RIM offering incentives to switch to BB10

RIM is beginning its push for BB10

RIM is betting the farm on the release of its BlackBerry 10 operating system. Having not released a new phone in roughly 18 months, the Canadian smartphone company has a lot of work to do to make BB10 succeed.
To help its new operating system, RIM has just launched an incentive program for its business customers to upgrade to BB10.
Called the BlackBerry 10 Ready Program, it will offer RIM's larger customers online training and webcasts, as well as free trade ups of licenses and services to the new BB10 platform.

Trading up

Companies already using BlackBerry Enterprise Server will benefit the most, with RIM offering free upgrades to the BB10 server on a one to one basis, between January and December 2013.
"Starting in January 2013 through to December 31, 2013, Research In Motion (RIM) will be offering customers who purchase new BlackBerry 10 smartphones, the ability to trade up their existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server licenses on a one for one basis for free.
"The new license trade up will allow customers to secure and manage their BlackBerry 10 smartphones.
The BlackBerry Enterprise Server License Trade Up online tool will be available in January 2013, and will be subject to customers accepting the terms of the Trade Up," RIM explains on its website.
Getting the business market on board with BB10 is one half of RIM's battle with its new BB10 platform. The other half is getting consumers to buy the new range of handsets.
While nothing has been announced yet, it's safe to say we can expect a massive marketing campaign around the globe following the official product launch on January 30, 2013.

Via: Reuters, Ubergizmo

BlackBerry 10 L-Series snapped beside iPhone 5 in latest leak

How does the BlackBerry L-Series device size up to the iPhone 5? (credit: CrackBerry)

Yet another photo of Research in Motion's upcoming BlackBerry 10 L-Series leaked online Thursday, though the latest image adds a new dimension to the speculation.
That is, the photo shows the BB10 phone snuggled up next to Apple's iPhone 5.
RIM is keeping a tight lid on any news related to the new BlackBerry L-Series and its BlackBerry 10 OS, despite fans' patience wearing thin after seemingly interminable delays.
Thus, Thursday's leak marks the first time the BlackBerry L-Series has been directly compared to another device - and it's not an unfavorable comparison.

A bigger screen - what else?

With the L-Series and the iPhone 5 sitting next to one another, it's easy to see that the L-Series carries a larger display and a slightly bigger chassis overall.
Conspicuously absent from the L-Series is the iPhone's prominent home button, a feature that Apple continues to indulge in while other smartphone makers turn instead to multi-touch controls.

Lacking a home button (Credit: CrackBerry)

In addition, there's no front-facing camera evident on the BlackBerry L-Series - though that doesn't mean it doesn't have one.
One commenter on BB community site CrackBerry suggested that the front-facing camera is hidden, which should be considered an interesting bit of speculation until more L-Series specs surface.

BlackBerry 10: doomed to fail?

At least one analyst, Pacific Crest's Securities' James Faucette, claimed in early November that RIM's new BB10 OS will be dead on arrival.
However, the device maker's future may hinge on BlackBerry 10 and it probably won't be so black and white - RIM's not likely to go down without a fight, at least, when BB10 launches in late January.
And there is at least one market that won't stop using BlackBerry any time soon: government organizations, which no doubt appreciate RIM's high security standards.
The tech world is eagerly awaiting more concrete information regarding the BlackBerry L-Series (as well as the QWERY-packing N-Series). But until then, these regular image leaks (the first in September, a video in October and another in early November) will have to do.

Via CrackBerry

Analyst: RIM's BlackBerry 10 OS doomed to fail

Is hope fading for BB10?

RIM's BlackBerry 10 operating system may be "dead on arrival" when it eventually launches in 2013, at least according to one analyst.
James Faucette of Pacific Crest Securities told investors that the long-delayed OS is unlikely to be met with real enthusiasm and, in all likelihood, will fail.
"We believe BB10 is likely to be DOA," he wrote, and effectively advised RIM shareholders to cash in their chips while they still can.
"We expect the new OS to be met with a lukewarm response at best and ultimately likely to fail," Faucette added.

Harsh words

The damning outlook consigned RIM shares to their biggest drop since June, sliding 9.1 per cent to $8.24 (UK£5.13/AUD$7.91) at the close of trading in New York.
RIM has continually insisted that it will not release the first wave of BB10 devices until the software is 100 per cent ready. The last estimate saw the ailing Canadian giant promise a Q1 2013 release.
The company is confident that BB10 can help it to regain its place among the smartphone elite, despite the delays that have seen the company fade from relevancy in 2013.
It also plans to license the software to third-party manufacturers for the first time in company history.
Whether Faucette's doom-laden prophecy comes to fruition or not, the fate of BB10 and handsets like the BlackBerry L-Series is sure to one of the biggest tech stories of next year.

Via Bloomberg