[To view this video on your BlackBerry, Click Here]

Today we’re taking a look at two of the coolest features of the BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Bridge. Those two features are HDMI Mirroring on the PlayBook and BlackBerry Remote through BlackBerry Bridge. In the video above, I first give a quick overview of HDMI Mirroring on the PlayBook. All you need is a Micro-HDMI cable and an HDTV to take advantage of this functionality.

Then, using HDMI Mirroring, I show you some of the features of BlackBerry Remote through BlackBerry Bridge. BlackBerry Remote allows you to fully control your PlayBook using your BlackBerry device. You can use the keyboard on your BlackBerry to input text and you can use the touchscreen on your BlackBerry just like you use the one on your PlayBook. Bezel swipes on the device are mirrored on the PlayBook. You click with an on-screen mouse pointer and you scroll using two fingers on your BlackBerry screen at once.

So, take a look at the video above to see both HDMI Output and BlackBerry Remote in action. Then, bridge your PlayBook and Smartphone and take advantage of these awesome features yourself. If you need to know how to bridge your devices, Click Here to view our BlackBerry School Lesson on the subject. Also, you can get the Blaq Twitter application or Xploding Boxes, which are seen in the video, by clicking the links below.

• Download Blaq for BlackBerry PlayBook
• Download Xploding Boxes for BlackBerry PlayBook

RIM has let us know about one of their latest posts on the BlackBerry Developer Website. This posting contains some interesting information on App World, the BlackBerry OS, and BlackBerry Development. First, as seen in the image above, the majority of BlackBerry users are on OS 5 or 6. 78% of all free apps and 57% of paid apps are downloaded by these users.

That’s the first challenge that RIM needs to attack. Getting people to upgrade to the latest OS and/or latest device is a big part of a company strategy. RIM seems to be doing well with this on the PlayBook, where 90% of device owners upgrade to the latest OS in the first month of release, but they are falling behind in all other areas. I realize that many companies use older BlackBerry devices and that fact makes up for a huge part of these statistics, but RIM and developers shouldn’t have to be focusing on OS 5 at all.

Hit the break for the read more about these statistics…

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On the heels of the PlayBook OS 2.0 launch, PlayBook sales and app development are doing better than ever. RIM has just let us know about 2 awesome achievements for the PlayBook. First, the BlackBerry PlayBook was the #1 best-selling for this week. Second, the PlayBook was the top selling tablet at Future Shop this past week. These are both huge achievements for the PlayBook, especially when you consider these two retail locations. Both shops push sales of the Apple iPad and Kindle Fire, and seeing the PlayBook beat out both of these tablets says a lot for OS 2.0.

In addition to the PlayBook sales news, RIM also let us know a little more about application development for the PlayBook. About 6,225 apps have been submitted to App World for approval. A large majority of these applications come from Android developers who are porting their apps to PlayBook. Many of these apps have already been approved into App World; however, there are still over 3,000 that RIM is still working to get approved. We have also seen lots of tweets from Android developers talking about how well their PlayBook apps have been selling. They are saying that more sales are happening in days and weeks in App World than they were seeing in weeks and months on the Android Market. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as more good PlayBook news surfaces.

RIM posted an offer in February that any developer who submitted a PlayBook app before March 3rd would get a free BlackBerry PlayBook in exchange for their submission. On the Inside BlackBerry DevBlog, RIM has updated us on the response so far. There have been some overwhelming numbers, including 6,225 submitted applications from thousands of developers. Here are a few other highlights from the update:

• 6,225 apps have been submitted
• 4,777 developers have submitted at least one app and have been sent a notification stating, “You’ve completed the first step for the offer”
• 1,827 applications have been approved and 1,283 developers have been sent an email requesting their shipping address details
• We have over 3,000 apps pending review
• To help with the reviews, we’ve added more staff to the BlackBerry App World™ storefront team.

That’s an awesome response from developers and spells great news for PlayBook owners. With more and more apps, the PlayBook becomes an even more compelling tablet for both seasoned and first-time tablet buyers. As RIM keeps courting developers, we should see App World expand each and every day.

[To view this video on your BlackBerry, Click Here]

Park Manor Public School in Waterloo has partnered up with RIM for a new program that’s centered on the BlackBerry PlayBook. The program equips each student with BlackBerry PlayBook that they can use for both educational and non-educational work. The PlayBooks are used daily in two of the 6th grade classes at Park Manor and the feedback from both teachers and students has been great.

Students love having access to the latest technology for both research and fun. Teachers love the PlayBook because it better equips the students for research and it helps “students who are reluctant learners” to better participate in class. Be sure to watch the video above for all the information. Having tablets in the classroom is the future of education and it’s great to see RIM piloting this program to make the future today.

Source : CrackBerry

This morning at Mobile World Congress, Tim Neil, Director of Application, Platform, and Tools Product Management at RIM, went over the BlackBerry Platform Roadmap. The roadmap starts all the way back with BlackBerry OS 5, where HTML 5 integration first came to the BlackBerry Platform. Development for BlackBerry OS 5, 6, and 7 all use both Java and HTML 5 as the basis for development.

With the PlayBook; however, RIM changed up the available development platforms for BlackBerry. HTML 5 is still included, but Java is now a thing of the past. The other development platforms for the PlayBook and OS 2.o include QNX Native and Adobe AIR and Flash. When BlackBerry 10 launches for both Smartphones and the PlayBook, it will allow for development with all the current developer tools and it will add in the new, TAT-designed, Cascades UI Framework that we have seen RIM demo in the past.

Read on past the break for more information on what’s coming with BlackBerry 10.

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RIM has pushed out the Scoreloop social gaming SDK v1.0 for developer use on PlayBook OS 2.0. This SDK allows developers to use the Scoreloop system, which RIM acquired last year, for things like high-scores and achievements. This SDK allows developers easy access and development for:

• Leaderboards – Allow players to compete on regional and global leaderboards
• Awards and Achievements – Keep players engaged with challenging achievements
• Player Challenges – Add competitive edge with social challenges
• Player Profiles – Personalize the experience with editable profiles
• Friend Management – Spur competition between closest rivals

This new technology is available now for developers to begin implementing into their applications. RIM worked with the developers of Kami Retro HD to implement the Scoreloop SDK into their app as a conceptual design for other developers to follow. If you’re a developer and interested in using the Scoreloop SDK in your app, hit the link below for all the details.

• Get the Scoreloop social gaming SDK 

Source : BlackBerry DevBlog

Miner Diary by MMMOOO is a PlayBook game that I hadn’t heard anyone talking about yet. I stumbled across it while searching through App World, and since it was free, decided to try it out. I was blown away by how easy the game is to play, but how hard it is to get a perfect score. The object of the game is simple, you’re the miner and your goal is to collect the most valuable gemstones and rocks within the time limit. You just tap the screen to launch the grapple hook and grab the gemstones from the mine. This is one of the funnest, free games I have tried on the PlayBook and it comes highly recommended.

• Download Miner Diary for the BlackBerry PlayBook 

Last week, Netflix told BlackBerry users that they had no plans to support our devices but that this stance could change in the future. Well, that response isin’t good enough for the BlackBerry community. There’s a new petition up on change.org today and it’s one that all BlackBerry users will want to sign. This petition will be delivered to Netflix in hopes that they may change their mind and develop a BlackBerry app sooner, rather than later. Hit thie link below to put your name on the petition and help being Netflix to your BlackBerry device.

• Sign the Petition to bring Netflix to BlackBerry  

Source : N4BB

RIM has just let us know that the BlackBerry Native Development Kit (NDK) 2.0 for the PlayBook has just left ditched its Beta status and is now an official release. Here’s what RIM has to say about the NDK and its new official status, it starts below and continues past the break.

• Download the PlayBook NDK 2.0

The BlackBerry Native SDK 2.0 for the BlackBerry PlayBook is out of beta and available for developers around the world. Updates to the Native SDK make developing C/C++ applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook simpler, with enhanced troubleshooting and a more intuitive IDE for developers.

This version includes new APIs as well as new wizards. The Device Information API allows developers to use data on battery, phone, storage and more to alert users on resources. The LED service API will allow notifications in applications. Developers can take advantage of the BlackBerry PlayBook’s stereo sound with the Soundplayer API.

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Hey everyone! It’s been a huge week for both The BerryFix and the BlackBerry World. First, we had PlayBook OS 2.0 drop on Tuesday, starting the week off with a bang. We have had tons of features on the new OS already and there are more on the way. Then we had updated galore, for both the PlayBook and BlackBerry Smartphones. TheBerryFix.com also broke our existing daily and weekly site traffic records this week. And all of this happened as my first full week as Editor-in-Chief! It’s looking like a great time to be a reader of TheBerryFix and a BlackBerry user, as well. Listed below are all the top stories from this week, in case you missed any or want to re-read some of the big news.

PlayBook OS 2.0 News

• BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 is Now Available!!!
• BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 Video Walkthrough
• Interview with Michael Clewley, Senior Product Manager at RIM, about PlayBook OS 2.0
• BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 brings Easy-Reader function to the Browser
• Taking at look at the new BlackBerry Video Store on PlayBook OS 2.0
• PlayBook OS 2.0 brings a new look to App World
• RIM debuts BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 with some new commercials

Apps (New & Updated)

• Blaq Twitter Client for BlackBerry PlayBook updated to v1.7 with new features
• Google+ for BlackBerry released by Smarter Apps
• MyWorld from Wikitude lets you create your own Augmented Reality World
• Foodspotting for BlackBerry is available now in App World
• BlackBerry Messenger updated to v6.1.0.70 in App World
• WordPress for BlackBerry PlayBook is now available in App World
• Canabalt for BlackBerry PlayBook is a fun side-scroller, and it’s free
• Profile Scheduler now available for BlackBerry Devices running OS 7.1

BlackBerry School Lessons

• Using the Calendar on PlayBook OS 2.0
• Setting up Email and Social Network accounts on PlayBook OS 2.0
• Using Email Signatures on BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0

Last year we heard RIM discuss the evolution of the PlayBook and a 4G LTE model was discussed, as well as 3G and HSPA+ models. There hasn’t been any additional discussion of a 4G model and RIM seems to be pretty happy with the current WiFi-only model. However, Mobile Syrup has gotten ahold of a document which shows a 4G LTE model may be coming this April. This document also goes on to show that BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will have a full-on launch in March 2012.

This all sounds well and good; however, I’m a little skeptical about RIM going 4G LTE on the PlayBook. Earlier this year, we saw a 2012 RIM roadmap and an LTE version of the PlayBook was no where to be found. Instead, we was what RIM is calling the PlayBook 3G+, which is slated to have HSPA+ wireless connectivity. Things are rapidly changing in the world of mobile technology, so we very well could see a 4G LTE PlayBook in early April. Only time will tell…

Source : Mobile Syrup

So, you’ve downloaded PlayBook OS 2.0 and have this shiny new Calendar app, but you’re not sure exactly how to use it. Well, that’s why we have the BlackBerry School Lesson Series here at TheBerryFix.com. In today’s lesson, we’ll be taking a look at all the features of the Calendar in PlayBook OS 2.0. From adding appointments to viewing your weekly schedule, we’ll walk you through it all. Follow me past the break to get started.

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I love the BlackBerry PlayBook Browser in OS 2.0; however, there are many of you out there who don’t feel the same way. And for those of you that aren’t the biggest fans of the stock browser, I’m showing you a great alternative. Dolphin Browser HD is an awesome, and proven, alternative. Dolphin Browser is a favorite on Android, where it was ported to the PlayBook from, as well as on iOS. The browser is fast, simple, and works in both portrait and landscape mode. Dolphin Browser HD is available for free in App World. You can grab it right on your PlayBook by tapping the link below.

• Download Dolphin Browser HD for PlayBook

The above image showcases another awesome feature that RIM snuck into PlayBook OS 2.0 without telling us. I’m calling the feature Easy-Reader; however, I’m sure there’s an official name for it out there somewhere. This function on the PlayBook Browser does the same thing that apps like Readability do, it de-clutters the webpage you’re looking at and makes it easy to read.

To access this function, you’ll click on the little book icon in the top-left corner of the webpage you’re on. That will bring up the Easy-Reader and allow you to read your article without all the advertisements and clutter. Have you seen this or any other new suprise features in OS 2.0? If so, let us know so we can let all of the BerryFix Nation know about it!