BlackBerry Kickstart 8220 surfaces on eBay, trigger fingers get itchy

Not that you won't be able to buy this thing from carriers here shortly, but there's just nothing quite like being the first on your block to own a new handset. For those with cash to burn and an insatiable desire to play with RIM's forthcoming Kickstart 8220, look no further than eBay. Up for auction right now is an unlocked version of the aforesaid mobile, but it looks as if the final bid will end up well over a grand. Good luck (being patient).

[Via CellPhonesMarket, thanks ghengis]

[rich @ Aug 30th 2008 8:56AM]

why are the left column of keys mixed up?

[jopari @ Aug 30th 2008 9:15AM]

French, enculé, do you speak it?

[Daviesifier @ Aug 30th 2008 9:15AM]

It's an AZERTY keyboard layout, which is mainly used in France, so i guess the phone originates in France

[Mafuta @ Aug 30th 2008 10:36AM]

Jopari -- on n'a pas besoin de dire enculé, so take it easy, eh?

[rich @ Aug 30th 2008 11:37AM]

agreed, can we settle down?

[Major4Play @ Aug 30th 2008 9:02AM]

Blackberry are really getting their Apple themed design going, Give people features from 4 years ago as if it's new well done !

This thing looks ancient like an old LG flip, better luck next time...

[generally @ Aug 30th 2008 9:59AM]

"Give people features from 4 years ago as if it's new well done!"

You just described Apple there. I don't see how BlackBerry is doing this. Please explain.

[My Ipod beats your computer @ Aug 30th 2008 10:41AM]

are you surprised? Blackberry hasn't changed a thing in 5 years. It's dissapointig really to see such a prestiege company being put out of bussiness by apple, but that's what they get for not being inventive like apple I guess

[Major4Play @ Aug 30th 2008 10:50AM]

A large chunky flip phone = 4-5 years old design.

Explained.

[Andrew T. @ Aug 30th 2008 11:56AM]

"are you surprised? Blackberry hasn't changed a thing in 5 years. It's dissapointig really to see such a prestiege company being put out of bussiness by apple, but that's what they get for not being inventive like apple I guess"

How are they putting RIM out of business? LOL. I didn't know RIM was in any sort of financial trouble or even close to it. I didn't know selling a few million products begins to put the competition out of business. I guess Nintendo is putting Sony/Microsoft out of business with the Wii's strong and continuous sales. Pfft...

[Bassir @ Aug 30th 2008 1:48PM]

Yeah, because multi-touch has been on phone since ever, right?

[My Ipod beats your computer @ Aug 30th 2008 2:21PM]

@andrew
What evidence do you have that they aren't in financial trouble?

-stock is way down
-most people are buying iPhone instead of old rim tech
-the percentage of businesses buying iPhone is up( and blackberry is down)
-the app store is killing blackberry one sale at a time

Like honestly, do they expect people to buy the bold? It looks ten years old. Ew

[generally @ Aug 30th 2008 8:10PM]

@Major4Play

"A large chunky flip phone = 4-5 years old design. Explained."

A design is not a feature. Nice try.

@My Ipod beats your computer

"-stock is way down
-most people are buying iPhone instead of old rim tech
-the percentage of businesses buying iPhone is up( and blackberry is down)
-the app store is killing blackberry one sale at a time"

Where are you getting this information? It's all untrue. Give me some facts please. Stop being a troll.

[bobdole @ Aug 30th 2008 10:04PM]

iphone will never replace blackberries as a professional business communication tool... they're not designed to be. they're designed to be stylish and trendy music players and voice phones.

afaik iphones don't even offer push email, and absolute necessity in business... blackberries have amazing enterprise level management tools, like for instance your employer can remotely disable the camera on all their employee's phones as they walk into a building, or they can remotely upgrade the software and manage dozens or hundreds of devices at once if need be.. they have their own custom dedicated email servers which give professional level encryption and other weird enterprise level crap that large businesses require. blackberries have a full, tactile qwerty keyboard that people have spent half a dozen years getting proficient at, these companies have invested tens of thousands of dollars on blackberry hardware, blackberry software, and blackberry enterprise server licenses, their employees are maybe even given blackberry training for proficiency, their tech guys certainly are given training, expensive training, on the setup and maintainence of blackberry servers.
there's no way these large corporations are going to ditch their current investment and blow way, way more money on a less functional and more complicated device.

[Andrew T. @ Aug 30th 2008 10:41PM]

-stock is way down
-most people are buying iPhone instead of old rim tech
-the percentage of businesses buying iPhone is up( and blackberry is down)
-the app store is killing blackberry one sale at a time

Stock is way down. GREAT reason for proving RIM is going out of business. So no stock can drop 5 dollars? Damn, a LOT of companies are in danger man, everyone carrying any stock that fell $5 should be beware!

Hah, what you're saying doesn't make any sense STILL! Just because Apple has a tremendous selling of the iPhone 3G, DOES NOT mean RIM is going bankrupt or going out of business anytime soon. (2-3 years of market growth, I think 600%?, does not get wiped out because Apple introduces the iPhone 3G and sells a few million...)

As for your third point. Now I know you're on something. Where is your proof that the iPhone has become THE choice for business communication? Sure e-mail works on the iPhone but is no way near what BlackBerry has to offer, maybe in the future it will be, but right now don't think so...

[brandon @ Aug 30th 2008 9:07AM]

Whats with the freaky keyboard layout???

[Andy TGD @ Aug 30th 2008 9:13AM]

eBayers who bid way over the RRP of an item never cease to amaze me. I suggest they have their money confiscated... and given to me. :D

[gad get @ Aug 30th 2008 9:17AM]

I deserve it more.

[Bryant @ Aug 30th 2008 10:50AM]

I deserve it less...?

[Paris @ Aug 31st 2008 12:48PM]

I deserve it more or less.

[Jason @ Aug 30th 2008 10:28AM]

They finally make a Blackberry flip phone, and it flips the wrong way! We are eternally doomed to use portrait-layout keypads.

[Jerry @ Aug 30th 2008 8:40PM]

I looked it up on ebay. It doesnt look all that great.


http://acaiberrydiet.iinetwork.net

[dramamoose @ Aug 30th 2008 11:27PM]

WOW! You hit the read link? Holy crap; you obviously have infinite insight.

I should go read your blog.

[Tadas Simokaitis @ Aug 30th 2008 12:27PM]

Hey, this phone looks so crappy. Way to big for today... ey?

[drumdbeat @ Aug 30th 2008 1:14PM]

I like the design of the phone when it is closed, the front looks real good, but i can't help thinking that when the device is open it just looks wrong.

Surely they could have designed something better than this?

[Elliott @ Aug 30th 2008 1:26PM]

BlackBerry and flip phones...just doesn't work for me :(

[el paco @ Aug 30th 2008 9:12PM]

I like my BB Bold just fine, iPhone trolls. Simplicity is what some people want... iPhone is too feature filled for my taste... plus, how is Apple putting RIM under any stress? I still see Blackberry phones flying off the shelves at the same rate as in the past... business-proven technology always wins.

[rony @ Aug 31st 2008 5:57AM]

i-phone suckssssssssssssssssssss.......f@$@ you Iphone lovers....
MICROSOFT FOREVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Daniel @ Sep 1st 2008 2:13AM]

no one else noticed that its on a xbox 360?

[Rick @ Sep 2nd 2008 11:03PM]

$1750 current bid on a phone rumored to cost $50 and debut this month? haha