Reactions to the QNX-based tablet and upcoming smartphone were solidly positive, and it was a real pleasure to see individuals discovering features, functionality, and gesture-based interaction that they hadn’t before experienced. The ability to peek into BlackBerry Hub, the overall flow of BlackBerry 10, and the separation between work and personal data with BlackBerry Balance were clear differentiators for the attendees. Check out the video below to see what a few of them had to say:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

On this important day for United States President Barack Obama as he begins his second term, we stood among Canadian flags and enjoyed the hospitality of the Canadian Embassy. Ice sculptures, beaver tails, and bright red mittens were featured attractions, and it was a comfortable fit for BlackBerry technology to join the mix as an iconic Canadian company which has spread its wings worldwide. Hear from our Government and Policy groups on how the event helped to continue our work, partnerships, and friendships in Washington:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Many expressed anticipation of the January 30th BlackBerry 10 worldwide launch events and all of the details that will follow, including continued partnerships between BlackBerry and U.S. government agencies. Our thanks extend to the Canadian Embassy and the Canadian Ambassador to the United States for being such gracious hosts.

Are you a government employee? How do you anticipate using BlackBerry 10 in your work? Share in the comments below.

On the heels of our recent announcement of FIPS 140-2 certification for the upcoming BlackBerry 10 platform, our current in-market favorite BlackBerry 7.1 OS has received CESG approval for government use in the United Kingdom. This is a significant step forward for enabling government mobility in the region by allowing access to data classified up to and including “Restricted”.

The BlackBerry Enterprise Solution from RIM remains the only holistic mobile solution approved by CESG. Governments around the world have long been our partners, utilizing secure BlackBerry solutions to access sensitive data and to enable public service workers. Law enforcement, government agencies, and medical industries are just a few areas in which this takes place. In the UK specifically, the NHS, local government bodies, and the Ministry of Defense all employ BlackBerry solutions to efficient, secure, and productive ends.

A great example can be found with UK police forces. By extending core processes and systems as well as access to information databases, officers are able to spend more time in the communities in which they work rather than being tied up with paperwork back at the office. The use of mobile social media in similar settings also enables government industries to use BlackBerry technology to connect more closely with their citizens.

Learn more about BlackBerry security today, and our stance on security when it comes to the upcoming BlackBerry 10 mobile computing platform. Does your work rely on secure BlackBerry solutions? Share in the comments below.

The BlackBerry solution has a legacy in government mobility, with more third-party security certifications and more government mobile device management experience than any provider of mobile solutions. Today we’re excited to share the news that Research In Motion will begin a pilot program with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) using BlackBerry 10 smartphones and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES 10) in early 2013. ICE will be one of the first government organizations to pilot the new BlackBerry 10 platform.

“ICE has been a valued BlackBerry customer for years, and our commitment to government agencies has influenced the development of the BlackBerry 10 platform,” said Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Security, Research In Motion. “Along with providing workers with secure access to behind-the-firewall confidential information, BlackBerry 10 can help organizations fully leverage the potential of mobile technology to offer new services, improve service delivery and increase organizational productivity. We look forward to sharing more features of the BlackBerry 10 platform at our global launch event on January 30.”

This pilot program reinforces our commitment to providing secure mobile devices and management solutions for government and public sector agencies. For end users, BlackBerry 10 devices will feature a seamless flow between personal and work uses through BlackBerry Balance technology. For administrators, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 will provide a complete solution for managing mobile devices from a unified web-based console.

In addition, the BlackBerry 10 platform has received FIPS 140-2 certification, meeting the criteria for secure encryption set by the U.S. and Canadian Governments. This certification enables government agencies to deploy both BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 smartphones from the day of launch.

We look forward to launching the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s BlackBerry 10 pilot program and to continuing our partnerships with government agencies around the world.

I had the chance to catch up with Paul Lucier, RIM’s Vice President of Government Solutions, and Larry Silver, RIM Director of US Federal Government, to chat about the latest news in the U.S. capitol when it comes to mobility, and the fantastic ways that BlackBerry solutions are leading the way in mobile innovation. Check out the video below for the full scoop:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Do you work in Law Enforcement or Government? Do you see opportunities to improve your work form a mobile perspective? Share in the comments below.

Because government agencies deal with some of the most confidential information in the world, IT leaders in the government sector face unique challenges with data protection, device management and security accreditations. Mobile solutions for government must improve productivity without compromising security requirements.

To find out more about how government agencies are using BlackBerry solutions, we spoke with several government IT leaders. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences with BlackBerry services and products like the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Visit www.upgrademyagency.com to learn more about how BlackBerry can provide your government agency with a complete solution for mobile security, manageability, productivity and collaboration. And stay tuned for an upcoming blog post on BlackBerry solutions in public safety and law enforcement.

Do you work for a government agency that uses BlackBerry solutions? Tell us about a mobility challenge that BlackBerry has helped you resolve.

BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0, having made its debut at CES 2012 in Las Vegas, recently joined the family of FIPS 140-2 certified BlackBerry solutions. Along with it, BlackBerry® Device Service, a component of BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion, is now also FIPS 140-2 certified. This is an important certification and a U.S. government computer security standard; many organizations and governments have FIPS 140-2 certification as a requirement for use within their networks.

Why does FIPS 140-2 certification matter?

Good question! Certifications in general, and this one in particular, are an indication not only of security and reliability, but also of a process in which independent third parties have provided validation. Beyond government, industries like health care and finance also trust in FIPS 140-2 certifications, as both involve the storing of personal and sensitive information.

Hearing from the Business Analyst community

Today we’ve caught up with Eugene Signorini, Senior Vice President of the Yankee Group’s research team, to chat about these recent certifications of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 and BlackBerry Device Service. Check out the interview below:

[Biz Blog]: Thanks for joining us today! Why don’t you share a bit of info on your experience and what you focus on in your work?

[Eugene Signorini]: I currently lead Yankee Group’s research team, which is 100% focused on mobility trends and issues. Personally, I focus on enterprise mobility, which includes mobile applications, mobility management, mobile device & OS issues for business, mobile payments, and mobile security. I co-founded Yankee Group’s enterprise mobility research practice in 2002 and have been focused on the topic for more than 10 years.

[Biz Blog]: What is the general significance of certifications like FIPS 140-2? Who does this apply to?

Certifications such as FIPS 140-2 provide an important benchmark for organizations when evaluating security credentials for certain devices and solutions. Essentially, for companies with the most stringent standards for security – whether those are for regulatory or compliance issues, or just standard company practice – benefit from these certifications because it removes uncertainty when approving vendors or suppliers. Knowing something is FIPS certified essentially provides a gold standard, a seal of approval for IT and security organizations. This level of security especially applies to government agencies, financial services firms, and health care, where regulatory and compliance standards are rigid, and require the highest levels of data and information protection.

[Biz Blog]: Is security still an important consideration concerning mobile devices?

Security remains top of mind for IT leaders when it comes to implementing mobility solutions. Yankee Group’s June 2012 Enterprise Mobility IT Decision Maker Survey reveals that security remains the number one obstacle for companies in supporting mobile workers. And mobile security ranks third among all IT priorities across the organization, coming behind only cloud-based services and mobile applications.

[Biz Blog]: What are some of the most prominent security challenges facing businesses today, and how are they reacting?

Most companies are increasingly concerned about managing mobile devices, and securing information on those devices. Specifically, the top three security challenges that we’ve seen enterprises facing are secure network access for mobile workers, mitigating potential loss of data or intellectual property, and prevention of malware across multiple devices and operating systems.

[Biz Blog]: How does security extend beyond simple password protection? Should consumers also be concerned about the security built into their smartphones and tablets?

Password protection is really the baseline level of security for mobile devices – it’s a no brainer and something all organizations should implement. After all, the easiest way to expose sensitive information is by a device falling into the wrong hands. However, organizations are quickly coming to the realization that there is more to security than just basic password enforcement. At the end of the day, it’s about protecting the information on the device both in transit and in static state. Consumers are slower to understand the threats related to information security, but recent events such as compromises to passwords on popular social media and consumer cloud sites raise awareness that consumers need protection as well. I anticipate that as more of these incidents occur, consumers will place a much higher value on device and personal information security.

[Biz Blog]: Thanks for joining us and sharing from your experience!

What type of security challenges is your business experiencing? What steps and approaches have been taken to meet them? Share in the comments below.

Business Class Commuting

That loud morning alarm, the coffee that takes too long to brew, the traffic that jams itself up faster than you thought possible… No one likes to commute, that’s for sure. But, we figured that if you’ve got to do it, we might as well provide a free and comfortable option for you to do it in style! Introducing “business class commuting” for the month of May: a BlackBerry shuttle service for those of you heading into and out of Washington D.C. If you see one of these shuttles, climb aboard! Not only will you handle the early morning trek in comfort, you’ll also have a chance to try out BlackBerry 7 smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, which we’ve made available in the shuttles and loaded up with apps and bookmarks we think you might like.

The response that I’ve seen so far has been fantastic. Beyond the free ride, individuals are really learning new things about BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, and how they can be leveraged in amazing ways for both personal and work purposes. Don’t take my word for it – check out the video below:

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

Appy Hours Have Arrived!

One more thing before you run out the door to find a BlackBerry commuter shuttle: “Appy Hours” are also being introduced in May. The first was on Thursday May 10th, and there will be a second on May 30th from 6-8pm at Bullfeathers. If you missed the opportunity to get your hands on a BlackBerry 7 smartphone or a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, this is your chance! You’ll also be able to ask questions, explore some of the incredible government use cases going on with this technology, and unwind after a long day.

Have you upgraded to BlackBerry 7 yet? If not, head over to www.upgrademenow.com to get the full scoop. If you have, share your favorite feature in the comments below!

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend one of the “Appy Hour” events that we hosted on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Many segments of the U.S. government, as well as other governments around the world, are big adopters of BlackBerry® products and solutions based on the built-in security, manageability, and many features that enhance productivity, communication, and efficiency. We took the opportunity to share hands-on demonstrations of BlackBerry® 7 OS smartphones and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets, and to answer any questions as they popped up.

It was great to meet with government staff in person to discuss how they use BlackBerry everyday as part of their work and personal lives. It was also the perfect opportunity to thank the Washington, D.C. community for its support of BlackBerry. To further express our appreciation beyond the Appy Hour events, we’re also “upgrading commutes” with BlackBerry shuttles in and out of the city every day for the month of May – look for those slug lines and jump on board!

There are incredible BlackBerry apps available for BlackBerry government customers – this was an “Appy Hour” after all. From email provisioning to Mobile Device Management, and from field staff to public safety workers, there are a ton of BlackBerry solutions to take advantage of. For example: data collection apps, IT and cloud management, resource tracking, notification/communication, and document management. Not to mention apps that you use outside of work like Twitter, photo editors, recipe apps, and so much more. Coupled with BlackBerry security, these apps and solutions can bring serious efficiency and positive process overhaul in government industries. The best part is that BlackBerry smartphones are already FIPS certified, as well as certified for use by the Department of Defense. (Watch for a blog post about this coming soon!)

If you missed the event last week, no problem! There will be another “Appy Hour” held on May 31st at Bullfeathers in Washington (5-7pm), so make sure that you come by to unwind and to get your hands on the latest BlackBerry smartphones and tablets. We’ll be there to help you out, showcase what we think will be your favorite and most useful features, and to answer questions. See you there!

What are the top two features of your BlackBerry device that you love to use for work and personal life respectively? Share in the comments below.

What strikes me about their work is that many started with the core strengths of the BlackBerry platform for email, security and IT management, but have gone much further in their visions. For example, many have branched out with BlackBerry apps they’ve created or deployed with partners – apps that make doing the business of government so much more efficient with better service to the public and real ROI.

Over the next six weeks, I’m going to share these stories – from policing and public safety to helping the deaf and hard of hearing communities, from making it easier on people who inspect parks, buildings and waterways to informing prime minister’s offices that need to stay on top of the news. We all know today’s governments are cash- and resource-strapped, but also have to meet an increased demand for services. These customers in Colombia, Scotland, California, Baltimore and Canada show exactly why BlackBerry helps them get the job done, and why BlackBerry remains the number one choice of government mobile customers.

Stay tuned for the coming blog posts and find out how BlackBerry is making a difference in governments around the world.

Are you a part of a government office that uses BlackBerry solutions? Tell us how you’ve used mobile technology to make a difference on your staff, your politicians, or your citizens.

We’re confident that attendees left Government Day not only more technically knowledgeable, but more inspired and filled with ideas for how they can transform their own organizations. Here’s a glimpse at what some of the attendees had to say about this event:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]