The team has been in Austin, Texas at the BlackBerry House to showcase the new BlackBerry Z10 and some amazing musical acts. We’ve had some exciting announcements from our carrier partners in the US this week with a few major pre-sale and in-store availability dates being announced (not to mention a BlackBerry partner purchasing one million BlackBerry Z10 smartphones). The reactions from people getting their hands on the new BlackBerry Z10 smartphone for the first time have been amazing. But don’t just take my word for it – check out this video to get a feel for all the action:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Intelligent, intuitive, and totally reinvented.The BlackBerry Z10 will be available for pre-order 3/12. soc.att.com/W1vO7J #BlackBerry10—
AT&T (@ATT) March 11, 2013

#BlackBerryZ10 pre-order begins tomorrow at 8am ET and will be available online and in stores on March 28 bit.ly/TaImIz @BlackBerry—
Verizon Wireless (@VZWnews) March 13, 2013

We’ve also had an amazing crew of bands come by to play the house this week and still many more to come. If you’re in Austin, Texas, be sure to check out the schedule on theBlackBerryHouse.com – and if you’re in the United States, be sure to pre-order your BlackBerry Z10 today and pick one up in stores March 28.

One of my favorite things about working as a community and blog manager for BlackBerry ® is getting to talk to you and provide updates on our products. Each day on our social channels fans, followers and readers ask, when will BlackBerry ® 10 launch? It is clear you’re excited to get your hands on it, and we definitely can’t wait to get it to you.

Today, I’m happy to report that Thorsten Heins, in a press release, announced that the BlackBerry 10 Launch event is to be held on January 30, 2013. The event will happen simultaneously in multiple countries around the world, where details of the smartphones and their availability will be announced. Here’s the message that Thorsten passed along in the release.

“In building BlackBerry 10, we set out to create a truly unique mobile computing experience that constantly adapts to your needs. Our team has been working tirelessly to bring our customers innovative features combined with a best in class browser, a rich application ecosystem, and cutting-edge multimedia capabilities. All of this will be integrated into a user experience – the BlackBerry Flow – that is unlike any smartphone on the market today,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of Research In Motion. “Thanks to our strong partnerships with global carriers and a growing ecosystem of developers, we believe our customers will have the best experience possible with BlackBerry 10. We are looking forward to getting BlackBerry 10 in the hands of our customers around the world.”

As we’ve covered at events like BlackBerry World ™ and BlackBerry Jam Americas, BlackBerry 10 promises to offer exciting features like BlackBerry Flow, BlackBerry ® Hub, BlackBerry ® Balance ™, and the iconic and innovative BlackBerry Keyboard. Thanks to the diligent work from the dedicated BlackBerry developer community, it also will feature a large catalog of the leading applications from across the globe.

So what do you say, Team BlackBerry? Are you excited for BlackBerry 10? Keep it locked to the Inside BlackBerry blogs for the latest BlackBerry 10 updates and let us know what you’re most excited about in the comments below.

Next week we’re off to San Jose to cover all the action from BlackBerry® Jam Americas, our headline show of the year for developers. The show starts on Tuesday September 25, so be sure to make the Inside BlackBerry Blog your home for news from the ground. Also, don’t forget to check in with our friends over at the Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog and Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog to follow along with news for devs and the enterprise, respectively.

As usual, we’ll have all the action here from the keynote on Tuesday, some exclusive interviews, and maybe even a little taste of what we’ve been working on for BlackBerry® 10. Are you a developer interested in knowing more about the show? Swing by the Dev Blog for all the details, and check out this special message from Alec Saunders on why you should attend.

If you’re unable to make it to the event, tune in to the Live Webcast of the keynote, 8:30am-10:30am PDT on Tuesday September 25.

Are you going to BlackBerry Jam Americas, or will you be following along at home? Let us know in the comments, and remember that you can catch all the excitement here on the Inside BlackBerry Blog.

If you were at BlackBerry World™ or BlackBerry® 10 Jam last week, you might have seen the foursquare “Check-in Stations” we set up. Did you know they were NFC-enabled?

Four days prior to the two conferences, foursquare released an updated version of their BlackBerry® smartphone app. The biggest addition? Near Field Communications! You can now check in at a venue with nothing more than a wave of your NFC-capable BlackBerry smartphone. (Of course, the venue has to have NFC tags for you to tap your BlackBerry smartphone against. It’s not actually magic – it just seems that way.)

Peter Nofelt, Software Engineering Manager – BlackBerry at foursquare (you might recognize his name from BlackBerry DevCon 2010) shot a quick demonstration video of the onsite NFC experience with fellow BlackBerry platform developer at foursquare, Kyle Fowler.

We learned a lot about #TeamBlackBerry from your foursquare check-ins. At BlackBerry World, the Solutions Showcase had the most check-ins and was the most popular event, while the most popular session was a Hands-On Lab, “BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion Studio and BlackBerry Device Service,” whereattendees learned how to install BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Studio and BlackBerry Mobile Fusion for BlackBerry devices.

At BlackBerry 10 Jam, attendees checked in at the Jam Space most often. No surprise there – the Jam Space was where developers could “Ask The Experts”, port their apps to the BlackBerry platform (in minutes!) at the App Express station, or simply hang out with us at the Social Media Desk. The most popular conference session on foursquare was “Get Ready for Cascades™ Development,” where attendees got a preview of Cascades and the powerful tools behind it.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a BlackBerry conference if we didn’t have the swag to back it up. At the end of each conference, the five attendees with the most check-ins won exclusive foursquare “Mayor Badge” t-shirts. Check out one of the mayors of BlackBerry 10 Jam, Chad Tetreault — he’s the guy that brought you LensBoost, among many other apps.

Below are more of the photos you shared with us when you checked in on foursquare, including another picture of those awesome t-shirts! (I know, I want one too. That’s the problem with “exclusive.”)

BlackBerry 10 Jam

BlackBerry World

If you haven’t done so already, head to BlackBerry App World™ to download the foursquare app.

Were you at the event? Did you check in? What badges did you earn? Share your foursquare stories in the comments below!

You’ve been reading about it, you’ve been waiting for it, and it’s finally almost here: BlackBerry World 2012 next week in Orlando from May 1-3! We’re heading down south to capture all the action so you, #TeamBlackBerry, can get the BlackBerry World live coverage you crave. And whether you’ll be in Orlando with us or glued to a computer screen for the webcast of the keynote, we’ve got you covered when it comes to keeping you up to date on the latest news.

I remember the first time I ever attended BlackBerry World, I left totally energized by the general sessions, announcements and, of course, the enthusiasm from thousands of attendees. Not to mention the highlight of the event: the keynote address!

Be sure to mark the keynote address in your calendar – you won’t want to miss what Thorsten Heins and the awesome lineup of speakers have to say when they hit the stage. If you can’t make it to the conference, be sure to catch the live webcast of Thorsten’s keynote presentation on Tuesday May 1st at 10 am 9 am EST.

Aside from the big event, we’ll have lots going on next week, so you’re going to want to keep it locked and subscribe to the Inside BlackBerry Blog and the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog for the most up-to-date BlackBerry and Research In Motion® (RIM®) coverage from the show. You can also follow all the action on our website, on Twitter® at @BlackBerry4Biz and @BlackBerry (hashtag: #BBWC), and Facebook®. Be sure to say hi if you see us around – and give us a shout out for those of you keeping tabs online!

For those more development-inclined, we’ve got BlackBerry® 10 Jam happening at the same time with a whole roster of great sessions, including Cascades Development, jQuery Mobile, and everything related to developing for BlackBerry 10. Even if you’re not there in person, you can follow the #BB10Jam action by keeping up with the Inside BlackBerry Developer’s Blog, or by following our dev friends on Twitter at @BlackBerryDev.

I’ve got my itinerary all set in BlackBerry® Travel™ and my bags packed. Will we be seeing you in Orlando, or will you be following along at home? Let us know in the comments!

We’ve already compiled some tips to help you get the most out of BlackBerry World™ 2012, but for those of you joining us in Orlando next week, one of the best ways to stay on track for all your sessions and informed with the latest updates is to head to BlackBerry App World™ to pick up the Conference Guide – BlackBerry World 2012 app. It’s available on your BlackBerry® smartphone or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet, and better yet, it’s free.

From the app, you can quickly grab information on:

• Breakout sessions
• Speakers
• Conference sponsors

Plus, there’s an agenda builder to help you stay on top of your schedule, an event messages feature that provides need-to-know conference updates, and access to our social channels so you don’t miss out on any of the action.

If you’re heading to BlackBerry World, definitely download this app today. See you next week!

After attending many years’ worth of BlackBerry World™ conferences – not to mention countless other huge events like CES, Mobile World Congress and our very own BlackBerry® DevCon – it’s fair to say that we’re old pros at the whole conference-attendance thing. Now that BlackBerry World 2012 is on the horizon (coming up fast on May 1-3rd 2012, in Orlando, Florida), we thought it’d be a good idea to compile a list of all the knowledge we’ve gained and tips we’ve learned for ensuring that your BlackBerry World experience is useful, educational, and above all – fun!

Whether you’re a BlackBerry World newbie or a seasoned conference veteran, we think you’ll be able to take away at least a few ideas from the below. Of course, if you haven’t yet registered for BlackBerry World 2012 and still need to be convinced, give this video a watch first:

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Now, read on for our top survival tips, and don’t forget to register for BlackBerry World if you haven’t yet done so:

• Battery swap stations are available for you, but always carry a charger or spare battery just in case. You could purchase a spare battery or an external charging kit or get a USB to AC adapter that can be used with your USB cable to recharge on the go.
• Make sure you have a good supply of business cards with up-to-date information on them to hand out to new contacts. If you and the new contact each have one of the NFC-enabled BlackBerry smartphones with the latest BlackBerry® 7 OS update, use BlackBerry® Tag to exchange your contact information with each other.
• Review your current sound and alert profiles – you don’t want to be the one whose ringtone goes off in the middle of a session!
• Set up a BBM Group for BlackBerry World attendees in your contact list, and use the group to organize meeting times/places as well as swap thoughts on the best sessions to attend.
• Use the Calendar on your BlackBerry® smartphone or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to set reminders for sessions that you want to attend. (The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet calendar even has social integration, so you can keep track of which of your colleagues and friends are going to the same sessions!)
• If you’re on a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, you can set your Out Of Office using your smartphone. Here’s how to do it for users with BlackBerry® 7, BlackBerry® 6, and BlackBerry® 5.
• During the conference breaks, make sure to load up on free snacks – and stock up so you’ve got a supply handy throughout the day.
• Download apps like Poynt (for BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets) and Foodspotting for BlackBerry to help you find the perfect local place for a business dinner or team get-together.
• There will be plenty of after-parties and chances to mingle with other attendees, but be sure to drink water throughout and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night. We know you’ll be busy – especially those of you working – but making sure you’re hydrated and well-rested is important!
• If you’re not on a BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, you can install BlackBerry Protect on your BlackBerry smartphone, just in case you accidentally leave your device somewhere you can’t remember. If you can’t locate your BlackBerry smartphone, you can use BlackBerry Protect to wipe your data remotely. Check out Jason’s post on BlackBerry Protect tips, and be sure to also read Ty’s post for five reasons why you should be using BlackBerry Protect.
• Take every opportunity possible to network and meet with new people, whether in your industry or not. The Solutions Showcase is a perfect spot to meet conference sponsors and other industry professionals.
• If you’re looking to network with friendly faces, definitely stop by our Social Media Desk – we’ll have staff handy to engage in random giveaways throughout the day. Keep an eye on @BlackBerry4Biz during the event for more details! (Also be sure you have foursquare installed on your smartphone so you can check into the Social Desk, find friends, meet people and find out about specials in the area.)
• As you’re en route to BlackBerry World (hopefully using BlackBerry® Travel to keep your trip organized!), take a moment to determine your business or personal goals for attending, then make a list of what you want to learn or accomplish. Being focused on your end takeaway will help you get the most out of your experience.

Those are just a few bits of conference-attendee wisdom we’ve accrued over the years. If you’ve got any handy tips for having a successful BlackBerry World experience, let us know in the comments!

We love working with governments, law enforcement, and the public sector worldwide, having been a longstanding pillar of security and reliability for those using our products and services in this space. Not only do we provide enterprise-grade management solutions to these areas, but we also work on some pretty cool projects too (remember how helpful the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet was to a police force?) Now we’re excited to remind you about the upcoming Government Day, which showcases some really innovative applications and helps you face the ever-present challenges of mobilizing the workforce in your industry.

Government Day at BlackBerry World™ is taking place on April 30th, 2012 in Orlando, Florida, and targets the unique needs of government organizations with content that highlights how BlackBerry solutions are used to help mobilize teams, streamline operations and efficiently deliver public service.

We have a great line up of speakers and sessions:

• Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President of BlackBerry Security at Research In Motion Limited (RIM®) will provide a welcome address and opening remarks
• Thorsten Heins, President and CEO of RIM will deliver an executive address
• Michael K. Brown, Director of Product Management at RIM will provide more insight about how RIM addresses the security and mobility challenges for public sector organizations
• Alan Panezic, Vice President of Enterprise Product Management & Marketing at RIM will speak about how BlackBerry solutions are meeting the needs of governments
• A variety of government customers representing North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America will share their experiences with deploying BlackBerry solutions and apps

Government Day is on us: all Government and Public Sector customers who have a full conference pass for BlackBerry World 2012 can attend Government Day at no additional charge.

For your calendars: Government Day will be held on Monday April 30, 2012 beginning at 8:30 a.m. EST.

For more information about BlackBerry World 2012, check out http://www.blackberryworld.com. We’ve also got more details on BlackBerry solutions for government.

Do you work in the government or public service? What are some of the mobility challenges that you’re currently facing? Share in the comments below.

We’re super excited about this year’s BlackBerry World™ – plans are well underway and we can’t wait for May 1st, 2012. Registration is now officially open, so head over to www.blackberryworld.com and reserve your spot ASAP.

BlackBerry World is the largest BlackBerry® conference of the year where the community of BlackBerry users, partners, business leaders, and IT decision makers meet to learn of the latest innovations, upcoming BlackBerry products and services, mobile strategy, and to check out live demonstrations. The conference is also a fantastic networking opportunity to meet with individuals in similar roles facing similar challenges and industry trends.

BlackBerry World, May 1-3, 2012 in Orlando, Florida
Register here

What can you expect to dig into this year?

• BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion – the future of device management in the enterprise
• Looking ahead to BlackBerry® 10
• BlackBerry Business Cloud Services: Moving your infrastructure forward
• …and much more! Stay tuned for details on sessions and the keynote address

Stay up to date on all of the latest info by keeping an eye on www.blackberryworld.com, and where you can sign up for updates. Leading up to May 1st (and on site at the event), you can follow @BlackBerry4Biz on Twitter® as well as coming back to the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog, and join the discussion on LinkedIn® to get excited and keep tabs on all of the action.

Did you attend BlackBerry World 2011? What was your favorite part of the conference? Share in the comments.

[ YouTube link for mobile viewing ]

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of heading down to New York City to attend the 2011 Small Business Influencer awards event run by Anita Campbell and Ramon Ray, along with dozens of SMBs and SMB influencers from all types of industries who were in attendance. It was truly inspiring to be in the midst of so much energy and enthusiasm for small business! We were pleased to sponsor the event and honored to have Alan Panezic, VP of Enterprise Product Management & Marketing for Research In Motion® (RIM®), be invited to speak and hand out the awards to all of the 100 SMB influencer champions. Check out the video above to see Ramon Ray, one of the event organizers, interview Alan on stage to discuss how mobility impacts the work of SMB’s.

Read more at the Inside BlackBerry for Business Blog »