BlackBerry Torch is official, launching August 12th on AT&T for $200
By Chris Ziegler 
posted August 3rd 2010 10:49AM
posted August 3rd 2010 10:49AM
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Today, Research In Motion (RIM) launched the BlackBerry Torch 9800 – RIM's first slider smartphone. This premium new smartphone features a capacitive touch screen, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and the new BlackBerry 6 operating system, which includes a powerful WebKit browser. With the legendary BlackBerry keyboard you love accompanying a large touch screen, users now have the best of both worlds – a refined smartphone designed for the heart and the head. And with BlackBerry 6, graphical menus, intuitive navigation and universal search make the BlackBerry user experience the most dynamic ever!
Key BlackBerry Torch features include:
· Brand new form factor – Touch/QWERTY combination smartphone
· BlackBerry 6 – Featuring:
o Context-sensitive pop-up menus for more relevant options
o A new WebKit browser for faster and more robust performance
o Integrated social feeds including the ability to update multiple social networks from a single screen
o Engaging multimedia experience
o Universal Search to uncover results throughout your smartphone – from Contacts, Apps, data and the Web
· Sleek design with a touch-sensitive trackpad located on the front face of the device
· The first BlackBerry smartphone to include the new BlackBerry App World pre-installed, supporting carrier billing through AT&T, making it easier for customers to discover and purchase applications
· 3.2" 360 x 480 capacitive touch screen display
· Vivid 5.0MP camera with flash, auto focus, image stabilization and geo-tagging
· Support for 3G networks (HSDPA)
· 512MB Flash memory, 4GB on‐board memory, microSD/SDHC memory card slot (4GB card included, cards up to 32GB supported)
· Built‐in GPS and Wi‐Fi (802.11 b/g/n)
· Network Support
o GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
o HSPDA/UMTS: 800/850/1900/2100 MHz
· Approximately 4.4" x 2.4" x 0.57" (closed), 5.8" x 2.4" x 0.57" (open)
In the U.S, the BlackBerry Torch will be available for AT&T customers on August 12 in AT&T company owned retail stores, online at www.att.com/blackberrytorch, and at Best Buy, Wal-Mart and RadioShack stores. The smartphone will be available for $199.99 with 2-year service agreement on a qualifying rate plan and data plan required. For more information about the BlackBerry Torch, please see the full press release at http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=4238.
For more details on BlackBerry 6, please watch the BlackBerry 6 YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plWOkI_Urwo and visit http://press.rim.com/release.jsp?id=4237. Images of the BlackBerry Torch will be posted shortly at http://www.rim.com/newsroom/media/gallery/.
I sure hope it's better than the Storm...
@Yoda
It will be
@Rob well it's yoda. he better know
@Yoda I call DTMT Don't Touch My Torch!! :)
@Yoda
Don't you mean like..
"Better than the Storm, I hope it is."
@Rob
It MUST be, or RIM will completely lose the consumer space.
@SolidSnake
where is the livebloggg?
@Yoda
Web browsing is the defining factor here, saw those early release videos of the browser that scored better than iPhone and Android but scrolling and stuff was still choppy, want to see the final optimized browser in action...
@vstican yahh, honestly what the hall engadget! if this was an iPhone release you would have been all over it hours ago... not cool.
@Yoda
Having the physical keyboard already makes it better than the storm imo. Gimme qwerty and I'm sold (until my contract is up that is).
@Yoda the storm and storm two was a fail in my opinion
@TerrorX You look really dumb saying that. Hope you realize
@Yoda Hmmm... AT&T... bad omen... :(
@ESTEEB
Yoda:
Better it will be. Failure the Storm was. Failure leads to angry consumers. Angry consumers lead to RIM losing customers. Lost customers leads to fear. Fear leads to new product. Better than the Storm it must be. No choice RIM has.
@Yoda Copying a Palm Pre and then doing so with a terrible OS is no way to get back in the game, RIM. All aboard the failboat.
@Rob
Seems really nice but is it really worth 200.... the EVO, Droid x, and iPhone directly compete at that price point. This seems more like a palm pre competitor.... the perfect price would be 99.....
@Yoda iPhone4 killer?
@Jordus
So by your logic, any company that makes a slider qwerty smartphone is copying the Palm Pre? hurr durr makes sense, cause the Pre's design was oh so original.
@Yoda
I sure hope it's equipped with OS6.....
@Yoda
Mos def bettet then the storm. I feel sorry for anyone that got the storm. You can't have one big button be your touchscreen.
@avengeryarr Not a lot of portrait sliders on the market nowadays (and I still can't figure out why-- it's a weird usability sacrifice on the order of the frickin' glossy screens on laptops). That fact alone invites comparison with the Pre (the current "leader" in portrait qwerty sliders, not saying much I know).
I doubt the software will be as friendly and customizable as WebOS though.
@Yoda BLACKBERRY TORCH IS OFFICIAL(ly a shit pre kirf running a winmo 5 kirf from 1999)
@Yoda
Their marketing department sucks, Apple would have had an image of a flame on the screen... making the TORCH name more memorable.
@Yoda
Too thick. Shitty resolution. Swype for BB might be a good idea for them.
@Yoda lol its one of the most useless looking BBs yet. Small screen with it collapsed, giant ugly keyboard with it open. The build quality looks good at least. I'll stick with my iPhone 3GS.
The 'alert' signup suggests that they're not going to announce a firm date or at least that it's not immediate.
@Karnak - They did the same with the iPhone 4, even though Apple announced pricing and availability at its unveiling.
I really really dont like it. does not look blackberry like, maybe stick to your core competence RIM? business phones?
@mountfranklin
they are.. its called the bold and the curve.
everyones criticizing them for not being like apple or google... this is their response i guess?
@mountfranklin Are you a conservative?
@mountfranklin RIM sticking to their core is like Apple releasing the 3g, and then re releasing it again under the 3GS. The idea is that no one wants a new phone when it looks exactly the same as the last. The OS better be one killer feature here otherwise RIM will lose market share.
@mountfranklin
Looks like my OLD hp ipaq 110:
http://www.smartphonemag.com/old_blogs/media/hp_ipaq_110_01.jpg
Blackberry, R.I.P.
@XChrisX
Good point, the 3GS was a legendary failure...
?!
Sign up for notification???
I thought the whole point of this "event" was to announce product & OS and then give release date & price.....
No need for the signup...
Release Date: August 12, 2010
Price: $199 on new 2 year contract
Looking good.
SWEEEEEEEET
@techee44 Yeah, so clean. This is the first time I have being impressed by their stuff. I hope it is coming to Japan soon.
Well that's about as functional as you can get. What a fantastic looking phone.
I own a Maglite Torch and am disgusted that it never gets any signal !
Welcome to the League of Stupid Names RIM, take your place between HTC and Apple, we'll keep a seat free for your Blackpad.
@fourthletter
Would you rather tell your friends you own a BlackBerry AT2854729z or a BlackBerry Torch?
@Shadow08 Heeey, I like Sony product names. Makes them look like top secret military concepts
@bakkermaarten007
RIM just let rip a Blackberry Florch.....
@Shadow08
If someone told me they had a Blackberry Torch I would assume it came free with a phone.
It better not have SurePress
@brian515 Why would it have SurePress when it has a full keyboard?
@brian515 Surepress on the Storm 2 is a pretty amazing experience. Granted, it can't beat a keyboard for typing (which this has anyway) but I certainly wouldn't complain if they did add it - and I wouldn't be surprised if other manufacturers started to follow suit (I remember Apple trying to patent a SurePress-like tech a little while back).
Seriously dude, stop hatin'..
@brian515 I have the Storm 2 that obviously has SurePress and I love it to bits. I could never go back to my iPhone or any other regular touchscreen for that matter.
Each to their own I guess!
Yay 480x360.
Seems like it's cool to hate on RIM right now, just like it was 'cool' to hate on Motorola before the Droid. No matter what people think BlackBerry is not going anywhere anytime soon. They still have a healthy user base and brand perception that RIM can fall back on for a bit while they innovate and play catch-up, which I sincerely hope they do.
It's funny how all the technophiles here dismiss BlackBerry as a 'business' device. I'm a college student and from what I see RIM has a very strong foothold in the consumer market, which they have been steadily establishing since they released the original Pearl. If it's not iPhone, it's BlackBerry. I would say most mobile Facebook updates I see are 'via BlackBerry' - and I notice new friends switching to BB all the time. Android barely registers - the brand just isn't there yet.
The BlackBerry brand definitely has cachet, and I would argue that's just as or perhaps more important to consumers than tech specs (hello iPhone?). I just hope RIM doesn't rest on that for too long because, of course, brand perception changes.