[Tatwi]

I think it would make a lot of sense for Nintendo to replace their BSD derived operating system with QNX or BlackBerry 10. I don't imagine it would be super difficult for them to migrate their game runtime from one *nix to another. Time consuming perhaps. However, in the end Nintendo would be able to launch a new Wii and DS with all the apps and network functionality of BlackBerry 10 / QNX, particularly the great Web browser and the BlackBerry World backend.

Nintendo is a corporation that would make for an excellent client for QNX/BlackBerry. They desperately need to recapture relevance by delivering the full multimedia experience, as Sony and Microsoft are able to do. Gaming alone is no longer enough to move products, even the DS. By jumping into QNX, Nintendo can leapfrog directly into a stable, fully featured, and extensible Internet connected multimedia marketplace.

If Nintendo wished to reciprocate by selling some of their games in BlackBerry World for the Z10/Z30, that would be a welcome bonus for BlackBerry users, but I would not focus on that (as Nintendo is very protective in that regard).

Go get'em, Mr. Chen.

[GooberNS]

What's weird is i bought a Wii U two days ago and thought QNX/BB would be a perfect fit!

Posted via CB10

[John Vieira]

I've always thought that they should work out a deal to have a bbm app developed for WiiU/3DS

Posted via CB10

[Troy Tiscareno]

QNX is NOT BB10. QNX is a tiny command-line *nix with no GUI, no ability to run BB10 apps, no ability to make phone calls, send texts, handle emails, manage files, etc. All of those functions are what BB built on top of QNX to have a smartphone OS.

Just like a house is only 5% foundation, BB10 is only 5% QNX, the other 95% is unique to BB10. No one is denying that a foundation isn't important to a house, but you can't live in a foundation - no roof, no walls, no insulation, no plumbing, no electrical, etc.

No one who chose a license-free version of *nix is ever likely to switch to a version that requires a license fee, especially when they've got years invested in all of their own custom code already - it's like changing out the foundation of a house that's already been built: you might as well just junk everything and start over.

There's a reason QNX is used mostly in places that aren't mass-market items: if you only need a handful of licenses, the costs probably aren't a big deal, but if you're making millions, then you have to reconsider. Besides BB phones, the only other "mass-market" segment using QNX is the car industry, but that's more to do with QNX being a pioneer in that business and having built building-blocks that make sense to the car companies - enough to justify the licensing costs - because it keeps them from having to start from scratch themselves.

And, besides, Nintendo isn't exactly impressing the world with their hardware sales - with the exception of the Wii, with the then-new controller gimmick, they've been on a down-hill slide that still shows no sign of stopping.

[Dave Bourque]

QNX is NOT BB10. QNX is a tiny command-line *nix with no GUI, no ability to run BB10 apps, no ability to make phone calls, send texts, handle emails, manage files, etc. All of those functions are what BB built on top of QNX to have a smartphone OS.

Just like a house is only 5% foundation, BB10 is only 5% QNX, the other 95% is unique to BB10. No one is denying that a foundation isn't important to a house, but you can't live in a foundation - no roof, no walls, no insulation, no plumbing, no electrical, etc.

No one who chose a license-free version of *nix is ever likely to switch to a version that requires a license fee, especially when they've got years invested in all of their own custom code already - it's like changing out the foundation of a house that's already been built: you might as well just junk everything and start over.

There's a reason QNX is used mostly in places that aren't mass-market items: if you only need a handful of licenses, the costs probably aren't a big deal, but if you're making millions, then you have to reconsider. Besides BB phones, the only other "mass-market" segment using QNX is the car industry, but that's more to do with QNX being a pioneer in that business and having built building-blocks that make sense to the car companies - enough to justify the licensing costs - because it keeps them from having to start from scratch themselves.

And, besides, Nintendo isn't exactly impressing the world with their hardware sales - with the exception of the Wii, with the then-new controller gimmick, they've been on a down-hill slide that still shows no sign of stopping.

It's not the Wii that is selling it's their portable gaming devices that sell.

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

[sentimentGX4]

By jumping into QNX, Nintendo can leapfrog directly into a stable, fully featured, and extensible Internet connected multimedia marketplace.

What? Blackberry's app ecosystem is barren. It lacks many/most major native apps, which are the only apps of interest in these types of deals, and its primary app strategy has become 'use the Android runtime to leech off Android'. Why would Nintendo pay BBRY to use a worse version of what it could have for free?

Also, Netflix is currently available for both 3DS and Wii but not for BB10. Just sayin'.

[Dave Bourque]

What? Blackberry's app ecosystem is barren. It lacks many/most major native apps, which are the only apps of interest in these types of deals, and its primary app strategy has become 'use the Android runtime to leech of Android'.

Hmm no.... it's called taking initiative because first party devs don't want to bring their apps over even if it's a simple apk to drop off...

Z10STL100-3/10.2.1.2141

[Tatwi]

What? Blackberry's app ecosystem is barren. It lacks many/most major native apps, which are the only apps of interest in these types of deals, and its primary app strategy has become 'use the Android runtime to leech off Android'. Why would Nintendo pay BBRY to use a worse version of what it could have for free?

Also, Netflix is currently available for both 3DS and Wii but not for BB10. Just sayin'.

Documents to go and the BlackBerry browser are much better than the nothing and Opera Brower offered by Nintendo. Same with the media players. And so on. There is substantial value in the BlackBerry 10 ecosystem for Nintendo.

[jonno_atamaniuk]

I can see the sense in this, but at the same time I'm not certain.

On the one hand, it means that Nintendo devices could become much more connected than they are now. The Wii U with its second screen could become a Wii U2 with the ability to stream content and information back and forth with multiple 3DSi's within bluetooth or wifi range. The next generation Wii could become more of a computing platform than the current generation, giving it a slight bit of added ability to compete against the X-Box One and PS4 (yes I am aware there is more that they would have to do, but still).

There would be the immediate tie-in with apps available on BlackBerry World if they opted to get into that, meaning music and movie purchases and rentals right away without the regional restrictions of Netflix (Netflix in Canada is a bit sad with their content) along with apps that can be quite fluid and smooth assuming they are well built.

But then again... it is Nintendo.. they have their own thing going on and licensing BB10, despite its capabilities, could be just too much work and investment for the time being.

Posted by my Z30 via CB10

[Tatwi]

QNX is an operating system with a Unix compatible kernel. It is not "a small command line program", nor is QNX simply the micro kernel. The command line utility for QNX is SH. Linux uses BASH by default in most distributions. One can add on countless libraries, kernel modules ("drivers" in Windows speak), programs, etc to customize QNX, GNU/Linux, and Free/NetBSD and it is this combination of parts that come together to make an operating system. One such configuration of QNX is referred to as BlackBerry 10 OS.

QNX has binary compatibility with both Linux and BSD. Nintendo uses BSD. There is no technological reason why the BlackBerry 10 runtime and the Nintendo game runtime cannot be made to operate together. Even the most simple way of doing so would suffice - have the "Channels" screen load each runtime separately when the user chooses a program.

In any case, Nintendo does not need to boot into BlackBerry 10 proper to make use of its libraries and programs. And, they mist certainly would not. Instead, smart people would create a custom Nintendo experience based upon what both parties have to offer. That custom experience could be exceptional.

[sentimentGX4]

Documents to go and the BlackBerry browser are much better than the nothing and Opera Brower offered by Nintendo. Same with the media players. And so on. There is substantial value in the BlackBerry 10 ecosystem for Nintendo.

You're right. It's every 4th grader's dream to mash at buttons inside a word document on a Microsoft Office knockoff!

Forget about Netflix, Vine, Instagram, Snapchat, Clan Wars, etc. Tools not toys!!