So, it was all for nothing? After weeks of speculation that the U.K government would ask social media sites to participate in shutdowns during times of crisis, the government seeks no special powers.
Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews. 
I almost stopped reading RIM’s announcement of their BBM Music service after reading this line: Build a personal music profile with 50 of your favorite songs. Fifty songs? As in half of 100? Really? Well, actually, RIM has a social aspect to BBM Music that is quite clever. However, it may still not work out for them. Read on.
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In a recent survey conducted by ChangeWave, RIM’s BlackBerry preference ratings dropped to almost nothing at 4%. And, only 26% of current users give it a “very satisfied rating”.
Windows Phone Bests Android in User Satisfaction According to ChangeWave
RIM, however, keeps trying to make the BlackBerry platform more relevant in their effort to add a consumer focus to a platform that was designed for business people and enterprises. Their latest effort?
Ticketmaster for BlackBerry v2.0 now in Beta!
Here’s what’s changed or is new:
- Login using an existing Ticketmaster account or create a new one
- My Ticketmaster lists favorites, profile and order history
- Search – default is location specific
- Local Events
- Purchase Tickets with seating chart information
The app is compatible with BlackBerry Device Software 4.5 or newer in North America.
BlackBerry Bold Touch
Getting comfortable with a completely new (to you) computer platform always takes time and a bit of trial and error. RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is about as new as it comes being built on top of QNX (a UNIX-like real-time operating system RIM bought last year) instead of BlackBerry’s own phone OS. To help new PlayBook users get comfortable, the Inside BlackBerry Help Blog has been publishing tips. The latest is:
Five BlackBerry PlayBook Browsing Tips and Tricks
The tips they offer in this post are:
1. Search using the Address Bar. Users of the Google Chrome browser will be familiar with this very handy feature that removes the distinction between directly typing a web address and searching for something on the web.
2. Add a shortcut to a specific website to the PlayBook’s Home Screen
3.a. Copy and paste text
3.b. Save, copy and view an image
4. Reveal and use the browser’s download button by swiping down from the top bezel when viewing a web page
5. Hide the browser’s address to provide more viewing space
The Inside BlackBerry Help Blog has tagged all of their PlayBook focused items. You can find other PlayBook tips and information on the blog at:
RIM’s updated Facebook app for their PlayBook tablet is provided as part of the v1.0.5 PlayBook update. RIM claims it is the first tablet-optimized Facebook application. While a number of third-party iOS and Android developers may challenge that statement, it is true that it is the first Facebook tablet app developed by either a hardware vendor or Facebook itself. In fact, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last year that The ipad isn’t mobile (Mashable) when asked why when an iPad Facebook app would be available. By generalization, I suppose the PlayBook and Android tablets are not mobile devices in Facebook’s world.
Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Update Now Available
The big new Facebook for Playbook feature is the ability to upload video files. The other new features or enhancements are:
- Facebook Search enhancements
- Improved access to Pages
- Message deletion
- Photo Upload Album Selection
- News Feed improvements
RIM released a v1.0.5 update for their PlayBook tablet. It includes a number of interesting enhancements including what RIM calls the first tablet-optimized Facebook app.
BlackBerry Tablet OS v1.0.5 Update: Facebook, Language Support and More!
Here’s what’s new in v1.0.5 for the PlayBook.
- Facebook for BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Update
The app was formerly an optional download from BlackBerry App World. It is now part of the PlayBook’s bundled apps.
- In-App Payments Support
Apple introduced this feature last summer and Google starting providing their version a few months ago. In-app purchasing in a must in the current app world.
- PlayBook charging now more intelligent
The PlayBook can be charged when completely powered down now. The charging app will warn you if you plug in the wrong charger into the PlayBook. Touching the battery indicator now provides options to: Restart, turn off, place in standby or adjust screen brightness.
- Additional Language Support
French, Italian, Dutch, German, Spanish, and UK English.
- Video Chat Connectivity
Ability to connect when behind firewalls.
- Wi-Fi Hotspot Detection
- Headset Audio Boost
I’ve worked with a lot of mobile platforms. But, for one reason or another a RIM BlackBerry device has never been one of them. So, I was more than a little puzzled by this item from the Official BlackBerry Blog.
Facebook for BlackBerry Smartphones v2.0 (Beta 3): Wi-Fi Support and More
How can be it that an app could not work over WiFi in previous releases? And yet, that must be the case based on this excited announcement sentence: Wi-Fi support is here! Now you can stay connected with friends and enjoy the full functionality of the Facebook app for BlackBerry smartphones while in a Wi-Fi environment. RIM has a lot more issues than I thought if getting an app to work over WiFi is a big deal.
The other new features in this Beta 3 release are:
- Delete Comments and Posts
- Delete Prompt (when deleting something)
Are RIM’s BlackBerry OS 7 based devices delayed as reported by BGR?
RIM to launch 10-inch BlackBerry PlayBook this fall; OS 7 devices delayed?
BGR notes that they originally reported OS 7 devices would be available in June or July. They now believe the devices will not be available until mid-August at the earliest. This is, actually, not very far off. While this may be a problem for RIM’s bottom-line, it may be even a bigger problem for Microsoft’s mobile strategy. If BGR’s delay story is true, Microsoft will have delays on all of its mobile strategy front:
1. Windows Phone “Mango” update is not expected until later this year or early 2012
2. Nokia Windows Phone is presumably tied to both Mango’s release and Nokia’s spin on Mango
3. Microsoft’s Bing integration into BlackBerry OS 7 is now also on the delayed list
Microsoft is in dire need of a mobile story win between now and a Mango/Nokia release. Ironically, their best mobile story is in the iOS (iPhone/iPad) space with well done and well received apps like Bing for iPad and PhotoSynth for iPhone.
One of the main criticisms of RIM’s otherwise impressive tablet entry was its half-baked functionality that was dependent on a partnership with a BlackBerry phone for email, calendar, and contacts management. RIM appears to received this message loud and clear. After just a few weeks of being on the market, RIM has already announced that their PlayBook tablet will be getting its own email, calendar and contacts apps in the near future.
BlackBerry PlayBook Native Email App Demo (VIDEO)
RIM’s Andrew Bocking, VP Handheld Software Product Management, demonstrates the upcoming PlayBook email app in this video provided by RIM. You can also see the calendar app for a few seconds at the 1:26 point of he video.
These PlayBook native apps are expected sometime this summer.
Video courtesy of BlackBerry
