BlackBerry 10 Client?

[glass]

Originally Posted by robn

Putting it in the Amazon store is kind of a non-starter at this stage, because we'd need to support Amazon's push to make it worth it, and I still don't have evidence that there's enough people that want it to make it worth dropping my other work to do it (yes, I know there's a few people, but there's a tradeoff).

In some ways I wish people wouldn't try to hack the app onto their phone, because it skews my numbers. If I get any visibility on it at all, all I get is Android installs and I don't see the real platform involved. But I understand people wanting their toys, and if it was me I'd be doing the same.

I'll have more of a look at the Z10 on Monday and see what its like. Like I say though, there's no plans for a native client any time soon.

I've just done the thing you wish people wouldn't do (sorry) on my Z30. In my logged in sessions it lists it as "RIM Z30 - Android 4.3"... I don't know if that would help differentiate real Android installs from the Android app installed on a BlackBerry.

[jkc054]

Below is an interesting blog piece about BB courtesy of Karl Denninger at http://market-ticker.org/akcs-www?singlepost=3386370

I hope after reading it the Fastmail team will reconsider offering more support for BB users like myself:


"An Android-powered slider may not be the only phone BlackBerry has pegged for Google's mobile OS. Following the leaks of a device codenamed "Venice" that's said to be offered in both Android and BB10 versions, a video of the recently announced Passport Silver Edition surfaced. The square QWERTY handset isn't running BlackBerry's software, though, it's sportin' Lollipop."


That's not a prototype. It's the Silver, which you can buy now -- a mostly-cosmetic change to the Passport (and a very nice one, IMHO too.)


Now here's the prediction I made before, which I will reiterate: This is probably running a Hypervisor, which means it's running both Android and BB10 at the same time.


BlackBerry bought the company with the enabling technology for that in the cellular world -- virtual SIMs -- over a year ago. Virtualizing the RIL layer would be next -- I note that there is already a "leaked" claim that this has been done as an RIL APK apparently exists.

No, this does not violate the OHA guidelines -- at least not the public ones. If someone has evidence otherwise I'd love to see it; I've challenged those who claim otherwise to send me a copy of said documents and thus far, nothing has appeared either in public or in my email inbox.


Why is this important? Simple -- it means the "app gap" is gone. It also means that BlackBerry has the only mass-produced, high-end, high-spec keyboard devices on the market.

Will they sell iPhone-style volumes of these if true? No, but they don't have to. They will sell a hell of a lot of them, however, and make a nice profit on them too -- along with Venice, the upcoming slider.


If I'm right on this those who have been bearish on the company's prospects as a hardware vendor are in for a hell of a big shock in the next few months -- and if that thesis has led you to be short the stock you're in for lots of pain.


And oh, by the way, there is nothing different in the hardware on the Silver Passport version either, which means that existing Passport owners will be able to upgrade their firmware.

[zenmastering]

Count me in as another enthusiastic Fastmail user who'd like to have a native BB10 app. The Android app is barely useful on my Z30...I use the web-version within the BB Browser, instead.

I do appreciate the efforts you've already made towards us BB users: I have CalDAV and CardDAV integration enabled thanks to your specific instructions. The overall customer support from Fastmail has also been great!

Graemme

[mrsean2k]

I’m a Q10 and Passport user - both great devices - and find the web interface is the best of the web interfaces support on those two.

My understanding is that the app is a relatively thin wrapper around the web interface, so I don’t think you’d see much difference in behaviour anyway,

I’ve found a bit of oddness composing email on the Passport which seems to be related to the touch sensitive keyboard / autocomplete, but I’d guess that also wouldn’t change (should give the app a try and see if that’s true come to think of it)

[krimlin]

Since BlackBerry obviously has no plans to launch any more handsets with BB10, but with Android instead, I wouldn't hope for new and meaningful app development for that platform.

However, my experience with BlackBerry Hub for emails and CalDAV&CardDAV with FastMail was pretty good, when I used it.