[The Big Picture]

From the recently posted article on crackberry:

BlackBerry Venice gets a hands-on treatment, shows off customization and more | CrackBerry.com

"One interesting tidbit, which we've heard before and gets noted here is that when the phone boots up, you'll see an image of a bugdroid holding up a shield. Alluding to the secure Android backstory BlackBerry may tell when the device goes official."

To me this is the most important part of blackberry's transition to android. And I for one would love to shove this in everyone face if indeed a "secure" blackberry comes to light come next few weeks. Yes you guys know who you are

Does anyone have anymore information on what this bugdroid icon may represent?

[conite]

There was some mention of Grsecurity in some of the previous, more reliable, leaks:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grsecurity

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[kbz1960]

What's a bugdroid?

[ayngling]

What's a bugdroid?

The robot with the pointy bug-antennas.

[Ment]

Google calls it the 'Android Robot' but the bug usage is also seen.

[sayf777]

Is it just me or is the CB10 application unable to let me read yellow highlighted text?

Posted via CB10

[conite]

Is it just me or is the CB10 application unable to let me read yellow highlighted text?

Posted via CB10

It's not you. Oddly enough, if someone quotes the message, it sometimes becomes readable.

PassportSQW100-4/10.3.2.2639

[paulwallace1234]

Is it just me or is the CB10 application unable to let me read yellow highlighted text?

Posted via CB10

Yeah it gets a bit confused when trying to display it all into the App/ the colour mix match

[chenageddon]

To me this is the most important part of blackberry's transition to android. And I for one would love to shove this in everyone face if indeed a "secure" blackberry comes to light come next few weeks. Yes you guys know who you are

I don't understand what you want to shove in people's faces, the idea that BlackBerry has, indeed, secured Android or make fun of the idea that Android is secure based on a new logo. The fact that there is a logo doesn't mean that BlackBerry has secured Android.

[conite]

The fact that there is a logo doesn't mean that BlackBerry has secured Android.

Perhaps, but even if they have done SOMETHING in that area, it is another differentiating factor beyond the keyboard and HUB.

See my post above regarding Grsecurity.

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[SunshineStateFlyer]

This was very exciting news indeed. If BlackBerry was able to create a secure Android build, it could be quite a big deal for the consumer market as well as for the corporate market.

With the consumer market, I think the issue is not that people wouldn't want secure phones. They're just not willing to give up the apps and all the other capacities of their phones for security. However, if security comes as a free addition, they might be gladly taking it.

Posted via CB10

[Resilience]

Wouldn't need to be a big deal for enterprise if they plan to stick with bb10 and make android device Blackberrys for consumer.

[conite]

Wouldn't need to be a big deal for enterprise if they plan to stick with bb10 and make android device Blackberrys for consumer.

Except very few businesses are buying BB10 devices now. Certainly not enough to sustain a full-on OS development program.

Most corporations seems fine with BYOD, so the Slider should do nicely with its (hopefully) slightly hardened security features.

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[1magine]

Problem is Android is used less in Enterprise space than Blackberry. IOS is the phone of choice. What needs to happen is that this device can join and be managed by a BES server in the exact same way as a BB10 device. There must be a way for medical practices, law firms, publishing houses, wall street brokers, lender etc.. to wall off their e-mail, contacts, documents, calendar and even browser from the personal use applications on the device.

Those who do not or have not used a BB on a BES - it may be hard to understand but items can not move from the secured part of the phone to the unsecured part, BES admins can push apps (RSA), and security protocols. Being able to force screen lock and password requirements are simply insufficient.

I'd go further to say what I said months ago, BB must demonstrate on day 1 that the device can not just be secured easily on a BES, but that it can be secured as easily and to the same extent as IOS on Good or Mobile Iron.

Getting government security clearances prior to release are critical. Without them, no IT admin that has previously shunned Android will view this device any different.

As a point of reference, most law firms and wall street brokerage houses did not adopt the Z10 and BB10 for several months due to security flaws on launch.

[Ment]

You're stuck in the old enterprise = regulated markets thinking. Outside of that Android has more handsets managed by Good/Mobileiron/AirWatch etc than BB does with BB10/BES guaranteed. BB wants to capture a large chunk of that market thus the acquisition of Good. Having a turnkey solution of Venice + BES is also good for BB.

[guygardner73]

Another point of differentiation would be if the Venice came with an Android version of BBM that allowed video calling. Android and ios can't currently do that can they?

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.2576 O2 UK

[conite]

Another point of differentiation would be if the Venice came with an Android version of BBM that allowed video calling. Android and ios can't currently do that can they?

PassportSQW100-1/10.3.1.2576 O2 UK

Android has many, many video calling apps though. For secure business, we already have BBM Meetings.

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[chenageddon]

Perhaps, but even if they have done SOMETHING in that area, it is another differentiating factor beyond the keyboard and HUB.

I don't think there was any doubt that Chen would "secure" Android. He certainly isn't going to go up there after many months and and say "OK, I said I would make an Android smartphone if I could make it secure, but it turns out that Android can't be secured." In other words, I think was assumed that BlackBerry would announce a secured Android so seeing the logo we said "Cool, there's the logo for secured Android."

[The Big Picture]

I don't think there was any doubt that Chen would "secure" Android. He certainly isn't going to go up there after many months and and say "OK, I said I would make an Android smartphone if I could make it secure, but it turns out that Android can't be secured." In other words, I think was assumed that BlackBerry would announce a secured Android so seeing the logo we said "Cool, there's the logo for secured Android."

I'm surprised that BlackBerry is conscious enough to have thought of "branding" it's secure android with this bug holding a sheild icon to be honest.

If successful, people will be able to recognise it instantly and say,"this phone has a secured android, go ahead an get it!"

Posted via CB10

[lnichols]

I'm surprised that BlackBerry is conscious enough to have thought of "branding" it's secure android with this bug holding a sheild icon to be honest.

If successful, people will be able to recognise it instantly and say,"this phone has a secured android, go ahead an get it!"

Posted via CB10

I don't see regulated businesses or Governments going with Android anything any time soon. iOS is considered the second option to BlackBerry within those organizations when it comes to security. Android is considered not an option. Will take a long time to get through an Android device, and most have iOS testing done and contingency plans ready. BlackBerry still has a part with BES/GOOD being the MDM piece, but I think they will lose hardware devices b with these customers. Who knows, maybe BlackBerry cozying up to Google to get Android more in Enterprise will get Apple to overpay for BlackBerry to get the MDM business and try to keep Android out of regulated markets.

Posted via Z30

[Richard Buckley]

Security means different things to different people. For me a secure Android would be one where to begin with the organization responsible for the code base (Google) does effective code reviews of extant software so that things like the bugs in the StageFright library would not exist for years, or at least not be so obvious to casual examination. It would also have effective code reviews of changes so that things like the bugs in the patches to StageFright would not just be applied and shipped, and have to be fixed later.

[DamianWarS]

New renders (http://crackberry.com/poll-blackberr...-slider-colors) showed the "bugdroid" holding a blue shield with the blackberry logo in it.

Seems to me blackberry would need some pretty good permissions to modify the android logo with blackberry branding. I wonder if this is acurate?

Posted via CB10

[sir mictol]

Ya'll are forgetting one thing, how fast will/can blackberry update the android os? Since they messing up every bb10 os update, what is stopping them from doing the same with the android version? And remember they are not the only one in that market space (android) should they have any lapses, it's downward berrydroid venice.

Sovereign sir mictol

[conite]

Ya'll are forgetting one thing, how fast will/can blackberry update the android os? Since they messing up every bb10 os update, what is stopping them from doing the same with the android version? And remember they are not the only one in that market space (android) should they have any lapses, it's downward berrydroid venice.

Sovereign sir mictol

The beauty of it now is that Google updates the OS. All BlackBerry has to do is add its drivers and presto.

The BlackBerry Experience Suite apps have to be kept up-to-date of course, but that's a separate issue.

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[sir mictol]

The beauty of it now is that Google updates the OS. All BlackBerry has to do is add its drivers and presto.

The BlackBerry Experience Suite apps have to be kept up-to-date of course, but that's a separate issue.

Z30STA100-5/10.3.2.2639

Google update the os quite right, as you've said blackberry has to add drivers and stuff. Also, test the device before seeding the updated google os out to devices, it's a clear case of "Sony like" update system and it's definitely going to take months of unconfirmed software (bb saying the os is out and people can't get it on their devices even if they remove their sims ) after google's new os release because careers are still going to test the os too.

Sovereign sir mictol