While CompanionLink is offering advice on how to switch from BlackBerry to Android smartphones, some rumors suggest that BlackBerry smartphones and tablets one day may be able to run Android apps.
New rumors suggest that RIM is looking for a virtual way to allow old JAVA BlackBerry apps to run on the QNX-based smartphones and tablet. RIM reportedly is looking for virtual software engines to accomplish the task. One way RIM could bridge the gap to new QNX tablets and smartphones is with a Dalvik virtual machine.
The Android OS uses the Dalvik virtual machine. Bloggers and Android
fanatics are dreaming of a day where Android apps will run on the latest
BlackBerry devices.
Before execution, Android applications are converted into the compact Dalvik Executable (.dex)
format. Dalvik is open-source software, originally written by Dan
Bornstein, who named it after the fishing village of Davlik where some
of his ancestors lived.
Developers would surely love to be able to develop an app only once. Many developers, however, wind up developing for four different platforms. Meanwhile Windows Phone 7 is gaining traction.
The competition to get developers to create apps is fierce. In fact, BlackBerry is offering free PlayBooks to developers who develop PlayBook apps.