BlackBerry Classic Ready For Preorder.

http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

BlackBerry Classic has been a center piece of recent BlackBerry talks. BlackBerry CEO, John Chen announced today that they will start taking pre orders in selected markets. If your is not included may be you need share your need with BlackBerry using #INeedMyBB in social. 

    Keyboard and navigation keys designed for optimal speed and accuracy
    Large square touch screen
    Amazingly fast and astoundingly beautiful web browsing
    A battery that powers through
    Ability to install Android and BlackBerry apps
    Works with GSM Carriers only. Bands include: FD-LTE: 1,2,4,5,7,13,17,25. HSPA: 1,2,4,5/6
    This product will not work on Verizon, Sprint

Product will set you back $442 and expected to ship mid December. You  can have any color, as long as it is black.BlackBerry Classic Pre-order

BlackBerry Messenger, BBM, Brings Control Of The Messages, Even After They Are Sent.

BlackBerry Messenger
Latest update to the BlackBerry Messenger, BBM, brings a bevy of features that we have seen elsewhere, in other messaging Apps. But it is always good to see that BlackBerry is looking to bring the best to its users. BBM is now available to iOS and Android users.
BBM update brings these capabilities to the app;

• Timed Messages: Set how long contacts have access to messages and pictures shared in a chat*
• Message Retraction: ‘Retract’ a message to remove it from your BBM chat*
• A quicker sticker picker: Adding stickers to your BBM chats is now even quicker with a new picker
• HD Picture Transfer: It’s easier than ever to get a high quality version of the pictures you receive in BBM
• Discover Music: See what music your contacts are listening to in BBM Feeds.

And this video tells it better.So if you are the type who sexts your boss, get the BBM.

ScaryBerry Halloween Contest 2014: CrackBerry! Share / Scare Your Haloween Photos with #ScaryBerry and win!

CrackBerry's ScaryBerry http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

One of the past winners!

CrackBerry is bringing their traditional (?) Halloween Contest again this year and they are eager to see how you would challenge the past winners with their Scariest, sexiest, cutest and group photos. So when you are out scaring other or getting spooked, be sure to capture a photo with your BlackBerry  (you can use Android or iPhone photos but be aware, they are biased towards BlackBerry best). Then Instagram you scary, sexy, funny photos using hashtag #ScaryBerry.
We wish you a very scaryberry haloween!

More details at CrackBerry

Does BlackBerry (RIM) Needs A Reboot To Avoid "RIM RIP"?

BlackBerry RIM  Reboot http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I came across this fine article on Deccan Herald about RIM need to reboot itself to avoid RIM RIP. We all have seen where the Smartphone Market Share is going. Big players like NOKIA and RIM took places behind new stars Google Android and Apple iPhone. The article discusses the success of Google Android platform and Apple iPhone against Blackberry phones.
Deccan Herald is a newspaper in India, where Nokia and Blackberry dominates the cell phone market. Perhaps those rumors of low cost iPhone coupled with popular Android phones with low price points might change all that soon.
Still you can see the Blackberry affinity in the article and it might reflect the thoughts of general public. It praises BlackBerry 9900 and at the same time scolds RIM for not giving NFC or such things as front facing camera, which are standard parts of most Android phones and is expected with iPhone 5.
I guess RIM got to listen to it's customers and avoid RIM RIP and keep the competition up against the Android, Apple and Nokia (Nokia needs some waking up too!)
Deccan Herald

Alec Saunders Of Calliflower Fame Takes A Bite Out Of Blackberry Development Apple!

Alec Saunders Joins RIM http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Alec Saunders, CEO and the co-founder of Iotum / Calliflower has Joined RIM as Vice President, Developer Relations for all of RIM. Mobilize me conference had him going to the heart of the matter, developers mindset, that largely affects the Blackberry development. He says that he will change the current conditions that affect BlackBerry development and developers, and I whole heartedly believe him.
I really hope all the best for him in this daunting task. You can read a nice interview on Blackberry developer blog. And you can read his own blog post about the matter. If you are a tech evangelist, he is looking for some, follow the above link to the blog post to get more information.

New BlackBerry's BlackBerry Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and Torch 9860 Coming To Rogers!

BlackBerry Bold 9900, Torch 9810 and Torch 9860 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
After BlackBerry's exclusive event, #BB7FanNight to announcing the new BlackBerry devices: the new Bold 9900, Torch 9860 and the Torch 9810 many carriers are looking to shelve, I meant to bring to shelves these new devices from the now fading giant.
So the first seem to be Rogers and as usual, being Rogers (or Canadian) offers hard to believe pricing for the devices on a three year contract. May be RIM is hard on it's subsidies. I guess more Android customers.
As of now, pricing stands;

"The Torch 9860 will be Rogers first all-touch BlackBerry smartphone. It runs on BlackBerry 7 OS, has a 5.0MP camera with flash, 720p HD video recording capability and 4GB on-board flash memory. This smartphone, (Torch 9860) will cost $199.99 with select three-year plans.

For those that can’t live without the full keyboard, you’ll want to check out both the Bold 9900 and the Torch 9810 that come with both touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard. The Bold 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone yet, at only 10.5mm. The Torch 9810 has a large 3.2” high resolution display. Both smartphones run the latest BlackBerry 7 OS and come with 5.0 MP cameras with flash and 720p HD video recording capability. The Bold 9900 will be $249.99 and the Torch 9810 will be $199.99 with select three year plans."

Rogers

Smartphone Market Supremacy : iOS vs Android, A Consumer Point Of View!

Android, Apple And RIM

Smartphone Market Supremacy http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

Looks like more people are wanting an iPhone rather than an Android phone, according to a survey conducted by ChangeWave Research.Of 4163 respondents questioned, up to 46% of consumers planning to buy a smartphone in the next 90 days say they'll choose an Apple iPhone and 32% will look for an Android and measly 4% are still attached to them BlackBerry phones.

The survey sample consisted of 89% U.S. respondents and 11% from outside the U.S.

While the sample of respondents are wide enough to conclude where consumers want, it does not reveal what consumer can afford. Apple's marketing knew how to monger hype and it is paying off. Most of the consumers these days, associate iPhone with mobile phones, when they talk about phones generally or dream about them.

This seems to be extending beyond the iPhones themselves according to the same survey, people are willing to extend the loyalty in to other Apple products as well, Specially iCloud. 26% of the current Apple customers and 13% of non-Apple users have admitted that they will be swayed towards Apple products due to iCloud.

That is exactly where Google seem to fail. Google has been providing cloud services for ages, like GMail storage but I guess beyond techies, many people do not even know it exists, let alone by a catchy name like iCloud. Microsoft and Amazon are not doing any better in that front either.

The differences do not stop there, 70% of current iOS device users said that they were satisfied with Apple products and it was 50% for Android users. Windows phone 7 users, 57% were very happy with their phones.

I was at a major retail store for electronic goods to get a protective shield installed on my iPad 2 (64GB) and my colleague's Asus EEE Pad Transformer. I saw many people lingering around Apple iPad isle but equally similar number on all other tablet isles.

I think this report will shed some light into how people are thinking when it comes to mobile phones and other associated devices. So if you are associated with selling or developing for mobile market, the information can come in very handy.

Report details include:

• Competition between Apple (AAPL), Motorola (MMI), Research In Motion (RIMM), Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Samsung and HTC, among others
• Customer Satisfaction Ratings by Manufacturer
• Satisfaction Comparison: Apple vs. RIM BlackBerry – 4 Year Comparison
• Planned Buying Trends by Operating System – biggest winners and losers
• 3 Year Comparison of Android OS Demand vs. Apple iOS Demand
• Customer Satisfaction Ratings by Mobile OS
• Growth Trends: Overall Smart Phone Market
• Impact of Apple iCloud Service and Planned Consumer Usage
• Mobile Apps: Android OS vs. Apple iOS – comparison of money spent and number of apps downloaded in past 90 days

ChangeWave Report

Seesmic Drops BlackBerry Support!

No Seesmic For BlackBerry http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Looks like BlackBerry lost one of the best twitter clients. Seesmic via a cheeky tweet announced that the Seesmic for Blackberry will go away by June 30th!;
"Effective June 30th, Seesmic will discontinue support for Blackberry in order to focus development efforts on our most popular mobile platforms: Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7.

We encourage those effected by this change to try out Seesmic for Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7, as well as Seesmic Desktop and Web."
Yes run and buy a phone, even a windows phone 7!
Via Twitter

BlackBerry Torch 9800 Gets Unofficial BlackBerry OS 6.0.0.576

BlackBerry Torch 9800 BlackBerry OS 6.0.0.576 http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
BlackBerry Torch 9800 has got an unofficial Blackberry OS version 6.0.0.576 but be reminded it is unofficial. There will be no support (except places like Crackberry forums) and you will be left to your own. So if you are not familiar in upgrading and downgrading, you better hold on until the official version comes by.
Follow the link below to read a big warning and find the links to download software.
CrackBerry

Smartphone Patent Lawsuit Targets Developers In Addition To Apple, Android, Blackberry and Microsoft

Smartphone Patents, http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
I come back from a small spring break to find a bunch of smatphone related lawsuits. iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Microsoft are all targeted in these suits. Google / Android alone seem to have attracted 38 such lawsuits.
But the latest lawsuit targeting 32 entities is covering developers in addition to hardware and Smartphone OS manufacturers like Google and Apple. Texas-based H-W Technology L.C. filed a complaint in Eastern Texas March 30, 2011, asserting a Patent on an "Internet protocol (IP) phone with search and advertising capability" against 32 legal entities. H-W Technology L.C. claims that the patent covers systems and methods that "allow users of [smartphones] via domain specific applications to receive information and offers from merchants and to complete a transaction with one of said merchants without having to generate a voice call.", which sounds to me like web browsing me who knows next to nothing about law and patents!

This is setting a pathway for patent hoarders as well as real patent holders to go after app developers. USPTO should really be checking these stuff well. At least we can be happy that Florian Mueller is doing the hard work of sorting things out for us.
He has drawn out the main pieces of the complaint (which is supposed to be very large);

• Google and Microsoft are sued for providing software that is installed on smartphones. With respect to Microsoft, the Windows Phone 7-powered Samsung Focus is mentioned. In Google's case, the Android application store is mentioned.
• Device makers: specifically named products include the iPhone, the BlackBerry Torch, and five Android devices (LG G2x, Samsung Galaxy S, Motorola Droid X, HTC Thunderbolt, and Kyocera Echo).
• All of the accused apps are basically mobile online shops: Amazon.com's, eBay's, Hotels.com's, Expedia's, Priceline.com's, Orbitz Worldwide's and Kayak.com's apps, and Verizon's VCast app.

Read more at Florian's blog.

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9, Tablets Unveiled (Including Pricing) Yet More iPad2 Challengers

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 and GALAXY Tab 8.9, Tablets Unveiled http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/

The just announced Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1 (Galaxy S2) and 8.9 feature Samsung′s own TouchWiz user interface implemented on the Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb) platform, offering superior multi-tasking and enhanced user interaction and navigation. The pricing is not bad either, matching the iPad2 lineup as you can see from below. The tablet market is getting busier and we certainly have many a choices. RIM just announced the availability of BlackBerry Playbook in the same pricing range. The combined screen sizes allow on to choose from best matched size. So quoting from Steve Jobs, 10.1" must be better than the smaller iPad.

• Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi-only 16GB: $499, available June 8th
• Galaxy Tab 10.1 WiFi-only 32GB: $599, available June 8th
• Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi-only 16GB: $469, available "early summer"
• Galaxy Tab 8.9 WiFi-only 32GB: $569, available "early summer"

"The GALAXY Tab 10.1 and 8.9 are remarkable examples of Samsung′s constant innovation and show our dedication to designing premium tablets that fit the unique needs of consumers around the world", said JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung′s Mobile Communications Business. "By combining Samsung′s innovations in design and display with our exciting new user experience, we′ve created a new class of products that will lead the tablet market."

Tablet Specs;

Samsung GALAXY Tab 10.1

Network	HSPA＋ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900
OS	Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb)
Display	10.1" WXGA 1280x800
Processor	1GHz Dual Core application processor
Camera	Main(Rear) : 3.0-Mega Pixel Camera AF with LED Flash Front : 2.0-Mega Pixel Camera
Video	Format : MPEG4/H263/H264,Divx/Xvid Playback : 1080p Full HD Video @ 30fps Recording : 720p HD Video
Audio	MP3, AAC, AAC＋, eAAC＋, OGG, MIDI, AMR-NB/WB 3.5mm Ear Jack, Surround Sound Stereo Speakers
Enterprise Solutions	Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync
	Quickoffice HD Editor
Value-added Features	Android Market™
	Google Mobile Services : Google™ Talk Video Chat, Google™ Maps, Books, etc.
	Samsung TouchWiz UX
	Samsung Mini Apps Tray
	Social Hub, Music Hub, Readers Hub ＊Availability differs by region
	Adobe Flash Player 10.2
Connectivity	Bluetooth® technology v 2.1 ＋ EDR USB 2.0 WiFi 802.11 (a/b/g/n)
Sensor	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Ambient Light sensor
Memory	16G / 32G / 64G, microSD (up to 32GB)
＊Size	256.6 x 172.9 x 8.6 mm, 595g
Battery	6800mAh

Samsung GALAXY Tab 8.9

Network	HSPA＋ 21Mbps 850/900/1900/2100 EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900
OS	Android™ 3.0 (Honeycomb)
Display	8.9" WXGA 1280x800
Processor	1GHz Dual Core application processor
Camera	Main(Rear) : 3.0-Mega Pixel Camera AF with LED Flash Front : 2.0-Mega Pixel Camera
Video	Format : MPEG4/H263/H264, Divx/Xvid Playback : 1080p Full HD Video @ 30fps Recording : 720p HD Video
Audio	MP3, AAC, AAC＋, eAAC＋, OGG, MIDI, AMR-NB/WB 3.5mm Ear Jack, Stereo Speaker
Enterprise Solutions	Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync
	Quickoffice HD Editor
Value-added Features	Android Market™
	Google Mobile Services : Google™ Talk Video Chat, Google™ Maps, Books, etc
	Samsung TouchWiz UX
	Samsung Mini Apps Tray
	Social Hub, Music Hub, Readers Hub ＊Availability differs by region
	Adobe Flash Player 10.2
Connectivity	Bluetooth® technology v 3.0 USB 2.0 WiFi 802.11 (a/b/g/n)
Sensor	Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Ambient Light sensor
Memory	16G / 32G / 64G, microSD (up to 32GB)
＊Size	230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm, 470g
Battery	6000mAh

Samsung

RIM Brings Out BlackBerry Playbook For $499, Plans To Compete WIth iPad2

BlackBerry Playbook http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
The 7' tablet from RIM, Blackberry Playbook the iPad Challenger, that Steve Jobs went so low to chide will be released on April 19th for $400 and has a bunch of carrier and retail shelves lined up to market it to the masses. The 16GB edition with WiFi ($499) will be available from stores such as Bestbuy and matches the Apples iPad 2 pricing and most other things except the 9.7" screen. There might be people who would like the smaller size. Other sizes, 32GB ($599), 64GB($699) also match Apple's lineup.

“The BlackBerry PlayBook is an amazing tablet that is already being widely praised as a multi-tasking powerhouse with an uncompromised web experience and an ultra-portable design,” said Mike Lazaridis, President & Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “Given the high level of customer interest in the BlackBerry PlayBook, we are particularly pleased to be working with such an amazing lineup of retail partners.”

The BestBuy USA and Canada will carry the device and will begin accepting orders as of today. In addition, AT&T, Office Depot, RadioShack, Staples, Sprint and Verizon will also carry the device.

BlackBerry PlayBook Specifications

7" 1024x600 WSVGA capacitive LCD touch screen
Ultra-portable at less than a pound and less than one-half inch thick: 0.9 lbs (425g) and 5.1” x 7.6” x 0.4” (130mm x 194mm x 10mm)
1 GHz dual-core processor
BlackBerry® Tablet OS with support for symmetric multiprocessing
MP3, AAC and WMA audio playback
Support for high resolution video playback (H.264, MPEG4, WMV)
1080p HDMI output
Dual 1080p HD cameras for video conferencing and video capture (3MP front and 5MP rear)
1 GB RAM memory
Up to 64 GB internal storage (16, 32 and 64 GB models)
GPS, Orientation Sensor (Accelerometer), 6-Axis Motion Sensor (Gyroscope), Digital Compass (Magnetometer)
Stereo speakers and stereo microphones
Wi-Fi® (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity
Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR support

Sorry Jobs, they did not supply sand paper with it as you wanted. Well, you can't have everything you want!
Via RIM

RIM Will Filter Porn On Blackberry, At Least For Indonesia.

RIM Will Filter Porn On Blackberry, http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
According to Reuters, RIM will filter porn on Blackberry to meet the laws of Indonesia. In addition, they also have asked for a local Blackberry server, just like many other countries seeking to access encrypted data on Blackberry servers.
"Research In Motion confirms that it shares Minister Tifatul Sembirings sense of urgency on this matter and it is fully committed to working with Indonesias carriers to put in place a prompt, compliant filtering solution for Blackberry subscribers in Indonesia as soon as possible," RIM said in a statement.
RIM has about 2 million Blackberry users in Indonesia.

Skype Acquires Qik, A Mobile Video Calling Company!

#Skype Acquires #Qik http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Well CES usually brings surprising news but I guess this is still out of the blue for many! Skype announced today that it has entered in to agreement to acquire QIK, a rival video calling company, saying that the the acquisition will bring deeper video device compatibilities.

"The Qik team has delivered exceptional video experiences for its mobile partners and millions of end users across a range of devices, Skype's software enables an estimated 25 percent of the world's international long distance voice calling minutes*, and approximately 40 percent of those Skype-to-Skype calls are happening over video. Qik's deep engineering capabilities and strong mobile relationships will be an impressive complementary fit with Skype." said Tony Bates, Skype's Chief Executive Officer.

Qik mainly covers mobile world and available on Android, iPhone, Symbian, Blackberry and Windows Mobile platforms. I have been using Qik on iPhone and know a few who uses Qikroam.

Skype To Acquire Qik
Combined companies bring deeper video capabilities across devices

LUXEMBOURG, 6 January 2011 - Skype today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Qik, a provider of mobile video software and services that enable individuals to capture, instantly share and preserve great moments on video from anywhere. Qik has 60 employees, and is headquartered in Redwood City, California and has an office in Moscow, Russia. The transaction is expected to close in January 2011. Terms of the acquisition will not be disclosed.

Qik was founded in 2006 and offers innovative and flexible solutions to capture and share video with anyone across mobile devices, the web, and desktop platforms. Videos can be shared in real time or stored so moments can be viewed later, allowing for video messaging, sharing and archiving. The Qik service is available on over 200 mobile phones across the Android, iPhone, Symbian, Blackberry and Windows Mobile platforms, and comes pre-loaded on a wide variety of mobile handsets through partnerships with leading handset manufacturers and carriers.

Both Skype and Qik have a common purpose of enriching communications and sharing with video, across any device. The acquisition of Qik helps accelerate Skype's leadership in video by adding recording, sharing and storing capabilities to Skype's product portfolio. Through this acquisition, Skype will also be able to leverage the engineering expertise that is behind Qik's Smart Streaming™ technology, which optimizes video transmission over wireless networks.

"The Qik team has delivered exceptional video experiences for its mobile partners and millions of end users across a range of devices," said Tony Bates, Skype's Chief Executive Officer. "Skype's software enables an estimated 25 percent of the world's international long distance voice calling minutes*, and approximately 40 percent of those Skype-to-Skype calls are happening over video. Qik's deep engineering capabilities and strong mobile relationships will be an impressive complementary fit with Skype."

Together, Skype and Qik will focus on providing a richer, more integrated experience that will allow people globally to share experiences in real-time video across different platforms, as well as, store those moments so they can be viewed anytime later.

"Qik has worked very hard to solve complex problems that allow millions of people everyday to take advantage of sharing their lives with those people who are most important to them," said Vijay Tella, Chief Executive Officer of Qik. "Joining Skype allows Qik's team to unite with Skype's talented team to develop new and innovative products for our customers and partners."

* 2010 TeleGeography Research issued on January 6, 2011; 24.7% of total international PSTN and international Skype-to-Skype calling minutes.

About Skype
Skype is a communications platform provider whose purpose is to break down barriers to communication. With an Internet-connected device, families, friends and colleagues can get together for free with messaging, voice and video. At low cost, they can also call landlines or mobiles virtually anywhere in the world. Skype has recently introduced group video, allowing groups of more than two people to do things together whenever they're apart. Skype was founded in 2003 and is based in Luxembourg. Skype can be downloaded onto computers, mobile phones and other connected devices for free at www.skype.com.

About Qik
Qik is a leader in the mobile video space enabling smart phone users around the world to capture special and spontaneous life moments from anywhere and instantly share those moments with friends, family and followers. Qik's comprehensive solution meets all consumer video needs including video calling, video sharing, video messaging and the ability to sync and save videos to the web and desktop. The Qik service is available on over 200 mobile phones across the Android, iPhone, Symbian, Blackberry and Windows Mobile platforms. Qik has headquarters in Redwood City, California and an office in Moscow, Russia.

Vopium Gets A Capital Investment And A Bigger Partner, Raghuvinder Kataria.

Vopium Gets A Capital Investment http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
When we wrote about Vopium, a Mobile VoIP company, we knew it has promise. So has some big names in the telecommunications industry.
While we are jumping up and down about the new iPhone's Antennae, Vopium is Jumping up for another reason. They have secured a $16.5 investment from  an Indian investor, Raghuvinder Kataria.  Mr. Kataria has with his own investment company invested $16.5 million in the Danish company and has become the majority shareholder of Vopium.
Mr. Kataria is known for his Telecomm investments. Bharti Tele-Ventures is one such company, he invested in and now Bharati Airtel is one of the lagest mobile companies in the world.
Opium is also benefiting fro iPhones popularity and during the last couple of months they have reached 4,000 downloads a day of their iPhone App. Vopium currently have 250,000 users across 49 countries,
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kataria said;

”Vopium has developed its own new market. The ground-breaking technology will reach millions of users all over the world in the next few years. Our expectations are reflected by the significant amount of money that we have invested in the company and we expect 10 million Vopium users in a few years. We believe that the market demands an alternative mobile solution to Skype and the fast market penetration of smartphones opens up new and more intelligent ways of communication. Vopium’s solution is unique because it offers the best conversation quality and is easy to use,”

“Vopium is growing every day. Every month we get 30 percent more customers. And this number will grow even more once our international expansion starts rolling. Our biggest markets today are Scandinavia, the UK and Australia, but our product is installed on mobile phones in 49 countries. The capital increase should primarily secure the ongoing growth globally,” added Vopium’s CEO Tanveer Sharif. 

Vopium is by growing 30% a month according to the company. With the new investment, they will be able to boost this growth even further across the different supported platforms incl. Android, Nokia, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and PC/web.

If you are into Football (Soccer as some may call it), you can call South Africa for 0.03 during the games. Check it out here.
Press Release

Smartphone Marketshare, BlackBerry, Android, and iPhone, The Race Is On, In That Order.

BlackBerry, Android, and iPhone Sales http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
Currently, BlackBerry leads the pack with 36% of market share of  smartphones with Android following closely with 28% and iPhone chugging along at 21% for the 2010 sales. The NPD Group seem to got the data.
GigaOM thinks it is mostly due to Verizon. The Verizon with it's 92.8 million subscriber base, has a lot of people to sell phones to. But those are not offered or capable of buying an iPhone because AT&T is the exclusive iPhone carrier in USA. So Verizon users are offered with variety of Android phones, from The Droid to Droid Incredible, in various price levels, appealing to most of the  customers, if not all. Also The Droid VS iPhone comprissons may have helped those who were on the edge..
AT&T's attitude and service may be also helping the Android sales as well.
GigaOm

BlackBerry Slider With BlackBerry OS 6, How Could It Be Any Better (Video)

BlackBerry Slider With BlackBerry OS 6, http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/
If the leaked photos of blackberry slider or blackberry bold 3  were not enough a feast to your eyes, BGR has got it on video for you. Well those berry lovers, it is time!

BGR

The Droid VS iPhone

Droid beats iPhone depending on where you stand. snapvoip.blogspot.com

MobileCrunch's  Greg Kumparak has done a very good job of comparing The Droid and iPhone. I read the article through and it seems that my suspicion of iPhone having some serious competition has come through. Personally I would love to have a Droid in my arsenal of phones. I have to Google developer phone (Unlocked G1) and an iPhone 3G together with a bunch of Blackberries.

Between the G1 and iPhone, I would choose iPhone but I always rely on BlackBerries to do my work. From what I have read so far, I think there will be a very capable droid or something very close to it, in my life.

You can read the Greg's post here

BlackBerry Gets Google Maps Mobile 3.2 with Layers And All

Google has released the Google Maps for BlackBerry 3.2 and the app now supports layers. I am a big lover of layers (We consulted on an app for Building Permit Management for a big city government recently) and happy to have this capability on my Blackberry.
The layers store various types of information on your maps, for instance you can turn on Google Latitude layer to find where your friends or family are and then turn on Wikipedia to get more information on the places they are at.
You can compose a trip consisting a set of maps using Google My Maps and access them via your Blackberry.
To experience the layers, point your phone at m.google.com/maps but you can watch the following video to get a bit more information as well.

Layers come to Google Maps for BlackBerry

Blackberry Desktop Manager For Mac Has Been Leaked!

Blackberry Desktop Manager For Mac, BBDM

After what it seems like after decades, RIM has finally  steped up to the plate and has developped a desktop application for Blackberry running on Macs.
There may have been people who stayed away from Blackberries, just because of this reason. Just like to pc companion, the BlackBerry Desktop manager for Mac lets you sync your iTunes playlists, contacts, tasks, apps and more.
According to Blackberry  the software will be availble in September but meanwhile, unofficial copies could be downloaded from;

• Download BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac (from megaupload)>>
• Download BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac (from rapidshare) >>
• Download BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac (from sendspace) >>

CrackBerry