RIM has just announced a new program that will help enterprise and government groups decide if BlackBerry 10 is right for them. The new BlackBerry 10 Technical Preview Program allows these companies and government agencies to start testing BlackBerry 10 devices and the accompanying hardware and software. At launch, there are over 120 customers getting in on the program. With less than 2 months until BlackBerry 10 is being revealed, this is great news for RIM. Check out the full Press Release for more information.

Press Release

BlackBerry 10 Technical Preview Program Gives Selected Customers Opportunity to Beta Test New Platform

Program Begins Today with More Than 120 Enterprise and Government Customers Enrolled

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM, TSX: RIM) today announced the BlackBerry® 10 Technical Preview program, giving selected enterprise and government customers the opportunity to begin beta testing with BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 and pre-production BlackBerry® 10 smartphones. The “by invitation” program starts today, with more than 120 select customers enrolled that span a variety of industries including financial, government, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, media, and distribution. The mix includes 64 Fortune 500 companies.

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Last night we got our first look at RIM’s first BlackBerry 10 device, the L-Series, in some great photos. Today, we get an even better look at this device in a hands on video demo from the same people that brought us the photos. The video is not in English; however, the device speaks for itself. You get a full overview of the first BlackBerry 10 device, plus comparisons with the Dev Alpha B and iPhone 5. Check it out and let us know what you think.

Source : Tinhte

It’s not an official unveiling from RIM; however, it’s as close as we’re going to get till January 30th. The first full photos of the first BlackBerry 10 device, the L-Series, have hit the internet. Hot on the heels of RIM’s BlackBerry 10 teaser image, the L-Series has been fully peeped in this latest round of photos. It features the same front as seen on the Dev Alpha devices and the textured back seen in RIM’s teaser. We have a ton more photos of the first BlackBerry 10 device past the break, so click on through and get excited about what’s coming in February from RIM.

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The official unveil of BlackBerry 10 is less than 2 months away and RIM is gearing up for that unveiling with the release of the BlackBerry 10 website. The BB10 site is a section on BlackBerry.com that gives a nice teaser preview of what will be unveiled on January 30th. A preview of the first BlackBerry 10 full-touchscreen device is also shown on the site, which is definitely worth a look. As January 30th approaches, RIM will be adding more previews and more information to the website. You can also register for BlackBerry 10 updates, but since you’re a BerryFix reader, we’ll have all the coverage you need right here.

• Check out the BlackBerry 10 Preview Website

RIM has been hard at work creating and seeding developer devices. They started with the original Dev Alpha device and then refined it with the Dev Alpha B, which is the current device featuring near-final hardware. Now, they have announced a third developer device that will be coming out in the next few weeks. The Dev Alpha C will be a prototype of the physical keyboard BlackBerry 10 device and will go to the first 1,500 qualified developers. To qualify, you must submit two or more apps and meet the following criteria:

• 50 points for ported Android applications
• 250 points for all other applications (Native, BlackBerry® WebWorks™, Adobe AIR)
• 1,500 points for Built For BlackBerry certified application
• 200 points to start for BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha A/B recipients
• 200 points to start if you are a BlackBerry Elite Member

IF you’re a developer looking to grab a new Dev Alpha C, then make sure you meet the above requirements and click the link below to register for a new Dev Alpha C.

• Register here for a Dev Alpha C Developer Device

Here’s a great photo for those wondering about the final production size of the first BlackBerry 10 full-touchscreen device, codenamed the BlackBerry L-Series. This comparison photo shows the BlackBerry 10 device on the far right and it shows, from left to right, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Nokia Lumia 820, and iPhone 5 beside it.

The BlackBerry 10 device is slightly larger than the iPhone 5; however, it looks cheap in comparison to these other devices. They are all polished aluminum, smooth glass, and shiny plastic but the BlackBerry 10 device is showing up in a cheap looking matte plastic shell. Hopefully the back of the device looks better than the front. But anyways, here’s a size comparison to hold you over till we get an official look at the first BlackBerry 10 device.

Source : BBin

RIM’s first BlackBerry 10 device, codenamed the L-Series, has gotten more attention than most other BlackBerry devices pre-announcement. It’s been pictured multiple times, been torn down online, and had most of its specs released. Now, it’s showing up again in a major photoshoot. This batch of photos is better than any we have had before, showing a side-by-side comparison of the BlackBerry 10 device with a Bold 9780. Check out the photo above and then see the rest after the break.

It won’t be long now until we can get this new BlackBerry device in our hands. February is only a little over 2 months away!

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RIM has confirmed today that the icon size for BlackBerry 10 has been reduced. Originally, when the Dev Alpha first debuted, the icons were a bit smaller than the current size of 150 x 150 pixels. RIM bumped them up to make larger touch targets; however, many users hated the larger icons and look they provided. RIM has done some investigation and has finalized the new icon standard for BlackBerry 10. The new standard size for BlackBerry 10 icons is 114 x 114 pixels.

This is a big deal, especially for application developers. If you are developing BlackBerry 10-specific applications, then your apps with the 150 x 150 icons will scale down nicely to the new size standard. However, if you’re porting over a BlackBerry PlayBook application with an icon size of 86 x 86 pixels, you’ll want to redo the icon yourself so it’ll look nice at 114 x 114. The icon size changes will come to Dev Alpha owners later this month and will be present when RIM debuts BlackBerry 10 next year.

• Check Out The BlackBerry Developer Blog for More Information

Source : Inside BlackBerry DevBlog

Ok, so we know that BlackBerry 10 launches January 30th and then the first full-touchscreen BlackBerry 10 device launches after that in February. Now, we have our first good look at the size of the BlackBerry 10 touchscreen device that some are calling the L-Series. In the photo above, a production quality BlackBerry 10 device is seen side-by-side with an iPhone 5. The size of these two devices looks very similar, with the iPhone having a sleeker, aluminum and glass look, while the BlackBerry 10 device looks plastic and boxy. Let us know what you think of the two designs and which you prefer in the comments.

Source : BBin

*Update (5:20EST): RIM’s COO has confirmed the February launch date for BlackBerry 10 devices. She is quoted with saying that RIM will begin selling devices “ within 30 days” of the January 30th launch event for the BlackBerry 10 Operating System. There’s no word on what carriers or countries will get the devices first, only that they will start coming out in February.**

Yesterday RIM set the date for the official launch of the BlackBerry 10 Operating System. We brought you the story yesterday and I was sure to include the fact that devices would be announced on that day but not launched until later. Now, in an interview with Reuters, RIM is confirming the fact that BlackBerry 10 devices will not be launching on January 30th. A RIM spokesperson has stated that “new BlackBerry 10 devices will be 100 percent ready for the January 30 launch and available in stores not too long after.”

So what does this mean for the January 30th BlackBerry 10 launch date and the devices that will be running the software? I believe that BlackBerry 10 and the first devices are close, but not quite ready for distribution. That’s why RIM is choosing to “launch” BlackBerry 10 on January 30th and then hold off on the launch of devices. My guess is that we will see the OS and accompanying ecosystem unveiled in full at the event and then a device release starting in February and continuing over the next few months around the world. We’ll let you know as we hear more, but only time will tell exactly what RIM has in store for 2013.

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RIM has just shaken up an otherwise mundane Monday morning with a big news release. BlackBerry 10 has been officially announced for launch on January 30, 2013. This will be a worldwide launch with events happening in multiple countries and locations around the world at the same time. RIM also plans to debut the first two BlackBerry 10 devices on that day, with launch date and carrier information on these devices coming then, as well. From the looks of things, this will only be the launch of the BlackBerry 10 OS, and the devices will be releasing later in February. The full release from RIM, containing all the specifics on the launch and BlackBerry 10, starts below and continues past the break.

Press Release

BlackBerry 10 Launch Event to be Held on January 30^th, 2013

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) announced today that it will hold its BlackBerry® 10 launch event on January 30^th, 2013. The event will happen simultaneously in multiple countries around the world.  This day will mark the official launch of its new platform – BlackBerry 10, as well as the unveiling of the first two BlackBerry 10 smartphones.  Details on the smartphones and their availability will be announced at the event.

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RIM has put out some news today regarding the data security clearances that will be coming with BlackBerry 10. They are announcing that BlackBerry 10, when it finally launches in Q1 2013, will be officially FIPS certified? What does this mean, exactly? It means that BlackBerry 10 devices will carry on with the secure history that BlackBerry is known for and can continue to be used in governments around the world for secure communications.

This is great new for RIM and provides them a leg up on other mobile manufacturers who haven’t gone after FIPS certification for their devices. The one caveat to all this is that many governments are loosening the security requirements to allow a wider range of devices in. Here’s to hoping that FIPS certification and the BlackBerry Fusion solutions are enough to help RIM win back all the lost government and enterprise contracts when BlackBerry 10 launches. The full FIPS Press Release from RIM is available after the break.

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It’s that time of year when people come together to celebrate the holidays. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanza, or some other holiday, everyone’s celebrating and giving gifts. When thinking about what gifts you want to give this year, don’t forget about BlackBerry devices. And more importantly, don’t forget the BlackBerry Porsche P’9981.

This exclusive device is customized inside and out for a premium look and feel. Crafted with the highest quality materials, the P’9981 features a forged stainless steel frame, hand-wrapped leather back cover, sculpted QWERTY keyboard, and crystal clear touch display. Enjoy the exclusive Porsche Design UI and a customized Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app experience. To connect with like-minded users, the Porsche Design P’9981 includes premium, exclusive PINs that help easily identify another P’9981 smartphone users.

The Porsche Design P’9981 offers a fast, fluid web browsing experience, HD video recording, the capability for augmented reality applications, and built in NFC support for sharing content and information with a simple tap of the BlackBerry. It also comes with 24 hour VIP tech support, world battery chargers, custom screen cloth and leather and forged stainless steel charging pod.

This holiday season, join celebs and socialites like Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, Piers Morgan and Jay-Z in the upper echelon of smartphone luxury—Porsche Design P’9981 smartphones from BlackBerry are available at Porsche Design stores for $1,800. Click the link below to check out the Porsche P’9981 and find a store near you.

• Check out the Porsche P’9981 Here

BlackBerry 10 devices have officially entered carrier lab testing and that means the number of device leaks will begin to go up exponentially. Since the devices have entered carrier testing, the image above is our first glimpse at the finished product that is BlackBerry 10. The device pictured above is currently going by the name L-Series; however, RIM hasn’t officially released a name or any official information on this first BlackBerry 10 full-touchscreen device.

As we can see in the image above, the first BlackBerry 10 device will look almost identical to the BlackBerry Dev Alpha B from the front. There will be some embellishments on the rear of the device and the BlackBerry logo will be placed squarely on the chin of the device, just below the display. This is the first time we’re getting a solid look at the finished product, including the lockscreen. It’s looking pretty good and it won’t be long till we can have it. Only 2 more months till January, when the 3-month window for launch opens up.

Source : N4BB

RIM CEO Thorsten Heins penned a statement, which he released today, letting everyone know how the progress on BlackBerry 10 was coming along. In his statement, he made two big confirmations. First, BlackBerry 10 is entering carrier labs for approval. Second, BlackBerry 10 is on track and will be launching in Q1 of 2013. Here’s the full text of his statement:

“I’m very pleased to confirm that we have passed a critical milestone in the development of our brand new mobile computing platform, BlackBerry 10. In the last week, BlackBerry 10 achieved Lab Entry with more than 50 carriers – a key step in our preparedness for the launch of BlackBerry 10 in the first quarter of 2013. We made this commitment during our recent results conference call and we have delivered. This process will continue in the coming months as more carriers around the world formally evaluate the devices and our brand new software.

I have spent the last several weeks on the road visiting with carrier partners around the world to show them the BlackBerry 10 platform and to share with them our plans for launch. Their response has been tremendous. They are excited about the prospect of launching BlackBerry 10 in their markets. Our respective teams are now engaged on the technical and commercial preparation of the launch of BlackBerry 10 and the lab entry is an important milestone in that context.

The hard work will not stop here as we build towards launch. Our developer teams are continuing to generate momentum to bring a wealth of applications to BlackBerry 10, our enterprise teams have started to present BlackBerry 10 devices and services to our business customers, and our engineers are fully mobilized to ensure that BlackBerry 10 launches flawlessly in the first quarter of 2013.”

So there you have it, direct from RIM’s CEO. BlackBerry 10 is coming along and is ready for a “flawless launch” in Q1 2013. It’s only 2 months until January 2013. BlackBerry 10 could launch anytime after January 1st, so it’s all a waiting game now.