Oonagh ReidyBlackBerry has a love in with Microsoft Bing as it scrambles to make PlayBook content.
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Here is a roundup of all the happenings in BlackBerry World, taking place this week in Orlando, Florida.
The brains behind BlackBerry, RIM have announced a partnership with Microsoft whereby its Bing engine will be the “default search provider” in its browser and maps applications.
And to celebrate, Microsoft’s Chief, Steve Balmer, joined the fun alongside RIM head honcho Mike Lazaridis (pictured) in his keynote speech as did Adobe’s Shantanu Narayen. (Lucky them as everyone that attended walked away with a free Playbook!).
What was also interesting about the address is that it was all done in 3D, which required all and sundry to don a pair of specs.
“Bing will be the preferred search and maps applications with regular, featured placement and promotion in the App World carousel,” the BlackBerry blog said.
It seems RIM were bowled over by Balmer’s Bing offering: “Microsoft showed how OCR camera search, voice search, streetside block view, photosynth panorama would work with the BlackBerry platform, and Blaise Aguera y Arcas from Microsoft also performed a number of demos including access to contextual info, local restaurant search and Bing deals search.”
It also told a packed audience of the arrival of Angry Birds on its PlayBook tablet, the gaming cult that has millions around the world gripped.
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“In addition a number of new and exciting apps will be coming soon – including Angry Birds” it announced on its blog.
The game will join the likes of Facebook, Kobo, Need for Speed, Tetris, Docs 2 Go, Podcasts, Slacker and other apps.
On the Adobe front, Adobe AIR app demos for the PlayBook, were also showcased including Readers Digest app, Facebook, and Adobe Connect.
This scramble for new content comes as the Canadian smartphone maker recently downgraded its shipments forecast expect shipments of BlackBerry smartphones for the quarter, ending in May, to be at the lower end of the range of 13.5m – 14.5m forecasted in March.
This would result in revenue slipping slightly below the $5.2 – $5.6bn estimate, it warned investors, although is anticipating “strong revenue growth” in the third and fourth quarters of the fiscal year as it hopes the PlayBook to do the business among consumers.
It also said it expected a shift in the mix of devices to lower-price models.
Read BlackBerrys Go Bold: 9900, 9930 Revealed here
Pictured above: Microsoft’s Steve Balmer and RIM’s Mike Lazaridis shake on it.
These latest content filler announcements come as Research in Motion looks to compete with arch rival Apple iPhone as well as the recent Android invasion on both the smartphone and tabs front.
Can’t wait for Play? Expect the PlayBook to hit Aussie shores some time in Q2 this year.