Salomondrin was able to get his hands on a BlackBerry Stratus (Pearl2?) last night, and it’s a great looking device. They’ve essentially merged the Storm, Bold 9700, and Pearl into one compact package. Sporting a trackpad and the chrome edges that define BlackBerry devices as of late, the back looks just like a scaled down version of the BlackBerry Storm, complete with “Pearl” branding between the camera lens and the flash. On the other hand, minus the print, the keyboard looks to be the same Pearl SureType device that BlackBerry addicts know and love (or hate).
Check out his YouTube unboxing video above (update: removed by YouTube), and a few more pictures after the break.
Update: Kevin at CrackBerry was able to get his hands on one as well – check out a few more pictures here.
It’s the natural progression of CDMA BlackBerry devices in the US (or so it seems) – Verizon and Sprint pick up the device at around the same time, followed by the regional CDMA carriers in the coming months. Thanks to a tip received by BlackBerry Rocks!, the Curve 8530 could be headed to US Cellular on or around December 10th.
Complete rumor at this point, but worth pointing out that it will be RIM’s first trackpad-equipped device on US Cellular. Is it worth waiting for?
One day before its retail launch, UPS delivered Verizon Wireless’ BlackBerry Curve 8530 to my doorstep. I’ve been working with it all morning, and as the replacement to the Curve 8330, I’m very pleased with it. It’s a needed stepping stone in the BlackBerry line, and I’m excited that it’s joining the ranks at Verizon (with Sprint picking it up soon).
Admittedly, I was a bit upset that I didn’t get the “smoky violet” color. Just kidding.
It’s the third retail unit to ship with an OS 5.0 build (after the Storm2 and Bold 9700), and the third to feature a trackpad (after Curve 8520 and Bold 9700), both of which symbolize RIM’s new design direction. Like the other two, threaded text messaging is now a regular feature, along with small changes (revamped icons, a refreshed “home” screen, and more). Aside from threaded text messaging, the improved boot time should please most users (especially BlackBerry users that are familiar with the 4-5 minute boot times of the past).
Guys, if black isn’t your color of choice, you have another option: lavender (and we’re really talking lavender here – it’s bold). Thanks to tipsters reporting to PhoneArena, we get an up-close picture of RIM’s latest CDMA device. November 20th isn’t too far away – who’s storming the doors of their local Best Buy/Verizon store?
Posted at 8:15 pm CST, November 18th, 2009 by Aaron Baker. Tags: Rumor
There’s no doubt that RIM is always looking for new design concepts – after all, what manufacturer isn’t? Though the issue has been mentioned numerous times, it came back to the spotlight this week, thanks to Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu. According to Wu, the touchscreen slider has entered the prototype stage and is slated for a 2010 release. Known as the “Pluto” 9900 (which we’ve heard about over the past few months), Wu says that it’s “the best of both worlds.”
Although RIM’s business strategy is historically conservative, I like this design. Quite different, and a needed addition to the lineup!
Much to the frustration of many prospective BlackBerry buyers, the device has always been postpaid-only. With the holiday season approaching and smartphone sales expected to top 40 percent of its 4th quarter sales, it’s understandable that T-Mobile would want to market to all crowds.
Keeping that in mind, T-Mobile becomes the first nationwide carrier to offer a prepaid BlackBerry device. The Curve 8520 is part of Magenta’s new “T-Mobile Complete” package (along with three other devices), which can be purchased at select Best Buy and Walmart stores. Not only is the first month free, but unlimited plans begin at $50.
A cheap ‘Berry sounds good to me. Anyone looking to revise their Christmas list?
Posted at 4:20 pm CST, November 17th, 2009 by Aaron Baker.
The BlackBerry Curve 8530 is en-route to Verizon Wireless, with an expected launch date of November 20th, according the press release sent out a few weeks ago. Above is a document detailing some of the features (and WOW factors!) of the device. 3G, Wi-Fi, OS 5.0 – sounds good to me! T minus three days; is anyone biting?
Reports are streaming into our tip lines that BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) is down worldwide. The issue doesn’t seem to be tied to a particular carrier, or country, for that matter. Both my BlackBerry Bold 9700 (T-Mobile) and my BlackBerry Tour (Sprint) are going in and out – internet seems to work (albeit at exceptionally slow speeds) and e-mail and BlackBerry Messenger are completely down.
Anyone else having issues? Sound off in the forums!
Update: It appears that the outages have been resolved.
Yes, I covered the Simple Mobile launch on PhoneDog, but I find it particularly relevant in the fact that the MVNO is offering BlackBerry devices as part of the deal. Not only are they offering a BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 for purchase, but the company is supporting a B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Phone) policy. BlackBerry devices from the 5810 to the Bold 9000 are supported, and at $50, it’s certainly worth a look. I’m curious as to how the data works – does it route through RIM’s servers, or is there a workaround?
Posted at 3:55 pm CST, November 16th, 2009 by Aaron Baker.
Sure, I try to be as fast as I can when it comes to the dissemination of news, but it’s challenging to cover it all 24 hours per day. For those of you visiting the website, be sure to register in our forums! Containing OS news, information, and more, it’s the place to be!
The good news? If you’re an AT&T Premier business customer (meaning that you have a FAN, or “Foundation Account Number” on your account), you can purchase the Bold 9700 online today. Reports are already coming in saying that the device is shipping from AT&T’s various warehouses. The price shown above is reflective of my Premier discount; your cost may vary depending on the deal negotiated with your institution.
The bad news? The deal is only available for Premier customers – consumers still have to wait until November 22nd.
After months of waiting, the carrier’s first 3G BlackBerry is available for purchase. Coming in at $199.99 on an Even More plan (which, just to refresh your memory, entails a two-year agreement) or $449.99 on an Even More Plus plan, the Bold 9700 is equipped with features like a 3.2-megapixel camera, OS 5.0, and Wi-Fi. No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you – the picture above is the Curve 8900 (looks like someone in the website department hasn’t updated the picture quite yet).
On the fence as to whether you want it or not? Before you purchase the Bold 9700, check out my first impressions, review, and unboxing video.
Yes, it’s a love or hate characteristic, but RIM is a historically conservative company when it comes to design changes, and the Bold 9700 is no exception. As a replacement to the aging BlackBerry Bold 9000, the Bold 9700 (also referred to as “the Bold”) ushers in new design cues, and adds notable improvements such as the trackpad, Wi-Fi, a 3.2-megapixel camera, and OS 5.0.0.330. Marking the first T-Mobile 3G BlackBerry, their version supports UMA support for Wi-Fi calls through the carrier’s Hotspot@Home service. As much as I loved the original Bold’s design, I love the Bold 9700’s even more, as it fits in my hand with the smoothness of the Curve, but offers the premium features expected from the Bold product line. The winning feature about the Bold 9700 is not that it’s a radically new design, but that they’ve improved upon the issues that plagued previous models to make a truly great device.
Wow! Two OS releases for the Bold 9000 within a short time period…color me shocked. We went a year without any word on a software update, and then bam….4.6.0.297 hits the scene, followed by this bad boy. Though OS 4.6.0.304 isn’t a 5.0 build, it’s nice to see that AT&T isn’t completely kicking the Bold 9000 to the curb (particularly with the Bold 9700 right around the corner).
Download the OS update at AT&T’s BlackBerry page, and hit the forums with your findings! Be sure to backup your information prior to the software update.
If you’re like me, dining with friends (or family), while enjoyable, can be frustrating at the onset of the evening. Why, you ask? The simple task of picking a restaurant. This is where urbanspoon comes in handy. Pick a side of town, the cuisine you’re interested in, the amount of money you’re willing to spend, and hit ’spin.’ The program will then auto-generate a restaurant for you, complete with maps, relevant information, and a phone number.
BlackBerry theme lovers, this one is for you. Elecite has released yet another premium theme known as “Stasis,” and based on the YouTube demonstration video, it looks pretty neat.
Available now for $6.99, the Stasis theme is compatible with the BlackBerry 8350i, 8520/8530, 8900, 9000, 9630, Storm (OS 4.7 and 5.0), Storm2, and 9700.
The offer doesn’t begin until this Saturday at 8 AM (local time), but for those activating a Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile BlackBerry on a two-year agreement, you may want to consider Walmart as your place of purchase. In a deal running until November 20th, the nation’s largest retailer is offering a $100 Walmart gift card to anyone who picks up one of the following devices:
Verizon Storm
Verizon Storm2
AT&T Curve 8310
AT&T Bold 9000
Sprint Curve 8330 (all colors)
T-Mobile 8520 (all colors)
T-Mobile Pearl 8120 (Emerald)
Of note, the gift card is given at the time of purchase, meaning you don’t have to play the “mail and wait” game. Sounds like a fair deal to me. Anyone planning on picking up an early Christmas present this weekend?
If you’re a T-Mobile business customer and are interested in the BlackBerry Bold 9700, today is your lucky day (well, truth be told, it was yesterday). The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is now available to the carrier’s business clientele, though rumors are pointing to availability for new customers only. If you’re a new business customer and the device interests you, head to T-Mobile’s business page and connect with a business representative.
Rumors are pointing to a November 16th date for regular customers, so we’re not too far off. Who’s planning on picking one up?
