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.

Early in December of 2012 we launched the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program to provide businesses around the globe with the tools, offers, and knowledge that they needed to prepare for BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.

The program includes a free BlackBerry 10 smartphone offer with BES 10 installation and training courses, a license trade up program to help you seamlessly switch to BlackBerry 10 from prior BlackBerry smartphones, a webcast series, and BlackBerry 10 Readiness Services to provide you with a suite of support options for installation and upgrades.

With BlackBerry 10 launching around the world and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 available for download, let’s take a look at some of the progress so far.

• Over 4,400 businesses in North America have registered for the BlackBerry 10 Ready Offer alone, just one component of the BlackBerry 10 Ready program.
• The BlackBerry 10 Ready Webcast series has reached an audience of over 15,000 IT professionals and administrators
• The BlackBerry Experience Forum events are mid-way through their global tour to provide hands-on time with BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, as well as access to BlackBerry staff and experts. Every event has been booked well over capacity. Join the conversation with us at @BlackBerry4Biz and use the hashtag #BEF13.

We’re excited about the significant momentum that we’re seeing here. Both our product portfolio and our company have been re-engineered and re-invented, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Don’t take my word for it, let’s look at what a few of your peers had to say:

Air Canada – “BlackBerry 10 helps meet our needs in that it delivers a new platform that brings the excitement and the energy that our employees are starting to expect from mobile devices.”

McCain Foods Ltd. – “First impressions of BlackBerry 10 is it’s very innovative and packed with lots of brand new features and functions that we’re going to take advantage of immediately.”

Ricoh Canada Inc. – “Data integrity has always been paramount for Ricoh IT, so the ability to achieve that is a tremendous plus for the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 platform.”

We were able to hand deliver BlackBerry Z10 smartphones to the global IT and mobility leadership of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates law firm in New York City during the BlackBerry Technical Preview program. Check out their first look at the next generation mobile computing platform and the feedback that they had below:

And finally, Stephen Perciballi, Practice Lead for Security (and mobility) at Softchoice, was able to visit us here on BlackBerry campus and share his thoughts on BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 as a trusted advisor and provider of mobile technology to hundreds of clients. Read the full interview here on the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog.

Has your business upgraded to BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 yet? If you have, we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. If you haven’t, let us help you get started!

BlackBerry solutions are designed for businesses of all sizes to connect employees to the information that they need. With BlackBerry smartphones, you can take your office with you to stay connected wherever you are. In addition to email and voice, you can maintain access to your files, your colleagues, corporate data behind your firewall, cloud accounts, and more. In addition, communication platforms like BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) and add-ons like BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing make it easy for you to collaborate on the go.

We want to know: how do you use your BlackBerry smartphone for business? Take the poll below, and tell us more by posting in the comments below!

The new BlackBerry 10 platform aims to improve mobility for both businesses and employees. Part 1 of this series discussed how BlackBerry 10 can help to improve businesses by meeting employee consumer demands and lowering costs, among other benefits. Here are 5 more business objectives that IT professionals will be able to achieve with BlackBerry 10.

Develop and deploy enterprise applications

With BlackBerry 10, you can take advantage of the best ecosystem for business app developers. In the weeks leading up to last month’s BlackBerry 10 launch, we saw an exciting acceleration of developer momentum culminating with the availability of key business apps. With BlackBerry 10, enterprise developers specifically have much to be excited about:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Enterprise applications can be tailored to specific jobs and work processes within your company. Your business can deploy BlackBerry 10 applications for your employees through BlackBerry World for Work and manage them securely with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10).

Increase customer satisfaction

To keep customers satisfied, businesses must adopt an effective framework for internal communication. More specifically, customer-facing employees must have real-time access to critical information in order to accurately assist customers. With the new user experience of BlackBerry 10, your employees will be able to access information in an effective, intuitive manner. In addition, tools for the BlackBerry 10 platform such as HTML5 WebWorks make it easy to develop custom applications for customers to interact with your company.

Reduce staffing costs with global technical support

Are you familiar with BlackBerry Technical Support Services (BTSS)? It’s our global enterprise support program that provides businesses with affordable technical support directly from BlackBerry support experts. For BlackBerry 10, we’ve streamlined the program into three tiers – Basic, Advantage, and Premium – as well as offering BlackBerry 10 Readiness Services. With direct access to a Support Service Specialist as an option at the Advantage tier, you can reduce internal staffing costs while still equipping your business with the technical support you need.

Provide access to critical business information

Whether you are making a presentation, joining a meeting, or making a business decision, it is important to be prepared and well-informed. BlackBerry 10 provides hands-on access to industry news and other business content, mobilizing your workforce with tools to work effectively on the go. With the SAP applications that are coming to BlackBerry 10, your employees will be able to make informed decisions by accessing and interacting with the latest data available.

Simplify your IT manager’s job

Your IT manager faces a mobile landscape that is constantly evolving toward greater complexity. As demands from business users increase, your IT department will need to properly balance mobility and security needs. BlackBerry 10 introduces a mobile platform that meets both the consumer demands of business users and the security demands of IT departments. In addition, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10) simplifies your IT manager’s job with a single, unified platform to manage BlackBerry, iOS and Android devices securely.

Don’t forget to check out Part 1 of “10 Ways that BlackBerry 10 will Impact your Business for the Better”!

An important goal of the BlackBerry 10 platform is to improve the mobile experience of businesses and their staff. Building on the long-standing reputation of BlackBerry smartphones in the business community, here is a look at several business objectives that IT professionals can look to achieve with BlackBerry 10.

Meet increasing employee demands

The consumerization of information technology has changed the workplace and brought with it increased employee demands. As mobile technology continues to evolve, businesses are under pressure to either provide employees with high-performance mobile devices that offer a seamless experience, or to allow employees to bring in their own mobile tech. On BlackBerry 10, features such as the BlackBerry Browser and Keyboard have been made more powerful and intuitive. In addition, new advanced features such as the flow of BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Hub will make it easier for employees to navigate their phone and manage information, all within the context of our world-class security and management capabilities. With these features, as well as all of the apps available at launch, BlackBerry 10 provides an experience that employees will love and the security and manageability that businesses need.

Increase productivity and mobility

The BlackBerry 10 platform is built for business, providing your mobile workers with secure access to information and internal systems. One exciting BlackBerry 10 feature is remote desktop access provided by app developers like Splashtop. This feature will allow BlackBerry customers to access and control a desktop computer from their BlackBerry 10 smartphone. By using such tools to increase mobility, employees will be able to carry critical business information and tools on the go, thus also increasing their productivity.

Encourage organizational collaboration

Businesses can further look to improve productivity by facilitating a culture of collaboration. Several upcoming BlackBerry 10 apps will help encourage this collaborative culture, such as Cisco WebEx Meetings. This app helps customers with scheduling meetings, sharing screens and sharing content for collaboration on the go. In addition, BlackBerry 10 includes integrated cloud storage capabilities from Box, which allows employees to share files directly from their devices. Supported by the BlackBerry 10 secure environment, businesses can encourage collaboration confidently, knowing that measures have been taken to help make sure that data isn’t compromised. BBM video chat and screen sharing is another example of a fantastic collaboration opportunity provided by the BlackBerry 10 platform, not to mention Documents To Go, Work Drives, and more.

Contributing to lower costs

BlackBerry Balance has been completely redesigned for BlackBerry 10, providing customers with a seamless flow between work and personal use. BlackBerry Balance also helps to lower costs for IT departments by allowing employees to bring their own devices to work. By separating work and personal data, business professionals can use personal online accounts and consumer apps on their work device without needing to worry about unintended interactions.

Integrate your mobile computing capabilities

More than just a smartphone, BlackBerry 10 is a mobile computing platform built to power an entire ecosystem of devices and systems. Businesses can offer their workforce greater connectivity by expanding their focus from just devices to platform-based environments. Designed to support the concept of a “mobile office,” BlackBerry 10 will consolidate desktop computer and phone capabilities into a single, integrated platform. This integrated approach provides IT departments with the versatility to prepare for the mobile landscape of the future. With apps like SAP and Cisco WebEx Meetings, you can extend your existing investment in these services and pursue a truly integrated approach.

What’s one way you plan on using BlackBerry 10 to improve your business? Share in the comments below.

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.

Editor’s note: Special thanks to Walter for helping me with accuracy and real-world applicability!

I’ll admit it – I don’t work in IT. But I get to chat every day with those who do, not to mention a few friends who went into an IT line of work. Plus, at the end of last year we launched the BlackBerry page on Spiceworks – a community of over 2 million IT pros. A few common themes have popped up in discussions, tweets, chats, and calls, and considering that we’re in New Years resolution season, I figured it couldn’t hurt to put down a proposed list of 10 resolutions for IT departments. The list is by no means exhaustive, and may not be completely relevant to your IT department, but that’s where I need your help. Finish it off, tweak it, or give one of the items a digital thumbs up in the comments below.

1. Discover what you can automate, and automate it

This one applies to IT departments and business in general. We all perform common tasks in our work, and one trick to save yourself some time is to automate a few of these tasks – even if you’re just shaving a few minutes off the end of it. Maybe it’s time to organize your contacts, create some e-mail rules and filters, or even write a batch script for installing software. Figure out what can be automated and automate it; you’ll thank yourself when you’ve got the extra time to think ahead rather than putting out fires.

2. Set up remote support tools

For many IT departments, particularly in large companies, support is a major ongoing concern. Adding remote support to your tool belt not only gives you back time from performing the work and/or getting ahold of the employees device or laptop, it can also give you a firsthand look at the issue when compared to support options like phone or email. If you already have remote support tools, ask yourself: are they doing the job? Are there any updates for technology and software in this area?

3. Get help from other IT pros and service partners

No one should have to go it alone, no matter what your line of work. Getting involved in communities of IT professionals like Spiceworks can have great benefits. It’s not just gossip, speculation, and shoulders to cry on – it’s a wealth of experience and individuals with experience in the challenges that you may be facing. I think you’ll find that communities like these have real benefits to your work, and can be a lot of fun along the way. Many IT departments also have service contracts with vendors and partners. Be sure to take advantage of any ongoing benefits that these agreements provide you.

4. Hear what the employees have to say

In many organizations there’s a disconnect between employees and the IT department. Employees can be seen as children running about with tech toys, and IT departments can be seen as limiting access and functionality, hoarding access to corporate data. It doesn’t have to be this way, and I believe that IT departments are or can be significant enablers of efficient work. Toss some surveys out there, sit down and have a chat with key individuals from different areas and levels of the organization, and discover where this relationship stands.

5. Anticipate future challenges, opportunities, and trends

Remember the time that I mentioned you could save automating tasks or implementing remote support? Time to use it. Look ahead and what IT challenges your company may be facing six months from now, or even a few years from now. Keep track of where technology is headed in your industry, such as the increased use of tablets at work. When the future trend projection becomes a reality, and you’re ready with a well thought-out plan, you’ll be a star.

6. Stay healthy, get sleep, and take breaks

I’ve certainly had periods of time in my life where I just wasn’t happy at work. In many cases, however, it wasn’t the work itself that was causing it – rather my personal state of mind. Healthy eating, exercise, and a good work-life balance all have positive effects that spill over into many areas of your life. You’ll be happier, easier to work with, more alert, and able to tackle challenges with gusto rather than trepidation, frustration, and discouragement.

7. Document your processes for the next person (or for you)

We’ve all started a new job at a company and had to climb our way through a pile of learning that was not organized and not easily accessible. And in those situations we think to ourselves, “if only this had been written down somewhere, it would have been so much easier.” Think about the next individual who might be stepping into your role when you move on, and document common processes and/or create onboarding materials. It can even benefit you if you find yourself following a specific and complex series of tasks or steps on a regular basis. Get it down, get it organized, and keep it accessible. You’ll be doing a favor for many, including yourself.

8. Audit your vendors for consolidation opportunities

Particularly in large companies, agencies, vendors, and contractors can stack up over long periods of time. Sometimes they’re even accomplishing the same tasks. Even if they aren’t, perhaps one of these vendors can offer multiple services at a discounted rate. It’s good to perform an audit of whom you have contracted, and consolidate when possible. It saves money in the long run, and perhaps you can return to #8 and take a look at that wish list with the extra funds.

9. Prioritize your IT purchasing list

Like any department, IT has a wish list. Whether it’s new software licenses, server upgrades, or more staff, work out what exactly your list looks like, and get it prioritized. This way you’ll have what’s most important at the forefront, and you’ll be able to seek justification and choose your battles wisely, creating the most significant positive effect possible considering your resources.

10. Enable self-service

If you find yourself buried under the weight of employee tech support, consider how you can enable a self-service model to take some of the strain off on easy tasks. For example, provide simple steps for employees to set up email accounts on their BlackBerry smartphones. The setup app makes it a breeze, and can prevent or reduce calls to the IT department with requests for help. Or, document the instructions for mapping common network drives, or connecting to printers. Get feedback on the how-to articles, and make sure that they’re user friendly.

Hopefully these ten New Year’s resolutions for IT departments can help you kick off 2013 with a great start and an eye for the future. Did I miss any that you think should have made the list? Or, which is your top resolution for 2013? Share in the comments below.

In January we’ll be launching a special webcast as part of the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program. The webcast will seek to answer your top questions on BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. We’re looking forward to connecting with you to understand what you need to know most, and to help provide the answers and direction that will launch your business forward in the New Year.

The webcast panel participants will include senior RIM individuals from Enterprise Product Management, Enterprise Marketing, Enterprise Partnerships, and Platform Security. Submit your questions today to BlackBerryEnterpriseKnowledge@rim.com, or share them in the comments below. We’ll be gathering the top questions and preparing responses.

Share your questions here:

• BlackBerryEnterpriseKnowledge@rim.com
• The comments below this post
• @BlackBerry4Biz on Twitter

We’re looking forward to sharing the webcast in January! In the meantime, satisfy your webcast cravings by checking out www.blackberry.com/blackberry10webcasts, a new series aimed at arming you with the knowledge that you need to prepare your organization for BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.

Have questions for the webcast? Submit them in the comments below.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) is one of the main features that attract customers to BlackBerry® smartphones. Used by over 60 million customers worldwide, it provide instant communications, allows you to break down the barriers of costly international messaging, provides efficiency in the transfer of data, and allows you to keep on top of your work and social life. Today we’re excited to announce that BBM 7.0, with a new feature called BBM Voice, is now available.

BBM now has Voice

With BBM version 7.0, you’ll have the ability to voice chat with your BBM contacts over Wi-Fi®. This is a significant update to the platform and its capabilities, and gives you the choice of text or talk. If you’ve got news that’s too big to share through text chat, simply hit the call button and jump into a call. You can toggle between text and talk, and you can see whether a contact is available for a voice chat.

Additionally, you have the ability to multitask while on a BBM Voice call – browse the web, check email, use other apps on your smartphone, or send BBM notes to another contact. BBM Voice is also compatible with the accessories you have now for your BlackBerry smartphone. Use a headset or Bluetooth® accessory and easily switch between them through the onscreen menu during the chat (you can also talk through the speakerphone on your handset).

BlackBerry ID Integration

In addition to BBM Voice, you’ll be able to synchronize your BBM contacts between smartphones now that BBM is associated with your BlackBerry ID.

Why this is good news for business customers and professionals

I’ve long been a proponent of using BBM for business purposes. A little over a year ago I published a post entitled “How to Use BlackBerry Messenger 6 for Business” – and the opportunities to do so with version 7 are greater than ever.

• More than just text (and now voice), BBM allows you to share calendar invites, voice notes, photos, and attachments up to 6 MB. This is great for sharing files quickly and efficiently with coworkers to increase collaboration.
• International businesses can use BBM as a fully-functional text, voice, and data transfer platform for communicating at a low cost. Companies such as Homex India Private Ltd. have found significant advantages in using BBM to span time zones and locations for speedy collaboration.
• Groups and categories allow you to stay organized and in regular contact with your team in the office, and using BBM often allows you to get directly in touch by cutting through the mass of email that many individuals face. This gives you quick answers and a quick connection – and using BBM Voice as part of this process is icing on the cake.

How will you use BBM 7.0 with BBM Voice for business? Share in the comments below!

With the launch event scheduled for January 30th, 2013, BlackBerry 10 is now more anticipated than ever by business customers and individuals alike. While video sneak peeks, live demos of the platform, and developer events may serve to feed personal interest, businesses also have a need to get prepared for the new mobile computing platform within their organizations.

Many organizations have already set up BlackBerry Mobile Fusion along with BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 in order to meet the BYOD challenge and manage cross-platform devices. We’ve also announced the upcoming BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, which will bring with it the management capabilities for BlackBerry 10 devices.

Now we’re excited to announce the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program, which is designed to help prepare your business environment for the launch of BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. We’ll help you transition – at your pace – to an environment that provides device management capabilities across multiple platforms and that includes both smartphones and tablets. The program will help you be ready for the future.

Components of the Program

Think of the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program as a toolkit with options available for you to learn about what BlackBerry 10 has to offer, where to start, how to leverage what you already have, and be prepared for the new mobile computing landscape. The program is rolling out in stages, with the BlackBerry 10 Webcast Series and the BlackBerry 10 Ready Offer kicking off today. The BlackBerry 10 Readiness Services and the BlackBerry Enterprise Server License Trade Up offer will be available in the New Year prior to the launch of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.

BlackBerry 10 Webcast Series

These on-demand webcasts will help you keep on top of all of the latest info, as well as help paint a clear picture of the direction that we’re taking the BlackBerry enterprise portfolio of solutions. The first 4 are available today in the newly designed BlackBerry Resource Center:

• The BlackBerry Enterprise Vision and Roadmap
• Enterprise Security Capabilities of BlackBerry 10
• Doing More with Enterprise Applications and BlackBerry 10
• BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10: The Smart Choice for Multi-Platform BYOD

Additional webcasts will be announced on a regular basis and will continue to become available leading up to the launch of BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and beyond. We’ll also be hosting Q&A panel webinars to make sure that you’re getting the information that you need – submit questions in advance to BlackBerryEnterpriseKnowledge@rim.com. For convenience, transcripts of the webinars will be available as a PDF.

BlackBerry 10 Ready Offer (NA Only)

Note: This component is currently only available for customers in North America with BlackBerry Technical Support at the Advantage level or higher. RIM will announce as the offer becomes available in additional countries.

This component of the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program is a straightforward three-step process to help get your IT department ready for action, with a free BlackBerry 10 device to boot (conditions apply – check out the web site for details). If you’ve got a BlackBerry Technical Support Services contract with RIM at the Advantage level or higher, simply register for the program, download and install BlackBerry Mobile Fusion within the promotional period, receive a free Client Access License (CAL), check out some online training modules, pass 3 tests to verify your knowledge, and get a free BlackBerry 10 device at launch*.

BlackBerry 10 Readiness Services, and BlackBerry Enterprise Server License Trade Up

These two components of the program will be available in the New Year to line up with the availability of BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. More details will be available here on the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog, and at the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program web site, so head over and check it out! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments.