BlackBerry's juicy smartphone launch (pictures)
Today, BlackBerry introduced its revamped Blackberry 10 OS, debuted two smartphones, and a unleashed a new company name.
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Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
A whole new BlackBerry
At today's press event, held simultaneously in New York and London, Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins unveiled quite a lot about the new BlackBerry
New name
First among the announcements, a new company name. Known as RIM no longer, BlackBerry is now the company, too.
OS is the word
Heins talks up the new OS.
The proof is in the stock
To underscore the name change, BlackBerry showed off its new stock symbol.
The platform, rebuilt
The new OS, BlackBerry 10, was completely redesigned, said CEO Heins.
Proud of innovation
A slew of innovations sets the new batch of BlackBerrys apart, he continued.
Two new phones
Showcasing these handsets are the "="" rel="">BlackBerry Z10, left, and the Q10, right.
Unveiling the Q10
In the keyboard-bearing Q10, the "q" must stand for "QWERTY."
Colors
The Q10 will come in black and white.
Q10 in hand
Heins models the BlackBerry Q10 at the launch event.
'We want our keyboards'
Heins acknowledged the large number of phone owners who tell BlackBerry not to throw out the physical keyboard.
A closer look at the Q10 with BlackBerry 10
This slide shows how the BlackBerry 10 OS will look on the Q10 smartphone.
Back that up
BlackBerry had the Q10's back panel material custom-made.
Stop, demo time
BlackBerry's Vivek Bhardwaj joins Heins for a series of live demos of the new OS.
BlackBerry Hub
First up, BlackBerry Hub. You can get a closer look in CNET's full BlackBerry 10 OS review.
BlackBerry World
The new storefront, known a BlackBerry World, sells TV shows and video, on top of music, games, and apps.
Skype support
Skype is one big-name app coded specifically for Blackberry 10.
Kindle support, too
Kindle is another.
Highest number of apps at launch
Hitting the developer circuit hard netted BlackBerry 70,000 apps available at BB10's launch.
Roundup
Here are some of the heavy-hitters.
A look at music
Some tunes you can buy.
New creative director: Alicia Keys
BlackBerry loves it musical ambassadors. This time, it hired Alicia Keys as its global creative director.
Keys backs BlackBerry
After "breaking up" with a previous BlackBerry, they're happily dating again, she said.
More Alicia
Keys will take her BlackBerry Z10 with her on her Girl on Fire tour, and the album of the same name comes reloaded on the Z10.
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