blackberry yacht owner

Blackberry founder Mike Lazaridis’ $150 million superyacht has a dedicated Tai Chi room with a ceiling tall enough to wield a sword above the head. The billionaire clad his 262 feet vessel in 70 tons of glass. It boasts a movie theater and an artistic 14-seater cosmic dining table.

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Blackberry founder Mike Lazaridis’ $150 million superyacht has a dedicated Tai Chi room with a ceiling tall enough to wield a sword above the head. The billionaire clad his 262 feet vessel in 70 tons of glass. It boasts a movie theater and an artistic 14-seater cosmic dining table.

The 262-footer features a central staircase, and a lift, placed adjacent to the cabins for ease of maneuvering. The owner’s deck is a palatial space with an office, a Tai Chi room with added ceiling height to wield a sword, and a crafts room as they have at home. The artistic touch is this space is the very eye-catching Su embroidery. Art is as prevalent as avant-garde technology in Artefact.

How can it not be when art is in the name of the pleasure craft? Undoubtedly, the $150 million asset is the only motoryacht that can boast the most exceptional formal dining space, nearly otherworldly. The “Cosmic Table” is a stunning dining room table for 14, inspired by the owner’s love of astronomy. Made of steel clad in composite, it is an artistic representation of the cosmos.

Artefact adds oodles of fun to the yachting experience with three tenders, including one custom tender built by Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders. The boat accommodates 16 guests in 8 cabins who are entertained by amenities like a beauty salon, movie theatre, and a well-equipped gym. Powered by twin diesel-electric Caterpillar 814hp engines, she cruises at 15 knots, with a maximum speed of 17 knots.

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ARTEFACT Yacht – Stunning $150M Superyacht

Built-in 2020 by Nobiskrug , ARTEFACT yacht is an incredibly unique and innovative yacht that has taken over the boating industry.

The technology used in this 80-meter-long yacht has created an environmentally conscious ship, earning it multiple awards including Motor Yacht of the year 2021. 

ARTEFACT yacht background

Although ARTEFACT was the creation of a family’s dream, the driving forces behind this groundbreaking technology were Mike Lazardis and Captain Clark.

This engineer and yacht captain worked together to combine their engineering knowledge and insight of the ocean.

They knew the ARTEFACT yacht needed to be something exceptional, while maintaining that home-like feel the family was seeking.

Specifications

The ARTEFACT yacht reaches a max speed of 17.5 knots with a range of over 6,000 nautical miles and is powered by 2 Caterpillar engines.

It is quite large and can hold about 12 guests and 24 crew members. 

ARTEFACT includes solar panels and a large battery storage system to prevent the constant use of internal combustion engines.

This allows the yacht to move quietly so as to not disturb marine life.

It also does not need to drop an anchor to hold position lessening any damage to the sea floor.

Even the water used on the ship does not go to waste – any wastewater is recycled and used later as technical water.

These may seem like simple changes, but they make a significant impact on lessening the environmental effects that most yachts can have. 

Designed by Gregory C. Marshall and Siamak Hariri, this spectacular structure features a futuristic look that is both gorgeous and functional.

With all of the glass used, the glass itself had to be specifically shaped in a way to minimize the transfer of vibrations and sounds that happen with glass. 

The open-space design allows passengers to get breathtaking ocean views at any spot on the ARTEFACT.

Not only will they see beautiful sunsets, but seeing more of the horizon actually helps with motion sickness.

An issue that some of the family members who own the ARTEFACT yacht ironically struggle from.

If you thought the ARTEFACT’s exterior was magnificent, wait until you see the inside!

Beautifully designed by the famous Reymond Langton , the interior has a spacious and home-like feel that makes you forget you are in the middle of the ocean.

When the ARTEFACT yacht interior was initially designed, the team built a full-sized model in an empty warehouse to physically plan out how everything would be placed.

They used construction wrap and pieces of wood to create the models of each room including the owner’s deck, the bridge, and even the special Tai Chi room. 

The ARTEFACT yacht has been sailing the waters since early 2020 when it left its home in Germany.

Its spectacular design and innovative use of technology have brought it much attention.

Many believe that its success will start a chain reaction in the yacht-building industry, creating more of a focus on environmental impact.

It will definitely be interesting to see how yachts will evolve and change with ARTEFACT as their inspiration.

Do you have anything to add to this listing?

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$150 million super yacht owned by Blackberry founder spotted in Malta

Alex Borg says that Maltese electorate might want new faces in politics

He said that the last election showed the people’s desire to see new and younger faces in politics, not only in Gozo but also in Malta in general.

Borg stated that these changes in personnel from older and more experienced politicians to younger and fresher politicians occurred most prominently in the PN’s ranks.

The shadow minister for Gozo went on to express his confidence in the PN cabinet due to having a good mixture of experienced and newer politicians. He also stated that with a good strategy, the Nationalist party will be in a better place than they were before the general election to get a good result.

G7 Events are back at Café del Mar with James Hype this Wednesday 7th!

Alex Borg reveals importance of attracting the 70,000 non-voters towards the PN

He said that everyone in life has something to offer, and that also includes the Nationalist Party, He added that the party should always accept everyone and that the party should always go along with their values.

That is why he believes, he said, that if the party does those things and continues to strive to be close to the people, a good result is possible. He confirmed that the recent electoral result didn’t make him give up , but rather spurred him on more in order to improve and work more for the Maltese people.

Borg also stated that the party and himself need to see what they will do in order to attract all the non-voters. He revealed that the party which manages to attract more non-voters will be able to win the next election.

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By SuperyachtNews 23 Sep 2020

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M/Y Artefact: ushering in a new era of environmental stewardship

Nobiskrug and the yacht's captain discuss the environmentally-focused technologies found on board….

Delivered in 2020, Nobiskrug’s 80m Artefact is a hotbed of innovation in terms of environmentally-conscious technology. An engineer and accomplished entrepreneur, the owner wanted to minimise the yacht’s impact on the environment by using the latest technology to protect the seas and dramatically improve fuel efficiency. As a result, Artefact spearheads the future direction of yachting by challenging and reimagining many traditional approaches to superyacht construction to create an unprecedented on-board experience while minimising the yacht’s environmental impact. 

For Nobiskrug, the prospect of being involved in such a pioneering project was both a privilege and an exciting challenge. “From the moment Nobiskrug received the owner’s brief to develop a yacht that pushes the boundaries of technology and eco-friendliness, we knew that Artefact would set new standards for the industry in terms of performance and design,” explains Fadi Pataq, sales and marketing director at Nobiskrug. “With proven expertise in the construction of unique superyacht projects, such as Sailing Yacht A , our top engineering team immediately jumped at the opportunity to develop the owner’s vision into a reality.”

An innovative DC-bus diesel-electric Azipod propulsion system developed by ABB, combined with dynamic positioning and an electric Voith bow thruster, is the first of a host of environmentally-focused technologies on board Artefact . The advantages of using multiple redundant diesel generators to power a DC bus with integrated lithium battery storage and electric pod propulsion are significant: from significant fuel savings and emissions reductions by using only one generator to power both the house load and propulsion pods at cruising speeds, to ultra-smooth and quiet passenger comfort. Custom six-bladed propellers also minimise noise and vibration while maximising performance and efficiency.

The dynamic positioning holds the yacht in place without dropping anchor, therefore protecting sensitive seafloors and marine eco-systems, while also increasing guest comfort by actively controlling how the hull is positioned relative to waves, current and wind. “We take full advantage of this precision hull positioning to create spectacular views through Artefact ’s expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as minimising wind during outdoor dining and lounging,” says Artefact ’s captain, Aaron T. Clark.

By implementing environmentally-focused technologies on board, Artefact is one of the world’s first superyachts to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s Tier III low emissions regulations for yachts...

By implementing environmentally-focused technologies on board, Artefact is one of the world’s first superyachts to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s Tier III low emissions regulations for yachts, introduced with the aim of further reducing nitrogen oxide emissions as a follow-on from the Tier II regulations. Solar panels and a large battery storage system will enable the vessel to operate for a limited time without internal combustion engines. 

“Various parts of the world are now Emission Control Areas, and compliance with Tier III certification means that the owner can travel to every corner of the globe,” adds Captain Clark. “ Artefact has been designed to operate efficiently while pushing the boundaries of technology, and Tier III compliance is an obvious continuation of this ethos. The benefits of a cleaner exhaust treatment system are very noticeable on board during vessel operations and also carries the added value of future proofing the vessel.”

Artefact has successfully ushered in a new era of performance and environmental stewardship. By replacing driveshafts and transmissions with electrical wiring and digital power management, the engine room and drive propellers could be repositioned for maximum stability and efficiency. Extensive hull design and tank testing identified the optimal locations for both stability and minimal acceleration – allowing GA locations to be determined by comfort and efficiency instead of convention. The flexibility and technical advantages of Artefact ’s advanced DC-bus architecture, combined with ABB azimuthing pods and dynamic positioning, has significantly increased performance, efficiency, and passenger comfort while minimising environmental impact.

Photo credits: Alexis Andrews

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A Closer Look at the 262-Foot Superyacht “Artefact”

While the rest of the world panicked after the COVID-19 lockdown order, one family had the time of its life aboard its yacht. Mike Lazaridis, owner of Artefact, planned on spending three months on the boat every time he went cruising. Unfortunately, the pandemic changed that, and he ended up on a nine-month voyage on the 262-foot superyacht Artefact. It is currently the highest volume 80-meter superyacht worldwide at 2,990 gross tons so let’s take a closer look at it.

Environmentally-Friendly Focus

In 2018, Charter World published that Nobiskrug would unveil the name and design of its latest superyacht. The yacht was referred to as “Project 790” and was first unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2018. As per the article, the managing director of Nobiskrug revealed that the superyacht’s owner focused on having a vessel with as many environmentally friendly features as possible without compromising on the distinctive state-of-the-art hybrid aspect. Consequently, the yacht can recycle wastewater for use as technical water, courtesy of the advanced filtering systems. It also avoids the destruction of the coral reefs by making it possible to stay stable without dropping the anchor. It also utilizes solar energy through 248 square feet of solar panels, ensuring that it can operate without internal combustion engines for a limited time. Usually, the solar panels generate enough power to keep the lighting on at night. Once the panels are drained, the lithium batteries and variable speed generators kick in to provide more than enough power for optimal operation. Due to all these environmentally-friendly features, Artefact became among the first vessels to meet the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III emissions regulations.

A Pacesetter Yacht

According to Boat International , Artefact started a trend. Nobiskrug sales and marketing director, Fadi Pataq, said that a client was impressed by the yacht’s use of frameless glass in the VIP cabin’s outer walls. For this reason, the client wanted more glass in his project. As other sources published, the amount of glass used on Artefact is a first in the world of yachting. While the finished product is breathtaking, the use of frameless glass still had its challenges, such as sound reflection, solar heat gain, weight, and optical properties. The yacht was constructed with sound absorption as a priority to address the sound reflection issue. Thus, there is a carpet in the owner’s suite that reduces noise levels to whispers. Solar heat gain is eliminated through two panels of bronze glass and a mirror layer that ensures unobstructed views while reducing the amount of heat.

The owner wanted the best seeing that it was his first and the last yacht; thus, there was no way he could leave anything to chance. Besides, for a person worth nearly a billion dollars, he did not want any cost spared at the expense of comfort, luxury, and most of all, conforming to his desire for an environmentally friendly yacht. As Captain Aaron Clark revealed, the owner did not want a boat that looked like everybody else’s; he was going for a future-proofed vessel. Nevertheless, not everything is a first with Artefact because Clark said he wanted a traditional aspect incorporated and reimagined to have an unprecedented experience. Some features include a Jacuzzi and plenty of deck space, enough to serve as a helipad and double up as a sunbathing area. According to Superyacht Times , it has four decks. The hull is made from steel, while the aluminum makes up the superstructure. Reymond Langton Design Ltd was in charge of the interior while the exterior designing was left to Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architect Ltd. The interior designer even boasted that it is one of the cleverest designs they have ever done.

Good Things Take Time

In March 2020, Artefact completed sea trials in the Baltic Sea, after which she was delivered to Lazaridis. Before the delivery, a lot of time had been spent in constructing it to meet the owner’s specifications. According to Yahoo , Clark and Lazaridis spent 18 months developing the ideal concept for Artefact. Once the multi-millionaire was satisfied, he signed the contract, and it took them another year to tank test and investigate stabilization systems. It took them an additional eight months to build the family deck to scale, a feat that cost $110,000, but money was no object. The move was essential because it enabled them to figure out how big they had to construct the boat to have enough space in all the rooms. After the deck construction was complete, the volume of the boat increased to 2,900 gross tons from 500 gross tons. Clark visited seven shipyards with the concept and settled on Nobiskrug because it had the design and pedigree required. While the amount of time spent building the deck and tank testing may seem a bit too much, you would be surprised that the owner started toying with the idea to construct Artefact in 2013.

Lazaridis had chartered yachts before and taken his family on cruises, but by 2013, he wanted his own. The idea crept into his mind after he admired pictures of yachts on a Boat International magazine, left by his friend on a coffee table. He, however, wanted his entire family to be part of the process because Artefact was theirs to enjoy. At first, some family members resisted because they suffer from motion sickness, but eventually, everyone was onboard. Lazaridis collaborated with Clark to research the latest design and technologies to make the family comfortable and ensure that the motion sickness concern was eliminated. After going to trade and equipment shows and seeing many yachts, they settled on what would become Artefact’s concept. Clark said that due to the extensive planning, the building process only changed 1.1%, which is quite admirable considering that most yacht constructions have 30% adjustments. Eventually, the cost of the yacht was $150 million and Lazaridis spends at least $10 million in annual running costs.

Written by  Lily Wordsmith

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25 Best Movies On Apple TV+ Right Now (May 2024)

"bring it back to the streets": fast & furious 12 may return franchise to its la roots, the godfather part ii ending explained: what the movie's final shot means.

• BlackBerry's movie ends with the beginning of the company's downfall as Mike Lazaridis opens boxes of defective touchscreens.
• Mike Lazaridis resigned as co-CEO of RIM in 2012, followed by the rapid collapse of BlackBerry.
• After leaving BlackBerry, Lazaridis founded an investment company and has been involved in philanthropy and supporting researchers in the industry.

WARNING! This article contains spoilers for BlackBerry! The BlackBerry movie ends with the beginning of the downfall of Mike Lazaridis’ company, but only teases at what became of the real-life entrepreneur in the years after. BlackBerry ’s true story depicts the rise and fall of the mobile phone line’s company RIM (Research in Motion), which made history for pioneering the smartphone. The movie follows RIM’s real-life co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) as they face legal trouble and professional hurdles, though their downfall is just beginning as the movie comes to a close.

BlackBerry ’s movie ends in 2008 as Mike Lazaridis opens boxes of the new BlackBerry Storm with defective touchscreens and static. This comes after Mike is confronted by the SEC after being accused of stock manipulations, and Jim Balsillie takes the fall for the crime and resigns as RIM’s chairman once Mike gives the investigators full cooperation. Of course, history reveals that Lazaridis was already too late, as BlackBerry ’s ending cuts to black long before the company officially fails and the phone is discontinued. BlackBerry has recently been recut into a miniseries with additional footage. However, it still does not reveal what happened to Mike Lazaridis after the BlackBerry ending.

The best movies on Apple TV+ range from documentaries about celebrated performers to musical comedies to even a Best Picture Academy Award winner.

Mike Lazaridis Stepped Down From Being RIM’s Co-CEO In 2012

Lazaridis' exit was followed by the rapid collapse of blackberry.

Approximately four years after the movie’s ending, Mike Lazaridis resigned from his position as co-CEO of RIM alongside BlackBerry ’s real-life character Jim Balsillie. RIM was plagued with slow growth and obstacles with innovation and the ability to keep up with competition, eventually leading to Lazaridis and Balsillie’s resignations in 2012 and the company’s first report of net loss after several years. The two entrepreneurs were replaced by Thorsten Heins, who remained CEO of BlackBerry until 2013 when he was subsequently replaced by John Chen. The BlackBerry phone line was discontinued in 2016 , only four years after Lazaridis’ resignation, with the phone’s services being officially decommissioned in 2022 (via BlackBerry’s website ).

Where To Watch BlackBerry

Mike Lazaridis Founded An Investment Company After BlackBerry

Lazaridis is also known for his philanthropic work.

Mike Lazaridis left BlackBerry at the beginning of the company’s end, but he remained a wealthy man long after the film’s conclusion. In 2013, Lazaridis teamed back up with his RIM co-founder Doug Fregin to found Quantum Valley Investments. The investment company’s mission is to commercialize breakthrough technologies in Quantum Information Science, which contributes to their vision of a “Quantum Valley” in Waterloo (via Quantum Valley Investments’ website ). The original minds behind BlackBerry still use their company to provide funds and support for researchers in the industry today.

In addition to managing Quantum Valley Investments, Lazaridis has been notable for his philanthropy , education donations, and awards after the timeline of BlackBerry ’s ending. In 2012, he also donated $20 million to Wilfrid Laurier University in 2015, which funded a new tech-based management institute in the business school that was later named after the BlackBerry founder (via CBC ). The real Mike Lazaridis was then elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2014 for his contributions to improving science and technology.

Sources: BlackBerry , Quantum Valley Investments

• BlackBerry (2023)

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Is Artefact the most innovative super yacht on the planet?

Delivered in 2020, artefact is widely considered one of the most cutting-edge super yachts in the world, thanks to its eye-catching design and environmentally-conscious technology. jenny southan reports.

On a recent visit to the Monaco Yacht Show, Artefact was the the talk of the town. The 80-metre super yacht has caused a splash with its stunning exteriors and interior design by Reymond Langton Design.

Built by German naval architects Nobiskrug, the boat also endeavours to “set new standards for engineering-driven stewardship” with low-impact innovations such as a diesel-electric Azipod propulsion system, combined with “dynamic positioning” that means the boat can stay in place without dropping anchor to protect sensitive sea floors.

There are also custom six-bladed propellers to minimise noise and vibration, solar panels and a large battery storage system that allows the vessel to operate for a limited time with no use of internal combustion engines.

What’s coming next? Trend reports available to download HERE

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Quarter-billion dollar superyacht berths in Northland

One of the world's most exclusive superyachts has berthed in the Northland port of Ōpua for a two-week stay.

The 80-metre Artefact is owned by Canadian tech entrepreneur Mike Lazaridis, best known for creating the BlackBerry mobile device.

Built in Germany in 2020 at an estimated cost of $240 million and named Motor Yacht of the Year in 2021, Artefact is one of the world's biggest superyachts by volume.

It is also believed to be the biggest motor yacht to visit the Bay of Islands.

The vessel arrived just after 1pm on Tuesday and was piloted to Ōpua wharf by the harbourmaster vessel Waikare.

Artefact is expected to stay in the Bay of Islands until New Year's Day.

It boasts a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system, a range of 5300 nautical miles and a crew of 17, including two chefs and a sous chef.

The vessel is notable for the sheer amount of glass on the passenger decks - 70 tonnes of glass went into its construction - and interior features such as a high-ceilinged tai chi room designed so that practitioners of the martial art can hold a sword above their heads.

Lazaridis, 62, was born in Turkey to Greek parents, who moved to Canada when he was a child. At the age of 12, he won a prize for reading every science book in the library at Windsor, his home town in Ontario.

After founding BlackBerry, he went on to specialise in quantum computing. He has donated large sums of money to theoretical physics research.

When Lazaridis was nominated as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2014, he was described as the father of what later became known as the smartphone.

It was not known whether he was on board when Artefact docked on Tuesday afternoon.

Irwin Wilson, commercial manager of port authority Far North Holdings, said the visit of the "magnificent" vessel was a sign of the Bay of Islands' post-Covid recovery and a bumper season on the water.

Artefact was joined in the bay on Tuesday by the boutique cruise ship Crystal Symphony, one of a record 93 cruise ships expected this season.

Though many more small cruise ships were calling in this year, the number of passengers would also be a record as long as there were no cancellations due to weather or other factors this year.

The season would ramp up after January 18 with three ships on one day on 31 January. The biggest ship, Ovation of the Seas with 4180 passengers, was due back on February 12.

Wilson said cruise ships played an important role in the economy of the Bay of Islands, and Northland, because they brought "fresh money" into the region rather than just the money locals recycling among themselves.

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With each passenger spending on average $180 on shore, that added up to $23m this season, he said.

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BlackBerry: The Rise and Fall of the Famous Smartphone and Its Inventors

Portrayed in the new film BlackBerry , Mike Lazairidis and Jim Balsillie transformed cell phones forever but couldn’t keep up in a changing market.

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The new film BlackBerry chronicles the story of this once-iconic brand and focuses, in particular, on the company’s co-CEOs Mike Lazairidis and Jim Balsillie, portrayed by Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton, respectively. The film, which will be released on Friday, is based upon the book Losing the Signal by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff.

Although Lazaridis has said little about the film, Balsillie told the Toronto Star he believes the film’s portrayal of him as a cutthroat capitalist only partially matches reality. “They’re taking an element of truth, who I am, and they’re playing with it,” he said. “I’m aggressive. I’m competitive. I’m ambitious. I own that.”

Here’s the true story of how Lazairidis and Balsillie transformed cell phones forever then lost their edge in the smartphone market.

Creating BlackBerry

The story of the BlackBerry begins in 1984, 15 years before the first smartphone bearing that name was released. That was when Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin founded Research In Motion (RIM), the parent company that would be renamed BlackBerry Limited in 2013.

A Turkey-born tech investor, Lazaridis previously received a $600,000 contract from General Motors to develop barcode technology for film. That grant helped Lazaridis form RIM with Fregin, one of his childhood friends, in Waterloo, Ontario. Lazaridis became CEO, while Fregin worked as vice president of operations, according to Losing the Signal .

Balsillie, a graduate of Harvard Business School, joined RIM in 1992 after he initially considered buying the company but instead decided to invest $125,000 into it. RIM had only 14 employees when Balsillie joined. He became co-CEO, handling sales and accounting, while fellow co-CEO Lazaridis focused on the technological aspect of the business.

“Balsillie became the BlackBerry’s best salesman, winning customers in the financial services industry and with security-conscious governments around the world,” Technology Reporter Iain Marlow wrote in The Globe and Mail . “Under his reign, the company grew at a breakneck speed—smashing internal targets regularly and overturning the wireless world’s established hierarchy.”

However, Marlow noted that Balsillie was “feared as well as respected.” People who disagreed with his views on the fast-growing smartphone industry were “swiftly, and sometimes mercilessly, put in their place,” and his critics accused him of bringing an “institutional arrogance” to RIM’s company culture.

Bursting onto the Scene

The first device with the BlackBerry name was a pager released in 1999 called the BlackBerry 850. The pager, like the better-known smartphones that came after it, was particularly notable for its keypad that users could operate via thumbs. The name BlackBerry derived from this keypad, since the globe-shaped buttons resembled blackberry fruits .

The company’s first smartphone, the BlackBerry 5810, was launched in 2002 . Initially targeted toward businesspeople rather than general users, its technological capabilities and stylish look made it a hit among investment bankers and other professionals. BlackBerry quickly became a household name, gaining the nickname “CrackBerry” due to its addictive nature.

The company grew from 14 employees to about 18,000 and continued to release new versions of the BlackBerry smartphone, upgrading the monochrome screen to color displays. The products remained popular, though the company struggled to meet revenue targets, and business suffered after the patent holding company NTP filed patent infringement lawsuits against BlackBerry.

The company’s reputation was further damaged after an extensive review found more than $250 million in stock option accounting errors. As a result, Balsillie resigned his role as chairman of RIM in 2007, though he remained co-CEO. The company leaders paid $1.4 million in fines in 2009 as part of a settlement with regulators.

Balsillie said the BlackBerry film portrays him as having engaged in stock fraud based upon this incident. He objected to that interpretation , noting that regulators said RIM executives were negligent with the stock options, not that they committed fraud.

Failing to Compete

The true death knell for BlackBerry, however, was the launch of iPhones and Android phones in 2007 and 2008. BlackBerry was left behind as those new products revolutionized the smartphone industry with touchscreen displays and third-party apps.

Losing the Signal portrays BlackBerry executives as underestimating the threat posed by Steve Jobs ’ famous launch of the iPhone in 2007. BlackBerry COO Larry Conlee dismissed it as having “rapid battery drain and a lousy [digital] keyboard,” according to the book. Although Lazaridis voiced concerns about Apple, Balsillie simply responded, “It’s OK, we’ll be fine.”

Initially, it appeared his confidence was well-placed, the BlackBerry Curve remained the highest-selling phone of 2009 . But the company soon found itself unable to compete with the iPhone and Android devices. RIM ultimately became a software and cybersecurity company , though it did not completely discontinue its smartphone services until 2022 .

The BlackBerry film also highlights Balsillie’s failed attempts to bring a NHL hockey team to Hamilton, Ontario, which critics have suggested distracted RIM from the threat posed by their new competition. Balsillie denies this , saying that effort only required occasional meetings and phone calls: “When you are prosperous, you have lots of different initiatives. Everybody does.”

Other observers have argued the co-CEO structure split between Balsillie and Lazaridis hastened the company’s demise. The two were barely on speaking terms by the end of their professional relationship, and the dual-executive structure led to breakdowns in the decision-making process, according to The Globe and Mail .

“Part of the challenge was RIM started to develop arrogance, and that arrogance came from success—and I’m going to say that impacted Jim a lot more than Mike,” an unnamed source told the newspaper. “In time, he stopped listening. Because you’re a billionaire, and you know more than everybody else, so you like to hear yourself speak but not like to listen or take any feedback.”

Stepping Down from BlackBerry

Balsillie stepped down as co-CEO in 2012, and the next year, he sold all his shares in the company, effectively severing ties with BlackBerry. After departing from the company, he began advising various venture capital firms and startups, including OMERS Ventures and the mobile health company m-Health Solutions, according to The Globe and Mail .

Lazaridis also resigned in 2012 and was replaced by RIM COO Thorsten Heins. The next year, Lazaridis and Fregin co-founded Quantum Valley Investments , a private fund seeking to support for the development and commercialization of breakthroughs in quantum information science.

How much of their legacies are shaped and defined by the new BlackBerry film remains to be seen. In an interview with The Verge , director Matt Johnson describes Lazaridis and Balsillie as innovators but says the BlackBerry smartphone failed because it lacked a vision of culture and future like the iPhone had.

“The iPhone is a product with incredible vision, and it’s saying that you are going to change the way that you live in order to make this product integrate with you,” Johnson said. “Whereas the BlackBerry was, ‘We’re going to give you this tool that is going to help you with the tiny problems that you have, and it’s going to be very, very useful.’”

See BlackBerry in Theaters on May 12

BlackBerry opens in theaters on Friday. Jay Baruchel stars as company co-CEO Mike Lazairidis, and Glenn Howerton plays co-CEO Jim Balsillie. The film’s director, Matt Johnson, also appears on screen as Research In Motion co-founder Douglas Fregin.

Colin McEvoy joined the Biography.com staff in 2023, and before that had spent 16 years as a journalist, writer, and communications professional. He is the author of two true crime books: Love Me or Else and Fatal Jealousy . He is also an avid film buff, reader, and lover of great stories.

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Doug Fregin: Where is BlackBerry Co-Founder Now?

While the movie ‘ BlackBerry ‘ chronicles the rise and fall of the BlackBerry smartphones, readers will be interested to know that the company was actually called Research in Motion or RIM. RIM was co-established by longtime friends Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin, who were looking to start their own tech business while pursuing engineering degrees.

Although RIM initially made advertising devices, circuit boards, and computerized digital displays. However, they soon switched to the thriving smartphone market before releasing the first BlackBerry phone in 2002. However, if you are interested in learning more about Doug Fregin and want to find out where he is, we have you covered!

Who Is Doug Fregin?

A native of Windsor, Ontario, Douglas “Doug” Fregin knew BlackBerry co-founder Mike Lazaridis from his childhood. In fact, Mike and Doug went to the same high school and began fast friends when they were in the fifth or sixth grade. Although higher studies and college separated the friends for some time, they reconnected when Doug was pursuing a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Windsor and Mike was enrolled in an engineering course at the University of Waterloo.

Once the friends began discussing their respective fields, they realized their mutual goal of starting a tech business. Thus, Doug and Mike decided to pool their experience together before co-establishing Research in Motion or RIM in 1984. From its inception, RIM was based out of Windsor, Ontario, and through the company, Doug and Mike began producing a device called Budgie, which could display digital advertisements. However, since the Budgie was extremely bulky and cumbersome, sales weren’t as expected. Soon, RIM began producing circuit boards and computerized digital displays for various companies.

Moreover, while readers might be interested to know that the discovery of the DigiSync film reader helped RIM win an Academy Awards technical achievement prize as well as an Emmy, Doug himself won a Technology and Engineering Emmy alongside the National Film Board of Canada and Eastman Kodak for creating an efficient keycode reader. Slowly but gradually, RIM began growing into a technical powerhouse, and the company even went public in 1997.

Moreover, they began focusing on the smartphone market and released the first BlackBerry mobile phone in 2002. Throughout this time, Doug continued working as the vice president of operations and reports claim that he owned about 2% of the company’s stock when he retired in May 2007. However, once Apple released the first iPhone in June of the same year, Doug sold all of the stocks he owned and looked forward to a retired lifestyle.

Doug Fregin Continues to Contribute to Technology Development

Although Doug decided to retire from RIM in 2007, he reconnected with Mike Lazaridis in 2013, and the two co-established Quantum Valley Investments in March of the same year. Moreover, while the investment fund grew extremely successful in a short period of time, readers would be surprised to know that Doug and Mike toyed with the idea of bidding for BlackBerry when the company fell into a financial rut in 2013.

In fact, the childhood friends approached the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to file their documents and hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc., as well as Centerview Partners LLC, to review the bid. However, Mike and Doug eventually thought the better of it and refused to proceed with their plan. At present, Doug still appears to reside in Windsor, Ontario, where he serves as the Managing Director of the Quantum Valley Investments Fund and has built up a happy life surrounded by his loved ones. Moreover, sources claim that Doug currently supports various charitable projects in Africa.

Apart from contributing to several charities and NGOs, Doug Fregin directly helped establish and manage a Vocational School in a rural area in Uganda. On top of it, Doug still likes to contribute handsomely toward the development of science and technology as he donated to several philanthropic organizations, including the Quantum-Nano Centre at the University of Waterloo, the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and the Nanotechnology Initiative. It is inspiring to witness Doug strive for success even at this age, and we wish him the best for the years to come.

Read More: BlackBerry Ending, Explained: What Happens To BlackBerry?

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Man gets realistic picture of his boat painted on a fence intended to hide it

A California man who was ordered to keep his boat out of sight has had the last laugh by commissioning an artist to paint a realistic image of it on the fence that obscures it.

Local government officials told Etienne Constable, of Seaside, California, in July that he had to build a 6-foot fence to hide the boat from view of his neighbors.

In a light-hearted jibe at officialdom, Constable decided to follow the directive, which said nothing about how the fence should be decorated, and asked local artist Hanif Panni to create a mural that makes it look as if the fence isn't there.

"I’m not a rule-breaker, but I like to make a political statement as necessary, as well as a humorous statement and a creative statement," he told NBC affiliate KSBW of Monterey Bay .

He is yet to have had any contact from the city about the mural — but he said he considers it to be covered by the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the First Amendment.

"The reaction is extremely more than we ever expected, and we’re both just tickled about it," Constable said, referring to the stir the image has made on social media, where it has been shared many times.

Panni, who paints images across the Central Coast area, told KSBW: "I’m a big proponent of public art in spaces. It engages people in ways that reaching out and having conversations doesn’t sometimes."

And Panni added that since the Seaside boat mural has gone viral, other boat owners have approached him to see whether he can do the same for them.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

FWC identifies boater in Key Biscayne hit-and-run that killed Florida teen ballerina

The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has identified the person behind the wheel in the South Florida hit-and-run boating death of 15-year-old Ella Adler on Saturday.

Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 78, of Coral Gables was piloting a 42-foot Boston Whaler in Key Biscayne when officials say his boat struck Ella Riley Adler, 15, a ballerina with the Miami Ballet and granddaughter of U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Michael M. Adler. The teen had been wakeboarding behind another boat and was floating in the water, according to an FWC incident report released Wednesday.

The man piloting the boat that hit the girl sped off to the west without stopping, witnesses said. Adler was retrieved by the other boat but died of her injuries.

The vessel is in custody and Alonso is cooperating with the investigation, the FWC said in a release Tuesday .

Investigators said Tuesday it was unclear if Alonso knew Adler was there or was hit. It is unknown if alcohol was a factor. In a statement from Alonso's attorney Lauren Krasnoff, shared by Local10.com , Krasnoff said Alonso was unaware he hit anybody and does not drink.

"I will tell you that Bill, who has been boating for 50 years and is a very experienced boater who knows these waters, was out boating by himself on Saturday," Krasnoff said in the statement. "He has no knowledge whatsoever of having been involved in this accident. If he hit Ella that day, he certainly did not know it. Had Bill thought he hit anything, he absolutely would have stopped. But he did not at any point think that he had hit anything, let alone a person.

"He docked his boat in plain sight right behind his house," she said, "and did not even know there was an accident on the water that day until officers showed up at his door."

Witnesses or anyone with video footage or information should contact the FWC at 888-404-FWCC or 888-404-3922 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS or 305-471-8477.

A total reward of up to $20,000 — $10,000 from Adler's family and a combined $10,000 from FWC and Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers — is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and successful prosecution of the driver of the hit-and-run boat incident.

What happened in the boating death of Ella Adler?

At about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11 (the day before Mother's Day), Adler and several others had been enjoying some recreational boating near the Nixon Beach Sandbar in Biscayne Bay, according to the incident report. Adler was wakeboarding behind a 42-foot 2017 Hanse Fjord yacht at the same time as an unidentified female on a wake surfboard.

The two people being towed fell into the water at different times and locations, the incident report said. Adler was wearing a life jacket and had the wakeboard still attached to her feet, an FWC official told NBC6 in Miami , when she was struck by a 42-foot 2020 Boston Whaler.

A witness said the boat did not appear to swerve or slow down when it hit the girl. The yacht towing her immediately spun around back to where she was and began broadcasting distress calls, the witness told NBC6.

Where was Ella Adler killed? Where is Nixon Beach Sandbar in Florida?

The Nixon Beach Sandbar is located in Biscayne Bay, Florida, west of Hurricane Harbor near Miami.

It's a popular destination for recreational boaters and fishing for its white sands and clear shallow waters, and it "turns into a wild party spot every weekend" full of yachts and catamarans, according to the boating site sail.me .

The area was named for former president Richard M. Nixon, who owned a home overlooking the water nearby.

Who is Ella Riley Adler of Florida?

Ella Adler was a freshman at Ransom Everglades School in Coconut Grove and a ballerina with the Miami City Ballet. She is the granddaughter of Michael M. Adler, the current U.S. Ambassador to Belgium , according to the Miami Herald .

"We are heartbroken," the school said in a Facebook post Monday morning. "Ella Adler '27 shined in our classrooms and on our stages, and she embodied the mission of Ransom Everglades School. We wish peace and comfort to her family."

Adler appeared in more than 100 performances with the Miami Ballet, including "The Nutcracker," according to her Legacy.com obituary . In school, she performed on the dance team, acted in the school play "Chicago" and was a member of the Ransom Everglades Jewish Students Association.

"You were taken from us way too soon, and the world has been robbed of all the things you could have achieved," her father, Matthew, wrote in a letter read during a funeral service at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach on Monday, the Miami Herald reported . "But you will always be here with us and your friends and family will carry your energy and spirit forever.”

First Lady Jill Biden paid her condolences in person Tuesday, according to a statement from the family.

"We are honored that the First Lady paid a shiva call to our family during this time of immense pain. We are touched by their support and love and we are proud to call the President and First Lady our friends for over 40 years," they said.

The girl's great-aunt Karen Adler started working in President Joe Biden's D.C. office in 1973 when he was still a junior senator from Delaware, according to Jewish Insider , and served as his national finance chair in 2008. Her brother Michael was confirmed as Ambassador to Belgium in 2021 .

Adler is survived by her parents Amanda and Matthew, her brother Jaden, and her sister Adalynn, grandparents Judy and Michael, and Susan and Michael Klaiman, along with several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, contributed to this story.

Watch CBS News

Authorities ID boat operator who fatally struck 15-year-old Ella Adler

By CBS Miami Team

Updated on: May 15, 2024 / 6:46 PM EDT / CBS/CNN

MIAMI - The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission identified the boat operator in connection to the death of 15-year-old Ella Adler, who was struck while water skiing in Biscayne Bay on Saturday.

Authorities say Carlos Guillermo Alonso, 78, of Coral Gables, was the boat's operator.

They say he was the only occupant of the vessel on that day, according to the one-page incident report.  

FWC24ON0038760_updated-2 by sergio.candido on Scribd

The boat was discovered behind a home in the Hammocks Oaks neighborhood in Coral Gables. Neighbors described the man who lives in the home as a family man and an experienced boater. They said he was devastated by what happened.

Rodney Barreto, the Chairman of the FWC,  said this about Ella's death, "It's touched our community in a way." 

"When you're 15 years old you don't expect to go out on a boat and not come home." 

The new preliminary FWC report says she had been on a boat with 12 other people and was being towed while on a wakeboard. 

Records show Alonso owns the house where the vessel was seized.

"The gentleman who was driving the boat who is cooperating with us is Mr. Alonso," said Barreto.

"We have some physical evidence that we have recovered that we have sent to our state lab for testing." 

Barreto says officers used witness descriptions to find the boat.

"It was good old-fashioned police work by our officers. 
We asked them to go up and down the canals from Coconut Grove to South Miami. They went up and down the canals with the physical description they had and recognized the boat." 

Batteto said there was no evidence pointing to reckless or drunk driving.

It's not known if the driver will be cited or charged.

"Our job is to gather information and present it to the State Attorney, so they can do their job." 

The loss of Ella Adler prompts this warning from Barreto: "Make sure you pay attention to the water and always look around because things can happen on the water and they can happen very quickly."

"We encourage people to use a lot of caution and go to boating safety schools." 

"Florida has the most registered boats in the country and Miami-Dade has the most registered boats than any county in Florida."

Ella, the granddaughter of US Ambassador to Belgium Michael M. Adler, was water skiing with friends Saturday near the Nixon Beach sandbar when she fell in the water while being towed and was struck by another boat. The operator of that boat never stopped.

An all out search was then launched to find the boat and driver.

On Wednesday, Florida Fish and Wildlife believed they had found it. 

"I am pleased to report that we have a vessel in custody that matches the description given by witnesses," said FWC's George Reynaud. "The boat is in our custody and the owner is cooperating with us."

On Monday morning, hundreds of people attended services for Adler at Temple Beth Sholom in Miami Beach.

On Tuesday, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden stopped by in person to offer her condolences and be with the family.

"We are honored that the First Lady paid a shiva call to our family during this time of immense pain. We are touched by their support and love and we are proud to call the President and First Lady our friends for over 40 years," according to a statement from the family.

Adler was a freshman at Ransom Everglades High School and a ballerina with the Miami City Ballet.

"We are heartbroken," Ransom Everglades posted on Facebook. "Ella Adler '27 shined in our classrooms and on our stages, and she embodied the mission of Ransom Everglades School. We wish peace and comfort to her family."

"We at Miami City Ballet and the Miami City Ballet School are utterly devastated by the heartbreaking news of this tragic accident," said the organization which described Adler as a beloved student and a magnificent dancer who graced their stage. "Our hearts go out to Ella's family, friends, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and adoring her. As we come together, we will profoundly grieve the loss of Ella, and hold dear the precious memories we were fortunate enough to create with her."

"We extend our deepest condolences to the Adler family at this difficult time," the US Embassy to Belgium said in a statement. "Out of respect for their privacy, we have nothing further."

Anyone who saw the accident or anyone who might have video footage or information about it is urged to call the Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477).

The CBS Miami team is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on CBSMiami.com.

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It sure looks like Mark Zuckerberg is taking a brand new superyacht out to celebrate his 40th birthday

• It seems as if Mark Zuckerberg will celebrate his 40th birthday on the  megayacht, Launchpad .
• The yachting world has speculated for months that the Meta CEO is the owner of the vessel.
• Now, both the boat and Zuckerberg's private jet have landed in Panama.

All signs point to Mark Zuckerberg celebrating his 40th birthday on what many speculate is his brand-new superyacht Launchpad .

The boating world has been buzzing about Launchpad — a 118-meter yacht built by the Dutch shipyard Feadship — for months, with rumors swirling that her owner is none other than the Meta CEO. But in the yachting world, where privacy is paramount , no party would confirm her owner.

"It is Feadship's standard policy to never divulge any information about our yachts with reference to ownership, costs, or delivery, etc," Feadship, the ship's builder, wrote to Business Insider in March. "Whether it is an 18-meter Feadship from the 1960s or a 118-meter Feadship from the 21st century, we do not share private information."

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Representatives for Zuckerberg did not respond to requests for comment from BI.

Now there's even more evidence: The megayacht arrived in Panama on Monday, making her way there from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she's predominantly been moored since she made her maiden voyage across the Atlantic in March, according to public ship-tracking data. Wingman, the support superyacht that he is suspected to have purchased with Launchpad, made the journey with her.

Zuckerberg's plane also landed in Panama on Monday, per a private jet tracker, and if his Instagram is any indication, he was on board.

Putting two and two together — along with the many other clues linking Zuckerberg to the yacht — we can surmise that the Meta CEO is likely kicking off his new decade aboard his new toy.

Little is known about the luxury vessel, which was said to have been built for a sanctioned Russian businessman before it was handed over to the Dutch government, which served as a middleman for the purchase. Her final purchase price is unknown, but it's safe to say a yacht of that size from that shipyard would cost nine figures upfront and six figures a year to maintain.

The few photos of Launchpad available on the industry site SuperYacht Times show there appears to be a helipad and a swimming pool on her main deck.

A vessel of her size can typically sleep dozens of guests and crewmembers and likely has an expansive gym (where Zuckerberg could practice his jiu-jitsu), a spa, a movie room, and a garage to fit plenty of toys like his viral hydrofoil .

Zuckerberg's name was first connected to Launchpad in December when reports swirled that he visited Feadship's shipyard in the Netherlands. By March, yachting blogs like eSysman SuperYachts and Autoevolution suggested he officially snagged the boat at a $300 million price tag. Launchpad also bears the flag of the Marshall Islands, a US territory that is commonplace for American buyers to register their ships.

We will never know for sure whose name is on her title, so unless Zuckerberg confirms he's Launchpad's owner, we will have to wait for an invitation to Zuck's birthday party to confirm.

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Orcas again sink yacht near Strait of Gibraltar as high-risk season looms

Two people were rescued after orcas hit the roughly 50-foot Alboran Cognac 14 miles off the coast of Morocco, the 26th orca encounter in the region this year.

The boat-sinking orcas are back.

Around 9 a.m. Sunday near the Strait of Gibraltar, two people on board the roughly 50-foot Alboran Cognac reported blows to the vessel’s hull and saw damage to the rudder as water flowed into the ship, Spain’s maritime rescue agency said.

An unknown number of killer whales had struck again, after hundreds of such encounters in recent years.

Over the radio, responders told the two individuals to put on their life jackets, make sure their GPS locaters were turned on and prepare for emergency evacuation. In the meantime, Spanish and Moroccan rescue agencies began urgently working to save them, locating a nearby oil tanker and electing not to dispatch a helicopter.

After about an hour, that tanker rescued the pair 14 miles off Cape Spartel in northern Morocco, the Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Agency (SASEMAR) said in a news release. The boat was left adrift and soon sank.

Spain-based Alboran Charter confirmed its ownership of the sunken vessel and said the individuals were customers. The company declined to say more about what happened or who the clients were.

Iberian orcas sinking a ship is not new. Over the past four years, at least 15 orcas have interacted with hundreds of boats sailing in the waters off Portugal, Spain and Morocco, sinking a handful of vessels in seemingly coordinated ambushes. Some ships have been found with teeth marks; others appear to have been rammed by an orca’s head or body.

On average, there have been 168 interactions each year since 2020, according to Grupo de Trabajo Orca Atlántica, or GTOA, a research group studying the region’s killer whales. GTOA has tracked 26 interactions so far this year, down from 61 through a similar time frame in 2023.

It’s not clear why the orcas have recently bumped, bitten and sank vessels. Some scientists say they are simply being playful, or maybe are curious, or perhaps are coming after boats because of a loss of prey. A handful say the actions could actually be gratifying to the whales.

A leading theory, though, is one of vengeance.

This idea, advanced by a scientist who has studied the encounters, posits that a female orca suffered a traumatic run-in with a boat that led her to start attacking the vessels. And because orcas are intelligent marine mammals that learn behaviors like hunting together, others followed.

But there is disagreement over this theory.

Some scientists argue that the incidents shouldn’t be called “attacks” without knowing the whales’ motives. They fear that label could prompt retaliation by boaters, calling it potentially “harmful” to the critically endangered species with just a few dozen members.

“Science cannot yet explain why the Iberian orcas are doing this, although we repeat that it is more likely related to play/socialising than aggression,” a group of more than 30 scientists wrote in an open letter last summer. “ … When we are at sea, we are in the realm of marine life. We should not punish wildlife for being wild.”

The letter explained that orcas have been observed developing “cultural ‘fads,’” including carrying dead fish on their heads, and the incidents with the boats may be nothing more than a “fashion trend.”

SASEMAR warned that the risk of the encounters is highest between May and August, recommending that boats avoid the area between the Strait of Gibraltar to the Gulf of Cádiz to its west. It added that if a boat comes across orcas, it should not stop moving, and instead should head toward the coast and shallower waters. People should not approach the side of the boat and are barred from using measures that could injure or kill the whales.

“It is possible the behaviour, as previous fads have,” the scientists wrote, “will disappear as suddenly as it appeared.”