Research In Motion (RIM) is trying its best to keep the BlackBerry platform alive. Recently, RIM released an update to its developer edition devices running BlackBerry 10 OS showing one of the best features about the upcoming platform - a Siri-like voice assistant.

Folks at N4BB demonstrate the functionality of the new features in a video. As you can see in the video below, the voice assistant feature on BlackBerry 10 alpha device works in a same way as Siri. In addition, it sounds a little bit like Apple's Siri too.

The new feature is accessed by long-pressing the voice command button located to the right side of the smartphone, between the volume up and volume down buttons. The feature is in early stages of development, so the voice controls has limited functionality. However, the universal search, calling, and sending text messages commands work properly.

Nuance, the same company that developed Siri (which Apple went on to acquire), is believed to be powering the voice assistant features.

Not a long time ago, the company handed BlackBerry 10 alpha devices to developers to make a move against the rising popularity of Android and iOS ecosystem. Thanks to the recent update we have a Siri-like voice assistant - a killer feature - on the BlackBerry 10 platform.

It looks certain that BlackBerry is shaping up its new operating system version in a way to help RIM regain all the glory that went missing after the Apple and Android smartphone debuts.

In the recent past, RIM confirmed the video chat feature through BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) services in BlackBerry 10. Blackberry 10 alpha device does have front-facing camera to initiate video chatting.

BlackBerry will need third-party apps, actually hundreds of them, to make its upcoming platform a big hit. However, the existing library of apps on BlackBerry App World is far smaller than that on Google Play Store and Apple iTunes Store. Moreover, many of existing apps are incompatible with the upcoming version of BlackBerry OS. However, handing the alpha devices in hands of developers ensures that there will be plenty of apps available for the platform when it releases in early 2013.