BlackBerry

BlackBerry 10 wins U.S. security clearance ahead of launch

Research in Motion has won key government security certification for its BlackBerry 10 operating system months ahead of its launch, allowing the smartphone to be used in secure government workplaces.

The FIPS 140-2 certification signals that U.S. and Canadian government agencies, along with private firms, can deploy BlackBerry 10 smartphones as soon as they launch, with a guarantee that data stored on the devices is appropriately secured and encrypted.

FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) certification is issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and it's a must for mobile platforms before the U.S. government can … Read more

Samsung remains No. 1 handset maker, Apple closes in on LG

Samsung and the Android operating system continued to dominate the U.S. mobile market in the third quarter, according to a study by ComScore, but Apple posted the biggest quarter-over-quarter gains.

ComScore, which surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers, found Samsung to be the top handset maker (both smartphones and non-smartphones) with 26 percent market share in the September period, up a bit from the June quarter's 25.6 percent.

Apple closed in on becoming the second-biggest handset maker, lagging LG by only 0.2 percentage points. LG's hold on the market slipped 1.1 … Read more

Defense Department drops exclusive contract for BlackBerry

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has been dealt another blow by the U.S. government. The U.S. Defense Department recently announced that it is opening its exclusive contract with the company to other device makers, including Apple and Google.

According to Reuters, the Pentagon said it would still use "large numbers" of BlackBerry smartphones but that it was also asking other companies to apply for a government contract to provide software that is capable of monitoring, managing, and enforcing U.S. military security requirements.

A Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters that it was broadening its reach with device … Read more

Apple, Samsung control 106 percent of industry's profits

Controlling all of the mobile market's profits doesn't appear to be enough for Apple and Samsung anymore. Now they're actually generating more than 100 percent of the industry's earnings -- 106 percent, to be precise -- according to a report from Canaccord Genuity.

That may seem impossible, but it's largely because rivals -- like Research In Motion, Nokia, and Motorola -- posted operating losses during the September quarter, the firm said.

"With Samsung extending its overall smartphone and Android market share combined with Apple's strength in high-end smartphones, competing smartphone [original equipment manufacturers] … Read more

Qualcomm CEO says Windows legacy apps have to go touch

Older Windows programs will have to be updated to incorporate touch capabilities, Qualcomm's chief executive said. And that's something that should help adoption of the newest version of the operating system.

Paul Jacobs, speaking today during a small press roundtable in New York before tomorrow's Windows 8 launch, said there will be "FUD" -- fear, uncertainty, and doubt -- around legacy applications when Windows RT first launches, but the capabilities offered by the new system will ultimately win over consumers.

He noted that older applications will have to be updated to take advantage of the … Read more

Friday Poll: Are you ashamed of your BlackBerry?

Has the BlackBerry become the tech equivalent of a pimple?

That was the suggestion in a New York Times article this week quoting a few BlackBerry owners who say their old RIM smartphones have become a point of shame in their daily lives.

Rachel Crosby, a Los Angeles sales rep, told the paper that she goes as far as to hide her BlackBerry from view at parties and conferences for fear clients will judge her for it.

This got us wondering if most BlackBerry users actually feel the same way. … Read more

iPhone users driving nearly half of smartphone Web traffic

iPhone owners really are driving a lot of Web traffic.

Online advertising network Chitika determined that nearly half of all Web traffic via smartphones is generated by the various versions of the iPhone. The iPhone 5 alone creates 3 percent of the total smartphone usage, while older versions of the device make about 43 percent.

By comparison, Samsung devices make up 17 percent of traffic, with the Korean handset maker's flagship phone, the Galaxy S3, generating 2 percent of total smartphone Web usage.

Chitika earlier this month determined that the iPhone 5 was already generating more Web traffic volume than the Samsung Galaxy S3. … Read more

Whoops! BlackBerry rep shows off secret phone

Someone forgot to tell a BlackBerry rep in Mexico that the company's newest L-Series phone is supposed to be a secret.

The rep demoed the phone to Mexican site Hola Telcel, which posted a video online. During the clip (below), the rep shows off features of the new BlackBerry 10 operating system like the ability to virtually "rewind" a photo taken with the device to settle on an expression you most prefer.

The video isn't the first leak about the device, with photos and video showing up last month. RIM is counting on the new devices … Read more

RIM lowers drawbridge on BB10 app submissions

It's official, BlackBerry 10 developers: RIM has declared open season for BB10 app submissions. A recent post on the company's development blog confirms that RIM is now accepting entries for applications that specifically target the long-anticipated BlackBerry 10 operating system.

The post in question also lays out how to begin the submission process to the BlackBerry storefront as well offering links to the Beta3 Developer SDK, if you'd like to get in on the coding action. In addition, RIM reminds potential developers that any app deemed worthy of the Built for BlackBerry program and earns $1,000 … Read more