Blackberry is set to launch their new Blackberry Q5 handset on August 13th. The new device targets a more affordable audience than the high-end Z10 and Q10, and targets the legions of BlackBerry Curve owners who are approaching the end of their respective contracts. Blackberry plans to heavily target these consumers during the all-important back-to-school season.

Despite the emphasis on hardware, Blackberry’s future does not rely solely on the success of their new devices. Blackberry’s business model is changing with the launch of the Blackberry 10 platform. They are trying to be portrayed as a software company, and not just a device manufacturer. The company is focused on expanding the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 deployments — including support for iOS and Android devices. In addition, Blackberry plans to extend its BBM social messaging service across multiple platforms and leverage its secure BlackBerry Global Data Network. The goal is allow Blackberry to be successful in the enterprise world regardless of which device a consumer has.

As of August 6, Samsung has announced their partnership with BlackBerry Messenger, BBM and is spreading the word quickly. They announced that BBM for Android will be available in Google Play and Samsung app store free of charge.

It has been 10 years since the BlackBerry Boom from the first Smartphones. In the beginning, BlackBerry was the hot commodity that everyone wanted to get their hands on. Now, 10 years later, BlackBerry is finding itself trying to reinvent their brand image as more than just a device maker by signing Blackberry 10 deals with the other device manufacturers.

Blackberry should continue to maintain some market share in the smartphone device segment, but they have lost a large portion of their users to other major platforms. Thus, Blackberry will need to continue to evolve as a software solution to stay relevant.

Last week, BGR shared the first picture of BBM for Android running on a handset and the app has reportedly been made available to early beta testers ahead of its public release. With group chat applications such as GroupMe and WhatsApp dominating the cross-platform group chat market, Blackberry is in desperate need for a successful launch of BBM. Time will tell what the future holds for Blackberry.

FaceBook’s move appears to have made a larger impact than many had predicted as Topsy’s Analytics show an increase in Instagram posts and a decline in Vine posts since the launch.

The Orbis Team decided to take a stab at it…

While not the first, Amazon’s release of the Kindle in 2007 revolutionized the way many enjoy books these days. Since that time, other manufacturers including Barnes and Noble have released “electronic paper” or “e-ink” readers. Not to be confused with other ‘tablet computers’ which typically feature a colored, backlit, LCD display, e-readers mimic the look of traditional text on page in black and white. This technology is said to be more comfortable for long term reading, allows for reading outdoors and in direct sunlight, and is also much more energy efficient. This increased energy efficiency allows for hours of e-book reading and infrequent e-book charging. There are many other benefits to e-readers also: starting a new book can be done from almost anywhere and virtually instantly (requires WiFi or optional 3G, however these features are not required when reading). E-readers are more portable and take up less space, they are also more environmentally friendly.

When it comes to e-readers, it is typically a two horse race: Amazon’s Kindle and the Nook by Barnes and Noble. I will say that after extensively reviewing both, each is a great product.  I ultimately decided on the Nook Touch for mostly aesthetic reasons. The Nook features an all-black matte design that is comfortable and light in the hand. It is hefty enough feel like you are holding something, but small enough to be portable in any bag, purse, or beach bag.

From an ease of use standpoint, functionality could not be easier. Featuring a very simple menu, I found myself reading my first book in a matter of minutes. The integrated Barnes and Noble shop features an expansive catalog and each of the books I was seeking were available. Reading and navigating the books is straightforward also, “flipping” through the pages is as easy as pressing either the left or right part of the screen, or using cleverly disguised buttons on the side bezel.

Overall I am quite happy with the purchase. I have found myself reading more, and enjoying the Nook everywhere from an airport terminal to the beach. I have found with my use it needs a charge once every week and a half or so, which is fantastic. If you are an avid reader, or are looking for a way to read more, I strongly urge you to consider an e-reader. At around $100 (plus book purchases) they are fairly affordable and are available both in stores and online.

So what can we expect for mobile in 2012? A recent survey of industry leaders sheds light on what to expect. Survey respondents believe the following:

• The rise of Android was the most newsworthy story of 2011
• Steve Jobs was the mobile person of 2011
• In 2012, mobile payment will be the breakthrough category and most popular consumer app
• Financial institutions will define the mobile commerce space
• Android and iOS will dominate the tablet market, with iOS at a slight advantage
• Mobile Web will start to become more relevant versus apps
• The retail industry is the industry that will be most impacted by mobile innovation

Do you agree with these predictions? Read the whole survey here.