BlackBerry 10 Revealed

While many people left their BlackBerry phones in the dust after the proliferation of the iPhone and Android options, BlackBerry 10 may once again capture the attention of the masses.

Research in Motion (RIM) plans to officially launch their newest mobile operating system labeled as "Re-designed. Re-engineered. Re-invented." This new name is representative of the grand overhaul of RIM's software. This comes as a much needed move for this company as iOS and Android have been gaining ex-BlackBerry customers in great numbers.

At the recent BlackBerry Jam Conference, RIM highlighted some of the up-and-coming features of the new BlackBerry 10. One of these highlights was the new touch-focused interface. The home screen displays a variety of widgets serving as application shortcuts. More so, it provides real-time information through ever-updating tiles similar to the Live tiles of the Windows Phone.

In addition, it will be easier to multitask with the BlackBerry Flow. Rather than only running one application at a time, the new phone will allow the user to switch between apps with a simple swipe. Meanwhile, the other apps will continue to run in the background.

Another new feature on the BlackBerry phone is called Peek, which allows the user to see notifications by swiping upwards from anywhere on the phone. Unlike the Androids system, notifications remain out of sight until the user swipes to view them.

The strong BlackBerry tradition of messaging will continue into their newest phone also. The BlackBerry Hub will now serve as an inbox for messages from several sources, including text messages, email, social networks like Facebook or Twitter, BBM, and more. Calendar appointments will also be included within this all-inclusive inbox.

Users will be able to decide on the accounts they prefer to see in the Hub. Similar with the Peek function, all messages can be seen with a simple upward and right swipe from any screen.

The fact that smartphones are able to keep users connected to the outside world at all times is one of their most admired and most loathed features. In order to create better harmony between the personal life and work life, BlackBerry 10 offers a distinct mode for each. In work mode, the user can access corporate email accounts and applications pertaining to the job. After work, users can switch to the personal mode and enjoy full access to their games and social networking applications.

Although smartphones have become a common camera replacement for many people, quality software still makes a big difference regardless of megapixels. In light of this, RIM developed a new feature for their camera app known as Time Shift. By using this app, users can take multiple shots in a row and then choose the best one with a virtual radial dial.

Even though Samsung's Galaxy Note II has a similar feature, many agree that RIM's version is more visually appealing.

While previous BlackBerry users might mourn the loss of a physical keyboard, the new BlackBerry 10 boasts a virtual keyboard that is able to predict text and adapt to the user's vocabulary and writing style. This high-tech feature is similar to third-party applications, like SwiftKey, used by Android.

While the carrier feedback and design seem very positive thus far, it might not be enough to give BlackBerry the comeback success they were hoping for.

Despite RIM's new spin on the phone's features, none of them are completely new to the market. It is here where the toughest challenge lies. Not only must RIM convince customers that their BlackBerry 10 is superior to the competition, but they must also convince developers to create apps for their new operating system. With RIM playing catch-up, this will prove to be one of their biggest hurdles yet.

However, not all of BlackBerry 10's offerings have been revealed. Because of this, the launch event at the end of January is highly anticipated. At the event, consumers are expecting to see the new phones as well as learn more about the app support. RP (Link)