The 2009 Developers Challenge opens for submissions today.  We have made some significant changes (improvements) to the Challenge.

First, the  value of the prize package is now significantly higher than what was initially revealed. The Grand Prize has been doubled to $100,000.

Second,  in taking into consideration feedback received from developers, BlackBerry Partners Fund has also opened the call for entries to any developer with a BlackBerry application (not just startups).  The only…

This morning at WES 2009 Conference, John announced the 2009 BlackBerry Developers Challenge. This is the second year that we are sponsoring the challenge, although the focus for this year's contest has shifted slightly and entries will be evaluated on both the application submitted and its supporting business plan.

Developers can pre-register now at http://www.blackberrypartnersfund.com/09contest to receive details on the challenge. Submissions officially open on June 1st and the…

Real-time coupons delivered through location based services (LBS) certainly have their place, but I can’t honestly fathom walking through a mall while my BlackBerry buzzes to let me know that The Gap wants me to visit or that it’s time to have a cup of coffee at Starbucks.  Like most, I like a good deal but my device already buzzes enough and I’m a fairly focused shopper.  It’s not something I would readily adopt - it’s intrusive and would likely get quite annoying.  That being said,…

Having looked at a number of companies in the MSN arena, some of which no longer exist and some of which continue to chug along….I can't help but think in terms of frameworks for success.

The obvious Venture capital response to mobile social networks ("MSNs") and arguably the correct position is "…..I know who's going to win the mobile social networking race…...Facebook". Brilliant!

When I look at MSNs, I look at it as a three step analysis:

1. Does the MSN offer something that other online…

Research firm ABI has come out with the results of a survey done with smartphone owners concerning WiFi on the phone.
74% use it and 77% will want it in their next phone.  I’m not surprised given the first vanguard of smartphone users are (were?) power/business types.  As you would expect, with WiFi, there is more surfing the internet from the device which means that if you nail the UI on a phone, great browser, etc, that mobile phone as your next/main computer gets seriously closer to …

(Warning: May contain traces of sports analogies applied to business)

For this, my first and long overdue post on the BBPF Blog, please allow me to momentarily and respectfully step aside from the excitement surrounding the launch of BlackBerry App World and the ever expanding smart phone eco-system, to briefly focus on one controversial aspect of our role as VCs.

Perhaps the most important aspect of our jobs is selecting the teams of individuals we want to back with our investments, and…

RIM launched the BlackBerry Application store last night (midnight). The bloggers picked up on it and over the last 8 hours, there's been some strong traffic.  Actually pretty high/solid traffic for something that won't really get talked about until today.  Om Malik has a review with the bottom line being "good enough."  Like any good geek, I was on this puppy seconds after it went live and I'm pretty happy with it as well.

An interesting (and, for me expected) observation was the top …