VARINDIA IT MAGAZINE

BlackBerry has announced its entering into a definitive agreement to wholly acquire Cylance for US $1.4 billion in cash, plus the assumption of unvested employee incentive awards. Pending regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, the deal is expected to close prior to the end of BlackBerry’s current fiscal year (February 2019). John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO of BlackBerry, says, “Cylance’s leadership in artificial intelligence and Cyber security will immediately complement our entire portfolio, UEM and QNX in particular. We are very excited to onboard their team and leverage our newly combined expertise. We believe adding Cylance’s capabilities to our trusted advantages in privacy, secure mobility, and embedded systems will make BlackBerry Spark indispensable to realizing the Enterprise of Things.” Cylance is a pioneer in applying artificial intelligence, algorithmic science, and machine learning to cyber security software that has proven highly ...

BlackBerry and Baidu have announced that the two companies will collaborate to accelerate the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technology for automotive OEMs and suppliers worldwide. The companies have signed a statement of intent to make BlackBerry QNX’s industry-leading ISO26262 ASIL-D certified safety operating system (OS) the foundation for Baidu’s Apollo autonomous driving open platform. Also, BlackBerry and Baidu will work together to integrate Baidu’s CarLife, the leading smartphone integration software for connected cars in China, as well as its conversational AI system DuerOS, and high-definition maps to run on the BlackBerry QNX Car (Infotainment) Platform. “BlackBerry QNX has established itself as the OS platform for safety-certified production-based systems,” said Li Zhenyu, General Manager of Intelligent Driving Group, Baidu. “We aim to provide automakers with a clear and fast path to fully autonomous vehicle production, with safety and securi...

BlackBerry has joined hands with PT Elang Mahkota Teknologi Tbk. (Emtek, IDX:EMTK) that will provide cross-platform BBM users with access to enriched content and services. This landmark partnership accelerates BlackBerry’s vision to advance BBM for the consumer market through a licensing agreement with the Emtek Group that enables the company to develop new BBM applications and services for Android, iOS and Windows Phones. “Emtek’s impressive background and pedigree in entertainment, content and technology makes them the perfect partner to maximize the potential of BlackBerry’s messaging platform while meeting our financial and operational goals. Our BBM users are passionate people that truly value BBM as the best way to share and connect with each other. We wanted to continue to offer our users even more with the most content-rich media and new services such as e-commerce, video, music and games,” said John Chen , Executive Chairman & CEO, BlackBerry... Read ...

To expand the channel and distribution network for BlackBerry enterprise software products and services in India, BlackBerry Limited has partnered with HCL Infosystems. The partnership will enhance the availability of BlackBerry’s enterprise mobility portfolio to business customers by leveraging HCL Infosystems’ extensive pan-India network of deeply specialized enterprise distribution partners. As well as sales support, customers will also have access to HCL Infosystems’ IT deployment support and integration capabilities that will help them to migrate seamlessly or consolidate their Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) investments... Read More

BlackBerry has appointed Narendra Nayak as the company’s new Managing Director for India operations. During the last one year, the company faced downsizing in the employee base due to a global transformation drive, wherein it is trying to reduce its dependence on the hardware or smartphone business and focus more on software and solutions for enterprises. Nayak has taken over the responsibilities from Matthew Tonkin, BlackBerry’s Vice-President, Carrier Sales and Distribution, APAC. Since the exit of Sunil Lalvani, Tonkin was taking care of the company’s operations in India. Based in New Delhi, Nayak will be responsible for driving BlackBerry’s software and services business through all the channels in India – direct enterprise customers, network operators, distribution partners, value-added resellers and system integrators... Read more

BlackBerry has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AtHoc. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. AtHoc is a leading provider of secure, networked crisis communications. Its software platform enables people, devices and organizations to exchange critical information in real time during business continuity and life safety operations. The AtHoc platform will integrate with BlackBerry’s enterprise portfolio and trusted global network to offer customers new capabilities for safety, security and mission-critical business communication. The acquisition will enable AtHoc to expand globally and increase scale, as well as deliver new applications on a secure platform for mass communication. AtHoc’s networked crisis communications platform alerts any device – including iOS, Android, PC and Mac desktops, digital displays, radios, IP phones, and endpoints such as sirens, fire panels and speakers – helping organizations and people to connect and share information in times...

BlackBerry has announced a limited period Loyalty Program on select BlackBerry 10 smartphones for its customers in India. Customers can now purchase flagship devices like BlackBerry Passport, BlackBerry Z30, BlackBerry Z3 and newly-launched BlackBerry Classic smartphones at attractive prices. This exclusive offer can be availed only at Infibeam.com where existing BlackBerry customers can get a discount of up to Rs.10,000 on BlackBerry 10 smartphones and assured JPMiles from JetPrivilege. The offer is valid till 30th May, 2015. Amar Thomas, Marketing Head BlackBerry India, said, “We are excited to announce the BlackBerry loyalty program for customers in India. The uptake of our BlackBerry 10 smartphones among the Indian customers has been encouraging and we believe that through this unique program, customers will be able to take advantage of the powerful BlackBerry 10 platform that comes with amazing refinements post our latest software release.” Neeru Sharma, Director, Corporate...

To enhance its mobile security service portfolio, BlackBerry(NASDAQ:BBRY) has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire WatchDox. WatchDox’s technology will be offered as a value-added service that complements BlackBerry’s Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) portfolio, and will be available with BES12, a multi-OS EMM solution. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. WatchDox is a data security company offering the most secure enterprise file-sync-and-share (EFSS) solutions that allow users to protect, share and work with their files on any device. WatchDox security travels with shared files on both mobile and desktop devices to give organizations full visibility and control over how files are edited, copied, printed or forwarded. The solution also allows end-users to revoke access or delete files remotely, enables secure mobile productivity for repositories both...

To offer easy management of Enterprise mobility, BlackBerry has introduced a cloud-based enterprise mobility management solution BES12 Cloud. It will easily manage iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry 10 smartphones and tablets, as well as a wide range of Samsung KNOX and Android devices. BES12 Cloud will offer customers more flexibility and choice in managing their mobile solution while supporting a broad range of device mobility policies, all through a simple browser interface and without complicated or expensive server installs. It provides all the core functionality of the on-premise design of BES12, but with greater ease and simplicity to manage and deploy. The BES12 platform is a cross-platform EMM solution that sits at the centre of a secure enterprise mobility ecosystem that extends beyond EMM to communications, collaboration, and identity and access management. It offers 100-per cent online registration and purchase process and it only takes minutes from purchase to E...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE BlackBerry has launched the BlackBerry Classic in India. The smartphone is specially built to meet the needs of productive people thriving on speed and accuracy that can be found with a physical QWERTY keyboard. Designed based on extensive customer feedback, the BlackBerry Classic offers customers the power and performance of BlackBerry 10. “With the launch of BlackBerry Classic, we bring back the unique BlackBerry QWERTY experience that made the BlackBerry smartphones a users’ go-to productivity tool. It is designed to give users a distinct experience that every BlackBerry QWERTY loyalist and high-productivity business customer will love. This device brings the best of BlackBerry features and the keyboard functionalities familiar to BlackBerry Bold and Curve users on a secure and productive platform, with the added performance and agility that power professionals need to be competitive in today’s busy world,” said Sunil Lalvani, Managi...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   Hitesh Shah, D rector, Channel Sales, BlackBerry, India       Recently government of India announced the ‘Digital India programme.’ The program seeks to end the huge divide between rural and urban India and the digital haves or have-nots. This program is already being touted as the government’s master stroke in creating a 21st century India, with the government gearing up to offer better services, foster innovation, generate more jobs for the citizens of India while leveraging technology as the critical leveler. The government has further embarked on a plan to build 100 smart cities, urban fiber optic-connected digital clusters that will provide next-generation services to its residents, thereby transforming the dreams of a digital India in reality. Mobile phones and technology will play a significant role in driving this digitization process. M2M (Machine 2 Machine) technologies will be vital...

Porsche Design and BlackBerry have announced the new Porsche Design P’9983 smartphone. The luxury P’9983 smartphone combines Porsche Design brand with the fluid and effortless productivity experience of BlackBerry 10 technology. Marking the third smartphone collaboration between BlackBerry and Porsche Design, the device integrates premium quality materials such as sapphire glass for the camera lens, forged stainless steel for the Porsche Design floating logo and chassis, and a special glass-weave technology for the back door. Furthermore, Porsche Design has collaborated with BlackBerry for the first QWERTY version with BlackBerry 10 with specially crafted glass-like keys with the durability of rigid synthetic material, and a special 3D effect with silver font characters. “The Porsche Design P’9983 smartphone from BlackBerry makes a statement about its owner’s impeccable taste and drive for achievement and success, as well as discernment in making the right choices...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   BlackBerry Limited(NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB)  has unveiled a series of initiatives, codenamed Project Ion, to help businesses easily connect people, devices and machines, and derive value from these connections. The project Ion is a cornerstone of BlackBerry’s vision to offer end-to-end solutions for the Internet of Things. According to Forrester Research, Inc., "New smart products and the systems that connect them will eventually provide users with more personalized experiences. By collecting and combining both personal data and contextual information from the surrounding environment in real time, these products will give individuals experiences that serve them in their immediate moment of need." "As connectivity costs continue to fall and connected technologies become pervasive, a new market is emerging - the Internet of Things. Billions of connections, generating trillions of transactions and exabytes of data daily...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE BlackBerry(NASDAQ:BBRY) has announced that it will enable mobile device management (MDM) companies to directly manage devices with the BlackBerry 10 operating system. AirWatch, Citrix and IBM have expressed their intent to be the first companies to work with BlackBerry to enable a more open mobility ecosystem. In doing so, BlackBerry will provide organizations with more options to embrace multi-operating system mobile environments by enabling other MDM companies to manage BlackBerry 10 devices . “Offering the end-to-end secure solutions valued by our customers in government and other regulated industries remains central to our strategy. However, BlackBerry understands the opportunity and importance of opening our BlackBerry 10 software. This is a natural next step in our enterprise strategy as we seek to provide our customers with maximum choice in how they will meet the full array of employee mobility needs,” said...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   BlackBerry(NASDAQ:BBRY; TSX:BB)  has announced the growing adoption of  BlackBerry 10  and  BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 (BES10) by Indian enterprises across a range of sectors. BlackBerry has a strong market position in India where the Company has seen more than 1,000 Indian enterprises adopting or testing BES10 since its launch in January 2013. “The enterprise market continues to grow in India and holds immense untapped potential for BlackBerry, especially in sectors like retail, insurance, banking, healthcare, construction and professional services. BES10 offers a single, unified management console to manage iOS, Android and BlackBerry smartphones,” said  Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director for India, BlackBerry. The rising number of organizations embracing BES10 in India as part of their mobile strategy showcases the enterprise commitment to the BlackBerry solution, which is recognized as the gold ...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   Keeping up with the festive spirit,  BlackBerry  has announced a New Year Bonanza offer for its  BlackBerry Q5 smartphone . Under this offering, customers can now purchase BlackBerry Q5 smartphone for just Rs.19,990/-. This offering on BlackBerry Q5 is in line with the BlackBerry's commitment towards the Indian market and will help the brand to reach out to more potential customers. Sameer Bhatia, Director - Distribution, BlackBerry India , said, "The New Year Bonanza aims at providing a powerful mobile device, with cutting-edge BlackBerry 10 OS at an affordable price point to the consumers." The BlackBerry Q5 is available in three colours - red, white and black....... See More

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   After the amazing launch of BBM on Android and iPhone devices, with more than 10 million downloads in the first 24 hours,  BBM  has now ended its first week with more than 80 million monthly active users, including over 20 million new users on Android and iPhone devices.   During its first week, BBM was the top free overall app in 35 countries in Google Play and in 107 countries in the App Store, and continues to maintain a strong position in the key markets such as Canada, the US, the UK, Indonesia and much of the Middle East, to name a few. “It is great to see so many people downloading BBM, but the true measurement for us is engagement – the connections being made and the conversations in which our BBM community engages. The power of BBM has always been the active, real conversations and interaction that our customers enjoy,” said  Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice-President of BBM, BlackBerry . B...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT   Strengthening its product portfolio further in India,  BlackBerry(NASDAQ:BBRY)  has reportedly introduced the new  BlackBerry Z30 smartphone  in India. BlackBerry has also introduced BB 10 OS version 10.2. The new all-touch BlackBerry Z30 smartphone comes with a 5” display and the largest battery ever on a BlackBerry smartphone. It is designed to keep you hyper connected, productive and always in control, and lets you share like you’re there and collaborate with ease. The new BlackBerry Z30 smartphone offers a unique and engaging user experience with features like the powerful BlackBerry Hub, its exceptional touchscreen keyboard and industry leading browser. BlackBerry Z30 is the ultimate smartphone for the urban youth and consumers who are looking for a bigger screen size, long-lasting battery performance and a best-in-class productivity experience on the go,said  Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director for...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   BlackBerry(NASDAQ:BBRY)  has announced a limited period exclusive offer on  BlackBerry 10 smartphones  for its Enterprise Service 10 (BES10) customers. With this festive offer, BES10 customers will be able to purchase BlackBerry Q10 smartphone at just Rs.39,990/-, BackBerry Z10 smartphone at Rs.29,000 /- and BlackBerry Q5 smartphone  at Rs.22,699/-. The offer is only available to BlackBerry's existing BES10 customers in India with a view to ensure that they are able to leverage the best of the BlackBerry 10 platform and smartphones for enterprise productivity. Sunil Lalvani, Managing Director India, BlackBerry , said, "As part of our ongoing festive season promotions, we are introducing an exclusive offer for our valued BES10 enterprise customers. The uptake of our BES10 offering as well as BlackBerry 10-based smartphones among Indian enterprises has been encouraging and we believe this offer will further...

VARINDIA- INDIA'S FRONTLINE IT MAGAZINE   BlackBerry(NASDAQ:BBRY)  has announced that BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and  BlackBerry 10 smartphones  have been the first to be approved by NATO for classified communications up to the level of "Restricted". The certification allows agencies in NATO countries in all 28 member- states across North America and Europe to use BlackBerry 10 smartphones in the office or in the field. "We built the new BlackBerry 10 platform from the ground up with the highest security needs of our government and enterprise customers in mind. The fact that BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 and BlackBerry 10 smartphones have been approved for classified communications just months after debut, is a testament to the thoroughness of its design and our commitment to our defense and government customers," said  Scott Totzke, Senior Vice-President of Security, BlackBerry . The NATO certification is a significant milestone for B...