If you’re developing using the Open Data, or “OData”, protocol then you already know that BlackBerry provides support through our WebWorks development kit. You probably don’t know that we just released an open source OData library for C++ and provided a Cascades sample app to help kick-start your project. If you already know what OData is then just skip ahead a few paragraphs for the link to this library. If you’re not familiar with OData then let me introduce you to a great new Restful data access solution. OData is a REST-based protocol, with both a server and client implementation that lets you make CRUD (Create, Read, Update and Delete) calls for Data.

That’s great… but why do I need this?

Well if you have ever built an app that has to talk to a data source (database, file system, etc.), there are certain things you have to do each time. You typically have to build some middleware to talk to the data source, then you have to offer up that data over http (you do want this to be REST, right?), then you have to build your client, parse and use the data, and so on. Well some engineers at Microsoft got tired of repeating this over and over, and decided to make a uniform way to describe both the data and the data model. You could then apply this to any data source, and in return the client could use a standard way of interacting. OData was born. They have since put the spec under the Open Specification Promise so that anyone can build servers or client tools Royalty free.

Today, OData is supported by SAP, IBM, Microsoft, Citrix and many others. I first came across it as the default server side technology that SAP supports for their ERP system using SAP Gateway, SAP Mobility Platform, SAP HANA and others. If you look around your corporate environment, you might be surprised at how embedded it has become in such a short time.

If you’re building an Enterprise app, this will make your job much easier, as you only have worry about the client. If you plan on building an HTML 5 app with BlackBerry WebWorks, there is an existing JavaScript library called data.js. But, if you’re building for Cascades/C++, there hasn’t been one, until today!

You can now head over to GitHub to download the library in order to include in an existing project, as well as a full cascades sample. We are putting it up as open source, so you are free to use it as you wish in projects of your own.

Don’t forget to visit the Enterprise Development pods at BlackBerry Live & BlackBerry Jam from May 14-16. Also, be sure to check out session JAM59 – Integrating Enterprise Apps with the Open Data Protocol.

If you happen to be going to SAP Sapphire Now, which is also in Orlando from May 14-16, come by the BlackBerry booth and I will be available to discuss the OData library in person. See you there!

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Enterprise developers have embraced the new BlackBerry 10 platform – in fact, we recently announced that BlackBerry 10 now offers more than 100,000 applications. Amazon Kindle, OpenTable and The Wall Street Journal are available to BlackBerry 10 customers and in the coming weeks CNN, The Daily Show Headlines, eBay, eMusic, Maxim, MLB at Bat, MTV News, Pageonce, PGA, Rdio, Skype, SoundHound and Viber will be available for download or purchase.

At the BlackBerry Experience Forum, companies like SAP, Citrix, IBM and CISCO and many more, were in attendance to connect with many of the enterprise business leaders and IT decision-makers to showcase how their powerful apps can enable business innovations and empower mobile employees.

According to Adam Linford from Truphone, “If you are a mobile application developer and you’re looking to bring BlackBerry 10 into your existing portfolio, it’s so cheap and easy to add.” Adam also remarked that, “BlackBerry made some very sensible decisions in adopting technologies that are known – you are building on the shoulder of giants, a lot of the work is already done.”

Howard Travers from the Formicary Collaboration Group commented, “We’re pleased to work with the BlackBerry 10 application – we see it as a next step and evolution of mobile collaboration.” When asked about how the BlackBerry 10 platform enables enterprise customers to balance both work and personal data, Howard stated, “One of the biggest asks of all our top customers around the globe is the separation of personal and business. The fact that BlackBerry has now been able to merge the two is a great step forward.”

The BlackBerry 10 platform has empowered global businesses to embrace enterprise applications that enhance productivity, increase collaboration and connect their mobile employees with the important resources they need on the road.

Have you personally tried any of the apps mentioned in this blog post? Any app developers or partners you would like to see us connect with in the future? Let us know by commenting below!

With the upcoming launch event for BlackBerry 10 on January 30th, we are going on a BlackBerry 10 world tour, specifically aimed to connect with enterprise developers and business decision-makers. The BlackBerry Experience Forum (BEF) events are 14 full-day sessions where we’ll uncover how to make the most of every business opportunity with the BlackBerry smartphone powered by BlackBerry 10, designed to be smarter and faster.

Building on the success of the 2012 BlackBerry Jam World Tour – Enterprise Edition, we’ve added a specific enterprise developer track to the BlackBerry Experience Forum to make sure we get the opportunity to connect with our vibrant enterprise developer community.

At the BlackBerry Experience Forum, you will learn how to benefit from one of the strongest platforms for business professionals. By taking advantage of the unique BlackBerry infrastructure, impressive technology is available – right at your fingertips – to use behind the firewall connectivity to push critical data and confirm delivery and acknowledgment. This capability has been designed to enable fast business decision-making. With BlackBerry 10, developers can take advantage of the innovative BlackBerry Hub functionality, where all key information is displayed in one central location. BlackBerry also offers standards based development and full enterprise grade management to deploy, upgrade and host your applications.

At BlackBerry, we understand the importance of security. We are also committed to supporting the development of enterprise-grade mobile apps. The BlackBerry Experience Forum is a prime opportunity to learn how to increase your productivity, manage your work flow and keep your executives up to date on key data points that can change how you do business.

After attending the BlackBerry Experience Forum, we are committed to having our enterprise developers walk away with sample applications – ready for you to use to get building your first app! We’ll also provide expert guidance on the right path for your applications to follow and show you how to take advantage of what’s already built in to our developer ecosystem. BlackBerry is committed to making the app development process a worthwhile experience.

Join us on our BlackBerry Experience Forum world tour – see for yourself how BlackBerry is the right tool to bring the solutions you’ve been looking for to your business.

If you have any questions about the BlackBerry Experience Forum, our enterprise developer ecosystem or how to get involved in BlackBerry development, please let us know by commenting below!