Last December, I asked what topics you’d like to see covered on the Inside BlackBerry Blog and you responded in a big way. While reading your feedback I saw a few trends emerge for topics you’d like to see covered. Here’s a glimpse on what you can expect from the Inside BlackBerry Blog:

Theme 1: BlackBerry 10 app of the week or featured app – I love this idea and I’m starting to research BlackBerry 10 apps to feature as we speak. Expect to see the first installment in the coming weeks.

Theme 2: BlackBerry 10 focus on features – Great idea! We’ve already begun focusing on features like the Time Shift camera, BlackBerry Hub and BlackBerry Flow, as well as the ability to peek into apps and into the Hub. Stay tuned for more in the future.

Theme 3: Media, media, media – Several readers asked if we could show some more of the multimedia capabilities of BlackBerry devices. We absolutely can, and we’re already in the process of developing new blog posts on how to use your BlackBerry device to take the best pictures and videos. In addition, we plan to bring more video interviews to explain how these technologies are developed.

Theme 4: What kind of user are you? – While we still want to use our Fan of the Month feature to give a nod to our Super Fans, we also think it’s a great idea to feature users of other types as well. The Road Warrior, the Busy Executive, the Creative Guru, the Social Butterfly, the Celebrity…we’ll talk to all of them and let them tell you how they use their BlackBerry devices.

What do you think? If the feedback you provided wasn’t included among the themes listed, don’t worry, you might see a new blog post on exactly your topic in the coming months. Buckle up, it’s going to be a wild ride!

Here’s another chance to make your voice heard; share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below!

When I started as the Editor-In-Chief of Inside BlackBerry more than two years ago, I had no idea what to expect. That’s only half true: I knew it would involve BlackBerry® smartphones and “weblogging” in some form or fashion. While I was very familiar with RIM and BlackBerry prior to my arrival, I was also very new to the corporate world and social media was still pretty new to RIM. It was the start of an adventure.

And what an adventure it’s been! The social media team has added three additional Inside BlackBerry Blogs (Dev, Help, and Business) with a combined total of 1,164 posts across all four blogs; we have more than 20 million members of #TeamBlackBerry following BlackBerry every day on Facebook®, Twitter®, foursquare and every social network in between; and I’ve been able to jet around the world to bring #TeamBlackBerry the latest news or connect in person at dedicated events like Meet the PlayBook and #BB7FanNight. I’m proud of these accomplishments, and especially proud we earned them as a team.

So, why am I leaving? I crave new adventures and trying new things. I’m not sure what those new adventures will be or where they’ll take me, but there are a few things I am sure of that I’d like to share before I go. First, I will miss my wonderful colleagues at RIM, only a few of whom are pictured above (there are many more!). Second, that my great coworkers were only part of the reason why this job has been so special. Without you, #TeamBlackBerry, engaging with us every day — giving feedback and letting us know what’s important to you — Inside BlackBerry would not be possible, or as much fun. For that, you have my heartfelt thanks.

Lastly, that whatever path my next adventure takes me on, you can be sure I’ll have a BlackBerry smartphone, or a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet, pointed to Inside BlackBerry, to stay connected with this amazing community I have been truly fortunate to be a part of. I suggest you do the same; there are so many great things on the horizon.

(YouTube link for mobile viewing)

(Inside BlackBerry Blog readers, please welcome Angela K. for a quick guest post to tell you about the winner of a great BlackBerry initiative…read on! – Ed.)

The BlackBerry® team spent five months searching for Canada’s best life campus story that they believed would inspire and excite the whole country. Canadian College and University students entered to tell all of Canada why they were living the best life.

The contestants were required to upload a photo or video and a short essay to the contest website to spread the word throughout their campus as to why their life was best. The 30 entrants that generated the highest number of votes moved on to compete in a series of challenges with opportunity to receive prizes along the way.

From the very start of the competition, Zachary Wan and the Canadian Asian International Student Association (CAISA) from the University of Western Ontario stood out from the crowd. In a short period of time, Zachary and the members of CAISA mobilized their media lives by creating how-to-vote promotional videos and using their BlackBerry smartphones to create over 30 individual Twitter® accounts which enabled them to spread the word and rally their campus together.

Throughout three challenges, Zachary spread happiness and excitement on his campus in really imaginative and creative ways. From bringing a bear mascot onto a bus to cheer up students on their way to morning classes, to organizing flash mobs, potlucks and even sushi-eating competitions, Zachary’s creativity was impressive.

For his fantastic efforts, Zachary was awarded a $4000 grant that he is generously donating to the CAISA Fashion Show in support of the Children’s Health Foundation. We wanted to send our congratulations to Zachary for bringing so much excitement to his campus and showing Canada what living the best campus life is all about!

“CAISA has worked so hard to create something that we love. We donate all of our sponsorships to charity – it is out of this selflessness that I know we are doing the right thing and living the best life.” –Zachary Wan

Hi, #TeamBlackBerry! Things have been busy since I first introduced myself as a Community Manager.

I love hearing from readers and the most frequently asked question I get is: What exactly do I do on a daily basis, e.g. what is a Community Manager?!

First off, the Social Media team (#TeamAwesome – Ed.) at Research In Motion® (RIM®) is always working diligently to provide you guys with up-to-date information about new products, upcoming events, and maybe the most important thing: giveaways!

As for a daily routine, I don’t know about you guys, but I like to start my day with a nice little workout at the gym which is conveniently located right across the street from our office building (#winning!). Once I finish sweating it out, I head to my wonderful cubicle, which I’ve custom decorated with an assortment of personalized items – one of which is a big tub of protein powder. For people who know me this probably comes as no surprise!

During the first few hours of the morning and throughout the day, I take a look at all of our social media channels (Twitter®, Facebook®, etc.) and keep an eye out for opportunities to talk with Team BlackBerry. This can be anything from a simple hello to helping someone pick the right BlackBerry smartphone for their needs. In general, I always try to maintain a pulse on the community by identifying topics of interest, ensuring that people are being helped by our friends at @BlackBerryHelp, and of course, keeping you up-to-date on the events we will be attending and new products we’ll be releasing.

One of my favorite things is to look at all of the pictures fans submit that they have taken on a BlackBerry device. Some of you might have noticed that we have been posting albums on our Flickr account, and a number of the photos we include are taken by members of #TeamBlackBerry!

I also partake in regular meetings to share our customers’ and followers’ feedback and suggestions with the teams at RIM, and brainstorm creative ways to engage with our community. As you can imagine, all of this keeps me pretty busy, but being able to interact with the BlackBerry community is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.

Feel free to comment below and post suggestions on what else you’d like to know about the RIM Social Media team.

Until next time,

Mitchell S

BlackBerry Messenger Groups: Start One Today!
Need a quick way to keep in touch with family and friends during the busy holiday season? Create a BlackBerry® Messenger (BBM™) Group!

BlackBerry Style 9670: Meet Product Manager Randy Carson
BlackBerry Torch 9800: Meet Product Manager Annu Dawar
The two newest members of the BlackBerry smartphone family, the BlackBerry® Style™ 9670 smartphone and the BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 smartphone, would make excellent stocking stuffers! Get all the details on both devices in these comprehensive interviews with their respective product managers.

BlackBerry PlayBook and iPad Comparison: Web Fidelity (VIDEO)
Here’s the perfect thing to add to your Christmas list next year (or maybe ask Santa for a belated gift?) — the BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet! See how it performs in this video post.

Inside the CSO Team!
It’s no secret that the BlackBerry CSO Team is definitely on Santa’s Nice list — they’re always around to help BlackBerry® smartphone users all year long! Read our interview with CSO Community Manager Michelle here, and find out more about what they do!

As for me, my most memorable moment of this year was the Wordle post – so much fun coming from our community! That’s what I’ll remember the most about 2010.

If you’re looking to keep the holiday spirit going, why not update your BlackBerry smartphone with one of these free BlackBerry smartphone holiday themes from Research In Motion® (RIM®)? There are three festive color options to choose from – red, blue and green. (My BlackBerry smartphone is donning the green “Share the Joy” theme!) Also, be sure to check out the hundreds of other great holiday themes available in BlackBerry App World™ for your BlackBerry smartphone.

That’s it from us for now! We’ll be back in full swing (and then some as we prep for the 2011 Consumer Electronics Showcase in Las Vegas) starting January 4th.

We hope all of our readers have a safe and happy holiday. And don’t fret – the @BlackBerryHelp team will be around if you have any questions.

See you in the new year!

Hi Inside BlackBerry® readers! We’ve got a few quick words today from Angela, who’s excited to tell you all about Campus Perks. Read on and get thinking about how you can participate!

We are on a search for Canada’s best campus story to inspire and excite the whole country. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been seeking out the best stories, whether it’s about how you’re making a big-time difference at your school, being a part of the most awesome program, or even throwing the coolest parties that everybody needs to be at.

As with most searches, the best life is all about the journey. This is a chance for students to showcase everything their story represents to thousands of students and friends across Canada and get some well-deserved recognition. It’s all about the best friends, the best moments, the best programs and everything that puts the “best” in the best life.

Of course, there are some awesome rewards too. The top 30 nominees will move on to compete in a series of challenges. The top 20 will each win a BlackBerry® smartphone, and the top 10 will create their own “best life” event in a final run for the top prize: a $4000 scholarship and a chance to have their story featured in our BlackBerry social media channels (like the Inside BlackBerry Blog, our Facebook page and Twitter account). Full details can be found here.

Know someone that you think deserves to win? You can nominate a best life story for yourself, your friends, a campus group or club, or your whole program. Explain your choice with a photo or a 65-second video – be creative and let us know why you’ve chosen your nominee! Hurry though, because voting ends January 15th, 2011, so the sooner you get your nominations in, the better.

If you want to get in on the action by participating, the voting has already begun, so start checking out the stories now at the official Campus Perks website and share your favourites with all your friends to help them get as many votes as possible!

Those interested in participating can fill out the nomination form, and if your nomination is approved, we’re going to shine the spotlight on your story and spread the word from coast to coast. Be sure to check out all the rules and regulations and make sure you agree to them before entering. And remember, there is no purchase necessary to enter or win.

Good luck!

Welcome to our second installment of Inside the BlackBerry® Community, where we highlight the awesome things that Team BlackBerry does!

There’s one thing that we have started looking forward to every day and that’s #teamblackberry photography by @BB_photog. In August @BB_photog (aka Brian Lee), shared more than a dozen photos he’d taken with his BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900 smartphone.

Since that first introduction, Brian has sent through some truly gorgeous photography. We were able to catch up with Brian over email last week to learn more about the man behind the camera.

Brian’s passion for photography started from watching classic films such as “The Wizard of Oz” and “Casablanca.” Says Brian: “I became obsessed with ‘the vintage look’ of film and began collecting older 35mm film cameras from local pawn shops that could give a natural vignetting effect, which is a gradual transition from a brighter image center to darker corners. It was during this period that I taught myself the basic technicalities of photography through trial-and-error using film.”

Brian’s first foray into BlackBerry smartphone photography was with a BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8100 smartphone. “One of the many reasons why I started taking photos with this particular BlackBerry smartphone model was its ability to capture ‘film grain’ or image-noise similarly presented in traditional film. Photos from my BlackBerry Pearl 8100 smartphone were reminiscent of the classic Polaroid instant camera feel. Just as I did with my old film cameras, I could not stop taking photos with my BlackBerry Pearl.”

In 2009, Brian traded in his BlackBerry Pearl smartphone for the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone. “This model enabled me to take more interesting photos due to its auto-focus lens. I especially liked the BlackBerry OS version 5.0.0.681 on this model because it had some advanced camera features such as Black & White, Close-Up Mode, and White Balance.”

What are some of the tricks that Brian uses to take stellar photos?

Low-light

“Under low-light conditions, it is important to keep the hand as steady as possible. Otherwise, it could result in shaky photos. I always like to take several shots under low light, usually starting with the flash off. At times, the BlackBerry smartphone camera can pick up enough image noise with its high ISO, giving off a film photo look. I also like to use flash under low light because a vignetting effect is common. But I think flash is a must when taking portraits of people in especially dark places, i.e. parties, clubs, etc.”

Focusing

“For starters, Focus Indicator is the rectangle meter on the screen when the camera is turned on. When the camera button (the Convenience Key) is slightly pressed down, the rectangle turns green when the lens is done focusing. At times, because the length of time for focusing depends on light conditions, it requires some patience and practice. Waiting for the rectangle meter to turn green is the key to a sharp photo.”

Close-Up Mode

“Because the camera focuses on a particular point in the Close-up Mode, I take multiple shots to determine the appropriate distance from the object. I usually hold and release the Convenience Key until I am able to focus on my subject. Although it took me some time to get used this feature, the end result was satisfying.”

BlackBerry® Torch™ 9800 smartphone specific tips

I would first start by going to the camera menu and adjusting the Autofocus setup since the stock is set as “Continuous.” The focus meter will appear once it is set as “Single Shot.” I found the Scene Modes helpful but setting it as “Auto” captured a wide range of subjects without much trouble.

Other tips

“I also plug my earphones to mute the camera shutter sound in quiet areas. I initially became obsessed with taking photos with my BlackBerry smartphone because it is a ubiquitous device without being too intrusive when taking photos in public places.”

If you’re interested in Brian’s photos, check out his Tumblr® page http://bbphotog.tumblr.com and follow him on Twitter at @BB_photog!

If you’re following @BlackBerry on Twitter®, you may have noticed the initials “^MS” after our tweets recently. The Inside BlackBerry team is very excited to have Mitchell S. join the team and help keep the conversations going on @BlackBerry, our Facebook page, myBlackBerry and the countless other social media places where BlackBerry has a presence. Who knows – in time you might also see him author a blog post or two!

Since you’ll be seeing his shining face a lot more often, we thought we should give him a proper introduction – video style:

Just in case you didn’t catch the places to find Mitchell, we’ve added them here:

• @BlackBerry
• @BlackBerryScene
• @BlackBerryBlog
• facebook.com/BlackBerry
• my.blackberry.com

Leave a comment and say hi to Mitchell!

Here’s a difficult one – sum up your #BlackBerry love in just. one. word. My word is PING!!! (BY)

Here’s what you said:

“Awesomesauce” is by far my favorite (and a word that I will likely overuse for the next few weeks). Thanks everyone for being so awesomesauce! (And if you want to get in on the Inside the BlackBerry Community fun, be sure to follow us at @BlackBerry and @BlackBerryBlog on Twitter, and join up at MyBlackBerry!)

[photo care of Kevin Fung]

Earlier this week Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip honoured Research In Motion® (RIM) with a visit to our manufacturing facility here in Waterloo, Ontario.

The royal couple was greeted by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, RIM President and Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, local dignitaries and hundreds of cheering admirers. After donning their smocks, the Royal Couple was taken on a tour of the manufacturing facility.

(In case you were wondering, everyone who enters onto RIM’s manufacturing production floor needs to wear an electrostatic discharge smock and footwear to help eliminate potential electrostatic charges that can be carried on clothing – even small electrostatic charges could damage the circuit board used in the BlackBerry® smartphones when they are being manufactured.)

During the tour, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh had the opportunity to see how the BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700 smartphone is made, and to speak with some RIM employees as well.

When the tour concluded, Mike Lazaridis presented The Queen with a white BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone and The Duke of Edinburgh received a black BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone.

The Queen’s BlackBerry smartphone included a picture of children from the Queen Elizabeth Public School in Kitchener, Ontario. The children were all holding flowers and standing in front of a school sign with the message “Q.E. students welcome the Queen to KW”.

The crowd certainly seemed pleased to see The Queen, and I know RIM employees and executives were excited to be able to host this part of her visit to Canada!