First ever BlackBerry clamshell phone unmasked, dubbed the 'Kickstart'
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted April 30th 2008 10:47PM
posted April 30th 2008 10:47PM
posted April 30th 2008 10:47PM
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A clam-shell Blackberry? Seriously???
SIGN ME UP!!!
Dubbed the ugly.
I think it looks fine. It's not for me, but it's fine.
I don't understand the appeal of clamshell phones. In their folded position, they're useless, so you're constantly folding and unfolding, and then the hinge breaks.
Also, is it just me, or does that thing look huge? It looks like it's probably as big as the Pearl, except you don't have to unfold the Pearl to use it.
Put the mask back on.
Clamshell phone screens don't get scratched in your pocket
To Mike Cerm:
I guarantee that LCD screen breakage occurs FAR more often than hinge breakage - I've never had any issues with either but none of my friends have ever had a hinge break on their clamshells - but many have had screens break. However, it's usually the OUTER screen, not the INNER screen - which is naturally protected due to the design.
So I counter your comment by saying "Why would anyone by a candy bar style phone, leaving the most delicate and expensive part of the phone completely exposed? Furthermore, what about accidental keypresses forcing you to enter in codes to unlock phones and whatnot? It's easier for me to flip my clamshell open than to enter in an unlock code.
Clamshells fit very nicely in the pocket. My first gen razr, other than being a POS was a very nice fit in the pocket. Now I have an iPhone and it's pretty good in the pocket but not as compact as a razr. The tradeoff gives me the big screen and eliminates carrying my nano. No phone is perfect for everyone but this form factor is quite nice and I do like it. If I wasn't hooked on the iPhone I would definitely consider this phone.
clamshell phone means fashion here in Japan, and they are all very nice, but none of them look like this one.
Blackberry need to fire their designers. A calculator mobile phone and now this?? I guessed Blackberry are aiming at old folks market.
ew.
different strokes for different folks.
This might be RIM's answer to flip phones, but honestly I like Blackberry for its simplicity design and no moving parts (besides the pearl ball), having this clam shell design kind of defeating the simplicity of it.
And by different folks you mean people with really huge hands and pockets who think it's still 2002.
I thought as time went on, innovation and creativity were supposed to push the envelope.......not re-open one from 2000.
What an abomination!
a clamshell Blackberry?! Never thought I'd see the day
this must be for Sprint!
omg, i think is prolly the one with evdo plus direct connect!!!! whoa!!!!!
oh wow it's a clamshell version of the X100 series. I hope it doesn't mess up like the pearl
What messes up with the Pearl? Mine works great.
if the trackball lights up in colors.... id consider it
that's tacky.
I rather have a nice sized spoiler on it.
fugly
I really, really don't like it. It seems wrong on a very core level.
that's what she said... wait
If only palm made a Treo like this, maybe they wouldn't be in so much trouble. I might just consider getting a blackberry, if an iphone never comes to Sprint.
You do realize the iPhone is never coming to a CDMA network, right?
I know that the current iphone will never come to CDMA. I wasn't told anything about the 3g iphone or future generations....I can always dream
Well from what I heard Apple went to Verizon first before Cingular, but they got rejected.
Hmm...tempting.
AHHHHH...Who am I kidding. I will still get the iPhone 2.0
Great idea, but the bottom part looks terrible.
The same here... I've always liked clamshell over all other designs (including touchscreen)
This is overall nice, but the keyboard is really screwed up.. It looks like a chinese knock-off thing
Agreed. However, if they'd been a LITTLE more conscious of themselves, and put their BRANDING below the keypad instead of atop the screen, they could have balanced the top and bottom better visually. Little things.
But, Still. Unless Apple or Nokia releases a device of this form factor, this is a STRONG want. My E61 is nice, but it's the size of an old-school Palm PDA.
I think I may go for something like this, although, it looks a bit large for a clamshell.
Clamshells are going the way of the dinosaur.
According to your wishes, be it so.
It looks like this person snuck the Kickstart into the bathroom!
Clamberry
They have a cream for that now.
This thing looks like a RAZR.
But then again, everything on the damn market looks like a RAZR.
Carry on, carry on..
.
no way......looks huge! plus buttons look annoy to text on
I was just thinking the same thing if you look at how the person is holding it, either he as a really freakishly small hands or that thing is like the size of an iPhone with a full size flip to it.
RAZR me not.
That thing is hideous. Do not want!
haha gizmodo got pwned by this.
that design makes me want one. despite never needing one.
So it's like an iPhone for businessmen?
I think this one may be a flop. I think a lengthwise clamshell would have been more attractive with a true qwerty keyboard, better yet, a Xperia/Helio style slider w. qwerty. This thing is just ugly. There is no way I'd go with this over a Curve.
This is not the first clamshell with blackberry(although the first clamshell from rim)
Samsung SGH-T719
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=908
And there's a reason why it was discontinued --- like the BB clamshell, it's mofugly.
how thin is it???
Is it just me or does that photo look like a GTA style 3D rendering?