Blackberry 8700 is for realz

No official announcement yet but Pinstack did manage to score the specs and some more pics of the Blackberry 8700 that is expected to be officially unveiled any day now. Quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE with bluetooth 2.0, 312 MHz processor, 16MB RAM/64MB ROM, and an updated form factor that's thinner and narrower than the 7200 series. Supposedly the OS will have gotten improved performance and improved UI across the board for navigation and reaction times, web browsing, third party apps, expanded media support, and viewing attachments. Sources say that 8700 (codenamed Electron) will become available via major carriers in the neighborhood of December of this year or very early 2006.

[Thanks, Franklin]

[lkluj @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

It looks interesting... I really liked my 7230 though SE910i is hard to beat.

[Elias @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Looks really nice.

-- Elias

[Talkin Ape @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

That's Batman's Blackberry!

They must employ kids to design their products.

[Stu L Tissimus @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I don't own a Blackberry, but my father does, and I use it a lot when I'm away from any internet access (NOOO!!!). My major beef with it was that the UI looked horrible, the screen resolution was pretty low, and that the web browser was extremely basic. From the photos, it seems the UI is much nicer, and the resolution seems to be bigger, too. And with expanded third-party support (Huzzah!), perhaps we'll see some other web browsers on it. Mozilla, anyone?

Also, is this using that Intel chipset that RIM just announced they'd be using in the next generation of Blackberries?

[Homer J @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

How about a thumbs up for a phone manufacturer putting in a STANDARD USB interface.

Now I can have one cable for phone, camera etc. I can also bring one cable when I travel.

[ilektronik @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

now that Palm has betrayed me (yea yea blah blah Windows Mobile is better blah blah) I am converting to Blackberry. I don't care how much "better" Windows Mobile is I just cannot stand it. To each his own right??

[Fan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Not for nothin, I know in every sense RIM wants to keep this in the "corporate types" category - but - for me - if they slapped a little vga on it, even if its a crap one, this thing would be the greatest thing ever invented (again, TO ME).

I have given the bberry 3 tries, and everytime I really enjoyed it. Its got everything, even all the way down to having the best clip/holster EVAR. The only thing it lacked for me is the way it handles attatchments, the browser, and its lack of "fun". (Im sorry, "Brick Attack" is friggin lame! I dont care how bored you are, its sucks).

If this model handles attatchments better, and has a html browser instead of WAP, Im probably going to give this a shot. But that'll probably last for only a few weeks until I come across something really bad ass happening in the streets of NYC, like a bum doing handstands on the hood of a cab, and Id want to take a pic of it but cant.

C'mon RIM, how's about once, just once, making a model with and without camera option. Its in this tiny area alone that keeps the treo 700 (in MY eyes) looking better and better.

[Jan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I just have my 7290 for a month now and I LOVE it. However the screen is a bit outdated. Perfect readable do. Just can't wait for the 8700 to come out.

[Randall Bennett @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I had a Zire 71 till january. ( I lost it) Since then, I converted to the Blackberry 7230. (affordable, and its on tmo) I have to say that I like it so much more than the palm... just because of sheer reliability. I did have some crashes when I first got the blackberry, but one memory wipe later, all is well... and i've had it for 9 months... with NO hard restarting (eat that... treo users)

Anywho, my 2 Cents.

Adios,

Randall

[Hein @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

does this play mp3's? would make me buy it

[Hein @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

does this play mp3's? would make me buy it

[Craig Johnston @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Looks awesome. It appears that RIM hired the guy who designed the Cadillac CTS to design this new BlackBerry :-)

[Craig Johnston @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Looks awesome. It appears that RIM hired the guy who designed the Cadillac CTS to design this new BlackBerry :-)

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Since EV-DO is not listed I assume Verizon won't be getting this?

[Mary Branscombe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

They'll avoid the camera thing as long as corporates worry about camers as security risks or until they work out a way of logging and securing images.

[racaruso @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I'm so snatching this up.
A January 2006 would be perfect for me (not you guys though; I hope it does come out in Dec05, but...) because I will be in boot. Word. So...coming out in Jan 14th, and spending my bonus on a 8700, 3 batteries, a new bluetooth headset, 2 holsters and a pack of Skittles sounds ideal to me.
And praise the GODS at RIM/Blackberry who didn't include a CAMERA. THANK YOU!
I'll be working in gov/mil circles and ANY cameraphone is a no-no; "24" is not real. You cannot enter secure isntallations with a Sanyo Sprint picture phone.

Any word if this is GSM or not? Ah, I am SO HAPPY!! Three cheers for RIM!

[Cashmore @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Very nice BB. Looks great.

[pdas @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Gprs speed still around 30-40 kbps I think .. hmm

[fistpittingnork @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Again no stylus, what gives?

[Ed Weissman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Looks to me like they borrowed the display and the home screen from the new 7100 series. If so, they'll have a menu driven one for some carriers and a icon-based one for others. Looks good!

[Dru @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

//o//!!! When it is the expected release date for Cingular Wireless?

[ww @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

This is very cool. Will sure buy one.

For your info, since this BB supports EDGE. You will get 80-110kbits/s compared with 30-40kbits/s on GPRS.
TMO network is 90%+ on EDGE.

[ww @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

This is very cool. Will sure buy one.

For your info, since this BB supports EDGE. You will get 80-110kbits/s compared with 30-40kbits/s on GPRS.
TMO network is 90%+ on EDGE.

[Boy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Any news on how much it's gonna cost? Hopw it's below 400

[tori @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

just got it on friday...i like it so far.
i was a treo 650 user and the 8700 is thinner, weighs less and is a better PHONE. it also really moves online. my only problem is that i use the sms a lot and i liked the way the treo kept your sms seperate from emails and stored them as a chat with each of your recipients. if you use your sms with several people at once it gets to be a problem.
a huge plus is that the 8700 has not crashed, unlike my treo which might crash 5+ times a week over the last year...and yes i had it replaced 3 times during that period.

[Hein @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

does this play mp3's? would make me buy it