Posts tagged blackberry news
Blackberry 9780 Saying Hello on Video
Jul 29th
Driphter was at it again this morning bringing us a video of the forthcoming 9780 running BlackBerry 6. They also have a comparison of the device next to the current 9700. This 9780 definitely looks nice and packs in a lot of cool new features. The video gives some more coverage on the webkit browser and it is looking great in the smaller screen. After yesterdays images of 6 on the 9650, it sure is great to see how this new operating system flows on the smaller screen.
I am slightly worried of all the real estate you lose on the home screen on the 480 x 360 display, as I am someone who likes a clear view of my wallpaper.
So what do you think?
[Driphter]
This Week In BlackBerry 7/18-7/24
Jul 25th
So there’s been a lot of BlackBerry rumors this week including the possibility of upcoming successors to the Storm 2 and Bold 9700. We thought we already had the answer to this, but now we are again wondering which current BlackBerry devices will be getting BlackBerry 6. Have devices with 512MB RAM become the new standard for the BlackBerry 6 OS? It seems like that might now be the case, but we really don’t know for sure as of yet. If that’s what it is, then all of this BlackBerry 6 hype will be just a tease to most BlackBerry subscribers who are early on in their contracts, except the Bold 9650 owners. Does that mean the Curve 3G will only support OS 5? How will you feel if u end up having to wait 6 to 8 months to upgrade to a new BlackBerry, just to get BlackBerry 6? Let’s hope this doesn’t end up being the case. Hit the jump to see what you may have missed this week in BlackBerry>>
News, rumors & leaks
First Image of BlackBerry 9780 Appears
BlackBerry Bold 9700 sequel coming!?
inPulse Blackberry Watch Launching Soon?
Verizon’s BlackBerry Storm 2 won’t see BlackBerry 6?
BlackBerry Storm 3 to be released this year?
BlackBerry 9800 Hitting AT&T on the 15th of August?
Inside BlackBerry Teases Us With BlackBerry 6 Multimedia Screenshots!
Blackberry Curve 9300 3G Headed To Rogers
Blackberry Curve 9300 Headed To Bell Mobility
Apps
Übertwitter Beta-8/v0.98 Officially Released!
Foursquare for Blackberry V1.9 Now Available
BlackBerry App Review: BerryReader
editorial
News, rumors & leaks
First Image of BlackBerry 9780 Appears
BlackBerry Bold 9700 sequel coming!?
inPulse Blackberry Watch Launching Soon?
Verizon’s BlackBerry Storm 2 won’t see BlackBerry 6?
BlackBerry Storm 3 to be released this year?
BlackBerry 9800 Hitting AT&T on the 15th of August?
Inside BlackBerry Teases Us With BlackBerry 6 Multimedia Screenshots!
Blackberry Curve 9300 3G Headed To Rogers
Blackberry Curve 9300 Headed To Bell Mobility
Apps
Übertwitter Beta-8/v0.98 Officially Released!
Foursquare for Blackberry V1.9 Now Available
BlackBerry App Review: BerryReader
editorial
Another Year, Another RIM-shot
Jul 13th
RIM’s Annual General Meeting is mainly for shareholders; to let them know how RIM has been growing and its plans for future growth. I followed Matt Hartley’s live coverage on financialpost.com to see exactly what was said.
The first keynote speaker was Jim Balsillie who basically touted RIM’s recent stats but did not announce any future release dates for hardware or software. If you follow BlackBerry news on a daily basis, you most likely already know much of what Balsillie said. Some key points that Balsillie made were:
- RIM’s last fiscal year which ended in February 2010 was a record year financially.
- RIM’s subscriber base is up 64% and revenue is up 35% this year.
- There are currently more than 250k developers building apps for BlackBerry.
- RIM works with more than 550 carriers and distribution partners in 175 countries.
- RIM’s Q1 revenue is up 24% this year.
- RIM has shipped its 100 millionth BlackBerry and currently has over 46 million subscribers.
- The official Facebook app for BlackBerry was downloaded 3 million times in the last quarter.
- BlackBerry is the #1 Smartphone amongst Twitter users.
- BlackBerry is still the #1 Smartphone in US & Canada and the #2 Smartphone vendor in the worldwide.
- More than a million apps are downloaded through App World every day.
Balsillie: “It’s important to remember just how powerful and profound email has been. BlackBerry Messenger usage is up 500% this year. When we talk about powerful extensions coming, we believe a precondition of this is powerful and efficient collaboration.”
Balsillie also mentioned that BlackBerry 6 has split profiles between business in work.
He said BlackBerry 6 is coming soon, but did not give any more of a timeframe for its release.
Next up, was Mike Lazaridis who also threw out some stats but went more in the direction of explaining RIM’s current focus. Lazaridis basically went on to say how much effort goes into the technology and design of RIM’s hardware and software, and how they are taking cues from their user base to further understand what people need from their BlackBerry’s so they can make everyone’s future expectations a reality.
Lazaridis: “As the device became more mainstream in the consumer space, we had to understand how the consumer interacted with the device, without forgetting our heritage in enterprise.”
After both Lazaridis and Balsillie were done speaking they held a short Q & A session, but basically dodged any questions about release dates. In conclusion, the BlackBerry boys did not mention any specific devices, branching out into the tablet market, or anything of the sort. I’m assuming this came as a pretty big disappointment to shareholders. The odd thing is, they gave less specifics on the release of BlackBerry 6, than they did at WES2010. Is BlackBerry 6 still slated for a Q3 release?
[Source: Financial Post]
First pictures of the upcoming BlackBerry Shield!
Jun 25th
BBNews.pl has secured some images of the upcoming BlackBerry Shield. For those of you who don’t already know, BlackBerry Shield will give users the ability to remotely protect their device if it is lost or stolen. There are also some additional functionalities. Hit the jump for further details.
Here’s a list of BlackBerry Shield’s functions that can all be executed remotely:
- View Current Location - Track your device based on the GSM transmitter and or GPS signal
- Loud Ring - Make your BlackBerry ring even if its set to vibrate
- Display a Message - Show a customized message on your home screen, even if your device is locked.
- Lock Device - Lock your device and optionally set a new password.
- Wipe Device - Permanently delete all data from your device.
BlackBerry Shield users will also have the ability to backup/restore data wirelessly from the device itself. All in all, BlackBerry Shield’s features are very similar to those of SmrtGuard, which can be kind of pricey. If BlackBerry Shield turns out to be friendly with battery usage and memory consumption, it be a win for most. SmrtGuard currently offers some additional features but they probably won’t be worth the money for the general population. BlackBerry Shield it also in its very early stages, so there will definitely be more features to come. There’s no word on any ETA for BlackBerry Shield or how it will be implemented. Stay tuned for further details.
Via: BBNews.pl
This Week In BlackBerry 6/13 - 6/19
Jun 19th
I’m glad to see that some of TheCellularGuru readers and our in-house writer GuruJustin, took advantage of the Verizon free Bold 9650 upgrade! Keep in mind, all BlackBerry devices have a 1-year manufacturer’s warranty. As long as you don’t have excessive drop or water damage, you can have your device replaced if there is a hardware issue. It is very rare for a carrier to be out of stock on current replacement devices when they are ALL less than a year old, but lest call this a lucky loophole.
Dealing with tech support is never fun, but to get an upgraded device for free, makes it all worth it. A lot of Tour users have dealt with enough issues that they deserve the Bold 9650 for their troubles. Some people have purchased a Tour in the last couple of months and should not have to wait another year to get an upgrade when their 2 month old Tour is already outdated. I have no idea how much longer you Tour users will be able to take advantage of this, but it doesn’t hurt to try. If you happen to get a free upgrade this weekend, please drop a comment so we know this is still live! Hit the jump to see what else you may have missed this week in BlackBerry.
Verizon Upgrading Plagued Tours To Bold 9650′s For Free! Act Now!
6 New BlackBerry Devices Coming In Q3/Q4 2010?
Rogers Pricing Update Coming For Blackberry Bold 9700
BlackBerry App World 2.0 Coming Soon, What It Should Have Been All Along
Tell RIM How You BBM For A Chance To Win $5,000
Bold 9700a Codenamed Onyx Delta?
Jun 5th
LouiV over at BBleaks wrote an article about a possible BlackBerry Onyx Delta. This supposed device is said to include 512MB memory and a 5 Megapixel camera. CrackBerry has also heard a rumor that this device will come with an updated processor that can support OpenGL. BerryReview posted the link to the 9700a UAProf doc that LouiV was referring to. When the document was originally discovered in April, it was thought to be a possible BlackBerry slider because of the listed screen resolution. Soon after, it was somewhat forgotten about when all the 9800 slider news came about.
Now it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see RIM release an updated Onyx device after seeing Verizon update the Tour 9630 to the Tour 9650 Bold 9650 in less than a years time. BlackBerry 6 does run on the 9700, but is it possible that carriers will not be releasing it for the 9700 so RIM can push a newer device on consumers?
Now, there are a couple of strange things about this document which keep it in the very shaky rumor category:
1. RIM has never released 2 devices with different specs under the same model #. If the document showed something like 9710, it would make much more sense.
2. The resolution is showing 360×480 which would suggest the screen would sit in the portrait position as opposed to the current 9700′s 480×360 landscape positioned screen. This would result in a different form factor. As far as RIM’s device models go, a different form factor would mean the model would not be a 97xx.
If an updated Onyx device turns out to be coming in the near future, many Bold 9700 users will soon be in the same boat Tour 9630 users are now in. How would you feel about this if you recently purchased a Bold 9700 under contract? In addition, if this turns out to be the case, where does that leave the Storm 2? Hmmm….
Now we’re not jumping the gun yet. There’s really not enough solid information to say the 9700a will be the sequel to the Bold 9700 and how soon it will be released if ever. This will all have to sit in the rumor category for the time being. Stay tuned to see if any more info unfolds.
Sources: BBLeaks, CrackBerry, BerryReview
This Week In BlackBerry 5/23 - 5/28
May 27th
White 9700′s, Pearl 3G’s, Sprint 9650. RIM really hasn’t been playing around lately. They’re truly gearing up for a nice strong summer. It’s nice to see that both GSM and CDMA devices are being favored this time around. As for you Verizon subscribers, our friends at Berry Reporter just confirmed that Verizon will have the 9650 available via their website on June 3 and in store on June 10th! I know it seemed like the wait has been forever, after watching Sprint announce and release the device, but at least you now have an answer. It looks like we will also be seeing a GSM and possibly CDMA 98xx this summer. And don’t forget about BlackBerry 6. Hit the jump for what you may have missed this week in BlackBerry. Everyone be safe and have a nice weekend!
News
Verizon Training Staff On Bold 9650
Blackberry Pearl 9100 Passes Through FCC, This Time Sporting AWS
Blackberry 9800 Slider Heading To AT&T- Further Confirmation *Updated*
BlackBerry Service Banned in Kuwait and Pakistan
Releases
Rogers Pearl 3G Now Available For Upgrade?
Telus Releases The Pearl 3G in Pink at $4.99 On A Contract?
Apps
Bolt 2.1 Released – Now Out Of Beta
BlackBerry Service Banned in Kuwait and Pakistan
May 27th
Our friends at BlackBerry Cool posted an article on Kuwait and Pakistan blocking BlackBerry Services. In Kuwait, the Ministry of Interior is planning to stop BlackBerry Messenger service within a few days. The reason for the ban is residents of Kuwait were using BBM to spread rumors and call for strikes. The Ministry of Communications and security authorities cannot tap into or control BBM like they can with basically any other messaging services. If you have ever questioned BBM’s level of security, I think you now have your answer.
In Pakistan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has banned the use of ALL BlackBerry services until further notice. Along with BlackBerry services, 800 different web pages have been banned including Facebook, YouTube, twitter, and Flickr. This ban is a response to an ‘Everybody Draw Mohammed Day’ Facebook page. BlackBerry services will be blocked for at least a month but can go longer. As far as all of the web pages, there’s no information about the ban being uplifted.
T-Mobile x Pearl 3G x Curve 3G Rumors
May 19th
BerryReview posted an article covering a rumor that T-Mobile may not end up carrying the the Pearl 3G. This doesn’t come as too much of a surprise as there were some similar talks at WES 2010. Now there is a new rumor that T-Mobile may be launching a Curve 3G instead. T-Mobile has done so well with legacy Pearl devices, that it would be surprising if they phased out the Pearl. In my opinion, the compact SureType keyboard market is not the same as the full qwerty keyboard market. If you’re a Pearl user, how would you feel about switching to a Curve?
The Curve 8520 launched last year without 3G because it was marketed as an entry level device. With that said, times are changing and 3G devices are rapidly becoming a commodity so you never know what the future will bring.
Keep in mind, no US carriers have announced the Pearl 3G as of yet, and T-Mobile also released the Curve 8520 today in Fuschia Red, so this is all just in the rumor category. Stay tuned to see how the rumors unfold.
Bold 9650 Now Availabe From Sprint Via Web
May 16th
Today our friends at CrackBerry discovered the Bold 9650 is now available on Sprint’s website. It’s priced at $299 with a $100 mail in rebate, on a new 2 year contract or with an eligible upgrade. Sprint’s site doesn’t mention anything about delayed shipping, so we’re assuming orders will ship today or tomorrow.
I also put a call in to a local sprint retailer to see if they had any 9650′s in stock. The rep confirmed that the 9650 is up for sale on the web, but he said that they won’t have the devices in store until the last week in May. Well technically, the last week in May begins on Sunday the 23rd, so it seems like Sprint is aiming to please. If you’re looking to order a 9650 over the web, click on the pic above, as is linked to Sprint’s site.
I should also add that I clicked through the image gallery on Sprint’s site because nobody has posted a picture of the 9650 battery cover as of yet. As you can see in the image above, the 9650′s battery cover is identical to the Tour 9630′s. Sorry to disappoint those of you hoping for a faux leather back.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and stay tuned for more details on the 9650 and more.
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