Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry® Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY; TSX:BB), a world leader in mobile communications, announced that Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has agreed to purchase, through its subsidiaries, an additional $250,000,000 principal amount of 6% unsecured subordinated convertible debentures of BlackBerry (the “Debentures”). The additional Debentures will be purchased pursuant to the exercise of a previously-announced option that was granted in connection with BlackBerry’s private placement of $1 billion principal amount of Debentures on November 13, 2013, and the transaction will be completed on or before January 16, 2014.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
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Jumat, 10 Januari 2014
Rabu, 08 Januari 2014
BlackBerry Returns to Keyboard Roots Under New CEO
BlackBerry Ltd. (BB), which struggled to entice customers with touch-screen models last year, plans to return its focus to keyboard-equipped phones under Chief Executive Officer John Chen.
“I personally love the keyboards,” Chen said in an interview yesterday with Bloomberg Television’s Jon Erlichman at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In the future, the company’s phones will “predominantly” have physical keyboards, he said, rather than touch screens.
Chen, who took the CEO job in November, is trying to rebuild the company after last year’s BlackBerry 10 touch-screen lineup fizzled with consumers -- contributing to billions of dollars of writedowns. As part of his comeback plan, BlackBerry is refocusing on the corporate and government customers that fueled its early success. Those users preferred real keyboards because they made it easier to hammer out e-mails.
Last month, Chen announced a five-year deal with Foxconn Technology Group to outsource the manufacturing and design of some of its phones, aiming to offload more of the costs of its unprofitable manufacturing operations.
Inventory Risk
“Foxconn can be a really great partner, not only to eliminate my inventory risk, but also their ability to penetrate various different markets, call it the developing and emerging markets,” he said.
Photographer: Galit Rodan/Bloomberg
A BlackBerry Q10.
BlackBerry rose 6.1 percent to $8.50 at the close in New York, taking the stock to its highest level since September. The stock has gained 36 percent since the day before the Foxconn deal was announced in December.
While the first Foxconn-built phone is expected to be a touch-screen device, Chen said the traditional keyboard will hold sway in the long run.
In a show of how important keyboards are to the BlackBerry brand, the company is suing the maker of a snap-on keypad accessory for the iPhone, saying it closely resembles its products. That device -- called the Typo Keyboard -- is being unveiled this week at the CES conference.
The Typo, which clicks onto Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, violates BlackBerry’s patents and designs, according to the complaint. The maker of the keyboard, a Los Angeles startup founded by “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, said it would vigorously defend itself against the suit.
Keys’s Departure
In another sign that Chen is focusing on corporate customers and not consumers, the company parted ways last week with pop singer Alicia Keys. BlackBerry’s previous CEO, Thorsten Heins, had hired her to serve as global creative director. She joined him on stage last January when BlackBerry unveiled the Z10, a touch-screen phone that flopped with buyers and led the company to write off almost $1 billion in unsold inventory.
Photographer: Scott Eells/Bloomberg
A Typo keyboard is displayed on an Apple iPhone 5S for a photograph in New York.
BlackBerry earlier yesterday announced the hiring of former HTC Corp. (2498) and Sony Ericsson executive Ron Louks to run its devices business.
“Ron’s a very creative guy,” Chen said. “I think he’s more in touch with not only the technology and design to make a phone great but how people like the phone.”
http://www.bloomberg.com
“I personally love the keyboards,” Chen said in an interview yesterday with Bloomberg Television’s Jon Erlichman at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. In the future, the company’s phones will “predominantly” have physical keyboards, he said, rather than touch screens.
Chen, who took the CEO job in November, is trying to rebuild the company after last year’s BlackBerry 10 touch-screen lineup fizzled with consumers -- contributing to billions of dollars of writedowns. As part of his comeback plan, BlackBerry is refocusing on the corporate and government customers that fueled its early success. Those users preferred real keyboards because they made it easier to hammer out e-mails.
Last month, Chen announced a five-year deal with Foxconn Technology Group to outsource the manufacturing and design of some of its phones, aiming to offload more of the costs of its unprofitable manufacturing operations.
Inventory Risk
“Foxconn can be a really great partner, not only to eliminate my inventory risk, but also their ability to penetrate various different markets, call it the developing and emerging markets,” he said.
Photographer: Galit Rodan/Bloomberg
A BlackBerry Q10.
BlackBerry rose 6.1 percent to $8.50 at the close in New York, taking the stock to its highest level since September. The stock has gained 36 percent since the day before the Foxconn deal was announced in December.
While the first Foxconn-built phone is expected to be a touch-screen device, Chen said the traditional keyboard will hold sway in the long run.
In a show of how important keyboards are to the BlackBerry brand, the company is suing the maker of a snap-on keypad accessory for the iPhone, saying it closely resembles its products. That device -- called the Typo Keyboard -- is being unveiled this week at the CES conference.
The Typo, which clicks onto Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s, violates BlackBerry’s patents and designs, according to the complaint. The maker of the keyboard, a Los Angeles startup founded by “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, said it would vigorously defend itself against the suit.
Keys’s Departure
In another sign that Chen is focusing on corporate customers and not consumers, the company parted ways last week with pop singer Alicia Keys. BlackBerry’s previous CEO, Thorsten Heins, had hired her to serve as global creative director. She joined him on stage last January when BlackBerry unveiled the Z10, a touch-screen phone that flopped with buyers and led the company to write off almost $1 billion in unsold inventory.
Photographer: Scott Eells/Bloomberg
A Typo keyboard is displayed on an Apple iPhone 5S for a photograph in New York.
BlackBerry earlier yesterday announced the hiring of former HTC Corp. (2498) and Sony Ericsson executive Ron Louks to run its devices business.
“Ron’s a very creative guy,” Chen said. “I think he’s more in touch with not only the technology and design to make a phone great but how people like the phone.”
http://www.bloomberg.com
Senin, 06 Januari 2014
BLACKBERRY APPOINTS LEADERSHIP FOR DEVICES BUSINESS
BlackBerry® Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY; TSX:BB), a world leader in mobile communications, announced that Ron Louks will join the Company as President, Devices and Emerging Solutions reporting to BlackBerry’s Executive Chair and CEO, John Chen.
“I am pleased to add another outstanding addition to BlackBerry’s executive leadership team with the announcement of Ron today,” said Chen. “I am confident that Ron will bring the skills and expertise that will make an immediate impact to BlackBerry and to our customers around the world.”
Chen added, “Ron will focus on BlackBerry’s long-term product roadmap, including hardware, software and design, as well as the Company’s joint development efforts. A good deal of Ron’s time will be spent with customers, carriers and partners. On our path to return BlackBerry to profitability, nothing is more important than remaining deeply connected to our customers, and designing and delivering secure products that exceed their expectations.”
Ron Louks joins BlackBerry from The OpenNMS Group, where he served as the Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that, Ron held many leadership positions over several decades in the technology industry, including as the Chief Strategy Officer of HTC America Inc. and the Chief Technology Officer at Sony Ericsson.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
“I am pleased to add another outstanding addition to BlackBerry’s executive leadership team with the announcement of Ron today,” said Chen. “I am confident that Ron will bring the skills and expertise that will make an immediate impact to BlackBerry and to our customers around the world.”
Chen added, “Ron will focus on BlackBerry’s long-term product roadmap, including hardware, software and design, as well as the Company’s joint development efforts. A good deal of Ron’s time will be spent with customers, carriers and partners. On our path to return BlackBerry to profitability, nothing is more important than remaining deeply connected to our customers, and designing and delivering secure products that exceed their expectations.”
Ron Louks joins BlackBerry from The OpenNMS Group, where he served as the Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that, Ron held many leadership positions over several decades in the technology industry, including as the Chief Strategy Officer of HTC America Inc. and the Chief Technology Officer at Sony Ericsson.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
Sabtu, 04 Januari 2014
BLACKBERRY FILES SUIT AGAINST TYPO
BlackBerry charges Typo has infringed its Keyboard Patents
BlackBerry® Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a world leader in mobile communications, announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Typo Products LLC (“Typo”).
Typo, founded by entrepreneur Laurence Hallier and TV host and media personality Ryan Seacrest, announced the Typo Keyboard™ would be available for pre-order this month. The complaint against Typo alleges patent infringement and that Typo has blatantly copied BlackBerry’s keyboard with its iPhone® keyboard case designed to slip on to iPhone devices.
“This is a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard, and we will vigorously protect our intellectual property against any company that attempts to copy our unique design. From the beginning, BlackBerry has always focused on offering an exceptional typing experience that combines a great design with ergonomic excellence. We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations,” said Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry's General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer.
The Typo Keyboard violates BlackBerry's intellectual property rights, and BlackBerry will protect those rights from blatant copying and infringement. BlackBerry’s iconic physical keyboard designs have been recognized by the press and the public as a significant market differentiator for its mobile handheld devices. This lawsuit has been filed in the Northern District of California.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BBRY” on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
BlackBerry® Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a world leader in mobile communications, announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Typo Products LLC (“Typo”).
Typo, founded by entrepreneur Laurence Hallier and TV host and media personality Ryan Seacrest, announced the Typo Keyboard™ would be available for pre-order this month. The complaint against Typo alleges patent infringement and that Typo has blatantly copied BlackBerry’s keyboard with its iPhone® keyboard case designed to slip on to iPhone devices.
“This is a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard, and we will vigorously protect our intellectual property against any company that attempts to copy our unique design. From the beginning, BlackBerry has always focused on offering an exceptional typing experience that combines a great design with ergonomic excellence. We are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, but we will not tolerate such activity without fair compensation for using our intellectual property and our technological innovations,” said Steve Zipperstein, BlackBerry's General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer.
The Typo Keyboard violates BlackBerry's intellectual property rights, and BlackBerry will protect those rights from blatant copying and infringement. BlackBerry’s iconic physical keyboard designs have been recognized by the press and the public as a significant market differentiator for its mobile handheld devices. This lawsuit has been filed in the Northern District of California.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in mobile communications, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BBRY” on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
BBM Channels and Voice Calling arrive for Android beta users
BlackBerry has already mentioned that Channels and Voice Calling would be heading to the Android version of BBM in 2014. But while the timeline has remained fairly open and generic, it does appear that progress is being made. A new version of BBM for Android has arrived in the beta channel and it brings several new features.
The big additions here are what we suspect some had been waiting for — the Voice Calling and Channels. Along with those two major pieces, this beta release also brings improved image sharing and more than 100 new emoticons as well as new methods of finding friends on BBM and increased group sized in BBM Groups. The catch now, the beta channel is only open for select users.
As for the Voice Calling and Channels. BlackBerry offered a teaser for those two items back in December. Voice Calling will be similar to other VoIP calling solutions and essentially means you will be able to make voice calls direct from the BBM app. The Channels is a bit that allows user to chat, share and basically, just follow specific topics.
Those with access to the Beta Channel can grab the latest BBM beta, but otherwise, the vast majority of users will be left waiting until the beta period comes to a close. There isn’t any further information in terms of a time for release, but for now we suspect that will come down to the success of the beta period. Simply put, the less issues that spring up, the quicker a general release could come.
New BBM for Android hits Beta Zone - Includes Channels, Voice and more
If you were worrying about the progress of BBM for Android — fear not. A new version has hit the BlackBerry Beta Zone that brings along many of the anticipated features Android users have been waiting for. In addition to some new tweaks and enhancements, the update has over 100 new emoticons, improved file sharing, BBM Channels and BBM Voice.
The Android beta is only open to a small set of users, but if you're one of the few that has the privilege of checking out the beta, drop a comment and let us know how it's working for you. Fingers crossed that we'll see this one go official sooner rather than later.
http://crackberry.com
The Android beta is only open to a small set of users, but if you're one of the few that has the privilege of checking out the beta, drop a comment and let us know how it's working for you. Fingers crossed that we'll see this one go official sooner rather than later.
http://crackberry.com
BBM for Android and iPhone is here for free
BBM™ is the best way to connect and share instant messages, pictures and more for free, in real time. Download the app today.
Alicia Keys Leaves Job With BlackBerry
While grappling with a $4.4 billion loss in its last quarter, the smartphone maker BlackBerry has fired several senior executives, including its chief executive, and is in the midst of laying off about 40 percent on its employees. On Thursday, the musician Alicia Keys also left the company, where she had been global creative director.
Some followers of BlackBerry might be surprised to learn that she still had the job. She was named to the post in January 2013 at a New York launch event for the BlackBerry 10 line of phones. While she was prominent in various events to introduce the new products early in the year, her public role at the company, which is based in Waterloo, Ontario, noticeably faded after the new phones proved to be a flop.
In an emailed statement, Adam Emery, a spokesman for the company, offered no specific reason for Ms. Keys’ departure, which is effective at the end of this month.
“BlackBerry and Alicia Keys have completed our yearlong collaboration,” the statement said.
After accepting the job last year, Ms. Keys continued to use an iPhone to post on Twitter, apparently unaware of software that tracks what device was used to create Twitter posts.
Given that John S. Chen, BlackBerry’s interim chief executive, is refocusing the company on business and government users, it seems unlikely that he will name a replacement for Ms. Keys in the creative director’s job.
An earlier version of this post misstated the circumstances under which Ms. Keys left the company. Her job was a one-year position; she did not lose the job.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com
Some followers of BlackBerry might be surprised to learn that she still had the job. She was named to the post in January 2013 at a New York launch event for the BlackBerry 10 line of phones. While she was prominent in various events to introduce the new products early in the year, her public role at the company, which is based in Waterloo, Ontario, noticeably faded after the new phones proved to be a flop.
In an emailed statement, Adam Emery, a spokesman for the company, offered no specific reason for Ms. Keys’ departure, which is effective at the end of this month.
“BlackBerry and Alicia Keys have completed our yearlong collaboration,” the statement said.
After accepting the job last year, Ms. Keys continued to use an iPhone to post on Twitter, apparently unaware of software that tracks what device was used to create Twitter posts.
Given that John S. Chen, BlackBerry’s interim chief executive, is refocusing the company on business and government users, it seems unlikely that he will name a replacement for Ms. Keys in the creative director’s job.
An earlier version of this post misstated the circumstances under which Ms. Keys left the company. Her job was a one-year position; she did not lose the job.
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com
iPhone owners are smarter than Android users, survey reveals
The results of an online test by Ladbrokes has revealed that iPhone owners are smarter than those who own an Android.
Got a BlackBerry? Then you’re probably a dunce, according to the results of an online mental agility test. The test, which was carried out by British bookie Ladbrokes, revealed that iPhone users had the quickest wits of all, completing the test in 94 seconds. BlackBerry users, meanwhile, took an average of 118 seconds to scrape through.
The test, named the ‘Test of Wits’, is made up of seven problem solving brainteasers. The user has to select the make of their phone first, and choose one out of four possible answers in each question. There is also a timer in the top right-hand corner for added pressure.
There are some trick questions, such as: “Some months have 30 days, some months have 31 days. How many months have 28 days?”. The answers to choose from were: 1, 12, 3, and 10. Other questions include: “How many 9s are there between 1 and 100?” and “How many legs do 2 dogs and 2 ducks have in total?”.
Overall, Samsung users were ranked in third place, whereas HTC owners ranked fourth and Nokia users fifth.
Studies between users of the iPhone and the Android are not uncommon. A study carried out by TalkTalk Mobile last summer surveyed 2,000 iPhone, Android and BlackBerry users, determining whether their choice of phone said anything about their personality.
The results found that iPhone users are the most vain, and generally rate themselves more attractive than those with other smartphones. That will hardly matter to BlackBerry owners, who were discovered to be the biggest earners.
Android users, meanwhile, were found by the study to be the most creative and to drink the most alcohol.
So would you agree with the results found by these studies? Let us know by posting a comment below.
http://recombu.com
Got a BlackBerry? Then you’re probably a dunce, according to the results of an online mental agility test. The test, which was carried out by British bookie Ladbrokes, revealed that iPhone users had the quickest wits of all, completing the test in 94 seconds. BlackBerry users, meanwhile, took an average of 118 seconds to scrape through.
The test, named the ‘Test of Wits’, is made up of seven problem solving brainteasers. The user has to select the make of their phone first, and choose one out of four possible answers in each question. There is also a timer in the top right-hand corner for added pressure.
There are some trick questions, such as: “Some months have 30 days, some months have 31 days. How many months have 28 days?”. The answers to choose from were: 1, 12, 3, and 10. Other questions include: “How many 9s are there between 1 and 100?” and “How many legs do 2 dogs and 2 ducks have in total?”.
Overall, Samsung users were ranked in third place, whereas HTC owners ranked fourth and Nokia users fifth.
Studies between users of the iPhone and the Android are not uncommon. A study carried out by TalkTalk Mobile last summer surveyed 2,000 iPhone, Android and BlackBerry users, determining whether their choice of phone said anything about their personality.
The results found that iPhone users are the most vain, and generally rate themselves more attractive than those with other smartphones. That will hardly matter to BlackBerry owners, who were discovered to be the biggest earners.
Android users, meanwhile, were found by the study to be the most creative and to drink the most alcohol.
So would you agree with the results found by these studies? Let us know by posting a comment below.
http://recombu.com
Does owning an Apple handset make you SMARTER? iPhone users are more intelligent than Samsung, BlackBerry and HTC owners, finds survey
Ladbrokes created an online test designed to test people’s wits
It challenged a thousand smartphone users to complete seven brainteasers
iPhone users were fastest, completing the test in 94 seconds on average
While BlackBerry users had the slowest wits with a time of 118 seconds
The brand of phone you buy can say a thing or two about your income and lifestyle, and now a new test has discovered it may also indicate how intelligent you are too.
A thousand smartphone users were challenged to take a series of online brain teasers designed to test their mental agility.
iPhone users were found to have the quickest wits of all, completing the test in 94 seconds, on average, while BlackBerry users were the slowest at 118 seconds.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2531640/Does-owning-Apple-handset-make-SMARTER-iPhone-users-quicker-witted-Samsung-BlackBerry-HTC-owners.html
It challenged a thousand smartphone users to complete seven brainteasers
iPhone users were fastest, completing the test in 94 seconds on average
While BlackBerry users had the slowest wits with a time of 118 seconds
The brand of phone you buy can say a thing or two about your income and lifestyle, and now a new test has discovered it may also indicate how intelligent you are too.
A thousand smartphone users were challenged to take a series of online brain teasers designed to test their mental agility.
iPhone users were found to have the quickest wits of all, completing the test in 94 seconds, on average, while BlackBerry users were the slowest at 118 seconds.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2531640/Does-owning-Apple-handset-make-SMARTER-iPhone-users-quicker-witted-Samsung-BlackBerry-HTC-owners.html
Rabu, 25 Desember 2013
Mike Lazaridis has sold 3.5 million shares of the BlackBerry $ 26 million
Co-founder of BlackBerry (former Research in Motion) Mike Lazaridis sold a large stake pact. On Monday, he got rid of the 3.5 million shares of a total value of 26 million dollars. Thus as a result, its share declined 5.68% stake in the company to 4.99% of the shares. Altogether he spent two transactions - 3.17 million shares at an average cost of $ 7.55 and 333,107 shares at an average cost of $ 7.63 per share. important is the fact of the sale of shares, as it is at odds with previous reports that may Lazaridis together with other co-founder, Doug Freginsom (Doug Fregins), redeem BlackBerry, which is now in deep crisis. The share Freginsa now accounts for 2.26% of the shares BlackBerry. The largest holder is a company Fairfax Financial. Representatives of the company rejected a proposal for the sale of its founders BlackBerry, instead preferring to invest one billion dollars of additional funding. The result was a write-off by $ 4.4 billion loss in the third quarter.
Senin, 23 Desember 2013
BlackBerry Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2014 Results
BlackBerry Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2014 Results
BBM TO COME PREINSTALLED ON LG SMARTPHONES
The G Pro Lite Will Be the First LG Device to Offer BBM Out-of-the-box
WATERLOO, ON – BBM™ will soon come preinstalled on the LG G Pro Lite from LG Electronics Inc. in markets around the world. BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) today announced a bundling agreement with LG Electronics involving both standard and virtual preloading (using the LG App Manager) and confirmed that BBM will also continue to be available as a free download from Android app stores, including Google Play™.
“BBM is widely used throughout the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia where smartphone users tend to engage heavily in social networking,” said Kevin Shin, Vice President of Marketing for Asia, the Middle East and CIS countries of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G Pro Lite offers an optimized BBM experience with its large, high quality display and embedded Stylus Pen.”
“People across the globe are using BBM to connect with each other and the enthusiasm has been phenomenal,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry. “We’re extremely pleased that LG Electronics will help bring their customers a more seamless experience with BBM by preloading the app, starting with the G Pro Lite in key markets.”
BBM is a premier mobile communication service that gives customers privacy, control and immediacy as they chat with their contacts – either one-to-one, in multiple chats or as part of a BBM Group. BBM’s Delivered and Read statuses, as well as message-in-progress notices, keep people engaged and active in their conversations.
BBM lets users share files such as photos and voice notes, as well as update their profile and status with ease. Up to 30 people can connect as a BBM Group to chat and share photos, calendars and other files or documents.
Every BBM user has a unique PIN tied to their BlackBerry ID that helps maintains their privacy. Users never have to give out their phone number or email address to begin chatting with a new or casual contact.
The BBM experience will continue to evolve for Android and iPhone® users in the coming months, with updates that will include support for BBM Channels, a new service that connects BBM users to communities of shared interests in a very engaging and intimate manner, as well as support for BBM Voice calling and BBM Video calling.
Useful Links
BBM How-To Videos
Inside BlackBerry Blog – BBM posts
About BBM
Introduced in 2005, BBM set the standard for mobile messaging and continues to drive innovation in messaging and private social networking. Today, BBM is one of the largest private social mobile networks, driving real, active conversations. Customers love BBM for its privacy, controls and immediacy with Delivered and Read statuses, and message-in-progress notices.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visitwww.blackberry.com.
Enterprises Choose BBM to Drive Mobile Collaboration and Communications, Improve Productivity
BBM on BlackBerry smartphones with BES offers organizations in regulated industries the ability to log, archive and audit BBM messages
WATERLOO, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced that BBM™, a leading mobile messaging platform, is used by more than 85 percent of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) enabled organizations running BlackBerry smartphones, an end-to-end solution that allows logging, archiving and auditing of BBM conversations and aids in meeting compliance requirements in regulated industries.
Administrators can ensure that data is secure, whether in-transit or at-rest. Data in transit can be encrypted end-to-end within the organization and only BlackBerry provides a root of trust with a security model that runs from the CPU through the OS, file system and the applications level, all built by BlackBerry. End-to-end encryption for BBM use within the organization is available today on BlackBerry OS and will become available this spring for BlackBerry 10 users in regulated environments.
“While BBM among business customers may have started organically, we know organizations choose BBM today to improve communications and collaboration. Employees get an amazing messaging experience that gives them immediate, active conversations with their peers, which helps drive better communications and collaboration, and improves mobile productivity,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of BBM at BlackBerry. “Organizations in regulated industries that need to meet compliance requirements can use BBM on BlackBerry smartphones with BES, which provides them with the ability to track and log BBM communications.”
“Mobile instant messaging in the enterprise as a priority application has to be implemented with a view to meeting compliance, privacy and security standards,” said IDC analyst John Jackson. “BBM for use in regulated environments on BlackBerry has been designed to meet these demands.”
“We are an organization with confidential information that needs to be shared reliably, securely and immediately, and we rely on BBM to make this happen,” said Bruce Bowser, President, AMJ Campbell Inc.
“Our teams need the ability to share important information through an instant and trusted channel. We choose BBM for our team mobile messaging communications,” said Nigel Carpenter, CIO, Canadian Diabetes Association. “BBM is also our go to for emergency situations where email would be unreliable and is integrated into our business continuity plan.”
Enterprise customers with BlackBerry smartphones can take advantage of key BBM and BlackBerry features to help drive collaboration and productivity, such as:
BBM Voice – High quality calling that avoids long distance charges*
BBM Video and Screen Sharing on BlackBerry 10 smartphones – Chat face-to-face, or collaborate by sharing docs or files from your display
BBM Groups – Up to 30 people can collaborate, share schedules, lists, calendars and photos
Private BBM Channels – Invite-only BBM Channels for chats, commenting and broadcasting information to a targeted community of employees
BlackBerry Keyboard – Enjoy the speed, accuracy and confidence that a BlackBerry keyboard brings while connecting with BBM Contacts
“Being able to communicate with our colleagues at the race track with the immediacy of BBM allows us to drive important decisions with the best information no matter where in the world we are,” said Toto Wolff, Executive Director, Business at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.
“BBM plays an instrumental role in our sales team’s ability to collaborate with one another regardless of location. We have used BBM for years to share documents, photos and instant chat with one another to help create efficiencies throughout our organization. But more importantly, it allows the sales team to communicate with customers and partners and answer their questions in near real-time, which go a long way in forging those important relationships,” said Jeff Goldstein, VP and General Manager at NetApp Canada.
“I have been an avid user of BBM since the beginning. Being able to communicate with friends, family and clients across the globe allows me to keep on top of everything no matter where I am,” said James Dodds, Vice President, TD Bank Group.
"With BBM, the efficiency and reliability of communication with my executive team has significantly increased and we are able to make better decisions, faster," said Francois Boisvert, VP, Consulting Services at Macadamian.
Businesses see the benefits of choosing a trusted, secure solution like BES and BBM to ensure they have empowered employees and maintained a level of responsibility to the organization or industry.
Useful Links
BBM.com – FAQs, How-Tos, Download tips, contests and more
Inside BlackBerry Blog – BBM posts
BBM Knowledge Base Articles
About BBM
Introduced in 2005, BBM set the standard for mobile messaging and continues to drive innovation in messaging and private social networking. Today, BBM is one of the largest private social mobile networks, driving real, active conversations. Customers love BBM for its privacy, controls and immediacy with Delivered and Read statuses and message-in-progress notices.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
*BBM Voice offered over cellular on BlackBerry 10 devices. BBM Voice offers over Wi-Fi® and cellular on BBOS devices.
WATERLOO, ON – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) announced that BBM™, a leading mobile messaging platform, is used by more than 85 percent of BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) enabled organizations running BlackBerry smartphones, an end-to-end solution that allows logging, archiving and auditing of BBM conversations and aids in meeting compliance requirements in regulated industries.
Administrators can ensure that data is secure, whether in-transit or at-rest. Data in transit can be encrypted end-to-end within the organization and only BlackBerry provides a root of trust with a security model that runs from the CPU through the OS, file system and the applications level, all built by BlackBerry. End-to-end encryption for BBM use within the organization is available today on BlackBerry OS and will become available this spring for BlackBerry 10 users in regulated environments.
“While BBM among business customers may have started organically, we know organizations choose BBM today to improve communications and collaboration. Employees get an amazing messaging experience that gives them immediate, active conversations with their peers, which helps drive better communications and collaboration, and improves mobile productivity,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of BBM at BlackBerry. “Organizations in regulated industries that need to meet compliance requirements can use BBM on BlackBerry smartphones with BES, which provides them with the ability to track and log BBM communications.”
“Mobile instant messaging in the enterprise as a priority application has to be implemented with a view to meeting compliance, privacy and security standards,” said IDC analyst John Jackson. “BBM for use in regulated environments on BlackBerry has been designed to meet these demands.”
“We are an organization with confidential information that needs to be shared reliably, securely and immediately, and we rely on BBM to make this happen,” said Bruce Bowser, President, AMJ Campbell Inc.
“Our teams need the ability to share important information through an instant and trusted channel. We choose BBM for our team mobile messaging communications,” said Nigel Carpenter, CIO, Canadian Diabetes Association. “BBM is also our go to for emergency situations where email would be unreliable and is integrated into our business continuity plan.”
Enterprise customers with BlackBerry smartphones can take advantage of key BBM and BlackBerry features to help drive collaboration and productivity, such as:
BBM Voice – High quality calling that avoids long distance charges*
BBM Video and Screen Sharing on BlackBerry 10 smartphones – Chat face-to-face, or collaborate by sharing docs or files from your display
BBM Groups – Up to 30 people can collaborate, share schedules, lists, calendars and photos
Private BBM Channels – Invite-only BBM Channels for chats, commenting and broadcasting information to a targeted community of employees
BlackBerry Keyboard – Enjoy the speed, accuracy and confidence that a BlackBerry keyboard brings while connecting with BBM Contacts
“Being able to communicate with our colleagues at the race track with the immediacy of BBM allows us to drive important decisions with the best information no matter where in the world we are,” said Toto Wolff, Executive Director, Business at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team.
“BBM plays an instrumental role in our sales team’s ability to collaborate with one another regardless of location. We have used BBM for years to share documents, photos and instant chat with one another to help create efficiencies throughout our organization. But more importantly, it allows the sales team to communicate with customers and partners and answer their questions in near real-time, which go a long way in forging those important relationships,” said Jeff Goldstein, VP and General Manager at NetApp Canada.
“I have been an avid user of BBM since the beginning. Being able to communicate with friends, family and clients across the globe allows me to keep on top of everything no matter where I am,” said James Dodds, Vice President, TD Bank Group.
"With BBM, the efficiency and reliability of communication with my executive team has significantly increased and we are able to make better decisions, faster," said Francois Boisvert, VP, Consulting Services at Macadamian.
Businesses see the benefits of choosing a trusted, secure solution like BES and BBM to ensure they have empowered employees and maintained a level of responsibility to the organization or industry.
Useful Links
BBM.com – FAQs, How-Tos, Download tips, contests and more
Inside BlackBerry Blog – BBM posts
BBM Knowledge Base Articles
About BBM
Introduced in 2005, BBM set the standard for mobile messaging and continues to drive innovation in messaging and private social networking. Today, BBM is one of the largest private social mobile networks, driving real, active conversations. Customers love BBM for its privacy, controls and immediacy with Delivered and Read statuses and message-in-progress notices.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
*BBM Voice offered over cellular on BlackBerry 10 devices. BBM Voice offers over Wi-Fi® and cellular on BBOS devices.
BLACKBERRY ANNOUNCES TWO NEW EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY; TSX:BB), a world leader in mobile communications, announced two appointments that strengthen the Company’s strategy, marketing and operations.
James S. Mackey was appointed Executive Vice President for Corporate Development and Strategic Planning, joining the Company with years of experience executing highly successful corporate strategies that drive growth. Mark Wilson was named Senior Vice President of Marketing and brings extensive experience building brand preference and driving integrated marketing for a number of well-known companies.
“Jim and Mark are important appointments for BlackBerry as they bring extensive experience and add the necessary leadership and depth that will help us drive our transformation,” said John Chen, Executive Chair and CEO of BlackBerry. “I have worked extensively with both of them in the past, have the utmost respect for their experience and accomplishments, and we have developed close and trusted relationships with each other that will enable us to cohesively manage the changes required to reshape BlackBerry.”
Before joining BlackBerry, Mackey served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Open Text Corp., as well as head of Corporate Development at SAP, where he developed and led the Company’s global merger and acquisitions group, including completing more than 40 acquisitions.
Wilson will join BlackBerry in January from Avaya, where as CMO he led the marketing transition to a customer-solutions orientation. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate and Field Marketing at Sybase, and has extensive experience in marketing roles at AT&T and KPMG. At Sybase, he oversaw branding and advertising, lead generation, sales enablement and mobile product marketing operations.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
James S. Mackey was appointed Executive Vice President for Corporate Development and Strategic Planning, joining the Company with years of experience executing highly successful corporate strategies that drive growth. Mark Wilson was named Senior Vice President of Marketing and brings extensive experience building brand preference and driving integrated marketing for a number of well-known companies.
“Jim and Mark are important appointments for BlackBerry as they bring extensive experience and add the necessary leadership and depth that will help us drive our transformation,” said John Chen, Executive Chair and CEO of BlackBerry. “I have worked extensively with both of them in the past, have the utmost respect for their experience and accomplishments, and we have developed close and trusted relationships with each other that will enable us to cohesively manage the changes required to reshape BlackBerry.”
Before joining BlackBerry, Mackey served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Open Text Corp., as well as head of Corporate Development at SAP, where he developed and led the Company’s global merger and acquisitions group, including completing more than 40 acquisitions.
Wilson will join BlackBerry in January from Avaya, where as CMO he led the marketing transition to a customer-solutions orientation. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Corporate and Field Marketing at Sybase, and has extensive experience in marketing roles at AT&T and KPMG. At Sybase, he oversaw branding and advertising, lead generation, sales enablement and mobile product marketing operations.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
BlackBerry Appoints Leader for Enterprise Service Business
Waterloo, ON – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ:BBRY; TSX:BB), a world leader in mobile communications, announced that John Sims will join the Company as President, Global Enterprise Services.
“I am pleased to welcome such a seasoned executive as John to BlackBerry to help lead our key business operations through our ongoing reorganization and transition,” said John Chen, Executive Chair and CEO of BlackBerry. “His extensive experience in transforming businesses, redefining brands and motivating teams will be a tremendous asset to BlackBerry as we reshape the Company to be more nimble and focused. The changes we are making demonstrate our commitment to innovating for current customers who count on BlackBerry, and the new users who are just learning how powerful and compelling the BlackBerry 10 platform can be. John will be central to all of those efforts.”
John Sims joins BlackBerry in January from SAP, where he served as President of SAP’s Mobile Services business. John has more than 20 years of experience with companies that supply mobile telecommunications products and services to wireless operators. Before joining SAP, John held leadership positions at 724 Solutions, TANTAU Software, Intrado and Tandem Computers. He serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of CTIA.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
“I am pleased to welcome such a seasoned executive as John to BlackBerry to help lead our key business operations through our ongoing reorganization and transition,” said John Chen, Executive Chair and CEO of BlackBerry. “His extensive experience in transforming businesses, redefining brands and motivating teams will be a tremendous asset to BlackBerry as we reshape the Company to be more nimble and focused. The changes we are making demonstrate our commitment to innovating for current customers who count on BlackBerry, and the new users who are just learning how powerful and compelling the BlackBerry 10 platform can be. John will be central to all of those efforts.”
John Sims joins BlackBerry in January from SAP, where he served as President of SAP’s Mobile Services business. John has more than 20 years of experience with companies that supply mobile telecommunications products and services to wireless operators. Before joining SAP, John held leadership positions at 724 Solutions, TANTAU Software, Intrado and Tandem Computers. He serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of CTIA.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com.
Third quarter results are disappointing for BlackBerry
Results for the second fiscal quarter of 2013 for BlackBerry were far from positive - losses reached almost one billion dollars, but the outcome of the next three months exceeded this antirecord. For the third quarter of this year, BlackBerry has lost $ 4.4 billion. This revenue also declined dramatically - from $ 1.6 billion to $ 1.2 billion for the quarter. Was sold 1.9 million smartphones, which is about half of the supply of the previous quarter. The only positive news on this background was the message signing a five-year agreement with Foxconn for the joint development and production of smartphones. These devices are expected to be sold in the market of Indonesia and other developing countries. Same messages that currently manufacture smartphones is in transition towards a more profitable business model, a clear roadmap and optimistic outlook, executive director of the drawn words, do not look very convincing.
Sabtu, 21 Desember 2013
BBM TO COME PREINSTALLED ON LG SMARTPHONES
The G Pro Lite Will Be the First LG Device to Offer BBM Out-of-the-box
BBM™ will soon come preinstalled on the LG G Pro Lite from LG Electronics Inc. in markets around the world. BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) today announced a bundling agreement with LG Electronics involving both standard and virtual preloading (using the LG App Manager) and confirmed that BBM will also continue to be available as a free download from Android app stores, including Google Play™.
“BBM is widely used throughout the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia where smartphone users tend to engage heavily in social networking,” said Kevin Shin, Vice President of Marketing for Asia, the Middle East and CIS countries of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G Pro Lite offers an optimized BBM experience with its large, high quality display and embedded Stylus Pen.”
“People across the globe are using BBM to connect with each other and the enthusiasm has been phenomenal,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry. “We’re extremely pleased that LG Electronics will help bring their customers a more seamless experience with BBM by preloading the app, starting with the G Pro Lite in key markets.”
BBM is a premier mobile communication service that gives customers privacy, control and immediacy as they chat with their contacts – either one-to-one, in multiple chats or as part of a BBM Group. BBM’s Delivered and Read statuses, as well as message-in-progress notices, keep people engaged and active in their conversations.
BBM lets users share files such as photos and voice notes, as well as update their profile and status with ease. Up to 30 people can connect as a BBM Group to chat and share photos, calendars and other files or documents.
Every BBM user has a unique PIN tied to their BlackBerry ID that helps maintains their privacy. Users never have to give out their phone number or email address to begin chatting with a new or casual contact.
The BBM experience will continue to evolve for Android and iPhone® users in the coming months, with updates that will include support for BBM Channels, a new service that connects BBM users to communities of shared interests in a very engaging and intimate manner, as well as support for BBM Voice calling and BBM Video calling.
Useful Links
BBM How-To Videos
Inside BlackBerry Blog – BBM posts
About BBM
Introduced in 2005, BBM set the standard for mobile messaging and continues to drive innovation in messaging and private social networking. Today, BBM is one of the largest private social mobile networks, driving real, active conversations. Customers love BBM for its privacy, controls and immediacy with Delivered and Read statuses, and message-in-progress notices.
About BlackBerry
A global leader in wireless innovation, BlackBerry® revolutionized the mobile industry when it was introduced in 1999. Today, BlackBerry aims to inspire the success of our millions of customers around the world by continuously pushing the boundaries of mobile experiences. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. BlackBerry is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: BBRY) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: BB). For more information, visitwww.blackberry.com.
BlackBerry enlists Foxconn as Q3 loss hits $4.4B
Massive charges knock a staggering BlackBerry into an even deeper hole. Will a manufacturing deal with Foxconn be much of a lifeline?
It may not have seemed possible, but the news keeps getting worse for BlackBerry.
The staggering mobile phone maker announced Friday a third-quarter loss of $4.4 billion, a stunning freefall from the loss of $965 million suffered in the second quarter of this year. Revenue also tumbled, nestling in at $1.2 billion, down from $1.6 billion in the prior quarter.
BlackBerry managed to sell only 1.9 million smartphones last quarter, an ugly decline from the 3.7 million sold in the previous quarter. And talk about a vote of no confidence by customers: the company said that "most of the units" that generated revenue in the quarter just ended were older BlackBerry 7 designs, not the newer BlackBerry 10 devices that had been front and center in its revival efforts.
The results showed an even more devastating downturn compared with last year's third quarter when BlackBerry took in a profit of $14 million on revenue of $2.72 billion and shipments of 6.9 million smartphones.
On a brighter note, BlackBerry said that more than 40 million users have registered the BBM apps for iOS and Android over the past 60 days. More than a dozen different Android vendors also plan to preload BBM on their devices.
As smartphone sales dwindle, BlackBerry is also relying more on its enterprise products. The company said that more than 30,000 BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 servers have been installed to date, up from 25,000 in September.
"With the operational and organizational changes we have announced, BlackBerry has established a clear roadmap that will allow it to target a return to improved financial performance in the coming year," BlackBerry Chairman and CEO John Chen said in a statement. "While our Enterprise Services, Messaging and QNX Embedded businesses are already well-positioned to compete in their markets, the most immediate challenge for the Company is how to transition the Devices operations to a more profitable business model."
Seeking help from Foxconn
BlackBerry may have already found some help on that front. Along with Friday's earnings news, it announced a new five-year agreement with Foxconn to jointly develop and manufacture consumer smartphones initially targeted for Indonesia and other emerging markets in early 2014.
"This partnership demonstrates BlackBerry's commitment to the device market for the long-term and our determination to remain the innovation leader in secure end-to-end mobile solutions," Chen said. "Partnering with Foxconn allows BlackBerry to focus on what we do best -- iconic design, world-class security, software development and enterprise mobility management -- while simultaneously addressing fast-growing markets leveraging Foxconn's scale and efficiency that will allow us to compete more effectively."
BlackBerry said it will continue to own all of its intellectual property.
The bulk of BlackBerry's $4.4 billion net loss consisted of two massive pieces: a $2.7 billion charge connected to "long-lived assets" and a $1.6 billion charge connected to inventory and supply commitments. After adjustments, the loss from continuing operations for the third quarter was $354 million.
http://news.cnet.com/
It may not have seemed possible, but the news keeps getting worse for BlackBerry.
The staggering mobile phone maker announced Friday a third-quarter loss of $4.4 billion, a stunning freefall from the loss of $965 million suffered in the second quarter of this year. Revenue also tumbled, nestling in at $1.2 billion, down from $1.6 billion in the prior quarter.
BlackBerry managed to sell only 1.9 million smartphones last quarter, an ugly decline from the 3.7 million sold in the previous quarter. And talk about a vote of no confidence by customers: the company said that "most of the units" that generated revenue in the quarter just ended were older BlackBerry 7 designs, not the newer BlackBerry 10 devices that had been front and center in its revival efforts.
The results showed an even more devastating downturn compared with last year's third quarter when BlackBerry took in a profit of $14 million on revenue of $2.72 billion and shipments of 6.9 million smartphones.
On a brighter note, BlackBerry said that more than 40 million users have registered the BBM apps for iOS and Android over the past 60 days. More than a dozen different Android vendors also plan to preload BBM on their devices.
As smartphone sales dwindle, BlackBerry is also relying more on its enterprise products. The company said that more than 30,000 BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 servers have been installed to date, up from 25,000 in September.
"With the operational and organizational changes we have announced, BlackBerry has established a clear roadmap that will allow it to target a return to improved financial performance in the coming year," BlackBerry Chairman and CEO John Chen said in a statement. "While our Enterprise Services, Messaging and QNX Embedded businesses are already well-positioned to compete in their markets, the most immediate challenge for the Company is how to transition the Devices operations to a more profitable business model."
Seeking help from Foxconn
BlackBerry may have already found some help on that front. Along with Friday's earnings news, it announced a new five-year agreement with Foxconn to jointly develop and manufacture consumer smartphones initially targeted for Indonesia and other emerging markets in early 2014.
"This partnership demonstrates BlackBerry's commitment to the device market for the long-term and our determination to remain the innovation leader in secure end-to-end mobile solutions," Chen said. "Partnering with Foxconn allows BlackBerry to focus on what we do best -- iconic design, world-class security, software development and enterprise mobility management -- while simultaneously addressing fast-growing markets leveraging Foxconn's scale and efficiency that will allow us to compete more effectively."
BlackBerry said it will continue to own all of its intellectual property.
The bulk of BlackBerry's $4.4 billion net loss consisted of two massive pieces: a $2.7 billion charge connected to "long-lived assets" and a $1.6 billion charge connected to inventory and supply commitments. After adjustments, the loss from continuing operations for the third quarter was $354 million.
http://news.cnet.com/
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