Strategy Analytics Recognizes BlackBerry as the Lowest TCO Multi-Platform Enterprise Mobility Management Solution

More than 800,000 new BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 licenses issued since the launch of migration program

May 9, 2014. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX), a world leader in mobile communication, today announced that BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 (BES10) is the most cost effective multi-platform enterprise mobility management solution, according to a report by the global market research firm Strategy Analytics.

“Our detailed report found that the pricing offered by BES10 creates a lowest-cost migration path from a TCO perspective”, said Andrew Brown, Executive Director, Enterprise Research at Strategy Analytics. “We attribute this to multiple factors, including the Enterprise Server License Trade-up program, the impact of BlackBerry Software Assurance across its Advanced and Premium support categories, and new tiered support categories.”

The Strategy Analytics report, “Enterprise Mobility Management: A review of Total Cost of Ownership,”[1] found that BES10 is the lowest cost Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution based on a five year total cost of ownership (TCO). Migrating from BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 (BES5) to a BlackBerry competitor is, on average, more than double the cost over 5 years than migrating from BES5 to BES10. The Strategy Analytics report went on to note that the “all inclusive” nature of the BlackBerry offering provides a tangible cost advantage which is then sustained throughout the TCO period.

“BlackBerry customers consistently tell us that cost, coupled with world-class security, is a top priority when choosing a multi-platform mobility management partner,” said John Sims, President, Global Enterprise Solutions, BlackBerry. “The report exemplifies why BlackBerry is the only company that can support the full range of EMM requirements, from the most secure to the most open BYOD environments. Customers also recognize the additional security provided from our global NOC infrastructure. No other company has this range of capabilities and we will work diligently to earn the trust of enterprise customers globally.”

Strategy Analytics analysed the TCO of each solution and took into consideration multiple cost drivers, implementation, support and payment scenarios for enterprises migrating from BES5 to BES10 or to other mobility management platforms, as well as enterprises adopting an EMM solution for the first time. Based on the report, BlackBerry ranked the strongest in these categories:

• Lowest TCO for commercial EMM deployments: BlackBerry offers an implementation and service package that is substantially cheaper than any of its competitors for the EMM package. Lowest TCO for EMM deployments in regulated and high-security environments: Even in a fully regulated environment where BlackBerry offers the highest form of security, it also proves to be the lowest cost solution based on a 5 year TCO.
• Highest security: CIOs and IT decision makers listed BlackBerry as the most secure solution. The report concluded that competitors do not offer the same level of IT policies and compliance controls as BlackBerry and cannot deliver a similar end-to-end security model.
• Scope of EMM capabilities: BES10 offers the most comprehensive set of capabilities for the broadest range of customers, including regulated, enterprise and SMBs. 

BlackBerry EZ Pass Migration Program Gains Momentum
Customers are realizing the benefits and cost savings of the recently launched BlackBerry program, which provides free license migration and support for BlackBerry customers to move from BES5 and other MDM platforms to BES10.

Since the program launched on March 31, 2014, more than 800,000 BES10 client access licenses have been issued to customers worldwide. The enterprises participating in the program represent a cross-section of industries from financial services and healthcare, to telecommunications and government organizations. Migrations to BES10 include customers using other MDM vendors such as AirWatch, MobileIron and Good Technology.

The BlackBerry EZ Pass migration program is designed to help customers take full advantage of the BES10 multi-platform solution by seamlessly migrating from BES5 and includes access to BlackBerry’s technical support services.

For more information about the BlackBerry EZ Pass migration program, please visit: www.blackberry.com/ezpass. For more information about BES10, please visit: www.bes10.com. For more information about the Strategy Analytics report, please visit www.blackberry.com/tco.

BBM Chats Just Got More Fun with the Introduction of Stickers

Multi-Person Photo Sharing and Larger File Transfers Round Out New Features

APril 2, 2014. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in mobile communications, today announced an update of BBM™, a leading mobile messaging platform for private and secure communications, that allows customers to further personalize and enhance their chat experiences.

Available for download later today from the respective app stores for the Android™, BlackBerry® and iOS® platforms, BBM will now offer stickers – larger, bolder and more expressive images than emoticons – that BBM users can add to their BBM chats. Customers will be able to purchase and download sticker packs from the new BBM Shop found in BBM.

“Stickers are another great example of how we’re making the BBM experience more engaging and fun for our customers,” said David Proulx, Senior Director, BBM at BlackBerry. “Stickers let you personalize your chats and strike the right chord with people around the world who rely on stickers in chats when they connect with colleagues, family, friends, peers and partners.”

BBM customers will be able to download a variety of sticker packs right inside BBM from the BBM Shop. Each sticker pack contains between 20 and 25 stickers and features content developed by talented artists or relating to a theme or a character like CosCat, Gilbert’s Tales or Bubble Bot, as well as sticker packs featuring content from popular brands including Shaun the Sheep and WWE. To start, sticker packs will either be offered for free, or cost US $1.99, or an approximate equivalent amount in the local currency, and will be billed through the device’s app store.

With WrestleMania 30 just around the corner, WWE is planning to give away a free sticker pack to its fans through BBM. In addition, a free sticker pack created by BlackBerry featuring favorite BBM emoticons will be available to all BBM customers that download the new update. BlackBerry plans to add new sticker packs on a regular basis.

In addition to stickers, BBM customers can now easily share photos in multi-person chats*. Photos will be delivered in the chat as a thumbnail that can be opened to reveal the image in full size. BBM customers can also now send higher quality photos, videos and presentations thanks to larger in-chat file transfers. Files up to 16MB can now be shared in a chat, an increase of 10MB.**

For more information about the BBM update, device requirements and other features, please visit bbm.com.

BBM Voice and BBM Channels Now Available for Android and iPhone Customers

New features also include simple file and photo sharing, location sharing, over 100 new emoticons and Dropbox integration for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry Smartphones

FEBRUARY 14, 2014Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – A new version of BBM™ will be available later today for Android™, iPhone and BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) customers, giving them lots of exciting new features. Android and iPhone customers will now be able to make free voice calls to BBM contacts over a Wi-Fi® or data connection with BBM Voice*, as well as access BBM Channels. In addition, BBM customers on Android, iPhone and BlackBerry** smartphones will have more to chat about with fast one-click sharing of photos, documents, voice notes and more. BBM customers will also be able to share their live location for a specified amount of time with other BBM contacts by using location sharing, powered by Glympse, and will have 100 new emoticons available to help them say what’s on their mind.

“BBM continues to deliver new functionality as a premier messaging platform that provides a simple and effective way to stay connected. Today’s announcement gives Android and iPhone customers the rich experience of BBM Voice and BBM Channels – two great ways to connect with friends, family and colleagues, to build out communities around shared interests, and to follow your favorite people and brands,” said John Sims, President, Global Enterprise Solutions at BlackBerry. “BBM continues to quickly evolve as a social mobile platform for consumers as well as for business customers through innovative features that give you great new ways to connect and share with each other.”
BBM Channels

BBM Channels lets customers chat with other BBM users about topics that interest them. Customers can join channels about a range of topics from products, hobbies and sports to entertainment, fashion, cars and more. Channels can be created by brands, businesses and BBM customers alike and are a great way to communicate directly and immediately with people who share common interests in the broader BBM community.

By posting to their channel, channel owners immediately reach their subscribers with a message that can spark discussions. “Scheduled chat hours” allow BBM customers to have live chats with the channel owner – a great way to engage directly with their favorite channels one on one.

BBM Channels maintains the BBM core values of immediacy, privacy and control. Because BBM Channels live right inside BBM, BBM customers get notified the moment one of the channels they follow has a new post, or when someone responds to their comments.

With BBM Channels, customers can engage with brands or other customers without having to add them to their contact lists, thereby maintaining a high level of privacy. With BBM Channels, customers have the discretion to opt in only to channel brands that are relevant to them and always have control over the channels they subscribe to, while channel owners have control over how subscribers interact with their channel.

For brands and businesses, BBM Channels provides a new way to interact and connect with a highly engaged and targeted mobile audience. There are thousands of brands already using BBM Channels to engage with their customers. More on BBM Channels:

o Open, yet private.  Channel owners control the conversation on their channels. Channel owners can choose to: allow subscribers to comment on posts freely or to approve them first; let subscribers chat with them directly anytime, or set chat hours; they can interact with subscribers without ever giving out personal details, or adding them as a personal BBM Contact. And with private channels, channel owners can keep in touch with closer circles on an invite-only basis.
o Channel reporting.  Each channel has its own performance dashboard built right in. Channel owners can see stats on how subscribers are engaging with their channel, how many people have viewed each post and how the subscriber base is growing.
o It’s fast and easy. Start a channel right from a BlackBerry, iPhone or Android smartphone. It only takes a few minutes to set up a BBM Channel and once it is set up, posting to it is as simple as choosing a photo and adding a short message.
Location Sharing

With location sharing powered by Glympse, customers can now share their real-time location with one or several BBM contacts for a specified amount of time – perfect for when people are running late, out with friends and more. BBM puts control in the customers’ hands, allowing them to specify how long they want to share their location for, by setting a timer. When the timer runs out the customers’ location becomes private again.

Dropbox Support
Built-in support for Dropbox™ makes it easy to send large files like presentations and videos. With Dropbox built in to BBM, you can send a file from your personal cloud directly to a BBM contact. On the receiving end, you can save the file directly to your smartphone or add it to your Dropbox account.

Emoticons
BBM customers have been asking for more emoticons, and now more than 100 new emoticons have been added to help you express yourself. Many of the new emoticons came from ideas submitted by customers!
BBM continues to connect friends, family and colleagues across a myriad of mobile networks, as the standard for mobile instant messaging with a fast, reliable, and engaging experience that puts control of privacy and personal information back in the customers’ hands.

New BlackBerry OS 10.2.1 Lets You Do More, More Easily

Update includes hundreds of new enhancements and refinements and is rolling out to customers through carriers around the world 

January 29, 2014. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in mobile communications, today announced BlackBerry® 10 OS version 10.2.1, a new software update for BlackBerry 10 smartphones that lets you do more, more easily, and helps you be more productive and stay better connected.

BlackBerry OS 10.2.1 includes hundreds of new enhancements and refinements that will make the things you do every day faster and easier:

    Customize Pinch Gesture to Filter BlackBerry® Hub - BlackBerry Hub lets you access all your messages and notifications in one place. A new feature lets you instantly filter the message list in the Hub. You can customize the Hub to show only Unread Messages, Flagged Messages, Draft Messages, Meeting Invites, Sent Messages or Level 1 Alerts. Once the filter criterion is set, you can simply activate it with a pinch gesture on the Hub’s message list.

    Simplified Phone Experience - The phone includes a new incoming call screen that lets you swipe to the left to answer or swipe right to ignore a call. New intuitive icons allow you to instantly silence the call, or send a Reply Now response through BBM™, SMS or email that you can’t answer the phone right away. You can choose from a list of standard automated responses or respond with a personalized note.

    SMS and Email Groups - You can now create SMS and email groups for more efficient broadcast communications.

    Actionable Lock Screen Notifications - You can now “Tap to open” a message that appears on the lock screen, letting you respond to an important message much quicker or to check messages more discreetly.

    Picture Password for Quick Unlocking - You can quickly unlock your phone using a combination of a picture and a number (0-9) of your choice, which you place at a particular point on the image. When you try to unlock the phone, the picture will appear along with a grid of random numbers. To unlock, simply drag the grid so the number you selected overlays the particular point on the image.

    Customizable Quick Settings Menu - You can now customize what appears on the Settings menu, which includes features such as being able to quickly change the Brightness of the smartphone’s display, toggle various network connections, and access the built-in flashlight. The Settings menu also includes a toggle that lets you instantly switch between your Personal and Work perimeter.

    Offline Browser Reading Mode - You can now save the current web page you’re on for later viewing, even if you are offline or without an Internet connection.

    Preferred Contact Sync - You can now choose the sync source for your Contacts ensuring you always have the most up-to-date contact details. When adding a new contact you can designate which sources you want the contact info to sync with, such as the corporate address book, Gmail, Hotmail, etc.

    Device and Battery Monitor - A new and improved device monitor provides you with essential details on battery usage, the impact of installed apps on battery life and memory usage and storage, as well as CPU stats.

    Automatic Software Updates - OS updates can be set to happen automatically over a Wi-Fi® connection to help ensure you’re always benefiting from the latest and best possible customer experience.

    Enterprise Features - When combined with BES10 version 10.2, enterprise customers will gain additional security features and IT policies for when more granular controls are required, such as for regulated industries and for organizations that work with sensitive data. For more information about BES10, please visit www.bes10.com.

    FM Radio - If you have a BlackBerry® Z30, BlackBerry® Q10 or BlackBerry® Q5 smartphone, the new software update unlocks the built-in FM radio in those handsets. You can listen to local FM stations, which does not require any network connection.  

Subject to carrier approvals, BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2.1 will be available to customers around the world, rolling out starting today in the U.S., Europe, Canada, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, and will be available for the entire line of smartphones running BlackBerry 10 (including the Porsche Design P’9982).

For more information about BlackBerry 10, visit www.blackberry.com/blackberry10OS

BlackBerry World Top Apps in 2013 in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 28 January 2014  – BlackBerry, a world leader in mobile communications, has released information on its top downloaded apps across Asia Pacific for 2013 revealing that BlackBerry users are most concerned with productivity and connectivity when it comes to choosing mobile applications.

Social networking is extremely important to BlackBerry users who are constantly trying to keep in touch while on the go with Facebook for BlackBerry 10, being the most in demand app across the region and appearing in either number one or number two slots in almost every market from Malaysia to Singapore and Australia.

The second most popular app across the region was BlackBerry Maps which kept BlackBerry users moving. Other networking apps in the top ten most downloaded list include BBM, LinkedIn, Skype, WhatsApp, WeChat and Twitter. Next to connectivity, BlackBerry users looked for apps to aid their productivity. Apps like Connect to Dropbox, Adobe Reader, Box, Documents To Go, Stocks for BlackBerry 10 and Money Plus featured heavily in the top ten count across the region.
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In 2013, Malaysians got in touch with their inner child through Angry Birds Star Wars, the popular puzzle video game based on the intergalactic Star Wars movie franchise. The app received the highest number of purchase revealing that Malaysians are not just “all work and no play”. Socializing proves to be a top priority for Malaysians with FaceFlow Video Chat unveiled as the number two most adopted app. Priding itself for offering “the best video chat service on BlackBerry”, it’s no surprise that the app is slowly charting its way up the top paid apps list in Malaysia.  

Elsewhere in the region, BlackBerry users showed their national colors by downloading a unique selection of marquee apps outside of the productivity and connectivity category that kept them going throughout the year. One of the few countries in the region to feature a fitness app in the top 15 downloads was Hong Kong who kept fit with Runtastic Pro for BlackBerry 10, and refueled after workouts with OpenRice, the country’s most popular restaurant guide. Filipinos aimed for world domination with Despicable Me: Minion Rush as the 14th most downloaded app of the year.

With passports at the ready, BlackBerry users in Taiwan kept organized with BlackBerry Travel and were prepared for what awaited them when they touched down with BeWeather 10 Pro as the 14th most downloaded overall and 2nd most popular paid apps, respectively.  In Vietnam, BlackBerry devices were used as more than just a productivity tool with people downloading Flashlight Free to light their way. In Thailand, BlackBerry users cast their eyes and their device skyward with StarTracker making it into to the top ten for paid app downloads.

With the wide variety of apps available in BlackBerry World from productivity apps to games, news to social networking apps, BlackBerry users in Malaysia will be spoilt for choice in deciding what to download in 2014.

BlackBerry Collaborates with Tune Talk and AirAsia to Reward Customers

Loyalty pays off as AirAsia & Tune Talk customers stand to win a BlackBerry 9720 Curve

Traveling has never been made more rewarding than it is today with BlackBerry Malaysia. To kick off the New Year, AirAsia and Tune Talk are joining hands with BlackBerry to reward the millions of dedicated AirAsia customers.

From now until 28 February 2014, every 100th Tune Talk customer who books through www.airasia.com will be presented with a brand new BlackBerry 9720 (3G) Curve and free BlackBerry Internet Service for 6 months provided by Tune Talk.

To stand a chance to win, participants must be a Malaysian citizen or a Permanent Resident of Malaysia with a Tune Talk subscription activated at least 30 days from the date of booking. Contest ends on the 28th of February 2014.

BBM To Come Preinstalled On LG Smartphones

The G Pro Lite Will Be the First LG Device to Offer BBM Out-of-the-box

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – BBM™ will soon come preinstalled on the LG G Pro Lite from LG Electronics Inc. in markets around the world. BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) today announced a bundling agreement with LG Electronics involving both standard and virtual preloading (using the LG App Manager) and confirmed that BBM will also continue to be available as a free download from Android app stores, including Google Play™.

“BBM is widely used throughout the Middle East, Africa and Indonesia where smartphone users tend to engage heavily in social networking,” said Kevin Shin, Vice President of Marketing for Asia, the Middle East and CIS countries of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The LG G Pro Lite offers an optimized BBM experience with its large, high quality display and embedded Stylus Pen.”

“People across the globe are using BBM to connect with each other and the enthusiasm has been phenomenal,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry. “We’re extremely pleased that LG Electronics will help bring their customers a more seamless experience with BBM by preloading the app, starting with the G Pro Lite in key markets.”

BBM is a premier mobile communication service that gives customers privacy, control and immediacy as they chat with their contacts – either one-to-one, in multiple chats or as part of a BBM Group. BBM’s Delivered and Read statuses, as well as message-in-progress notices, keep people engaged and active in their conversations.

BBM lets users share files such as photos and voice notes, as well as update their profile and status with ease. Up to 30 people can connect as a BBM Group to chat and share photos, calendars and other files or documents.

Every BBM user has a unique PIN tied to their BlackBerry ID that helps maintains their privacy. Users never have to give out their phone number or email address to begin chatting with a new or casual contact.

Empowered to Win: BlackBerry’s ‘Empowering Ambitions’ Winner Unveiled

December 18, 2013. BlackBerry Malaysia recently announced the grand prize winner of their ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign - Umadevi Vengdesh, who creatively narrated her aspired ambitions in a winning one-minute video. Vengdesh won herself a BlackBerry Q5 worth RM1, 299 and will now have the opportunity to part of the Elite Programme managed by BlackBerry Malaysia.  

BlackBerry Malaysia launched the ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign in October 2013, an inspiring programme offering Malaysian youth the opportunity to showcase their dream jobs and share personal stories of what inspired and fuelled their ambitions. Each of these stories were condensed into a one-minute video that expressed thoughts of a dream career. Roadshows were conducted at several colleges and universities in the Klang Valley and Kuala Lumpur from the 7th to 10th of October 2013 to raise awareness and encourage participation.

The cast of the BlackBerry “Empowering Ambitions” campaign, an inspiring programme offering Malaysian youth a platform to self-express.

“The BlackBerry ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign essentially offers Malaysian youth a platform to self-express. We recognize the need to encourage youth to take responsibility in creating meaningful futures for themselves through career choices that are personally fulfilling. We want to mobilize the youth with the most effective tools to engage with the multi-faceted world we live in and find their voice. This is the integral ingredient to the objective of our campaign,” said Suhara Abdul Hamid, Senior Marketing Manager, Malaysia, BlackBerry.

The ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign also shared the story of five young Malaysians who are already living their dream careers. These stories unfolded through a series of webisodes released on a weekly basis on the official BlackBerry ‘Empowering Ambitions’ YouTube channel. The icons featured were Sufiz Allatif (popular local sous chef), Nurita Harith (one of Malaysia’s most established fashion designers), Haziq Zikri Ella (rising football star), Hanie Hidayah (lifestyle blogger) and Raeesa Sya (established web content developer).

Grand prize winner Umadevi Vengdesh holding her brand new BlackBerry Q5 worth RM1, 299 next to Suhara Abdul Hamid, Senior Marketing Manager, BlackBerry Malaysia.

Sufiz Allatif, Sous Chef at Kulcats Barrio shared some insights from being part of this campaign, "The everyday on-goings of my work has many similarities with BlackBerry’s brand values as we both aspire to ignite creativity in others. I am proud to be part of this initiative as I am always looking to share my experience with the youth and encourage them to follow their dreams like I did.”

Out of hundreds of submissions, three finalists stood out with the most compelling video entries – Umadevi Vengdesh, 34, Rayyan Harris, 23 and Alexis Ang, 22. These finalists openly shared and showed raw passion and sheer determination to realise their dreams. All three finalists won a BlackBerry Q5 each and the opportunity to spend a day with the featured campaign icons to learn and gain insights on how they have made their personal aspirations come true.

BlackBerry Malaysia Empowering Ambitions cast and winners’ pose for a photo opportunity. Standing from left to right is Sufiz Allatif (Sous Chef), Nurita Harith (Fashion Designer), Umadevi Vengdesh (grand prize winner), Suhara Abdul Hamid (Senior Marketing Manager, BlackBerry Malaysia) and Alexis Ang (third prize winner).

Umadevi Vengdesh, Grand Prize Winner of the BlackBerry ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign shared, “The entire campaign reminds me of my desire to initiate change. BlackBerry has encouraged me to discover what I am passionate about and what drives me to achieve my ambitions. I am truly excited for what is to come in the next six months with BlackBerry.”

For more information and details on BlackBerry Malaysia’s ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign, log on to http://empoweringambitions.com.my.

BBM Channels is now available in BlackBerry World

BBM Channels is becoming available to all users with a handset running BlackBerry OS 5 and above today

27 November 2013. Today BBM Channels, a forum for active, real conversations between people, brands and communities, will be made available for BlackBerry users on BlackBerry OS 5 and above and BlackBerry 10 through BlackBerry World.

BlackBerry users can simply update to the newest version of BBM to have access to the BBM Channels beta when it becomes available later today.*

BBM Channels builds on BBM’s strengths of engagement and communications and gives BBM users a rich community-building tool that will allow them to connect with brands, influencers and people of shared interests.

BBM Channels maintains the BBM core value of giving users’ control over their content by allowing users to join or opt out of channels at their discretion and gives channel owners the ability to deliver content their communities are looking for. Channel owners can post messages, share pictures, spark discussions, post animated GIFs and chat directly with subscribers.  Integrated live chat allows channel owners to offer “scheduled chat hours” where BBM users can directly engage with their favorite channels one on one.

During the limited beta for BBM Channels that began on May of 2013 we have seen people creating channels based on their passions and building communities with each other. This broader beta will give BlackBerry users the chance to try out a growing number of channels and build their communities, either through their own channel or through new contacts made through shared interests on other channels.

This beta period is also a great time for notable brands to test content and engage with users. BBM Channels for iPhone and Android devices will launch in the coming months.

For more information on BBM Channels, please visit us.blackberry.com/bbm/bbm-channels.html.

Malaysia’s Favorite Local Brands Show Support for BBM

BlackBerry Malaysia connects with local brands to feature BBM 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Today, BlackBerry Malaysia has launched the #BBM4ALL campaign in collaboration with local brands in a bid to highlight one of its most significant offerings – BBM. Since the availability of BBM on Android and iPhone devices, BBM has garnered an impressive 80 million monthly active users around the globe, including over 20 million new users on Android and iPhone devices.

The #BBM4ALL campaign will see collaborations with a series of local brands across different industries, including retail distributors – The Swagger Salon of the LANSI brand fame and Tarik Jeans; food vendor – MyBurgerLab and local singer and song writer – Amir Jahari.

Android or iPhone device users who install BBM and add at least 10 friends not only get to enjoy the new BBM experience, but have the chance to be further rewarded. Hundreds of t-shirts from The Swagger Salon and Tarik Jeans, special Tarik Jeans Varsity Jackets, as well as burgers from MyBurgerLab are up for grabs.

BBM users with the most number of BBM contacts on their iPhone and Android devices also stand to win a #BBM4ALL x Swagger Salon Super Pack worth RM300 and #BBM4ALL x Tarik Jeans Super Pack worth RM550. All clues and redemption dates will be broadcast via BBM so those who are interested should check out the brands’ social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) to obtain the brands’ BBM pin and add them. To redeem, users must be present at the redemption venue and show their BBM to the organizer.

On top of these exciting promotions, BlackBerry Malaysia will be rolling out the ‘Get Spotted, Share & Win’ contest where BBM enthusiasts have the opportunity to win RM10,000 worth of shopping vouchers amidst other prizes. BBM users will have to add 10 of their friends and send a screen shot of their BBM showing that they have added at least 10 friends to MyBBM4ALL@gmail.com before the closing date of 6 December 2013 to participate in this contest.

Exclusive #BBM4ALL car stickers will also be distributed at high-traffic locations in Klang Valley, such as Taylors College Lakeside Campus (20 Nov), e@Curve (22-24 Nov) and at the upcoming Alicia Keys’ concert at the Putra Indoor Stadium (27 Nov).

BBM Welcomes Over 20 Million New Active Users in the First Week

BBM Community Grows to More Than 80 Million Active Users Across BlackBerry, Android and iPhone Devices Globally

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – After the amazing launch of BBM™ on Android® and iPhone® devices, with more than 10 million downloads in the first 24 hours, BBM has now ended its first week with more than 80 million monthly active users*, including over 20 million new users on Android and iPhone devices.

During its first week, BBM was the top free overall app in 35 countries in Google Play™ and in 107 countries in the App StoreSM, and continues to maintain a strong position in key markets such as Canada, the US, the UK, Indonesia and much of the Middle East, to name a few.

“It is great to see so many people downloading BBM, but the true measurement for us is engagement – the connections being made and the conversations in which our BBM community engages. The power of BBM has always been the active, real conversations and interaction that our customers enjoy,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of BBM at BlackBerry. “From here on out, we will focus on active users of BBM and will no longer focus on simple download numbers.”

With the BBM community now at more than 80 million active users around the globe, users are connecting on the private social network like never before. This past weekend, BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) was able to remove the virtual line-up so that Android and iPhone users can now immediately download, sign in and start using BBM without having to wait.

BBM users are enjoying the immediacy and control that BBM offers as they chat with their new contacts – either one-to-one, in multi-person chats or as part of a BBM Group. The delivered and read statuses, as well as the message-in-progress alert, keep people engaged and active in conversations on BBM.  BBM users can also share files such as photos, and voice notes, as well as update their statuses with ease. BBM Groups allows photo, calendar, chat and file sharing for up to 30 people in a user-generated community.

Every BBM user has a unique PIN that helps maintains their privacy, so users never have to give out their phone number or email address to a new or casual contact. BlackBerry ID connects with a person’s PIN, BBM contact list and services to make device switching quick and easy.

The BBM experience will continue to evolve.  In the coming months, BlackBerry will deliver BBM Video calling, BBM Voice calling and BBM Channels – a new community building service to connect BBM users even more broadly – to Android and iPhone users.

Android and iPhone device users can download BBM by visiting BBM.com.

Over 10 Million Downloads of BBM for Android and iPhone in the First Day

BBM achieves top ranking in the App Store in over 75 countries within the first 24 hours

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – In just 24 hours BBM™ has been downloaded over 10 million times by Android™ and iPhone® users, one of the best single-day openings for a mobile app to date. BBM, the premier private social network from BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), is available for free in the App StoreSM and Google Play™ for immediate download.

BBM also quickly rose through the rankings on the App Store to be the number one free app in more than 75 countries in the first 24 hours, including the US, Canada, the UK, Indonesia and most of the Middle East. User ratings in both the App Store and Google Play are overwhelmingly positive, earning BBM 60,000 five-star reviews on Google Play from about 87,000 reviews.

“This has been an incredible launch for BBM across Android and iPhone devices. The mobile messaging market is full of opportunity for BBM. We intend to be the leading private social network for everyone who needs the immediate communication and collaboration of instant messaging combined with the privacy, control and reliability delivered through BBM,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President, BBM at BlackBerry.

BBM users, old and new, are enjoying the following features:
• BBM Chat – Enjoy real, immediate conversations with friends on Android, iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. Not only does BBM let people know their message has been delivered and read, it also shows them when a contact is responding to a message.
• More than chat – With BBM, customers can simply and instantly share files such as photos and voice notes. Multi-person chats are a great way to invite contacts to chat together.
• Get in the Group – BBM Groups lets users invite up to 30 friends to chat together, as well as share photo albums, calendars and files.
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• Post Updates and stay in the know – BBM lets people post a personal message, profile picture and a current status, and lets contacts see statuses instantly in Updates.
• Your unique PIN – Every BBM user has a unique PIN that maintains privacy, so users are not required to ever give out their phone number or email address to a new or casual contact.

Android and iPhone users will have access to BBM Voice and Video calling, as well as the new community building tool – BBM Channels – in the near future.

For more information on BBM, or to download BBM, please visit www.bbm.com. Follow @BBM on Twitter for the latest news and updates.

BlackBerry Z30 Celebrates with Celcom in Weekend Carnival

On the morning of 5th October, Celcom welcomed hundreds of BlackBerry Z30 enthusiasts at the iconic Celcom Blue Cube at Sunway Pyramid for an afternoon of carnivalesque treats. The event saw a line of almost 100 individuals by 8am, with its first customer in line at 9:30pm the night before!

An impressive record of 200 BlackBerry Z30 devices was sold within the first three hours of the launch. Not only did the Celcom Blue Cube in Sunway Pyramid witness a resounding attendance of crowds, queues of people were also seen at Celcom’s exclusive partner stores in Wangsa Walk and Alam Sentral.

Emcee Daphne Iking was present to keep the eager BlackBerry fans waiting in line in good spirits.

Crowds gathered at the Celcom Blue Cube were a good mix of loyal Blackberry users and Celcom customers. 

There were many device experts in stores to demonstrate the BlackBerry Z30 to interested customers.

(From L-R): Annamalai Muthu, Managing Director, Malaysia, BlackBerry; Zalman Aefendy Zainal Abidi,  Chief Marketing Officer; Azizul, proud owner of the BlackBerry Z30; Adrian Faull, Regional Managing Director, South East Asia and Australia, BlackBerry.

BlackBerry 10 Receives NATO Approval for Restricted Communications

BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) recently announced that BlackBerry® Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 smartphones have been the first to be approved by NATO for classified communications up to the level of “Restricted”. The certification allows agencies in NATO countries in all 28 member states across North America and Europe to use BlackBerry® 10 smartphones in the office or in the field.

“We built the new BlackBerry 10 platform from the ground up with the highest security needs of our government and enterprise customers in mind,” said Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President of Security at BlackBerry. “The fact that BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 smartphones have been approved for classified communications just months after debut, is testament to the thoroughness of its design and our commitment to our defense and government customers.”

The NATO certification is a significant milestone for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. It provides assurance to security-conscious organizations, including government agencies, companies in regulated industries and other organizations dealing with sensitive information, that data handled by BlackBerry 10 smartphones is strongly secured and encrypted. BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 integrates end-to-end security, and uses AES 256-bit, the highest encryption level of the standard, for data at rest and data in transit.

Since launching earlier this year, more than 25,000 BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 commercial and test servers have been installed globally, reflecting the clear need by companies to have a cross-platform Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution that delivers a strong level of security, control and management at the device and app level.

Local Youths Encouraged to Turn Dreams into Reality through BlackBerry’s ‘Empowering Ambitions’ Campaign

Finding and pursuing a dream job may seem like an enormous task – but a one-minute video competition could change the fate of several lucky Malaysians as BlackBerry embarks on a mission to transform dreams into a living reality for aspiring individuals across the country.

BlackBerry Malaysia is organising a competition to offer Malaysian youth an opportunity to showcase their dream jobs and for those who yearn to share their story. Themed ‘Empowering Ambitions’, Malaysian can upload a one-minute video to tell the world about their dream job and what they imagine a dream career to be like. Participants stand a chance to win amazing prizes such as a BlackBerry Q5 smartphone. Additionally, the winner will also become the face of the BlackBerry Q5.

BlackBerry Malaysia ‘Empowering Ambitions’ website, http://empoweringambitions.com.my, will also be host to a series of weekly webisodes that follows the story of five young Malaysians who are already living their dreams, namely – Chef Sufiz (Chef), Nurita Harith (Fashion Designer), Haziq Zikri Ella (Football Athlete), Hanie Hidayah (Blogger) and Raeesa Sya (Web Content Developer).

A campus tour will also be organised for students to record their video submission for the BlackBerry Malaysia ‘Empowering Ambitions’ campaign. Details as below:

·         7-8 October 2013: Sunway University College

·         9-10 October 2013: Universiti Putra Malaysia

For more information and details on BlackBerry Malaysia’s Empowering Ambitions campaign, log on to http://empoweringambitions.com.my to upload your videos today. Submissions close on the 9th of October 2013.

Top Brands Bring New Apps to BlackBerry 10 Customers

BlackBerry Jam Asia Developer Conference to Showcase New Applications 

Waterloo, ON – More top brands are bringing new applications to customers on the BlackBerry® 10 platform. Today at the BlackBerry Jam Asia Developer Conference in Hong Kong, BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) will be showcasing the application experience on BlackBerry 10 and talking about new app partners.

“BlackBerry has a strong lineup of top brands building great applications for BlackBerry 10,” said Martyn Mallick, Vice President of BlackBerry World and Global Alliances at BlackBerry. “We remain focused on bringing relevant, sought-after apps to the BlackBerry World storefront, and we are excited to announce and welcome these new partners to BlackBerry 10.”

New apps now available and committed to coming soon include:

Business and Productivity
Bloomberg, Citrix Receiver, CommonDesk ARCviewer, Evernote, First Direct Banking On The Go , HDFC Banking, ICICI bank and National Bank of Canada

Security and Compliance
Cellcrypt Mobile, CommonDesk Compliance Engine, Fixmo Sentinel, Retain for BlackBerry Powered by GWAVA, RSA SecurID® Software Token and SafeNet MobilePASS and SafeNet Authenticiation Service (SAS)

Entertainment and Multimedia
ABC, ABC Family, Discovery, E! Online, GMM TV, History App, Hype Machine, KK Box, KlikMusik, MTV Coke Studio, NBC, Quickflix, Sohu TV, Ultimate History Quiz, and Wowloud

Gaming
Angry Birds—GO!, Bad Piggies, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, Doodle Jump, Icy Tower Classic, Icy Tower 2, Real Racing 3 for BlackBerry 10 and The Sims FreePlay for BlackBerry 10

Lifestyle and Sports
CBS Sports App, Kereta Api Indonesia, Kingsoft Powerword, MTV Nightfinder, The Perfect Year App by InsideHook, Qoo10, SBS Transit, Star Health and Zalora

News and Publications
Channel NewsAsia, Flipboard, FTChinese.com, Her World Indonesia, Infokomputer for BlackBerry, MSN App and Shanghai Daily

Social
Kaixin, QQ, Sina Weibo, and WeChat

BlackBerry Introduces the New BlackBerry Z30 Smartphone with 5” Display and BlackBerry 10.2 OS

Biggest, Fastest, Most Advanced BlackBerry Smartphone Lets You Take on Any Task and Always Be in Control

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – BlackBerry® (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB) recently introduced the new BlackBerry® Z30 smartphone, BlackBerry’s biggest, fastest and most advanced smartphone. Featuring BlackBerry® 10 OS version 10.2, the new all-touch BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with a beautiful 5” display and the largest battery yet on a BlackBerry smartphone. It is designed to keep you hyper connected, productive and always in control, and lets you share like you’re there and collaborate with ease.

“The new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone builds on the solid foundation and engaging user experience of the BlackBerry 10 platform with features like the powerful BlackBerry Hub, its exceptional touchscreen keyboard and industry leading browser,” said Carlo Chiarello, Executive Vice President for Products at BlackBerry. “The smartphone rounds out the BlackBerry 10 portfolio and is designed for people looking for a smartphone that excels at communications, messaging and productivity. Having apps like the full Documents To Go suite that comes preinstalled, together with its 5” touch display, the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone gives you a best in class productivity experience on the go.”

Models, along with Deborah Priya Henry, Mr. Annamalai Muthu, Mr. Adrian Faull, and Mr. Damian Tay with the all new BlackBerry Z30 at the launch.

The new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, which includes hundreds of refinements plus many new features that help you be more productive. Among key features are:
• BlackBerry® Priority Hub – BlackBerry® Hub is the one place to manage all your conversations and notifications. The new BlackBerry Priority Hub can now learn what conversations and what people are important to you making it fast and easy to find the messages and information you need. It collects priority messages across your email, social networking and other accounts and gives you instant access to the conversations most important to you to help you stay organized and focused on the most important tasks.
• BBM™ Now in Any App and Message Previews Everywhere – BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2 continues to refine the unique communications experience of the platform. You can now get a preview of any message as it arrives in whatever app you’re using, and immediately dismiss it or tap it to read the full content and respond. If a BBM message arrives, you can instantly reply to the message without even leaving the app you’re in. In addition, if your phone is locked, you can tap the various icons on the Lock Screen to see an instant preview of your most recent messages and notifications.
• 5” Super AMOLED Display – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone features the latest in display technology with a 5” Super AMOLED display that makes whatever you’re running larger, clearer and more vivid. The smartphone also houses many top of the line components, including a 1.7 GHz processor with quadcore graphics that makes browsing web pages faster and games more detailed.
• Stereo Audio and BlackBerry® Natural Sound – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with stereo speakers that immerse you in your music, videos, apps and games, and makes conversations sound like you’re face-to-face. BlackBerry Natural Sound is new technology exclusive to BlackBerry and part of BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2 that makes BBM Voice and BBM Video chats sound more natural and realistic. BlackBerry Natural Sound lets you hear nuances and variations in tone, making conversations sound like you’re in the same room.  
• New Antenna Technology – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone features BlackBerry’s new generation antenna technology that dynamically tunes reception to give you better connectivity in low signal areas. BlackBerry® Paratek Antenna can give you faster data transfers and fewer dropped calls in low signal areas, keeping you connected in more places.
• Longer Battery Life – The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone includes a 2880 mAh battery, the largest battery ever built into a BlackBerry smartphone. Combined with the battery enhancements in BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2, you can get up to 25 hours of mixed use* to keep you moving from dawn ‘til dawn.

The BlackBerry Z30 smartphone will roll out from select carriers and retailers around the world beginning next week in the UK and Middle East, and all other regions going into the holiday season. Specific pricing and availability will be announced by partners at the time of their respective launches. A variety of accessories including cases and chargers will also be available.

Subject to carrier approvals, BlackBerry 10 OS version 10.2 is expected to be available for the BlackBerry® Z10, BlackBerry® Q10 and BlackBerry® Q5 smartphones beginning mid-October.

For more information about the BlackBerry Z30 smartphone, please visit www.blackberry.com/blackberryz30. To view a video of the new smartphone, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQVKISYQ31s and for “How To” videos, visit http://demos.blackberry.com/blackberry-z30/na/ca/gen/index.html.

* Based on mixed usage scenario. Many factors affect battery life, including network connectivity, application usage, feature configuration and battery age. Actual results may vary.

Tired of your old smartphone? Trade Up for a BlackBerry Z10 Now

Brightstar Corporation, an official distributor for BlackBerry is currently running a trade-in program to offer its customers a cost-effective way to upgrade their existing smartphone. Under this program, customers can get a rebate of up to MYR 1,800* when they trade in selected phone and purchase a new BlackBerry® Z10 smartphone*.

Those who are interested to participate in the trade-in program should visit a Brightstar retail outlet and submit their trade-in smartphones for assessment. The retail assistant will then assess the smartphone and quote the price and balance amount payable (if any) for the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone. If the offer is agreeable, the retail assistant will process the trade-in transaction and purchase.

The BlackBerry® Z10 trade up program will be available at all Brightstar outlets from 21 August to 30 September 2013.

For more information, please visit https://www.facebook.com/BlackBerryMY or http://www.brightstarcorp.com.my/priceme/.

WeChat Gives BlackBerry Users a New Way to Connect

WeChat launches on BlackBerry 10 OS

Kuala Lumpur, 28 August 2013 – WeChat, a leading innovative mobile social communication application has announced the launch of WeChat for the new BlackBerry® 10 OS platform.

Designed for the re-invented and re-engineered BlackBerry 10 OS platform, WeChat for BlackBerry 10 integrates with BlackBerry Hub providing a seamless user experience. Free to download, the app allows users to text each other, swap voice messages with its “Hold to Talk” feature, and share images.  Included in WeChat for BlackBerry 10 are animated emoticons and the location-based service to meet and find new friends.

WeChat also comes with comprehensive privacy setting functions, enabling users to adjust their security levels as needed.

With the introduction of WeChat on BlackBerry 10, WeChat further extends its reach to business users and consumers and demonstrate its commitment to provide a new and innovative way to communicate.

With over 100 million registered user accounts worldwide, WeChat is the most downloaded mobile social app in many markets.

WeChat for BlackBerry 10 is now available on BlackBerry® Z10, BlackBerry® Q10 and BlackBerry® Q5 smartphones and can be downloaded for free on BlackBerry® World.

For further details, please visit www.wechat.com.

Kobo E-reader App Now Available on BlackBerry 10

E-reader technology has come a long way since its birth just a few short years ago. Originally, dedicated devices, e-readers are now available in handy apps format for mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. Allowing access to literally millions of books – both classic and modern – at the touch of a button, it's no wonder that e-readers have quickly become a primary method of reading for many.

If you're one such technological bookworm, there's some good news for you: Kobo has recently announced that their e-reading app is to make its way to the new BlackBerry 10 operating system. Previously only available on the BlackBerry PlayBook, the app can now be downloaded for the new BlackBerry Q10 and Z10 smartphones.

The Kobo app has a number of features designed to entice both new users and people who have previously used the app before. Keeping BlackBerry and Kobo's three-year partnership in mind, the app for BlackBerry 10 OS will allow users to synchronise their book library across devices. According to the Executive Vice President of Devices at Kobo, Wayne White, “The Kobo app creates the ideal reading experience for BlackBerry smartphone customers who want to be able to consume books wherever they are and whenever they want”.

Other functions of the app include the ability to organise your library via virtual bookshelves, and more academic tools like note-taking and the ability to highlight text. Additionally, the Kobo app feature exclusive content for BlackBerry users, including a free digital copy of Neil Gaiman's novel A Calendar of Tales, as well as the highly useful and informative How to be Interesting after You Graduate by Jessica Hagy of Forbes.com.

The release of this version of the Kobo app is sure to be a big boost to the BlackBerry 10 family of smartphones. Kobo is a major global e-reader company and currently has more than three million books available for download in its e-book store. The company's reputation for providing a convenient e-reading experience will mesh well with BlackBerry's focus on interconnectivity and accessibility. We will have to wait and see just how fast it flies off the shelves!

The Kobo e-reader app is now available for all BlackBerry 10 users and can be downloaded from the BlackBerry World Store.