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Netflix CEO hasn't touched a BlackBerry 10 device

Simon Sage — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:45:21 GMT

Maybe he should before ruling out an app.

In a recent interview, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings commented on his smartphone usage, and particularly on BlackBerry 10.

CP: You've been quoted as saying that you're always trying out a new smartphone or tablet to keep up on new technology. Have you tried one of the new BlackBerry 10 devices yet?
Hastings: No. Like many people I was a BlackBerry addict from 1997 or 1998 through to the iPhone but I haven't tried it. We don't currently support streaming on the BlackBerry, it's a unique operating system you have to target, and unfortunately there's just not enough volume for entertainment (apps). It's a great device for getting work done but people don't interact with it as an entertainment device the same way they do with say an iPhone or Android phone.

CP: How are you seeing mobile behaviors change among Netflix users?
Hastings: One of the biggest growth categories we have is tablet-based viewing and phone-based viewing. On a year-over-year basis it's up quite a lot, as more and more tablets are sold and people experience the convenience and the satisfaction of it. But big-screen viewing is still the majority."

BlackBerry Live 2013 Recap: BBM Channels, cross-platform BBM, BlackBerry Q5 and CrackBerry Live shows galore!

Adam Zeis — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:50:58 GMT

If you didn't have a chance to check out all of our coverage from BlackBerry Live 2013 in Orlando - not to worry.

There was certainly a lot to keep track of including the BlackBerry Q5, BBM Channels, cross-platform BBM and all of our CrackBerry Live shows.

If you happened to miss any of the news or just haven't had the time to watch all of our live coverage, we've rounded up the best of it all right here so you can see what you missed.

Talking BlackBerry 10 marketing, Keep Moving Projects and Formula One with Frank Boulben

DJ Reyes — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:35:21 GMT

On day two of BlackBerry Live 2013, I had the privilege of sitting in an exclusive session with Frank Boulben who talked about the BlackBerry 10 marketing strategy, Keep Moving campaign and Formula One. He went through some of the changes he had done to their marketing since joining BlackBerry last year. There was also a chance for the session attendees to ask questions at the end.

Keeping it in your pants: Top 10 smartphone etiquette tips for a first date

Georgia — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:40:27 GMT

Zen and Tech is one of the many popular podcasts that Mobile Nations produces on a regular basis. Here we have Zen and Tech's host Georgia dropping in with some helpful tips that all CrackBerry readers should know. Enjoy!

We're geeks. We get it. Our phones, be they Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, or Windows Phone, are among the most important things in our lives. We use them for everything, all the time. But in some situations our phones can get in the way, like on a first date.

So, from one geek to another, I'm going to share ten basic tips on how to keep your smartphone from ruining a potentially great new relationship... by keeping it in your pants!

Register for BlackBerry Q10 updates at AT&T

Adam Zeis — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:37:42 GMT

Hot on the trail of Verizon and Sprint, AT&T has fired up their own BlackBerry Q10 page as well. While you can't pre-order a device just yet, you can register for email updates to stay in the loop as we get closer to launch. If all goes as planned, AT&T users should be able to pick up a new Q10 in just a few weeks.

Keep things simple with the Poetic Borderline Case for the BlackBerry Z10

Adam Zeis — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:19:30 GMT

Want a case without the case? Check out the Poetic Borderline!

When it comes to cases for your BlackBerry Z10, you can go big, bigger or biggest depending on your needs. Some users want full-out protection for hardcore environments while others just need something to protect from those accidental drops.

Others want to keep things as minimal as possible and for that comes the Poetic Borderline Case for the BlackBerry Z10.

Deal of the Day: Save 75% on the DICOTA Hard Cover for BlackBerry Bold 9930 and 9900

ShopCrackBerry — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:05:21 GMT

Today Only: Buy the DICOTA Hard Cover for BlackBerry Bold 9930/9900 and save $14.99!

The DICOTA Hard Cover snaps right over the back panel offering slim protection for your BlackBerry Bold. Made of impact resistant hard plastic, the DICOTA Hard Cover follows the shape of your device for a perfect fit and the stylish patterns let you add your own personal touch. Color options include black or blue.

List Price: $19.99 Today Only: $5.00

Learn More and Buy Now

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2-Bit Heros arrives for BlackBerry 10

James Richardson — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:30:36 GMT

If you like your fast paced scrolling action games then 2-Bit Heroes for BlackBerry 10 may well be right up your street. Your character flies from left to right collecting coins - yet avoiding many obstacles along the way. There are things you may bump into that will slow you down and also ones that speed you up. Plus along the way you can also pick up a few friends which will fly along with you giving you some extra protection.

The BlackBerry Q5 is set to retail around the £20 per month mark in the UK

James Richardson — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:16:45 GMT

Like any new phone - prices do change and they are always carrier dependent, however Rob Orr (BlackBerry UK's Managing Director) has reportedly confirmed regarding the BlackBerry Q5 that it should sell around the kind of £20.00 odd per month tariff.

Monday Brief: Google I/O, BlackBerry Live, the Lumia 925, iOS getting BBM... and a Fond Farewell

Ashley Esqueda — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:28:41 GMT

BlackBerry Jam America Sessions now available online on demand

DJ Reyes — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:48:18 GMT

This year at BlackBerry Live 2013, BlackBerry Jam Americas was also held at the same time. If you were not able to make to it the event, or indeed you did and would like to look back over some session, you'll be happy know most session are now available on demand.

If you go on over to the BlackBerry Live Sessions website and click into a session. There should be an option on the top right to view the session online. If you the one you want isn't there yet, keep checking back as all sessions are being added in due course. One session already available is the one given by our very own Weekend Coder, Brian Scheirer and Eric Harty, Ebscer Founder. Their session was Jam42 - Simple Game Development in Cascades. It certainly is one I'll be taking a look at.

I personally enjoyed the sessions I attended. With so many good sessions, I was often conflicted on which ones I should attend over others as there were some good ones that were slotted at the same time. This at least gives me a chance to check out some of the ones I would have liked to attend but couldn't.

Note: You do not have to have been registered for the event to see the session videos. If you don't see a video link in the top right hand corner, chances are the session is not yet available. However, keep checking back as these will be added when available.

The power of BlackBerry 10 - from QNX

James Richardson — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:35:28 GMT

Chances are that if you have been an avid follower of BlackBerry over the past couple of years you will be well aware that the Canadian company purchased QNX some time ago and that was the building block for BlackBerry 10.

You could win a hot new BlackBerry Q10 from TELUS! Enter now!

Michelle Haag — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:47:13 GMT

Canadians, are you ready? We have a third chance for one of you to win a BlackBerry Q10, this time from TELUS.

If you're a resident of Canada, all you need to do to enter is leave a single comment on this post telling us why you want the BlackBerry Q10. Huge thanks to TELUS for hooking this one up! As usual, one comment per person, and spammers will be eliminated and banned from future contests. We'll run this one through next Sunday at midnight PST, so drop your comment below to get in on the action.

Unfortunately this one is again only open to Canadian residents but not to worry - we'll have more contests for everyone else soon.

BlackBerry Keep Moving presents Alicia Keys Secret Sessions

Bla1ze — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:17:36 GMT

Aside from being the Global Creative Director at BlackBerry, it's no secret that Alicia Keys is one hell of a singer. She's got the awards, record sales and countless nominations to back that up.

As part of the BlackBerry Keep Moving series, Secret Sessions with Alicia Keys debuted April 8th in Newark, New Jersey after her performance there and now, the video of that event has been posted for all to view on Livestream. If you're a fan of Alicia Keys music, it's something you'll certainly want to check out.

Additionally, you have the option to subscribe to the BlackBerry Keep Moving channel where more sessions will be posted. We've embedded the video below the break, keep in mind you'll need a flash enabled browser to view it, or you can head on over the BlackBerry Keep Moving channel via the link below.

BlackBerry Keep Moving presents Alicia Keys Secret Sessions

Weekend Coder: Cascades loves JavaScript

Brian Scheirer — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:22:55 GMT

Far too often I hear Cascades and C++ in the same sentence and not enough about Cascades and JavaScript. On that same token another common statement I hear about Cascades is QML is for UI and C++ is for logic. Though that is true, what is also true is QML can be used for UI and logic.

The way logic is handled in QML is through the use of JavaScript. At this point you may be asking yourself (or yelling at me through your screen) is I thought JavaScript was only for WebWorks applications!?!?

Well I am about to show you that is not true and give you three examples of how you can implement JavaScript into your Cascades project.

Incipio shows off Q10 cases at BlackBerry Live 2013

Simon Sage — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:56:11 GMT

One of the first things we spotted when checking out the BlackBerry Live 2013 showcase were a handful of Q10 cases from Incipio. All of the same families and colors are supported for the Q10 as the Z10, including the light Feather and Feather Shine hard case, the Frequency soft shell, and the hybrid Dual Pro case. They're all sporting a variety of bold, solid colors

Incipio's Q10 cases are already available online, and you shouldn't have any trouble finding something that fits your needs and style, regardless of whether you have the black or white Q10. Americans, you snag one of these in preparation for the launch at the links below. How many of you guys are going to be grabbing a Q10? Are you a case-toting type, or do your prefer to keep your BlackBerry naked?

Buy the Incipio Feather case for the BlackBerry Q10
Buy the Incipio Feather Shine case for the BlackBerry Q10
Buy the Incipio Frequency case for the BlackBerry Q10
Buy the Incipio Dual Pro case for the BlackBerry Q10
Buy the Incipio Dual Pro Shine case for the BlackBerry Q10

CrackBerry Asks: Have you experienced random reboots on your BlackBerry Z10?

Kevin Michaluk — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:08:06 GMT

So here's the deal. Since the Z10 has been released, I have used several different Z10 units (probably 7 or 8... I lost count) across four different carriers, and I have never once experienced a random reboot on my Z10. The same goes for all of the members of the CrackBerry editorial team - there have been very few mentions of the phone randomly rebooting for no reason.

However, if you jump into CrackBerry's crazy busy BlackBerry Z10 forums, you will find a LOT of discussion around owners experiencing their Z10 randomly restarting, either during the day, or during the night while it's on the charger. For some, it seems to be a once per week thing. For others, it's happening daily. It felt like the reboot issue has most-often been reported by users on Verizon - to be certain, the reports in the forums do seem disproportionately high for Verizon Z10 owners compared to other carriers, but as you dive through the forum threads it is an issue that is definitely reported by at least some users across carriers around the globe.

Have you experienced randoom reboots on your BlackBerry Z10?

Farewell from CrackBerry Live at BlackBerry Live!

Kevin Michaluk — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:50:24 GMT

BlackBerry Live 2013 has now come to an end and our amazing and awesome CrackBerry Live setup has been fully dismantled. Before we closed up shop, the CrackBerry team in attendance jumped on stage one final time to say farewell and thank you. Be sure to hit up the video above for our tear-jerking farewell.

CrackBerry Live: Bringing Office 365 and SharePoint to BlackBerry 10

Simon Sage — Sun, 19 May 2013 06:36:04 GMT

We noticed the harmon.ie announcement at BlackBerry Live 2013 for Office 365 and SharePoint coming to BB10, so we met up with the co-founder and CEO Yaacov Cohen to get a closer look. Harmon.ie sits on BES 10.1, allowing its users to access all sorts of day-to-day Office 365 information securely, as well as tapping into the SharePoint cloud collaboration service. Harmon.ie also supports Android and iOS, plus Balance for BlackBerry, so it's perfectly suited to the mixed BYOD environment. SharePoint documents can be opened directly in the built-in Docs to Go suite, while search, contacts, and calendar are due for the next update.

The nice thing about harmon.ie is that though this is geared primarily as an enterprise product, they have a fully functioning free sample app available in BlackBerry World right now, so BES admins can figure out if this is right for them without having to make any initial investments. Once they're ready to go, harmon.ie costs $4 per user per month.

The most compelling part of my talk with Yaacov was when he said their aim was to make it so folks weren't just "bringing their device to work, they're bringing their devices for work." There are certainly some tasks in which a smartphone can replace a laptop in a pinch, but I would be hesitant to rely on one as much as I would on a laptop for some tasks, especially document editing.

Any of you guys currently using Office 365 or SharePoint at work? How badly are you hurting for a BlackBerry 10 client? For anyone interested, hit up harmon.ie for more details about their BES plans.

CrackBerry Live: Mippin takes aim at DIY enterprise apps for BlackBerry 10

Simon Sage — Sun, 19 May 2013 02:55:53 GMT

At BlackBerry Live 2013, the Mippin guys were talking up a potential enterprise application generator to follow up on their media-centered product that has already brought some 20,000 apps to BlackBerry World. They're still in talks with BlackBerry about getting this project going, but it would be built on top of BES, so employees could access corporate information that's behind the firewall through an application front-end. This kind of solution would be perfect for companies with plenty of remote workers and heavily-used shared databases, but shy on mobile developers able to create a custom app that handles it all. The BES component would be able to handle deployment of created apps as well, so new updates could be rolled out as needed, or the app could be remotely nuked if the device was lost.

In any case, the BlackBerry App Generator has done a lot so far for more consumer-facing brands - here's hoping the same tech can be used to enable higher mobility in enterprise as well. Be sure to check out our demo of the BlackBerry App Generator from Jam Asia to see what it's all about, or head on over to BlackBerryAppGenerator.com to start cooking up your own.

Cut The Rope updated with support for the BlackBerry Z10

Bla1ze — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:37:36 GMT

Om Nom is back! If you're a Cut The Rope fan, you've no doubt been wondering when the game would be updated with BlackBerry 10 compatibility and finally, the wait is over. Cut The Rope is available now in BlackBerry World for BlackBerry Z10. if you're new to the game, it's priced at $1.99 but if you previously purchased it on the BlackBerry PlayBook it's available for free.

Cut The Rope, in case you're not familiar, is a cute puzzle game where you have to swipe your finger across ropes to release the delicious bundles of candy into Om Nom's mouth while ensuring you collect stars along the way. Sounds easy but there's plenty of obstacles and situations arise that make feeding Om Nom just a tad bit difficult.

Learn more / Download Cut The Rope

CrackBerry Live: Interview with CB10's developer, Marcus Adolfsson

Kevin Michaluk — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:27:03 GMT

The CrackBerry team was super excited to have our very own CB10 app win Best Built for BlackBerry App in the BlackBerry Developer Community awards this week at BlackBerry Live.

Following up on our sweet, sweet victory, we got Marcus Adolfsson up on the CrackBerry Live stage the next day to talk about the coding the award-winning CB10 app and where it's going from here.

Behind the scenes of CrackBerry Live!

Kevin Michaluk — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:47:40 GMT

When BlackBerry announced they were rebranding BlackBerry World to BlackBerry Live for 2013, we just knew we had to kick up our coverage for the annual event to include a live component. Hence, the idea for CrackBerry Live was born.

Doing live video content is a challenge on many fronts, but thanks to our friends at GeekBeat.TV, we pulled it off without a hiccup. Where we were lacking on the gear and experience front, John P. and Kien Tran were not and they helped pull it all together and kept us on track all week long.

We've been receiving great feedback on all of our CrackBerry Live content. In the video above we take a behind the scenes look at the entire setup and what it took to produce to CrackBerry Live this year. Enjoy!

One app three devices: Helping webworks developers build applications for multiple form factors

Alicia Erlich — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:18:40 GMT

Cross platform support for BlackBerry WebWorks application developers

If you are a developer attending BlackBerry Jam one question you may have is how to launch your application across multiple platforms without building multiple bar or bundle files. During one of the Webworks sessions I attended here at Jam, they discussed different techniques that can be implemented to target multiple platforms running BB10 with only one application. There was a Cascades version of this session running concurrently at Jam as well, however, my background is in Webworks so I chose to attend this one.

CrackBerry Live: We talk BlackBerry with ING DIRECT Canada

Adam Zeis — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:10:10 GMT

Chatting with the BlackBerry Achievement Award winners, we took some time to talk to Vinay Venugopal who is the Director of IT Strategy at ING DIRECT Canada. A winner in the category of Putting Customers First, ING makes it secure and easy for customers to conduct transactions using BlackBerry 10. The app allows for easy banking that includes "orange alerts" and even integrates with the BlackBerry Hub,

Vinay explained how BlackBerry is used throughout ING as well as how it helps them give amazing service to their customers.