Sprint launches push-to-talk BlackBerry Curve 8350i

Verizon may have been bangin' on Sprint's iDEN network, but that's not stopping the yellow-faced carrier from introducing the "first ever" (wait, really?) push-to-talk BlackBerry on those very waves. Sprint is hailing the Curve 8350i as the "most advanced push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone ever," and given the options in the past, it's hard to disagree. Thankfully, there's also integrated WiFi / GPS as well as support for Group Connect, international direct connect and Talkgroup; you'll also spot a 2-megapixel camera, multimedia player, speakerphone, video recorder, a microSDHC card slot, Bluetooth 2.0, a stereo headset jack and a removable 1,400mAh battery. It's available now in a rather stocky 4.4- x 2.4- x 0.7-inch frame for as low as $149.99 (after all applicable rebates) on a two-year plan.

Gallery: Sprint launches BlackBerry Curve 8350i: first push-to-talk BlackBerry

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[Brice Hope @ Dec 15th 2008 9:48AM]

I thought the 8310 on AT&T has push to talk.

[Steven @ Dec 15th 2008 9:59AM]

It does. AT&T has had PTT on most Blackberries for over a year now.

[Max @ Dec 15th 2008 10:13AM]

Push-to-Talk and "Direct Connect" are two different technologies. PTT was Sprint's (rather crappy) solution to non-Nextel phones.

The author has it wrong either way, because the Blackberry 7520 had Direct Connect.

[Flashpoint @ Dec 15th 2008 10:18AM]

I had a Blackberry 7250 on Nextel years ago:
http://www.epinions.com/review/pr-RIM_BlackBerry_7520/content_293375544964

Sprint killed NExtel. For them to still release phones is silly.

[dark star @ Dec 15th 2008 11:14AM]

yeah, Sprint killed Nextel. funny thing is, 3 years later, they reallized Nextel was the one actually making money. bringing DC now is kinda... late. dumb.

[boss-hogg @ Dec 16th 2008 12:56AM]

Did Darren get in a time machine and then make this post? Nextel needs some more modern looking devices

[nick @ Dec 15th 2008 9:52AM]

This is not the 1st Sprint/Nextel Blackberry, the Blackberry 7100i was also a push to talk Blackberry.

[TheJerit @ Dec 15th 2008 9:57AM]

Yep, Nick is right. I still have my old 7100i somewhere.... It was the best phone I ever had when I was with Nextel.

[haX0r @ Dec 17th 2008 4:18PM]

The guys in my building just got this for their business. So far they like it. But it is much bigger (thicker) than it looks in the image.

[Mynor @ Dec 15th 2008 9:54AM]

uhm.................. a few years ago I had the 7520 with nextel ... which had direct connect and so did the 7100i .. so whats with the first first first business?

[Phillip @ Dec 15th 2008 9:56AM]

The 7100i and 7520 have had push to talk since Nextel was a separate company.

[Rob @ Dec 15th 2008 9:58AM]

It looks fragile. Push-to-break?

[MattyG @ Dec 15th 2008 10:07AM]

added fire alarm feature

[Tom @ Dec 15th 2008 9:58AM]

What about the 7100i

[TheJerit @ Dec 15th 2008 9:59AM]

Looks like our friend Darren here is getting called out...

[greg ramsaran @ Dec 15th 2008 9:59AM]

Maybe they mean first PPT under Sprint acquisition?

[Hywelbane @ Dec 15th 2008 10:01AM]

Not the first push-to-talk BlackBerry by a long shot. Sprint/Nextel has had several. The 7510, 6510, 7520, and 7100 just to name a few.

[finman @ Dec 15th 2008 10:01AM]

At least it doesn't have the gut-stabbing antenna like the 7520 (oh wait, this is the first PTT Blackberry ever).

[djatomikbomb @ Dec 15th 2008 10:04AM]

I guess what they meant by first phone, they meant the first Nextel Blackberry that's actually on par with all the others in the cellular industry... (save for the Storm and Bold)

[pcnerd37 @ Dec 15th 2008 10:07AM]

As an owner of a push to talk BlackBerry 7100i, I can tell you it is not the first. Please correct your post.

[cseabrooks @ Dec 15th 2008 10:12AM]

This is too funny! It appears that yet another poster on Engadget has posted erroneous information! LMAO!!! I wonder if they actually use posters who KNOW the industry or just people who just like to blog crap! This is almost as bad as what Dan Rather did to get fired off of CBS.

[SBinVA @ Dec 15th 2008 10:15AM]

ditto to the other comments, check your facts before publishing.

As for the BB itself, who cares? I choose BB's because they are reliable, a word the does not often collide in the same sentence with "iDEN".

[cseabrooks @ Dec 15th 2008 10:20AM]

SBinVA, while the voice portion iDen is shoddy at best, the PTT is by and far way better than anything else out there. I have tried Alltels' PTT, I have tried VZW's PTT and just recently AT7T's PTT. None of them can compare to Nextel's PTT. It's fast, it works 99% of the time, and you can actually use it. I am an Bold owner, so no more PTT for me.

[SBinVA @ Dec 15th 2008 10:38AM]

cseabrooks - I will give you that, I was a Nextel user for years and agree the Direct Connect is far superior to any of the other PTT solutions. The voice service, as you said, is beyond the definition of horrid.

[cseabrooks @ Dec 15th 2008 1:02PM]

Sorry, I just got off-line chatting to Sprint and this phone DOES use CDMA EVDO -Rev A for data and iDen ONLY for PTT.

[h8rain @ Dec 15th 2008 10:16AM]

I am sorry to be "troll-ish", but

ABOUT F-ing time Sprint........ The 7100i was only like 3 years old. I have been using an old i95, because the 7100i kept crapping out on me. I wonder when the stores will get them.

[csmitty @ Dec 15th 2008 10:31AM]

Is it PTT over iden or cdma? cuz its def. not the first over iden. Over CDMA DC which isn't really PTT probably. But it is branded Nextel.

[sndmn23 @ Dec 15th 2008 10:34AM]

it's iDEN.

[sndmn23 @ Dec 15th 2008 10:32AM]

Now he puts "first ever" in quotes as if that's what the source said. Really? I don't see "first ever" anywhere in the release. It DOES say it's the first with WIFI and Group Connect. If you screw up, the least you can do is own it.

[NiGeRiA_StAnD_Up! @ Dec 15th 2008 10:33AM]

No highest rankings?

[Spiff @ Dec 15th 2008 10:37AM]

Hmm.. when click the read link, it states:

"First push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi and Group Connect demonstrates Sprint’s firm commitment to the Nextel National Network".

Perhaps the author of this post should re-read the article and change it accordingly. First push-to-talk Blackberry with built-in Wi-fi and Group Connect.

[Ben @ Dec 15th 2008 11:57AM]

"First push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi and Group Connect demonstrates Sprint’s firm commitment to the Nextel National Network".

That's misleading as well. I don't know about 6510/7510/7100, but I used to run Group Connect on a 7520. Of course, come to think of it.. They changed the old network based Group Connect to some different name (can't recall what) and introduced a new phone-based group connect feature a couple years back. Maybe that's what they mean.

Lets just say it's the first iDEN push-to-talk BlackBerry with Wi-Fi.

[Ernie @ Dec 15th 2008 10:56AM]

My old 7520 had push to talk.. Quit lying!

[wud_e @ Dec 15th 2008 11:03AM]

I'm digging the yellow trim.

[Jeff @ Dec 15th 2008 11:16AM]

Yawn! I was getting excited at the prospect that Nextel would die!!! I hate that damn 'beep beep'!

=)

[Landon @ Dec 15th 2008 12:18PM]

So....what everyone is saying....multiple times.....is that the 7520 and the 7100i had it first? I'm just making sure because well, I wasn't sure...

[shaniac @ Dec 15th 2008 1:52PM]

Man I wish folks would learn how to read. The statement says "First push-to-talk BlackBerry smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi and Group Connect". The emphasis is on the Wi-Fi and Group Connect, not that it is the first BlackBerry. They were still selling a PTT BB from 2005 until this guy launched, so as you guys bash Sprint (because they are so much worse than AT&T and Verizon) lets try to read what the first line in the statement says.

[sndmn23 @ Dec 15th 2008 2:53PM]

When this story first broke on Engadget this morning, it was all about how this is the first iDEN Blackberry. It has been heavily edited since, so many of the comments have to be looked at in that context.

[Nerd Ferguson @ Dec 15th 2008 3:01PM]

I can't believe NO ONE here picked up on the sarcastic nature of Darren's post.

[sndmn23 @ Dec 15th 2008 4:22PM]

The thing is, the way it was originally written by Darren, it wasn't at all sarcastic. He was definitely stating that this was the first iDEN Blackberry. Then he changes it after a bunch of posters called him out. He should have left the orignal article and then put an update.

[Nerd Ferguson @ Dec 15th 2008 4:34PM]

that being the case, i stand corrected. lol.

[omamatt @ Dec 15th 2008 7:22PM]

I believe when you guys are saying it is CDMA w/ EVDO for voice/data and the PTT is iDEN is incorrect. This is strictly an iDEN device, using all of Nextels network, not Sprints. I would love to proven wrong, though.

[Rod @ Dec 15th 2008 9:36PM]

Yup, I got one today. Nextel only, no EVDO.

[Rod @ Dec 15th 2008 9:34PM]

Just got one today, and I am actually impressed. It is very quick, and the Wifi works flawlessly. I must say, they actually finally caught up to last year's technology. I had previously been running a Sprint Pearl BB and it is as good as the 8130 any day. I like Nextel DC and I was actually using two separate phones (one Nextel and one Sprint) cause I hated the 7100i that was available. I broke three of them cause of the damn antennas. Anyway, that's my two bits.

[Netranger @ Dec 16th 2008 12:14PM]

Yes, it is iDEN only! What a waste of a good thing. Everyone was waiting for this to be a Hybrid phone.

[Joe @ Dec 16th 2008 12:35PM]

I think the Original writer of this article should print a retraction and admit he knows absolutely nothing about what he is saying.

As previous posters have stated, Push-To-Talk or PTT is a registered trademark of Nextel (as acquired by Sprint). This is not the first BlackBerry to have PTT (commonly referred to as Direct Connect). The 6510 was, then the 7510, then the 7520, then the 7100i.

It is however the first BlackBerry that has Group Connect capabilities, which may be where the OP is confused (read: doesn't know what he is talking about).

To clear up misconceptions: This is a pure iDEN BlackBerry. It uses iDEN for voice (interconnect, direct connect and group) and data. Do not be fooled by fakers talking about feeds and speeds, the iDEN BlackBerry will out-perform any other network's BlackBerry when it comes to applications and email. The only thing that it will not do well is receiving large amounts of data (pictures or graphics rich web browsing).

It does have bulit in WiFi, which a user can have up to 25 profiles stored on the device.

So please, if you do not realize the power of this device do not order one. I do not want to have to wait for a backorder because some idiot doesn't understand the value.

And one last time, please print a retraction and admit you did absolutely no research and you have no business writing on this topic.

[Reas0n555 @ Dec 20th 2008 10:43AM]

Oh great a bb curve on idens wopping 30kbps network whitch will only be good for a other 2 years.

[sndmn23 @ Dec 15th 2008 10:46AM]

I guess that's why it has the WIFI. Some people need the PTT and want a Blackberry as well. This phone is for that user. It's certainly not meant for the mainstream.

[cseabrooks @ Dec 15th 2008 10:58AM]

This won't use the iDen network for data like the 7100i, it will use the EVDO Rev-A network for data.

[sndmn23 @ Dec 15th 2008 11:29AM]

cseabrooks: that is incorrect. The "i" in the model number is for iDEN. This is definitely not a qchat PTT device.