To say that I’m a car nut is an understatement. That’s why when the folks at QNX offered to walk me through an exclusive demo of their new technology concept car, I jumped at the chance. The connected car has always been a hit at CES (the Consumer Electronics Show) for QNX; just last year they outfitted an award-winning Porsche. But this year they have truly outdone themselves with a connected Bentley Continental GT featuring a custom dashboard and 17inch curved DLP screen. Words can’t do it justice – so check out this video below:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

That is truly impressive. Here’s a quick recap of the technology behind the car which, by the way, shares its heritage with BlackBerry 10:

• First in-car touchscreen digital light processor (DLP) that blends advanced graphics and physical controls
• Reconfigurable digital instrument cluster that can be changed on-the-fly
• Quality audio experience with Ultra HD Voice and AT&T Watson and realistic stereo telepresence
• Real-time interactivity with car via smartphone
• LTE connectivity as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot for devices brought into the car

How does a QNX equipped car fit in with BlackBerry 10?

They’re built on the same tried and true technology and branched from the same source. For the QNX car, we added in the things automotive companies expect and removed the things that they don’t need. These identical underpinnings allow us to do something unique, which is to draw on the mobile development ecosystem to give car makers something they want – an app ecosystem. The QNX car makes use software development being done for BlackBerry 10, such as browser optimization, power optimization, and file system improvements, and we also have technology assets for BlackBerry that are a natural fit for the connected automotive experience; things such as mobile device management, secure communication channels, graphics frameworks, encryption and authentication, and application stores and delivery.

All of this has lead to the QNX team being awarded a Design and Engineering Showcase Award at CES 2013.

For more details and a behind-the-scenes “Making Of” video, swing by the QNX Auto Blog – then be sure to share your thoughts on the car.

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

At CES 2012, we met with Andreas from Groupon in the Ask the Experts area of the BlackBerry Booth to chat about the Groupon experience on both BlackBerry® smartphones and BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets. Beyond the intuitive interface and fantastic visual experience that the apps provide, Andreas was excited to highlight “Groupon Now!” deals, which use the GPS in your BlackBerry device to find nearby deals – it’s great for grabbing a quick lunch with a friend on the cheap. Check out the video above for the full scoop, and to grab the app for your smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, head over to BlackBerry App World™.

Have you use the “Groupon Now!” feature yet? Share in the comments!

@BlackBerry Just watched a video about the BlackBerry phone/PlayBook remote! So excited! Awesome CES show this year.—
brandon (@brandonMDCXVIII) January 11, 2012

Just watched the CES demo of the @Blackberry #Playbook OS 2 and it's looking wicked. Good work guys, Looks like it might be worth the wait!—
Mike Johnston (@cmscritic) January 10, 2012

Cannot wait for @BlackBerry #playbook OS2.0! Use my bb as a keyboard and trackpad AND as a remote control for media!! 2012 is gonna #bebold!—
Tony W (@tony22s) January 10, 2012

New @BlackBerry OS on PlayBook looks great. Fills most of the obvious gaps and makes the tablet very compelling.—
Andy Bovingdon (@MrBov) January 10, 2012

SO excited for @BlackBerry #Playbook OS 2! Remote control with my @BlackBerry Torch, email and calendar w great features, and loads of apps!—
Derek Gruchy (@ProfGruchy) January 10, 2012

just read a promising review from #ces on @BlackBerry #Playbook OS2.0 on my playbook. Interested tl see how the notifications works out—
Jamie Fletcher (@jamiefletchertv) January 11, 2012

Really impressed with what I've seen so far from @Blackberry's new PlayBook OS. Can't wait to use it. Really innovative stuff there!—
M van Hylckama Vlieg (@TheMarco) January 12, 2012

@BlackBerry awesome playbook demo @CES going home to buy myself one!!—
Stephanie Labus (@stephanielabus) January 12, 2012

@Blackberry Very excited about preview from #CES; I've been using build 6149 on my #Blackberry #Playbook can't wait for the release of 2.0!—
Jack Morrison (@Jackmoe) January 12, 2012

Thank you to everyone who test drove BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 at CES and shared their tablet reviews with us. We could only choose some reviews to share here, but we continue to read them all! Stay tuned for the official release. In the meantime, tell us which BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 feature you can’t wait to explore.

Explore more BlackBerry PlayBook review from tech authorities across the web.

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Check out the video above for an overview of how BlackBerry rocked CES! At the BlackBerry Booth we were able to connect with attendees, partners, business owners, and all others to have some great conversations, play some games on the big screens, demonstrate what’s upcoming in BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, and a whole lot more.

What was my favorite moment? I think it’s a tie between having the chance to get up close with the gorgeous Porsche 911 convertible loaded with BlackBerry technology, and the look on Alex’s face when I walked in with 40 tacos to feed the team.

What was your favorite part of the BlackBerry experience at CES 2012? Share in the comments.

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Earlier this week at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I met up with Eric Wood from Electronic Arts to have a chat about the gaming experience on BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets. While we did cover the benefits of the 7-inch form factor and the performance of top titles like Dead Space, what I was super excited about was the sneak peek of Plants vs. Zombies – a wildly popular game that is on its way to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet platform in the near future. I gave it a shot during the video and Eric was even kind enough to impart some wisdom and strategy for keeping those zombies off of my lawn. Check out the video above for the full scoop!

Have you played Plants vs. Zombies before? What’s your strategy? Share in the comments!

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At the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, I had a chat with Jeanniey Mullen, Global Chief Marketing Officer for Zinio, about the Zinio app for BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablets that is on its way to BlackBerry App World™ soon. Tablets have revolutionized the way that we consume digital content, and Zinio provides an experience that is both streamlined and functional so that you can keep tabs on your interests. Check out the video above for the full scoop, and stay updated on the launch of Zinio for BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by heading over to www.zinio.com/playbook.

To make this app launch even more exciting, you’ll get a $25 credit towards Zinio content when you download the app from BlackBerry App World once it’s been launched, courtesy of BlackBerry and Zinio! We’re excited to partner in providing this offer and all the great content from Zinio for your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

What topics will you be looking for first once Zinio is launched? Share in the comments!

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

I must say, my favorite part of the BlackBerry® Booth at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) of 2012 has to be the QNX concept car based on a Porsche 911 convertible running the QNX® Car™ 2 application platform. It integrates BlackBerry and QNX technology into a vehicle (and a Porsche no less) making for a compelling user experience beyond the smooth ride. I’ve had the chance to see how the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ can enhance law enforcement technology in the BlackBerry PlayBook Police Cruiser from earlier this year, but this Porsche is truly a new animal (not a Jaguar). To top it off, the Porsche won the CNET Best in Show award in the Auto Tech category! Check out the video above to see the technology up close and to hear from the QNX team on how the embedded applications and hardware work within the vehicle.

How would you envision BlackBerry and QNX technology integrating with your car? How would you use it? Share in the comments below.

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

This week at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, we’re excited about the new OS update for BlackBerry® smartphones. A few of the fantastic features include mobile Wi-Fi® hotspot, BlackBerry® Tag, FM Radio, contextual deals via BlackBerry® Travel™ and BlackBerry® Maps, voice navigation in BlackBerry Traffic, and Wi-Fi calling. This update truly shifts the BlackBerry smartphone experience to the next level, and combined with the upcoming BlackBerry® PlayBook™ OS 2.0, you’ll have a fantastic combination of communication, business, and lifestyle tools.

With access to some of the people at Research In Motion® (RIM®) who work behind the scenes to develop and craft BlackBerry® products and software, we thought we would take the opportunity to provide an insider perspective on this OS update as well as the philosophy behind the BlackBerry smartphone platform. I managed to grab Annu Dawar, Senior Product Manager for BlackBerry® 7, here at CES to give us the full scoop. Check out the video above!

• Wi-Fi hotspot
• BlackBerry Tag
• FM Radio
• Contextual deals via BlackBerry Travel and BlackBerry Maps
• Voice navigation in BlackBerry Traffic
• Wi-Fi calling

Pick the feature from above that you’re most looking forward to, and tell us in the comments how it will impact the day-to-day use of your BlackBerry smartphone!

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

One title we’ve been really excited to see launch is ZeptoLab’s “Cut The Rope”. It’s one of the most successful games out there, and there’s a reason for that – you can’t put it down once you start playing. Carolyn hasn’t put down her BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in over an hour, and that’s not good – we’ve got a lot of blogging to do for CES! Check out the video above to view a chat with Diana from Zepto Lab on Cut the Rope for BlackBerry PlayBook.

The object of the game is simple – cut the ropes (and avoid the spikes) to feed candy to Om Nom (the cute green monster). It’s easier said than done, though – and you have hundreds of levels to play through. What’s more awesome? Cut the Rope is one of the first apps with ScoreLoop integration – letting you share your score with your friends. For more info on ScoreLoop, check out their site or this blog post.

Download Cut the Rope from BlackBerry App World and get started on those levels! We’ve got some more great apps coming to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet over the next few days – stay tuned to the Inside BlackBerry Blog and @BlackBerry for updates!

[YouTube link for mobile viewing]

App Showcase

At several interactive demo stations within the BlackBerry booth, you’ll have the chance to get your hands on a ton of apps spanning categories of music and video, productivity, business, lifestyle, social, and more. Explore BlackBerry App World™ storefront to find some brand new favorites for your smartphone or tablet.

Ask the Experts

We’ve brought along some of the best and brightest minds in the company to talk BlackBerry philosophy on apps, BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0, tips and tricks, and upcoming technologies. Don’t miss this opportunity to get some face time with BlackBerry experts from a wide variety of areas.

Gaming

Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Monopoly… The list goes on, and on, and on. If I give in and head into this area, I’ll likely never leave. Swing by to try out the amazing gaming experience on BlackBerry PlayBook tablets and show off your skills on the full HD plasma screens connected to the devices. Whether you’re into action, puzzles, or adventure, there will most certainly be something here for everyone.

The BlackBerry Porsche Vehicle

No, not the phone… we’re talking about an actual Porsche 911 convertible located on the show floor and fully loaded with QNX and BlackBerry technology! Check out how the next-generation tablet platform integrates seamlessly with automotive systems. I’m still waiting on my request to take the car for a spin; I’ll keep you posted.

This is just a glimpse of what we have on site – be sure to come by and check out the booth if you’re in attendance, and if not, we’ll be keep the whole BlackBerry family up to date on all things CES via our social channels. Don’t miss the updates on Twitter®, as well as the blog posts and videos that we have planned throughout the week.

Have you had a chance to check out the BlackBerry Booth at CES 2012? Tell us your favorite part!