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Topic: BlackBerry

RIM opens BlackBerry 10 door for pre-release enterprise testing

Summary: BlackBerry 10 devices are being rolled out to selected businesses and enterprises for pre-release testing, ahead of the platform's launch next month.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

With just over a month until BlackBerry maker Research in Motion unveils the latest BlackBerry 10 smartphones and enterprise offerings, the Canadian smartphone maker has opened the door to dozens of enterprise and government customers for pre-release platform testing.

bb10-zaw2
BlackBerry 10 smartphone gearing up for a January 30 launch. Credit: CNET

More than 120 enterprise and government customers -- including 64 companies in the Fortune 500 -- have been invited to access the pre-release software and devices as part of RIM's "technical review program."

The company said in a press release that they are working with customers to test the firm's BlackBerry Enterprise Server 10 (BES 10) and a limited number of pre-production BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

The move allows RIM to gather feedback from the front-line of how its trusted enterprise customers are using the latest software, smartphones and platform in order to make adjustments before the wider market gets their hands on the devices. It will also be a valued indicator of how popular the devices and platform is ahead of the full launch early next year.

BlackBerry 10 is set to be unveiled on January 30, after a delay of four months since the company's first missed milestone.

The smartphone maker recently finalized the BlackBerry 10 developer software, and last week announced a gold version of its software development kit (SDK). The company has also been teasing with new promotional marketing in order to drum up attention and excitement for the next-generation platform with a series of advertisements.

That said, not much is left to the imagination after the supposed device set for next month's launch leaked onto the Web.

Topics: BlackBerry, Enterprise Software

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20 comments
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  • counting days

    The BB10 OS kicks the pants off every OS existing today, if they market this right (they are so far with the teasers) I don't see a reason why they can't take back some major market share. I can't wait to read what the haters have to say then.
    gordongr
    Reply 2 Votes

    • Not sure I agree

      I haven't seen anything that really blows me away. Certainly nothing that makes me think it "kicks the pants off" every other mobile OS on the market. In fact the device pictured above will likely fail to garner much interest. The model with the keyboard? That could gain some traction because that's what people who still use BB are going to want. But I don't see anything to get excited for in the leaked videos.
      LiquidLearner
      Reply Vote

      • that's not the phone in the picture

        I have been following the development of BB10 & use my wifes Note 2 regularly along with my BB7, have played briefly with Windows. I personally think Android & Apple both have some catching up to do. The new Windows & BB10 are both far more functional phones, they both need app support & some serious market attention. Thorsten Heinz appears to be throwing everything at BB10, he knows its do or die, time will tell of course but if folks will stop drinking the koolaid, pull their heads out of the sand and actually compare phones then BB10 will be a definite DO
        gordongr
        Reply 1 Vote

        • still not impressed , watch this

          http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/12/blackberry-10-browser-speed-compared-against-iphone-5-and-htc-8x/
          Ck Ck
          Reply Vote

        • I MENT , STILL NOT IMPRESSED???????? WATCH THIS

          http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/12/blackberry-10-browser-speed-compared-against-iphone-5-and-htc-8x/
          Ck Ck
          Reply Vote

      • Spoken like a fanboy

        You're a fanboy. BB10 when released will be the most ADVANCED mobile OS in the market. iOS is ancient compared to it. And thousands of apps are already coming. Devs have already stated BB10 is by far the EASIEST platform to develop for- Android and iOS apps take just hours or just ONE DAY to port over...seamlessly. Android and Apple are in for a rude awakening. And no...not all bberry users are only waiting for keyboard devices, many just want a blackberry that's modern with the big boys
        Kess So Harlem
        Reply Vote

        • That's funny

          I didn't speak to any other particular platform. I based my comment on both my experience and discussions I've had with devout BB users. BB users I know like BB because of the keyboard. They've tried others and go back because of that keyboard. Take the keyboard away and what's the benefit to going back to BB? The device with a 4.3" screen and the keyboard looks pretty awesome.

          Oh, and I suppose I am a fanboy, but not of any OS you actually mentioned. And I've always like the BB devices. I just think the pure touch screen model will end up like the Storm. If they succeed it will be the keyboard model.
          LiquidLearner
          Reply Vote

          • they rule the keyboard world physical and virtual,

            but let me be a little bit more "geeky" for for you
            This may answer your question. Is it as powerful as Android?

            QNX Neutrino RTOS is far more superior than Android, iOS and Windows phone. QNX is known for True real time multi tasking, Military grade security and Space grade reliable. QNX is the only certified, most secured and reliable POSIX kernel in the world. And also pass the FIPS-140-2 and 3
            http://www.qnx.com/company/certifications.html

            BlackBerry 10 and the BlackBerry PlayBook OS is powered by QNX Neutrino RTOS. There will be more apps at launch than any other mobile platform on the market as more BlackBerry 10 apps added to the now over 90,000 or more BlackBerry apps in the BlackBerry. Plus RIM devices are the only consumer available Mobile devices on the market to pass the FIPS-140-2 cryptography certifications by the federal government.

            QNX is so powerful that the internet is being runned by QNX. Which the large Cisco routers at the core layer of the internet are powered by large Cisco routers powered by the same QNX Neutrino RTOS Microkernel. QNX is also powering power grids, energy grids, aerospace defense equipment, military equipment, medical equipment, nuclear power plants, cruise control, gps, BlackBerry devices etc.

            QNX based RIM/BlackBerry devices are so secured that they are engineered to be tampered resistant.
            Ck Ck
            Reply Vote

      • But you're not a BB user...

        Some of us have android, ios, and still prefer Blackberry for work. Horses for courses but I'm looking for a successor to my 9800 torch. Can't say I like the half screen models and imagine those users cant wait to get better options.

        Theres more to life than a device that eats its battery in well under a days use by the way!
        johnmckay
        Reply Vote

    • I can give you 20,000 reasons why BB has an uphill battle.

      My university has ditched ALL BB devices & servers, and is going to Android & Apple products instead. 20k users gone.

      And we are not alone. Many others are doing, or have done, the same. Far too little too late.
      IT_Fella
      Reply Vote

      • Ummm....

        They still have 80 million subscribers and have actually GAINED customers the past two months. Even the US Government, who dropped bberry two months ago, are already wanting to give BB10 a shot. Sources say Android and Apple's security has been entirely disappointing and since BB10 has already reached FIPS 142 (highest security clearance for ANY phone, and only platform to do so), they had no choice but to give RIM another shot.
        Kess So Harlem
        Reply 1 Vote

        • Yes, they are gaining users...

          ...but the vast majority are kids in Europe & the Middle East using BBM. Not Enterprse customers.
          It'sNotMe
          Reply Vote

          • wrong again

            Vast users are India and Africa. And since BBM voice was introduced, sales have increased even further (free international calls over wi-fi through bbm is enticing).
            Kess So Harlem
            Reply Vote

          • Hey dimbulb.

            They're NOT ENTERPRISE USERS.
            It'sNotMe
            Reply Vote

  • counting days

    The BB10 OS kicks the pants off every OS existing today, if they market this right (they are so far with the teasers) I don't see a reason why they can't take back some major market share. I can't wait to read what the haters have to say then.
    gordongr
    Reply Vote

  • Radio

    BB has the best radio of any phone available now. If the new 10's have the same good radio, I'll try it out. I've used and returned an iPhone 4 and a Samsung Galaxy S II, both of which had inferior radios.
    ITOdeed
    Reply Vote

  • Can't wait for BB10

    I am a loyal blackberry user. I'm keen to use this BB10 . I agree BB10 to be marketed.
    Wan Aziz
    Reply 1 Vote

    • RIM had do a better job of marketing with BB10...

      ...than they did with the PlayBook. That was virtually nonexistent. I know...I own one.
      It'sNotMe
      Reply Vote

  • all the B.S. STOPS NOW,

    CHECK OUT A TEST BETWEEN BB10 AND WP8
    http://www.ubergizmo.com/2012/12/blackberry-10-browser-speed-compared-against-iphone-5-and-htc-8x/
    Ck Ck
    Reply Vote

    • I watched the video

      The first site they finished loading at the same time. The BB10 displayed some content faster, but the load bar went away at almost the exact same instant. Way to skew the results. The second site had an error. The site works on my 8X, so it's not a WP8 problem. And it loaded faster on LTE than it did in the video on the BB10. So... There is that.

      As for the HTML5 test, it's not a finalized spec. The import elements are covered by IE10 in general. Talk to me when the spec is finalized.
      LiquidLearner
      Reply Vote
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