterprise Server to manage their BlackBerry smartphones.

“The BlackBerry solution is a solid collaboration tool for the executives, who now have remote access to their email and calendars. It has simplified their access to information, offering a mobility they didn’t have before,” said Zuluaga.

To better serve customers, the bank launched a mobile banking application for BlackBerry smartphones, developed with TODO1. The Bancolombia App can be downloaded from BlackBerry World or by scanning a barcode located on the bank’s promotional ads.

In addition to its mobile banking functions, investors can use the app to obtain up-to-the-minute information on the Colombian financial market. Customers can also search for information on bank branches, ATMs, bill pay centers, and Correspondent Banks with the app, which has been downloaded over 104,000 times to date.

“We thought about what our customers needed to have in their pocket and saw that having almost immediate access to financial information from anywhere would help them make decisions, such as buying and selling currency or treasury bonds,” said Diana Marcela Arysmendi, Mobile Channels Management Analyst, Bancolombia. “I believe the Bancolombia App has brought us closer to our customers because we are more aware of their needs.”

Does your business have a BlackBerry customer success story? Share with us at success@rim.com.

The LinkedIn app update makes it even easier to stay connected on the go by allowing you to sync and merge your LinkedIn connections with existing BlackBerry contacts in your address book. And, with the new “Groups and More” tab, you can view saved and recommended jobs and access, add, view and participate in the groups that matter to you most.

Jobs

The new LinkedIn “Groups and More” tab allows you to access even more key areas of LinkedIn right from the navigation screen, including jobs. With this feature, you can easily access the jobs you’ve saved and browse ones that are recommended for you. And remember, when you’re done looking at jobs you can get back to the main navigation screen by tapping the LinkedIn logo at the top left-hand corner of the app.

Groups

LinkedIn 2.1 makes it even easier to stay up-to-date with the groups that are most important to you. The “Groups and More” tab makes it simple to access groups that you’ve already joined and participate by viewing and adding content. You can also easily view pending group memberships and access a list of groups that LinkedIn recommends for you and join them with just one tap.

Contact Sync

With the new Contact Sync feature, finding out detailed professional information about the colleagues in your next business meeting is as easy as looking them up in your address book. The app allows you to connect your existing BlackBerry contacts with your LinkedIn connections, and where no contact exists, the app can optionally create a new one for you. This helps to make keeping track of your business connections and interactions easier than ever.

We can’t wait for you to try these new features that make the new LinkedIn app even more interactive and in turn make you more productive. Download LinkedIn 2.1 for BlackBerry smartphones today to ensure that you have the latest tools to put your professional network in the palm of your hands.

Once you’ve gotten the update, check out our BlackBerry for Business discussion group on LinkedIn – a place for professionals, administrators, and business owners discuss the latest on BlackBerry solutions and trends, as well as a touch-point for you to speak with us directly.

Which new feature are you most excited to try out? Let us know in the comments below.

Note: The LinkedIn app for BlackBerry smartphones requires BlackBerry OS 6 or higher, as well as a Wi-Fi connection or data plan in order to function properly. Learn more about regional availability and language preferences on the BlackBerry World storefront.

Qubit.tv is an Argentinean telecom company that offers video-on-demand services for movies and documentaries. Founded in 2011, the company initially offered its services exclusively through its website. After identifying that users between the ages of 18 and 34 increasingly use their mobile devices to watch movies, Qubit.tv determined that they could grow their business by offering a wide variety of free and pay-per-view movies on mobile devices.

In order to expand its market reach, the company deployed Qubit.tv, a free BlackBerry PlayBook tablet application available for download from the BlackBerry App World storefront. Developed by Sondeos, the application sends an email confirmation to users who download it and register, and then allows them to run the app and choose from a menu of free and pay-per-view movies.

Qubit.tv’s app provides users with a variety of options: they can select a free movie, access over 700 movies available for rent, or subscribe to a pay-per-view service by paying a fixed monthly fee for on-demand mobile video access. Users can either watch movies directly on their BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or enjoy a “home theater” experience by connecting the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to a television using an HDMI cable.

“We worked specifically with BlackBerry PlayBook tablets because the user video experience they offer is fun and user-friendly, and from a hardware and software point of view, it gives users an excellent video streaming experience,” said Javier Guevara, Marketing Manager at Qubit.tv.

Offering a mobile tablet application has helped Qubit.tv reach a younger and tech-savvy market segment. “Thanks to the app on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, Qubit.tv has been able to penetrate a highly competitive market and attract new customers,” said Guevara.

The application has also helped Qubit.tv provide a consistent user experience. “With the app for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, our customers have a more rewarding entertainment experience, with better transmission and minimal video interruptions, which we see reflected in the app’s high usability rates,” said Guevara. “Now, they can use their tablets to easily navigate and watch their favorite movies wherever they are.”

How does your company or organization use the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet for business? Share in the comments below.

The capability for custom applications is an important element of the BlackBerry Solution. Business applications such as the one developed by DIRECTV in Argentina can improve customer experience and generate further sales opportunities.

DIRECTV needed an innovative solution that allowed customers to access TV programming, request new products and manage their account remotely. The objective of the solution was to deliver quality service through easy, direct customer communication.

To do so, DIRECTV created a custom application called DIRECTV™ Móvil, which offered subscribers in Argentina access to DIRECTV services from their smartphones and tablets, including BlackBerry smartphones – with operating system 5.0 and above – and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

The app is designed to let subscribers view a program guide, search for movies, order premium programming packages, rent movies or Pay-per-view programs and check their account status. When customers order a Pay-per-view program or subscribe to a premium channel with their BlackBerry smartphone, they get immediate access to their programming and receive a confirmation of their purchase.

“Our customers don’t need to be sitting in front of a TV or computer to consult the program guide or record a program. If they are out of their home and forgot to record their favorite sports match, or the series program or movie of their choice, they can record directly from their smartphone or tablet,” said Florencia Franchini, Manager of Customer Engagement and New Media, DIRECTV. “DIRECTV Móvil app is as easy to use as the TV remote control. We’re constantly working on developing innovations that make our customers’ lives easier while giving us a competitive edge.”

The company plans to expand the functionalities of the mobile application to include competitions for customers, benefit programs and games, among other ideas.

How does your business use custom applications to connect with customers? Share in the comments below.

From all of our conversations on our LinkedIn® Group and Company Page, Twitter®, and here on the blogs, we know that you’ve been patiently waiting for a LinkedIn app for your BlackBerry® smartphone. Today we’re excited to announce that the day has come! A free LinkedIn app for smartphones running BlackBerry OS 6 and 7 is now available for download; get it here.

With LinkedIn you can put your professional network at your fingertips. The new LinkedIn app for BlackBerry smartphones lets you access many of the LinkedIn features that you love from the desktop experience and stay connected while on the go. Read on for an overview of the features that are included in the app.

New Features

Navigation Screen

The app lets you easily access key areas of LinkedIn through the navigation screen, which includes access to an update feed, your profile, inbox and messages, and your professional network of connections. You can tap the LinkedIn logo at the top left corner of the app to get to the navigation screen at any time.

Profiles

The new LinkedIn app gives you access to a Personal Profile view of your profile or that of a connection. In this area you can view not only personal information such as name, headline, company, and location, but also professional experience, education, certifications, and recommendations. If you are like me, you’ll like to check out who’s viewed your profile – just like on the desktop version. This feature is located in the Profile tab within the app.

Inbox

LinkedIn messages are a great way to get in touch with new connections and to keep in touch with your existing network. Access your inbox from the LinkedIn app for BlackBerry smartphones to receive and respond to invitations and messages on the go. Information displayed for each message includes the name and profile image of the sender, a message subject, and the time that has passed since the message was received. Clicking on the message displays the full text. You can also accept or ignore invitations to connect from within your inbox.

Network

You can check out connections in your network and launch their profiles from the Network area. You also have the option to grow your network through a Connections Search or scan through ‘People you may know’ to find out who LinkedIn recommends you connect with.

Recent Updates

You will find under “Recent Updates”, a list of activity from your Connections, companies that you follow, and news from your network, which allows you to stay in-the-know by checking out Recent Activity, Likes/Comments on Updates, or by reading insightful articles on LinkedIn Today.

We hope that you’re as excited about this app launch as we are. Be sure to download the LinkedIn app for BlackBerry smartphones today to get the latest updates from contacts, access the info that you need, reach out to colleagues, and much more.

Of the Inbox, Updates or Network; which will you use the app to view most often and why? Share in the comments below.

Note: It may take up to 24 hours for the app to appear in BlackBerry® App World™. The LinkedIn app for BlackBerry smartphones requires BlackBerry OS 6 or higher, as well as a Wi-Fi connection or data plan in order to function properly. Learn more about regional availability and language preferences on the BlackBerry App World™ storefront.

“Cloud storage” – whether we call it that in our everyday conversation or not – is spreading like wildfire for both personal and business uses. In the office, almost every workflow involves working with files or documents, and passing them between employees through digital means. At home, we love to share photos with friends and family, or make sure that we have access to our files from a variety of computers and mobile devices. We’re always moving, we’re wearing many hats on any given day, and we want our digital content to come with us.

We’ve been working very closely with Box to bring a brand new experience to BlackBerry® 10 – deep integration with the cloud storage solution on many levels, right out of the box (no pun intended). From Documents To Go®, photos, videos, and more, you’ll be able to hit a “Share” button that includes social networks, messaging, and cloud storage services like Box. Additionally, you’ll have the ability to browse and interact with your Box folder from within the File Manager application. We caught up with the Box team at BlackBerry® Jam Americas 2012 to learn more – check out the video below for the full scoop!

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Box functionality is integrated on many levels with the platform. We believe that it’s important to have quick and integrated access to the services that you use rather than having to close and open apps to get things done. It’s all part of the flow of BlackBerry 10.

Do you use cloud storage solutions? How will mobile integration with these types of services improve the experience for you? Share in the comments below.

When considering a mobile computing platform, concepts like connectivity, access to information on multiple devices, and maximizing functionality are paramount. Nothing embodies these and enables a mobile office like remote desktop access. With over 8 million users worldwide, Splashtop® is one of the leading providers of remote desktop access for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Here at BlackBerry® Jam Americas 2012 in San Jose, we’ve been able to catch up with Splashtop to learn more about their exciting plans for BlackBerry® 10. I caught up with Victor Chin of Splashtop to chat about the upcoming app and what the future holds. Check out the interview below for all of the details:

Biz Blog: Hi Victor, tell me about your role at Splashtop and what the company is all about.

I am the Director of Program Management at Splashtop. Splashtop is about improving your productivity, especially in this mobile era. Our goal is to enable any device to any device connectivity. We hope to empower our users while being un-tethered. Mobile is becoming more and more an integral part of our daily lives because we are able to do more without having to be in front of a computer.

We’ve heard the exciting news that you’re developing an app for BlackBerry 10. Can you share a few of the main features and functionality?

Yes, we started with Splashtop for the BlackBerry PlayBook and are now adding support for BlackBerry 10. The effort required to support Blackberry 10 has been minimal. For the most part our PlayBook application was able to run on the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha device; most of our effort was spent designing and coding to support the smaller screen size. Our Splashtop app provides Blackberry users with the ability to connect and control a Windows or Mac system from their BlackBerry PlayBook or BlackBerry 10 device, bringing BlackBerry users the power of their PC in their hand.

How was the development experience working with the BlackBerry 10 SDK’s?

Our experience has been very good. We reviewed the different options, and BlackBerry provided the ability to quickly get an application built. For instance, we were looking at using the Android tool to convert from an Android app into a BlackBerry app due to the quick turnaround time. However, we decided to use the Native SDK to get the most performance for our remote desktop app. I believe many of our reviewers appreciate this. Even with the Native SDK, the effort has been minimal to add BlackBerry 10 support after having developed for the PlayBook.

Do you see remote desktop access changing the way that mobile workers operate?

Yes, BlackBerry and the current PlayBook app are providing our users with the ability to be more productive while being mobile. They can have the power of a desktop while travelling with only a Playbook or Blackberry 10 device. Not only is there great productivity, but it is secure as well. No data is stored on the device; all of your data remains on your host system. So, if the BlackBerry device is lost or stolen, there is no data to worry about being compromised. We see this as a win-win solution.

What does Splashtop have planned for the future?

Splashtop continues to work on improving performance. We are dedicated to providing our users with the best in class performance. In addition, we continue to listen to our users and understand their use cases so we can enhance their experience with our Splashtop app and potentially other apps in the future.

Thanks for joining me today, Victor!

While devices like tablets are making the mobile office even more of a reality, apps and software like Splashtop create a thriving ecosystem of available functionality that extends to smartphones. Consider the vision of an office powered by BlackBerry 10; HDMI output at 1080p into an HD monitor, a Bluetooth®-connected keyboard and mouse, and remote desktop access to give you a full desktop experience. Add to this the unparalleled security of the BlackBerry infrastructure, protection of corporate data, and simple access to VPN profiles and corporate networks, and you can begin to grasp the future of mobility.

Do you use remote desktop apps in your work? How will you use Splashtop for BlackBerry 10 smartphones? Share in the comments below.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

The Cisco WebEx Meetings app for BlackBerry 10 not only extends Cisco WebEx functionality to a mobile computing platform; it also embodies the flow, speed, and simplicity of the BlackBerry 10 experience. A few of the features include the ability to have the conference bridge call your phone to connect, and full screen sharing on the high resolution screen of your BlackBerry 10 device.

Do you use Cisco WebEx in your work? Are you looking forward to using it on the go with a BlackBerry 10 device? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

A new version of the Gist app for BlackBerry® smartphones has launched today and is now available in BlackBerry App World™ as a free download. Jennifer has posted details over on the Gist blog, check it out to learn the details about this release. As for new features, here’s an example:

The “Get the Gist” feature now works on contact groups in the BlackBerry Contacts app. Simply open the Contacts app on your BlackBerry, highlight the group, press the BlackBerry menu button on your device and select “Get the Gist”. The Gist app will open displaying the list of people in your contact group. From here you can easily navigate profile information and social updates to learn more about the people in your group. -via the Gist Blog

Grab the new version of Gist today and let us know your favorite features in the comments!

For those that are unfamiliar with Docs To Go, it is a powerful mobile office suite that allows you to view and edit Microsoft Word, Excel®, and PowerPoint® files and attachments on BlackBerry® smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. You also have the ability to present PowerPoint documents from your BlackBerry PlayBook by plugging into a projector or TV via an HDMI connection. While in presenter mode, speaking notes are visible on your PlayBook, while your presentation itself is visible from the projector or TV. Updates to BlackBerry® Bridge™ in PlayBook OS 2.0 further enhance this feature by allowing you to control “back” and “next” functionality using your BlackBerry smartphone.

Feature Improvements to the Docs To Go Suite

• Editing text within Microsoft PowerPoint documents is now supported
• The suite now supports BlackBerry® Balance™ for keeping corporate documents and data secure
• Find & Replace functionality has been added to the Microsoft Word and Excel feature list
• Bluetooth® keyboards and keyboard-shortcuts are now supported
• You can now clear files from the “Recently Used Files” list
• Password-protected Office 2010 files can now be accessed
• When presenting, you can now use your BlackBerry smartphone with BlackBerry Bridge as a remote control to move forward and backward through your presentation

Specific enhancements have been implemented for individual applications within the suite.

• While editing Microsoft Word documents, you’ll have the ability to create and edit both bulleted and numbered lists.
• Editing Microsoft Excel files includes functionality which allows you to copy, paste, and resize cells, rows, and columns. Additionally, you may view and update embedded charts and chart sheets. Lastly, a new formula wizard has been added for easy entry of over 110 supported functions.
• Working with Microsoft PowerPoint files will include editing of text in in both .ppt and .pptx file formats, and also allows you to hide/show slides with basic HDMI presenter-mode optimizations. Lastly, viewing of charts within PowerPoint .pptx files has also been improved.

Introducing Print To Go version 1.0

Print To Go eliminates the hassle of mountains of paper files by wireless printing from your laptop or PC directly to your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet with the simple click of a “print” button. With an easy-to-install Microsoft® Windows® application, Print To Go is added as a printer to your system. You can view, sort, and manage digital printouts from various sources like web pages, documents, emails, or other applications – all within a very slick and intuitive user interface that mimics physical sheets of paper, which was inspired by our friends over at The Astonishing Tribe (TAT).

For example, before jumping on a plane to attend CES 2012 in Las Vegas, I printed all of the planning documents and schedules that I had kept on my PC, right to my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, which allowed me to reference these files while en route. I did the same with a map of the city, as well as my flight and hotel booking information. In the office, I have the ability to quickly transfer a document to my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet for use in a meeting or a coffee shop conversation with a colleague. Taking your work on the go is quick and functional with PlayBook OS 2.0 and the Print To Go application. For solutions that allow you to print documents from your PlayBook tablet to a physical printer, look no further than BlackBerry App World™.

On to the specifics!

Print To Go version 1.0 includes the following:

• A Microsoft® Windows® application that installs a virtual “Print To Go” printer onto your computer that can be accessed from any application that allows printing (e.g. Microsoft Office, web pages, image viewers, and more)
• Secure wireless peer-to-peer printing from your PC to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet over Wi-Fi®, including end-to-end encryption of the documents
• If you have BlackBerry Balance in use on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, all printouts are automatically sent to the secure “Work” partition
• Secure printing using your BlackBerry ID
• Notifications on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet when new printouts arrive
• A Print To Go app on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that allows you to view, sort, and manage printouts as if they were physical stacks of paper on a desktop
• A virtual paper shredder for deleting the digital printouts from your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet

These enhancements to the Docs To Go office suite, as well as the addition of Print To Go, will truly push the abilities of mobile work far forward. Working from your tablet, especially when using a Bluetooth keyboard or an HDMI monitor connection, now provides a higher level of functionality and capability when creating, editing, presenting or sharing documents. We hope that Print To Go will not only save paper, but also help you to unclutter your work life by keeping your desk clean and allowing you to use your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet as a resource for handling printed documents.

How will you use Print To Go in your daily work? Share in the comments below.