[calicocat2010]

http://m.cnet.com/news/blackberry-de...track/57448967

BlackBerry developers say RIM is energized, on track
by Jessica Dolcourt June 7, 2012

RIM headlines these days speak doom and gloom, but at least some developers see a brighter future.

According to the handful of devoted BlackBerry developers I spoke with at today's BlackBerry Jam 10 world tour event in Santa Clara, Calif., RIM proved at the BlackBerry 10 Jam in Orlando last May that the beleaguered smartphone-maker finally "gets it," and is prepared to give developers the tools they're asking for to create apps for the QNX-based BlackBerry 10 platform.

The press didn't realize the interesting stuff that was really happening, these software authors maintained, since RIM shut the press out of the developer-only sessions, held at a separate hotel. CNET's Brian Bennett repeatedly asked to attend; RIM stood firm.

Developers felt a palpable air of energy during the BlackBerry World keynote that continued into the Jam sessions, they said.

The sessions were the first time that RIM also handed out pre-release devices to "bonafide" developers for the purpose of testing their apps before RIM releases a phone or tablet, not after. Previously, pre-production devices were limited to Alliance partners.

The BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha handsets are the same devices that RIM uses for internal testing, RIM repeated at today's summit.

While the dev devices are solidly alpha, pre-release devices, the large-screen handsets impress RIM's developers, particularly the smooth scrolling and high resolution screens. With a 768x1280 pixel resolution on a larger-than-4-inch screen (about 350 ppi), the Dev Alpha's screen "puts the Retina Display to shame," one developer told me.

"Truly" developer friendly
Although the device capabilities are a key component, the application developers I spoke with prize RIM's proactive courting as well.

They spoke of RIM's outreach team taking time to actually address their woes. "They're developing the whole operating system based on our needs with our input," one developer, Matt Lewandowsky, told me. "[BlackBerry 10] could be the first mobile operating system that's truly developer-friendly."

That's certainly the case when it comes to the choices for writing apps -- HTML 5, C/C++ Native, C++/Qt with Cascades, Adobe Air, and Android Java. The developers I spoke with said that peers in their community have complained of RIM dropping its legacy Java compatibility, but those grumbles quieted at the recent Jam session last month.

BlackBerry isn't dead
While CNET and other outlets report on plummeting earnings and declining worldwide sales, this group of developers maintains that BlackBerry 10 holds immense potential for developers and users.

RIM is in a lag time between two major OS releases, one developer reminded me. Considering that they aren't selling a lot handsets right now, since customers are waiting for BlackBerry 10 devices, RIM is doing pretty well.

"When my [global] company looks at user data, we want to laugh at people who ignore BlackBerry," another developer said anonymously.

"All the energy is what's coming, not what's out there now," said Lewandowsky.

This is the same guy who thinks it pointless to upgrade to a BlackBerry 7 device and brought an old-school Windows Mobile smartphone to the event alongside his BlackBerry PlayBook because he prefers the smartphone's wide landscape-mode keyboard.

From the app-writers' perspective, BlackBerry 10 can succeed where the transitional PlayBook OS failed because RIM has worked out focused development path, a "cohesive vision."

While at least some outspoken developers enthusiastically support BackBerry 10, they're still critically aware of which technical details work and which don't.

"I'm still waiting to see a quality WebWorks app," one developer casually noted. "You know what," said another. "Me too."

[Superfly_FR]

All the energy is what's coming, not what's out there now.
Yep.

[rickbansal]

RIM definitely needs to promote/propagate these types of positive articles.

[louzer]

Potential energy can change to kinetic energy quite easily.

[anthogag]

Cool article

The D-bag-NET guy was denied access...LOL

[lnichols]

Very nice for someone in the media to go beyond stock price and market-share in the US. Hopefully BB10 wows people and sales great when it is available.

[southlander]

Interesting. A refreshing change and from CNet.

[Griffin2012]

Do I hear the theme from Rocky playing... C'mon RIM!!!

[VeGiTo]

I think it is clever that they are shutting out the press (for now). They’re right not to court consumers/the press too early, or the hype can't be sustained – I think their marketing campaign won’t come in full force until 1 or 2 months before BB10’s release.

So far since Thorsten's appointment, every move made by RIM has been very well choreographed. That is a huge departure from the mismanagement of the past, and so I am very impressed with "Thor" and his management team.

[MasterOfBinary]

Cool article

The D-bag-NET guy was denied access...LOL

I think it is clever that they are shutting out the press (for now).

Exactly what I was thinking... good for them.

[glamrlama]

RIM needs to maintain "stealth mode" as much as possible while developing BB10. This needs to be balanced against the developers that need to be courted and assisted as much as possible in developing apps. The incredibly shallow and sometimes sheer ignorance of the media and financial analysts serve not useful purpose for RIM at this point.

[Stewartj1]

And the good news just keeps rolling on in.

[Blackberry_boffin]

RIM needs to maintain "stealth mode" as much as possible while developing BB10. This needs to be balanced against the developers that need to be courted and assisted as much as possible in developing apps. The incredibly shallow and sometimes sheer ignorance of the media and financial analysts serve not useful purpose for RIM at this point.

Remember RIM are still trying (I daresay unsuccessfully) not to get BB7 device sales cannibalised by the BB10 hype considering the first such phone is still a long way off.
Seriously if you took time to look at the previews and sneak peaks, BB10 is slick AND still a work in progress. Now it seems the developers are happy with the tools they have too.

[Stewartj1]

RIM needs to maintain "stealth mode" as much as possible while developing BB10. This needs to be balanced against the developers that need to be courted and assisted as much as possible in developing apps. The incredibly shallow and sometimes sheer ignorance of the media and financial analysts serve not useful purpose for RIM at this point.

Truer words have never been spoken.

I suspect that when BB10 hardware arrives we'll be amazed by the quantity and quality of a ton of new apps that will show up in App World at the same time.

[Stewartj1]

Interesting. A refreshing change and from CNet.

What next, good press from BGR? LOL

[kill_9]

Truer words have never been spoken.

I suspect that when BB10 hardware arrives we'll be amazed by the quantity and quality of a ton of new apps that will show up in App World at the same time.

I want to be amazed by the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone but a nagging voice in the back of my head says it will be just another boring device relative to the engineering marvel that Research In Motion is truly capable of delivering.

[FlashFlare11]

Is it just me or have there been a lot of positive articles about RIM recently despite the lack of news (whether positive or not)? It's incredibly refreshing to see, regardless!