So far it has been really exciting to see RIM announce the all new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer.  Based on the video, it looks like it’s going to be a huge tablet killer on the market. So far, it looks like developers are ahead of the game on this one and a Kindle application for the PlayBook is in the making.  Amazon is offically behind all this at the moment and I’m sure we’ll be seeing this launch along with the release of this tablet.  So now there’s no need for your Kindle, or iPad with iBooks.  Here’s the press release below with some more after the jump.

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced that it will launch a Kindle app for the new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer. Customers can already enjoy the free Kindle app on their BlackBerry today. Like all Kindle apps, the Kindle app for the new BlackBerry PlayBook will let customers Buy Once, Read Everywhere—on Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, Android-based devices, and in the coming months, the new BlackBerry PlayBook. Amazon’s Whispersync technology syncs your place across devices, so you can pick up where you left off. For more information about the free Kindle apps, go to www.amazon.com/kindleapps.

Hit the jump for the rest of the press release
(more…)

Let the theme building begin.  Earlier this morning I discovered that the BlackBerry Torch 9800 got its first theme with the DEVCON 2010 app officially from RIM.  Now it looks like BlackBerry Theme Studio 6.0 Beta is officially available to download free.  So let’s see what new themes surface and how creative they can get with it.

• Download BlackBerry Theme Studio 6.0 >>

-by Mac Jadalhack

Thank you Ronen!

A really nice example we saw was from Henry Belmont who is the user interface architect for MLB.com (Major League Baseball).  Some exciting stuff we got to see was how seamless it was to access MLB.com via WebKit on the BlackBerry Torch 9800 along with the application with the potential of being a Super App.

The first cool feature was real time scores updating right there live within the browser.  In the past we would of refreshed the website over and over to see what the live score or play is.  Also you can see strike zone views play by play.   The coolest feature was being able to import your favorite team’s schedule into your BlackBerry calendar.  All you have to do is select the team within the website and then hit the BlackBerry menu button to have it sync into the BlackBerry calendar.

Since this baseball season is almost over, Henry tells us that new and improved MLB app will not be available until next seasons.

We highlighted a few specs on the all new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet which was just announced moments ago here at DEVCON during the keynote.  You already saw the video of it so once your done drooling over it, check out the specs below.

• 7″ LCD, 1024 x 600, WSVGA, capacitive touch screen with full multi-touch and gesture support
• BlackBerry Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
• 1 GHz dual-core processor
• 1 GB RAM
• Dual HD cameras (3 MP front facing, 5 MP rear facing), supports 1080p HD video recording
• Video playback: 1080p HD Video, H.264, MPEG, DivX, WMV
• Audio playback: MP3, AAC, WMA
• HDMI video output
• Wi-Fi – 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

More after the jump!

(more…)

Browsing via BlackBerry? Click here to view video

As we recently just reported, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is now official.  RIM Co CEO Mike Lazaridis got on stage, announced it, and teased us with the video shown above.  We know all you will fall in love with it and we’re told that we’ll be playing around with them later on today here at DEVCON.

Exciting news for everyone today, not so much for the blogs who reported that there is no mention on a BlackBerry tablet today.  Oh well.  In any case RIM has announced the BlackBerry Tablet rocking out some awesome features including:

• Full HTML 5 and Flash v10.1
• 1GHz processor with 1GB RAM
• Ultra Thin – 9.7MM
• 7 inch screen

I’m loving it so far and we’re still in the keynote where they’re discussing and exemplifying what the PlayBook can do.  Stay tuned for more!

-by Mac Jadalhack

During this morning’s press conference, we were informed about the all new social platform for BlackBerry Messenger.  So what does this mean exactly?  Basically, third party application developers will be able to integrate their applications within BlackBerry Messenger – something that could not be done before.  By doing so, we’ll be seeing more social integration within applications.  For example, mobile gaming.  Imagine having online games on BlackBerry and being able to invite or add other game players via BBM.  Developers can build applications that tie all BlackBerry Messenger features including: chat, contacts, profiles, file transfer, and group invites.

By having BlackBerry Messenger integrated within applications, you’ll be able to share content in the application to BBM without having to switch back and forth between applications.  Also this works the other way around.  Let’s say you have some BBM integrated apps loaded on your BlackBerry.  You’ll be able to get right into the third party application right through BBM by opening up the menu while highlighting the designated contact.  That’s just some examples of what can be done, and I’m sure developers are creative enough to take the integrations even further.  Hit the jump for the full press release from RIM.

(more…)

Analytics are very useful to have when trying to populate what trends, what works, etc.  Today RIM announced their partnership with Webtrends to provide BlackBerry Analytics Service for applications.  By doing so, it’ll help target what users like in their apps, don’t like which will of course result in having better BlackBerry applications. “Feedback from our customers and development partners has always shaped our BlackBerry products and services, and so we understand the need for deep, rich and accurate analytics. We also know that access to such metrics is a top priority for BlackBerry developers as they try to make their applications stand out in an increasingly crowded market,” said Curtis Sasaki, Vice President, Product Management at Research In Motion.  Hit the jump for the full press release.

(more…)

During the press conference this morning, we were told about all sorts of new services in regards to application development coming in the hands of developers.  RIM has officially launched the next generation BlackBerry web application platform and released the code out in open source.  Included in BlackBerry WebWorks:

• Send a text message from within the application
• Read call log data from the phone application, check if the phone is currently in an active
  call, check the number of missed calls
• Play an audio file as well as create APIs for playing, pausing, stopping and seeking of the
  audio file from within the application’s UI

Hit the jump for the full press release from RIM.

(more…)

Advertising service? So what’s this mean for you consumers who aren’t developers? More apps is a broad and general way to put it.  By having a dedicated advertising system that developers can use, we’ll be seeing free applications come up more.  So yes more applications – but free for the consumer which is good because obviously we all love freebies.

Now from the developer point of view, the benefits are quite obvious.  Developers will be able to integrate advertisements into their applications now.  As far as revenue sharing goes, its 60% to the developer and then 40% to RIM.  It’s an exciting feature that developers can put in Rich Media with only three lines of code now.  Along with all that comes the built-in dashboard which enables developers and advertisers to see how the campaigns work out.  Hit the jump for the full press release from RIM

(more…)