Did you know that both VISA and MasterCard have certified BlackBerry smartphones with NFC capabilities to be used for mobile payments?

Over the last couple of years, NFC technology has become increasingly popular in smartphones. Recent blog posts on the Inside BlackBerry for Business blog have shown that NFC-enabled devices can be used for a wide range of tasks, including access to your workplace and paying for your morning coffee. NFC has enabled many of us to see our BlackBerry smartphone as not only an important communications tool, but also as an efficient, contactless payment tool. When considering the use of a smartphone for mobile payments security is a major factor.

If you’re interested in learning more about some of the security features embedded in your BlackBerry smartphone when using it as a mobile payment solution, here are the details – straight from the BlackBerry experts!

According to our BlackBerry Security Certification Manager, Nayef Khan, “One major concern customers have when making mobile payments is security. A lot of focus in the mobile industry is put on the security of the “payment tap” process and overall device security. However, what’s often overlooked is how a credit card’s information travels directly to a smartphone, and how that overall data transmission process is secured.” In the NFC industry the systems that get your credit card data securely onto the device are called Trusted Service Managers (TSM). They are a key part of making NFC payments secure. BlackBerry is actively working on TSM functionality. The certification of BlackBerry as a VISA approved Trusted Service Manager (TSM) proves that the world’s top banking organizations recognize the high level of BlackBerry security standards.

So what are Trusted Service Managers (TSMs)?

A TSM is a cloud-based service that creates a secure communication channel between your NFC-enabled smartphone and the financial institution’s payment tool. The BlackBerry solution is designed to create a secure location within a ,secure container called a “Secure Element.” This secure storage area on an NFC-enabled smartphone enables financial institutions to store the sensitive payment information directly within the smartphone.

Our implementation of the TSM is known in the mobile payments industry as a “Secure Element Manager” (SEM). The SEM is responsible for managing space on a Secure Element. SEM also grants access to this secure space to mobile network operators or issuers of credit cards (know as Service Provider TSM or SP-TSM). Through the infrastructure that our SEM provides, SP-TSMs will have a single secure gateway allowing them to support any customer with an NFC-enabled smartphone that wants to enable a “mobile wallet” application. While the provisioning of credit card information is left to the SP-TSMs, the SEM allows for them to make a secure connection to the Secure Element. This arrangement also makes our solution highly scalable – new issuers can be on-boarded quickly.

Can you clarify what a secure element is, exactly?

As an analogy, think of the Secure Element as an apartment building. The manager of the apartment building (BlackBerry) allows each individual apartment (location for issuers and application providers) to be unlocked by a unique key. New tenants (issuers and application providers) can move in as soon as they are approved by the manager and provided with the key.

Visa’s approval of the BlackBerry SEM shows that we have been able to meet the rigorous standards that are expected in the financial industry. Over the years, BlackBerry has been associated with strong security and we are using our experience to build a secure foundation in this new domain.

Securing the “payment tap”

We have talked about how we secure the transmission and storage of sensitive information. In order to provide end-to-end security for a mobile payment transaction, the payment process also needs to be secure. Ever since BlackBerry launched NFC-capable smartphones, we have been working with the financial industry and credit card companies to certify our devices for use of mobile payments. The BlackBerry Curve 9360 and BlackBerry Bold 9900 were among the first smartphones to be certified by MasterCard and Visa for NFC-based mobile payments.

These certifications were granted on the basis of the BlackBerry smartphones meeting the functionality, interoperability and security requirements of MasterCard and Visa. The process includes extensive technical, security, and usability testing. This helps to ensure reliable and secure transactions which are compatible with the global standard for chip-enabled payments. With these certifications, any MasterCard PayPass or Visa payWave issuing bank globally will be able to deploy accounts to the SIM card of these smartphones.

Currently, all NFC-enabled BlackBerry devices in market have received the necessary payments certification. We have also done some great work with our brand new BlackBerry 10 platform. Looking at the device and back-end certifications in unison, BlackBerry is undeniably at the center of NFC innovation. The tools and security are available; we expect wireless carriers and financial institutions to pursue mobile payment solutions using BlackBerry smartphones in the near future – and some have already been implemented.

Is your business looking to make use of mobile payments? Does the TSM infrastructure alleviate some of your concerns regarding mobile payments? Share in the comments below.

We are only minutes away from showtime here at the new BlackBerry 10 launch event in New York City. The press has filed in and the anticipation is building. The show is about to kick off with a montage of guests and interviews from excited fans, analysts and media from around the world. It has definitely been a spirited journey and a fantastic build-up to launch – check out a few of the stories being highlighted.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

There you have it – I definitely echo the host’s sentiment when he said, “I hope after today Lil E can get some sleep.” Stay tuned – all your BlackBerry 10 launch news is coming up next. Are you excited? Be sure to leave us a comment telling us your journey to BlackBerry 10.

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.

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

“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.

One of my favorite parts of this year’s conference was the showcasing of upcoming apps as we approach the launch of BlackBerry 10. Let’s take a look at a few of the apps that are on their way:

Cisco WebEx Meetings

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Cisco is developing an application for BlackBerry 10 that will extend the famous Cisco WebEx collaboration technology to the platform, allowing you to collaborate and share content with colleagues. When connecting a BlackBerry 10 device to a monitor or projector via micro-HDMI output, this becomes fantastic technology for powering a collaborative mobile office.

Box

Cloud storage and enterprise collaboration are integrated right out of the box with BlackBerry 10. You’ll have the ability to share photos, documents, and media right up to your Box account from within the platform. Additionally, you can browse and manage your Box folder from within the File Manager application.

SAP Applications

The ability to access and interact with the latest data available is key when making important business decisions. SAP has been busy prototyping these applications, integrating with existing SAP systems in order to mobilize the workforce with the latest information. With the use of the latest development approaches, these work seamlessly on the BlackBerry 10 platform, and also on the BlackBerry PlayBook as well as BlackBerry smartphones. Check out the live demonstration of SAP applications on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet from one of the BlackBerry Jam events this past year.

Splashtop

Desktop virtualization has always been a favorite of mine, and Splashtop® does it in a way that works great, and is very easy to set up and use. They have been giving a peek of the app running on the Dev Alpha device using the BlackBerry 10 OS, and it looks great. With the power and connectivity of the BlackBerry 10 phones, Splashtop gives you your full desktop computer in your pocket. Check out our interview with the Splashtop team to learn more!

There are many more app announcements that have been made, and that will be coming over the next few months. Stay tuned here on the BlackBerry for Business blog to catch all of the latest!

What apps are you most excited about so far? Share in the comments below.

It’s been an exciting week so far here in San Jose at BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012. Beyond the infectious developer enthusiasm and the value-packed breakout sessions, we’ve also had the chance to showcase a few more features of the upcoming BlackBerry® 10 platform. Today I’d like to share some details about Mobile Application Management (MAM) with BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. I was able to catch up with RIM’s Gregg Ostrowski, Sr. Director of Technical Solutions, and Jeff Holleran, Sr. Director of Enterprise Product Management, to chat about both developing enterprise apps as well as deploying them. Check out the video below for the details:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

What is Mobile Application Management (MAM)?

MAM is a practice that organizations engage with in order to provision mobile apps to employee devices. Beyond this simple statement, the topic covers areas such as apps behind the firewall, security of and access to data, provisioning required applications, making apps available for voluntary download, and the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend.

RIM currently offers Mobile Application Management capabilities through our BlackBerry Enterprise Server and with BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion to BlackBerry smartphones, BlackBerry® PlayBookTM tablets, and iOS and Android™ devices. We’re streamlining the process for the future with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10, so read on for details!

Mobile Application Management with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

Mobile applications are becoming a crucial part of everyday life for mobile workers. We use apps to stay up to date on the latest information, to stay in touch with others, and to integrate with existing systems like Customer Relationship Management tools. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 offers comprehensive application management to cover a variety of scenarios.

BlackBerry Balance and App World for both Work and Personal Spaces

On BlackBerry 10 devices, BlackBerry Balance functionality allows employees to switch seamlessly between work and personal spaces on the device. In the work space, App World operates as a portal for access to corporate application management. IT administrators can push required apps to BlackBerry 10 devices, provide a list of recommended apps from the public-facing App World directory, or make available apps that the company has developed. The recommended apps are available in App World within the work space of the device. Here employees can also check for updates and keep track of what corporate apps are installed.

Provisioning Apps with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

Personal and work applications are handled differently on BlackBerry 10 devices. Personal apps are installed to the personal space on the device, while corporate applications are kept separate, safe, and secure within the work space. These work apps can access work data and interact with other work applications, but have user-controlled access to personal data and cannot interact with personal applications on the device that have been installed to the personal space.

Software configurations can be used to bundle applications and then assign them to individual accounts or user groups. To remove applications from devices, administrators can simply remove the application from the software configuration.

Choices, Configurations, and Deployment

BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 is designed to help you manage and provision mandatory apps or recommended apps, both of which are kept secure within the work perimeter of BlackBerry 10 devices. App provisioning with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 also extends beyond BlackBerry 10 smartphones to iOS and Android platforms, covering your multi-platform Mobile Application Management needs.

How is your organization managing applications on mobile devices today? What features do you wish were available, and which do you use most often? 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.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Whether your BlackBerry 10 smartphone is provided by an organization or brought in as a personal device, neither party needs to compromise on security or privacy. The BlackBerry Hub provides access to both work and personal email and social feeds, and a quick swipe down on the home screen allows for switching between work and personal spaces.

With the process for adding work email, calendar, and contacts to your smartphone becoming so straightforward with BlackBerry 10, would you be more likely to use your personal device for work? Share your thoughts in the comments below.