Skip to main content

RIM Takes the BlackBerry to China

BlackBerry Bold 9700
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Canada’s Research in Motion has announced a distribution deal with Digital China Holdings Limited that will see the company’s BlackBerry devices go on sale nationwide in China, using Digital China Holdings’ nationwide distribution network. With an estimated mobile phone user base of over 700 million people, China represents the largest and potentially most lucrative mobile market on the planet, and RIM hopes to tap into pent up demand for smartphones with its BlackBerry devices. The companies have not announced what BlackBerry devices will initially be offered for sale under the deal, or whether their pricing and capabilities will be different than models available in other markets.

“As the leading IT service provider and distributor in China, Digital China has always believed in advanced and cutting-edge products that deliver value to Chinese customers,” said Digital China CEO and chairman Guo Wei, in a statement. “Through this collaboration, RIM will leverage Digital China’s proven professional services and nationwide coverage to reach more customers and to increase the visibility of the BlackBerry solution across the country.”

Digital China is a unit of Legend Holdings, which is also the parent company of computer maker Lenovo.

Most major computer and mobile electronics manufacturers are eager to do business in China, with companies like Dell being particularly aggressive in trying to get its products into legitimate consumer channels. However, as attractive as China’s sheer market size can be, most western electronics companies face difficulty trying to win significant business there. For instance, Apple’s iPhone is now on sale in China; however, the phone is priced higher than almost all its competitors and, unlike iPhones available elsewhere, lacks Wi-Fi capability. It’s not clear whether RIM devices offered in China will also have reduced capabilities compared to models available in other countries.

China also boasts a tremendous grey market for electronics, wherein devices are imported from other markets and unlocked to operate on China’s mobile networks. Grey market devices not only offer features not available through traditional channels, but are much cheaper to consumers, since they avoid having to pay taxes and subsidies, or even undergo regulatory scrutiny from the Chinese government.

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
How to change your language in Google Chrome on desktop
Chrome OS

Google Chrome supports a wide range of languages. While it'll default to English in most cases, there's nothing stopping you from changing its settings and displaying pages in Spanish, French, or dozens of other languages.

Changing your default language in Chrome takes only a few seconds, and the technique used is the same across Windows and Mac. Aside from changing your language, note that Chrome now gives you the option to automatically translate pages written in another language – making it easy to read content from around the globe.

Read more
23 of the best Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks
The Netflix home screen.

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms for all things movies and TV shows. Home to an immense library of titles, the Netflix archive is constantly changing and evolving, and so are the many ways you can use your Netflix account. 

For instance, did you know you can access region-locked Netflix shows and flicks by using a VPN? Or that you can disable that pesky Autoplay feature? There are tons of Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks out there, so we’ve gone ahead and rounded up all of our favorites! 
Expand your streaming with a VPN

Read more
How to make a GIF from a YouTube video
woman sitting and using laptop

Sometimes, whether you're chatting with friends or posting on social media, words just aren't enough -- you need a GIF to fully convey your feelings. If there's a moment from a YouTube video that you want to snip into a GIF, the good news is that you don't need complex software to so it. There are now a bunch of ways to make a GIF from a YouTube video right in your browser.

If you want to use desktop software like Photoshop to make a GIF, then you'll need to download the YouTube video first before you can start making a GIF. However, if you don't want to go through that bother then there are several ways you can make a GIF right in your browser, without the need to download anything. That's ideal if you're working with a low-specced laptop or on a phone, as all the processing to make the GIF is done in the cloud rather than on your machine. With these options you can make quick and fun GIFs from YouTube videos in just a few minutes.
Use GIFs.com for great customization
Step 1: Find the YouTube video that you want to turn into a GIF (perhaps a NASA archive?) and copy its URL.

Read more