GSM-only BlackBerry Storm / Thunder leaks out

We might be getting the CDMA BlackBerry Storm 9530 with GSM worldphone abilities on Verizon here in the States, but the rest of the world doesn't need both of those radios, and now we have confirmation of the GSM-only BlackBerry 9500 (aka the BlackBerry Thunder) -- check out this RIM data sheet that just surfaced. Specs are basically the same as the Storm 9530: quad-band GSM, tri-band HSDPA, 1GB of flash with 192MB of RAM, 3.2 megapixel cam with video, flash and image stabilization, A-GPS, and that click-touchscreen. No details on pricing or release date, but we'd guess it'll hit along with the Storm 9530 sometime around November 1st.

[Jash Sayani @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:38AM]

Nice. This is a Blackberry I was looking for!

[tom @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:43AM]

AT&T has been a bad boy this year. RIM said they are giving the exclusive to Verizon.

[Eric @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:18AM]

You may want to brush up on your reading skills there tom. The BB that is exclusive to Verizon is the CDMA version. The one here (9500) is a GSM version, not coming to Verizon (or yet to the US for that matter).

[Carmelo Lisciotto @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:40AM]

I like this new device.

Carmelo Lisciotto

[bob sakamano @ Sep 23rd 2008 9:51AM]

Good for you.

Bob Sakamano

[John @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:28AM]

How nice.

Carmelo Lisciotto

[CB17 @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:13AM]

*Insert snide remark about ATT + GSM and swappable SIM cards here*

[Vineet Madan @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:25AM]

But will it blend?

[pekosROB @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:15AM]

Can someone please tell me what is so special about haptic touch feedback? Don't get me wrong, I love BlackBerrys, but if the touch feedback is what I think it is, I've had that on my Alpine IVA-W200 for over 2 years now. The vibration when you touch to give it a tactile feel has been around for awhile. I'm actually surprised that this hasn't been used in touchscreen phones yet!

At least RIM did it first for cell phones! Unless someone else did and somebody can enlighten me!

[Hitman75 @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:26AM]

LG and Samsung already have haptic feedback, and I am sure there are others.

[Phoenix @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:43PM]

You can get haptics on a lot of phones, however what this is is there is a physical "click" under WHERE YOU PRESS, rather than a general vibration.

That's the new thing

[Mike @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:17AM]

God forbid we make comments here.

Mike W

[Mike @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:27AM]

.. this was a reply to bob sakamano above..

[matthew @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:18PM]

Well you did a crap job of it

Matt Walker

[caniac_01 @ Sep 23rd 2008 10:52AM]

Pleeease RIM, I'll take a 9530 here in Canada.. I'll pass on Rogers and their non-existant 3G network. But if push comes to shove, does anyone know if theres anyway to unlock a CDMA phone for use on another carrier, because I'd be up for grabbing a state-side Storm and bringing it over to Telus.

[Mike @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:07AM]

As I understand it main stumbling block is getting telus to let your device onto their network. Both they and Bell have a policy of not allowing that. Any exceptions are news to me.

[Miacol @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:33AM]

So ATT is going after the Verizon special BB Market, this is amazing. We all know ATT is the biggest reseller of BB devices in the world, it only makes sense that RIM would not be too far behind with the same unit for ATT, just wondering when it will come out for ATT after the holidays?

It says three types of keyboards but we only see 2, hmmmm. I wonder....

[Bob @ Sep 23rd 2008 12:02PM]

Actually, AT&T isn't the largest Blackberry reseller in the world. They are currently the largest carrier (customer base) in the US that also carries Blackberries but AT&T doesn't sell the most Blackberries in the world.

[bex @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:10AM]

The software still needs a lot of work. :\

[Bob @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:38AM]

With the removal of the CDMA radio they have room to add something in. Any idea if they added Wi-Fi in place of the CDMA radio?

[Carmelo Lisciotto @ Sep 23rd 2008 1:41PM]

Hey? Did I mention Iike this device?? (snide comment rebuffed)

LOL


Carmelo Lisciotto

[dopemagic @ Sep 23rd 2008 6:22PM]

I just got something in the mail from verzion about this black berry phone talking about exclusive invitation yesterday

[eric @ Sep 23rd 2008 3:26PM]

screw the storm, where the hell is the bold. i mean every country outside of the US has the damn thing, whats taking so long, and don't give me that OS isn't ready bull

[UKJ @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:03PM]

Pls can someone tell the price of this blackberry...from GVC Corporations in Beijing China its a kind of 136EUR...prove me wrong or right