LOS ANGELES —
Research in Motion Ltd., hoping for a boost for its struggling smartphones, gave developers a sneak peek at its upcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system, expected to be released sometime this year.
At the company’s BlackBerry World 2012 event in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, new Chief Executive Thorsten Heins unveiled a prototype of the system in front of 5,000 customers, developers and other attendees.
In a 47-second video that the company also shared online, a customer uses a BlackBerry 10 smartphone to scroll through emails and crisp photos; quickly type, with the help of predictive text, on a touch screen; watch videos; and sync the phone to a television screen.
The video had a generally positive reception from YouTube viewers, with 824 likes and 72 dislikes at midday Tuesday. But the top comments were: “iOS 3.0 BlackBerry 10” and “Android 2.0 BlackBerry 10,” referring to Apple and Google’s popular operating systems.
RIM said the operating system will allow users to continually access content between applications, so “whether you are browsing the Internet or organizing meetings with a glancing gesture, BlackBerry 10 immerses you into conversations. It streams all feeds to one place and applications keep running — creating an agile and nimble experience.”
The OS also increases keyboard responsiveness through a touch keyboard that uses modeling algorithms to learn where the user presses for each letter, “becoming tailored to the user’s hand like a glove.”
And camera enhancements will enable BlackBerry 10 users to tap anywhere on the screen to take a photo.
RIM has kept mum on the actual release date for BlackBerry 10, which will be available in phones and tablets. The Canadian company desperately needs the operating system to be a hit, as its reputation has slipped in recent quarters. In the U.S. in particular, consumers have shifted to trendier iPhones and Android devices.
BlackBerry continues to have a loyal following in developing countries. Heins said Tuesday that “for more than 77 million people across the globe, BlackBerry helps them succeed on a daily basis.”
Business
BlackBerry maker offers preview of new OS
- Business
-
-
Waiting for word from Bernanke, stocks move higher
It’s all about the Fed. Still.
-
Missouri moves to lift ban on foreign farm owners
Weeks before a Chinese conglomerate agreed to buy Smithfield Foods Inc. in the largest such takeover of a U.S. business, Missouri lawmakers quietly approved legislation removing a ban on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
-
NSA director says plot against Wall Street foiled
The U.S. foiled a plot to bomb the New York Stock Exchange because of the sweeping surveillance programs at the heart of a debate over national security and personal privacy, officials said Tuesday at a rare open hearing on intelligence — a set-piece for supporters of the spying.
-
Chrysler expected to formally refuse Jeep recall
In one of the biggest-ever showdowns between an automaker and the government, Chrysler on Tuesday is expected to file papers explaining its refusal to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs that are at risk of catching fire in rear-end collisions.
-
Woman admits role in prearranged funeral fraud
A St. Louis County woman has admitted to a role in a pre-arranged funeral scam that allegedly bilked customers out of as much as $600 million.
-
Sprint sues to stop Dish Clearwire buyout
Sprint is suing to stop Dish Network’s buyout of wireless data network operator Clearwire. The nation’s third-largest cellphone carrier said the proposed deal violates the rights of Sprint and other Clearwire shareholders.
-
G-8 summit turns focus to clampdown on tax-dodging
World leaders at the G-8 summit declared Tuesday that governments must work together to close loopholes that allow multinational corporate giants to avoid paying taxes in their home countries.
-
Stocks edge higher on home building, low inflation
U.S. stocks were up in early trading Tuesday, boosted by government reports of gains in home construction and low inflation. Expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep in place programs meant to prop up the economy also drove the market higher.
-
With Samsung, Jay-Z’s business continues to boom
He really is more than a businessman.
-
World looks to Bernanke to clarify stimulus plans
Is the era of ultra-low interest rates nearing an end?
- More Business Headlines
-
Raw: German President Welcomes President Obama
Fans Cheer Dramatic Heat Comeback
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Hoffa Mystery Still Fascinates After 4 Decades
Raw: 1 Dead in Shooting at Mo. Apartment Complex
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs
Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks
Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
