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BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has a launched a new blog for “business users and decision makers,” the company said in a Sept. 24 post. Called Inside BlackBerry for Business, it’s a new place for RIM to share events information, research and product news-all specifically from a business perspective.
RIM’s Inside BlackBerry blog has focused on the company’s smartphones and how users can get the most out of them.
“What mobile solutions are you exploring and how are you implementing them? How are mobile technologies impacting your organization/staff? How can BlackBerry smartphones help drive your business forward?” Roger, business insights blogger for Inside BlackBerry for Business, asked in the site’s inaugural post.
RIM may be feeling a need to reemphasize its commitment to the BlackBerry business community, as it has lately struggled to woo mainstream U.S. consumers, who increasingly have eyes for Apple’s iPhones and the various Google Android-running smartphones.
On Aug. 12, for example, RIM launched the BlackBerry Torch 9800, a breakthrough device for the company, in that it’s the first to combine a dedicated RIM keypad with a multitouch display, as well as the first to run the BlackBerry 6 operating system. According to analysts, however, early sales of the Torch 9800 were slow, with first-weekend sales estimated at 150,000 units. (Apple, by contrast, sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 units in just three days.)
Nonetheless, support from international markets has enabled RIM to continue to post strong figures. On Sept. 16, it announced second-quarter 2011 revenue of $4.62 billion-an increase of 31 percent year over year.
On the business blog’s launch day, RIM also offered details about DevCon, an enterprise-geared event it is hosting in San Francisco Sept. 27 through 30. Not just for developers, the blog said, the event will offer insights for executives tasked with deploying new mobile applications.
“If you’re a CIO, part of a leadership group or in charge of strategic development, you probably want to know everything you can about the latest developments and trends,” blogger Roger said. “DevCon is where you can get an overview of the types of technologies available for BlackBerry smartphones and why application development may be easier than you think.”
For details on the themes of the 2010 program, you can head to the Inside BlackBerry for Business blog, or else check out the dedicated DevCon site.