BlackBerry Gets a Facelift with Z10 and BlackBerry 10, Available in March

Posted on Jan 30th 2013

Research in Motion has a new name, a new operating system, two new smartphones and a chance to assert itself as a heavyweight mobile device maker, competing with the likes of Apple and Google.

To emphasize the changes the company known until now as Research In Motion has adopted BlackBerry as its corporate name.

At a worldwide press event Jan. 30, BlackBerry unveiled the BlackBerry Z10 a smartphone that resembles many other touchscreen devices on the market today. The Z10's facade is uninterrupted by buttons, however. Users swipe their fingers across the 4.2-inch screen from different directions to summon features or menus.

BlackBerry said the Z10 would be available in the United States in March and in Canada on Feb. 5. It will be carried by Verizon (in black and, exclusively, a white variant) for $200 with a 2-year contract, as well as AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.

In addition to the Z10 phone, there will be a second model, the BlackBerry Q10, that includes one of the line’s signature physical keyboards. The Q10's anticipated release is early this summer.

The reviews of the Z10 and BlackBerry 10 operating system, done by those with advance access, flowed in by the dozens right after the announcement and while no one is particularly blown away by BlackBerry’s unveiling, it appears that BlackBerry has at last produced a touchscreen smartphone capable of competing with the rest of the mobile device market. According to IDC, BlackBerry now holds just 4.6 percent of that market, about one-tenth of its historic peak.

Accessories for the new device were also unveiled. Among a plethora of cases, including a Flip Shell case, which will be available in several colors, the company has a nifty charger that includes a slot for a backup battery. The idea is that you'll be able to charge your phone and the backup battery at the same time, though you'll also be able to use the kit as a portable charger if you don't want to swap out the batteries. In addition, there's a Bluetooth 4.0 speaker on display that can clip onto a messenger bag strap. The accessory doubles as a speakerphone, and it has an auxiliary port so you can play music wirelessly on your stereo or car system if it lacks its own Bluetooth connectivity.

As for third party accessories, Incipio and OtterBox have already announced cases for the Z10. We will have these and many more before the Z10's U.S. release in March.

Sources: The New York Times and The Verge