RIM announces 'lifestyle' apps for BlackBerry
Research in Motion is loading BlackBerry devices with what its co-CEO Jim Balsillie calls 'lifestyle' applications.
(Credit: Tom Krazit/CNET News)SAN FRANCISCO--In what looks like an attempt to compete toe-to-toe with Apple's iPhone, Research in Motion announced a slew of new integrated application deals on Thursday to make its e-mail-optimized smartphone more appealing to consumers.
E-mail was the killer application that catapulted RIM's BlackBerry device into near cult status in the corporate world. And now the company is trying to win the hearts and minds of consumers, not only with new phones--like the flip-style Pearl 8220, which was announced on Wednesday, or the BlackBerry Bold, which recently launched in the North American market--but it's also loading BlackBerry devices with what its co-CEO Jim Balsillie called "lifestyle" applications.
On Thursday, here at the CTIA fall 2008 trade show, the company made a series of announcements about different applications it's customized for BlackBerry devices.
This is not the first time that RIM has announced special relationships with specific application developers. At last year's CTIA Fall trade show, it announced it had integrated the Facebook application into its platform. Balsillie said during a keynote address here Thursday that the Facebook for RIM application, which launched about a year ago, has been downloaded 2.5 million times.
"It's been the fastest take up of any application that we've ever had," he said.
But now RIM has upped the ante adding a slew of new customized applications for its smartphones including: a deal with Microsoft to integrate search, MySpace to provide quick access to another social-networking site, TiVo to offer remote scheduling and browsing to a DVR, Ticketmaster to buy concert and event tickets on-the-go, and Slacker to offer a music library for BlackBerry users.
Here's a closer look at the announcements.
Microsoft mobile search
RIM has integrated the Microsoft Live Search engine into the BlackBerry Browser making Microsoft the default search engine for BlackBerry devices. The mobile search platform will let BlackBerry users get contextual, location-based search results or look for nearby points of interest, such as restaurants or movie theaters, from inside BlackBerry Maps.
Availability: Microsoft Live Search for BlackBerry smartphones is expected to be available later this year with support for multiple languages.
Separately, Google announced earlier this week that it's launched Google Mobile App for BlackBerry, a free download that offers faster search and a slew of Google services for BlackBerry devices. The new mobile application gives Blackberry users Google Apps support, a search history, software update alerts, and easier access to Google programs like Gmail, Maps, and News.
TiVo
RIM is also working with TiVo to allow BlackBerry users to search recordings on their TiVos and schedule future recordings while on-the-go. In the future, Balsillie said that BlackBerry users will even be able to view recorded shows on their BlackBerrys.
Availability: The first software application from RIM and TiVo is expected to be available later this year.
MySpace
First it was Facebook, and now it's MySpace. RIM will now offer customized access to the popular social-networking site, including instant, push-based messaging to BlackBerry and MySpace users, real-time status and mood updates, camera integration, and optimized photo management. Also as part of this collaboration between the two companies, RIM has created a BlackBerry community page on MySpace for users to access BlackBerry smartphone, content, videos, games, ringtones, skins and other features.
Availability: MySpace for BlackBerry is expected to be available globally in October.
Ticketmaster
RIM has also teamed up with Ticketmaster making its BlackBerry phones the "Official Smartphone of Ticketmaster." What this means is that BlackBerry users will be able to browse, search, and purchase tickets to live concerts and events from their phones. BlackBerry users will also be able to browse music and sample cuts. And they'll be able to sign up for e-mail alerts to get information about upcoming music and sporting events.
Availability: The deal with Ticketmaster is exclusive to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. And the application will be available by the end of the year.
Slacker music
BlackBerry isn't likely the first smartphone most people think of when they think music, but RIM is looking to change that. RIM has partnered with the streaming Internet radio music site called Slacker, which allows people to create and stream customized music channels, to offer a new music experience for BlackBerry users. The music can be streamed or users can store up to 1,000 tracks on their phones so that they can listen to music even when they're not connected to the network. Balsillie said that the device automatically syncs to the music site when users enter a Wi-Fi hot spot.
Availability: The Slacker-optimized application will be available sometime in October.
Marguerite Reardon has been a CNET News reporter since 2004, covering cell phone services, broadband, citywide Wi-Fi, the Net neutrality debate, as well as the ongoing consolidation of the phone companies. E-mail Maggie.
I had an 8700g for 2 years before switching to the iPhone. I had a lot of apps on the phone, including RIM's Facebook application, gTalk client, etc. After my contract for the 8700 was up, I switched to the iPhone. It's been a world of difference. The applications are plentiful, they're innovative, and there's so many of them that they dwarf what few RIM has released through partnerships. The iPhone Facebook client alone can do ten times what the BlackBerry client could do. And it doesn't have the kloogy stack that requires that everything be done through some arcane email notification process that runs through RIM's NOCs.
Your statement about the iPhone store is posturing and highly subjective. I myself find that it's quite useful. Examples of apps I like are Shazam, Yelp, AOLRadio, Pandora Radio, Facebook, Twitterific, AIM, Ambiance (a sound generator), Loopt (location based social networking), Simplify Media (streaming of your iTunes library over IP). There are some similar clients on BB (such as Facebook and Loopt). However, this statement is not meant to discredit the BB apps collection, just to show that the iPhone App Store does have some useful apps.
And let's not talk about BB OS. A Java based OS that doesn't provide half of the services that some other application platforms do. Even beyond the SDK, I'll give you one feature it doesn't yet do...UMTS on US networks, not till October, and that's if the BlackBerry Bold launches on time.
Hire someone that understands what people want. Save us all some time.
How long has RIM been around and just now they decide to get into the game of integrating social networking, music and search? NOW?! puh-leeze...
That was a pathetic argument. Maybe you should think before you write. Rimm was in the business of supplying corporate email. So, being around a long time has nothing to do with the price of tea in china. Now they are expanding to the everyday consumer. Therefore, they must add things like phone service (that's right do your homework BB didn't have phone service at first), internet browsing, cameras, music, gps, wifi, etc etc. I just love when idiots like you compare things and no very little. Secondly, the apps store whether Apple or any other company is about a money. Apps have always been available for users for different devices, just not in a centralized location and phone specific. Now we are seeing greed by the phone manufacturers, who want revenue sharing. Apps have always been available on CNET, TUCOWS, etc.
When a member of the press praised Nokia devices? video capabilities, Plummer promptly repeated, verbatim, the comments for all to hear.
Even for Nokia, the world?s largest manufacturer of cell phones with devices now in use by 1 billion people, the iPhone is the current, and continuing, basis for comparison.
At a panel discussion sponsored by Handango, which provides software for just about every other wireless device on the market except the iPhone, several industry leaders grappled with why Apple?s device has done so well. It is a mixture of Apple CEO Steve Jobs? marketing ?mojo,? the success of the AppStore, integrated functionality and more, the group agreed.
I know theres phones out there that are more capable than the iphone but guess what.. whos selling more to the masses on their first attempt at the cellphone market?
everyone seems to be ignoring that little tidbit
WRRROOOOMMMM, Jeff Dunham with his purple friend peanut said it best.......... cplus0N3R.
You just don't get it, selling phones is what RIM and Apple are doing, they BOTH care if I, or anyone, owns an iPhone, likewise RIM is selling more to the masses, I proved it with the numbers. AT&T has more factoring in play than my iPhone purchase. I think it is a mistake for any company making phones to lock themselves with a single carrier. I am not against owning an iPhone but I am against having AT&T as my carrier.
I am not interested in a chest pounding match with anyone, I put facts on the table and my opinion. That's all I expected from others as well.
And with RIM's blackberries predominantly being purchased by the corporate entities, that is of course why they focused their product and "apps" towards that group. But now they realise that there are more fish in the sea, and they want to appeal to the "regular joes"...so its not that they are behind the iPhone, its just that they realise they have the ability to appeal to the rest of the world and not just the corporate goons!
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by Galenn20K
September 13, 2008 2:58 PM PDT
- Rim Creates a MUCH Better MORE Functional Product than Apple has or ever will.
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