iPhone Download World

Analyst expects Apple to debut free iPhone 3GS with 2-year mobile contract – MacDailyNews – Welcome Home

“Analyst Mike Abramsky with RBC Capital Markets said on Wednesday that Apple is “expected” to offer the iPhone 3GS for free when the iPhone 5 launches later this year,” Neil Hughes reports for AppleInsider. “‘While a $49 iPhone is already available (AT&T), psychologically a $0 iPhone provides a compelling offer,’ Abramsky wrote in a note to investors. ‘Proprietary survey data… suggests 14% are very/somewhat likely to buy the iPhone 3GS for free with 2-year contract, exceeding buying interest for the iPad (13%) and original iPhone (9%).’”

“Abramsky sees the offering of a free iPhone 3GS as a way for Apple to double its potential market opportunity to more than 150 million smartphones,” Hughes reports. “a lower-priced iPhone 3GS, offered $399 unsubsidized, would also increase iPhone share globally, he said.”

Hughes reports, “In may it was revealed that the iPhone 3GS, along with the first-generation iPad, often outsells many newer Android-powered devices.”

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The Universal Charger for Just About Any Gadget Battery

ASPEN — if you can pry the lithium ion battery out of your device, you can probably charge it with Fenix International’s noteworthy USB charger. and you won’t need an annoying adapter, either.

The company developed the charger for use in Uganda and other developing world countries. It’s part of a whole suite of products Fenix designed to help local people to become one-stop electricity providers. but you can use it yourself, too. At the bottom of this post, you can see the Fenix charging my Canon G11 camera battery.

Here’s how the device works. Instead of using some proprietary cord conversion system, the charger just has little contacts that can clip onto almost any Li-Ion battery.

Doing away with all of the cords allows an entrepreneur in any place where mobile devices are abundant but power is scarce to be sure that he or she can charge most phones without carrying around a ton of little adapters.

The charger can plug into any computer or USB wall adapter, but Fenix designed it specifically to be plugged into the ReadySet, an all-in-one “intelligent battery” that can take in power from a variety of sources (bicycle generator, solar, the grid), store and smooth it, then spit it back out to charge phones or other appliances.

Fenix CEO Mike Lin has been working on designing new products for the developing world for years. I first ran into him in San Francisco, when he was working for Potenco on a pull-cord power generator. Here in Aspen, he’s carrying around the ReadySet and his chargers in his bag, where they combine to make a pretty effective demonstration of his vision for mobile power entrepreneurship in the developing world.

What might be more fascinating about the new charger, though, is that it’s a clear example of how technology designed for the “bottom of the pyramid” can bounce back to the developed world as a cheap and easy solution. As more and more entrepreneurs start to focus their efforts outside the OECD countries, I think we’re due for a lot more of this kind of cross-pollination. keep an eye out for the Fenix, as it should be going to retail stores in the U.S. this year.

The one downside to the Fenix charger is that it requires you to pull the battery out of your gadget to charge it, which means that you can’t use it with your iPhone.

What’s your big idea? I’m wandering around Aspen looking for the most interesting ideas. Feel free to stop me or tweet your ideas to @alexismadrigal.

Making a successful case

For the companies that hang their profits on savvy cases for smartphones and tablets, staying ahead of the competition means betting millions of dollars on which mobile devices will be hot — and which will flop.

South Florida is home to a handful of mobile gadget accessory makers fighting for a piece of an industry that’s expected to rake in $34 billion this year.

Some products, like cases, have a low barrier to entry: Come up with a design, have someone in China build it, and sell it at a street fair. The difficultly lies in standing out enough to make the investment worthwhile — and knowing which phones are worth accessorizing.

“There are so many people flooding in here,” said Michael Morgan, senior analyst of mobile devices at ABI Research. “The case market has exploded.”

Among those angling for a share of the market is a. G. Findings and Manufacturing in Sunrise, which makes protective cases for phones and tablets. Through partnerships with carriers, its office houses dozens of smartphone models that have yet to be released — something most tech rumor bloggers would love to get their hands on. When today’s big seller is outdated tomorrow, the team is in an eternal race to get product in stores before every major smartphone launch. being late by just a few weeks can mean losing 70 percent of sales to a competitor.

a company like AGF has to find a niche, and it has: by throwing phones off buildings — and having them land in one piece.

Its Ballistic brand, a bulky, multi-layered shock-resistant case, is what put AGF at an annual revenue today of $15 million — a figure that represents doubled revenues each year for the past three years, it says. its primary competition is OtterBox — another maker of cases that can protect a phone from fatal drops, and which has a more recognized brand in more stores. Both have a price tag around $50, but AGF is selling it for less to retailers to scoop up more shelf space.

“We’re willing to make less profit than they are,” said Fernando Tages, AGF’s chief operating officer. “now that we’ve entered, I’m sure that they’ll need to be competitive with us, and they’ll need to drop their prices as well.”

Tages said the Ballistic brand is currently in AT&T stores and should be in others such as Best buy, RadioShack and Walmart by the end of the year.

Since its start in 1993, AGF’s produce line has morphed with technology. Originally it made holsters and belt clips for beepers — remember those? — as well as generic leather sewn cases that fit multiple phone models. But today’s flat, large-screen smartphones require far more engineering to get a perfect, snug fit.

Making a case takes eight to 12 weeks, and getting it out the same day as launch is a challenge when a company like Apple keeps phone details a secret until the last moment.

When AGF was given the shape of the rumored iPhone 4 from an unknown source, executives had to make a quick decision. did Apple really make a boxy iPhone 4? or could it be a decoy to fool the media? if they were to launch a case in time, they would need to trust the information.

“We said, ‘We have to do it.’ It could be a complete waste of money and time, and it probably would have sunk the company,” Tages said — but it turned out the measurements were valid. “that was a gut-wrenching three months for our company.”

Kleiner Perkins’ iFund Invests in Android Fitness App Company

Liz Gannes, On Thursday June 23, 2011, 8:28 pm EDT

The mobile fitness app maker WorkSmart Labs announced today it had raised a seed round of investment led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

What seems particularly striking about the investment is that WorkSmart makes Android fitness apps. as far as I can see, WorkSmart doesn’t have a single iPhone app out; it lists five Android products on its Web site, including two paid apps: Noom Weight Loss, CardioTrainer, Calorific, CardioTrainer Pro and Race Against Yourself.

While iFund investments aren’t restricted to Apple’s iOS platform, that’s quite literally the inspiration for Kleiner Perkins’ dedicated fund — “ideas and products that build upon the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.”

New York City-based WorkSmart counts six million downloads to date, up from four million this January. The company, which was founded in 2007, said it was previously supported by angel funding from “numerous Googlers” and unnamed Korean investors.

WorkSmart apps are well-loved; the New York Times app reviewer Bob Tedeschi said CardioTrainer is one of the rare examples of an Android app beating out the iPhone competition.

WorkSmart ties into the social fitness trend that I’ve written about a few times — where friends help friends work out by giving virtual encouragement and accountability. WorkSmart Co-founder and CTO Artem Petakov said this week at a conference that more than 150,000 of his apps’ users post their workout data to Facebook, and those posts usually get at least two comments.

Petakov also said, if I’m reading the report right, that 90 percent of WorkSmart usage is through mobile devices.

The Best Syncing Note-Taker For iPhone

There are tons of note-taking applications for iOS, all worthy contenders, but we have a special place in our hearts for Simplenote thanks to its great syncing abilities, excellent search, revision history and easy-to-use interface.

Simplenote

Platform: iPhonePrice: Free (or $US20/year for Premium)Download Page

Sync performs beautifully and it works just how you’d want it to. even if you’re a non-paying user you still get a pretty decent revision history (10 copies) so you can revert to old versions of your notes easily. everything is private and sync is encrypted, but you can share notes publicly in a variety of ways if you want to. Third-party app support is excellent, so if you want to use Simplenote outside of your iPhone and iPad you have tons of options. Paying for premium service ($US20/year) grants you a bunch of extra features like Dropbox sync and note creation via email.

While $US20 a year is less than half of what you’d pay with Evernote, Evernote doesn’t disable as many features for its regular users. and although the cost is reasonable (I gladly pay for it), it’s more than some people will want to pay for syncing text notes when Dropbox-based note-syncing apps will do it for free (via Dropbox, of course). while some third-party Simplenote-based apps support basic text styles like bold and italics, the official Simplenote app does not. A word count feature would also be nice, but there’s very little to complain about. Simplenote does it’s job and it does it well.

Springpad is a popular reader favourite that brings the popular web app to iOS. It’s much richer than Simplenote, in the sense that you can add more media and text decoration. It’s really a lot more like Evernote, which is another popular note-syncing app for iOS, your desktop computer, and the web. both are free.

Listiary uses Simplenote to create lists. if you wish Simplenote had list-making support, here you go (for $4).

For $US2, you can get Hidden and keep your Simplenote content super-private. if you’re really paranoid about people reading your notes, this one’s for you.

Notesy ($3.99), Nebulous Notes (Free/$2.49), and PlainText (Free) are all great options if you prefer to sync your notes with Dropbox.

Lifehacker’s App Directory is a new and growing directory of recommendations for the best applications and tools in a number of given categories. this week, we’re focusing on syncing note-takers.

COUNTERPATH RELEASES BRIA FOR iPAD, THE WORLD’s FIRST UNIVERSAL iOS SOFTPHONE

Press Release Source: CounterPath Corporation on Wednesday June 8, 2011, 9:00 am EDT

VANCOUVER, June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – nearly one in four enterprisesalready use tablets, and by 2013, so will the majority of businesses,according to multiple analyst and vendor surveys of Chief Information Officersand IT managers. as this installed base grows, so does the opportunity forenterprises to leverage the tablet to minimize telephony costs while improvingemployee productivity and responsiveness.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110608/TO210)

to enable enterprises and mobile workers to capitalize on this trend,CounterPath Corporation (http://www.counterpath.com) (OTCBB:CPAH.ob – News) (TSX-V:CCV.v – News) today announced the worldwide availability of Bria iPad Edition Version1.0 via the Apple iTunes App Store(http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/download). This standards-based,service agnostic softphone provides an intuitive user interface for making andreceiving calls over a Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G mobile connection, making it the firstuniversal endpoint for iPad.

“With Bria iPad Edition, business users now can carry a single device thatcombines the best of their laptop, mobile phone and deskphone,” said ToddCarothers, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Products, CounterPath.”Tablets are quickly becoming the essential business tool for the mobileworkforce, and we’re also seeing an increase in personal devices being usedfor work. so based upon our success with Bria for iPhone, and Bria forAndroid, the iPad Edition was the natural next step to address both emergingtrends.”

Bria iPad Edition 1.0 supports multiple VoIP accounts and SIP protocols,Bluetooth headsets and native iOS multitasking. This enables business usersand prosumers to access multiple personal and business accounts whilesimultaneously utilizing other applications or accessing documents on theiriPad during a call.

Capable of working with any VoIP service provider, Bria iPad Editionsupports hosted VoIP and IP-PBXs, effectively turning the iPad into a mobiledesktop phone. Bria includes a list of pre-configured, CounterPath-approvedITSPs, making VoIP account set-up fast and easy for users who either lack aVoIP provider or already use a CounterPath-approved ITSP.

Unlike other VoIP voice applications marketed for the iPad that wereintroduced primarily for the iPhone, Bria iPad Edition is designedspecifically for all Apple iPads. This iPad-centric foundation means that BriaiPad Edition leverages the device’s large, high-resolution display, providinga richer user experience that enhances the features found in the Bria iPhoneEdition.

Bria iPad Edition’s separated navigation panes make it effortless to findcontact information and initiate calls. a one-touch popover dialpad iselegantly minimized yet easily accessible at all times, while the iPad’snative keyboard is also available for entering alphanumeric SIP URL/addresses.

other key features of Bria iPad Edition 1.0 include: – a customizable user interface specifically designed for the iPad. a visually engaging double-pane design logically organizes application features and enables simple and smooth transitions between tabs and sub-tabs. Includes options for custom background images and custom colors. – Bluetooth connectivity. When the iPad is paired with a compatible Bluetooth headset, the Bria client can be used to speak and listen providing the ability to be away from the iPad up to the range of the headset. – iTunes Auto Pause. When a call is placed or received, the audio from the iPad’s iPod music application is automatically paused. – a wide variety of deskphone features, including call hold, transfer, conferencing, display and history, as well as contacts and a voicemail indicator. – iOS4 multitasking, enabling access to other applications without interrupting calls. Bria iPad Edition softphone runs in the background and can be returned to quickly by a top-of-screen tap. – Advanced security and audio features. Secure call signaling and audio encryption plus codec support for G.711, G.722 wideband audio for lifelike sound, GSM, iLBC and an optional G.729 codec that is available for purchase within the app or through the Apple Store.

According to Infonetics Research, the VoIP services market reached nearly$50 billion in 2010. with more than 19 million iPads sold worldwide, Applecurrently holds the majority of the growing tablet market. “CounterPath’s BriaiPad Edition meets the needs of these rapidly converging markets, serving boththe prosumer and enterprise consumer segments,” Carothers said.

like Bria iPhone Edition, Bria iPad Edition 1.0 integrates seamlessly withother CounterPath desktop and mobile VoIP solutions, as well as withenterprise and carrier infrastructure equipment from major vendors.CounterPath also develops customized white-label versions of Bria iPad Editionfor carriers, OEMs and enterprise customers worldwide.

a version of Bria iPad Edition that includes support for video calls, SMS,Instant Messaging and presence will be available later this year.

Bria iPad Edition is available immediately in the Apple iTunes App Store(http://www.apple.com/itunes/affiliates/download) or via CounterPath’s onlinestore at www.counterpath.com/store. for more information about CounterPath’sBria iPad Edition, custom-branded softphones or other mobile VoIP solutions,please contact CounterPath at sales@counterpath.com.

about CounterPath

CounterPath Corporation is an award-winning provider of innovative desktopand mobile VoIP software products and solutions. The Company’s product suiteincludes SIP-based softphones, server applications and Fixed MobileConvergence (FMC) solutions that enable service providers, enterprises andOriginal Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to cost-effectively integrate voice,video, presence and Instant Messaging (IM) applications into their VoIPofferings and extend functionality across both fixed and mobile networks.

CounterPath’s customers include some of the world’s largesttelecommunications service providers and network equipment providers includingAT&T, Verizon, BT (British Telecommunications PLC), mobilkom Austria, Avaya,BroadSoft, Cisco Systems, Metaswitch Networks and Mitel.

for more information please visit www.counterpath.com.

Disclaimer: Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation ServicesProvider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Editors Note: to view screenshot images of the Bria iPad Editionapplication, visit www.counterpath.com/bria-ipad-edition.html

CONTACT: CounterPath Media and Analyst Relations, Andrea Parker,1.858.205.3439, andreap@comunicano.com

Apple/Samsung lawsuit revised: more products included

Remember those Itchy and Scratchy cartoons that would show up in episodes of The Simpsons from time to time? They were like Tom and Jerry, but uncensored. One clip I can remember shows Itchy trying to outdo Scratchy by threatening him with a larger weapon than the one he was holding. Itchy retaliated with an even bigger one. and so, the duel continued until they had guns the size of the planet. That is exactly what this Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit is turning in to.

Originally Apple filed the suit to claim that the Galaxy S series copied the look and feel of the iPhone 3GS/3G. It was also claimed that the Galaxy Tab came with accessories similar to those that were available for the iPad. After which, Cupertino demanded that Sammy hand over a bunch of gadgets so that it could check if it had a legal leg to stand on. Samsung responded by requesting to see the secret iPad 3 and iPhone 5. Apple dismissed this attempt to pry and has now revised its original lawsuit to include even more devices manufactured by the Korean company. The quote below comes from FOSS patents:

“The original complaint specifically accused the following products of infringement: “the Samsung Captivate, Continuum, Vibrant, Galaxy S 4G, Epic 4G, Indulge, Mesmerize, Showcase, Fascinate, Nexus S, Gem, Transform, Intercept, and Acclaim smart phones and the Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet.”

The amended complaint accuses all of the above plus the Droid Charge, Exhibit 4G, Galaxy Ace, Galaxy Prevail, Galaxy S (i9000), Gravity, Infuse 4G, Nexus S 4G, Replenish, Sidekick, Galaxy Tab 10.1, and Galaxy S II (aka Galaxy S 2). It also specifies the accusation against “Showcase” products, naming the Showcase i500 and Showcase Galaxy S.”

After Apple’s recent iOS 5 beta release, it’s not as if the new software doesn’t “look and feel” more Android-y. Surely RIM could also sue for the implementation of iMessage? Where does all of this stop? Personally, I think it’s a little ridiculous considering the iPhone clones that are all over the internet. Wouldn’t Apple be better off targeting the guys who make copies of its handsets? What do you think?

Via: Phonedog

Skype video chat on iPad app moves Microsoft closer to Apple

Computerworld – Skype is reportedly set to release a video chat app optimized for Apple’s iPad even as the maker of video and voice products is on tap to be acquired by Microsoft for $8.5 billion.

Analysts are taking note that Microsoft, the classic Apple competitor, is indirectly ingratiating itself with Apple’s industry-leading tablet computer. It’s been widely reported that the Skype app will be available in iTunes starting Tuesday.

“It’s interesting that this app puts Microsoft on the iPad — potentially,” noted Jack Gold, an analyst at J. Gold Associates. “MicroSkype takes a bite of the Apple.”

The Skype video chat app for iPad alone might not be a big concern for Apple, though it does give Microsoft a foot into the Apple door, he said.

In fact, the app could mean that Apple, in effect, will become a component of the Microsoft Windows Live suite that includes everything from IM to email, Gold said. “Live is directly competitive to what Apple is doing,” Gold noted.

In the computing industry, stranger things have happened as large companies invariably compete and cooperate with rivals. In fact, years ago industry insiders coined the term “co-opetition” as the trend took hold.

Apple’s motivation to allow a Skype video app for iPad to be available in iTunes isn’t hard to figure out, some analysts noted.

Skype is enormously popular worldwide, with some 30 million simultaneous users of its voice and video tools at peak times, and an average of 145 million connected users per month in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to Skype’s Web site.

A popular app on a popular tablet can only help the tablet, the reasoning goes, while reviewers note that video chat on a tablet is arguably more compelling than on a smaller smartphone.

A further irony is that the Skype for iPad app would compete with Apple’s own FaceTime video chat product, which works in Wi-Fi only.

Skype for iPad will be workable in both Wi-Fi and 3G, although an early CNET review said the Skype video chat is clear in Wi-Fi and “often less crisp chat over 3G.” the reviewer also noted that calling via Skype video from an iPad to an iPhone resulted in frequent freezes.

The new app even works on the original iPad with its single camera that allows videoconferencing input, not output, as the two cameras allow on the iPad 2.

Another major advantage of the Skype product is that it allows video calls to other Skype users running any mobile device or desktop system. With Apple’s FaceTime, users are restricted to the Apple platform.

Skype also offers iPhone-based video chat software for the iPad, but the older product isn’t optimized for the Apple tablet’s 9.7-in. screen size. Skype mistakenly posted a YouTube video describing the new iPad app last week. the iPad video has survived on some Web sites, although apparently without sound.

Skype’s user forum has included posts calling for a native iPad video chat app. User Erick van der Neut said such a product would be “The killer app on the iPad.”

And blogger Dan O’Shea of FierceVoIP declared in a blog post: “Face it: Video chat is iPad’s killer app.” O’Shea called Skype’s rollout of the iPad product “the latest move in the broader evolution to video chat.”

O’Shea also referenced Microsoft’s pending acquisition of Skype, saying the rollout of the iPad video chat app could prove to quiet some critics of the Microsoft takeover.

“Recently, it seems Microsoft is getting blamed for anything up to and including the wind blowing the wrong direction at at Skype’s HQ,” he said. “But perhaps Skype’s iPad offering will show that nothing is stopping the global VoIP (Voice over IP) juggernaut from helping to drive the next era in communications.”

Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen, or subscribe to Matt’s RSS feed . His e-mail address is mhamblen@computerworld.com.

Read more about Mobile and Wireless in Computerworld’s Mobile and Wireless Topic Center.

Five reasons RIM isn’t going anywhere

We’ve all read the “stock crash” headlines, heard the rumours of a Microsoft takeover and seen Jim Balsillie not handling TV interviews very well, but that doesn’t mean this is the beginning of the end for RIM. well, we certainly hope not.

He’s not the only one, but MobileCrunch’s John Biggs writes he believes “it’s over” for Research In Motion. yes, Canada’s own inventor of the BlackBerry, the first major smartphone player and darling of the business world.

I would challenge this assertion, however.

I don’t think RIM is dead, nor do I think they have one foot in the grave. They’re ailing, sure, as the stock plummet indicates that investors are nervous – with some calling for Balsillie to step down. They’re losing momentum to Apple and Android, and their PlayBook tablet, while a much better product today than when it launched in April (thanks to software updates), isn’t making a dent in sales compared to what they forecasted (about 500,000 instead of 2.4 million).

Mismanagement notwithstanding, they do have a number of products and services on the horizon that suggest there is a light at the end of the tunnel for the Waterloo, Ont.-based tech giant. Here’s a few to consider:

App floodgates to open: One of the benefits of the iPad is that all the iPhone or iPod touch apps you’ve invested in work just fine on Apple’s tablet. There’s a huge value proposition there. plus, not only are there 90,000-odd apps specifically designed for iPad, but roughly 500,000 downloads in total since most work with iPad, too (not the camera-related ones on the first iPad). RIM’s PlayBook is built on a different platform (QNX) than its BlackBerry OS, therefore none of the apps a BlackBerry user purchased will work on the tablet. this summer, however, RIM announced not only will BlackBerry apps work on the PlayBook but Android apps, too. that is, Android developers could tweak their apps to work on PlayBook. this should help RIM significantly up its app offerings. RIM’s hallmark is security, so they’ve assured users the BlackBerry and Android apps will run in a protected “sandbox” environment.

Native email support coming: I’ve said this was a mistake from the beginning, but RIM initially decided you need a nearby BlackBerry in order to pick up your client email on the PlayBook. that is, a Bluetooth feature called BlackBerry Bridge displays your corporate or ISP (e.g. Bell, Rogers) mail on the tablet when in fact it’s really stored on the BlackBerry. Apparently, this was a security-based decision, so in case you lose your tablet, none of your mail or BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) conversations can be read. well, it seems RIM conceded it was a mistake, as this summer they’ll allow you to read your email on the PlayBook. Arguably it may be too late, but it’s better than not offering it all.

New hardware on the horizon: I recently had a chance to play around with the upcoming Bold 9900 smartphone, a one-piece device with large keyboard and touchscreen. it certainly feels better than the BlackBerry Torch 9800, a product I’m not particularly fond of, and it’ll run the new BlackBerry 7 OS (see below), so this might help RIM get back on track. They aren’t releasing enough hardware, nor is it as compelling as the competition’s sleek-looking and powerful devices, but RIM’s core crowd remains business users and they shouldn’t abandon this key demographic. the 9900 will also have near-field communication (NFC) that makes the smartphone serve as a digital wallet as you simply swipe it at a store or vending machine to purchase items (there are other applications, too). A new 3G/4G PlayBook is coming out soon, too – the existing one is Wi-Fi only, unless you bridge it with a Bluetooth BlackBerry – and QNX-powered smartphones will debut in 2012. once QNX powers both smartphones and tablets, it’ll help unify the apps, too. Hope that won’t be too late.

BlackBerry 7: Unveiled in early May, RIM has a new OS upgrade around the corner, dubbed BlackBerry 7. the BlackBerry Bold 9900 will be the first smartphone to run the software, which promises to make the user experience a lot better than what’s found today on the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and other smartphones. Along with a tweaked user-interface and faster performance, BlackBerry 7 is said to have a much faster web browser with HTML5 video support. You can do voice-activated searches, read maps with compass support, and take advantage of BlackBerry Balance, which allows you segregate your personal and professional lives into separate piles of content. You’ll be able to shoot HD (720p) video, use augmented reality apps and will house a full version of Docs to go with all “premium” features enabled out-of-the-box (for Word, Excel and PowerPoint file support).

Open BES: Finally, RIM announced last month it would open up its Blackberry Enterprise Server for Microsoft Exchange to other smartphone platforms. Consumers might not be familiar with BES (pronounced “bez”), but it delivers push-based access to applications like Microsoft Exchange email, calendar, contacts and scheduling; instant-messaging apps (like Microsoft Office Live Communications Server); and other enterprise-grade apps like customer relationship management software. this is smart because organizations today don’t just support one mobile platform. RIM recognizes they’re not the only game in town anymore and found a way to stay relevant in the workplace with growing Apple, Android and Microsoft hardware.

Even with these promising products on the horizon, it’s not going to be easy for RIM. while I’ll challenge the notion this is “the end” for RIM, they no doubt have their work cut out for them. They’re seeing their market share shrink – not keeping their existing business and consumer customers happy and thus losing them to competing smartphone platforms — which is a painful thing to watch for the company. Today’s younger generation seems to care less about a physical keyboard. there are many alternatives to BBM. RIM doesn’t have the iconic brand that Apple does, nor does it appeal to the open-source crowd like Android does.

As a tech-loving Canadian, I’m optimistic RIM can turn this ship around. Maybe it needs a new captain, sure, and the waters will be rocky for a while, but with more innovation, hardware and a lot of high-quality apps it should be smoother sailing.