The Board of Directors of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion today announced that acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, becomes Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of Board’s New Innovation Committee. Jim Balsillie, former Co-CEO, remains a member of the Board. RIM Board Member Barbara Stymiest has been named the independent Board Chair. Prem Watsa, CEO of Fairfax Financial Holdings, has also been named to the Board. For more information, please see the official RIM press release.

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Press Release

Research In Motion Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Dec. 15, 2011) – Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported third quarter results for the three months ended November 26, 2011 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).

Highlights:

* Revenue of $5.2 billion, up 24% from last quarter
* BlackBerry smartphone shipments of 14.1 million, up 33% from Q2
* GAAP net income of $265 million or $0.51 per share diluted; adjusted net income of $667 million or $1.27 per share diluted
* Subscribers up 35% year-over-year to almost 75 million
* Cash flow from operations of approximately $895 million
* Total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments of $1.5 billion

Q3 Results:

Revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 was $5.2 billion, up 24% from $4.2 billion in the previous quarter and down 6% from $5.5 billion in the same quarter of last year. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 79% for hardware, 19% for service and 2% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones and approximately 150,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

“Despite the challenges faced in the third quarter, the BlackBerry subscriber base grew to almost 75 million customers around the world. In addition, RIM launched a range of new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones globally and introduced holiday promotions that helped drive growth in the installed base of BlackBerry PlayBook users,” said Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, Co-CEOs at Research In Motion. “RIM continues to have strong technology, unique service capabilities and a large installed base of customers, and we are more determined than ever to capitalize on our strengths to overcome the recent execution challenges surrounding product launches and the resulting financial performance. As part of our commitment to improving our performance to better meet the expectations of shareholders and customers, we continue to evaluate ways to improve in several areas of the Company’s operations. It may take some time to realize the benefits of these efforts and the platform transition that we are undertaking, but we continue to believe that RIM has the right set of strengths and capabilities to maintain a leading role in the mobile communications industry.”

The Company’s GAAP net income for the quarter was $265 million, or $0.51 per share diluted, compared with GAAP net income of $329 million, or $0.63 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and GAAP net income of $911 million, or $1.74 per share diluted, in the same quarter last year. Adjusted net income for the third quarter was $667 million, or $1.27 per share diluted. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $54 million ($40 million after tax) to revenue related to the service interruption experienced in the third quarter, $485 million ($356 million after tax) for the PlayBook inventory provision taken in the third quarter and $7 million ($6 million after tax) for the Company’s cost optimization program that was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2012.Q4 Outlook

Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 ending March 3, 2012 is expected to be in the range of $4.6-$4.9 billion. Gross margin percentage for the fourth quarter is expected to be approximately 38%. BlackBerry smartphone shipments are expected to be between 11 million and 12 million units. Earnings per share for the fourth quarter is expected to be in the range of $0.80-$0.95.

Conference Call and Webcast

A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 5 pm ET, December 15, 2011, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1)416-644-3415 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook^TM tablet at www.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml. A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 7 pm ET by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4466493#. A replay of the webcast will be available on your personal computer or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by clicking the link above. This replay will be available until midnight ET, December 29, 2011.

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RIM has sent out the email notification to developers and vendors about the planned back-end server upgrade, scheduled for today and this weekend to prepare for the launch of App World 2.1. With the release of App World 2.1, users will be able to purchase apps that have digital goods and it will allow in-app purchasing.

With these two upgrades in App World, it will be very interesting for BlackBerry developers to offer in-app purchases like more power/speed/credit/coins commonly found in games. Check the email after the jump.

Dear App World Vendor,

We are happy to announce that we are starting to launch the first phase of BlackBerry App World version 2.1.

Over the weekend and today we are upgrading our backend systems as well as the BlackBerry App World Vendor portal. During this time the reporting system will be down. It will be back online tomorrow.

Once the Server is launched you will be able to:

• Upload digital goods for BlackBerry Payment Service (in-app purchases)
• Register and manage digital goods in the BlackBerry App World Vendor Portal

Please note that this is simply the BlackBerry App World Vendor Portal. End-users will not be able to download digital goods through BlackBerry Payment Service until the BlackBerry App World 2.1 client is launched in the future. We will announce more information regarding the client launch in the future.

Thank you for building for BlackBerry,

BlackBerry App World Team

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We looked at the initial details of App World 2.0 little long time ago and with all exciting features it has to offer, I am sure it will improve the overall user experience. The two new features I liked the most about App World 2.0 are barcode scanning and easier application discovery.

Check out the following press release for more info.

RIM Announces BlackBerry App World Updates

New BlackBerry App World Features to be Available for Beta Testing in the United States and Canada This Week

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – July 29, 2010) – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced updates to BlackBerry App World(TM), the official application store for BlackBerry(R) smartphones. BlackBerry App World provides BlackBerry smartphone customers with an intuitive, integrated service for discovering, downloading, recommending and managing mobile applications for personal or business use. BlackBerry App World now supports new payment options, includes enhanced discovery and search features, and introduces a new user identification system called BlackBerry(R) ID.

New Payment Options

BlackBerry App World will support new payment options in addition to PayPal. Customers will be able to purchase applications using major credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, in various countries around the world. RIM is also working on integrated billing with various carriers to enable BlackBerry App World purchases to be applied directly to the customer’s monthly bill from those carriers.(i)

Easier Application Discovery

BlackBerry App World adds new tabbed sections for various lists of applications. Users can horizontally swipe or scroll to quickly view the Top 25 Free Apps, Top 25 Paid Apps and Top 25 Themes, as well as lists of Newest Apps and Recently Updated Apps.

QR barcode scanning is also supported, allowing users to scan a QR code associated with an application from anywhere – the web, print ads, brochures, etc. BlackBerry App World will quickly find the related application and automatically open the application’s information and download page.

BlackBerry ID

BlackBerry ID provides customers with a device-independent user identification (ID) used with BlackBerry App World. It enables new payment options, including credit cards and integrated carrier billing(i), and allows customers to seamlessly transfer their personal library of free and purchased apps when they switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone.

"BlackBerry App World continues to grow with a rich catalog of personal and business oriented applications that further enhance the BlackBerry smartphone experience," said Alan Brenner, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Platform at Research In Motion. "The new features in BlackBerry App World make it even easier for customers to find, purchase and maintain applications for their BlackBerry smartphone."

Nearly 30 million BlackBerry smartphone users have downloaded BlackBerry App World and an average of over one million applications are being downloaded each day. Available in more than 65 countries, BlackBerry App World allows users to discover, download, recommend and manage the applications that help them get the most out of life while on the go.

The newest version of BlackBerry App World is available for beta preview to customers in the United States and Canada from BlackBerry(R) Beta Zone (www.blackberry.com/beta).

(i)Availability of integrated billing with specific carriers to be announced at later dates. Requires a carrier post-paid service plan.

• > > Login to BlackBerry Beta Zone to see if you’re eligible 

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Verizon has officially announced that the BlackBerry Bold 9650 and will be available online starting tomorrow June 3rd and in stores from June 10th for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. A non-camera version of the phone will also be available for order online beginning June 3.

Read the press release for more info:

Get Bold With the BlackBerry Bold 9650 Smartphone From Verizon Wireless

Global-Ready Smartphone Offers New GlobalAccess Connect Service

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., June 2 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon Wireless today announced that the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650 smartphone will be available to order online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning June 3 and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning June 10.  Running on the largest and most reliable wireless voice and 3G data network in the United States, the BlackBerry Bold is the first global phone from Verizon Wireless to support GlobalAccess Connect, allowing customers to tether their BlackBerry Bold to a notebook or netbook and use it as a modem for wireless Internet access in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Key features:

• Optical trackpad for easy and fluid navigation
• Built-in Wi-Fi® (802.11 b/g)
• Push to Talk feature – Allows customers to leverage Verizon Wireless’ 3G network for instant two-way communication with up to 50 people with the touch of a button
• VZ Navigator® version 6 – Gives customers access to free mapping and integration with Bing to sort searches by relevance and a new option to choose day, week or monthly subscriptions
• VZ Navigator Global capabilities – Provides turn-by-turn directions and maps in English while navigating through more than 20 destinations, including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  This easy-to-use application also marks distances in miles or kilometers and finds restaurants, gas stations, banks/ATMs and other popular spots using the Local Search feature

Additional specifications:

• Stylish design (4.40" x 2.44" x .55" and 4.8 oz.) with glossy black finish and chrome highlights
• Mobile e-mail and messaging capabilities
• Large (2.45") high-resolution display (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi) that displays pictures, videos and Web pages with contrast and detail
• 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording
• Advanced media player for videos, pictures and music; a 3.5 mm stereo headset jack; and support for the Bluetooth® Stereo Audio Profile (A2DP/AVCRP)
• BlackBerry® Media Sync to easily sync music as well as photos*.  
• Easy mobile access to Facebook®, MySpace and Flickr® as well as popular instant messaging services, including BlackBerry® Messenger
• Support for BlackBerry App World™, featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones
• 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 16 GB microSD™ HC cards (a 2 GB card is pre-installed)
• Full HTML Web browser, streaming audio and video via RTSP
• Built-in GPS with support for location-based applications and services as well as geotagging
• Premium phone features, including voice-activated dialing, speakerphone, and Bluetooth (2.1)
• Support for high-speed EV-DO Rev. A networks in North America as well as single band UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz) and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks abroad
• Removable and rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery for up to 5 hours of CDMA talk time

Pricing and availability:

• The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone will be available for order online at www.verizonwireless.com beginning June 3, and it will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores beginning June 10 for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.  A non-camera version of the phone will also be available for order online beginning June 3.  Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.  
• Verizon Wireless customers will need to subscribe to a Nationwide Talk plan or Nationwide Talk & Text plan and an Email and Web for Smartphone plan.  Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 monthly access.  Email and Web for Smartphone plans start at $29.99 for unlimited monthly access.
• GlobalAccess Connect plans are available for $65 monthly access for 5 GB allowance in the United States and Canada ($0.05/MB overage) and 100 MB allowance in select countries ($5.12/MB overage).  There is also a $155 monthly access option that offers 5 GB allowance in the United States and Canada and 200 MB allowance in select countries, with the same overage rates as the $65 monthly option.  
• Customers can add Push to Talk for $5 per month per line and download the service from the Application Center or through VZStart on their handsets.  VZ Navigator is available for $2.99 for daily use, $4.99 for seven-day use or $9.99 for monthly subscription.  
• For information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN begin_of_the_skype_highlighting   1-800-2 JOIN IN end_of_the_skype_highlighting or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

*Music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies. Photo syncing is currently only available for Windows-based PCs.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and 3G data network, serving nearly 93 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 81,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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The BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 is now available from Telus in Canada. It is available for $29.99 on a three year contract and $349.00 without any contract. The Perl 3G 9100 is up on Telus site for you to order online and should be available in retails stores in few days. The $29.99 price is same as what Rogers is going to offer however we’ll get the confirmation once it’s up on the Rogers site.

If you are picking up the Pearl 9100 be sure to check out this BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 wallpaper gallery to personalize your BlackBerry.

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Post tags: Pearl 9100, Telus

Google Buzz support is now available on BlackBerry devices though native BlackBerry browser. When Google Buzz was launched few months ago, it wasn’t available on the BlackBerry other than running it on Opera Mini however Google has now launched the XHTML version of Buzz that is compatible natively with the BlackBerry browser.

Accessing Google Buzz via BlackBerry browser gives you all the basic functionality of Google Buzz including the ability to post publicly and privately, and comment or like a post. You can also use location services to get the "nearby view" which gives you geo-tagged posts near your location.

In future, we may see a Google app which includes not only Google Buzz but also Google Reader.

Meanwhile, you can see other Google Apps available for BlackBerry and follow BlackBerryTune.com via Google Buzz.

Now you can turn on the JavaScript on your BlackBerry if it’s turned off to get the location support of Google Buzz and point your BlackBerry browser at buzz.google.com to access the Google Buzz.

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Rogers has officially released the BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9100 and should arrive at Rogers retail stores in Canada in few days. It will be available at special promotional price of $29 on a three year term with voice and data or $449.99 without any contract. As of yet, it is not up on the Rogers website but should appear any time soon. If you are planning to buy Pearl 3G 9100 from the retail stores then you may have to wait for stores to get the inventory.

Once you pick up this BlackBerry, be sure to check out this new gallery for BlackBerry Pearl 3G wallpapers. The Pearl 3G has 360×400 screen resolution which is a new size and we’ve all properly optimized wallpapers to fit in BlackBerry Pearl 3G.

[via-BGR]

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The white BlackBerry Bold 9700 is now available from T-Mobile and you can pick it up for $99 after discounts on a two year term. The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is well known for it’s battery life and has received many positive reviews from the users. If you have been waiting for white BlackBerry to cool off in this summer, T-Mobile has made it available for you in just right time.

> > Get more info – visit T-Mobile website

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BlackBerry Beta Zone welcomes new members from more countries than ever! Residents in the Asia Pacific region along with Puerto Rico are invited to come join the site today!

In addition to Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, BlackBerry Beta Zone membership is now open to people from the following countries:

• Bangladesh
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• Singapore
• Taiwan
• Thailand

Members of BlackBerry Beta Zone have the opportunity to sign up for beta programs and be among the first to try out new BlackBerry software before it’s released to the general public. Your feedback will be an important part of ensuring future BlackBerry products meet the needs of customers like you.  The program is free and there are no pre-requisites. Just fill out the registration form to become a member today.

Depending on availability of software for the region, you may eligible to join programs immediately. As well, you may be invited to participate in programs over time. And if your organization uses BlackBerry solutions, and is not already part of our BlackBerry Beta Zone Enterprise Community, you may nominate your organization for enterprise programs.

> > Check out BlackBerry Beta Zone

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