RIM let me know they’ve announced a new event targeted at developers called the BlackBerry Jam Conference, or BlackBerry 10 Jam. This event will be held on May 1-3 in Orlando, Florida as a concurrent conference to BlackBerry World. Developers who attend the BlackBerry 10 Jam will get a first-hand look at what the new OS offers. Here’s the description:

BlackBerry® 10 Jam is where app developers will meet in May to learn about the innovations coming to the BlackBerry 10 developer platform. This special developer conference will bring you over 80 breakout sessions, instructor-led labs and roundtables focused on HTML5, Native, Adobe® Flash® & Adobe® AIR®, and Android™ development platform. We will give you the opportunity on day three to share best practices, success stories and demos with other developers, key influencers and BlackBerry experts through collaborative and fun sessions.

Sessions and labs are dedicated to:

• BlackBerry® Native SDK – a C/C++ environment with support for open source libraries
• HTML5+BlackBerry® WebWorks™ – HTML5 tools with an added layer for app enhancement through BlackBerry WebWorks
• Adobe® Flash® – The AIR® SDK for BlackBerry allows developers to build apps with Flash+AIR tools
• Android – the Android runtime will run applications that have been packaged from APK files to BAR files and submitted to BlackBerry App World™

For more info go to blackberryjamconference.com or read more over at the Inside BlackBerry Developer’s Blog.

If you’re a fan of PVR Cinemas, you’ll be happy to know they’ve released an official application for BlackBerry smartphones. This app offers info no showtimes for movies running in PVR Cinemas near you and across India as well as movie trailers, movie info and ticket booking. Features include:

• Check show times for movies running in your vicinity
• Choose seats of your choice & book movie tickets by paying through your credit card in a secured environment. This app also allows you to hold your tickets and pay later at the box office.
• Check out a movie synopsis, watch high-quality trailers & view movie posters
• Locate a PVR near you
• Get information on latest and upcoming releases
• Find theaters using your location
• Keep a track of your booking history
• Facebook Connect
• Receive discount offers & deals
• Prebook ur tkts even before the movie is released.

For more info and to get the free PVR Cinemas app find it here in BlackBerry App World.

via BBIN

Here’s another app we haven’t mentioned in a while, FileScout for BlackBerry smartphones. I use this app regularly and believe it’s the best file management app now available for BlackBerry. Today’s update to version 2.9.0.5 makes it that much better with WiFi file sharing, improvements and fixes. Here’s the changelog:

• WiFi-Sharing (via separate FREE Plugin that can be installed via the Options)
  WiFi-Sharing allows you to up and download files to and from your BlackBerry Device via a modern Browser (like Chrome, Firefox or Safari)
• For Users of OS5 and above: The WiFi-Sharing Plugin comes with a WLAN SSID-Autostart feature! So you can configure the Plugin to autostart the sharing service once your device is seeing (not necessarily connected to) a specific SSID (multiple SSIDs could be configured). As soon as the Device does not have any connection to the SSID the Service will be automatically shut down (if you are not using FileScout currently).
• Improved Thumbnail-Cache Handling
• Thumbnail-Cache can be now completely wiped (and re-created) from the Thumbnail Option
• Small performance & stability fixes

For more info go to emacberry.com, check out the video demo above or get the app on BlackBerry App World, available free or upgrade for $2.99 for more features.

RIM recently updated the free BlackBerry Traffic app for BlackBerry smartphones to version 3.0.2.18. This app offers information on traffic conditions, voice turn-by-turn directions, estimated time of arrival, alternate routes and more. Version 3.0.2.18 includes the following bug fixes:

• Fixed a text UI bug
• Fixed a power management bug

For more info and to get the app go to blackberry.com/traffic or search for it on BlackBerry App World. If you’re looking for a good, free turn-by-turn directions app, definitely give BlackBerry Traffic a try and let us know how it worked for you in the comments or in the forums.

We haven’t mentioned Poynt in a few months but they’re back with an update that includes some nice feature additions. Poynt is an awesome and useful free app that provides location-based info on things like gas prices, restaurants, movie times, events, businesses and more. Here are the changes for this update:

• WhatGas (UK): timestamp on updated prices now represented by elapsed time instead of date.
• Table booking functionality for France and Spain
• Gas prices now available in Canada
• Offers integrated into Restaurant Section
• Online menus and food ordering – US only

For more info and to get the app go to poynt.com or search on BlackBerry App World.

Press Release

Dusseldorf, Germany – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced that the powerful BlackBerry® 7 Operating System (OS) has been independently evaluated and awarded a security certification by TÜV Rheinland i-sed GmbH. The TÜV Rheinland i-sed GmbH certification attests that the security functionalities which are integrated into the BlackBerry 7 OS provide an effective protection of data processed in the device and that a satisfactory security level is met based on the configuration settings recommended by TÜV Rheinland.

FULL PRESS RELEASE!

Press Release

Luanda, Angola and Waterloo, ON – Unitel, S.A. and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the launch of the BlackBerry® service for customers in Angola.

The BlackBerry service supports easy wireless access to email, organizer, web, multimedia and other business and lifestyle applications. Unitel customers will now be able to enjoy the freedom and productivity benefits of using BlackBerry® smartphones to stay connected to people and information while on the go.

At launch, Unitel will offer BlackBerry service to corporate customers using the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server software, which provides a reliable, manageable and secure wireless solution for enterprise email systems and applications .

FULL PRESS RELEASE!

Press Release

Beijing, China – China Unicom and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the launch of BlackBerry® services for consumers in China. Following the launch of the BlackBerry® Enterprise Solution for business customers in 2011, China Unicom is now also offering BlackBerry® Internet Service for consumers. China Unicom’s customers will now be able to take advantage of the leading BlackBerry solution to manage their personal email, messaging and social communications. They will also enjoy access to a wide range of mobile business and lifestyle applications available on BlackBerry App World™, the official app store for BlackBerry smartphones.

FULL PRESS RELEASE!