The next OS update for the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha devices contains some changes to the way BBM Connected applications register with the BlackBerry Messenger Social Platform.  The methods used to register remain the same, but the order of operations has changed.

The main change requires an application to first check on the status of registration first before attempting to register.  If an application doesn’t check the status first, the registration attempt is ignored.  This means that applications that attempt to blindly register on startup will no longer succeed in registering.  This includes the samples we previously provided (BBMQtRegistration, BBMQtProfile, BBMQtInviteToDownload, BBMQtProfileBoxSAmple and BBMBaseSampleRegistration).  So if your registration code is based on what is used in those samples, you’ll need to update.

New samples which implement the updated registration process were made available to download November 29^th.  You can access them here:

Cascades Samples

• bbmregistration
• bbminvitetodownload
• bbmprofile
• bbmprofilebox

Core Native Sample

• BBMbpsRegistration

The registration method used in these samples works on current and previous beta releases of BlackBerry 10.  It is also the required method to use for future releases of BlackBerry 10.

The justification for this change is that we wanted to ensure the best user experience possible for users who are using BBM Connected applications.  These changes prevent the unnecessary overhead of applications that attempt to register with the BBM Social Platform every time they run by forcing them to check the registration status because typically, there is no need to register again after a successful registration.

So if you have created a BBM Connected application for BlackBerry 10, ensure you update your registration code.

Image By Albert Bridge (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The BlackBerry® 10 Jam Road Show will soon be hitting the road! We want to be sure no developer is left behind, so we have condensed BlackBerry 10 Jam and are taking it on tour to bring the action to you.

The Road Shows are developer events designed to connect mobile application developers with BlackBerry® development experts. Join us in the city closest to you to learn more about the benefits and business opportunities of the BlackBerry platform!

Come Jam with us so you can:

Be one of the first to develop for the BlackBerry® 10 platform.

• Get a snapshot of the new things you can do with the BlackBerry 10 development platform. Learn about the unique capabilities of BlackBerry 10 to set your application apart.
• Collaborate with your community. Learn, share and network with your peers. Make valuable connections that will make you even more successful with BlackBerry.
• One-on-one expert guidance. Jam with BlackBerry platform experts and build a better app.

Attendees will gain insight on building applications for the launch of the new BlackBerry 10 platform later this year. Beginner and master mobile application developers will be able to attend in-depth breakout sessions focused on HTML5 + BlackBerry® WebWorks™ and Native C/C++  development for the BlackBerry platform. They’ll have hands-on time with the BlackBerry 10 tools and development experts who can provide guidance, tips and tricks, and other information to help developers get started building apps for BlackBerry 10.

Road Show Locations
Take a look at the BlackBerry 10 Jam Road Show schedule and watch for more information coming soon.

North America
June – Austin, Texas
June – New York City, New York
June – Montreal, Quebec
June – Toronto, Ontario
June – Atlanta, Georgia

EMEA
May – Milan, Italy
May – Barcelona, Spain
June – Paris, France
June – London, UK
June – Moscow, Russia
June – Berlin, Germany
July – Warsaw, Poland

Asia Pacific
July – Delhi, India
July – Beijing, China
July – Singapore, Singapore
July – Jakarta, Indonesia
July – Sydney, Australia

Latin America
August – Buenos Aires, Argentina
August – Mexico City, Mexico

Dates, locations, and registration information will be posted to http://www.blackberryjamroadshow.com over the next few weeks. Stay tuned to the Inside BlackBerry Developer’s Blog for more information and updates.

As we plan excitedly and build passionately towards BlackBerry® DEVCON Americas, BlackBerry DEVCON Asia and BlackBerry DEVCON Europe, we’re taking the opportunity again to ask you about your highlights from 2010 and requests for BlackBerry DEVCON Americas – the first stop in our world series of developer events.

My top three personal favorite moments from 2010 were:

• Meeting with BlackBerry Developer Group Managers from around the world at a special reception in The View lounge on the 39th floor of the Marriott Marquis. The managers also shared their experience and tips for launching groups at a special community session.
• At a special evening event, we highlighted some of our favorite Super Apps from the 2010 BlackBerry Partners Fund Developer Challenge (go here to enter the 2011 challenge!)
• Mike Lazaridis welcoming an excited and passionate Dan Dodge of QNX on stage to talk about the ultra-powerful BlackBerry® Tablet OS. So much energy on stage and in the crowd!

Check out the BlackBerry DEVCON 2010 highlights photos and videos section for even more!

Your feedback from BlackBerry DEVCON 2010 is embedded in every aspect of the BlackBerry DEVCON Americas plan. One significant way we’ve implemented your feedback is that the conference is now three days instead of four – although we’ve kept the very best of the fourth day’s content in special community sessions throughout the event. That said, what else do you want to see at BlackBerry DEVCON Americas 2011? Let us know your ideas in the comments below!

We’re committed to making BlackBerry DEVCON Americas 2011 the biggest and best yet, and are excited to be offering great deals on our conference access, as well as alumni and hotel discounts. In order to give everyone the opportunity to register at our early bird rate (only $699 plus tax) we are extending this offer until August 26th – register now!

See you in San Francisco!

In May at the BlackBerry World™ conference 2011, we announced the launch of the first ever BlackBerry® DevCon Europe and the second BlackBerry® DevCon Asia. We are now pleased to tell you the dates and location of these events – BlackBerry DevCon Asia will be held in December in Bangkok, Thailand with specific dates to be announced shortly. BlackBerry DevCon Europe will follow in Amsterdam, February 7 & 8, 2012.

We are excited to expand these events as this gives us an opportunity to talk to you about the latest in BlackBerry development, as well as giving you the opportunity to share your experiences and showcase your applications with your community. As such, there is no better way to share your story than to answer the Call for Papers. If you haven’t submitted a paper yet, we want to hear from you – in fact, we are extending the deadline to Friday July 15th for BlackBerry DevCon Asia and Friday September 16th for BlackBerry DevCon Europe. Stay tuned for details on registration and pricing for both of these events.

Remember to visit the BlackBerry DevCon website to learn about these events and to register for the upcoming BlackBerry DevCon Americas!

We are thrilled to announce that registration for BlackBerry® DevCon Americas is open! BlackBerry DevCon Americas – taking place October 18-20, 2011 at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis in San Francisco, California – reflects our commitment to make this an incredible event for developers from across North America and Latin America. In fact, we have re-opened the BlackBerry DevCon Americas Call For Papers for developers in Latin America until May 30th; we are looking to have sessions presented in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese.

Early Bird registration for BlackBerry DevCon Americas is only $699 USD, or $599 USD for our qualifying 2010 event alumni. This is our best registration offer ever (35% less than last year!) and represents incredible value to attendees. Also, this deal can be combined this with a special early-bird 4th-night-free offer for even more savings. Please hurry as these early bird offers end June 24th – register now! We also have special registration pricing for students ($199 USD) and faculty ($399 USD). All prices are subject to applicable taxes; please see the applicable terms and conditions.

We are also excited to announce the first ever BlackBerry DevCon Europe as well as the second edition of BlackBerry DevCon Asia, which builds on the success of its debut event earlier this year! We are opening the Call For Papers for BlackBerry DevCon Europe and BlackBerry DevCon Asia from May 2nd to June 24th. We are expecting great submissions for both events – make sure you stay tuned here for more information on dates and locations!

These events offer the best opportunity for BlackBerry platform developers – learn more about all three events at the official BlackBerry DevCon website.