There’s always significant anticipation for the BlackBerry Live keynote general session , and this year was no different as attendees, partners, customers, and developers were able to experience the vision for the future here at BlackBerry. App launches (including Skype for BlackBerry Z10 smartphones!), game demos, the launch of BBM Channels, a reinforced commitment to enterprise with an update of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, the 10.1 software update for the BlackBerry Z10, a new entry-level BlackBerry 10 smartphone coming for select emerging markets, and the future of mobile computing stacked together to pack one serious punch.

We hit the floor of the Marriott World Center to get reactions from attendees on all of the news, launches, vision, and announcements. Check out the video below for details:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

The most exciting element for me was all of the discussion around mobile computing. As a bit of a technology geek, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store. What was your favorite part of the keynote general session? Share in the comments below.

MobileCON is here again, or rather, for the first time since being renamed from “CTIA”. If you’re unfamiliar, MobileCON is an event tailored for enterprises, professionals, and mobile IT experts looking to solve mobility challenges within their organization. As outlined on the MobileCON website, this enterprise mobility conference offers “3 days of thought leadership, actionable education, peer-to-peer learning, and solutions shopping.” We’re excited to be a part of this year’s conference. In fact, Research In Motion® (RIM®) Chief Information Officer Robin Bienfait is set to address the attendees during today’s keynote; stream it live on the MobileCON web site.

With the recent announcement of BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 as well as updates and sneak peeks of what we’re building for the BlackBerry® 10 platform, this event is a great opportunity to learn more about RIM’s enterprise innovations. At this event, we’re keen to show attendees how we’ve consolidated, streamlined, and simplified our enterprise mobility management offerings. We’ve designed our products and services to power multiple platforms and keep data secure and manageable – all while maintaining user experience and flexibility for personal use.

There are tens of thousands of current BlackBerry® Enterprise Server 5 deployments currently in the market managing BlackBerry devices. But we know that you’re facing new pressures and challenges both for IT and for unified employee productivity and connectivity – and that’s what we hope to address at MobileCON 2012. While the variety of mobile devices and form factors has exploded in business, the importance of data security remains paramount. We’ve heard this straight from you – and we’ve built on our legacy of pioneering the mobile management space to move forward with your business in meeting and overcoming these challenges. We’re very much looking forward to MobileCON 2012 and sharing our innovation roadmap. RIM is rapidly adapting and shifting to meet the needs of our customers while maintaining our rich history of security and reliability.

If you’d like to learn more about BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, and Robin Bienfait, tune in to the MobileCON 2012 keynote today at 12pm Eastern/9am PDT!

Nothing quite parallels the experience of being part of a keynote crowd as an event kicks off. Today in San Jose, California, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins took the stage to greet the BlackBerry developer community that has gathered here from around the world to participate in something very exciting – having a hand in preparing for the upcoming BlackBerry® 10 platform. The flow of ideas, passion for the platform, and drive to succeed is in full display at a BlackBerry developer conference.

As shared initially in the BlackBerry World 2012 keynote in May, it’s all about the flow. When you interact with a BlackBerry 10 device, this concept is immediately clear in the way that you have the ability to speed through the tasks you need to get done, gaining access to what you need to see, edit, and share in an instant. Check out the video below from today’s keynote for a demonstration of the flow of BlackBerry 10:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

For enterprise customers, Thorsten was excited to share the work that’s in progress to consolidate and unify our enterprise mobility management portfolio. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 will provide a unified console for managing BlackBerry, iOS®, and Android™ smartphones and tablets. IT managers will have the best solution for managing their complete mobile infrastructure and for ensuring that corporate data is protected, all from a single solution.

Earlier today we shared details for our enterprise customers on the experience of adding corporate email, calendar, and contacts to a BlackBerry 10 device as well as RIM’s enterprise roadmap.

Exciting partnerships bring incredible mobile services and apps to the BlackBerry 10 platform – both for work and for play. From cloud storage integration with Box to screen sharing with Cisco® WebEx™ and remote desktop access with Splashtop®, the apps will enable rich mobile interactions. And here at BlackBerry Jam Americas, alongside the BlackBerry developer community, we’re watching it happen before our eyes.

What was the most exciting aspect of the BlackBerry Jam Americas 2012 keynote to you? Share in the comments below.

BlackBerry 10 Concept Previews and App Demos

In an exciting hint of what’s to come in BlackBerry 10, Thorsten Heins shared the vision for the future of the BlackBerry 10 platform to be released in the latter part of this year. Check out a video of the sneak peek that we shared earlier today, including a live taste of BlackBerry 10 software presented by Vivek.

BlackBerry 10 isn’t just about a smartphone, rather, it’s a mobile computing engine that’s being developed to enable a robust BlackBerry® ecosystem of devices, homes, cars, and future systems. To reinforce our commitment to launching BlackBerry 10 with fantastic customer experiences, several app demonstrations were shared during the BlackBerry World 2012 keynote to exemplify the work that’s already in progress. Check out the videos below to see the individual demonstrations:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

BlackBerry 10 developer tools, including the Native SDK, BlackBerry 10 WebWorks, and Cascades, have been provided to developers over at BlackBerry 10 Jam. Additionally, they’ve been provided with Dev Alpha prototype devices (which are in no way representational of final BlackBerry 10 hardware or software) in order to work towards a rich app experience at launch.

What BlackBerry Means to You

During his portion of the keynote, Thorsten spoke specifically on what BlackBerry means to you; how it helps to make you successful and reach across your wide array of networks and relationships. He referred to the BlackBerry DNA, and how RIM as a company is laser-focused on enabling individuals and business to succeed with highly functional and highly intuitive mobile solutions – with this focus embodied and uplifted by the work being done on the BlackBerry 10 platform.

Check out the video below for a closer look!

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

What part of this year’s BlackBerry World keynote hit home for you? What was your favourite sneak peek or partner demonstration? Share in the comments below.