SEMblog

If you are curious to see what the Blackberry 10 device is all about, or you need to support it, then the simulator is probably a good choice. This is available free of charge from the Blackberry web site. 

The simulator usually has a more advanced version of the OS than currently available, as it is designed to help developers get ready for the new OS. 

At the time of writing this means 10.2.1 which includes the Android emulation feature. 

System Requirements

Due to the installer Blackberry use, you need to have JAVA installed on the workstation. 

It also requires VMWARE Player or Workstation. 

Installation

The default location during the install is in My Documents. However if you decide to install it somewhere else, then you should run the installer Elevated. After installation the permissions can be out, so give Users full control to the directory where the VM is stored. 

The virtual machine installs with the network set to NAT mode by default - I prefer it to be connecting directly, so change the configuration before booting the VM.  

Use

It is a little slow to load, and do ensure that you have the latest video card drivers and a machine with Hardware virtualisation support enabled in the BIOS. However once loaded and you get your head around the "swiping" with the mouse, it is very quick. 

Once you have it loaded, don't forget to change the keyboard and language settings. I also found the time zone was wrong and the clock was six hours wrong as well, despite "automatic" time sync being enabled. 

Application Installation

You can access the Blackberry App World, you can also use third party App Stores, such as the Amazon App Store. However if required you can also sideload applications. There are various methods to do this, one of the easiest is to use a Google Chrome Extension, which is discussed here:

http://semb.ee/sideload

Exchange Connectivity

Of course as an Exchange MVP, one of the first things I wanted to try was connecting it to Exchange. This works perfectly, I was able to add it to my test Exchange 2013 server very quickly, and also to a test BES 10 server. 

Downloads

The simulator is free to download, and can be found at this link:

http://semb.ee/bbsim 

Looks like Blackberry are running an offer for free BES 10 CALs.

Activate a Blackberry 10 device and get two free CALs.

http://uk.blackberry.com/business/blackberry-10/blackberry-10-ready/license-offer.html

Activate a Blackberry 10 device between July 1st and August 31st 2013 and for each device you will get TWO free CALs. These CALS are the EMM Corporate type so will work for Blackberry 10 devices and Android/iPhone. At current prices they are worth almost £70 each.

The BES 10 software is free (trial download on the link above).

The window to claim the free CALs is quite small, so Blackberry have provided a link to be told when the registration process is open. 

Still using BES 4.1? Then this blog posting will be of interest to you. 

There were lots of announcements from Blackberry last week during their convention, but one that probably got buried in all of the handset news is probably of interest to Exchange administrators. 

If you are still on BES 4.1 then you can now get a free upgrade to BES 5. That is the full BES, not BES Express. 

http://uk.blackberry.com/business/blackberry-10/blackberry-10-ready/upgrade-path.html

You can use the transporter suite to migrate to the new version of BES with almost no downtime for the end users. 

Note - this is the full BES 4.1, not the older Professional or other free options. If you are using BPS then you should move to BES Express.

The reason for Blackberry doing this is to encourage moves to Blackberry 10 devices. One of the features of the BES 10 version is able to manage both Blackberry 10 and older devices from a single interface. However for that to work the older devices need to be on a BES 5 server. 

If you are using BES 4.1 now is the time to upgrade.

If you have devices still using OS 4.x then it would also be a good time to look at upgrading those, at least the OS, but preferably the device as well. 

If you are in the UK, then I can assist you with this upgrade, please use my business web site to contact me: http://www.sembee.co.uk/ 

If you were affected by the Blackberry Internet Service outage today (10th October 2001) and your Blackberry connects to an in-house email server running Exchange server (2003 or higher), then you really should be running a BES (Blackberry Enterprise Server) or BES Express (BESX).

A Blackberry connected to a BES/BESX gives you the full functionality of the Blackberry with true two way synchronisation of Email, Contacts, Calendar and Tasks. It is an extension of your Inbox. No need to maintain two sets of data that kind of synchronises. 

If you use BESX, then the software is free and you do not have to change your device subscription/tariff. For smaller installations the software can be installed on your server in  a few hours and give you complete control over the devices that connect. 

If you are in an industry where the email traffic is sensitive, the data exchange between your Blackberry and the BES/BESX cannot be intercepted as the encryption is managed by your server, not the one at RIM. This provides a more secure mobile email solution. 

Through my company Sembee Ltd, I can install and configure a BES Express for you for just £250 plus VAT if installed on to an existing server (other terms and conditions apply). That includes post installation configuration and guidance on maintenance, handset setup etc. 

For more information, contact me through the company web site at http://www.sembee.co.uk/ 

Just spoken to the Technology Editor at BBC Online to provide them with some background information on the Blackberry infrastructure following today's outage. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15243892 

I briefly explained why Enterprise users were largely not affected.