Modular accessories for smartphone is not something new, from Google’s now cancelled Project Ara, to Motorola and Essential. A few companies, including VibesModular are looking to make accessories modular for smartphones so that it can be better reused for your new gadgets when you upgrade. Today we have VibesModular accessories to take a look at, including their VibRox and VoltRox.

VibesModular offers 2 main modular accessories – The VibRox and the VoltRox.

The VibRox Sound Engine is a modular speaker accessory from VibesModular that allows you to attach the speaker to the casing for times where you need to impress your friends or just a impromptu call that you like to share with your friends. It works by connecting your phone to the speaker wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Out of the box, the VibRox speaker comes in 2 parts, the speaker module itself and a base plate for mounting it into a normal speaker. The base plate also acts like a charger for the speaker module, which means that you will need it to charge the speaker.

The base plate, once the module is mounted, allows you to use it like a normal speaker with a stand. On the back, the base plate allows you to plug in your microUSB cable to charge.

The speaker itself has a carbon fiber plate in front that is the speaker drivers itself. When playing your music, you can feel the plate moving and vibrating. There is one release button on the right of the speakers that allows you to release it from the mount or the phone dock casing when it is mounted. On the left, it is pretty clean, with the model – VibRox, etched onto it. On the bottom, its it also clean. Now, moving onto the top, it is where all the buttons are. First we have the Equalizer and power/pairing button (EQ), the volume controls (+ -) and last but not least, the play/pause button that also doubles up as the answer/hang up call button.

On the reverse side, there is four rubber feet for you to put it on the table, as well as two round connectors that connects you to the docking base.

Now onto the most important part – sound quality. The sound quality, from this pre-production unit was pretty loud and decent, and it worked best when placed in the phone casing adapter. Much louder and clearer than the BlackBerry KEYone, BlackBerry DTEK 60 as well as HTC U11 internal speakers, and not forgetting the old BlackBerry Mini Bluetooth Speaker (ACC-52983-001), this was definitely much better than that.

The speaker is rated to be waterproof, with an IPX7 rating, however, as a pre-production unit, we could not really test this as it did not have that feature yet.

In the box, it also came with a flat 5′ microUSB cable and a 2.1A USB Wall adapter for charging of the speaker set.

The VoltRox is essentially a powerbank for your smartphone, that can be simply attached to the phone casing whenever you need to go on a longer journey. Packed with 3,000mAh of juice, it could provide you with some additional much needed power when the time calls for it.

The VoltRox comes with the battery bank itself and a microUSB cable for charging it. The front of the powerbank has a silver button, together with the 4 holes which are where the indicator lights are situated. Next to it, the connector to your phone is in blue colour. One thing though, is that the connector is built in and cannot be changed. Which means that swapping up from an Apple device to a Android/BlackBerry Device or versa, as well as upgrading to a new phone that uses USB-C later on, will pose an issue – you will need to get a new powerbank.

Usage wise is simple: all you need to do, it to pull out the blue cable, and plug it into your device. As the cable is a little short, sometimes you may need to stretch it a little to get it connected. Nonetheless, the nifty device does its job well.

All in all, VibesModular (Previously Vibes Audio) is bringing something interesting to us and I can’t wait to see what other accessories could they build onto it. A portable high-power solar panel where it can charge our phones from mere room light? Or perhaps a second display?

Nonetheless, even with its minor flaws and oversight (of the cable connector), the interesting concept proposed by VibesModular is refreshing and convenient. This could indeed hopefully reduce waste and our over all expenditure on accessories.

If this is giving you the vibes already, check them out at www.vibesmodular.com

The post VibesModular – Modular Smartphone Accessories appeared first on BerryReview.

Last week, we reviewed the super useful accessory – Ungrip. The kind people behind ungrip gave us a few sets of the accessory to share and giveaway for this accessory. Now, its time to announce who are the lucky few!

Congratulations to the following users, you will be receiving an email soon on how to redeem it!

• dimm0k
• The Z Man
• Greoge Hapel
• Sarah W
• Jeri Morales

For the rest who have not won, fret not! Ungrip is already available from Ungrip’s shop directly starting from $12 and do check them out!

The post Giveaway Winners: Ungrip – Don’t Drop your Phone! appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry has been built to last, in most cases, and they have been built quite well, though in the latest debacle – the BlackBerry KEYone screen may not be as well built into the device body like the other devices. But, nonetheless, dropping your phone is without doubt a painful memory, be it for the floor or device which are more often than not, going to get a wound. That said, in Asia, there have been these metal ring can be pasted on the back of the phone that are on sale here cheaply which you can slip a finger through and potentially, hold on to the device should you lose your grip on it. However, whilst ingenious the idea was, that accessory was plagued with issues ranging from the metal ring breaking after a while of usage, to the metal ring being uncomfortable and rigid.

Today, here we have an alternative from Ungrip. Instead of using a metal ring, we have a comfortable fabric loop that can come in many different colors or designs which are even hot-swappable. If it was going to spoil, unlike the metal variant, we would be able to visibly see the wear and tear which signals to us it was time to change the grip already.

As of now, Ungrip has 3 different collection features lots of colors and customization for you already but the collection are set to grow, so customization options are boundless.

Out of the retails packaging, we get an additional set of adhesive, an alcohol cleaning swab to clean the pasting area, a brochure as well the the Ungrip itself.

The Ungrip itself is made of two portions – the base for sticking to the phone firmly, and ungrip itself that connects to the base.

The Ungrip is stuck to the phone using 3M VHB tapes, which mind you, are high-strength, double-sided acrylic foam tapes that actually builds strength over time. So, will it stick well? Definitely!

Using it for the past few week, the Ungrip held up to the phone pretty darn well, spinning the phone and throwing it around with my finger in it was no issue and it stayed firmly in place.

Ungrip is available from Ungrip’s shop directly starting from $12 today and I totally recommend you guys to check this out!

Giveaway

The guys over at Ungrip has been kind enough to sponsor a few sets of these super useful Ungrip accessories for BerryReview readers. How to win one? Simple, just log onto our site (make sure you are logged in!), and comment below on your worst phone horrors – it can be how you dropped your phone or your phone slipped out your hands! Winners will be chosen at random and comments close this Saturday, 17 June!

The post Review & Giveaway: Ungrip – Don’t Drop your Phone! appeared first on BerryReview.

I have taken a look at Noreve cases for quite a long time and they have been delivering quality products without fail everytime. From BlackBerry Z30 to BlackBerry Passport, now let us take a look at the one for the DTEK60! For those eyeing the BlackBerry KEYone, fret not – they do have one for the BlackBerry KEYone too.

Noreve has 3 main series for the BlackBerry DTEK60 – Tradition, Tradition B and Tradition E. In Tradition B, the flip case is by the left side with a clasp on the right, whereas Tradition E is just the rear cover with any flap to protect the front. For today’s review, we will be looking at the standard tradition, which comes with a flip cover from the bottom.

As usual, unlike the Incipio case, the Noreve leather case protects the vitals – the sides back front, but places where interaction is needed, such as the buttons, USB port, 3.5mm ports, there is cut outs for it.

Since the BlackBerry DTEK60’s camera bump is pretty huge, not all cases, including BlackBerry’s own soft shell case protected it properly (by leaving the bump a little more exposed than it should be). This was not an issue in the genuine leather flip case nor Incipio, and for Noreve, well, it is not an issue too!

Last but not least, how well is the fit? The Noreve case is a real snug fit – tighter than that of the original leather flip case from BlackBerry. Swinging it, dropping it even with the flap open, was not an issue – the phone stayed well inside the case.

Whilst the case is indeed of the highest quality, definitely much better than the original BlackBerry Leather Flip Case, the Noreve case is well padded and extremely comfortable to touch. Despite that, the additional bulk is actually quite limited.

All in all, the Noreve Tradition Case is the case to go to, be it for luxury or as a companion case in your bag for your BlackBerry DTEK60. The price, as usual, depends on the type of leather and customization option chosen. You can get yours from Noreve directly today.

The model we have here is 22238T67/f, Blackberry DTEK60 leather case Tradition with Tentation Tropézienne in Blu marino for both external and interior lining, without belt clip.

The post Noreve DTEK60 Leather Case appeared first on BerryReview.

The BlackBerry DTEK60 has been released in most markets for a while now and BlackBerry has provided quite a few accessories such as the BlackBerry Leather Flip case and the BlackBerry Soft Shell Case for the device. At launch, these accessories were bundled with the phone purchase free of charge, though not now. DTEK60’s accessory line up has been pretty limited, but that does not mean that we are short of quality cases. Today, we have Incipio DualPro Case for the BlackBerry DTEK60 on hand for review.

The Incipio DualPro Case is essentially a two piece case, one “hard shell” outer cover and one “soft shell” silicon-rubber like material. The outer cover has Incipio’s unique Plextonium frame that helps to protect the device against drops and bumps and is drop-tested in their lab for up to 12 feet.

The Incipio DualPro case provided the BlackBerry DTEK60 with no less than a full all rounder protection, excellent grip with quite minimal bulk. Contrastively with the Official BlackBerry Soft case, the Incipio DualPro solved many issues with it, with the top 2 being the camera lens being exposed whilst flat on a surface, as well as the case making the device way too slippery than it should be.

In the last 4 months, the case has protected my device as I traveled to and fro Everest Base Camp, with its harsh weather and elements, my device has been unscathed. Furthermore, I have dropped my device on countless occasions and the case held up, never leaving the device alone.

In short, the Incipio DualPro case has been one of the best cases I have been using and its quality is definitely on par, if not better than the Otterbox Commuter case I had for my older BlackBerry devices.

The Incipio case goes for USD$29.99 on their website though is currently on Spring sale (20% off) for just USD$23.99.

If you are a BlackBerry DTEK60 user and want a really good protective case for your device, look no further, this is THE case to get!

PS: Incipio is indeed making cases for the BlackBerry KEYone too!

The post Incipio DualPro Case for BlackBerry DTEK60 appeared first on BerryReview.

With BlackBerry moving much of the new production to China, its no surprise that the leak this round is from China again. In this case, here is the leak of the next, and purportedly last ‘in-house’ designed, BlackBerry device – the BlackBerry Mercury. The BlackBerry Mercury is BlackBerry’s next Android smartphone, with a physical keyboard that we all have grown to love so much.

Whilst this poster on Weibo does not have an history of leaks or whatsoever before, and that there’s been nothing official on BlackBerry’s side either, we aren’t actually able to confirm its authenticity either.

To refresh though, the BlackBerry Mercury reportedly is a mid-range device and will come with a fingerprint sensor, at the space bar.

Via Weibo

The post The First Possible Look at BlackBerry Mercury? appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry just released the updates to the applications for the Android devices. This update is quite a special one, introducing additional features to a few of the applications, which includes the BlackBerry Launcher and introduces the dark theme to it. Be sure to check them out!

Here’s what have changed throughout:

BlackBerry Hub+ Apps

• Accounts Improvements: It’s easier than ever to stay organized! You can now choose to hide specific accounts from Hub and Contacts and stop them from synchronizing. You can also set a default email account in the Hub for sending.
• A Better Hub at a Glance: Create a custom view for emails that can be personalized to multiple, specific contacts and show contact avatars in Hub email notifications.
• Tasks Improvements: Completed tasks can now be hidden.
• More Attachments: .eml email attachments are now viewable.

BlackBerry Android Keyboard

• Switching Languages: Enjoy visual enhancements and quicker response when you switch languages.
• Expanded Chinese Input: Our keyboard now supports Chinese input methods like Stoke and Zhuyin!
• Fingerprint support: If you are using password autofill, you can use your fingerprint on supported phones, including DTEK60, to unlock Password Keeper for faster access.

BlackBerry Messenger

• Chats now support very long messages!
• Access all Free Stickers in one tap from BBM Discovery Tab.
• More secure Sign In for Users who Signed Up with Phone.
• Bug fixes.

BlackBerry Launcher

• Dark Theme: Give your launcher a sleeker, sexier look! Dark Theme makes the background of the “All Apps” grid black instead of white.

BlackBerry Password Keeper

• Autofill Enhancements: Unlock autofill with your fingerprint directly from the BlackBerry Keyboard.
• Built-in Browser: Open and log in to web pages directly from Password Keeper, even on non-BlackBerry devices.
• New Password Font: Is that a small l in your password, or a capital I? Now you’ll be able to tell!
• Non-Latin Character Support: Password Keeper now supports non-Latin characters, including Chinese.

The post BlackBerry Updates Android Applications – Launcher with Dark Theme! appeared first on BerryReview.

Earlier today, BlackBerry’s servers started going live with the latest BlackBerry 10 OS, which many of you might have been waiting for. The BlackBerry OS 10.3.3 is supposed to be the next update of the BlackBerry 10.3 OS for BlackBerry 10 devices. If your still holding onto a BlackBerry 10 device like me, this might be of real interest value.

It seems like whilst some users are also receiving this update OTA already, the links to the OS itself are already active. At this point of time, this are the changes that have been found:

• New anti-phishing setting in browser settings
• New NFC toggles in system settings
• Android RunTime bug solved that prevented Android apps from fully uninstalling (in 10.3.2)
• Native FaceBook application totally gone
• SNAP (3rd party Google Play) seems to be broken

If your interested to test it out before the OTA hits you, you can do so with the autoloaders below. Note that these files are autoloaders, which means that these will destroy any data on your device. The software here are also provided as it is and we are not responsible for any damage done to your device. Also, please note that updating to the latest OS will mean that you cannot downgrade to an older version as well.

Finally, these will need a Windows Computer (Preferably NOT Windows 10) with BlackBerry Link/drivers installed prior.

1. Download the correct version of the OS for your device below:
   1. BlackBerry Passport
   2. BlackBerry Z3
   3. BlackBerry Z10 (Non-Verizon) & P’9982
   4. BlackBerry Z30 & BlackBerry Classic
   5. BlackBerry Q5/Q10 & P’9983
      
2. Extract the file out from the zip archive
3. Connect your BlackBerry Device to the computer via a USB cable
4. Once connected, if BlackBerry Link opens, close it
5. Run the file you previously extracted by double clicking on it
6. Enjoy!

Via CrackBerry

The post BlackBerry OS 10.3.3.2049 Starts ‘Leaking’ with Autoloaders appeared first on BerryReview.

ZeBlaze is another low cost brand from China that offers smartwatches at prices so affordable that is quite impossible to believe. Their first breakthrough was the ZeBlaze Crystal which was modeled heavily after the Apple iWatch. Now, the have launched another very affordable smartwatch – ZeBlaze ZeBand.

The ZeBand is meant to be a simple fuss-free watch, with a simple design and robust build at an amazing price. If anyone here is a stark Fitbit fan, you might realize that the watch actually looks similar to one of Fitbit’s offerings – Fitbit Alta.

The ZeBlaze ZeBand quite a few substantial hardware into its small slim body:

• 0.94 inch 160*68 pixel OLED screen
• 90mAh Li-Po battery for up to 15 days of standby
• IP67 Certified water resistance
• Optical Heart Rate monitor with Elevate Heart Rate chipset
• Pedometer
• Bayer-made Silicon band
• Swimming Mode

As a fitness band, the watch is able to do the pretty standard tracking including steps, time, distance traveled, calories burnt and all these data are shown on the watch by navigating through the touchscreen. The heartrate monitor can be set to monitor constantly (which actually just means a few minutes) or not constantly (which just means periodically). The latter would of course consume much less battery though not as accurate.

What ZeBlaze has done with the ZeBand to set it apart from competition is the swimming mode. With a IP67 rating bringing it to a casual swim or regular shower is fine. But what is swimming mode? Swimming mode basically changes the fitness tracking algorithm from tracking movements on the ground, to tracking your swimming pattern including the number of strokes, calorie burn and swim duration.

Whilst ZeBlaze did tout the screen to have a touchscreen, it is only partially accurate – not the entire surface was touch sensitive – basically only the bottom portion of the screen was which basically meant it was just the portion where that circle is. The watch only recognizes two types of inputs – touch, touch and hold. You can touch gently to navigate around the options and displays, whilst touching and holding it to select an option (ie selecting to activate/deactivate the swimming mode.

Going into the application wise, the watch seems to be running on the HPlus eco-system which means that you need to use the HPlus Watch application to manage the data on the watch to the smartphone. In addition, however, using it on the Blackberry Priv, the watch does not sync with Google Fit and other applications like Runtastic could not access the watch or application data. This could be a bummer for many of the fitness buffs who like to track and share with their favourite fitness apps. On the data presentation wise, the HPlus application worked well to display all the data out in an easy to use graph though there are some limitations to it.

The HPlus application is available natively on both iOS and Android, which means this would work well with the BlackBerry Priv, DTEK50, DTEK60 and the watch works in tandem with the BlackBerry Priv without a hitch. However, for some reason, it does not seem to like the BlackBerry 10 OS’s Android Emulator and it had a hard time trying to communicate with the watch.

Apart from being a mere fitness watch and display, the watch also allows you to receive notifications which, is from the Android Notifications (or in BlackBerry device’s wise, BlackBerry Hub as well). However, that said, this also means that there is absolutely no way to custom pick the notifications that you want from the phone to your watch – you end up receiving every single notification there is.

According to ZeBlaze, the watch can last up to 15 days in standby mode, however, realistically, it has only lasted 2-3 days with continuous heart rate monitoring and 3-4 days without. It does not help as well, that the watch uses a proprietary charging clip, so yes it is yet another charging cable to the collection. On the positive side, the battery takes less than an hour to finish charging from zero.

Overall, the watch works fine as a watch, as a fitness tracker, however, in terms of smart features, it is pretty basic, especially in the area of the notifications. But, again, I have to stress that at such an affordable price point, this is without doubt an well built IP67 fitness band that is capable of of going with you for swim and also armed with a real-time heart-rate monitor and an attractive design. With the price point at a mere USD$29.30 with free international shipping, budget hunters would find this watch of much use, though you would have to keep an keen eye on the battery.

PROS

• Very good price
• Nice texture and material used for the band
• Good build overall
• Tracking is considerably accurate in tandem with other smartwatches (of same range)
• Water resistance
• Swimming mode is unique and helpful for swimmers
• Loads of hardware packed into it

CONS

• ‘Smart’ Features are limited (Especially notifications)
• Battery life is limited
• Uses a proprietary cable for charging
• Data can’t be access outside the eco-system

For a limited time, the watch is available at an even lower price on GearBest for just US$19.99. ZeBlaze ZeBand is available 4 colours which includes black, blue, purple and green. This might just be the Christmas/Thanksgiving present you are looking for!

Note: GearBest provided us with a sample of the product for this review.

Gallery – Comparison with XiaoMi MiBand 2

Gallery – ZeBlaze ZeBand Modes

The post Review: ZeBlaze ZeBand Smartwatch appeared first on BerryReview.

With thanksgiving and Christmas coming right up, it is time to get gifts and presents for our loved ones and friends. If your looking for something unique and yet trying to avoid the Black Friday rush, here’s the annual 11.11 sale that will be coming up starting from November 7 at 16:00 UTC and leads all the way up to November 11!

For the 11.11 this year, Gearbest has let us know that they have lined up a whole array of promotions for everyone:

• Panic Buying Coupons: Limited Quantity from November 7-11 at 16:00 UTC – BE FAST!
• Brand Coupons: Enjoy 10% to 16% OFF killer brands
• Category Coupons: Get 10% to 15% OFF our most popular categories
• Gift Rain: Catch their gold coins which can be used to offset your purchases when they rain down! It starts on November 7 at 16:00 UTC till November 15, with the following timings:
  • 11:00, 13:00, 16:00, 18:00, and 21:00 UTC
• Daily Flash Sales: Begins on November 9 at 16:00 UTC till November 14, and it will occur at the same time daily. This will feature 60% – 70% off top selling items!

They will also be giving away prizes during this whole promotion period, so do keep you screens on gearbest right here to get in the fun!

PS: The miBand 2 will be on sale for just US$19.59 including shipping on November 7 at 16:00 UTC!

The post The 11.11 Gearbest Sale appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry today has officially unveiled their latest flagship device, which without surprise here, runs on Android OS. Whilst the specifications have most, if not all, been leaked already, and the device has been highly expected, the device is now available for sale. The BlackBerry DTEK60, like its counterpart, the DTEK50, is made by TCL/Alcatel.

Whilst the BlackBerry DTEK60 runs out of the box with Android M, we are told that the Android N available as an OS update, will be available for the device soon.

Waterloo, ON – Oct. 25, 2016 – BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global software leader in securing, connecting and mobilizing enterprises, today announced the latest in its series of most secure Android smartphones, DTEK60. As part of BlackBerry’s transition towards a device software licensing strategy – which allows it to focus on putting “the smart in the phone” – the DTEK60’s hardware is manufactured by TCL and comes equipped with the trusted security software BlackBerry is known for. It is now available for sale at ShopBlackBerry in North America and Europe and will roll out to other regions in coming weeks.

DTEK60 is the second device in the DTEK series of Android smartphones. It provides enterprises and organizations with full access to the Android ecosystem and higher-end specs to help power productivity. It comes equipped with all the security features that BlackBerry’s Android OS devices have, including best-in-class security patching and the DTEK by BlackBerry app that allows users to monitor and control their privacy on their phone.

“With the DTEK60, BlackBerry continues to focus on our strengths: state-of-the-art software and security solutions. When you see our logo it means security, from our class-leading enterprise software to devices secured by BlackBerry software,” said Ralph Pini, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of Mobility Solutions at BlackBerry.

Features available on the DTEK60 include:

• Fingerprint Sensor: For quick and convenient turn on and unlock, the BlackBerry Fingerprint Sensor provides added security for unlocking your phone, accessing Password Keeper and making purchases – including Android Pay. Add up to five fingerprints which are fully encrypted with security you can trust.

• BlackBerry Intelligent Keyboard: DTEK60 has a smart keyboard designed to learn from users and increase typing accuracy and speed. It provides word suggestions as you type and includes up to three languages, letting you flick them into place for faster conversations.

• BlackBerry Hub: This unified inbox is an irreplaceable tool for consolidating all of your messages in one place – whether it is email, calendar, social or phone calls.

• Customizable BlackBerry Convenience Key: With the press of a button, the Convenience Key provides quick access to your most used applications and more.

• Stunning Screen: DTEK60 has a 5.5” Quad HD display, capable of displaying 16 million colors. The screen is made of scratch-resistant glass and features a specialized oleophobic coating to protect against smudges and fingerprints.

• Expandable Memory: With support for micro SD cards up to 2 TB, DTEK60 provides the flexibility to add affordable and hot-swappable memory to download, install, capture and share as your needs evolve.

• Dazzling Camera: DTEK60 is engineered to deliver professional-looking photos with an 8MP front facing camera and a 21MP auto-focus rear camera. Plus, features like Phase Detection Auto Focus and a dual-tone LED flash are designed to help the camera focus instantly and accurately for a blur-free, realistic looking photos, even in low light.

• Long Lasting Battery: DTEK60 packs a 3000 mAh battery with enough power to withstand up to 24 hours of mixed use.

• The device also comes equipped with the security and productivity features that past Android for BlackBerry devices have included:

  • Rapid Security Patching: BlackBerry has a record of being the quickest to deliver security patches, setting the bar in incident response and patch management to protect your device from malicious threats.

  • DTEK by BlackBerry App: Enables users to automatically monitor their OS and apps to know when their privacy could be at risk and to take action to improve it. The DTEK app also monitors applications and notifies you when someone is: taking pictures or videos without your knowledge, turning your microphone on, sending a text message, or accessing your contacts or location.

  • Hardware Root of Trust: BlackBerry uses a proprietary technique that adds security from the start, allowing for the tracking, verification and provisioning of the DTEK60.

  • Secure Boot Process: Starting with the root of trust, each stage of DTEK60’s secure boot chain must first verify that the next component is fully intact before proceeding, ensuring your device has not been tampered with since the last restart.

  • Android OS hardening: BlackBerry provides additional security patches, improves upon Android’s native Address Space Layout Randomization and reduces the number of system applications and services running with elevated permissions. This makes it more difficult for attackers to compromise the OS.

  • FIPS 140-2 Compliant Full Disk Encryption: Protects your private information, like pictures or bank information, from being stolen if you were to lose your phone.

  • Android for Work and Google Play for Work: Allows for fast, simple and secure integration with an enterprise environment as well as easy access to numerous rich business and IT-managed apps.

  • Full Enterprise Mobility Management Support: DTEK60 supports BlackBerry’s powerful suite of EMM applications and secure productivity solutions, including: WatchDox by BlackBerry for secure file-sharing, Good Work for business-class email and collaboration tools, Strong Authentication by BlackBerry as a VPN solution, SecuSUITE for Enterprise for secure voice and instant messaging communication, BBM Protected for encrypted messaging and BES12 for secure cross-platform management.

The post BlackBerry Announces the BlackBerry DTEK60 appeared first on BerryReview.

BNN let us know that their correspondent Amber Kanwar had a special interview with BlackBerry CEO John Chen. In this interview, they spoke about their past devices and favourite devices, which no doubt, the BlackBerry 9900 and Passport are mentioned. In addition, he too dropped the ball that the BlackBerry Mercury is coming, despite the news of the company outsourcing the hardware division. Check out the video below!

Via BNN.ca

The post BlackBerry CEO Confirms Keyboard Device is Coming appeared first on BerryReview.

Today, BlackBerry has just released a security patch for the BlackBerry Android based devices including BlackBerry Priv and DTEK50. This patches corresponds to the publicly disclosed vulnerabilities on devices using the Qualcomm processors. With this, BlackBerry is the world’s first vendor to release patches against these vulnerabilities also known as Quadrooter.

The Quadrooter vulnerabilities was first unveiled by the security company Check Point last week at DEF CON 2016. In short, it is a series of 4 vulnerabilities that when used, allows the attacker to gain ‘root’ or administrative access to your device. Whilst the vulnerability is relatively tough to be exploited due to the presence of (Android OS) factory default settings and need for user interaction, because the exploits are announced into public domain, a creative attacker might just attempt to use it, hence, making this a high-severity issue.

That said, because of the secure boot chain in all BlackBerry devices, one of the 4 vulnerabilities has actually been mitigated already.

Quoting the words from BlackBerry Chief Security Officer, David Kleidermacher:

Some critical Android vulnerabilities – for example, one that can be easily and remotely exploited with a publicly disclosed method to execute ‘root’ privileged malware – simply can’t wait for a monthly update cycle.

Whilst this is great that BlackBerry is actively securing the devices as per their public commitment, the patches at this point is only available to devices purchased unlocked from ShopBlackBerry whereas carrier partners will see it later this week. However, the issue here now is, will users using carrier-devices such as AT&T (which is stuck on June Marshmallow patch), Verizon (June update) receive it in a timely manner? I sure do hope so.

The post BlackBerry Releases Security Update for Android Devices appeared first on BerryReview.

In June, Chinese manufacturer, Xiaomi released their latest iteration of the their wearable band dubbed Mi Band 2. They have had 2 prior generations already – the original Mi Band and the updated Mi Band 1S. Each Mi Band has added extra features and this latest version adds a screen for the first time for the Mi Band. Our friends from gearbest, sent us a sample of this for us to take a look at.

Some background

Originally, the Mi Band was a simple fitness band that allowed one to monitor how much they walked and also as a wearable alarm clock by allowing you to set a buzz when it is time to wake up. Later on, they released the Mi Band 1S which added an additional optical heart-rate scanner. This allowed users to have more flexibility and option to track their fitness data.

What’s new?

Now, Xiaomi has built on further on the Mi Band, offering everything that the Mi Band 1 and 1s offered, but also, the addition of a 0.42 inch OLED screen that allows it to work more as a multi-functioning watch than just a pure fitness band.

Apart from the screen, Xiaomi has also added a button which makes it much more convenient than the original no button design. This allows one to scroll through the menu to see the time, steps taken, distance clock or activate the heart-rate scanner. This button is totally flushed with the screen and actually works more like a touch pad that a mechanical button.

In the box

In the box, you tiny Mi Band 2, the strap for Mi Band 2, charging cable and manual in the small well packed box. The manual for the Mi Band 2, however, is in full Chinese and will take a little more than Google Translate to digest it. However, even without the manual, the device is dead simple to set-up and we will come to that shortly.

In the first page, the manual describes how to slot in the tracker (from the back) through the diagram into the wristband. And of course, to securely strap it onto your wrist.

On page 2, it asks you to download their Mi Fit app from the respective stores and there’s a QR code for you to scan as well.

On page 3, it tells you that you can press on the button to activate and turn on the device.

On page 4, it tells you pretty much what the screen means. First, we have the time, followed by steps and lastly heart-rate (distinguished from steps with a heart icon on the bottom right corner of the number).

On page 5, it tell you how to charge using the proprietary cable as well as the respective charging screen. Empty, half full and full.

On page 6, we have the technical specifications:

• Model: Mi Band 2
• Model Code: XMSH04HM
• Weight: 7.0g
• Operating temperature: -10 degrees to 50 degrees (Celsius) [14 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees Fahrenheit]
• Length of Mi Band: 235mm
• Main Material: Aluminum
• Minimum phone requirements:
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Android OS 4.4 or iOS 7.0
• Battery capacity: 70mAh
• Battery type: Li-ion
• Wireless Specs: Bluetooth 4.0LE
• Water resistant rating: IP67
• Wristband size: 155mm – 210mm
• Wristband material: Hypoallergenic silicone band

On page 7, we have the various rating (safety) which we won’t go into details.

On page 8, we have the safety warnings.

Setting up the Mi Band 2

The Mi Band 2 is pretty simple to setup. On the BlackBerry Priv or DTEK50, just head over to playstore and search for Mi Fit and install it.

Once you have installed it, turn on the bluetooth on the device and open the application. It would prompt you to pair with the watch. Now just tap on the button on the Mi Band and the screen turns on – start pairing.

On first pairing, as well as where there is subsequent update, the Mi Fit application will update the watch over the air. But first, make sure that your watch is fully charged and apparently, it is not a good idea to charge whilst updating as users have reported that it bricked their watches.

Charging

To charge the Mi Band 2, all you need to do is to slot it into the the provided charging cable and connect it to the charger. Once full, it will display the fully charged icon.

Tracking of fitness

The optical heart-rate scanner, according to Xiaomi has been improved over the predecessor and also, pedometer algorithm has been improved as well. Testing the optical heart-rate scanner on the Mi Band 2 against the Moto 360 Generation 2, the Mi Band 2 consistently showed higher heart rate than that of the Moto 360, but, with both wearables providing only estimates, we should not take the data too seriously but just as a reference.

The Mi Fit App

The accompanying application for the watch provides you with a whole suite of things you could do. From the usual steps, sleep details, heart-beat details, distance clocked and calories burned counter, and you can track by day, week or month. In addition, it also lets you set alarms, idle alerts and have the Mi Band 2 warn you of incoming calls and texts by gently vibrating.

Unfortunately, though, unlike other bands like Moto 360, Razer band and so on so forth, the Mi Band 2 and its accompanying app only allows you to connect officially (perhaps for now?) to Google Fit and there’s no official support for BlackBerry 10 devices either. However, the silver lining is that you still can receive application notifications.

Conclusion

The Mi Band 2 is still a very lightweight and portable fitness band. The removable tracker only weighs a mere 7g and the hypoallergenic silicone band’s range of 155- to 210mm adjustable strap should fit most of you. With a water resistance rating of IP67, you could take it to shower or rain, but I would not advise you to be immersing it in water, say, for a swim – despite Xiaomi saying that it is waterproof grade. The battery maybe a mere 70mAh, but don’t let the number fool you! I have been using it for the past 6 days and from 100%, it is down to only 74%. Furthermore, with a price tag of less than $40 (shipping inclusive), this is definitely worth the money for those seeking a cheap watch cum fitness tracker.

However, that said, for those concerned about the security on the Xiaomi Mi Band 2, there are still room for improvements for it, as noted by av-test who did not give them a positive rating on the overall security.

That said, however, the watch is still very very cost effective and if these security woes don’t worry you, I highly recommend it.

The Mi Band 2 is available from Gearbest and has free shipping worldwide for just $33.04 now.

The post Review: Xiaomi Mi Band 2 appeared first on BerryReview.

Braven released the new BRV-1M rugged wireless speakers earlier this year and we have a set for review now. The Braven BRV-1M is meant to be an update to the well-liked BRV-1 released back in 2013. Check it out!

The Braven BRV-1M builds on the original BRV-1 in a few ways. Whilst the size and weight has increased a little (from 12.2 oz to 1.2 pounds), it is still relatively compact. But what is packed in this device? Braven has not released any technicalities on this, unlike the BRV-1 but side by side with the Braven BRV-1, the 1M clearly packs much more of a punch than the predecessor. Battery capacity has increased from 1,400mAh to 2,200mAh though the rated battery life is still similar – probably compensating for the extra power that the upgraded speakers needed.

In the box, the Braven BRV-1M comes with a motion mount (and the screws), 3.mm AUX cable, microUSB cable as well as a strap.

In design wise, the Braven BRV-1M looks almost identical to its older brother – Volume controls, play and power buttons are on top of the speaker with tie-down bars are on the side.

On the back however, Braven has added an extra safety mechanism so that the cap is no longer fully detachable from the speaker. So no way will it go missing – again, after charging.

The charging ports for both the device and as a powerbank as well as the AUX and battery indicator are all still within the water sealed casing of the cap.

Sound quality wise, Braven added a little more bass to the speaker and it is louder than the BRV-1, however, at its higher volume region, the clarity and distortion kicks in, yet again. However, at the comparable maximum volume of the BRV-1 and the BRV-1M seems to perform better and still distortion has yet to kick in, so this is still an improvement over the BRV-1.

For its size and price, this speaker is almost perfect for bringing out to a camp or to the beach. Why almost? If the speaker could charge wirelessly or via the sunlight like the BRV-PRO, it would have been quite a device for everything. But at 2/3 the price of the BRV-PRO, this is a compromise that one has to take.

All in all, if you are on a moderate budget and looking for a portable speaker that can be used in so many different scenarios, no matter where you are going, be it out camping or just chilling by the pool or the beach, this solid speaker will be able to take on pretty much anything you can throw at it – less the fires of a BBQ pit. Coming in 3 colors – grey, red and black – the Braven BRV-1M has you covered for choice.

The Braven BRV-1M is available on both Amazon.com and Braven’s website for just USD$99.99!

The post Review: Braven BRV-1M Rugged Bluetooth Wireless Speakers appeared first on BerryReview.

Earlier today, BlackBerry launched the new BlackBerry DTEK50 android smartphone. Touted to be the world’s most secure smartphone, the BlackBerry DTEK50 was launched in Canada with a private live-stream event to media partners globally. In addition, BlackBerry has recorded the video of the webcast and it is now available for viewing online!

The post Watch the BlackBerry DTEK50 Launch Webcast appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry today has just announced their latest BlackBerry device – the BlackBerry DTEK 50. The BlackBerry DTEK 50 is BlackBerry’s latest device and running on the latest Android OS – Marshmallow 6.0. Armed with a suite of protection and nifty features, the BlackBerry DTEK50 is meant to be the most secure Android Device out there in the market.

I know some of you might be thinking how similar this is to the IDOL 4 by Alcatel/TCL. According to BlackBerry, the BlackBerry DTEK50 took the referential design of IDOL4 from Alcatel and made modifications internally to secure it before branding it as a BlackBerry DTEK50.

So here’s the rest of the press release:

BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in mobile communications, announced today that DTEK50^TM, the world’s most secure Android smartphone, is now available for pre-orders at ShopBlackBerry.com. DTEK50 is BlackBerry’s second smartphone powered by Android, following the PRIV.
Fully equipped with Android Marshmallow 6.0, DTEK50 combines BlackBerry’s unique security, privacy and productivity with the full Android experience in an all-touch design, at a price point that’s accessible for consumers and ideal for enterprise fleet deployment.

“We take our customers’ privacy seriously. That’s why we’re proud to have all the security and privacy functionality that’s built in our newest Android smartphone. DTEK50 merges the unique security and connectivity features BlackBerry is known for with the rich Android ecosystem,” said Ralph Pini, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, Devices, BlackBerry. “DTEK50 adds to BlackBerry’s lineup of secure smartphones, providing choices to our customers with different price points on both BlackBerry 10 and Android platforms.”

Android Security at the Forefront

In a recent survey¹ of Android smartphone users, BlackBerry found that 50 percent believe their smartphone is only somewhat secure, and what’s more, despite data security fears, one in six Android users don’t know about Android security patches.

“With an increase in cybercrime on smartphones, people need to recognize that the private details of their lives – where they live, their bank info, pictures of their kids – are at risk on their personal device. You wouldn’t leave the doors of your house unlocked at night. Having a smartphone that doesn’t take your privacy seriously is the equivalent,” said David Kleidermacher, Chief Security Officer, BlackBerry. “It’s equally important for businesses to protect their sensitive data from cyberattacks at all points of their mobile environment – from the device to the network and servers.”

DTEK50 was designed to address the security and privacy needs of today’s uncompromising Android users. Smartphones are increasingly being targeted for cyberattacks through tactics like malicious apps, scareware notifications and insecure Wi-Fi connections. BlackBerry’s Android smartphones, including DTEK50 and PRIV, have unique built-in hardware security.

DTEK50 encrypts all users’ information, including business critical data and personal data such as pictures, videos and contacts. Malware protection is also built-in along with back-up, wipe and restore capabilities. Additional software provides users with visibility and control over which apps get access to personal info or device features such as the microphone or camera. BlackBerry also delivers security patches on the same day that Google publicly releases information about them, while many popular Android smartphones put the users’ private information at risk of being hacked due to slow security updates.
Features that make DTEK50 the most secure Android smartphone, include:

• Rapid Security Patching: BlackBerry has a record of being the quickest to deliver security patches, setting the bar in incident response and patch management to protect your device from malicious threats.
• DTEK by BlackBerry App: Enables users to automatically monitor their OS and apps to know when their privacy could be at risk and to take action to improve it. The DTEK app also tracks applications and notifies you when someone is: taking pictures or videos without your knowledge, turning your microphone on, sending a text message, or accessing your contacts or location.
• Hardware Root of Trust: BlackBerry’s manufacturing process uses a proprietary technique that adds security from the start, allowing for the tracking, verification and provisioning of DTEK50.
• Secure Boot Process: Starting with the root of trust, each stage of DTEK50’s secure boot chain must first verify that the next component is fully intact before proceeding, ensuring your device has not been tampered with since the last restart.
• Android OS hardening: BlackBerry provides additional security patches, improved random number, address space generation and certificate pinning to make it more difficult for attackers to target a device by scrambling application/system memory.
• FIPS 140-2 Compliant Full Disk Encryption: Protects your private information, like pictures or bank information, from being stolen if you were to lose your phone.

Ready to Work

DTEK50 combines the world’s most secure smartphone with BlackBerry’s enterprise management solutions to produce a powerful device capable of powering any work day. Key features include:

• Android for Work and Google Play for Work: Allows for fast, simple and secure integration with an enterprise environment as well as easy access to numerous rich business and IT-managed apps.
• Full Enterprise Mobility Management Support: DTEK50 supports BlackBerry’s powerful suite of EMM applications and secure productivity solutions, including: WatchDox by BlackBerry for secure file-sharing, Good Work for business-class email and collaboration tools, Strong Authentication by BlackBerry as a VPN solution, SecuSUITE for Enterprise for secure voice and instant messaging communication, BBM Protected for encrypted messaging and BES12 for secure cross-platform management.

Design Meets Function

DTEK50, BlackBerry’s thinnest device ever, represents the best of BlackBerry with Android to make users more productive and responsive, pairing security with intelligent design. Key features include:

• BlackBerry Intelligent Keyboard: DTEK50 has a smart keyboard designed to learn from users and increase typing accuracy and speed. It provides word suggestions as you type and includes up to three languages, letting you flick them into place for faster conversations.
• BlackBerry Hub: This unified inbox is an irreplaceable tool for consolidating all of your messages in one place – whether it’s email, calendar, social or phone calls.
• Customizable BlackBerry Convenience Key: With the press of a button, the Convenience Key provides quick access to your most used applications and more.
• Stunning Screen: DTEK50 has a 5.2” full HD display, capable of displaying 16 million colors. The screen is made of scratch-resistant glass and features a specialized oleophobic coating to protect against smudges and fingerprints.
• Expandable Memory: With support for micro SD cards up to two TB, DTEK50 provides the flexibility to add affordable and hot-swappable memory to download, install, capture and share as your needs evolve.
• Dazzling Camera: DTEK50 is engineered to deliver professional-looking photos with an 8MP front facing camera and a 13MP auto-focus rear camera. Plus, features like Phase Detection Auto Focus and a dual-tone LED flash are designed to help the camera focus instantly and accurately for a blur-free, realistic looking photos, even in low light.

Availability and Pricing

Starting today, DTEK50 is available to pre-order from ShopBlackBerry.com in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and The Netherlands for $299 USD. DTEK50 will be available in a number of channels around the world, including more than 40 partners from electronics stores, carriers, VARs and distributors. This includes Rogers, Bell, TELUS, WIND, Videotron and SaskTel among others in Canada. In the U.S., DTEK50 will initially be available in Best Buy, B&H and Amazon. Availability of DTEK50 in additional global channels and countries will be announced in the coming weeks.

For a limited time, customers who pre-order a DTEK50 on ShopBlackBerry.com only will receive a complimentary BlackBerry Mobile Power Pack, a high-capacity portable charger worth $59.99 USD ($69.99 CDN, €59.99 and £54.99) that powers all your compatible mobile devices to maximize your productivity and play time. This offer expires on August 8th at 11:59 pm PST.

The post BlackBerry Officially Unveils the BlackBerry DTEK 50 appeared first on BerryReview.

As many of you might have known, BlackBerry will be announcing the new BlackBerry Android device later, with the retail name to purportedly be DTEK 50 (Codename was Neon and Hamburg). Now it seems like the official image of it has surfaced, along with the specifications and what accessories BlackBerry will be releasing for it. Stay tuned as we will be at the event to bring to you the latest updates to the announcement!

Apparently, the device details was posted up on BlackBerry’s server(s) already and Google had caught a whist of it. abuddlahs over at OurBerries has posted a chunk of details about it:

Dimensions:

• Height – 147 mm / 5.79 in
• Width – 72.5 mm / 2.85 in
• Depth – 7.4 mm / 0.29 in

Weight:

• 135g / 4.76 oz

Screen:

• 5.2″ FHD screen (1920 x 1080 resolution) at 424 PPI with 24-bit colour

Processors:

• Qualcomm 8952 with 64 bit Quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 (Snapdragon 617 Octa-Core, 64 bit)
• Adreno 405, 550MHz GPU

Memory:

• 3 GB RAM
• 16 GB of internal memory

Connectivity:

• MicroUSB 2.0
• MicroSDXC support (up to 2TB)
• Wi-Fi (up to 802.11 ac)
• Wi-Fi Direct
• 4G LTE
• FM Radio
• Bluetooth 4.2
• GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
• NFC

Battery:

• 2610 mAh internal battery, with support for QuickCharge 2.0 and up to 17hours of mixed usage

Camera:

• 13 megapixel auto-focus camera with a 6-element f2.0 lens, dual-tone LED flash and FHD video recording
• 8MP Fixed-Focus, f2.2 front facing camera with FHD video recording

Via BlackBerry (Google Cache for now) via OurBerries

In addition, BlackBerry’s vendor for ShopBlackBerry also has the accessories hidden on their server ready for the big day. The accessories include:

• Smart Flip Case (likely leather)
• BlackBerry DTEK50 Bundle (probably one of the sales bundle to get the device and accessory slightly cheaper)
• Smart Pocket (Again, likely to be leather, the leather pouch)
• Hard Shell Case
• Soft Shell case in a few colours

The post BlackBerry DTEK 50 Official Specification, Images And Accessories appeared first on BerryReview.

For  an amazing savings of $500 USD you can pick up an unlocked 32GB BlackBerry Priv on ebay.com while supplies last! As of now, 726 have been sold, and that number continues to rise. This is an AT&T branded device that is unlocked. Be sure to verify it is compatible with your preferred carrier network before buying.

Shipping to the US is free. Shipping to Canada is $13.37 plus $45.54 of import charges. With the current exchange rate, that works out to about $465 CAD. Compared to the $899 price tag on ShopBlackBerry.com, this is a steal.

Let us know if you grab one…or a handful!

Source: SlickDeals.net

The post Unlocked 32GB GSM BlackBerry Priv Selling for $299! appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry is currently rolling out beta version of BBM Video for cross-platform video calling in Asia-Pacific to incude iPhone and Android users. They state this is the ‘final phase’ in the roll-out before production release, which is all exciting to hear. Personally I was starting to feel BBM was leading down a path of great uncertainty. Now that all major players are now seeing this, will BlackBerry and BBM be able to recover the user numbers?

They have also noted in the Inside BlackBerry post that phone number registration is also coming in the later this Summer (North Hemishere).

How to Get Started

You don’t have to sign up or get approval to use the new cross-platform BBM Video. You do need:

• An Android device with OS 4.4 (KitKat) or higher OR an iOS device with iOS 8 or higher
• A BBM Contact with one of these devices

In your BBM, initiate a chat session with your contacts just like you always do, and then just tap the video icon in the upper-right corner. BBM will give you the option of making a voice or video call (provided your contact is also eligible to participate). Tap the video icon and start talking. (You might want to check that you don’t have any salad in your teeth first.)

The post BBM Video Expands Further for iPhone and Android in Asia-Pacific appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry has completed another phase of their integration of Good Dynamics and BES12. Just a recap, BlackBerry bought over Good Technologies last year, who was BlackBerry’s largest competitor. With this, BlackBerry is a step closer to a single unified platform and console.

BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a global leader in secure mobile communications, today announced that it has completed another step of its integration of the BES®12, Good Dynamics and WatchDox® by BlackBerry products for a single, comprehensive management experience. Whereas best of breed management of devices, apps and content has traditionally required multiple consoles from multiple vendors, with BlackBerry´s multi-OS EMM platform administrators will be able to securely manage their full mobile deployment at the device, app and content layer from a single secure platform with unmatched control. In addition, BlackBerry will introduce AtHoc for Good Dynamics and new split billing solutions with BlackBerry® WorkLife.

“With the latest enterprise portfolio enhancements, our Good Secure EMM Suites will provide customers with flexibility to apply security and policies across the various device, OS, container, application, network and file layers, from a single unified platform and console,” said Billy Ho, Executive Vice President, Enterprise Product and Value Added Solutions, BlackBerry.

BlackBerry continues to integrate key capabilities from its enterprise software portfolio into the Good Secure EMM Suites to provide organisations with the flexibility they need as they use mobility to empower employees and transform their business. Enterprises typically consist of different user bases and data sensitivities that require multiple security approaches. In addition, many organisations enable various device ownership models such as BYOD, COPE or COBO that create different requirements for protecting user privacy. By integrating BES12, Good Dynamics and WatchDox by BlackBerry, organisations can choose the right approach across all users, device and OS platforms and ownership models without creating administrative overhead and while controlling their TCO spend.

Customers will be able to deploy Good Dynamics apps in KNOX Workspace, combining the BES12 unique end-end management and security capabilities for KNOX Workspace devices with the rich experience of the Good Dynamics platform and productivity apps. Customers can then leverage a unified self-service portal that can be customised by the organisation, and that delivers a refreshed end-user experience.

In addition to enhancing the unified administrative experience for the Good Secure EMM Suites, BlackBerry also announced the AtHoc mobile app for Good and split billing features with BlackBerry WorkLife. These new capabilities will be integrated with the Good Dynamics platform, enhancing the security and deployment options for these solutions.

• Networked crisis communication – The AtHoc mobile app is being built specifically for the Good Dynamics Secure Mobility Platform putting the industry’s leading crisis communications capabilities in the palm of a hand. The AtHoc app will simplify the user experience while adding security and controls that users have come to expect from the Good platform. During an event, users of the app can receive critical alerts, send one-click duress signals, and share photos and video along with their real-time GPS location to provide further awareness and protection.
• Split billing for cost control – with BlackBerry® WorkLife – Advanced Analytics, users can monitor cellular data usage of any Good Dynamics, custom built and third-party applications developed with the Good Dynamics SDK v2.0 or later, produce reports and shape usage policies, all without infringing on personal privacy or content. Companies can see the exact cellular data usage over time by app, user, device or carrier graphically, with filters so they can quickly identify patterns or drill down into the details. The data can be also exported for offline analysis to support stipend calculations, chargeback or compliance demands. Personal data usage or activity on the same device is never tracked, and no change in user behavior or mobile device installations are required.
  BlackBerry® WorkLife – Reimbursement goes a step further by facilitating the reimbursement process for work-related data usage to cover the charges employees incur when they use approved business apps on iOS and Android devices. This way, organisations can ensure they’re paying only for the data employees use for work, reducing or eliminating stipends and reimbursement programs while pre-empting HR, tax and compliance issues at the same time.

The enterprise software portfolio updates and BlackBerry WorkLife solutions will be launching at the end of June 2016, and the AtHoc mobile app for Good will be available at the end of July 2016.

Find out more on the enterprise software portfolio at http://us.blackberry.com/enterprise.html

About BlackBerry
BlackBerry is securing a connected world, delivering innovative solutions across the entire mobile ecosystem and beyond. We secure the world’s most sensitive data across all end points – from cars to smartphones – making the mobile-first enterprise vision a reality. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry operates offices in North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Company trades under the ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BBRY” on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.BlackBerry.com.

The post BlackBerry Completes Yet Another Phase Of Good Dynamics and BES12 Integration appeared first on BerryReview.

BlackBerry has started the roll out of the Marshmallow (Android M) update for the BlackBerry Priv. Starting today, selected BlackBerry Priv’s will receive the update whilst the rest will receive it on May 3. The Android M update bring a suite of improvements to the core of the BlackBerry Priv OS, and I am sure many of you have been patiently waiting for this!

The Android 6.0.1 update will be available starting April 26 to BlackBerry models purchased directly from ShopBlackBerry. Those models include:

• STV100-1 in the U.S. and Canada
• STV100-4 in the UK, France

The update will roll out to STV100-2 and STV100-3 models (that are sold through carrier channels) beginning May 3.

Through this update, BlackBerry has added improvements to security, to the Hub, to the keyboard, as well as to the camera. Key improvements include:

• Upgraded Hub
  • Not only does it now support S/MIME email signing and encryption, there is also integration for Instagram, Slack, Skype and Pinterest integration, along with the existing hooks for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
• Keyboard
  • Improved word prediction and over 200 new emoji’s.
• Camera
  • Addition of two new video modes — 24fps capture at 4K, 1080p and 720p; and 120fps slow motion.
• Improved battery life
  • With addition of Doze and App Standby in Android M, BlackBerry Priv’s battery life is extended even further. Furthermore, performance has been given a boost so its even smoother and faster now.

Via Inside BlackBerry Blog

The post BlackBerry Starts Roll Out Of Marshmallow Update For BlackBerry Priv appeared first on BerryReview.

Have you been waiting patiently for the Marshmallow OS to hit BlackBerry Priv? Well, last Friday, BlackBerry announced that it will be coming soon, within this 2 months. However, if you don’t want to wait that long, BlackBerry is now opening up the beta registration for the BlackBerry Priv Marshmallow Beta testing. Check it out!

Whilst the beta will give you access to the beta Marshmallow OS for BlackBerry Priv as well as security patches ahead of time, here’s a few things to note:

• To be in the first wave of beta testers, you must have a PRIV purchased from ShopBlackBerry, Amazon or Carphone Warehouse. Other device owners may apply too, but won’t be accepted into the program immediately.
• You’ll need to enable background diagnostic reporting so engineering teams at BlackBerry can analyze collected data in aggregate and make improvements where necessary.
• There is limited space in the beta program.
• Registration will be open for about two weeks, and we’ll begin beta testing during the second week of April.
• The beta will last about 4-8 weeks.

If you are still interested, head over to Beta Zone in this link here and sign up right away!

The post Join The BlackBerry Priv Marshmallow Beta! appeared first on BerryReview.

It is April now and BlackBerry is starting to push out security enhancements to the BlackBerry Priv. The April update for BlackBerry Priv weighs in at about 20.9MB. There are currently no available changelogs but we will update again once they are available.

Update: This is the AAE298 build that BlackBerry has been pushing and is purpose-designed for the current CVE-2015-1805 vulnerability.

Update 2: This is the April Security Update and it brings about 25 vulnerability patches with it. This AAE298 build is the same build that BlackBerry has been pushing since 23 March.

Changelog can be found on BlackBerry KB

The post BlackBerry Pushes BlackBerry Priv April Update appeared first on BerryReview.

If have not seen or checked your application updates, BlackBerry has released an update that now offers “Timer” and “Retract” free for BlackBerry, Android and iOS users.

Other features in this BBM release include:

Cross-Platform (Android, iOS and BlackBerry 10)

• In addition to Retract and Timer, users also have access to the Private Chat and Edit features. The former removes names and avatars from the chat window, while the latter allows you to edit messages you’ve sent to a contact
• Forward messages from one chat to another
• General performance improvements and bug fixes

BlackBerry 10

• Delete messages from just your view of the chat
• Retract and edit messages in group chats
• Option to retract all messages in a chat when it ends

Android

• Mute notifications for multi-person chats
• Scroll through all pictures shared within a 1:1 or multi-person chat
• Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) support
• Improved BBM Voice call quality
• Option for users to save pictures taken during BBM chat to device

iOS

• Enhanced look and feel for the chat screen
• Capture and share larger videos with enhanced video sharing
• Multi-select mode: delete, retract, or forward multiple messages at once
• Improved BBM Voice call quality
• Option for users to save pictures taken during BBM chat to device

*Note that if you are currently a BBM subscriber, your subscription may not end automatically when you update. If it was purchased on a different platform from the one you are currently using, cancel it through the following process:

• On iOS: Simply don’t renew your subscription, and it will cancel automatically.
• On Android: Access the Google Play Store, tap on the menu button in the top left, access My Account, go to Subscriptions, and cancel.
• BlackBerry 10: Access BlackBerry World, go to my world, access Subscriptions, and cancel.

Full details via Inside BlackBerry

The post BBM Retract and Timer Now Free appeared first on BerryReview.