Category Archives: BlackBerry

BlackBerry 10 distribution still flat

The distribution of BlackBerry 10 OS usage remained flat over the past month. In fact it has been flat for a while with 10.3.0 stuck at 91% and 10.3.2 leveling off a bit below that.
2016Feb-Pixelated-BB10OSVersions
2016Feb-StuffINeed-BB10OSVersions
This data was collected by BlackBerry World for downloads of the free strategy game Pixelated and the free checklist app Stuff I Need. Data shown on the chart is from the beginning of February 2015 through the end of February 2016.

BlackBerry 10 OS statistics

Use of OS 10.3.x was level for both users of Pixelated and Stuff I Need, near 91%. The biggest difference in January was that the use of OS 10.3.2 is up to 76.5% of Pixelated users, and 85.6% of Stuff I Need users.

2016Jan-Pixelated-BB10OSVersions

2016Jan-StuffINeed-BB10OSVersions

This data was collected by BlackBerry World for downloads of the free strategy game Pixelated and the free checklist app Stuff I Need. Data shown on the chart is from the beginning of January 2015 through the end of January 2016.

Hockey Scores app updated

IMG_00000100The Hockey Scores app has been updated so that it will continue to work. After an unexpected change to the API the app had stopped working, but this update restores the scores.

About Hockey Scores

This application provides the day’s hockey scores is an intuitive and easy to use format. It also includes additional game statistics such as start times, goal scorers, shots on net, hits, faceoff percentage, and lists out the goal scorers.

OS Support

The app supports BlackBerry 10 phones running OS 10.1 or higher, and BBOS phones running OS 6.0 and higher. Support for BlackBerry 5 has been ended.

Links & Information

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10 more levels for Starbeams

Z10Starbeams has been updated to version 2.2 giving the game a total of 220 levels.

About Starbeams

The object of the game is to assign colors to each star in order to ensure that none of the stars are connected to another star of the same color. The game starts off easy, but quickly gets more complex, adding more colors and seven pointed stars that can not be changed.

Starbeams can be downloaded for free for Windows Phone, Windows 8, Windows 10, and BlackBerry 10 devices. A one time in-app purchase is required in order to play past level 25.

Links & Information

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BlackBerry 10 is still dead

Occasionally it is necessary to state the obvious. BlackBerry 10 has received no major OS upgrades in over a year, with none planned for the future. It has been eight months since the release of the last BlackBerry 10 phone, and 15 months since the release of the last flagship device with zero phones announced or rumored for the future. BlackBerry 10 also shut down all their developer programs and announced that “there are no plans to schedule releases of new SDKs and APIs.”

That such a platform is dead should go with out saying.

For those paying attention this has been crystal clear since last summer, with the final nail in the coffin coming with BlackBerry’s release of an Android phone.

Yet last week when BlackBerry announced that they only planned to launch Android phones in 2016 some people found this to be a surprise. The tech press (who should have been paying attention sooner) suddenly started releasing articles about how BlackBerry 10 was dead and abandoned, a good half year after BlackBerry 10 was dead and abandoned.

BlackBerry CEO John Chen then further confused things when he lied and wrote a blog post saying that the company was still committed to BlackBerry 10. Yet the post reiterated that they only planned to release Android phones and would only be supplying security updates to BlackBerry 10 devices.

So despite all the “news” nothing has changed. BlackBerry 10 is still dead.

Ebscer highlights of 2015

With 2016 just beginning, I thought it was worth looking at some of the highlights of 2015.

Overall 4 apps were added for BlackBerry, 3 apps for Windows Phone, and 4 apps for Android.

Merry Christmas!

christmas

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

BlackBerry 10 OS upgrades level off

In the past month, upgrades of BlackBerry 10 operating systems have leveled off. The overall stats for November were remarkably similar to they were in October. Use of OS 10.3.x has leveled off close to 90% with close to 70% of users running the newest OS of 10.3.2.

2015Nov-Pixelated-BB10OSVersions

2015Nov-StuffINeed-BB10OSVersions

This data was collected by BlackBerry World for downloads of the free strategy game Pixelated and the free checklist app Stuff I Need. Data shown on the chart is from the beginning of November 2014 through the end of November 2015.

App for Buffalo’s Metro Rail updated

IMG_20141110_114110The app for the Buffalo Metro Rail has been updated to version 1.2 for both Android and BlackBerry 10. This new version involves a significant reduction in the app’s file size (93% reduction for BlackBerry, and 74% for Android). This results in an app that is also quicker to launch.

About the Buffalo Metro Rail app

This app shows the departure times for trains along Buffalo’s Metro route. The app automatically selects the proper schedule for the day, allows for sorting options, and also shows a map of the full light rail line. Additionally the app only needs to be synced once a month, and can otherwise be used without an active internet connection.

Links & Information

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Update released for Xploding Boxes

Nexus4Xploding Boxes has been updated to version 5.6 in BlackBerry World, Google Play, the Amazon app store, the Nook app store, the Windows 8 app store, and the Windows Phone app store. This update adds 10 new levels to the game, giving the game a total of 520 levels.

About Xploding Boxes

Xploding Boxes is a strategy game where the goal is to start a chain reaction that will explode all of the boxes on the screen. Each level presents a different look and number of touches, requiring a different strategy to solve.

The game itself, and the first 25 levels are available for free, while a one time in-app purchase can be used to access the rest of the levels for just $2.99 while still maintaining your progress from the free levels.

Links & Information

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OS 10.3 on 90% of BlackBerry phones

One year after launch, OS 10.3 is on 90% of BlackBerry phones. The roll out of what has been confirmed as BlackBerry’s final OS took some time to get going, but over the past few months, have finally captured the vast majority of BlackBerry 10 users. Additionally the vast majority of users are on 10.3.2, which is currently the newest version of the operating system.

2015Oct-Pixelated-BB10OSVersions

2015Oct-StuffINeed-BB10OSVersions

This data was collected by BlackBerry World for downloads of the free strategy game Pixelated and the free checklist app Stuff I Need. Data shown on the chart is from the beginning of October 2014 through the end of October 2015.