It’s hard to believe that July is already upon us. With a new month comes a new reigning BlackBerry® Fan of the Month! I am ecstatic to announce Kimberly as July’s BlackBerry Fan of the Month. Kimberly — @kmcooley on Twitter® — has been a model BlackBerry advocate. She has been helping, engaging and even building the #TeamBlackBerry community on an ongoing basis. Kimberly has put a lot of effort, passion and energy into #TeamBlackBerry, and it shows with all her tweets and comments.

I was looking forward to interviewing Kimberly, because over my two years as a community manager, I’ve seen her day-in day-out engagement – whether it be with her friends, fans, colleagues, or our BlackBerry community managers and customers. As soon as our interview began, I immediately noticed that the passion and energy she puts in her tweets extends far beyond her online persona.

Calling Kimberly a heavy BlackBerry smartphone user would be an understatement. Throughout the conversation she told me stories about how she would always have her BlackBerry handy — from using it to save a conference call during an electrical blackout to how she converted her co-workers to #TeamBlackBerry, and more fun stories below.

So Team BlackBerry, please congratulate Kimberly as our BlackBerry Fan of The Month for July and check out our interview below to learn all the awesome work she has done.

1. How many years have you been on Team BlackBerry?

10 years. I started out with the BlackBerry® 7250 smartphone.

2. How many BlackBerry devices have you had in total? Could you list them all out for us?

I’ve had the following smartphones: BlackBerry 7250, BlackBerry® 8703e, BlackBerry® Curve™ 8330, BlackBerry® 8830, BlackBerry® Tour™ 9630, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650, BlackBerry® Bold 9930, and my BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet, of course.

My dream device would be the internal components of the BlackBerry Bold 9930 smartphone built inside the shell of the BlackBerry 8703 smartphone. It [the BlackBerry 8703 smartphone] was just a really solid-feeling device. For whatever reason, it is my all-time favorite.

3. How many BBM™ contacts do you have?

Right now, I have around 28.

4. What is your favorite BBM emoticon?

Can’t Wait – the one with the hand over the eyes. I’m usually shaking my head when I use that one.

5. Tell us about the best BBM you’ve ever received. What did it say and who was it from?

It’s hard to pinpoint just one BBM! It’s one of those situations that if I don’t mention something, I’ll get in trouble from friends and family. One memory that stands out was during Father’s Day weekend. My best friend sent this one that morning. Long story short, my dad died when I was 15, and 16 years later, Father’s Day is still difficult for me because he and I were just that close. So Rox sending me this message made a huge difference in my day:

6. If you could BBM your BlackBerry smartphone, what would you say? What do you think your BlackBerry would say in response?

I would say, very sarcastically, “Do I have to?” and my BlackBerry would respond with, “Yes, you can do it!”

This would be in response to the high volume of emails I receive.

7. What is your favorite BlackBerry app?

My favorite app right now is called SocialScope. I love the horizontal scrolling through all of my Twitter lists. It’s very quick and efficient.

8. We know you work in education. How does your BlackBerry smartphone help you get the job done?

Lots of ways, but email would be at the very top of the list. I can multi-task with my BlackBerry smartphone and it helps me keep my head above water.

Once a power line was down on campus and internet went out, but with BlackBerry® Bridge™, I had Internet access! It was like everyone else was sitting around twiddling their thumbs.

One day the university president was on a conference call and the phone system went down a few minutes into the call. At that point of my career, I was in IT and my first thought was to whip out my BlackBerry 8830 smartphone, put it on the table and get everyone back into the conference. I was pretty proud of that.

9. We think it’s awesome that you are always encouraging friends, family members and fellow Twitter users to get BlackBerry devices. How many people have joined Team BlackBerry as a result of your advice?

If I look back on the last four or five years, I’d say at least 100.

10. You use the #BeBold hashtag a good bit on Twitter. (And we love it!) Could you share a personal Be Bold story with us?

I attended a higher education web conference last year right after the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet came out. They were showing Google Analytics and my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet was the only device in the room that could actually render the site.

11. We see you chatting with Team BlackBerry all the time on Twitter. Would you like to give any of your buddies a shout out here?

Yes! Don (@BlkScorp33) is one of my very best friends.

12. You refer to yourself as a “BlackBerry Expert” – what is one thing you think every BlackBerry user should know?

The “end” key – it’s not just to end a phone call. It can also take you step by step back to where you want to go.

13. Do you have an all-time favorite BlackBerry memory? We’d love to hear it!

About two Christmases ago, I looked around the table and realized that everyone had a BlackBerry device. It was an awesome moment.

14. Last, but not least: Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our Fan of the Month?

Yes, of course! We’re #TeamBlackBerry, fame is nothing new to us.

Now, in case you have missed our other awesome past members of the BlackBerry Fan of the Month club, you can check ‘em out here:

January – Brian (@newshutr)
February – Ivan (@IvanSHarris)
March – Jane (@photosfromabb)
April – Josh (@BBbrodyBB)
May – Mark (@AllAboutMyBB)
June – JT (@AgentBlackBerry)

Keep sharing your FOTM suggestions with us, either by leaving a comment below, tweeting to us @BlackBerry on Twitter, or posting on our Facebook page. Stay tuned – our August FOTM could be YOU!

Last night we attended the grand opening of the Porsche Design store in Toronto to celebrate the availability of the Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry® in Canada. We made sure we were on the scene to capture all the action. Thorsten Heins, President and CEO, Research In Motion was also on hand to address the crowd and introduce the device.

“The BlackBerry P’9981 created in partnership with our friends at Porsche Design is made for beauty, for aesthetic, but also for function. It’s just a pleasure to type on the keypad,” said Heins.

The device itself was definitely a crowd pleaser and the custom Porsche Design BlackBerry P’9981 photo booth setup was also a huge hit!

For those of you who haven’t heard of the Porsche Design BlackBerry P’9981 here’s the scoop.

The Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry has received great buzz since we unveiled the exclusive model in Dubai last October. This all-new Porsche designed BlackBerry smartphone is a thing of beauty, and I felt we should give you a first-hand tour of the P’9981 from BlackBerry and let you see what this elite smartphone is all about.

The luxurious form factor of the P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry features a wide QWERTY keyboard and fluid 2.8” touch screen display surrounded by stainless steel finishes and a rich leather backing. It also comes with Porsche Design authentic accessories including a specially designed matching charging pod.

The P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry is as technically inspired as it is a distinctly Porsche design. Under the hood, the BlackBerry® 7.1 OS powers social collaboration and productivity with apps like BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™), Documents To Go® Premium, voice-activated universal search, and BlackBerry® Balance™ technology. Plus, the fast new BlackBerry® Browser and 1.2 Ghz processor help you power through tasks quickly and easily.

Lastly, the P’9981 from BlackBerry experience is unmistakably Porsche Design. With this exclusive smartphone comes a specially designed user interface (UI) and a customized Wikitude World Browser that unleashes an awesome Augmented Reality experience. It also includes NFC (Near Field Communication), a technology that is designed to enable many new and exciting capabilities, including the ability to make mobile payments, exchange information, and pair with NFC-enabled accessories or read SmartPoster tags with a simple tap of the smartphone. Another cool feature is that you’ll have a premium BlackBerry PIN, unique to your P’9981 from BlackBerry, which helps you identify other P’9981 from BlackBerry users around you if they have enabled this feature on their device.

What do you think about the Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry? Let us know in the comments!

June is upon us, and this year it not only signifies a kickoff to summer, but the start of a month-long reign for JT (@AgentBlackBerry) as our BlackBerry® Fan of the Month! Just like FOTMs past, JT has definitely dedicated a lot of his time and energy towards his passion for all things BlackBerry.

JT is a heavy BlackBerry smartphone user; tweeting, blogging and chatting with the community regularly. He’s been known to talk about everything from the accessories he’s using to his own tips and tricks, and he even offers helpful advice to fellow BlackBerry lovers. He was notably very active on Twitter® during the release of BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0, generating excitement and rallying #TeamBlackBerry to update. We are honored to present JT as the BlackBerry FOTM for June – and to formally introduce him to you, I had the chance to chat with him and ask a few questions. Meet JT and be sure to welcome him in that awesome #TeamBlackBerry way:

1. How many years have you been on #TeamBlackBerry?

It was officially four years this past January.

2. How many BlackBerry smartphones have you had in total? Can you list them all out for us? What kind of BlackBerry smartphone do you currently have?

I have had seven different BlackBerry smartphones: the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8310, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860, and BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900.

At first, I was against having the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone, because I was a loyal BlackBerry Torch smartphone user. But once I switched, I was mad at myself for not having it before. It’s such a ridiculously awesome device.

3. How many BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) contacts do you have?

Right now, I have 173 BBM contacts.

4. What is your favorite BBM emoticon?

That’s a tough one… I had conducted a poll on Twitter one time to help me out with this one because I have four favorite ones (Dancing, Straight Face, I Dunno and Huh?). If I had to pick one, I’d say the Dancing emoticon for sure though. But I was talking with some of my contacts and they were like, “you use ‘I Dunno’ all the time!” So, on second thought, that one may take the cake.

5. Tell us about the best BBM you’ve ever received. What did it say and who was it from?

Every time I’ve gotten a friend or family member to get a BlackBerry smartphone and they add me on BBM – that first message is always pretty awesome.

6. If you could BBM your BlackBerry smartphone, what would you say? What do you think your BlackBerry smartphone would say in response?

Well, my BlackBerry Bold 9900 is still relatively new so I would probably say “Hey, enjoy the ride” and it would probably reply with “You look at me wayyy too much.”

7. When you aren’t blogging about BlackBerry devices, you spend your time as a DJ. How has your BlackBerry smartphone helped you be a better DJ?

At BlackBerry World™ this year, a few of us lucky BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet owners were able to get early access to the Pacemaker beta app. It is simply an amazing DJing app, and I cannot say enough good things about it and how easy it is to mix using it. I have actually already made my first mix using it. I just used a standard male-to-male 3.5mm headphone jack cable from my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to the input of my laptop to record it. I think it came out pretty good too!

8. We know you’re into sports. How do you keep track of your favorite teams with your BlackBerry smartphone?

ScoreMobile for BlackBerry smartphones and ScoreMobile for BlackBerry PlayBook are a couple of my all-time favorite apps, hands down. I’ve been known to trash talk a little on BBM via my status message or direct BBMs about my favorite teams. ScoreMobile makes it ridiculously easy to keep track and share my passion for my teams.

9. Last, but not least: Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our Fan of the Month?

I think so… bring it on!

Other Fun Facts about JT:

• I’m left-handed.
• Spanish is actually my first language.
• Baseball is my favorite sport.
• I am a huge lover of pasta, any kind.

Now, in case you have missed our other awesome past members of the BlackBerry Fan of the Month club, you can check ‘em out here:

January – Brian (@newshutr)
February – Ivan (@IvanSHarris)
March – Jane (@photosfromabb)
April – Josh (@BBbrodyBB)
May - Mark (@AllAboutMyBB)

Keep sharing your FOTM suggestions with us, either by leaving a comment below, tweeting to us @BlackBerry on Twitter, or posting on our Facebook page. Stay tuned – our July FOTM could be YOU!

Your awesome BlackBerry PlayBook tablet-inspired entries inspired us, entertained us and downright impressed us, so we couldn’t help but share them. Check out some of the entries below and let us know in the comments which feature of BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 you’re digging.

@BlackBerry The #PlayBook2 is the same size as 3 lotto tix but better than winning the lotto! yfrog.com/oca63wsj—
Danae Barrett (@DanaeCMB) March 05, 2012

@BlackBerry #playbook2 http://t.co/Bde8ygEO—
Olive Davis (@dsy79) March 05, 2012

@BlackBerry the first four sonogram pics of my twins are same size as the #PlayBook2 yfrog.com/oegkaoqdj—
Xim (@ximenavpm) March 06, 2012

@BlackBerry #Bold 9900 & #PlayBook2 go together as great as any kind of food and Bacon! #SoGood lockerz.com/s/190726912—
Ryan Reyes (@GRRyan_24) March 08, 2012

@BlackBerry #Playbook sized Red Vines covering my #Playbook #Playbook2 go #TeamBlackberry ! twitpic.com/8sg467—
Chuck Vaughn (@Chucklebutte) March 05, 2012

@BlackBerry "#PlayBook2 features #PrintToGo, getting your work done OnTheGo! Sit back, relax, GoodToGo, So good that you NeverLetGo!"—
Jeffrey Leung (@Maiev) March 06, 2012

@BlackBerry: "#PlayBook features #PrintToGo & so much more in OS 2.0! Quality, reliability & support that's never, ever slow!" #PlayBook2!—
Teresa Salvatore (@NeedNewSpace) March 06, 2012

@BlackBerry How would #PlayBook2 change my future? From communication, to occupying kids, to having fun4me, #PlayBook2 would rock my world!—
Kim Gaebel (@zabnee) March 09, 2012

@BlackBerry #PlayBook features #PrintToGo, how we lived without it I'll never know! #PlayBook2—
Cass Reed (@TheFix_ItLass) March 07, 2012

@BlackBerry My PlayBook gets the job done with Performance & Multitasking no need for laptop when u have the #PlayBook2 #PlayBook—
John R Stephens (@azjohnnych) March 09, 2012

Now that we’re into the month of May, TeamBlackBerry, it’s time once again to crown the most recent BlackBerry Fan of the Month!

This month’s FOTM is a self-proclaimed BlackBerry addict. He has been using BlackBerry® smartphones for 12 years and has encouraged many of his family members and friends to become BlackBerry users as well. He loves helping people learn how to get the most out of their BlackBerry devices and he created a blog dedicated to all things BlackBerry for that very purpose. We are honored to introduce Mark (@AllAboutMyBB) as the BlackBerry FOTM for May!

#TeamBlackBerry, meet Mark:

1. According to your blog you’ve been on #TeamBlackBerry since 2000 – amazing! How many BlackBerry devices have you had in total?

Including the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet, I think I’m up to about 15 in total. I’m a bit of a device nut – I get cravings for new devices.

2. Can you list them all out for us? What kind of BlackBerry smartphone do you have now? What has stood out in your mind about the evolution of BlackBerry devices?

I started with a 7510, then had a 7520, 7100i, 8700, 8100, 8310, 9000, 9530, 9550, 9800 (I had 2) and currently on a BlackBerry Torch 9860 (my second) and a 32GB BlackBerry PlayBook tablet!

The biggest thing for me is the touchscreen half of it. I can’t pick up a device without automatically trying to move the screen with my fingers. I really enjoy having the ability to use either touchscreen or keyboard. I love the idea of having both.

3. We also saw on your blog that you are “head tech support” for most of your BBM™ contacts – your contacts are so lucky! How many contacts do you have on BBM right now? How many chats do you currently have open?

It’s kind of funny. I actually have spare devices – I call them my loaner devices. I set them up for people who still have the older flip phones. When loaning out a device, I keep it unlocked and let them use it for a couple of weeks with no data. Once they’ve made that transition, I tell them to call their carrier and get put onto a data package to try it for a month or so. I don’t think there’s been one person that I’ve set up that hasn’t then gone out to get their own BlackBerry smartphone!

I have 130 people on BBM and 22 chats currently open. I pretty much know them all. It’s a hobby. I created my @AllAboutMyBB handle to help spread my thoughts that have come directly out of my conversations with other users. A lot of people don’t know how much they can do – even with BBM!

4. Do you have a favorite BBM emoticon?

My favorite is:

I use it all the time and even have an autotext for it. I found holding “alt” to get the characters for “:-P” was too much work, so I created the autotext to help me type faster. But sometimes I forget to press space after and it sends as “hup”. Now my BBM BFF calls me “hup”. :s

5. Tell us about the best BBM you’ve ever received. What did it say and who was it from?

I gave my mom a BlackBerry smartphone for her 70th birthday. My mom is not very technical, and she grew up without all this stuff. She always complained that she has difficulty sharing pictures; she has a digital camera, but she doesn’t know how to download the pictures and share them with relatives. I got her a BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900 with purple housing, hid all the icons and set it all up. I showed her how to use BBM, music player and email. I put all her contacts in there and filled up her address book. I showed her how to take a photograph and email the photo out of the camera application. She adapted to playing music and everything, and out of the blue, I even got a BBM from her saying, “Hi Mark love mom!” It didn’t say much, but it was awesome!

6. If you could BBM your BlackBerry smartphone, what would you say? How would your BlackBerry respond?

I would ask its location via BlackBerry® Protect and find out why it’s not on my hip where it belongs! It’s always with me — and if it’s not in the holster on my hip, it’s sitting right beside me charging.

7. What are your favorite BlackBerry smartphone applications? We’d love to hear your top 5!

BBM. That’s the one I use the most. Outside of BBM, I spend a lot of time on the social networks. I like SocialScope, a combination of Twitter® and Facebook® rolled into one. It’s very cool. I use that a lot. My @AllAboutMyBB stuff goes through Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones.

Music is my thing, so I’m a big supporter of BBM® Music. I’ve got tons of songs in BBM Music right now. I love the app, especially the randomness of it. If I’m not listening to BBM Music, I’m listening to the music I already have on my memory card. My next favorite one is Nobex Radio. If I’m not listening to BBM Music, that’s what I’ll listen to. The other app I love is Shazam. If you’re in a restaurant or somewhere and you hear a song that you don’t know, you just fire up Shazam and bam!

I also use SixTools. It creates screen capturing and convenience keys. I have four convenience keys instead of the one.

8. You just mentioned your love of music. Has your BlackBerry smartphone helped you discover any new tunes or artists lately?

Yes, twice recently! Once with Shazam (“I Love My Life” by DeMarco) and once with BBM Music (“Don’t You Wanna Stay” by Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson).

9. What superhero/celebrity/metaphorical duo could represent you and your BlackBerry smartphone? (e.g. I’m Batman, my BlackBerry is Robin: here’s why…)

I’m old school, so I think my BlackBerry smartphone and I are like the Wonder Twins. Our skills sets are very different, but we make a heck of a team! The things that I can’t remember go in my BlackBerry smartphone, and so it reminds me to do things. It’s the perfect sidekick.

10. Do you have an all-time favorite BlackBerry-related memory? Please share!

The event that started my blogging was a concert. This event was an amazing day, and I’ll never forget it. I share the story with anyone who will listen, and I’ve never had anyone not be truly amazed and enthused by the story.

11. We LOVE your Twitter bio and we think it’s awesome that you enjoy helping other members of #TeamBlackBerry! Is there a time when you helped a fellow BlackBerry smartphone user that really stands out in your mind? We’d love to hear about it!

I got a tech support BBM and phone call from Russell Peters once. He was having some issues with BlackBerry® ID. That was cool and fun!

12. Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our Fan of the Month?

Absolutely! Bring it on!

Thanks for taking the time to meet our BlackBerry FOTM for May 2012! Stay in touch with Mark on Twitter by following @AllAboutMyBB and the #BlackBerryFOTM hashtag.

In case you missed our last four BlackBerry Fans of the Month, you can check ‘em out here:

January – Brian (@newshutr)
February – Ivan (@IvanSHarris)
March – Jane (@photosfromabb)
April – Josh (@BBbrodyBB)

Keep sharing your FOTM suggestions with us, either by leaving a comment below, tweeting to us @BlackBerry, or posting on our Facebook page. Stay tuned – our June FOTM could be YOU!

Get ready, #TeamBlackBerry! Some of your favorite apps are about to become BBM™ connected and join the list of the over 800 BBM connected applications available on the BlackBerry App World™ storefront. We are very excited to announce that updates of some of the apps you know and love – Facebook® for BlackBerry smartphones, Twitter® for BlackBerry smartphones, BlackBerry® Travel™, BlackBerry App World, BBM™ Music, and BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM) – will begin to roll out throughout the next 10 days. (Note: BBM connected apps may not be available in all countries.)

For those who are not aware, BBM connected applications integrate BBM functionality right into the app, so you can do things like invite BBM friends to experience your favorite apps, chat with BBM contacts from inside the BBM connected app, and share and discover new BlackBerry apps and content with friends – without ever leaving the app!

These applications have a whole new slew of features that make your BlackBerry smartphone experience even better. Let’s have a look:

BBM gets BlackBerry Tag functions and new animated avatars!

BBM is being upgraded to be better than ever with BlackBerry® Tag integration*, the ability to send voice notes quicker, a simpler way to update your profile message, and new app integrations.

To add to all of this, BBM v6.2 now offers a sample of all new animated avatars! When you’re logged into BBM, just scroll over the animated avatars to see what they do, then share them with friends to express how you’re feeling when words alone just aren’t enough.

*BlackBerry Tag requires an NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphone running BlackBerry® 7.1 OS or higher.

Integration of Facebook and Twitter with BBM

Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones v3.0 and Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones v3.0 are now BBM connected apps. When you connect Facebook and Twitter with BBM, you can share your latest status updates and tweets as your BBM Personal Message by simply selecting the “Share with BBM” icon from within the app. You can also opt to share tweets or Facebook updates with your BBM contacts in one centralized location.

BlackBerry Travel goes Social

The updated BlackBerry Travel v2.5* is now a BBM connected app. What does that mean to you? Now you can instantly update BBM contacts with your travel status in just a few simple steps. Jet-setting across the world? You can easily let all your BBM friends know just where you landed and what you’re up to.

*The BlackBerry Travel application requires activation with a data plan with Internet service. Certain features of the BlackBerry Travel application may not be available for all geographic locations or from all service providers. Check with your service provider for availability, cost and restrictions.

BlackBerry App World

Now that the BlackBerry App World storefront is BBM connected, your most recent app download can be automatically shared with your contacts through your BBM profile – without ever having to leave BlackBerry App World! Also, you can easily share your favorite app with a friend using BlackBerry Tag* by simply tapping your NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphone with theirs.

*NFC technology is dependent on carrier and device capabilities.

Easy Invites for BBM Music

BBM Music – the music app that lets you share, listen, and comment on your friends’ music – now also allows you to mark favorite songs/playlists, which creates a more personalized shuffle.

Since BBM Music is a BBM connected app, new contacts with BBM Music are recommended to you right from within the BBM Music app itself! That means it’s easier to find others to connect with so you can expand your music collection. Before you accept a contact to your network, feel free to check out their songs and see which friends you have in common.

These updates are great news for developers who leverage the BBM Social Platform to help make their apps more visible and easier to find. It’s even better news for BBM users who are seeking to discover and share new app experiences and content within their BBM contacts.

For more information and to download the new versions of Facebook for BlackBerry smartphones, Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones, BlackBerry Travel, BBM Music and BBM, visit BlackBerry App World. Updates for the apps will roll out throughout the next 10 days, so be sure to check the BlackBerry App World Carousel daily or wait for the app update notifications – and don’t forget to leave us a comment and let us know what you think about these new app updates!

This Month’s FOTM demonstrates continuous passion for the BlackBerry brand. He is constantly expressing enthusiasm for BlackBerry products and engaging with #TeamBlackBerry in a number of ways, including his never-ending desire to help us out. I am pleased to introduce Josh (@BBBrodyBB) as our FOTM for April.

Let’s hear from the man himself — meet Josh:

1. How many years have you been using a BlackBerry device?

Since 1999, when I carried the original BlackBerry® 850 smartphone. I remember BlackBerry before it was even called BlackBerry — I beta tested the very first devices. It’s always been the go-to device for me. It just makes my life easier.

2. How many BlackBerry devices have you had? Which ones? What do you have now?

BlackBerry 850, 7230, 8120, 8130, 8530, 9780, and 9850, and now I’m using the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone and 16GB BlackBerry PlayBook. For the most part, what I’ve done is multitask with more than one BlackBerry device – one for work and one for my personal life. Even if I’m disconnected from work, I can stay connected with my BlackBerry smartphone. I believe RIM has kept true with what the devices were built to do: With the BlackBerry Bold 9900 smartphone, you can do literally everything, but it keeps the core functionality of a true messaging device. It’s a communication machine.

I believe what RIM invented with push email was a revolution – taking it from the desktop and putting it on your hip. Also, I’m a keyboard fanatic (#QWERTYforLIFE). A BlackBerry keyboard always keeps me happy.

3. What is your favorite BlackBerry app?

BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™). I use so many of the different applications – BlackBerry® Travel, BlackBerry® Traffic, Twitter®, Facebook® – but I have found BBM to have more power than any other messaging platform. For me, it really is the ultimate way to communicate. Twitter for BlackBerry smartphones would definitely be my second favorite.

4. How many BBM contacts do you have?

123.

5. What is your favorite BBM emoticon?

6. Tell us about the best BBM you’ve ever received. What did it say and who was it from?

I get so many that it’s hard to choose, so I guess the best would be when friends BBM’d me that they saw me on TV. I was on Wheel of Fortune, so it was a highlight when people were BBMing me to say, “Hey, I saw you on TV!”

7. If you could BBM your BlackBerry smartphone, what would you say?

Good morning, it’s time to be bold and take on the day! I actually do say this – it’s just one of those corny ways to get the day going. The last thing I do before I fall asleep is look at my BlackBerry smartphone and the first thing I do when I wake up is look at my BlackBerry smartphone.

8. What superhero/celebrity/metaphorical duo could represent you and your BlackBerry smartphone? (e.g. I’m Batman, my BlackBerry is Robin: here’s why…)

Marty McFly & the “time machine” — my BlackBerry smartphone makes me so efficient it’s like time travel. The more I use it, the more time I save!

9. Do you have a favorite BlackBerry memory? Please share.

There are so many that it’s hard to pick just one. But my favorite has to be when my 14-year-old son said he had to have a BlackBerry smartphone because he was tired of touchscreen phones! He currently has the BlackBerry® Curve™ 9350 smartphone and he loves it. We’ve got the whole family on a [BBM] group. We typically use it to share funny pictures we find throughout the day. The current craze for my son is finding funny memes online and sharing them with us.

10. Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our Fan of the Month?

Absolutely! I’m ready and looking forward to it. I just think it’s an amazing honor.

11. We see that you’re a music lover – what new music has your BlackBerry smartphone helped you discover?

My faves are The Black Keys & Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers…but I listen to all types of music, from Adele to Diplo to Young the Giant. My latest musical discoveries using BBM Music have been more DJ music – Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia, Avicii…the choices seem endless! With BBM Music, I’ve found so much more music from friends I’ve made around the globe.

12. We’ve also noticed that you enjoy a reality TV show or two (so do we!). Do you chat with your BlackBerry pals during the show?

The reality show I enjoy the most is The Amazing Race. I chat via BBM, Twitter, Facebook, SMS, you name it! I’m always on my phone chatting people up and talking about it. I really want to get on that show, too. To be able to travel the world and win a million bucks, that would be the ultimate.

13. You share our love for BlackBerry Travel and BlackBerry Traffic. Where has your BlackBerry smartphone traveled with you?

My BlackBerry smartphone traveled with me to California when I appeared on Wheel of Fortune. It was an amazing experience, and then my BlackBerry smartphone traveled to Sun Peaks resort in British Columbia with me on the trip I won.

14. What’s YOUR next big BlackBerry Adventure?

My next adventure is to Orlando to attend BlackBerry World™ (and hopefully make it to CES in January 2013). It is certainly THE place to go for a Team BlackBerry member like me!

Thanks for meeting our April FOTM! Be sure to give Josh a shout out on Twitter – @BBbrodyBB

In case you missed our last three BlackBerry Fans of the Month, you can check ‘em out here:

January – Brian (@newshutr)
February – Ivan (@IvanSHarris)
March – Jane (@photosfromabb)

Keep sharing your FOTM suggestions with us, either by leaving a comment below, tweeting to us @BlackBerry, or posting on our Facebook page. Stay tuned – our May FOTM could be YOU!

A lot has happened recently, #TeamBlackBerry, including the launch of BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0! Now we’re here to announce and celebrate our BlackBerry Fan of the Month (FOTM) for March.

We’ve been overwhelmed by the community’s support for this program and continue to take your suggestions and nominees into consideration. We want our FOTM to not only be an advocate for #TeamBlackBerry, but someone who makes us all proud! With that being said, we’ve thoroughly searched our social channels on Twitter®, Facebook®, Flickr®, YouTube® and the Inside BlackBerry Blog to pick Jane (@photosfromaBB) as this month’s BlackBerry FOTM!

Jane is a huge fan of photography and has taken many photos with her BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 smartphone. Here is one of the many awe-inspiring photos Jane took using the 5-megapixel camera on her smartphone:

So #TeamBlackBerry, allow us to introduce you to our BlackBerry FOTM for March 2012, Jane:

1. How many years have you been on Team BlackBerry?

A little over four and half years now, gladly going on five this summer.

2. How many BlackBerry smartphones have you had? Which ones?

Two before my current one – the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8300 and the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8310 smartphones.

3. What BlackBerry smartphone do you have now and why?

BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphone – best of both worlds! QWERTY keyboard AND touchscreen.

4. What is your favorite BBM™ emoticon?

*nerd* I think it’s adorable.

5. Tell us about the best BBM you’ve ever received. What did it say and who was it from?

The best BBM goes to one of my cousins. I think she may have been bored and was goofing off one day, but she sent audio files of herself making some loud and crazy noises. Those caught me off guard and I couldn’t stop laughing!

6. If you could BBM your BlackBerry smartphone, what would you say?

“Hey! Just wanted to say thanks for keeping me organized with everything, literally! =)”

7. What superhero/celebrity/metaphorical duo could represent you and your BlackBerry smartphone? (e.g. I’m Batman, my BlackBerry is Robin: here’s why…)

The Neptunes (Music Producers) – I’m Pharrell Williams, more of the front person, and my BlackBerry smartphone is Chad Hugo, who lays low. But put the two creative minds together and you have one amazing duo!

8. Do you have a favorite BlackBerry memory? Please share!

I was working out on a treadmill, listening to some tunes on my BlackBerry Torch. Then I somehow accidentally tugged on my headphones and my smartphone fell onto the treadmill and flew off! Thankfully, there was no damage. That thing is like a tank!

9. Are you prepared to handle the fame that comes with being our FOTM?

Oh I don’t know about fame, but I’m quite honored and very blessed to be FOTM. It’s a great yet humbling feeling to be recognized and appreciated by BlackBerry.

10. When did you start actively taking photos with your BlackBerry smartphone?

February 2011 – more particularly when a friend pointed out the great picture quality of the camera on my BlackBerry smartphone.

11. If you had to guess, how many photos in total have you taken with your BlackBerry?

I’d have to say about 1,000 photos, at least.

12. What is your favorite BlackBerry photography app and why?

Photo Editor Ultimate – it has so many editing options packed into one app and it’s quite easy to use. Along with basic editing functions like rotate, resize and crop, I like the color filters, different effects and combine feature. It’s a great app to simply touch up your photos or even manipulate them.

13. What is your all-time favorite BlackBerry photo? We’d love to see it!

I’m a huge fan of night photography shots and this would be my favorite thus far.

14. Do you have any tips for aspiring photographers?

If you see something that catches your eye, take a photo of it! Using the different Scene Modes in the BlackBerry camera app helps with various lighting situations. Though you have to keep a steady hand, I find that having the Autofocus set on Single Shot produces the best quality photos. The use of the flash is rare; I only use it when needed. My Image Size is set to the highest resolution. You can scale down an image when editing, but trying to go the other way distorts it. Lastly, what works for me may not always work for you, so keep practicing with different settings. Hopefully those tips are helpful!

Thanks for meeting our March FOTM! Be sure to give Jane a shout out on Twitter – @photosfromabb.

In case you missed our last two BlackBerry Fans of the Month, you can check ‘em out here:

January – Brian (@newshutr)
February – Ivan (@IvanSHarris)

Keep sharing your FOTM suggestions with us, either by leaving a comment below, tweeting to us @BlackBerry, or posting on our Facebook page. Stay tuned – our April FOTM could be YOU!

I wanted to take some time to thank everyone for participating in our #BerryHoliday and #JanuBerry giveaways on Twitter® last month. We were overwhelmed with the response we got and had a blast giving away BlackBerry® goodies to our fans. The participation was SO high that #BerryHoliday was even a national trending topic on Twitter!

For those of you not familiar with our #BerryHoliday and #JanuBerry giveaways, we held a daily contest on our Twitter page over four weeks where we invited fans to answer various BlackBerry trivia questions. Winners received BlackBerry smartphones, BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets, t-shirts, accessories and more!

During that time, we got a chance to ask our followers what #TeamBlackBerry means to them. We had lots of answers tweeted to us on @BlackBerry and we couldn’t help but highlight some of our favorites:

@BlackBerry #TeamBlackberry means seeing a bb owner u even don't know, but feels like a family member. #Januberry—
Sahil Rao (@s5sahil) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry @BlackBerry #TeamBlackBerry means I'm never alone! My blackberry is my window to the world! #JanuBerry—
Wendy Barnes (@wendywoos74) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry #JanuBerry #TeamBlackBerry means a group of people supporting and loving an innovative Company – and it's Canadian!—
Sandra O (@punkkittie) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry #TeamBlackBerry means to me is peace of mind! I'm confident that they can answer and solve any problem I have! #JanuBerry—
Jules (@JulieGroce) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry It means being able to capture my daughters 1st steps and share them with family #PlayBook #TeamBlackBerry #JanuBerry—
Mike de Vries (@m_devries) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry #JanuBerry the 9900 has been the best yet, keeping me in touch with my family across the world #touchscreen #keyboard #sexy—
Carolyn Velasqueɀ (@infiniteCVbliss) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry #TeamBlackBerry means a shared passion for a product that changed our lives for the better!! BBM rocks my world!! #JanuBerry—
Rachel (@Rae81Rae) January 27, 2012

"@BlackBerry: To me, #TeamBlackberry=the awesome group of people who make life "berrytastic" and provides us with new info erday #JanuBerry—
Martin Ro (@RoMsicle) January 27, 2012

@BlackBerry #BlackBerry #TeamBlackBerry #JanuBerry it means we get to support a wicked #Canadian company! The #Playbook is a Powerhouse!!!—
Brian A (@B_Oilers) January 27, 2012

What does Team BlackBerry mean to us? It means millions of fans worldwide who share ideas with one another, help one another and stand with BlackBerry. We are YOUR biggest fans. Thank you all for showin’ us the love and proving to us that Team BlackBerry is a force to be reckoned with.
For more details on our contests and giveaways, be sure to follow us on Twitter (@BlackBerry) and ‘like’ BlackBerry on Facebook®.

It’s that time of year again, #TeamBlackBerry (the most wonderful time of the year, some would argue) – the big football game is happening on Sunday, February 5th, 2012, and if you happen to have a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet handy, we want to help you keep up with the action! There’s a ton of great apps available for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet that can assist you in tracking stats, checking scores, playing some virtual football yourself and even throwing an awesome party. (Because really, who can resist a good football tailgate party?)

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet can help you get the most out of Sunday football fun, and we think you’ll agree – it’s a great way to stay connected during the big game! This tablet multitasks better than any other, so you can plan, cook, watch, play, chat and trash-talk while you watch at home, at a friend’s, or at the bar.

You’ve got two days left until kickoff, so don’t delay – equip your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet with these applications today and get ready to score a touchdown.

Pro Football Insider for BlackBerry PlayBook – NFL News

“Pro Football Insider” – sounds catchy, doesn’t it? And it could be you, once you’ve armed yourself with all the knowledge gained with this handy BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app from Pro Football Weekly, LLC. If you’re looking to get the most up-to-date game info and stats immediately, this is a must-have app during Sunday’s matchup.

Patriots Football Insider for BlackBerry PlayBook

For all the diehard New England fans who’ve got their fingers crossed for Tom to bring home the big prize, this app is for you. Thanks once again to Pro Football Weekly, LLC, New England fans can use this BlackBerry PlayBook tablet app to obtain in-depth coverage and expert analysis on their favorite team.

MADDEN NFL 12 by EA SPORTS for BlackBerry PlayBook

If you’re looking to completely round out your entire day of football madness, why not play some football during the commercial breaks? Madden NFL 12 by EA Sports for BlackBerry PlayBook puts the game in your hands. Think you can control a better game than the New England or New York? Step up and give it a shot!

For a limited time as well, MADDEN NFL 12 is just $3.99 USD in the BlackBerry App World™ storefront! Download the app for your Blackberry PlayBook tablet now and get the hard hitting action just in time for the game!

Poynt for BlackBerry PlayBook

Now that you’re equipped with sports apps for both research and play, it’s time to find a place to watch the big game. If your living room just won’t do – or if you’re still cleaning confetti out of your carpet from New Year’s Eve – then consider downloading the Poynt® for BlackBerry PlayBook app and start searching for the best venue for your get-together. The app is designed to display any number of restaurants and pubs close to your location, so you’re sure to find a spot that works for everyone.

Groceries Made Easy

If you do choose to go the house-party route, then one thing a good tailgate party needs is tasty snacks. Think about it: what goes better with football than chicken wings, or chili, or guacamole, or…well, you get the picture. The Groceries Made Easy app will help you keep track of what you need to pick up at the supermarket in order to feed your party guests – and ensure that you don’t run out of salsa by halftime.

Photo Editor Extreme

Did you notice that the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is equipped with front and back-facing cameras? All the better to snap photos of your friends cheering on their chosen teams! Once you’ve got some good ones, use Photo Editor Extreme to edit, crop, flip, and create genuine works of art out of your photos – then share them across your social networks. Which brings us to our next app choice…

Blaq for BlackBerry PlayBook

Providing live-running commentary on sports events has become commonplace now that Twitter® has exploded in popularity, and discussing the game across the Twittersphere is absolutely fun. Not only are you watching and talking about the game with your friends in the room, but with people all over the world as well! Blaq for BlackBerry PlayBook – which runs in real time – is just the app to help you do so.

And of course, aside from these app choices, we’d be remiss to not include the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet’s host of handy built-in features. Use Video Chat to discuss the latest plays with friends, boot up the Browser to search for bits of trivia about your favorite football players, watch play-by-play videos with YouTube®, launch the Video Camera application to capture all of your party’s memorable moments…the list goes on.

What do you have planned for Sunday’s matchup, #TeamBlackBerry – and will you have your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in hand to help out with the action? Do you have any other apps to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!