BlackBerry Thunder's keyboard rumored to be totally awesome

According to the folks over at CrackBerry (who, let's be honest, might be a little biased when it comes to a certain brand of cellphone), Research In Motion's upcoming touchscreen phone -- the infamous Thunder -- will feature a virtual keyboard so realistic you'll swear you're sitting in front of 1986 IBM Model M. CrackBerry says "reliable sources" have told them that the device's screen will utilize a number of advanced technologies to create such an effect, including localized haptic feedback, which allows the screen to be literally pushed in while rewarding you with a vibration and click sound, and the option of a full QWERTY or SureType layout (depending on the phone's orientation). We can't speculate too much until we handle the device ourselves, but we're expecting this thing to blow our minds out through the front of our heads. That's not asking too much, is it RIM?

[The Dude @ Jul 8th 2008 11:11PM]

I don't know if using a picture of a guy who's done WAY too much blow is the best way to market your phone.

Just sayin'.

[jimbo @ Jul 8th 2008 11:21PM]

Um... I'm pretty sure engadget put that picture there, since they don't care about hyping anything other than Apple products.

[Matt @ Jul 8th 2008 11:48PM]

Thunder > Thunderstruck > AC/DC > Angus Young

Get it?

Oh, and he's never done blow or any other drugs for that matter.

[Khris @ Jul 8th 2008 11:53PM]

He was just dropped on his head as a child, several times in a row.

[Rynth @ Jul 9th 2008 4:22AM]

@ Matt: "Oh, and he's never done blow or any other drugs for that matter."

Ha! If you believe that, then I'll have some moon on my crackers.

[Alex @ Jul 9th 2008 5:59AM]

He's sneezing.

[Twitchy @ Jul 9th 2008 6:06AM]

After the debacle that was the iPhone pricing announcement for Vodafone New Zealand, you could've put a picture of the Zune guy in his birthday suit on it and I would still be interested. This, or the possible Garmin phone are my new possible favourites instead of an iPhone.

[deyanimay @ Jul 8th 2008 11:11PM]

Why does it say vodafone

[None More Negative @ Jul 8th 2008 11:25PM]

Vodafone will be the exclusive European carrier for the GSM market there.

[deyanimay @ Jul 8th 2008 11:26PM]

Okay thanks for clearing that up. BTW i forgot the question mark.

[gad get @ Jul 9th 2008 1:30AM]

You forgot the question mark

[gad get @ Jul 9th 2008 1:31AM]

By the way, I forgot the question mark.

[Flashpoint @ Jul 8th 2008 11:18PM]

You didn't really think Blackberry would F*** up their keypad after seeing APPLE do so did ya???

Gentlemen...you're looking at my next phone.

Anyone wanna buy a first generation 4GB iphone from me? LOL

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 8th 2008 11:20PM]

You're an idiot for not selling it already. It's price will have gone WAY down because of the new iPhone.

[Khris @ Jul 8th 2008 11:55PM]

Oh little Flashpoint, shouldn't you be whining about something unrelated like how much you suck at using Windows?

Better yet.....why don't you complain a little more about how you LOVE to run Crisis on VERY HIGH because that's the only way you can see the game with your head so far up your ass.

Run along child, run along.

[dub @ Jul 9th 2008 12:01AM]

"I'm not on food stamps like your broke ass you welfare recipient F***ER."


HAHAHAHAHAHA

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 9th 2008 12:20AM]

Yes, I am on welfare because I am better at economics than you are. I'm smarter about money, so obviously I'm poor.

That makes perfect sense.

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 9th 2008 4:33AM]

You should be banned from Engadget so all of us don't have to see your obnoxious rants..

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Jul 9th 2008 10:47AM]

I'll buy it for 150 and I'll throw an extra 5 dollars if you unlock and jailbreak it for me

[reuvypoo @ Jul 8th 2008 11:19PM]

Yay. Hopefully this phone will be as awesome and iPhone-killery as it is being hyped up to be. If this phone is awesome enough, I may need to push into smartphone territory and deal with the pricing.

[Reid @ Jul 8th 2008 11:20PM]

Sounds cool! Unfortunately the major problem with touchscreen keyboards is that you have to look at it while typing. It doesn't sound like this will do all that much to alleviate the problem, but I guess we'll find out when it's released.

[Eric @ Jul 8th 2008 11:52PM]

So true. That's the only compliant I've ever had about the iPhone's keyboard. Maybe its just because I've never had another cell phone with a normal keyboard (you can't miss what you've never had), but I never really minded the lack of "feedback." I was already born with a sense of touch telling me my thumb came in contact with the glass. I don't need vibration and the like to tell me as well.

[Reid @ Jul 9th 2008 12:26AM]

Eric,

From my experience (Motorola Q), a physical keyboard is awesome to type on without looking, while, as you know, it takes a good deal of luck on the iPhone. I think the virtual keyboard is quite a bit faster when you can stand there and stare at the screen, though.

[hoju7887 @ Jul 8th 2008 11:21PM]

I can confirm this. A few of my friends work at RIM since we attend UW and they say there is some kind of gel behind the (glass) screen that feels as though you are pressing a key.

[OGHowie @ Jul 9th 2008 2:57AM]

That or you just read the Nokia patent that was posted earlier today.

[Brandon @ Jul 9th 2008 7:57AM]

Why are you so quick to bring him down? It is true that RIM hires A LOT of its staff from University of Waterloo, so he could very well have an insider source.

[Eli Gundry @ Jul 8th 2008 11:41PM]

ANGUS FTW!!!

[Anthony @ Jul 8th 2008 11:43PM]

Come on RIM- put a 5mp camera & xenon flash. You'll put everyone out of business.

[WickedEast @ Jul 8th 2008 11:47PM]

RIM added more new users than Apple did since the first gen iPhone was launched. So, if RIM can pull this off, the iPhone 3G may have a hard time competing against the Blackberry while keeping their own customers. :-)

[warlun @ Jul 8th 2008 11:50PM]

I might have been -THUNDERSTRUCK!!!!

[gad get @ Jul 9th 2008 1:36AM]

I only voted you up because I took pity on you.

[gad get @ Jul 9th 2008 1:37AM]

Because it's a lame "joke."

[HalfJoey @ Jul 8th 2008 11:50PM]

This + Wifi + GPS + lower verizon blackberry plans = win for me. :(

[reuvypoo @ Jul 9th 2008 12:01AM]

We all wish for lower-price Verizon BB plans. Not going to home with the Verizon I know.

[Eric @ Jul 9th 2008 12:07AM]

Not to be the iPhone/Apple defending, white-steed-riding fanboy or anything, but I can't say I agree wicked. While I can possibly see some iPhone users switching, with the "price cuts" on the new iPhone, Apple's going to get a lot of new customers from the rest of the cell phone market (meaning non-smartphone users) - namely among the younger generation. Somehow, I can see a lot more popular culture Moto Razr users buying a new iPhone than I can see people switching to this phone from their old iPhones, but maybe its just me.

[Arcanum @ Jul 9th 2008 12:09AM]

"(who, let's be honest, might be a little biased when it comes to a certain brand of cellphone)"

This coming from you guys?

[L8on @ Jul 9th 2008 12:56AM]

lol. good one!

[iofthestorm @ Jul 9th 2008 2:34AM]

Seriously, I think you should preface every phone article with a disclaimer about how you're so ridiculously iPhone biased any other phone really doesn't stand a chance of a fair review. It seems like every review of a non-Apple product on this site is completely negative and mocking.

[Kr0n1cH4xx0r @ Jul 9th 2008 12:28AM]

Doesn't the Moto Rokr E8 also use this technology?

[Tyson @ Jul 9th 2008 1:23AM]

too bad it will be for verizon....

[YourCompanysComputerGuy @ Jul 9th 2008 1:40AM]

thats for sure...if it was on sprint i might just return my instinct

[Richard @ Jul 9th 2008 1:53AM]

Say it ain't so!

[Eddie @ Jul 9th 2008 10:30AM]

Aw come on guys!
What do us Verizon-ites have to look forward to when it comes to phones?
...
....
This? And pretty much nothing else :P

[Evan Acosta @ Jul 9th 2008 1:43AM]

If this is a GSM phone in Europe, can I buy it and use it here (US) on AT&T.

[Max @ Jul 9th 2008 3:43AM]

no. it's presumed (confirmed?) to be a world edition phone like the blackberry 8830 meaning it uses cdma on verizon in the states and only has the gsm necessary for travel in europe. so even if you unlock the phone you won't have gsm service in the states. verizon and vodafone will carry the exact same hardware so then vodafone users can use their phone in the states.

[SimbaDogg @ Jul 9th 2008 5:12AM]

blow out minds out the front of out heads...

what is this, the departed? (sorry, just saw that movie for the first time yesterday...VERY good)

[David @ Jul 9th 2008 8:06AM]

but can it play Quake?

(serious question)

[bengreen21 @ Jul 9th 2008 8:40AM]

I hope Telus will pick this up in Canada. They already have got the Diamond and the Instinct. I love my current Pearl, but I am with Rogers currently. While I wanted either the Bold or the iPhone, if Telus gets the Thunder I will be gone for sure. Looking forward to trying out the keyboard myself.

[Distortedloop @ Jul 9th 2008 10:27AM]

LOL. This report in total contradiction to this http://gizmodo.com/5023250/blackberry-thunder-keyboard-incredibly-annoying-device-not-ready-says-rumor report, which claims insiders say the keyboard is totally annoying and the phone won't be ready for another 4-5 months.

I guess we won't know until we can feel one in our own hands.

[BeniRose @ Jul 9th 2008 2:58PM]

I have a crush on Model M keyboards.