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First BlackBerry 10 smartphones available in February -- report

After several delays, Research in Motion wants to move quickly in the final stretch before the launch of BlackBerry 10.

RIM said yesterday that it plans to unveil the phones at global launch events on January 30. The company is aiming to make the phones available by February, according to Bloomberg.

RIM doesn't expect the phones to hit the various carriers simultaneously, but the launches should occur within 30 days of the unveiling, Bloomberg reported based on an interview with Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear.

RIM has long delayed the release of BlackBerry 10, which has been talked about … Read more

BlackBerry 10 will launch on January 30, RIM says

Research In Motion has finally set the date for the launch of its next-generation BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

The embattled smartphone manufacturer said today it would release its newest BlackBerrys on January 30 with multiple events in a global launch. The company will unveil its first two BlackBerry 10 smartphones -- a full touch-screen device and one resembling its current Bold flagship line -- as well as provide more details on the platform.

BlackBerry 10 represents the company's last, best shot at a turnaround. The once high-flying company was a major player in the smartphone world, but in recent years … Read more

Samsung remains No. 1 handset maker, Apple closes in on LG

Samsung and the Android operating system continued to dominate the U.S. mobile market in the third quarter, according to a study by ComScore, but Apple posted the biggest quarter-over-quarter gains.

ComScore, which surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers, found Samsung to be the top handset maker (both smartphones and non-smartphones) with 26 percent market share in the September period, up a bit from the June quarter's 25.6 percent.

Apple closed in on becoming the second-biggest handset maker, lagging LG by only 0.2 percentage points. LG's hold on the market slipped 1.1 … Read more

Defense Department drops exclusive contract for BlackBerry

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has been dealt another blow by the U.S. government. The U.S. Defense Department recently announced that it is opening its exclusive contract with the company to other device makers, including Apple and Google.

According to Reuters, the Pentagon said it would still use "large numbers" of BlackBerry smartphones but that it was also asking other companies to apply for a government contract to provide software that is capable of monitoring, managing, and enforcing U.S. military security requirements.

A Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters that it was broadening its reach with device … Read more

RIM: Over 50 carriers testing BlackBerry 10 now

Research In Motion said today that more than 50 carriers are testing its BlackBerry 10 platform, a critical step to getting its next-generation smartphones in the market next year.

RIM reiterated the company's target of releasing its two BlackBerry 10 smartphones in the first quarter of next year.

Carriers need to test the platform and RIM's products before certifying it for use on their networks, a process known as "Lab Entry." The process, which could take anywhere from a week to several weeks and varies depending on carrier partner, is mandatory for any mobile operating system, … Read more

A cure for BlackBerry owners who feel like black sheep

There might be hope for those who suffer from BlackBerry shame after all.

Once the de rigueur instrument of business communications, Research In Motion's smartphone has taken a beating lately. RIM's market share of mobile traffic has plummeted from 25 percent in September 2011 to just barely 1 percent in July, according to a recent Chitika study. Last month, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer practically declared the BlackBerry dead when she told her employees that she would buy them the smartphone of their choice, as long as it wasn't a BlackBerry.

Now comes word that some BlackBerry owners avoid using their RIM devices in public for fear of humiliation (see CNET's Friday poll on the subject). CBS' Bob Schieffer said he learned of the affliction from The New York Times while studying up on foreign policy to moderate the upcoming presidential debate. … Read more

Friday Poll: Are you ashamed of your BlackBerry?

Has the BlackBerry become the tech equivalent of a pimple?

That was the suggestion in a New York Times article this week quoting a few BlackBerry owners who say their old RIM smartphones have become a point of shame in their daily lives.

Rachel Crosby, a Los Angeles sales rep, told the paper that she goes as far as to hide her BlackBerry from view at parties and conferences for fear clients will judge her for it.

This got us wondering if most BlackBerry users actually feel the same way. … Read more

The 404 1,151: Where we got these BlackBerrys, man (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- BlackBerry becomes a source of shame for users.

- Mental Floss asks: How did the Game Genie work?

- Schools across the country ban Flaming Hot Cheetos.

- Speaking of: 10 things you never knew about Flamin' Hots.

- Newsweek to shut down print edition and go all digital.

- Extra Life: Play games to raise money for local kids.

Bathroom break video: Gold-plated Canon copy machine.

Episode 1,151 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  

Whoops! BlackBerry rep shows off secret phone

Someone forgot to tell a BlackBerry rep in Mexico that the company's newest L-Series phone is supposed to be a secret.

The rep demoed the phone to Mexican site Hola Telcel, which posted a video online. During the clip (below), the rep shows off features of the new BlackBerry 10 operating system like the ability to virtually "rewind" a photo taken with the device to settle on an expression you most prefer.

The video isn't the first leak about the device, with photos and video showing up last month. RIM is counting on the new devices … Read more