BlackBerry Bold up for pre-order at Best Buy: $680 smackers

We already knew RIM's BlackBerry Bold would sell for a stiff $299.99 on contract with AT&T, but if you're one of the many AT&T users who'd rather not sign a new agreement (or renew your current one), you've probably been patiently waiting to hear an unsubsidized price. Here is it, but we're warning you, you might want to sit down. The contract-free Bold is listed at $679.99 at Best Buy, and fittingly enough, the product page offers a convenient link for seeking financing. At any rate, it also tells us that pre-orders will typically ship out within one to two weeks, though we'd be hesitant to bet the farm on that. After waiting for, like, ever, for this handset to finally hit shelves, are you still so anxious to drop nearly seven bills to claim one as your own?

[Thanks, Christen]

[MONKEY Posted Oct 28th 2008 11:03AM]

32GB microSD + 1GB internal memory = 17 more GB's than the $299 iPhone

[Kanaka Posted Oct 27th 2008 9:32PM]

Am i the only one who thinks the bold is like....kinda old news now?

[Vander Posted Oct 27th 2008 10:27PM]

If John Mayer has one, I also want ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 12:32AM]

nah.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 9:36PM]

If you go over to Canada to a Robber- err, Rogers store, it's only $649 CAN for one.
Which, according to XE... is $500.

Fuck this, I'm going to Canada.

[Alexandre Emond Posted Oct 27th 2008 10:30PM]

Plus the "Robber- err, Rogers" price for data:
Monthly Fee* $15 $25 $30 $60
Data Included 2MB 500MB 1GB 3GB

[Valicore Posted Oct 28th 2008 12:36AM]

All I can say about that is that Rogers used to be Rogers AT&T, aka "please bend over, and while you're at, we'll take your wallet,"

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 9:49PM]

I attended the BlackBerry Developer Conference last week.
One of the perks, we were given a new BlackBerry smart phone (Bold, Pearl-Flip, or voucher for a storm)

I opted for the Bold.
It is a significant upgrade from my AT&T 8700 series BlackBerry.
The 3G is great, and the wi-fi for other activities is just a major bonus.

It is lighter, better on battery.
The screen is AWSOME, and will give the iPhone and other players a run for their money on media playback.
The built in speaker on this phone is very powerfull for a mobile phone.

Easy access to the memory storage chip (not the SIM).

GPS Navigation all work pretty well too.

Is it worth the $650 to purchase without a contract, really depends on your hatred for contracts of if you want to use it on another network.

We had limited access to the Storm.
And just like the iPhone, with the Storm you are really going to need to like typing on the screen, and have the fingers to do it.
IMHO, the downside to the Storm: Verizon.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 10:28PM]

Storm = no wifi

[haX0r Posted Oct 28th 2008 9:13AM]

Storm = CDMA 3G = fast

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 7:55AM]

Paid $900 for one shipped from Hong Kong to me in Japan - and I use it on DoCoMo. Worth every penny. I love it. Infinitely better than the 8707 (previously the only option here).

Early adopters happily pay the price, which allows most users to get this for cheap. I am sure it will be free with a two year contract within 9 months (or early - after the storm comes out).

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 10:25PM]

Hmm...I'll take an unlocked Nokia e71 for $375 instead.

More features, sexier looks and CHEAPER

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 10:42PM]

So I can get a complete computer with a 8.9" screen with a 120 GB HDD, WiFI, and all the other goodies for $349.... but somehow because this thing has a SIM slot I'm supposed to pay almost $700????


WTF people, WTF.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 9:42AM]

Can you carry that around on your hip?
And make phone calls with it?

You pay for what you get, and what you want.
Don't compare it to something it isn't.

[tiuk Posted Oct 28th 2008 9:39AM]

Baffling, isn't it? I guess the solution is use a cheap cell phone and carry a netbook.

I kind of split the difference and got an N95 for $200. I don't think I could handle browsing on it for hours, but for quick stuff I like it fine.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 10:43PM]

What's with Best Buy getting all these new phones first? I just bought my Touch Pro from them over the weekend and Sprint STILL doesn't have it in their stores. I got it with a contract though, so I'd be surprised if you wouldn't be able to do the same thing with the Bold when it actually gets released.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 27th 2008 11:39PM]

So do I still have to have an AT&T sim card for this to work or if I have a sim card from another gsm carrier with all similar network specs would it work too? Is it actually "unlocked"? Or is it only contract free?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 12:11AM]

its sad that the cost to make this is like $170 and they retail for $680?
price gouging...
man i wish for a Buy-More store.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 12:32AM]

I have one and I like it. Beautiful display, great keyboard, perfect features.

In Canada on Rogers.

Whatsizface

[Valicore Posted Oct 28th 2008 1:01AM]

I'd vote you up more than once if I could. It has been way too long since I've seen a compact, concise post about a person's thoughts on... well...anything, without the words "iPhone," "fanboi," "stfu" or "(insert random unrelated product name here) pwns (device shown in article)! (random device) FTW!!!" And even another vote for not pluralizing random acronyms with a z. I elect you to the office of President of The Intarwebz.

[Valicore Posted Oct 28th 2008 12:51AM]

Damn, they're really putting the crack in crackberry, except, ounce for ounce, crack is probably cheaper. They'll still sell a bagillion of them for all the professionals and enterprise customers out there who have to have them. I don't know... it is what it is. Somehow I get the feeling that RIM is trying to make up for the sales lost by the delays... (From when it was released in Chile to now is really huge... we're talking PS3 or Vista delay huge). I also wonder if they're passing on the engineering and R and D cost, as I believe this is their first 850/1900 WCDMA device.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 2:49AM]

old school, old technology.

same price or more than an iPhone or Android? i wont even give it a second look. i love my iPhone. id love the Android even more if it wasnt on the call-dropping T-Mobile network. ill even take a Dare, Touch Diamond, or heck--even a MotoQ over this expensive bore.

you know, i hate being a fan boy but i wish someone would give me a good alternative. like an Android on Verizon.

[nikster Posted Oct 28th 2008 5:18AM]

Same here - I have an iPhone and the whole last year was just extremely boring in the mobile space. No real competition, the iPhone seemed light years ahead of anything else.

Now it looks like both the BB Storm and the HTC Touch HD will finally give the iPhone a run for its money. Things might get interesting again at last.

[Haus Posted Oct 28th 2008 7:34AM]

Now its $660 at BestBuy.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2008 8:22AM]

I have a Blackberry bold under vodafone UK .. in summary... I'm not impressed.

Pros

The screen is very clear and images are vibrant.
Nice set of inner ear headphones.
OS is pretty slick
easy to set up as tethered modem
Nice keyboard
uses miniSD cards so can support up to 16GB

Cons
it's big
screen is not protected
battery life is bad
browsing the web is a bad experience even with Opera
not many apps supported like IM apps/social notworking etc

Personally I wish I had waited a while and just gone for the G1.

[rspray Posted Oct 28th 2008 9:30AM]

Helix,

Bingo on the E71. Got one last week on EBay with the Live Cash back thingy. Mint (2 week old) with 8gb MicroSD for $210 shipped. You can regularly find them under $400. Phone AND Smartphone of the Year in UK Mobile Choice awards just this October.

[lee7n Posted Oct 28th 2008 10:11AM]

$680?, What are they smoking?

[(Unverified) Posted Nov 3rd 2008 7:51PM]

So 1 question if I buy it can I use it in Venezuela? I mean activate it?