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Early BlackBerry Z10 sales may not have been so hot after all

BlackBerry may not want to wave that victory flag just yet.

The early word is that sales of the new BlackBerry Z10 in the U.K. have been impressive, with some stores reporting sellouts. But Michael Walkley, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity, said that initial sales may be more mixed than they first appeared.

"Limited initial supply was cited as the reason for early post-launch stock-outs at some carrier stores versus overwhelming demand," Walkley said in a research note issued today.

With the success or failure of the BlackBerry Z10 weighing heavily on the fate of the company, … Read more

BlackBerry Q10 phone may not reach U.S. until May or June

BlackBerry customers in the U.S. awaiting the new Q10 smartphone may have a long wait ahead of them.

BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins told the Associated Press this week that the Q10 phone, which offers a traditional physical keyboard, will probably launch eight to 10 weeks after the debut of the virtual keyboard Z10 model. The Z10 is already available in the U.K. and Canada, but likely won't hit the shores of the U.S. until March.

Doing the math, that points to a May or June launch date for the Q10, at least in the U.S. … Read more

Analysts cautiously optimistic about BlackBerry Z10 sales

BlackBerry (the company formerly known as Research In Motion) is reportedly seeing solid demand for its Z10 smartphone and analysts appear to be cautiously optimistic about sales.

Whether cautiously optimistic saves the company remains to be seen. Generally speaking, Wall Street analysts seem to be betting that sales of the Z10 will be strong enough to support an upgrade cycle for the installed base.

The themes so far boil down like this:

Z10 (review) is in the discussion with Samsung's Galaxy S III and Apple's iPhone 5 for now. There are sell-outs in the U.K.  Reps … Read more

Early BlackBerry 10 developers get limited-edition, red Z10

BlackBerry is extending a bit of a thank you to BlackBerry 10 developers who have created apps for its platform.

In a blog post, BlackBerry announced today that it will hand out 12,000 limited edition BlackBerry Z10 units to developers. Unlike the black versions of the Z10 shown off last week, the limited edition models will come in red.

The BlackBerry Z10 comes with a 4.2-inch touch screen and runs the company's latest operating system, BlackBerry 10. In a research note, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said that Z10 sales have so far been "solid" in Canada and the U.K., … Read more

BlackBerry taps Trend Micro to scan apps for malware

BlackBerry is counting on Trend Micro to help ensure the security of its third-party apps.

Like other app store owners, BlackBerry already scans apps for malware to protect BlackBerry World customers. But the company will add Trend Micro's Mobile Application Reputation Service to take that protection a few steps further.

Both current and new apps submitted to BlackBerry World will be scanned by Trend Micro's cloud-based service to hunt for malware.

"BlackBerry is working with Trend Micro to implement a more robust approach for addressing privacy and security concerns related to third-party applications," Adrian Stone, director … Read more

Twitter's Super Bowl touchdown

Monday's CNET Update ran out of dip:

Today's tech news roundup centers around the Super Bowl:

- Twitter tops in Super Bowl commercial mentions

- How Oreo's blackout tweet won the Super Bowl

- BlackBerry's marketing chief explains the Z10 Super Bowl commercial

- Helmet sensor warns of concussion risk via phone app

- Android malware uses your PC's own mic to record you

Watch CNET Update in the video above, or subscribe to the podcast via the links below.

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RSS (HD) | RSS (SD) | … Read more

BlackBerry Z10 off to 'solid start' in U.K., Canada -- analyst

The BlackBerry Z10 is off to a good start in several countries around the world, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek claims in a research note obtained by CNET.

"Our initial checks indicate that sales in the U.K. are off to a strong start," Misek wrote in his note to investors. "Some stores had lineups out front with widespread sell outs of the White Z10 and limited stock of the Black Z10. Also, our checks indicate that preorders in the UAE and Canada have had a solid start."

The U.K. seems to be BlackBerry's best market. … Read more

What was that BlackBerry commercial you just saw?

Okay, so what now?

BlackBerry opted to go with the whimsical and fantastical with its Super Bowl commercial, showing what the new BlackBerry Z10 can't do instead of what it can do. To say it's a little strange would be an understatement.

Indeed, it's a bold choice, one that some would argue might be a little head-scratching. But it's one that BlackBerry Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben believes will turn some heads and get consumers primed for a launch that's still more than a month away.

"The Super Bowl is a big wake-up call … Read more

Friday Poll: Will the Z10 save BlackBerry?

The release of the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone will be remembered as either a breath of new life for the company or a last gasp as it fell into irrelevance. By all accounts, the Z10 is a tremendous step forward in design and hardware over previous BlackBerrys, but it's coming at a time when the smartphone market is crowded with established contenders with massive app stores already in place.

CNET contributor Ben Parr says that the Z10 and its keyboard-wielding buddy Q10 face a major deficit on the app front. He argues that iOS and Android have an insurmountable lead in the app race, meaning the Z10 will never attract the new customers BlackBerry needs to grow and survive.… Read more