Whether you’re looking for one more “practical” reason why you should attend BlackBerry® DEVCON 2010 or simply wondering how this year could top last year, the hands-on labs are exactly what you need. And this year they are better than ever!

Since its inception, one of the most compelling and popular parts of the conference has been the self-paced hands-on labs. We expect the lab area to be even more popular this year, and we work hard to ensure that you leave with a superior hands-on knowledge of our APIs and tools when you come out of these labs. And so for the first time, in addition to the self-paced labs, we will be hosting three instructor-led lab sessions. In these sessions, you will have the opportunity to apply some of our most advanced concepts in real time as you follow along with our lab instructors. We’ll even have additional lab experts standing by in case you get stuck!

Feel free to bring your own laptop to these sessions or use one of our ready-to-go lab machines. Whichever you decide, don’t wait to register as there is limited seating available for the following lab sessions:

DEV07: Unleashing the Profiler to Create More Efficient Applications

DEV45: BlackBerry Widget Bootcamp and Code-a-thon

Check out the Session Catalog for more details.

And if you think you’re ready to apply all you’ve learned to demonstrate your knowledge of BlackBerry app development, sign up for the onsite exams to become recognized as a BlackBerry Certified Application Developer. Exams are being offered at over half off the regular price during DEVCON, so take advantage of the opportunity while you’re at the conference. Learn more about certification here.

We hope to see you there!

Since the announcement of new community programs at Mobile World Congress App Planet, community-led BlackBerry® Developer Groups have continued to sprout up everywhere! Currently there are active groups all over the world, including Zurich, Berlin, Buenos Aires,Tel Aviv, with many more set to launch. If there isn’t one in your area already, you can bet there will be one soon.

By becoming a member of a BlackBerry Developer Group, you can:

• Meet a local community with shared interests in learning, networking and support for BlackBerry development platforms.
• Receive platform and program updates from Research In Motion® (RIM®).
• Get access to exclusive discounts for Developer Certification Exams.
• Receive exclusive discounts to select BlackBerry® Developer Events and Conferences.

Become a Group Manager! Start a new group!

We are also looking for new Group Managers around the world! Visit the BlackBerry Developer Groups page to find out more information, including additional benefits to which Group Managers are entitled and how to start a new Developer Group in your city if one does not already exist.

I wanted to provide you with an update on our BlackBerry® Developer Certification program and outline the continued opportunities for you to showcase your skills on a BlackBerry® smartphone.

As Sanyu noted in her previous post, there are two streams available in the program to become a BlackBerry Certified Application Developer (see above image).

We first showcased the BCP-810 exam at our BlackBerry Developer Conference, and the BCP-811 exam in beta format. Both the BCP-810 and BCP-811 exams have now been finalized and are available to anyone looking to become a BlackBerry Certified Application Developer with a focus on Java®.

For our web development audience, we are currently hosting BCP-812 in beta format. As part of the beta, we are looking for 40 people who would like to volunteer to take the exam (we will waive our test registration fee) and provide feedback on the questions. If you are interested in volunteering to take the beta exam, please contact us at certification@blackberry.com and we will be happy to send you more information.

You can sign up and take any of the exams through our test partner at thousands of examination centers worldwide. The certifications are currently only available in English, and I would like to hear about additional languages that people are interested in – please leave a comment and let us know! Also, please drop us a comment – or send us an e-mail – if you have taken the BCP-810 or BCP-811 exams, as we would love to hear your feedback.

Along with all of the other great events happening at the 2009 BlackBerry® Developer Conference, attendees will have the exclusive opportunity to be among the first to take the (BCP-810) Developing Applications for the BlackBerry solution exam; the first step in becoming a BlackBerry Certified Application Developer!

To become certified, developers will need to complete 2 exams: (BCP-810) Developing Applications for the BlackBerry Solution and either (BCP-811) Developing Java Applications for the BlackBerry Platform or (BCP-812) Developing Web Applications for the BlackBerry Platform.

BlackBerry Developer Certification will take place throughout the BlackBerry Developer Conference. Attendees will receive a 50% discount to write the first exam (BCP-810) while at the conference and if they pass, they will also receive a 50% off voucher to attempt either (BCP-811) or (BCP-812) after the conference.

Space is limited, so be sure to register early to secure your spot by adding a BlackBerry Certification Test when you register for the conference. If you’re already registered, you can log back in to the registration system to add it.

The (BCP-810) Developing Applications for the BlackBerry Solution exam is broken down in to 7 sections, each with an assigned weight.

Section 1 – BlackBerry Device Capabilities (8%)

Do you know all of the BlackBerry native applications and hardware features (such as GPS, microSD™, camera, etc.) available on BlackBerry smartphones and how to integrate with them?

Section 2 – Infrastructure for BlackBerry (9%)

An understanding of “push”, the different transport types available to the device and the features of the BlackBerry® Internet Service and BlackBerry® Enterprise Server architectures are fundamental for all BlackBerry developers.

Please note that beginning in 5.0, Direct TCP is referred to as TCP Cellular and Wi-Fi as TCP Wi-Fi®.

Section 3 – High Level Application Design (10%)

You should understand the constraints of mobile devices and the best practices for designing user interfaces on BlackBerry smartphones. You should also know how to map application business requirements to the appropriate BlackBerry platform (Java or Web) features to create efficient and intuitive applications.

Section 4 – BlackBerry Simulation Tools (30%)

Do you know how the features and limitations of BlackBerry Smartphone Simulators and how to use them. Can you operate both the BlackBerry MDS-CS simulator and the ESS simulator?

Section 5 – BlackBerry Security (15%)

IT policies, application control policies code signing keys and more. You should know all of the key security features in the BlackBerry development environment and their impact on BlackBerry applications.

Section 6 – Deployment (14%)

There are many different ways to distribute your BlackBerry application. Do you know the pros and cons and the files necessary for of each approach?

Section 7 – Development Tools (14%)

Research In Motion (RIM) provides free development tools for creating, debugging and optimizing BlackBerry applications. Knowing the differences between the tools and their major features is essential.

BCX-810 Practice Test

Think you’re ready for the exam? Check out the online practice quiz and stay tuned for part II of this blog post where we’ll provide links to some great BlackBerry® Developer Zone resources and also information on relevant BlackBerry Developer Conference sessions that will help you to brush up your skills.

In the meantime, you can find out more information about the BlackBerry Certified Application Developer including exam guides, certification procedures and suggested training at the BlackBerry Certification Program web site. Good luck!