BlackBerry 10.2.1 will include a 'floating action bar'

Despite their current ups and downs in the market, BlackBerry has remained committed to rolling full steam ahead with updates to their BlackBerry OS. Version 10.2.1, which was just released to developers as a Gold SDK, has just had another small feature added to it: a "Floating Action Bar”. Which is essentially sees BlackBerry adding a back button, attachment, send and other icons above the virtual keyboard on some of its screens.

Michael Clewley, Director of Handheld Software Product Management at BlackBerry, said “Users are still accustomed to the gestures based on the user interface and the fact that the BB10 using this strongly we wanted to eliminate confusion on specific screens. With 10.2.1, we added the action bar floating above the keyboard to better show the actions, but also the back button on your doorstep.”

Cool forward-thinking idea from BlackBerry! I look forward to trying it out.

via BerryReview

Twitter brings BBM integration into new BlackBerry 10 app update

Twitter is showing some love for its BlackBerry users with a new update of its BB10 app. It lets you tweet and update your BBM status at the same time and you get to see thumbnails of Twitter photos when you scroll through your timeline. Version 10.2.2.1 also includes the ability to reply within tweets and have relevant accounts appear when you use Search feature of the app.

BlackBerry unveils daily free app holiday campaign

BlackBerry has unveiled a giveaway promo for BlackBerry 10 users. The “25 Days of Gifts” gives users a 24-hour access to one premium app from December 1 to 25. You just need to visit BlackBerry World and tap on the 25 Days of Gifts banner to check out what free app is being offered for the day.

Thorsten Heins out as BlackBerry President & CEO

By Corey Herscu

(Pictured above: Now former BlackBerry President and CEO, Thorsten Heins (right) and Rogers President and CEO, Nadir Mohamed (left) at the Rogers launch of the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone)

Today did not turn out, at all, how anyone would have expected. On the morning that many anticipated Waterloo-based BlackBerry Ltd. would accept the nine-dollar-per-share Fairfax offer, something else happened: a very public corporate shakeup. On the chopping block? BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins. 

According to reports from the Globe and Mail, BlackBerry has officially axed Thorsten Heins, a few of it's directors, and will be shuffling its board a bit.

Further, after searching for months to find a suitor, BlackBerry has apparently declared that they’ve abandoned their plans to sell, specifically the $4.7-billion with Fairfax Financial, and will forge ahead in the smartphone and OS race will plans to raise $1 billion in funding.

Who saw this coming? Stay tuned for more....

via The Globe